Accounting Estimates and Policy Essay

Disclosure of significant sources of estimation uncertainty and judgments in applying accounting policies are two important requirements in financial reporting, although these are the most subjective and complex areas, they are of significance in making business decisions to users of financial statements. This paper compares our company’s current accounting practice with the requirements in respective accounting standards in relation to disclosure of sources of estimation uncertainty and judgments in applying accounting policies with the aim the identify any gaps between these two which may trigger ASIC’ reviewers attention. It takes a look first at the requirements in respective accounting standards (Chapter 2). It then examine the current accounting practices in our company (Chapter 3 and 4) and identify the gaps between company’s practice and accounting standard (Chapter 5). At the end recommendations are made for a better-compliant report (Chapter 6). Requirements in accounting standards The disclosure of significant sources of estimation uncertainty and judgments in applying accounting policies should be disclosed separately in the financial reports. Not only the nature of estimates should be disclosed but also the sensitivity analysis to these estimates should be included. Judgments in terms of whether the nature and the amounts are relevant to the company’s operation are critical in applying the respective accounting policies. See more:Â  Mark Twain’s Humorous Satire in Running for Governor Essay Company’s accounting practices Estimations disclosed are impairments for intangible goods, provision for restoration and rehabilitation, employee benefits, estimation of useful lives of assets and ore reserve and revaluation estimates. judgments in applying accounting polices are disclosed in two areas which are depreciation of non-financial tangible goods and taxations. Identifying the gaps Our company prepared the financial statements in compliance to Australian Accounting Standard. However there are minor gaps between our company’s practice and the requirements in accounting standards in terms of content and manner. More significant disclosure could have been made the structure can be improved. Conclusion and recommendations Disclosures about timing in revenue recognition, classification of finance leases and operating leases and going concern could have been included, since they are relevant to our company’s operating and can better assist users in evaluating our company’s performance. The disclosure of estimates and judgments should be disclosed in separate notes since it is required by AASB 101. 1 Introduction ASIC announced recently that one of its focusing area would be the disclosure of entities’ estimates and accounting policy judgements.This is because some entities did not make material disclosure of sources of estimation uncertainty and significant judgments in applying accounting policies, while these disclosures, though subjective and complex, are critical factors in business decision-making. The purpose of this report is to identify any gaps between our company’s current accounting practice and the requirements of accounting standards by firstly looking at the requirements set out in the related accounting standard, then to carry out an examination of the current accounting practice of our company accordingly. The report will then compare the information collected and identify any compliance with or deviation from AASB requirements in regards to disclosure in estimates and accounting policy judgments, and discuss recommendations for a better compliance report to meet the satisfaction of ASIC reviewers. 2 Requirements in respective accounting standards AASB 101 paragraph 112-133 specifically state the requirements for material disclosures of sources of estimation uncertainty and the significant judgments used in applying accounting policies. 2.1 Requirements for disclosures of sources of estimation uncertainty According to AASB 101 paragraph 125-129 which relate to disclosure of sources of estimation uncertainty. entities are required to disclose estimates at the reporting date that have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities within the next financial year (AU AASB 101.125). for these assets and liabilities, details of their nature and their carrying amount at the end of reporting period are required. To determine the carrying amount of assets and liabilities, estimations for the effect of future events are needed. for example, when the recent market value is absent, future-oriented estimates are of necessity in measuring recoverable amount of property, plant and equipment. Other examples can be long term employee benefits, or provision liability which subject to future results of legal events. The manner of the disclosures should be in a way that can assist users of the financial statements to comprehend the judgments that managements makes about the future and other sources of estimation uncertainty, usually users will expect to have the nature of the assumptions or other estimation uncertainty and the extent of sensitivity disclosures provided for the estimates. However, in some cases when the extent of possible effects the sources of estimation uncertainty at end of reporting period become impracticable, the entity should state that a material adjustment to the carrying amount of the asset or liability may be required if the outcomes within the next financial period are different from the assumption. 2.2 Requirements for disclosure of judgments in applying accounting policies According to AASB 101 paragraph 117-124, requirements for disclosure about judgments used in applying accounting policies are set out. ‘Judgments’ are defined as ‘apart from those involving estimations, that management has made in process of applying the entity’s accounting policies and that have the most significant effect on the amounts recognized in the financial statement (AU AASB 101.122). Two important elements to be disclosed are judgments about the measurement basis used in preparing financial statements and the other accounting policies. Judgments in terms of the relevance in applying a particular accounting policies should be exerted since management needs to consider whether the disclosure would assist users in understanding the financial position and performance of the company. it is noted that not only AASB 101, but other accounting standards such as AASB 116 (disclosur e of the measurement bases used for classes of property, plant and equipment) also states the requirements for judgments. what should be taken into account when applying a particular accounting policy are the nature of the entity’s operations and the policies that users of financial statements would expect to look at. for example, users would expect a manufacturing company to disclose its accounting policies for depreciation and revaluation on property, plant and equipment. or, users concerning about the entity’s income taxes would expect the entity to disclose information on accounting policies for income taxes, including deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets. it may be the case that even the amount for certain assets and liabilities are not material, but because it is highly relevant to the entity’s operation, then professional judgments are needed when applying the accounting policies. 3 Company’s current accounting practice—Resources of estimation uncertainty The disclosures of significant accounting estimates and assumptions are examined in note 2 to the financial statement, there are seven estimations made for the financial reports, the ones that deserve attention to are impairment of goodwill and intangibles with indefinite useful lives, provision for restoration and rehabilitation, employee benefits, estimation of useful lives of assets and ore reserve and resource estimates. 3.1 Impairment of good will and intangibles with indefinite useful lives detailed disclosure about the assumptions and estimates used in calculating the impairment value are * Discount rate: it requires management’s estimate of the time value of money, in the financial report, weighted average cost of capital of the entity and business risk specific to the unit are accounted for the calculation. * Market conditions: management made assumptions on key domestic market segment activity including construction, mining, agriculture and manufacturing, and also assumptions on GDP, CPI as well as long-term exchange rates for AUD/USD and NZD and made sure they are consistent with external information. * Sensitivity to changes in assumptions: management considered that the carrying amount of the CGUs would not exceed their recoverable amount given any changes from the above assumptions. 3.2 Provision for restoration and rehabilitation the provisions include future cost estimates in relation to dismantling, closure and decontamination of various site, and the calculation for these requires assumptions on application of environmental legislation, available technologies and consultant cost estimates. Since these factors are subject to changes in the future, updates need to be made periodically. in Note 18, three main categories are provision for restoration and rehabilitation, provision for legal customer claims(legal fees) and provision for restructuring. 3.3 Employee benefit employment benefit such as long service leave would require estimation on future salary, discount rate and the years that the employee may work for our company. Other actuarial assumptions are applied when calculating defined benefit plans for employees. 3.4 Estimation of useful lives of assets basing on historical experience, management made the estimation of the useful lives of assets .The condition of the assets is assessed at least annually and considered against the remaining useful life, adjustments are made accordingly. 3.5 Ore reserve and resources estimates This is the estimation of the amount that can be extracted economically and legally from the entity’s mining properties, the calculation is based on the geological judgments and other factors such as foreign exchange rates, commodity prices and the size and grade of the ore body. 4 Company’s current accounting practice—judgments in applying accounting policies Judgments in applying accounting policies were disclosed in Note 2 under ‘Significant accounting estimates and judgments’. Two significant accounting judgments are identified in Note 2, being ‘impairment of non-financial assets other than goodwill and intangibles with indefinite useful lives’, and ‘Taxation’. 4.1 Impairment of non-financial tangible assets Our company take into account the relevant factors, such as business performance, technology, economic and political environments and future business expectations when assesses the impairment of all assets. management decides that the recoverable amount of the asset is determined if an impairment indicator exists. for the financial period ended 30 June 2012, management regarded that the indicators of impairment were significant enough so that assets have gone through impairment tests and recoverable amounts were determined. 4.2 Taxation Our company is subject to income taxes in Australia and jurisdiction where foreign operations apply. While ultimate tax on transactions and calculations are uncertain, judgments is required in assessing whether deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities are recognized on the balance sheet and the application of certain income tax legislation. Because there is risk and uncertainty involved in making judgments, there is a possibility that the amount of tax assets and liabilities recognized on the balance sheet would be impacted if there are changes in future circumstances, resulting in a change to income statement. Judgment is also exerted when determining whether deferred tax assets should be recognized, and it is based on that highly considerable likeliness that the tax losses can be recovered by sufficient future taxable profits. 5 Comparisons between company’s current accounting practices and accounting standard requirements It is important that our disclosures are in compliance with the requirements in Australian Accounting Standard Board. After the explanation of AASB101 and the examination of the note to our financial statements, the following points should deserve attention from the board: 5.1 Disclosure compliance Our financial statements disclose and only disclose the critical judgments about the application of accounting policies, and major sources of estimation uncertainty inherent in assets and liabilities, the information provided is appropriately tailored to our company’s circumstances, for example, our company is subject to income taxes, therefore the policies of calculation of income taxes, recognition of deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities are disclosed in note 1 to the financial statements. Since we are material company, ore reserve is highly relevant to our operating activity, therefore the estimation for ore reserve is disclosed in note 2 listing the factors we took into account when preparing the financial statements. 5.2 Content of disclosure the potential gap between our company’s current practice and accounting standard is that some other disclosures about judgments can be included in the notes, such as the judgments in the classification of leases as finance or operating. Although this figure is not material as shown in the financial statements, leased assets are relevant to our operating activity and should be included. 4.3 Manner of disclosure Another gap is that in AASB 101 critical judgments and major sources of estimation uncertainty should be considered separate categories, in our company’s note to financial statement, these two items are placed under the same note 2. 6 Conclusion and recommendation After the comparison between our company’s current accounting practice and the requirements in accounting standard, to better satisfy the ASIC reviewers, the following points can be noted when preparing for the financial statements: 6.1 Improvement in contents we can included some other judgments we used in applying the accounting policies, such as the classification of assets ( whether a non-financial asset held of sale, or class of financial asset), classification of leases as operating or financial leases, and going concern judgments. The lease assets amount might not be as material as others, but these are relevant to material company like us and therefore the judgment involving in choosing the accounting policies should be disclosed, and so does going concern, it is believed that the reasonable disclosures of management’s judgment on going concern can assist users in making financial decision. 6.2 Improvement in structure Critical judgments should be separately identified from the estimation uncertainties, and should be disclosed in separate notes. This is because in AASB 101 it makes clear distinction between judgments and estimations. Not only the content but also the structure and manner of presentation are critical in achieving true and fair disclosures.

