The Federal Reserve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

The Federal Reserve - Essay Example This paper seeks to analyze the role of the financial markets in economic wealth creation in the United States as well as three financial securities which include; stock shares, bonds, and treasury bills. Analyze the role financial markets play in creating economic wealth in the U.S. Financial markets have a significant role as far as the United States economy is concerned. Most importantly they aid in the creation of wealth through various ways. In line with this a major role of financial markets is the facilitation of transfer of funds from those who have surplus to those without. This basically means that funds are channeled to borrowers from lenders through systems and frameworks in the financial markets. Lenders spend small portions of their incomes while the rest is kept for savings while borrowers wish to spend more than their incomes. This makes it possible for funds to flow from the lenders to the borrowers. Financial markets provide an avenue through which finances move fro m lenders to borrowers. In financial markets financial instruments otherwise regarded as financial securities are instruments that facilitate the transfer of funds. Borrowers purchase the financial securities from lenders which acts a claim on future assets and incomes of the former. Therefore financial markets enable companies to obtain funds in a much easier for development and growth or rather for the exploitation of a new business idea. This processes therefore translates to the creation of wealth in the United States since private businesses, the government as well big companies can be able to engage in Investment activities as a result of readily available funds through the financial markets securities. Provide a general overview of each of the three (3) securities you chose. Be sure to include such information as name, company it represents (if applicable), pricing, and historical performance. Walmart Company makes use of financial securities to source funds and be able to co ntinue in business. Stock shares are financial securities that facilitate operations of this company in the financial markets in the United States. Stock shares enable investors to actually invest their funds in this company. Walmart company shares have in the past presented an investment image that is not that attractive to investors (Groz, 2009). Over the past decade the company traded its shares in the stock exchange market in New York with the price per share being $58.75. At the time the earnings yield per share was 2.54% which meant that investors received an earning per share of $1.49. Such a rate of return on Walmart’s shares was actually lees by a half of what an investor could have received if they invested in treasury bonds. In this case the United States treasury bonds had a much better deal for investors. The returns on shares did not account for payment of taxes after the distribution of dividends to the shareholders. Besides the use of treasury bonds, the Unite d States government issues treasury bills in order to be able to source funds to support its investments as well as other activities. Treasury bills securities are short term instruments whose maturity is usually on a quarterly, half year or annual basis (Valdez, 2002) The United States t

Art Gallery Review Essay Example for Free

Art Gallery Review Essay I went to the Erotic Heritage Museum in Las Vegas, located on 3275 Industrial road (major cross-street Desert Inn) which opened in August of 2008. At the museum it holds, erotic art, exhibits, different timelines and a lot of illustrated history of erotica. There were many tasteful pieces of artwork, whether it be painting, magazine covers, posters, figures, and sculptures. I was also very excited to have actually seen the piece called â€Å"Venus of Willendorf† that is featured in our book on page 164. I took my time looking at all the different pictures to see which I would choose from to write about. Then I observed one, it was untitled, made in 2008 and the artists name is Fang. I did research on the artist and did not find much on her other than the fact that she is called â€Å"The ugly artist†. Fangs paintings have a BDSM feel for them and use acrylic on canvas. The particular picture I seen was of two beautiful women, one was dominant and the other a submissive. Both women had contour lines to show their figures off. Most of the colors were very vivid and had high intensity in it. The dominant woman wore a under bust patent leather type of corset with attached panties, and matching knee high stiletto boots. The submissive was totally undressed except for a shiny red o ring posture collar. The dominant woman had spider web tattoos on each shoulder that a spider connected to underneath her neckline. Both women had beautiful long flowing lines of black hair, with blue highlights. Bright red lipstick on both women and dark smoky eye makeup. The dominant woman’s facial expression was of confidence and superiority, while the submissive woman looked upwards as if to gain a sense of approval. The second picture that caught my eye was in the elevator going to the second floor. It is called â€Å"Love is an elevator†. It was a photograph on canvas and was done by a man named Richard Rasner. This picture was like a grid pattern due to the elevator setup and was very low intensity on the colors. It was mostly different shades of browns and light brown with hints of red. The picture was taken of the inside of an elevator with a female standing in front of a mirror that was inside the elevator with the door open as she looked back at the opening. She was gorgeous and seductively staring as if she was trying to lure someone into the elevator with her. She wore black lingerie and thigh high stockings. The painting was donated a year after the opening of the museum and didn’t have much more information. I did find out the same title â€Å"Love is an elevator† is a song by the rock band called Aerosmith. Another lovely painting I was drawn to on the second floor of this huge museum was by Fried Pa’l. He is known for painting beautiful nude women with oil on canvas. The colors of this piece are neutral, and low intensity browns throughout most of the painting. It shows this beautiful, confident, yet flirty woman lying on a neutral colored background of saturated colors. Her figure has contour lines to define her body shape. She has pale colored skin, light pink nipples, light golden brown hair which she has one of her hands in. Her makeup colors are turquoise eye shadow, and coral colored lipstick. Her expression says to me â€Å"I know I am beautiful, and you desire to be with me†. Even though you said to only do three I saw another picture definitely worth writing about. It was simply painted pink and white with acrylic on canvas, no title and not signed. However it was donated to the museum by Ron McCallister when he passed away. Ron McCallister was Walt Disney’s best friend. If you look at the pictures Walt Disney has done, he always puts light bubbles everywhere in his art and you can tell his brush strokes. He wasn’t the best artist and this picture definitely could be his work. It was a picture of a pink male penis on the left of the painting and on the right was of an open mouth with the tongue on the tip of the penis. This is said to be the only erotic art Walt Disney has ever produced because he knew his best friend was into erotic art. Overall my experience at the Erotic Heritage museum was very pleasant, nothing too distasteful. I found this place to be comical, and a great place to get knowledge about sexual behavior. There were many different pictures and news clippings, and information on the erotica. There were lots of statues and old art showing different cultures views on sex. There were different views of women’s vaginas on the walls and also homosexuality views as well. I also saw the first â€Å"vibrator† as we call it today but back then it was the fifth electronic appliance. I enjoyed all of the art that I reviewed about for all the uniqueness of it overall. Throughout the whole two floors of the museum I was not disgusted by any of it mostly because I have a very open mind and think â€Å"outside the box†. It all was displayed very well throughout the museum and all of the staff was very helpful.

The Methodological Role of the Concept :: Science Physics Research Papers

The Methodological Role of the Concept "Physical Vacuum" Science is entering the post-non-classical period characterized by evolutionary-synergistic types of rationality, the central moment of which is research of complex nonlinear systems. During the last few decades, physics has made a revolutionary turn toward new representations of the nature of elementary particles and has revealed unexpected features of the physical vacuum, with the evolving Universe having become the basic subject of study in physics. It is important to distinguish two basic aspects of the development of modern physics. First is that physics has closely approached the construction of unified theory. Second is that two branches of knowledge —physics of elementary particles and cosmology — have completely merged. This is most vividly displayed through the modern inflationary models of the evolution of the Universe, within the framework of which it is possible to solve most cosmological problems. The inflationary scenarios give a new look to the place of the physical vacuum in the structure of physics theory. This requires the methodological analysis of the problem of the physical vacuum and a definition of its status in the structure of nature science. I will therefore: 1) investigate the sociocultural origin of this fundamental concept by looking for the sources of the entry of the concept "vacuum" in the sciences; 2) study its functioning in the logic of scientific knowledge at the various stages of development in physics; and 3) develop more adequate definitions of this concept. The science is entering post non-classical period. This period is characterized with establishing evolutionary-synergetic type of rational. The central moment of which is research of complex nonlinear systems. The finest aspect of the appropriate consideration has the Universe as a self-organizing object. Cosmological aspect of formation of the new scientific research program, new paradigm in science, ontological formation of them in an adequate post-non-classical scientific picture of the world has the paramount meaning. It can be said that during the last two-three decades the physics has made a revolutionary turn on the way to the new representations of the nature of the elementary particles, and has revealed unexpected features of the physical vacuum. As a result that has determined evolving Universe as the basic subject of studying in physics. It is important to distinguish two basic aspects of development of modern physics. The first of them is, that the physics has closely app roached to the program of construction of the one theory of the field.