Text Analysis of the Epic of Gilgamesh

Jill Seymour HST 197 Dr. Smith September 17, 2012 Text Analysis of The Epic of Gilgamesh The question I thought about while reading this text was what the role is for women, and how their actions and descriptions reveal Mesopotamian attitudes concerning gender. The female gender was not highly looked upon during these times. The only time you see a respected female figure is when the mother of a son is being talked about. Any other time females are being talked about, they are portrayed with vulgar characteristics and seen as simply being there to serve the man.I will go through both ways the women are being portrayed, and relate them back to how they reveal Mesopotamian culture. The main woman character in this story is Ishtar. Ishtar is the goddess of love, fertility, and war; the Queen of Heaven. Normally when you think of the word goddess, a majestic and noble type of being comes to mind. Ishtar is portrayed as the complete opposite in The Epic of Gilgamesh. The first time she co mes into play she uses the characteristics of a prostitute to lure in the man that she wants, which at the time is Enkidu. Ishtar is told â€Å"make your breasts bare, have no shame.Let him see you naked, let him possess your body† (Sandars, 3). It then goes on to say that â€Å"she was not ashamed to take him, she made herself naked and welcomed his eagerness† (Sandars, 4). Before she is told to lay with Enkidu, the story explains that this is not the first man she has done this to. Ishtar is being used for this, because she is known to have her way with the men and they don’t know how to tell her no because of her beauty. The way Ishtar is seen relates back to Mesopotamian culture in showing that women were not very important in society.They were mainly there to serve the man and to reproduce. They were looked at in two ways; the daughter of her father, or the wife of her husband. At an early age girls were trained to do the roles of a good wife and mother. It was not frowned upon in their culture for women to be at the mercy of the men. Women were able to own property and have jobs outside of the home, but that decreased when more distinct social classes arose in the second millennium. â€Å"Husbands gained authority in the household and benefited from the marriage and divorce laws† (Bulliet, 18).Even the law was against women and helped out the male gender in almost every situation. The next time she comes into play, we are seeing similar characteristics of her trying to lure in the man she wants when she is trying to get Gilgamesh to marry her. â€Å"Come to me Gilgamesh,† she says, â€Å"make me your bridegroom; grant me seed of your body† (Sandars, 25). She tells him she will give him anything he can possibly imagine if he would only marry her. When Gilgamesh refuses the offer we see a different side of Ishtar.She starts being portrayed as evil and self-centered. Ishtar goes to her father in tears saying to kill Gilgamesh for refusing her proposal or she will let all of hell break free, literally. Even marriage in the Mesopotamian culture benefitted the man more than the woman. â€Å"A man normally took just one wife, but he could obtain a second if the first gave him no children† (Bulliet, 18). The woman was to be a servant, of sorts, to the husband, and was expected to give him children. Later they became a way to keep wealth in the family by arranged marriages. Kings and rich men had several wives. Marriage alliances arranged between families made women instruments for preserving and enhancing family wealth† (Bulliet, 18). Even here they are referred to as â€Å"instruments†, and not given the respect of a human being. If the woman didn’t bare children, she was easily replaceable. If the woman came from a wealthy family, or her family wanted to become wealthy, they would arrange a marriage for her to gain or keep wealth in the family. On the other hand, women weren’t always looked at in this manner.Gilgamesh respected his mother very much so, and would go to her for advice. His mother, Ninsun, is said to be a minor goddess, but she is noted in a couple different places for her wisdom. â€Å"Now Gilgamesh got up to tell his dream to his mother, Ninsun, one of the wise gods† (Sandars, 5). In Mesopotamian culture, even the women gods were respected by the people. They thought them all to be wise and would seek their guidance in certain situations. Their religious beliefs brought this respect, and in some ways fear, to honor the gods so they would be gracious in return. Religious beliefs instilled fear of the gods, who could alter the landscape, and desire to appease them† (Belliet, 19). The Mesopotamians believed that the gods were human like in form, but that if they were to be unhappy by something the people did, they could alter anything in their lives, and in some cases even kill them. Overall, women were not looked at then the same ways they are looked at today. The cultural norm for women was to serve the men with their bodies and in their actions. If they did not give the man the children he wanted, she could be replaced.At an early age they were being trained to have the skills of a good wife and mother. It was not frowned upon for a man to have more than one wife. This did not happen often until around the second mullinium, but was quite oftenly seen with the kings and rich men. The another way the women were used in this society was to keep or gain wealth for her family. The families would arrange the marriages for her daughter, and she would have to make sure to keep her husband happy so she was not replaced. The gods and goddesses were feared and respected on the other hand.They were able to manipulate what would happen in the people’s lives, so they made sure to keep them happy; even the women were kept happy in this sense. Mesopotamian culture wasn’t too far off from how some things are looked at in today’s society, but women were not very important in their society. They were only there for few reasons, and if they didn’t meet those expectations they were replaceable. Today we would say that is unjust and against our rights, but that is a privilege we now have in our country that those women were not able to achieve. Aren’t we glad to live in today’s society where men and women have equal rights?

City of Mount Rainier Essay

Neither does the department of Economic Development for the City of Mount Rainier handle nor is it involved with any matrix of the pricing strategy. As the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2006 stated on production, packaging and pricing, production cycle involves a flow from the dealers, employees and customers automatically between the functional areas and internationally. Reduced ‘product to market’ cycle meant to ensure full and on time delivery to customers keeps a business on track by reducing errors, inefficiencies and high running costs. However, the City does offer a mix of products solely based on promoting development of blighted or under used parcels. Thus, it is critical that any incentive or business assistance be directed to accomplish the marketing objectives of the City of Mount Rainier. For example, the city will offer or sponsor Tax Increment Financing, State grants or Infrastructure Grants to developers to increase interest and make the area more attractive. This is very necessary for the City to be able to compete with other local municipalities and the District of Columbia, making it imperative for the City to use incentives for redevelopment of the downtown business district. Especially considering that the addition of businesses will create higher paying jobs, large capital investment, tourism and greater benefits to the local community. With this in mind, its primary objective is to add to the diversity of the current business population, increase essential tax base in the area, and pursue the highest quality of jobs and investment by providing an overall balanced approach to economic development for the City. Organizations channel design. A good organizations’ channel design enables exchange of information and ideas with external or outsourced personnel such as financial assistants, engineers, designers, and other partners. It is a system that provides solutions including help to speed up development processes and enhance further future improvements in efficiency With this the City of Mount Rainier can be able to streamline the entire value chain, including all key suppliers, subcontractors, and service providers. The system platform raises transparency of production processes, permitting them to identify potential problems at an early stage, and to take immediate action. According to Kotler and Keller (2008), â€Å" a marketing channel performs the work of moving products from producers to consumers, overcoming the time, place, and possession gaps that separate goods and services from those that want them† (p. 232). The Department of Economic Development for the City of Mount Rainier employs a two –level channel of marketing with at least two intermediaries. The City’s intermediately roles are that of an agent and facilitator. Attracting entrepreneurs and private investment opportunities is the primary goal of economic development in the City of Mount Rainier. As for the Department of Economic Development, the greatest aspiration is to turn around Mount Rainier, making the City one of the best places in the world in which to start a profession or grow a business. The department is working to reposition Mount Rainier as the next great American city for business investment and economic opportunity. This entails employing a balanced attack with corresponding efforts to improve business development, while pursuing transformative public policy changes planned to enhance the magnetism of Mount Rainier as a place in which to invest. On the other hand, an integrated logistics system consists of materials management, material flow systems, and although the City of Mount Rainier does not use such a system as a tool for economic development, A fully integrated accurate unit tracking system is a critical component of modern customer relations and service that is in use, and it is also important for inventory and cost control. Just like integrated logistics system, it monitors all the key movements of goods and services in any transaction. Tracking of the way financial agreements are facilitated for business assistance is important because the gathered data is useful for financial analysis. In support of business analysis, the system ought to have a tool that provides the reporting intelligently. (OECD, 2006) Business information across all assistants can be automatically converted into business intelligence reports benchmarking the performance of the business transactions. At the same time analysis on dealerships can show the best business practices for individual or the group of partners. Marketing and communication strategy Considering that City of Mount Rainier is recognizing a need for business retention and attraction efforts, they have partnered with other public and private businesses stakeholders to create an Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to promote the City and its business advantages and opportunities to local, regional, national and international markets. The purpose of the EDC is to enhance the economic vitality of the City and its residents through creating marketing initiatives, business retention programs, business attraction efforts and dissemination of information. Created as a public-private partnership, the EDC can generate business leads and opportunities that the City could otherwise not do, furthering development. In addition, this partnership serves as the first line of contact with the public, business prospects and developers who are seeking information about doing business in the City. Furthermore, the EDC facilitates development, cultivates business opportunities and creates partnerships that will result in increased economic development in the City of Mount Rainier. The question remains, which supreme marketing and communication strategy would boost this collaboration for better growth? For any company to prosper in any of its transactions, a strong and optimal management system ought to be put in place. In line with Poirier and Reiter, (1996), success in a company is enhanced by rapid and reliable exchange of data within its group members and with its business partners. This is vital to the further development products and deliverance of quality services. Technically one important communication strategy would calls for a highly effective communications infrastructure that allows effective coordination and management of highly complex, highly flexible development, design and production processes. In line with Poirier and Reiter, on Advanced Planning and Optimization in (1996), the main aims of marketing managers should be to process aftermarket into one system, plan for wide coverage and include all parties involved in the planning process. P. 160) In other words, high-speed data communications have to be one of the engines driving the growth of any organization or company offering services or dealing with businesses stakeholders. Any marketing strategy should take establishment and enhancement of a quality communications infrastructure in it key aims. This is a reliable system that ought to augment cooperation among virtual elements regardless of their position at the time of requirement. It permits all around the globe contribution to projects without duplication or underutilization of human effort or technical resources. Consideration for one of the various information systems and networks is a standard solution that can be tailored to particular needs. A system that supports all the data and allows for data interchange with outside suppliers and other partners naturally always gives a good return on investment. This is not a matter of just laying down the network system within the company. Efficiency, Security, reliability and scalability of the system are some of the vital parts to be fulfilled by a system so as to support diverse access methods and service levels. As Poirier and Reiter emphasizes, a good system is one that can be geared to the needs of each individual supplier and business partner. (P. 160). Needless to say, this new ways of revitalizing the City’s commercial corridors by encouraging continued and private investment, would highly revitalize strategies allowing the city to target its assistance and support in ways that are sustainable at the local level.