Evaluation of a computerised system Essay

Meeting the requirements specification In the evaluation of this project, the first things that must be considered are the first objectives that were set for the system to meet. This is the requirements specification. I will break down each objective listed in the requirements specification and discuss whether the objectives have been met.   To complete the new system by the deadline agreed This requirement was met. The date that was arranged was the 21st March 2008 and the date that was used on the calendar of dates was also this date.   The database will need to be able to store enough records. The hardware that was acquired for the new system to be stored on in the end was a 120 GB hard disk, and then was well enough to store the whole database of records on.   The system will need to alert the user when stock is low or has run out The query ‘Out of stock’ along with its report counterpart is enough of an alert to let the user know that staff has run out. However, there is no way of checking when stock is low, and the ideal alert for items that have gone out of stock would be automatic rather than the user having to run the report or query. Data must be backed up to minimise loss of data and to reduce the amount of work if data does get lost A sufficient back-up plan has been constructed which included at least two ways of backing up records at regular intervals.   To find information about an item quickly The ‘Find product’ query is a good way of finding information about an item quickly. It allows the user to search for an item using its name or in a separate query a product ID can be used. Alternatively, items can be browsed through using the Products form.   Generate a unique ID for each customer entered into the database. A unique ID for each customer that is entered into the database is generated.   Generate a record for customer details entered into the database The Customers form is used to enter customer details into the database, and its ‘Add new record’ button is a way of generating a new record for the data that has been input.   Produce an error if the customer already exists in the database This objective has not been met directly, however there are measures that can be taken to see if a customer already exists in the database. An error is not produced automatically, but a query has been created to check the database for the customer. Show the new customer table when a new customer has been added When a new customer is added the new customer table is not shown, however this is not necessary as the user isn’t able to view the tables, but the data is immediately accessible by the user via the Customers form.   Show the new customer table when a customer has been deleted The same applies for deleting a customer as applies to adding a new customer. The data is not shown as a table but is immediately accessible via the Customers form.   Generate a unique ID for each product added into the database. A unique ID for each product that is entered into the database is automatically generated.   Generate a record for product details entered into the database When details of an item are entered into a Products form and the ‘Add new record’ button is clicked, then a new record is generated for that data that has been input.   Show the new product table when a product has been added The same applies to this as applies to customers.   Show the new product table when a product has been deleted The same applies as above.   Generate a unique ID for each staff member added to the database. A unique ID is generated for each staff member that is entered into the database is automatically generated. Generate a record for each staff member added into the database When the details of a new member of staff are entered into a Staff form and the ‘Add new record’ button is clicked, then a new record is generated for that data that has been input. Show the new staff table when a new staff member is added into the database The same applies to this as applies to customers.   Show the new staff table when a staff member is deleted from the database. The same applies as above. Generate a unique ID for each sale that takes place A unique ID is generated for each sale that takes place is automatically generated. Generate a record for each sale that takes place When the details of a sale are entered into the Sales form and the ‘Add new record’ button is clicked, then a new record is generated for that data that has been input. Show the new sales table when a sale has been added into the database The same applies to this as applies to customers.   Update the stock levels for the item purchased after a sale. The same applies as above.   Produce an error message if the customer doesn’t exist When a sale is conducted, if a customer ID doesn’t exist in the Customers table but is entered into the Sales table then an error message is produced.   Produce an error message if the item isn’t in stock An error message is not directly produced if an item is in stock, but when a staff member uses a query to locate an item to reduce the stock by 1, they should notice that the stock level for that item is already 0. Correctly archive data from the sales table. Data can be archived from the sales table using two queries that have been created: an append query and a delete query. Data older than 28 days in the Sales table is appended to the Archived Sales table using the first query, then data older than 28 days in the Sales table is deleted using the second. Summary table of requirements specification Here is a table to summarise whether or not the original requirements specification has been met or not: Objective no. Target met Target partly met Target not met Reason for not meeting target Page reference 1 X 2 X 3 X Report created to tell user all items out of stock. 4 X 5 X 6 X 7 X 8 X Query created to check existance of customer 9 X Tables not accessible by end-user, but data viewable in form 10 X Tables not accessible by end-user, but data viewable in form 11 X 12 X 13 X Tables not accessible by end-user, but data viewable in form 14 X Tables not accessible by end-user, but data viewable in form 15 X 16 X 17 X Tables not accessible by end-user, but data viewable in form 18 X Tables not accessible by end-user, but data viewable in form 19 X 20 X 21 X Tables not accessible by end-user, but data viewable in form 22 X 23 X 24 X. Report created to show all items out of stock, and when updating stock levels staff should know it is out of stock. 25 X Signed: _____________________________________ User response In the Implementation section of this project I issued the staff at the shop with a copy of the new system and a questionnaire to fill in about using it. Here are the results of the questionnaire that I obtained. The main menu is easy to follow. True / False 10 0 Comments towards this statement indicated that the main menu was very easy to follow and needs no improvement. It is easy to navigate around the whole system. True / False 10 0 Comments on this question also indicated that it needed no improvement. There was indication that each area of the whole system is accessible via the main menu. The layout is consistent. True / False 10 0 There were no comments about this statement. The text throughout the system is easy to read. True / False 10 0 Comments stated that font was large enough to read, and that the contrast in colour with the background was significant. The colour scheme is appropriate. True / False 10 0 Comments say that the colour scheme is consistent, simple and attractive to the eye. The system is secure enough. True / False 2 8 Comments towards this statement indicated that when the system is run, the whole system is accessible and therefore a password should be required in order to gain access to the system. Your user-guide is easy to follow and read. True / False 10 0 Comments mainly say that the user guide is straightforward and easy to follow. It explains how to use the system sufficiently. Command buttons are all in a suitable place. True / False 10 0 Comments explain that command buttons are in a logical order and are well laid out. All of the drop-down lists work. True / False 10 0 There were no comments about this statement. All of the correct information is stored. True / False 10 0 Comments mainly say that data is entered into forms and is successfully stored in tables. Reports are sufficient and have a good layout. True / False 10 0 Comments say that the layout of the reports is consistent and the reports show sufficient information. All dates stored within the system work correctly. True / False 10 0 Comments mention that the date is automatically entered into the sales table, and all other dates within the system correctly work. The validation rules work. True / False 10 0 Comments say that validation minimises errors when typing and makes the user aware that they have made a spelling mistake. The validation rules are helpful. True / False 10 0 Comments say that spelling mistakes and typing errors are minimised due to the validation rules that are in place. Almost all of the questions received fully satisfied answers. The only exception was that the database was secure enough. This received a slightly negative response along with suggestions that the database should have a password. This was originally included in the design of the project but was left our during the system development stage. The problem was, however, rectified and the system was accepted. Good points, bad points and possible extensions From my evaluation so far and the user’s questionnaire, I am able to create a list of good points and bad points of the system: Good points   The switchboard allows easy access around the whole of the system   A professional-looking colour scheme has been created to give the system a sense of consistency. On-screen text is clear and easy to read due to a simple font and high contrast to the colour of the background   No faults were detected in the user guide and everyone seems to be able to use the new system   Error messages are clear so that they can be corrected when they occur Validation on fields improves reliability of data that is entered into the database and validation rules are found to be useful   Some areas of the database have automatic data entry, such as ID fields and some date fields, reducing the amount of work for the end-user   It is quick and easy to enter data due to the forms that have been created. Drop-down lists are available on some fields to make it easier for the end-user to enter data Bad points Backing up can be quite slow and time consuming due to data transfer on to the particular USB drive that was purchased having a slow transfer speed. Burning data on to discs, and also removing data from discs, is slow   Having to run two queries to archive data is tedious, as it would be much easier to only have to run one command in order to do it   Archiving data is easy to forget and it would be useful to have a reminder every 28 days Limitations. The system still has some limitations, despite the fact that it has been improved greatly, with improved efficiency and much less chance of errors being made. Here is a list of limitations that the system has, and also some of the system requirements that were not completely fulfilled. There is no automatic alert to tell the user that stock levels are low and that more need to be ordered in   Paper has not been completely eliminated from the system. Reports are used to create lists of data to store in an archive, or to give information to the stock control manager when ordering new stock without having to load up the system The system is not able to produce reminders every time data needs archiving   There is no error message generated when a user is entered into the database again Possible extensions There are still extensions that could possibly be made to the system, and time and funds permitting, these are still possible to implement at some stage. Here are some of the extensions that could be made:   When carrying out a sale, it would be a good idea if the stock levels could automatically be updated to reduce the stock levels by one. An alternative to this would be to allow the user to reduce the level of stock via the sales form, rather than having to locate the correct record using the products form   It would be a good idea for the database to produce a reminder every 28 days to remind the user to archive old sales. This would reduce clutter in the database and decrease the amount of time it would take to look at data in the sales table   To allow the stock control manager to create a list of stock that needs to be ordered in automatically so that he could send this to the manufacturer. This would greatly reduce his workload.

Children’s literature

Literature is (a) imaginative or creative writing; (b) distinguish writing, with deep sublime, noble feelings. It includes oral tradition passed on from generation to generation by word of mouth (e. g. proverbs, myths, legends, epic, folk song, etc. ). Literature, as defined by the oxford, etc. , valued as works of art (drama, fiction, essays, poetry, biography) contrasted with technical books and journalism; (2) all the writing of a country (French lit. ) or a period (18th Century English Lit. ); (3) printed material describing or advertising e. g. pamphlets; (4) books dealing with special subjects, travel, poultry farming.Literature is an art expressing beauty through the medium of language; a recreation through language of human situation and experiences, the orchestration of the manifold but elemental experiences of man blended into harmonious and desired patterns of expressions and a faithful reproduction of life executed in an artistic pattern (Del Prado). Why Study Literature? Literature leads to personal fulfilment and academic gains.Separating the values into personal and academic is an intellectual distinction, since both types benefit the students and are all proper parts of a student’s schooling. The distinction is useful, however, since teachers and librarians must often justify the benefits of literature in the classroom and find the academic benefits the most convincing ones for administrators and parents. Enjoyment The most important personal gain that good books offer to students is the most obvious one-enjoyment.Those of you who read widely as students will never forget the stories that were so tragic that you almost cried out, some were so funny that you laughed out, the poem that was so lifting that you never forgot it, or the mystery that was so scary that your heart thumped with apprehension. Such positive early experience often leads to a lifetime of reading enjoyment. Imagination and Inspiration By seeing the world around them in new ways and by considering ways of living other than their own, students increase their ability to think divergently.Stories often map the divergent paths that our ancestors might have taken or that our descendants might someday take. Through the vicarious experience of entering a different world from the present one, students develop their imaginations. In addition, stories about people, both real and imaginary, can inspire students to overcome obstacles, accept different perspectives, and formulate personal goals. The Academic Value of Literature to Student In addition to the personal benefits of literature for yong readers, there are several important academic benefits.Reading Many of you may have reached the common-sense deduction that reading ability, like any other skill, improves with practice. Many teachers and librarians believe that regular involvement with excellent and appropriate literature can foster language development to young people and can help them to learn to r ead and to value reading. Writing Since people tend to assimilate or adopt what they like of what they read and hear, young people may, by listening to and reading literature, begin to develop their own writing â€Å"voice†, or unique, personal writing style.By listening to and reading excellent literature, children are exposed to rich vocabulary and excellent writing styles, which serve as good models for their own speaking and writing voices. The acquisition of a larger vocabulary through reading offers young writers a better word choice for their own stories. Devices found in books such as the use of dialect, dialogue, and precise descriptions are often assimilated into students’ own writing. Vicarious ExperienceWhen a story is convincing written that readers feel as though they have live through an experience or have actually been in the place and time where the story is set, the book have given them a vicarious experience. Experiences such as these are broadening students to stories from many lands and cultures, teachers and libraries are building a solid foundation for multicultural and international understanding. Walking in someone else’s shoes often help students to develop a greater capacity to empathize with others.Students around the world can benefit from stories that explain what life is, for people who are restricted by handicaps, politics, or circumstances or whose lives are different from theirs because of culture or geography. Likewise, young readers of today can relate on a more personal level with the events and people of history. Heritage Stories that are handed down from one generation to the next connect us to our past, to the roots of our specific cultures, national heritage, and general human condition. Stories are the repositories of culture.Knowing the tales, characters, expression, riddles, lullabies, songs, and adages that are part of our cultural heritage makes us culturally literate. Stories based on fact hel p young people to gain a greater appreciation for what history is and for the people, both ordinary and extraordinary who made history. Art Appreciation Illustration in some literature books (Children’s Literature) can be appreciated both for its ability to help tell the story (cognitive value) and for its value as art (aesthetic value).Picture books are profusely illustrated books in which the illustrations are, to varying degrees, essential to the enjoyment and understanding of the story. For this reason, illustrations in picture books are said to be integral to the story. The illustration in picture books provides actual plot or concept information as well as clues to character traits, settings, and moods. Without the illustrations, therefore these books would be diminished, and in some case the story would make no sense or would be nonexistent.

The King essays

The King essays As the events of the French revolution unfolded, Louis XVI soon found himself at its centre when, on December 11, 1792, he was brought to trial and charged with conspiring against the nation. As a defining moment of the French revolution, there is no questioning as to the fundamental nature of the trial in the future political developments of the revolution. The contributing factor of his ultimate demise, however, is often disputed. While the political circumstances surrounding the trial contributed to Louis XVIs downfall, it was ultimately the kings poor character that instigated the fateful deeds responsible for his trial and execution. Despite the fact that the political struggle between radicals and moderates played a role in bringing Louis to trial, it was nevertheless Louis passive personality that brought him to judgement. Within the Convention, the question of Louis accountability and trial was fervently debated amongst the Girondin moderates and Jacobin radicals. The moderates wanted to try the king, whereas the radicals contended that he king had already been judged according to the events of August the 10th, and deserved no trial at all.# Jacobin tactics, however, proved to be less successful than the Girondins as they were unable to successfully convince the Convention otherwise that Louis guilt was not subject for judicial review, it was necessarily a measure of public safety.# Thus, on December 1792, a motion was unanimously passed by the Convention to try the king for his crimes against the nation.# Nevertheless, if not for the kings passive personality, the issue of trial would have never been debated as the kings violability would not have been in question. This is because the kings passive personality lead him to be swayed by the opinions of others; opinions that lead to his trial. This is most evident in his ill-advised flight to Austria, June 21,...