The Company under Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Company under Study - Essay Example The company under study is a small manufacturing firm, which produces metal bead chains. This company is doing business since early 20’s and is continuing till now. It has not got a huge set up but only 20 machines, having two sets of dies which are capable of manufacturing 7 sizes of chains. The company is using brass, steel and stain-less steel as raw material and has additional facilities like own die production, a computer numerical control machine for production of dies. They also have special machines for packaging of units. The company possesses an experienced production manager with an experience of 18 years. It has also a well experienced technical manage, 3 die makers, 4 setters with 4 helpers.  While carrying out the case study, following problems can be identified, which are related to the firm in one way or the other: Under utilization of production capacity. Machine stoppages due to quality problems which is a result of under maintained machineries. Manufacturing with steel and stainless steel which are harder metals and do not suite to the companies production set up and due to lack of engineering base the life of dies are minimized the repairing of which, takes an hours time by the setters which is surely a time loss. Speed of machines become slowest in making chain sin the largest size in steel and stainless steel. The quality assurance department is handled by the production manager; quality should always be separate from production. Despite of availability of production software, production plans are made by the production manager. The stock of production material is not been taken care of. A huge stock of un-plated chain has accumulated. The manager is using oil in increasing productivity. Application of software’s should be carried out planning of production instead of using past experience know how, all machine should be allocated in volume of order of different sizes of chains. The machines for manufacturing of steel and stainless steel chains should be separated so that the fast production of brass chains does not get hampered. Quality issues should not be handled by a production manager as the production manager is responsible for executing production that is higher number of units per day and making machines reach maximum efficiency. This can make him over look the quality issues that are related to product development. The persons who are responsible for quality management should also take of material in-process.

Summary and analyse the movie Downton Abbey Essay

Summary and analyse the movie Downton Abbey - Essay Example The second wave in the mid-20th century advocated other areas in regard to the social life of the women. The third wave in late 20th century sought to address geopolitical differences as speared by queer and masculinity studies. However, these waves were viewed as being less important thus standardizing feminine thought. Some groups in the UK enjoyed more advantages in regard to feminism relative to other groups. The male gaze appeared to be unavailable for black women because they were unworthy of the male gaze, triggered even more activism. Anglo-political feminism was more advantage relative to geopolitical contexts. Women were significantly underrepresented in media production. For instance, Women directors, writers, producers and editors only assumed less than a quarter of the employed media production people. Media is highly gendered with men taking the role of active pleasure looker apart from being media maker while women take up roles in consumer media and acting the role of passive pleasure looker. The woman takes the role of an object for men flattery. Other statistic shows that women make only 30% of speaking characters and that they are dependent on males, and their roles are household functionalities. Comics, romantic books and video games contort women by hypersexualizing their roles. The design assumes that the audience is male, and thus the foundation for erotic spectacles. Advertisements present women as objects for a price. The question that gaze is only credible for men brought even more compromise for Mulveys

Introduction to fiction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Introduction to fiction - Essay Example Impression of such conflict becomes quite clear from very initial level of the story, â€Å"I was getting along fine with Mama, Papa-Daddy and Uncle Rondo until my sister Stella-Rondo just separated from her husband and came back home again† (Welty). Quite in contrast to her younger sister Stella-Rondo, the protagonist has always been marginalized and her conflict with such discriminative approaches actually constructs the very theme of the story. Her continuous conflict with rest of her family members has compelled her to live her own household and take residence in the P.O and this very aspect explains the actual reason behind title of the story. Being an individual, the protagonist has certain self-respect and she is completely resolute on not to compromise over the very factor, even at the cost of staying away from her own family, â€Å"Its too late to stop me now",... "You should have tried that yesterday. Im going to the P.O. and the only way you can possibly see me is to visit me there† (Welty). Being a Southern Writer, as Eudora Welty has often been referred as, she constructs her protagonist with her typical southern tone, vocabulary and conversational style but essentially spirit of the characters is that of an indomitable human will that remains resolute on this aspect that preservation of self-dignity and fighting for individual happiness are greatest virtues and under no circumstance this basic human quality can be compromised, â€Å"But here I am, and here Ill stay. I want the world to know Im happy† (Welty). Proper depiction of this quality by the author and struggle of the protagonist to retain her individual identity makes a critic believe that the character is perfectly unpretentious and knows how to fight for her own happiness even going beyond a determined rule of social construction. â€Å"And of Clay Are We Created† by Isabel Allende is an excellent piece of modern

Marketing Products Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Marketing Products - Assignment Example On the other hand, the company also ensures that its product is of high quality in order for other consumers to purchase its products as opposed to those of the competitors. Therefore, the key product offered is beer. The product has been the key product for the company for a number of years now. However, in order for the company to diversify the number of customers that it serves, it also includes other beverages in order to accommodate customers who might not be comfortable with drinking beer. However, the company manufactures beer only while it outsources the other beverages. The major characteristic of beer is that it requires a large number of raw materials such as sugar and water. Water is one scarce commodity that is very costly to the company since; it is not readily available. In addition, the sales of beer are also characterized by seasonal changes. For instance, the sales are always at peak during end month, and low pick during mid-month. This is due to the fact that; indi viduals tend to overspend when they have a lot money at their disposal. Beer is also a product that is not easy to market, this is because; it is not every individual in the society who takes beer. The service component that is associated with the product offered by BERVET is mainly entertainment. The company ensures that its customers are well entertained by the drinks that they serve. The company mainly promotes entertainment to promote its products to the customers. Therefore, customers will be mainly attracted to purchase the goods in search of entertainment. Therefore, entertainment is like an additional service that is offered to the consumers who purchase beer that is manufactured by BERVET. The service will greatly aid in enhancing the product through attracting the number of persons that purchase beer for the company. This way, the company will be able to also attract customers who do not take beer. Thus, other beverages offered will also have obtained market through the se rvice. The service will also help in creating appositive image for the product. This is because; the company will be able to compete well with its competitors since; customers will find services that are not available from the competitors. Therefore, when more customers are attracted, the company’s sales will increase by a large amount (Wood,  2003). Currently, BERVET Company has already developed more than 5 product lines. However, the company can still be able to expand its product line in order to increase its sales of beer. This will be mainly through innovation. The company could come with new ideas of brewing different types of beers. This way, it will be able to come up with different types of products. Expanding of the product line can be done in terms of gender, age and income earning range. This is where by, individuals of different age groups will be targeted differently from individuals of different age groups. In addition, persons earning different levels of in come will be targeted differently. This will also be accomplished through innovation since; the company could come up with expensive products that will be meant to specifically target people that earn high incomes. In terms of depth, the company could increase its product line by targeting a large number of persons to purchase its commodities (Wood,  2003). In addition, it could also increase the depth of its customers by increasing the size of the market, and the amount of

Economic Perspectives Of Global Warming Case Study

Economic Perspectives Of Global Warming - Case Study Example Global Warming and Climate Change have now become the buzzwords and rightly too. Carbon Dioxide released from the burning of fuels especially fossil fuels is a significant contributor to the global warming effect. The ever-increasing concentration has been held responsible for the breaking of Arctic Ice Caps; the retreat of glaciers, increase in salinity, storms, floods and so forth. In short, the results could be catastrophic for civilization as we know it. Greenhouse gases tend to stay put before they dissipate. While the jury is still out on the ways to tackle this problem, there is no doubt that economic trade-offs will be involved. Economics provides the necessary tools to realistically address the problem. "It's really now a battle over the economics," said James E. Rogers, chief executive of Duke Energy, who has long advocated curbing carbon emissions. "The debate is not about the climate problem. Everybody could agree on the principles and still get the economics wrong." ( NYT 6th, June 2008 ) The least cost option, as identified by economists, is one which increases reductions over the decades. This will allow for capital depreciation and also the replacement of conventional energy sources like coal, fuel oil, etc. with alternative sources like wind, solar power, Nuclear Power and the like. It is no coincidence that China and India are among the major sources for greenhouse emissions have been under pressure from the OECD and the Group of Eight to look at alternative energy sources. Neither is any altruism involved. Economics dictate adoption of a pragmatic approach which would be all inclusive i.e. include the developed and developing countries (who are way below emission levels in the developed economies and still in an economic growth path with no incentive to cut down on such emissions). Climate is perceived as a public good and therefore international cooperation is de rigueur.

Competitive and Strategic Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Competitive and Strategic Analysis - Case Study Example A critical analysis of the case shows that disposable income is concentrated in urban areas among the middle class. However, it can also be noted that this class is comprised of people between the ages of 25 and 40. On the other hand, it can be seen that India’s population is regarded as one of the youngest in the world. For instance, it has been observed that as of 2000, about one the country’s population was below 15 years. Whilst this is the largest group, it can be seen that these people have less disposable income hence they may not afford the luxury to go to coffee shops. The average age in India is pegged at 29 compared to other countries across the globe. The majority of the people in India are those still working to so they cannot afford to visit coffee shops. This is likely to impact on Starbucks’ endeavour to establish business in India. However, Starbucks recently partnered with Tata Global Beverages Ltd to open a store in New Delhi. The financial per formance of the company in this country is not yet fully ascertained since it is still on the stage of penetrating the market. Apart from being an emerging economy in the world, India faces numerous constraints that are likely to pose a challenge Starbucks when it intends to enter this market. For instance, country has poor infrastructure and this may impact negatively on Starbucks. The regulations in this country are also stringent such that they may pose a challenge to this company when it plans to penetrate the market. The company should comply with rules and regulations of the country if it intends to successfully launch a business. In case of India, it can be seen that it is open to foreign investors to start business but the problem is that some of the regulations may not be favourable to the company. The other problem characterizing global retail index of India is that the industry is not that lucrative compared to other international destinations. As of 2006, India had a sco re of 55% in terms of risk of opening business there. When there is high risk in a country, it may not be wise for the company to open business in that particular area. Therefore, this may not go down well with Starbucks and this is the reason why it is procrastinating in terms of starting business in this country. The company may experience unprecedented loses if the level of risk is very high. Therefore, it is important to carry out feasibility studies in order to establish the level of lucrativeness of the industry. Failure to do so may impact negatively on the company. India’s market is saturated though it is attractive. This entails that competition is very high and it may be difficult for Starbucks to operate viably in this market. It can also be noted that there are other substitute products like tea which are very popular in this country. There are also other beverages that can be consumed by the customers in place of coffee. When there is stiff competition in the mar ket, it may be difficult to attract many customers during the preliminary stages of the product in the market. However, if the product is well received in the market, it may quickly gain popularity among the customers. This can help the company in the long run but as it stands, it seems that Starbucks is facing numerous challenges that can impact on its endeavour to penetrate the Indian market. When competition is high, the players in the industry compete for the same customers. Other established companies can

Rhetorical visual analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rhetorical visual analysis - Assignment Example The distinction seems to be a product applied in the bleeding eye. According to the beliefs we uphold, bleeding is associated with pain hence in the on start the message that appears in the mind is that this person must be suffering. To make matters worse, the bleeding part is one of the most sensitive parts of the body, the eye. We all are very careful what we expose our eyes to. Therefore, it appears that the lady in the advertisement was reckless in applying the product to the eye culminating in the bleeding. To demonstrate that the eye is bleeding there appears the contrast of the colors. The product applied is brownish while the bleeding is reddish. This blood is evidence that there is pain involved. The advert reveals the major consumers of the products in question. A female has been used by the advertisement to show that they are the major consumers of the product. The question that arises from is what if it were the consumer having the product tested on them. In addition, the use of a human subject arouses sympathy and pity. Hence, the message is relayed efficiently. The consumers of the product is also revealed by the predictable age group of the lady in question, she seems a vibrant and young professional who has the capacity to purchase the product she applies. The advertisement sends the message that the Americans are not only concerned about human rights but also animal rights. It also depicts that, America being a power to reckon with in research is concerned about the welfare of animals by regulating how animal subjects are used. Being a pacesetter in research such a move has influence worldwide. The advertisement has some sense of reality. This is because some scientists have been reckless in the use of animal models. It is important that as the humans try on modifying and developing products should weigh the impact of the products on the animals they use. The advert raises a lot of curiosity that leads to