ACT Study Guide Schedule and Plan for One Year or More

SAT / ACT Study Guide Schedule and Plan for One Year or More SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You're serious about studying for the SAT. You have a year or more to study, and you want to put a real effort into it. Is studying this much worth it? What are the payoffs? And most importantly, what's the best way to study for the SAT / ACT on the year-or-more level? This post answers those questions! First, let's get a couple of important questions out of the way. Is Studying for a Year or More Worth It? Who Should Use This Guide? The short answer: yes, it's absolutely worth it. We know from recent studies that a 105-point increase on your SAT score (equivalently, 1.5 points on your ACT score) doubles your odds of getting into a given college. If you had a 10% chance of getting into Harvard before, it increases your chances to around 20%. And a 105 point increase can be obtained in a few dozen hours. This means that even if you're studying 100 hours for the SAT / ACT, those 100 hours are doing much more to increase your chance of getting into college than, say, sports or clubs. A study schedule of a year or more is definitely worth it for students who care about getting into the best colleges. How Many Hours Do I Need? How Far Ahead of Time Should I Start? If you're starting your studying a year or more before you take the test, plan to spend at least a hundred hours or more. As this SAT / ACT study schedule planner suggests, you don't want to study too few hours when you start far ahead. You should also begin studying so that you aim to take the test junior year fall (I'll explain more below). If you're planning a year to study, start during the winter or spring of your sophomore year. If you're on the more aggressive schedule of studying for a couple of years, you want to get started at the end of freshman year. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or more? We've put our best advice into a single guide. These are the 5 strategies you MUST be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download this free SAT guide now: Why Aim to Take SAT / ACT in the Fall of Junior Year? Many students aim to take the SAT / ACT junior spring or senior fall. But as an advanced student, if you really care about the SAT / ACT, your goal is to optimize everything about your studying. Optimizing the test date means taking it early. Why take the SAT / ACT so early? Because you want buffer space in between tests. If you don't do well junior fall, you'll still have two more chances junior spring (March and May for the SAT, February and April for the ACT) and won't have to run into summer after junior year and senior fall for testing. This is a huge advantage because you'll have all that time to focus on applying to college. And trust me, from my personal experience, you'll need that time. Think about it this way: what's the harm in taking the tests one month earlier than necessary? Okay, you stress one month earlier, and maybe you take the test with one less month of education. This is really not a large loss. What's the harm in taking it one month later than necessary? Last minute application scrambling, prep courses, and tons of stress. Take the safe bet: aim to take the tests junior fall. The First Step Okay, so you're aiming to test in junior fall, and you have around a year or more - this puts you at sophomore year or younger (if not, follow our guides for more moderate studiers). If you're starting earlier, just stretch the dates in this guide out evenly, like a rubber band. September of Sophomore Year The first thing you want to do is take two practice SAT / ACTs. Use real SATs or real ACTs. The first SAT / ACT you take, do not time yourself. You can break it into multiple pieces. Focus on readingall the instructions and the fine print. Also, focus on understanding the question and not the time pressure. If you've already taken a few SAT / ACTs in the past, you can skip this first test. Reflect on the main features of the test. Are there strategies you can already see without being told? What do you think are some tricks you can use to solve questions? (If you're using PrepScholar, we tell you this automatically). After this, take the test a second time, but follow the timer strictly. Then reflect on how time pressure changes things, and what you must do to counter this. With this second test, you also have a sense of what your mistakes are. For each mistake, write down two reasons you made it, like "carelessness" or "didn't know quadratic equation." Then, tally up the reasons and brainstorm ways to study for them. (If you're using PrepScholar, this tally analysis will be done for you automatically). These two tests will also prepare you well for the PSAT, which happens in October of sophomore year (see the PSAT timeline here). November of Sophomore Year You now have a list of major errors and how to study for them. For example, you might find yourself forgetting grammar rules, and so you'll spend 10 hours memorizing the most commonly tested grammar rules on the SAT. Or you might find that you don't know quadratic equations, and spend 10 hours reviewing them. You'll want to prioritize your content issues first. Content issues are those with fundamental knowledge of math, reading, writing, science, and so forth. These are things like what subject verb agreement is, trapezoids and their properties, and so on. Content issues are the hardest to forget, so studying early has an advantage. These issues are also the most the scalable: even if you dump a lot of time into fundamental content, you'll continue to improve as you know more of it. In fact, if you are scoring under a 1330 on the SAT or a 30 on the ACT, most of your gap is simply due to missing fundamental content. So make sure your foundations are strong. When exactly to take the next step depends on both your time budget and how much fundamental content is missing. If you're scoring, say, 1000 on the SAT or 18 on the ACT, and are budgeting over 200 hours, then the above steps should really be started earlier. The schedule here assumes you're studying 100 hours and already have a 1330 on your SAT / 30 on your ACT for the next step. March of Sophomore Year At this point, you want to shift towards strategy. Repeat the September analysis: do a timed test and see which questions are losing you points. However, this time notice where you're going wrong with strategy and test tactics instead of content. Notice when you run out of time, or make a careless mistake. Notice if you've rushed too much in one section versus another. Now come up with a few ideas to attack your strategic flaws (or if you're using PrepScholar, we come up with these strategies for you). Test out your plan by doing a few sections at a time. Do these new strategies you've thought up work? Iterate on these strategies, and repeat until you get your strategy down. At this point, ask yourself, are you getting the score you want for your school? If so, you can take it a bit easier (but still continue on). Otherwise, consider budgeting more time for studying. Bonus: Want to get a perfect SAT or ACT score? Read our famous guide on how to score a perfect 1600 on the SAT, or a perfect 36 on the ACT. You'll learn top strategies from the country's leading expert on the SAT/ACT, Allen Cheng, a Harvard grad and perfect scorer. No matter your level, you'll find useful advice here - this strategy guide has been read by over 500,000 people. Read the 1600 SAT guide or 36 ACT guide today and start improving your score. Summer before Junior Year This is Round Two of your studying. Repeat the September to March process: find more fundamental content weaknesses, and then look again for strategic weaknesses. Why split the process into two rounds? First, it increases your creativity - you may come up with strategies the second time around that you missed the first time around. Also, the strategies you use in the end will depend highly on your final performance. If you're scoring in the 800/1600 range on the SAT, skipping questions is key. If you're scoring 1270/1600, you can barely afford to skip any questions. By criss-crossing your studying this way, you get a better idea of your final score earlier on. Fall of Junior Year Sign up to take the first SAT or ACT of the year, usually August or September, respectively. Make sure you have a strong final week leading up to the test date. Before you take the test, estimate yourexpected "interquartile range." Suppose you expect there's a 75% chance you'll do better than a 900, and a 25% chance you'll do better than a 1000. Then your interquartile range is 900-1000. The Rest of Junior Year Take the SAT or ACT and then see what your score is. On your first test, if you score lower than the top of your interquartile range, plan to take it again in two months (likely December), following a shortened version of the study plan from the summer before your junior year. If your second score is less than the middle of your interquartile range, try once more in another 2-3 months, likely in February or March. Finally, if your third score is less than the bottom end of your expected interquartile range, try one last time, likely in June. Remember, taking the SAT / ACT more often is generally better for you, especially if you're scoring lower than you expected! Conclusion The above guide is a comprehensive way to study well for the ACT or SAT given 100 hours and 1 year or more of study time. The main theme is tallying up your mistakes and coming up with strategies to focus on them. If you want a system that automatically does this tracking and scheduling for you, check out our PrepScholar software. It comes with a free trial! Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Writing Obituaries as a Celebration of Life