Lufthansa Austrian Airlines Takeover Essay Example for Free

Lufthansa Austrian Airlines Takeover Essay Taking a brief look on the economic development in Europe up to the year 2008 reveals high GDP growth rates and reminds us about the times of prosperity that we almost all so nostalgically recall. But Austrian Airlines have never seen any boom in revenues, profits and the number of transported passengers. This alone is a reason for big concern as airlines have never been a counter-cyclical business. If the company is unable to sustain itself in the times of prosperity what loss will they carry in the books in the times of economic downswing? Finding a powerful strategic partner seems like inevitable for the Austrian company. In 2008 Austrian Airlines was the 11th biggest airlines in Europe with 10,7 million passengers and 2,5â‚ ¬ billion in revenues. On the other side Lufthansa has 7 times more passengers and makes 10 times more money in revenues. Putting these two categories into relation shows how company? s size creates numerous benefits, particularly financial ones. In 2008 Austrian Airlines had revenue of 233â‚ ¬ per passenger while Lufthansa attained 357â‚ ¬ per passenger. Now it is obvious how size matters and that synergies create great cost-cutting potential and increase profitability. If Lufthansa manages to bring Austrian Airlines to its own level of profitability they would have EBIT of 140â‚ ¬ million if the expenses and passenger number stay on 2008 levels. Not to mention the strategic benefits of this acquisition, and probable Lufthansa? s ability to make use of synergy effects i. e. to cut costs and sell even more flight tickets thanks to wide-spread sales offices all over the world. Acquiring Austrian Airlines proves as lucrative for a Lufthansa if they transform the company and as a good deal for current shareholders who can count on even more losses if Austrian Airlines decide to pursue stand-alone strategy which means that they will eventually lose all the capital they put up . This simple analysis show why did consolidation wave in airlines industry pick up on speed. It really seems that main task for carriers is to get big as fast as they can or to face with a demise of their business. Immediate recapitalization of Austrian Airlines in the amount of 500â‚ ¬ million just supports above statement as even the biggest European airline would be unable to cover such a huge accumulated loss if it weren? t for the help of the Austrian government and the European Union. Lufthansa plans to take advantage of the Austrian Airlines? geographic location and their know-how and expertise in CEE and Middle East. After the fall of communism in Europe Austria has played a crucial role as a gateway to Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Austrian Airlines took its business one step further and established new core market in the Middle East. For an international company like Lufthansa Austrian Airlines represents a cornerstone in the expansion towards Middle Eastern and Asian markets. Austrian Airlines is a first mover in CEE and Middle East and a market leader with 61 destinations in the region whose expertise in the Eastern markets will be of a great use ones Lufthansa decides to go East more aggressively as Austrian Airlines will share their core competence with the group. Cutting overlapping flights and optimization of its joint offer and sales activities will improve Austrian Airlines business activity right away. Further developing of Austrian? s successful hub system at Vienna airport will also bring positive effects in the long run. Since Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines are old partners within the framework of the Star Alliance and they know each other very well integration in the Lufthansa Group should play out without major obstacles. Companies cooperated within the context of a bilateral joint venture for Austrian-German flight traffic as well as in the important foreign markets of Switzerland and Brussels. Even their technical services have been cooperating closely and that is also one of the reasons why Austrian executives have trust in Lufthansa and why did they choose exactly Lufthansa among 12 initial bidders. Companies expect to be able to exploit extensive synergies and assess these to amount to 40â‚ ¬ million in cost savings and additional revenues. Apart from all this, Lufthansa has assured Austrian Airlines that they will be granted extensive autonomy within the group and that they will preserve their Austrian identity which stands for quality and Austrian hospitality. Vienna will remain the hub of all flight operations, so that Austria will continue to feature very good international flight connections. Its central position in the heart of Europe made it easier for Lufthansa to grant them autonomy. No major downsizing of the fleet is planned which would be unthinkable if they wanted to pursue stand-alone strategy. On an organizational level, Austrian Airlines will operate as a profit center within the Lufthansa Group what represents a great incentive to get out of the red once and for all. As a part of Lufthansa Group Austrian Airlines will easier protect its position on the market if the recession hits the economy in 2009 because smaller carriers which are not supported by a strong corporate parent will struggle with insufficient resources and declining passenger numbers. As it will soon become apparent, Austrian Airlines shareholders, especially Republic of Austria, will sign a great deal if transaction proceeds. Keeping independence among the group, operating under its distinguishing identity while improving quality and profitability of its services sounds almost incredible for the company which could declare bankruptcy if it weren? t for its strategic partner. Considering current situation both sides could profit from the transaction. Moreover, the integration in the Lufthansa Group will provide Austrian Airlines with access to new passenger flows and enable them to more effectively build up international brand awareness and be Austrian ambassador all over the world which will strengthen their business model. Lufthansa? s worldwide presence, their size, lobbying power and relationship with gasoline sellers will be of great help to Austrian Airlines. In the light of the bleak economic prospect for 2009 Austrian Airlines can focus on their core business knowing that Lufthansa watches their back. This strategy could work well as Austrian Airlines received numerous awards in 2008 including the so-called â€Å"Oscars† of the industry and a first place ranking as the best airline in Europe according to a survey carried out by â€Å"Capital† magazine. Austrian Airlines have a reliability rate of over 99. % and is among top five most punctual carriers in Europe and could improve Lufthansa? s business model too by sharing their expertise. A fully restructured Austrian Airlines will be forced to become a thriving member of the Lufthansa Group once the company is aware that the Republic of Austria will not back them up if anything goes down the drain. Concerning a history of mutual cooperation between Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines executives in charge need to be particularly careful to avoid accusations of conflicting self-interest as these may arise due to close ties between two companies. Since there were 11 other bidders at the start and Lufthansa was chosen in the end both parties need to be adequately informed about all facts relevant to this transaction so that they can clearly explain why is this transaction undisputedly the best possible solution for both sides. Considering that Lufthansa is taking over a company which made huge losses in the past years and whose balance sheet reveals equity ratio of just 11% (which is appalling even for a bank) strategic rationale needs to be explained clearly and concisely together with all future advantages because otherwise someone could think acquisition is completely irrational. Even after the restructuring aid Austrian Airlines will remain highly indebted and Lufthansa? s executives have to justify their reasoning by outlining benefits. Transaction Overview After signing initial agreements (CA;LOI) which provide a foundation for any further steps, Framework Agreement is often cited in the underlying Voluntary Public Offer. Basic arrangements between parties should be outlined in the letter of intent and then once more stipulated in the Framework Agreement. The underlying Voluntary Public Takeover offer stipulates conditions precedent which are to be fulfilled before closing. From that reason they all represent potential deal-breakers since there is a possibility that some of them will not be fulfilled. According to Framework Agreement an extraordinary shareholders meeting will be called just before the closing of the Share Purchase Agreement so that recapitalization can be authorized, new supervisory board appointed and articles of association amended. In order to mitigate any negative impact of information leakage on the transaction Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines had signed a confidentiality agreement. Both parties are obliged to use confidential information just for the purposes of the ongoing transaction and will not disclose any information to the third parties in order not to bring any company in an unfavorable position. Letter of intent is a second important document signed which outlines Lufthansa? intentions and give an overview of the basic transaction, purchase price, determines break-up fee and division of costs incurred as well as court under which jurisdiction any disputes will be solved. For Lufthansa it is of extreme importance to include an exclusive dealing clause so that Austrian Airlines obliges to negotiate just with Lufthansa and no one else at the time. Since Lufthansa plans to take over a company in an extremely bad shape it would be inappropriate of Austrian Airlines not to bring in all their energy and foc us to close the deal. Letter of intention needs to include details about a stake purchase and subsequent mandatory public offer. The details of the purchase price (maximum 4,49â‚ ¬ per share) should also be included i. e. the price paid for the 41,56 % of shares held by Osterreichische Industrieholding AG which includes the details on the earn-out option (under which conditions will Lufthansa pay an amount of up to 162â‚ ¬ million depending on Austrian Airlines? future economic performance and on the outperformance of the Lufthansa? s share price). It should also stipulate the conditions of the offer given to a minor shareholders so that Lufthansa holds at least 75% of the permanent voting shares (without consideration of the treasury shares) in Austrian Airlines after the end of the initial acceptance period. Lufhansa? s intention to fully take over Austrian Airlines should be clearly pointed out particularly their wish to acquire 90% of all shares so that they can launch a squeeze-out. The important conditions precedent should be included in the Letter of Intent. Approval by the competent antitrust authorities in the European Union and other countries should be right away designated as â€Å"conditio sine qua non†. Approval of the restructuring aid is also deemed as extremely important and it should be stipulated in the Letter of Intent as 500â‚ ¬ million granted by the state of Austria and the European Union are absolutely necessary to compensate for the negative shareholder value of Austrian Airlines and make Lufthansa willing to take them over. Recapitalization will also further dilute the free float shareholders making it easier for Lufthansa to launch a squeeze-out procedure. Letter of intent should also arrange who bears the break-up cost in the case of a regulatory disapproval. This is seen as one of the major risk since Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines partly operate the same lines and consolidation would lead to a further concentration of power. Considering negative financial results of the Austrian Airlines letter of intent should already include frame of the future executive structure while definitive agreement should include exact top-management structure in the Austrian Airlines which will facilitate integration in the Lufthansa group and turn around the profitability. Since Shareholders Agreement of Austrian Airlines syndicate had already dealt with issue it might be a bit cumbersome renegotiating it. Letter of intent should also state that Lufthansa has no intention whatsoever to dismantle Austrian Airlines i. e. that brand, headquarters and route network favoring Austrian national interests will be kept. Lufthansa should try to avoid the matter of employment until the very end (final agreement) so that they are not bound by pre-signed clauses once they negotiate the final contract because restructuring of the Austrian Airlines is necessary by all means. Considering that Lufthansa is the biggest European airline company it the approval of antitrust authorities will not come smoothly. Second condition precedent, approval of 500â‚ ¬ million is not deemed as problematic as this pay-out coincides with Austrian national interests to preserve a national carrier which serves its interest. (Besides it wouldn? t make almost any sense for the European Union to grant the acquisition but rejects the aid. ) Acquiring Austrian Airlines will only increase Lufthansa? s size and market power. Holding such a dominant position could incite abusing it e. g. by charging unfair prices or refusing to innovate. This horizontal agreement will put competition in an unfavorable position but on the other hand Lufthansa can argue that consolidation in the European airline industry is inevitable. However, only consolidation will ensure survival of the European airlines in the long run, fragmented market structure leaves them susceptible to either bankruptcy or takeover by Asian od American airlines who are fortunately by law not allowed to be major shareholders. Since regulation is the real obstacle to consolidation alliances in Europe prevail. Unfavorable circumstance is also the fact that at the time of this pending transaction Lufthansa bought a big chunk of Brussels Air. The regulators will certainly not like that. Like in any deal representations and warranties play an important role as they typically make up the largest part of the share purchase agreement. They have an informational, protective and supportive role in the transaction . Austrian Airline? epresentations and warranties, coupled with the Lufthansa’s due diligence, enable Lufthansa to learn as much as possible about the business prior to signing the definitive acquisition agreement. Second, they are protective. This is crucial for Lufthansa who acquires highly indebted company which value without restructuring aid is negative. The seller’s representations and warranties provide mechanism for the Lufthansa to step back or possibly to renegotiate the terms of ac quisition. The second major feature of merger the agreement is the inclusion of various pre-closing covenants, or promises to do something or not do something during the period between the signing of the acquisition agreement and the closing. Generally, covenants should be absolute and Lufthansa? s goal is that none material changes take place until the closing and that business condition does not aggravate in any respect because if such events took place it would mean that they overpaid. The reasoning behind the indemnification is the same. One should emphasize the importance of reps and warranties relating to financial statements (compliance with accounting standards) , taxes and employees (manager contracts, severance terms and compensations) and no pending litigations which breech would surely threaten the envisaged transaction. The role of all above named provisions is risk minimization and these provision should also act as an incentive for a fair dealing.

The Necklaces Essay Example for Free

The Necklaces Essay Motifs Coveting Throughout â€Å"The Necklace,† Mathilde covets everything that other people have and she does not. Whereas Monsieur Loisel happily looks forward to having hot soup for dinner, Mathilde thinks only of the grandness of other homes and lavish table settings that she does not own. When Monsieur Loisel obtains an invitation for a party, she covets a new dress so that she can look as beautiful as the other wives as well as jewelry so that she does not look poor in comparison to them. She is so covetous of Madame Forestier’s wealth that she cannot bear to visit her, but she overcomes her angst when she needs to borrow jewelry for the party; there, her coveting is briefly sated because she gets to take one of the ornaments home with her. After the party, she covets the fur coats the other women are wearing, which highlight the shabbiness of her own wraps. This endless coveting ultimately leads to Mathilde’s downfall and, along the way, yields only fleeting happiness. It is so persistent, however, that it takes on a life of its own—Mathilde’s coveting is as much a part of her life as breathing. Symbols The Necklace The necklace, beautiful but worthless, represents the power of perception and the split between appearances and reality. Mathilde borrows the necklace because she wants to give the appearance of being wealthy; Madame Forestier does not tell her up front that the necklace is fake, perhaps because she, too, wants to give the illusion of being wealthier than she actually is. Because Mathilde is so envious of Madame Forestier and believes her to be wealthy, she never doubts the necklace’s authenticity—she expects diamonds, so diamonds are what she perceives. She enters willingly and unknowingly into this deception, and her complete belief in her borrowed wealth allows her to convey an appearance of wealth to others. Because she believes herself rich for one night, she becomes rich in others’ eyes. The fact that the necklace is at the center of the deception that leads to Mathilde’s downfall suggests that only trouble can come from denying the reality of oneâ⠂¬â„¢s situation.

Exploring Asian Cinema Film Studies Essay

Exploring Asian Cinema Film Studies Essay Asian cinema basically refers to films produced in the continent of Asia. East Asian cinema, Southeast Asian cinema and South Asian cinema consists of what is called Asian cinema. Nowadays, Asian cinema continues to thrive because of the so-called globalization of Asian cinema. The globalization of Asian cinema allows people from all around the world to view and experience Asian films. Hollywood is even making remakes of films from Asia, some of which include Eight Below, The Lake House, The Grudge and Dark Water. Furthermore, Asia has been producing films that are slowly catching the attention of viewers as well as scholars from all around the globe. Everywhere in the world, Asian films are being shown on an almost regular basis in film screenings, festivals and the like. But this was not always so. Most Asian countries spent the first five decades of the 20th century producing films that are largely focused on national audiences. These were the times when there were no international film festivals, the only prominent film festival prior to World War II being the Venice International Film Festival. It was in1938 when the film Five Scouts from Japan won a special prize at the said festival, paving the way for Asian cinema representation in other festivals around the globe. In 1951, Asian cinema was brought into world focus when the film Rashoman from Japan bagged the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival and the best foreign language film at the Oscars (Nandgaonkar). And the rest was history. Asia is said to be the largest producer of films worldwide in terms of volume (Ciecko 1). Because of the enormity of the continent, Asian films vary in content and topic. Asian films contain universal themes such as love, life, revenge, death and poverty. They also contain slices of Asian culture, and the stamp of each Asian micro-culture can be found in each groups respective films. The micro-cultures of Asia are varied and diverse, so diverse that each is of different character and quality. This can be seen in the films made by each country. Korean cinema has been historically invisible to the rest of the world, and to some extent, to its own people. Today, the spotlight is on the country whose cinema is the heart and soul of its nations culture (Rist). In its early stages, Japanese cinema produced many documentary films or news reels including scenes of the city, dancing geishas, Sumo, royal or celebrity funerals and the Russia-Japan war (Tadao). Today, the Japanese film industry is one of the largest in the world. The films of Hongkong are popular for being action-packed and filled with martial arts stylings. The cinema forms survival depended on several factors. Martial arts films are artistically unique and are influenced by artifacts of kung fu culture as well as superstitious beliefs. In a sense, martial arts cinema can be considered as escapist, but it satisfies a more tangible cultural need which is the desire to link with tradition no matter how tenuous or imaginary (Garcia). This explains the phenomenon behind martial arts cinema. Taiwanese cinema examines the various problems that Taiwanese people have to cope up with in a modernized society. In order to create films with a more realistic relationship with history and memory, most new films are shot on location. Minor and non-professional actors are also cast to evoke a more true-to-life atmosphere. The filmmakers draw deeply on their life experiences to make their films. Today, almost every new film tries to reconstruct history to some extent (Taiwanese Cinema). The independent films of the Philippines, on the other hand, are socially relevant and contain touches of realism. There has been a recent blossoming of independent filmmaking in the Philippines, and these films have earned the Philippines international recognition and prestige. Asian Films are sorted according to genre. The genres of Asian cinema include action, animation, comedy, crime, gay films, historical epics, horror and romance. Action Action films in Asia are films centered on high physical activity and include martial arts for the most part. An example is Internal Affairs form Hongkong and most of the movies of both Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Animation Animation in Asia includes the anime industry in Japan and is directly influenced by manga or comics in Japan so that the characters have big eyes, small faces and long limbs. Example of Asian animation is Pokemon. Comedy Comedy in Asia can be found in any genre of film. There usually has some element of comedy in any Asian film. Examples of Asian comedy films are Ngem Ngem Ngem and Luang Phii Theng from Thailand. Crime Crime films in Asia are common and usually star high-profile actors such as Jackie Chan. Example of an Asian crime film is Gunman from Thailand. Gay films Asian gay films are usually comic in style and gay characters are often comic relief or villain in Asian films. Gay films such as Beautiful Boxer, however, are less comic and focus on issues of gender and identity. Historical Epics One of the staples of Asian films. Example is the Ramayana from India. Horror Recently, there was a boom in the horror film genre as films like The Grudge and The Ring were remade in Hollywood. This goes to show that Asians are very creative and that their films have spawned numbers of like films because of their originality and uniqueness. Romance One of the Asian audiences favorite genre. Example is White Valentine from Korea. When one talks about Asian cinema, one talks about the Asian culture, tradition and beliefs embedded in the films. As it is, there is no doubt that Asian culture is prominent in Asian cinema. This is why Asian cinema is a great source for understanding Asian culture. Asians incorporate Asian culture into their films by showing viewers the Asian culture, tradition and way of life. This way, viewers are able to know about the micro-cultures of the continent. For example, in the culturally significant film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon which is a China-Hongkong-Taiwan-US co-production, the customs, beliefs and traits of the Chinese during the Qing Dynasty in China were flawlessly depicted. The characteristics of Asian cinema vary as well. Vital, diverse and changing these characterize contemporary films from East Asia which reflect the times of the region today. Meanwhile, Southeast Asia is home to a blossoming industry of independent films. South Asia, on the other hand, is home to the largest film industry in the world which is India (iFilm Connections: Asia and Pacific). Generally, strong themes characterize the films made in the continent of Asia. One of these is nationalism, a theme that can be found in almost all Asian films. Nationalism in Asian films is shown by the use of national language in Asian films. This shows the pride Asian have concerning their mother tongue. Moreover, ethnicity is shown in each film by the language used. The films are then enjoyed by foreigners through subtitles. The incorporation of Asian values and traits into their films also characterize Asian cinema. For example, family is extremely important in Asian culture (Becquet-Rasmussen). This is why in the film Tokyo Story from Japan, audiences are made to realize that family is important and to show affection to the parents while they are still alive is of grave importance. Asians are extremely friendly and helpful, as depicted in the film Seven Samurai from Japan when the samurai himself agrees to help the mountain villagers fight their oppressors in exchange of nothing but three meals a day. Asians also have respect for authority. They also have respect for their ancestors and the elderly. They are patriarchal, and in olden times females are valued less than males. These are Asian qualities seen depicted in most Asian movies, because of which foreigners are able to know Asians even more. These depictions also prove the nationalism Asians have when it comes to making films. Spirituality would also characterize Asian cinema. This is the case in point in the film Sister Stella L from the Philippines where faith and spirituality is shown by the protagonist who is a nun. Other Asian films with implicit spirituality include The Road Home from China, Departures and Throne of Blood from Japan, Apu Trilogy from India, The Cave of the Yellow Dog from Mongolia, Phorpa from Bhutan and Ghani from Bangladesh (Film and Faith 4 Seminar Explores Spirituality in Asian Films). The martial arts film emerged as a characteristically Hong Kong medium of artistic expression in the 1950s (iFilm Connections: Asia and Pacific). Asian martial arts movies, despite the recent advances in special effects technology, have two secrets great camera work and well-planned choreography (Parish). Asian cinema has a highly developed star system. Films of superstars like Jackie Chan and Jet Li dominate the industry and, in turn, earn a lot of money. This is because people flock to the theatres to see their favorite stars whom they trust to give them quality viewing experience. In these times of environmental and political uncertainty, people are looking for assurance in their lives, something that they find in the public figures that they trust. In terms of technology, Asian cinema, particularly Japanese cinema, has created a new cinematic environment that is most apparent in film production and distribution. In place of 35mm film, high definition digital video is often used to bring down production cost and is then blown up to 35mm for theatrical release. Lightweight cameras, less equipment and smaller crews are also used (Wada-Marciano). When it comes to marketing, Asian filmmakers tend to allocate less to marketing as compared to Hollywood. In Hollywood, 40% of a films total budget is allocated to marketing whereas in Asia, only 10% of a films total budget is allocated to marketing (QA Asian Films and Product Placements). Most Asian films are also marketed by first targeting the audiences in Asias three biggest most self-contained film markets China, Japan and South Korea (Frater). This has become even more so with the blossoming of Asian cinema and the fact that Asian films are being launched in film festivals around the world. Nowadays, marketing Asian films is done by using Hollywood marketing machinery to penetrate Asian territory (Frater). Today, the list of acclaimed Asian films is growing longer as more and more Asian films are being shown in festivals around the world. Foreigners get to appreciate and understand Asian culture and tradition by watching these films. According to the 1992 Sight and Sound Critic Poll, some of the greatest Asian films Asia has ever produced are: Tokyo Story from Japan This is the story of a couple who came to the city to visit their children and grandchildren. The children, however, are too busy to for their parents. After the parents return home, the grandmother dies. It is now the turn of the children to take the journey and visit their parents (Ebert). Pather Panchali from India The first film of the Apu Trilogy, the film depicts the childhood of the protagonist in the rural countryside of Bengal in the 1920s (Pather Panchali). Seven Samurai from Japan This is the story of a samurai who was hired by poor mountain villagers to fight a gang of bandits in exchange for three meals a day. He then recruits six more samurais to complete the seven needed to defend the village. Ultimately, the battle is won for the villagers and singing and rejoicing is heard while the remaining samurais watch the villagers planting the next rice crop (Synopsis for Shichinin No Samurai). Ugetsu from Japan This is the story of two ambitious peasants who want to make their fortunes. A potter intends to sell all his wares in the city in exchange for profit while his brother-in-law wishes to become a samurai (Plot Summary for Ugetsu Monogatari). The Music Room from India This tells the story of a middle-aged aristocrat in India whose estate is suffering financially but continues to engage in indulgences (Synopsis for Jalsaghar). Charulata from India The film tells the story of a lonely housewife who falls for her husbands cousin after her busy husband asks his cousin to keep her company (Charulata). Ikiru from Japan This film is about a minor Tokyo bureaucrat and his final quest for meaning (Ikiru). Sansho the Bailiff from Japan This tells the story of two aristocrat children sold into slavery (Sansho Dayu). Yellow Earth from China The film is about a Communist soldier who is sent to the countryside to collect folk songs for the Communist Revolution (Huang Tu Di). The Life of Oharu from Japan This film is about the life of a seventeenth century samurais daughter (Saikaku Ichidai Onna). Indeed, Asian cinema is slowly capturing the worlds imagination. Consider the continent of Australia. Australia is neighbor to some Asian countries like Indonesia and East Timor. Because of the geographical location and because Asian films are slowly gaining the notice they deserve, Australian filmgoers will get a dose of Asian films through the Sydney Asia Pacific Film Festival, the Hongkong Film Festival in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney and the Chinese Film Festival in Melbourne where several Asian films are being shown. As a result, Australians can get to enjoy and appreciate Asian cinema in all its majestic glory. Cinema is where people go to in order to relax and enjoy. This may be viewed by some as being escapist, but there is more to be benefited from cinema than mere escapism. Because of cinema, a micro-culture is revealed to unsuspecting viewers and filmgoers. Watching a film from Japan, they discover the samurai and geisha cultures. Watching a film from the Philippines, they discover that there is more to the country than Manny Pacquiao. Cinema is magical and can transport viewers to places unimaginable to him or her. Asian cinema is even more magical because the culture of an entire continent is represented in these films. Asian cinema is rich in culture and tradition, the reason why Asian films are a good media in conveying to the world a particular countrys voice. After years of being in the dark, the time of Asian cinema has come. Asian films are slowly coming out of their shells to be viewed and experienced by the whole world. This is an important key to globalization as people throughout the world are able to understand and accept cultures other than their own. The era has come when the micro-cultures of Asia will be seen by the world through a magnifying lens with no less than the use of a camera.