Writing Obituaries as a Celebration of Life Beginning reporters often view the writing of obituaries with disdain. After all, they say, an obit is by its very nature old news, the story of a life already lived. But seasoned journalists know that obits are some of the most satisfying articles to do; they give the writer a chance to chronicle a human life from start to finish, and in doing so to find themes and deeper meaning beyond the simple retelling of events. And obits, after all, are about people, and isnt writing about people what makes journalism so interesting in the first place? The Format The format for an obit is surprisingly simple - its basically written as a hard-news story, with what amounts to a five Ws and the H lede. So the lede of an obit should include: Who diedWhat happenedWhere the person died (this is optional for the lede, and is sometimes put in the second paragraph instead)When they diedWhy or how they died But an obit lede goes beyond the five Ws and the H to include a summing up of what made the persons life interesting or significant. This usually involves what they did in life. Whether the deceased was a corporate executive or a homemaker, the obit lede should try to summarize (briefly, of course) what made the person special. Obit ledes also generally include the persons age. Example John Smith, a math teacher who made algebra, trigonometry, and calculus interesting for several generations of students at Centerville High School, died Friday of cancer. He was 83. Smith died at home in Centerville after a long struggle with colon cancer. You can see how this lede includes all the basics - Smiths occupation, his age, the cause of death, etc. But it also sums up, in just a few words, what made him special - making math interesting for generations of high school students. Unusual Deaths If a person has essentially died of old age or a disease related to age, the cause of death generally isnt given more than a sentence or two in an obit, as you see in the example above. But when a person dies young, either through an accident, illness or other causes, the cause of death should be explained more fully. Example Jayson Carothers, a graphic designer who created some of the most memorable covers for the Centerville Times magazine, has died after a long illness. He was 43 and had AIDS, said his partner, Bob Thomas. The Rest Of the Story Once youve fashioned your lede, the rest of the obit is basically a brief chronological account of the persons life, with the emphasis on what made the person interesting. So if youve established in your lede that the deceased was a creative and much-loved math teacher, the rest of the obit should focus on that. Example Smith loved math from an early age and excelled at it through his grade-school years. He majored in math at Cornell University and graduated with honors in 1947. Soon after receiving his bachelors degree he began teaching at Centerville High School, where he became known for his engaging, animated lectures and pioneering use of audiovisual materials. Length The length of an obit varies, depending on the person and their prominence in your community. Obviously, the death of, say, a former mayor in your town will probably be longer than that of a school janitor. But the vast majority of obits are around 500 words or less. So the challenge for the obit writer is to neatly sum up a persons life in a fairly short space. Wrapping Up At the end of every obit are a few must-haves, including: Any information available about funeral services, viewings, etc.;A listing of the deceaseds surviving family members;Any requests family members have made regarding donations to charities, scholarships or foundations.

Potential and Issues in Implementation of CRM Systems in Fast Moving Dissertation

Potential and Issues in Implementation of CRM Systems in Fast Moving Industries - Dissertation Example ................................................7 1.2 Origin and History of CRM.................................................................................7 1.3 CRM Systems......................................................................................................8 1.4 Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) Industry................................................9 1.5 Marks and Spencer (M&S).................................................................................9 1.6 Contribution of the Thesis.................................................................................10 1.7 Structure of Thesis.............................................................................................11 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Overview...........................................................................................................13 2.2 Customer Relationship Management (CRM)....................................................13 2.3 CRM Systems....................... ..............................................................................14 2.4 Benefits of CRM Systems...................................................................................15 2.5 Strategic Issues in Implementation of CRM Systems........................................18 2.5.1 Linking CRM and Business Strategy..................................................................18 2.5.2 Organisational Fit and Poor Visualization of Objects.................................... ................................................................19 2.5.6 Cost of CRM Systems..........................................................................................20 2.5.7 Data Captured by CRM Systems.........................................................................20 2.5.8 Support for CRM Systems...................................................................................20 2.6 Success factors for the Implementation of CRM Systems..................................21 2.6.1 Organisational Fit and Perception of CRM.........................................................22 2.6.2 Business Process Re-engineering.......................................................................22 2.6.3 Change Management.........................................................................................23 2.6.4 Integration of CRM Systems...............................................................................24 2.6.5 Data Warehousing.......................... ....................................................................24 2.6.6 Cost.....................................................................................................................25 2.7 Conclusion...........................................................................................................25 3: Research Method 3.1 Overview..................................................................................................................26 3.2 Target Industry and Participants26 3.3 Research Method.....................................................................................................27 3.4 Ethical and Professional Considerations..................................................................29 3.5

The Role of Unions in Private and Public Sector Industrial Relations Essay

The Role of Unions in Private and Public Sector Industrial Relations in European Countries - Essay Example From this research it is clear that the form of industrial relations in countries worldwide is usually influenced by the local social and economic trends. The local political system is also likely to affect the power of employees to support their rights. In most countries, the law directly protects the rights of employees. Still, there are always chances for violation of employees’ rights, in organizations of both the private and the public sector. The role of unions in securing employee rights has been proved to be significant. Unions have the power to intervene in employment conflicts and set the terms under which negotiations between employers and employees will be developed. In such negotiations the role of unions is decisive in promoting the interests of employees. However, it seems that the power of unions to influence employment relations is not standardized. It is generally believed that in public sector, the power of unions in supporting the rights of employees seems to be increased compared to the private sector. The validity of this argument will be checked by reviewing the private and public sector industrial relations in four European countries: UK, France, Germany and Italy. Emphasis is given on the role of unions in influencing employee relations in each of the above countries. Four of the most powerful, in terms of economic growth, European countries have been chosen under the terms that in these countries industrial activities are more developed, compared to other members of the European Union. Therefore, employment disputes would be a common phenomenon, offering an important sample of the union’s power in supporting employees’ rights. The literature published in the specific field seems to support the view that in the private sector the role of unions in intervening in employee disputes should be enhanced. It is not made clear though on which criteria such initiatives would be taken, having in mind the fact that each of th ese countries has its own legal, political and cultural framework, even if cultural and administrative similarities exist among them, as members of the European Union. 2. Influence of unions in the employment relationship 2.1 The role of unions in private and public sector industrial relations 2.1.1 Industrial relations in UK UK is a highly industrialized country. In the past, the governmental support offered to the unions has been significant. However, through the years, the changes in the country’s political framework have led to the transformation of employee relations. According to Colling and Terry (2010), the political choices of Margaret Thatcher have led to the limitation of the power of unions to intervene in employment disputes not just of the private but also of the public sector. Under the influence of current political trends in Britain, important differences appear between the employee relations of the private sector and those of the public sector. Leisink and V eersma (2007) have emphasized on the importance of political ideas and trends for the development of an effective employee relations framework. Reference is made to the changes in British employment relations framework since 1997, when the Labour Party won the elections (Leisink and Veersma

Responses on two posts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Responses on two posts - Essay Example The story of the Karen people is just an example of many ethnic groups being persecuted by their governments. The post makes one realize that military governments are tyrannical as it is clear that the Burmese military government contributed to the persecution of the Karen people. However, the situation would have been different for the Karen people, if Burma was controlled by a democracy that had full representation. Countries like the US and other Asian nations must step in to save the plight of the Karen people and stop the likely extinction of a whole ethnic group.1 2. The Art of Maneuver: Maneuver-Warfare Theory and Air Land Battle by Robert Leonhard is a book that explains how the Germans could have countered the new Soviet prowess in operational war. There was a part of the book that shows how the Soviets mimicked the German style of warfare, but the Soviet forces were more operationally focused than the Germans. 2The Soviet forces believe in following orders, hence giving no room for innovation on the battlefield. The book related the Soviet dominance of the German forces to the speed and population of the Soviet forces.

Media and Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Media and Terrorism - Research Paper Example The findings of the study demonstrate that media coverage on terrorism has got more of disadvantages than advantages. However, the implications of the research also make it clear that media can effectively be used as the tool for counter-terrorism. There have been a lot of studies and researches made on Terrorism and its social, economic and political impacts. Terrorism, a curse on the human race, is a global phenomenon and it has no boundaries. As terrorism is highlighted by the media, it is interesting to have a look into the relationship between media and terrorism. Media can be considered as the bread and butter for terrorism as it helps in giving a world-wide coverage on terrorist acts and thereby achieving their objectives and spreading their messages. Even a localized terrorist attack, celebrated by media gets coverage all over the world and thereby the responsible terrorist group gets benefited. In this regard, it becomes relevant to discuss the impact of conventional media l ike newspapers and television, as well as new generation media like internet on terrorism. In fact, one can observe a give and take the relationship between media and terrorism as both get benefited on the other. The success of a terrorist act is merely dependant on the coverage given by the media and it can be stated that without getting a widespread publicity, terrorists cannot achieve their goals and objectives to its fullest. On the other hand, media also gets benefited by terrorist acts.