The Breakdown and Restoration of Order in Macbeth Essay -- Macbeth ess

The Breakdown and Restoration of Order in Macbeth   Ã‚  Ã‚   When Macbeth kills King Duncan in William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, there is a breakdown of order throughout Scotland. This breakdown is evident through three main factors; within the person, mainly through Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, through the kingdom and through nature. From a completely ordered nation into the depths of chaos - Scotland collapsed from the lack of strong leadership. In the end, when resolution is reached, this chaos is reversed and Scotland is restored to a peaceful nation as it was before Macbeth's reign.    Traditional Elizabethan ideologies were based on the great "Chain of Being". The people believed in an absolutely ordered universe were ranked in order of their superiority. This order corresponded with all religious beliefs and the political system. General beings were ranked in the order of: God, angels, king, man, animals, plants, inorganic material and finally chaos. When Macbeth murders Duncan, he violates this order. The king was seen to be God's representative on earth and if any rebel was to attack the king, he was seen as rebelling against or attacking God. There was a belief that God passed special powers on to all kings, as seen in Act four Scene three "he cures... the healing benediction... he hath a heavenly gift of prophecy" (lines 168-173). Macbeth does not have this divinity, as he is not the rightful king. This is one of the reasons that Scotland turns to chaos.    The evidence that the audience receives about a breakdown within a person is within Macbeth himself. After murdering Duncan, he begins to go crazy - his mind and his thoughts begin to rule him. He becomes very domineering. Macbeth... ...r breaks down the murderer, breaks down the kingdom and breaks down nature, to have Scotland in complete fear and terror. But, good wins over evil and in the end, peace is restored. The coronation of a divine king brings peace and restoration to previous chaos.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Bradley, A.C. Shakespearean Tragedy. Toronto: Penguin Books Canada Ltd., 1991.    Campbell, Lily B. Shakespeare's Tragic Heroes, Slaves of Passion. Gloucester: Peter Smith Publisher Inc., 1973.  Ã‚      Edwards, Terence. Twentieth Century Interpretations of Macbeth. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1977.    Shakespeare, William.   Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.  Ã‚  Ã‚      Scott, Mark W. (Editor).   Shakespeare for Students.   Gale Research Inc. Detroit, Michigan. 1992      

Condoleezza Rice Essay -- Politics Political

Condoleezza Rice   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At this point in time the name and image of Condoleezza Rice is commonplace among the majority of informed Americans. As the first female to serve as the National Security Advisor to the President of the United States, Dr. Rice was propelled even further into the spotlight following the attacks on America on September 11th 2001. I too, like most Americans, saw a lot more of Condi, as she is known by her many friends and colleagues, after September 11. Clearly she was intelligent and always remained calm and poised in the face of adversity and standing before the cameras. I also noticed and appreciated her articulation and was even moved by what seemed like her stoic yet compassionate presentation. It was not until I read Dr. Rice’s biography, Condi, by Antonia Felix, however that she gained my utmost respect. By the 21st century a black successful black female is not as uncommon as it was fifty years ago. Black women had fought their way to the top in many arenas, including political such as the U.S. Senate. What is truly amazing about Condi’s story is speed and finesse with which she ascended to the top of everything she took on. An endearing friendship and mutual loyalty with both of the George Bushes surely did not hurt her. Condi’s  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   success was hardly limited to the world of politics. She approached music, fitness, academics, sports, religion, and family with the same decisiveness, consistency, and determination that she brought to the public sector. Condi is also no stranger to controversy. Now more than ever she faces a host of critics, especially regarding her supposed knowledge of possible terrorist threats before they came to pass on September 11. Her Republican politics made her less than popular among African Americans although she maintains a more liberal perspective on social issues and remains pro-choice. In spite of her ups and downs it is ultimately her unfaltering character to which sh e can attribute her success as well as her status as what many call the most powerful woman in politics.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The high academic pursuits of the Rice family did not exactly begin with Condoleezza and her generation. The foundation of this idea can be seen in chapter 2 of her autobiography in which the author begins the chronological record with a look at Julia Head Rice. Julia was born into slavery, albeit house slavery which was h... ...onsibilities were never ending and she approached them with the same grace and drive as she does everything in her life. Although the book end its documentation in 2002, shortly after 9/11, Condi’s duties have become no less urgent. Since that time she has had to defend her Administration against suggestions that the attacks could have been prevented and has done so quite well. The 2004 elections have just been completed and George W. Bush is returning to the White House for another term. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has submitted his resignation and Condoleezza Rice has been nominated as a predictable replacement. If she survives the Senate approval hearings she will become the first black female and second female to fill the role. While I have full faith in her abilities I am concerned with the fact that without Powell in the National Security Council there will be no dissenting opinions. The proposed administration is politically homogenous. Surely Dr. Rice wo uld understand this concern as she herself is quoted in the opening lines of chapter 8 of her biography as saying â€Å"If you find yourself in the company of people who agree with you, you’re in the wrong company.†

Eating Disorders and the Media :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Eating Disorders and the Media Today's society is undeniably marked by cultural norms and ideals.   The question is, however, does the mass media's depiction of this norm cause harmful behavior in its population?   Researchers have shown that there is a bias in the way television targets children in advertising (Ogletree, S., Williams, S., Raffeld, P., Mason, B., Fricke, K., 1990) and that this media influence over people has always been observable (Miles, M., 1995).   This targeting of audience members serves the purpose of singling out the most desirable consumer for the product to encourage their economic support.   So if advertising is only concerned with selling product, why is it blamed for the low self-esteem and body image and thus the bulimia and anorexia seen in today's women?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The images projected by the media in commercials, products, wrote ads etc. give today's consumers an idea of what "normal" should look like (Sellers, M., Waligroski, K., 1993).   The people in the ads would all have the ideal body proportions, material possessions and social status in order to deserve the attention the ad places on them.   Viewers see the ads and compare the body images they see to themselves, which is likely to reveal a discrepancy.   Five years ago, the average female model weighed 23% less that the average woman of the time (Miles, M., 1995) and the difference is only growing.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Men to are affected by the media's portrayal of what ideal looks like.   Jirousek explains the evolution of the ideal male figure from a slim and "romantic" shape to the "superhuman" image we see in television and the rest of media today (1996).   With the beginning of televised football in the 1930's, the popularized image of males incorporated the larger than life appearance from shoulder pads and other "armor" to encompass movie heroes, comic book characters and clothing models.   With the males in the public eye having these muscular figures and distorted proportions, the "normal" male then received the impression that this is what women wanted even if the look does not come easily to most men.   Fabio is a good example of this image (although Jirousek states that Fabio is more for the female consumer than the influence over male viewers, 1996).   This male image could be just the thing a man needs to see in order to feel completely below expectations t hus, resulting in low self-esteem.

Saul Bass

Saul Bass: The Game Changer Vicente Mendez | Saul bass: The Game Changer Designers are always influential to the world in their works. Saul Bass was one designer who stood out. He took his talents to their limits and redefined design with his works. Not only was he a great graphic designer, but the reigning master of film title design. He changed and redefined the art of graphic design. Saul had many innovations, breakthroughs and discoveries, and theories and philosophies. Movies often have strong messages to send or certain things that they want the audience to catch.Saul reinvented the film posters and picture title sequences and did it in ways that intrigued and redefined what it meant to be a graphic designer (Thatcher). His innovation and creativity brought him his fame and superiority in the design industry. The Man With the Golden Arm was the movie that brought him recognition when he designed the film poster and title sequence to depict the arm of a heroin addicts arm which was the message of the film (Thatcher). In the mid 50’s heroin was a taboo subject and the movie depicted a jazz musician who works to overcome his heroin addiction.Just as Saul wanted, the iconic arm got people talking and gave the movie some recognition as well as Saul Bass. Bass was an inventor and provided effect, memorable titles sequences, inventing a new type of kinetic typography (Thatcher). He brought many new ideas to life; his innovations were his key to success and recognizable as a revered designer. Saul redefined what it meant to be a graphic designer for movies. His works for movie titles and sequences changed how many perceived the title screens to be (Brown).The point of a title sequence and film posters are to catch the audience’s attention, but keep it simple so it is easier to understand. Must also allow the audience to have their own interpretation too, it will bring more attention and light to the film (Brown). When the audience themselves have an emotional connection, it will more than likely that they will come and see the movie. Saul’s breakthrough with the movie The Man With The Golden Arm brought the movie success because he kept the imagery of the film poster simple, yet will conveyed a strong enough message to get the audience riled up about the nature of the movie.The way a designer looks at life, can be seen through their work. Saul believed in the philosophy â€Å"try to reach for a simple, visual phrase that tells you what the picture is all about and evokes the essence of the story,† which can be seen in his film logo for The Man with the Golden Arm (Thatcher). Other works like the AT&T logo are examples of his simplicity yet it captures the minds of those who see the designs. Another philosophy of his was to make the ordinary extraordinary (Thatcher).Saul wanted the audience to see the simplexes in his work, yet see it in an complex way that they may not completely understand but they will still be mesmerized by it. Saul’s designs really influenced many people, and many other designers influenced him. The audience can always be sure that when Bass designed something, there was always a message behind the design. He really influenced the film industry and Hollywood changed forever with their designs. His works also influenced other designers to start seeing graphic designing in a whole new light.The time period that Saul Bass was a designer really had a lot of influence on his work. He worked during the time of the Civil Rights Movements, which really helped influence his work and his effort in really bringing motion picture to life. Saul Bass was an innovator, an amazing graphic artist of his time and stood out in what he did. His breakthroughs led the film industries into a new better direction when it came to film posters and title sequence design. His philosophies influenced many other designers and can be seen through his works as well as his lifestyle.He influence d other designers and really changed the way people see motion film. His artistic abilities combined with his unique style really drove motion picture and made it a big name in film industries especially with catching the audience’s attention. Works Cited Thatcher, Lisa. â€Å"Saul Bass: The Film Posters You Know Better than AnyA other. † Lisa Thatcher. N. p. , 16 Feb. 2012. Web. 18 Nov. 2012. . Brown, D. (1982). Aiga. Retrieved from http://www. aiga. org/medalist-saulbass/

How to Pursue the American Dream

Phung Huynh ENG 111 Out Class Essay #2 Final How to Pursue the American Dream For an immigrant, the American Dream is to achieve economic well-being and a good quality of life through hard work, entrepreneurship, and perseverance. It is the driving force behind most immigration, and its realization is the achievement dimension of the American Dream to reach to the fullest life. What is the American dream? And how can one pursue it? Does it still exist, or is it over? Carl Thomas's article â€Å" Is the American Dream Over? † states that the American Dream is still around and people have to work hard to achieve it or to reclaim it. Thomas's argument that the government is leading us to a path of economic downfall sheds light on Bob Herbert's analysis of the recession in our country to recognize how much trouble we're in. In particular, Thomas's analysis of the causes, consequences, and solutions helps us understand Herbert's essay more clearly on what the main roots to achieve a better economy and standard of living are. â€Å"For generations, parents have told their children about â€Å"the American dream. Basically it has meant building a life based on the foundational principles that created and have sustained America for more than 200 years†(568), Thomas starts off by describing how this life was supposed to be getting better and better as each new generation rose and succeeded past those of their ancestors, or that's how it was explained in the American dream. But as of recently the recession has brought on a new style of the American dream, one that includes declining standards of living and over regulating government issues.He blames the government is leading us to go a wrong way and we also, as a society have become too dependent on the leaders. He lists the reasons, in his own words, â€Å" setting aside war, which was imposed on America, the eclipse of liberalism's American dream has been largely caused by expanding, encroaching, over-t axing, over spending, and over-regulating government. This has produced a country of government addicts with an entitlement mentality† (569). Thomas does not hesitate to put direct blame about American's failing dream on government's policy to make people see as clear as the economy is in bad shape.He believes people should not rely on the government too much, that we have to work for our own benefit. In contrast, Thomas goes on to say that he disagrees with Herbert's claim that those who strive for the American Dream can still earn it. Herbert claims, â€Å" we've become a hapless, can't do society, and it's. frankly embarrassing† (566), Thomas points out â€Å" is it not the politicians who lead a people increasingly dependent on them who are responsible for this? The liberals among them and their policies are leading us down a path to economic and cultural insolvency† (569).Thomas states what causes of our society is failing public schools, and produce graduat es who are not up to par with other nations standards to Herbert' claiming on economy. Herbert explains his view on how the American Dream is slowly become less and less reachable and what we need to focus on in order for the restoration of the dream. Herbert state, â€Å" wherever you choose to look at the economy and jobs, the public schools, the budget deficits, the nonstop warfare overseas–you'll see a country in sad shape† (564).Not only does he state the factors which are slowly causing this dream to become less attainable, but he believes that the American people are doing nothing about it and everyone is in denial. Furthermore, Thomas strongly insists â€Å" the creation of a government that is out of control, and thus out of touch robs every citizen, preventing fulfillment of the original American Dream† (569). His tones in this passage is disappointed on dysfunctional government that putting their faith in the wrong place. Allowing politicians to have such a strong influence on individual takes away one's sense of self-reliance and initiative.Cultural faith described as believing that politicians can improve personal life, he confirms that way can never lead one's dream be fulfilled. The dream begins individuals taking responsibility for one own life, behavior and success. People should work hard and think smart to brings natural rewards. Individuals in America are free to choose what they want to do do with their lives. The American Dream is liberty. Moreover, Herbert says ,â€Å" consider this startling information from the Pew Hispanic Center: in the year following the official end of the Great Recession in June 2009, foreign-born workers in the U.S. gained 656,000 jobs while native-born workers lost 1. 2 million. † (565). He explains that American should not discriminate against these foreign-born workers, but the U. S. government needs to step up and provide everyone jobs that desire to live a comfortable lifestyle. T he effects of the recession will be felt for many years due to the lack of ill-advised deficit program that has been in use for the last couple of years. Herbert claims that in order to recover from these troubled times that our country is facing, we need to step back and realize how much trouble we're truly in.He adds,â€Å" the wreckage from the recession and the nation's mindlessly destructive policies in the years leading up to the recession is all around us† (565). He reports the true nightmares that state and local governments have to face, and how they are reducing services, cutting work, and raising taxes and fees from American. One of the most important things back in the day was to educate the young, and it appears that America has forgotten that concept. Our school systems used to be considered the best in the world, and now that is not true.However, Thomas asserts, â€Å" the rules for achieving the American dream may no longer be taught in and supported by cultu re, but that doesn't mean they don't work† (570). His hope for reaching the American dream is that if people live with high morals and follow good conduct rules in society like studying hard, going to college and graduate degree, getting married on planning, saving and investing for retirements in right way, and being honest will end up fulfilling one's living dream. He discusses that we need to return to the old methods of good old hard earned prosperity in other to be successful.People need to work for good fortune; it is not just handed to one on a silver platter. Thomas supports Herbert's claim that â€Å" America will never get its act together until we recognize how much trouble we're really in† (570). They both finally agree for one point that people have to acknowledge the obvious realistic life that we are in now. Thomas confirms one more time â€Å" we must also understand what got us here and the path that lead upward. What got us here is unrestrained libera lism† (570). He does not forget to remind us that following on the high moral rules and not laying on the leader too much.Thus, one way of resurrecting the American dream in Herbert's opinion is to establish more jobs so that everyone can have a decent living. Herbert claims the New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's will only hurt the schools because of planning to eliminate the jobs of thousands of public school teachers over the next two years. He implies the way how government is acting to lead American people to follow in such a deep slide. He also points out that â€Å" America will never get its act together until we recognize how much trouble we're really in, and how much effort and shared sacrifice is needed to stop the decline.Only then will we be able to begin resuscitating the dream† (567). Herbert suggests there should be a united among American people to work together to build up again the used-to-be number one strongest economy of the world – the Ameri ca. As a consequence, the American Dream is something that humanity wonders about and the answers are vary. Despite of the bad conditions how today economy is, there're abilities to rebuild it up not only how it was, but also is stronger than before. Both articles are showing to us very clear causes and consequences that presenting in our society, and how government issues is leading us down to path.Both columnists also suggest American people must realize as soon as possible the big trouble that we are in, and action need to be taken now in order to once again pursue the American Dream. Government should invest and effort into economy and education, because that's the only way to support our new generation. Many of immigrants sacrificed their jobs, their education levels and their languages at their homelands to start their new live in America and succeed in reaching their dream.In my opinion, the American Dream embraces a sight of respective prosperity, personal safety and liberty . With America actually being seen as the land of assurances, the American Dream is an associated dream with the freedom and opportunity of recognition, power, triumph and contentment. On the other hand, American people also have to stay out of government's control and stand on their own foot to achieve the comfortable living standard. The government should have rebuild the system to lead people getting a better life, to reach the American Dream.