How successful is Rolex's current marketing strategy Research Paper

How successful is Rolex's current marketing strategy - Research Paper Example In order to reach the right target market, Rolex has made a drastic change in its marketing strategy by moving from traditional mediums such as Television Advertisements and advertisements in newspapers and magazines to celebrity endorsements such as Roger Federer and events sponsorships; both of these elements have created a new image in the market. As people are willing to invest in those brands that will enhance their relationship with their favorite personalities, Rolex has capitalized on this aspect. The primary research conducted among the college students revealed that they are willing to own Rolex brand as it helps them in developing an association with their favorite star. Hence, Rolex is doing aggressive marketing so that it can capture the attention of its target market, enhance its distinctive image worldwide and keep on making valuable contribution in the wristwatch industry. Introduction In luxury wristwatch industry, Rolex is the leading name, and it has become a statu s symbol worldwide. Since Rolex has been meeting the demands of its customers for so many years and has been given top ranking in the world’s best brands list, it is of great interest to know the secret of the success of Rolex. One of the important aspects of every brand is its marketing strategy because it gives it a sense of direction about the efforts that need to be done so that it can capture the attention of its target market and convey positive message to its customers (Key Note, 2011). Research Objectives and Questions The main research objectives of this study are: 1. To gather information about top brands of wristwatch industry. 2. To identify the marketing activities conducted by Rolex to attract the customers. 3. To evaluate the image held by the customers about Rolex brand. In order to understand the current marketing strategy employed by Rolex, following research questions will be addressed to achieve the objectives of the study: 1. Why is Rolex a successful bra nd? 2. What is the marketing strategy followed by Rolex to maintain its position in the market? 3. Why are the customers of Rolex satisfied with its wristwatches? Importance of the Study The study will help in understanding the importance of marketing strategy in creating a right positioning in the market. When the marketing strategies of top ranked brands are studied, an in-depth understanding about the relevant topic can be developed. Rolex’s current marketing strategy will assist in analyzing the success of Rolex in such a dynamic and competitive wristwatch industry. Limitations of the Study The scope of the research is limited as there are both time and resource constraints. The research is exploratory in nature and it is comprised of questionnaire-survey. The questionnaire has been designed in consensus with the previous work done by some authors as the questions are designed in accordance with the variables identified to be studied for the research purpose which is disc ussed in the Literature Review section. The availability of pure study of the subject was another constraint as the researcher is inexperienced and may lack certain skills which can affect the research paper. Literature Review Brief Introduction of Rolex Whenever a customer wears Rolex watch, it enhances the person’s personality which makes a statement that the person has a great taste of style and fashion (Gautschi, 2005). Since Rolex watches are designed exclusively for the upper class, only selected

Case Analyses Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Case Analyses - Assignment Example How provides more product features to the products that his customers uses such as logos on the mat at the entrance of the doors with other relevant writings. The main service he is entitled to is the cleaning and maintaining the quality of the fabrics he is brought from the customers and on such additional benefits, the customer will expect to pay for benefits that satisfy needs, but nothing more. Other customer value addition mechanisms include the mat’s cleanliness, timeliness, and service delivery as well as StatePride’s response to requests for additional mats or replacement of dirty mats in an emergency which the customer values largely. Office functions such as invoicing and flexibility in regard to the responsibilities that the customer is entitled to comes as a whole package with the company. The employees are also expected to include other value additions such as attitude and helpfulness of the laundry’s customer service representatives as well as the clarity of communications between these people and the customer. Currently StatePride has placed its emphasis not on the total costs that are incurred by the customer but on the value of the long-term relationship. Such costs may include the square footage within the customers’ facility required for uniform lockers. Other associated costs normal business functions such as personnel time needed to check-in product and account for returns, accounting department time to process invoices, or workers’ time to fill out repair tags as this is handles by the firm in remitting its services. All potential and the current customers need to be alerted that StatePride seeks to drive down the total costs over the long term and hence increasing its core clientele. The pricing of the firm is reduced considerably as it does not incorporate the various loss and abuse charges, wastewater surcharges, name and emblem charges, or setup charges which have an adverse

How successful is Rolex's current marketing strategy Research Paper

How successful is Rolex's current marketing strategy - Research Paper Example In order to reach the right target market, Rolex has made a drastic change in its marketing strategy by moving from traditional mediums such as Television Advertisements and advertisements in newspapers and magazines to celebrity endorsements such as Roger Federer and events sponsorships; both of these elements have created a new image in the market. As people are willing to invest in those brands that will enhance their relationship with their favorite personalities, Rolex has capitalized on this aspect. The primary research conducted among the college students revealed that they are willing to own Rolex brand as it helps them in developing an association with their favorite star. Hence, Rolex is doing aggressive marketing so that it can capture the attention of its target market, enhance its distinctive image worldwide and keep on making valuable contribution in the wristwatch industry. Introduction In luxury wristwatch industry, Rolex is the leading name, and it has become a statu s symbol worldwide. Since Rolex has been meeting the demands of its customers for so many years and has been given top ranking in the world’s best brands list, it is of great interest to know the secret of the success of Rolex. One of the important aspects of every brand is its marketing strategy because it gives it a sense of direction about the efforts that need to be done so that it can capture the attention of its target market and convey positive message to its customers (Key Note, 2011). Research Objectives and Questions The main research objectives of this study are: 1. To gather information about top brands of wristwatch industry. 2. To identify the marketing activities conducted by Rolex to attract the customers. 3. To evaluate the image held by the customers about Rolex brand. In order to understand the current marketing strategy employed by Rolex, following research questions will be addressed to achieve the objectives of the study: 1. Why is Rolex a successful bra nd? 2. What is the marketing strategy followed by Rolex to maintain its position in the market? 3. Why are the customers of Rolex satisfied with its wristwatches? Importance of the Study The study will help in understanding the importance of marketing strategy in creating a right positioning in the market. When the marketing strategies of top ranked brands are studied, an in-depth understanding about the relevant topic can be developed. Rolex’s current marketing strategy will assist in analyzing the success of Rolex in such a dynamic and competitive wristwatch industry. Limitations of the Study The scope of the research is limited as there are both time and resource constraints. The research is exploratory in nature and it is comprised of questionnaire-survey. The questionnaire has been designed in consensus with the previous work done by some authors as the questions are designed in accordance with the variables identified to be studied for the research purpose which is disc ussed in the Literature Review section. The availability of pure study of the subject was another constraint as the researcher is inexperienced and may lack certain skills which can affect the research paper. Literature Review Brief Introduction of Rolex Whenever a customer wears Rolex watch, it enhances the person’s personality which makes a statement that the person has a great taste of style and fashion (Gautschi, 2005). Since Rolex watches are designed exclusively for the upper class, only selected

Background of Wal-Mart and Current Challenges-300 Research Paper

Background of Wal-Mart and Current Challenges-300 - Research Paper Example The organization needs to operate as an equal opportunity player in rendering an equitable climate that would contribute in the gaining of employment, fiscal and economic opportunities by both the gender groups working in the organization. Similarly other types of organizational changes also relate to bringing about new policy directions that would help in the reduction of harassment activities in the workplace. The organizational management needs to set strict policy guidelines and regulations aiming at curbing the event of sexual harassment or emergence of pay and employment discriminations (Bell, McLaughlin and Sequeira, 2002, p.71). Moreover further organizational changes can be introduced pertaining to the reduction of hierarchal job layers in the concern such that the organizational structure can be transformed from the vertical to the horizontal state. This strategy rendered would contribute in the development of empowered teams in the concern and also in the enhancement of organizational communication. Rendering organizational flexibility in the concern through the enhancement of empowered teams would contribute in the development of organizational and performance skills of the people in the concern. This model of organ

Gay marriage should be legalized and accepted Essay Example for Free

Gay marriage should be legalized and accepted Essay Gay marriage (also known as same-sex marriage) generally refer to the marriage between two people with same sex can be either both male or both female. Imagine this, you and your beloved person walking on the street, everyone look at you in a strange way and mumble about you. How will you feel? That is how homosexual people feel these days. Remember this, they are just human beings like us but have different sexual orientation and that is the one and only difference. They can feel pain, happiness, sadness and lost just like how we feel, both physically and psychologically. It is one of our liberties to pursue happiness, which homosexual people are not able to chase, because they cannot marry the person they love. Who give you the right to take away others’ happiness? The happiness which did not and will not harm you. Are you racist? Are you sexist? Reasonable people will know that discriminate against anyone for any reason is rude and uneducated. And denying same-sex marriage sends the message of it is acceptable to discriminate against them. Some people may say that the institution of marriage has traditionally been defined as between a man and a woman, and allowing gay marriage will weaken the institution of marriage. This is absolutely nonsense. To not to change the institution is like to tell the court to not to change the law even when the law does not fit the modern world anymore. Nowadays, everything is changing as time passing by, so why not the institution of marriage. The legalization of gay marriage will also make it easier for same-sex couple to adopt, and provide stable home for children who otherwise be left in orphanage which hardly makes kids feel like home. Even gay marriage will lead to children being raised in same-sex household that lots of people may refer as not an optimum environment because children need both mother and father. However, according to a research by University of Melbourne lead by Doctor Simon Crouch which surveyed 315 same-sex parents and 500 children. The research shows that children who were raised in same-sex parents scored an average of 6% higher then general population on both health and family cohesion. Clearly the evidence shows that the children who grown up in same-sex couple family won’t grow unhealthily, in fact sometimes it is even better for kids to gain more resilience, because all the kids need is no more than two loving parents. So how many lives should be ruined, how many happiness should be  taken away before we take actions?

Translating for Social Change :: Essays Papers

Translating for Social Change Frequently in "Feminist Political and Social Thought" taught at SUNY Albany, by Dr. J. Hobson, I found myself simultaneously inspired and frustrated by the theory we were assigned to read. Authors such as bell hooks, Uma Narayan, Ann Russo, Kimberly Crenshaw, Andy Smith, John Stoltenberg, and Judy Baca did such wonderful jobs of pointing out the problems of perspective that stymie the feminist movement from achieving its goal to facilitate the bonding of the oppressed across differences, in order to overcome all oppressions. Unfortunately when combing through these authors intricately written, often jargon-ridden words, it was difficult to make practical sense of their insights. I understood what many of them were saying and in many cases I couldn't agree more, only I could barley imagine how these theories might be applied to real life scenarios. Furthermore, it was difficult for me to see how much of this would come to any use-say the next time someone made a racist, homophobic, We stern-centric, sexist comment at work, or at the Thanksgiving dinner table for that matter. How could I possibly communicate the things that had been discussed in the classroom, laced with words like paradigm, praxis, pedagogy, and a completely deconstructed concept of the word "culture"? All these things would need an introduction of their own-and that may work in a classroom-but rarely in a conversation! In this essay I will approach the issue of communicating themes Women's Studies and other relatively obscured disciplines concerned with social change outside of academia, where jargon-laden talk will not work. In her essay "Educating Women: A Feminist Agenda" bell hooks asserts that a feminist movement to end sexist oppression that ignores communication with the majority of women and men (i.e. those outside of academia) is a movement that has no hope of realizing its goals for social change. Hooks contends, "The ability to "translate" ideas to an audience that varies in age, sex, ethnicity, degree of literacy is a skill feminist educators need to develop . . . Difficulty of access has been a problem with much feminist theory" (111) One educator/activist who demonstrates hooks' idea in his teaching techniques is Glenn Omatsu. However as an educator Omatsu does not put the onus of translation solely on himself, he holds his students responsible for translating what they have learned in the classroom for people outside of the classroom and in the community beyond the university campus.

Innate Evil and the Temptations of the Devil Essay -- American Literat

Early American literature is unique in that it is abundantly influenced by Biblical themes and ideas. Being that this country was founded by the strict, fundamentalist Puritans, it seems obvious that the literature would be pervaded by such things as the presence of evil and its impact on goodness and holiness. The â€Å"evil† that is found in Melville and Hawthorne is interesting because it reflects the Biblical idea of evil tempting good and attempting to convert it rather than simply destroy it. The stories of Poe reflect the turmoil and evil that is contained within a person and tempts him or her to commit evil acts. What is fascinating about this literature is that in Billy Budd, The Scarlet Letter, â€Å"The Imp of the Perverse,† and â€Å"William Wilson,† evil is always victorious. In today’s society, it is tempting to read stories and watch films in which good always prevails and the characters live happily ever after; however, at the time of these writings, there was still an air of Calvinism and the lasting idea that mankind is innately evil. Modern society is uncomfortable with the term â€Å"evil,† but at the time of this literature, it was a common term that was used freely and had clear definitions. Therefore, because of the strong Biblical influence, the aforementioned tales are centered on this presence of evil and its temptation and torturing of that which is holy until goodness is overcome. Melville’s Billy Budd is a tale in which the Biblical influence is quite obvious. There are many images of snakes and serpents, which is often symbolic of Satan. Many critics read the story as an allegory to the Christ story in which Billy and Claggart â€Å"play the roles of Jesus and Judas† (Wright 133). There is imagery throughout th... ...he adultery and temptations in The Scarlet Letter, and the murder in both â€Å"The Imp of the Perverse† and â€Å"William Wilson† all were easily classified as evil. Today, many of these actions would be subscribed to the doers’ childhoods or to other traumatic experiences and the people themselves would not necessarily be held responsible. It is difficult in today’s society to classify good and evil because those areas are no longer black and white; however, in early American times, evil was easy to identify and was seen as the influence of the devil. The aforementioned literature of Melville, Hawthorne, and Poe all contains tremendous influence from the Bible and therefore displays this evil temptation from the devil himself. Sadly, in each of the stories, evil always seems to triumph, and the characters are forced to realize their own wickedness and depravities.

The United States Hypocrisy

The United States hypocrisy is evident when the â€Å"land of the free and home of the brave† came at the cost of Native American cultural genocide and near physical destruction. The term genocide was first used by Polish Journalists Raphael Lenin in his book â€Å"Axis Rule in Occupied Europe.† which was published in 1944. Lenkin defined genocide as the intentional mass killing of members of a nation and/or executing acts with the intention of destroying the basic foundations of life, aiming to destroy the group as a whole. The term â€Å"basic foundations of life† refer to the culture, language, religion, established public and social institutions, liberty and personal safety, health and dignity. After coining the term, Linken petitioned the United Nations to criminalize genocide, which they did in 1948. The United Nations coined their own term. Defining genocide as the intentional killing of or causing serious physical or mental harm to members of a group, deliberately inflicting life conditions calculated to bring physical destruction to a group, preventing births and transferring children forcibly from one group or another. Both definitions are broad, but the use of â€Å"intention† has lead to controversy regarding Native Americans and the atrocities committed by the United States and their government. Whether the U.S intentionally slaughtered Natives with the intention of extermination is of great controversy. Simply because there was no official decree passed by Congress calling for their demise. However, the US demonstrated genocidal mentality on multiple occasions that resulted in the massacre of hundreds of indigenous people. This mentality was exhibited by Secretary of War, Henry Knox in 1790 when he ordered the US army to â€Å"extirpate, utterly, if possible,† a group of natives refusing to cede their land in Ohio. President Jefferson also demonstrated the same mentality a few years later when faced with the altercations with different Indians. â€Å"If we are ever constrained to lifting the hatchet against any tribe, we will never lay it down till that tribe is exterminated or driven beyond Mississippi.† Later adding â€Å"They will kill some of us, we will kill all of them.† Both the Secretary of State and President of the US made it perfectly clear extermination was the only option when Natives refused to give their land. But this was not the first case of a president exhibiting such intolerant views. In 1799 the US declared war on the Haudenosaunee tribe for raids that had set back colonial settlement. â€Å"The objective of this war was â€Å"the total destruction and devastation of their settlements. † – George Washington. In this war, the US directly murdered 200 natives (Natives). When the topic of settlers and native American interactions arise, the common legend of Smallpox infested blankets being distributed to Natives by the settlers is widely debatable due to lack of hard evidence. Some argue it never happened, but on June 23rd, 1763 Captain William Trent wrote in his journal â€Å"We gave them two blankets and a handkerchief out if the Smallpox hospital†¦ I hope it will have its desired effects. † As a result, 60-80 Native died of Smallpox (Smallpox). It is clear that from the early years' colonial settlement that the high ranking US officials possessed a genocidal mentality regarding the indigenous people who resided there first. On May 28th, 1830 Congress passed the Indian removal act. This policy, was vigorously promoted by Andrew Jackson, provided the opportunity for the US to negotiate with the natives for their land with the promise of compensation. Instead of buying the land, The US used brute force to obtain it. The five â€Å"civilized tribes', Chickasaw, Choctaw, Seminole, creek, and Cherokee initially refused to negotiate. Many members of these tribes were trying to assimilate into American society. In 1835 self-appointed representatives from the Cherokee tribe drafted the Treaty of Echota. The treaty proposed trading of all Cherokee lands East of Mississippi River for five million dollars along with relocation assistance and compensation for lost property. The federal government agreed to these terms but most of the Cherokee felt betrayed. BY 1838 only two thousand had left for the reservation (Native), in response the government appointed General Winfield Scott and seven thousand other soldiers to handle the altercation. Their method of peace was to remove the natives and loot their homes. Afterwards, they forced the Natives to march 1200+ miles west, During this excruciating journey, they were not given food water or supplies. Over five thousand died from starvation, malnutrition and several flue epidemics including Whooping Cough, Typhus, Dysentery and Cholera. This journey was known as the Trail of Tears, and twenty-five per cent of these tribes died. Despite relocating the Native Americans and seizing land, the US still possessed presenting feelings towards natives. In the 1850s California Gold Rush natives were still being persecuted against and then enslaved. Should they not comply with treaties colonists would â€Å"make war..which must of necessity be one of extermination to many of the tribes.† stated by Californian Governor John McDougal in 1851 (Natives). A prime example of Native enslavement was exhibited on John Sutter's private mill, where gold was discovered. Sutter was one of the most influential landowners at the time, enslaving hundred of natives who resided on his property and controlling them with fear. The Natives were used for labour and as a makeshift militia to protect Sutter's 50,000 acres and trading centre. Sutter treated the native people horrendously. He was friendly at first but began to interfere with tribe customs and marriages. A former employee, Heinrich Lienhard accused Sutter of forming a Harlem and molesting young native girls. HIs method of control was fear. He was not hesitant to whip or kill noncompliant natives. Visitors noted â€Å"Sutter keeps 600-800 Indians in a complete stage of slavery†, feeding them leftover bread wheat from troughs while they slept in locked rooms without furniture. (Jeffery). The use of Native labour during the gold rush was common, even more so was the sale of indigenous people between farmers. Enslavement was a popular form of oppression during the gold rush, but it was not the only ordeal Native Americans faced. One particularly revolting act was Californian Governor John B Wells rendering funding for the Eel River Rangers. The Eel River Rangers was a group of twenty or so white men who hunted down and slaughtered Indigenous women and children. (Natives )The State government of California provided finances needed to take the lives of innocent women and children. Of course when discussing homicidal acts perpetrated by the United States one cannot forget the Indian Wars. The Indian Wars were U.S army campaigns that targeted smaller groups of tribes to send a message to the rest of the population. The U.S army intentionally slaughtered hundreds of Natives on three separate occasions. The first massacre occurred near Preston, ID in 1863. Named the Bear River massacre an estimated 384 Shoshone Indians were open fired on. The second massacre occurred January 28th,1870. Two hundred natives, mostly women and children, were murdered. The issue pertaining to their deaths was the altercation between Malcolm Clarke and Owl child when Clarke accused Owl Child of stealing his horses and whipping him brutally as a punishment. After the whipping, Owl Child gathered several allies and they murdered Clarke, fleeing afterwards. This issue led to a massive outcry and the federal government appointed Major Eugene Baker to retaliate. When looking for Owl Child and his allies, baker and his men came across a band of peaceful Indians. The band consisted of women, children and elderly men. When informed this was the wrong tribe Baker replied: â€Å"That makes no difference, one band or another, they are all Piegans (Blackfeet) and we will attack them.† On that day 37 men, 90 women and 50 defensless children were open fired on. Additionally, Baker captured 140 woman and children as prisoners. But when finding that the majority were infected with smallpox he abandoned them with no food or other supplies (Olster). Baker was clearly more focused on seeking revenge than bringing justice to the guilty. He was not concerned with what was right or wrong. He deliberately massacred defenceless people, knowing their innocence, because he despised natives. This genocidal mentality proceeded by Owl Child's cries resulted in their demise. As revolting as Baker's actions were, they were still considered mediocre to the Wounded Knee Massacre. On December 15, 1890, colonists attempted to arrest Cheif Sitting-Bull. A fight erupted and Cheif Spotted elk led the band of natives to the Pine Ridge Reservation. On December 28th natives encountered a US cavalry that escorted them to Wounded Knee Creek. After being disarmed the natives commenced a â€Å"Ghost Dance†, a ceremonial dance that they believed would protect them from the American's bullets. This agitated the US cavalry. Attempting to stop the natives resulted in a scuffle in which more than 60 women were killed. US cavalry suffered casualties of 31 dead, 333 wounded out of 500. (Olser). These massacres were messages to the larger population. Attempts to disrupt and destroy smaller members of a nation to cripple or at least communicate the homicidal intentions that would be met with further resistance or retaliation. The massacres exhibited the immense hatred the colonists possessed by slaughtering innocents as reparations for the guilty. In all cases, natives were disarmed, defenceless and completely innocent of violence against colonists. By attacking communities instead of armies the US army demonstrated intentions of destroying basic foundations fo life within the nation. When examining Native American oppression and the US government it is crucial to note the direct action US Congress took against the indigenous people. In this case, the United States established Native Americans on conditions precalculated to result in their deaths. On November 29th,1864 Cheif Black Kettle and Cheif Niwot led their band to Fort Lyon in compliance with provisions of a peace treaty established earlier that year in September. The Chiefs and their people were asked to relocate with the threat of their safety. To demonstrate friendliness to any Americans they may encounter the Natives hung a large American flag and a smaller white flag beneath it. John Chivington led the attack against the natives. Claiming â€Å"They were of the same tribes with those who had murdered many persons and destroyed valuable property on the Platt and Arkansas Rivers.† (Olster). Estimated casualties in this massacre vary, Chivington claimed â€Å"500 -600 warriors were killed.† But John S.Smith, an eyewitness general under Chivington's command estimates 135 deaths, 105 being woman and children. Smith also accounted for the scalping of women and infants and further mutilation fo the deceased. The Cheyennes lost many women and children. Chiefs White Antelope, Yellow Wolf, Big Man, and a number of others, many who advocated for peace with the colonists, were killed. Chivington had no legitimate reason to believe these natives a threat. They had flown an Amercian Flag and the universal flag for peace yet he still chose to slaughter them. his actions expose the premeditated murder of these people. Chivington had no intention of letting the natives escape, these conditions resulted in the inevitable deaths of innocent indigenous people. From scalping women and infants to completely abolishing their millage and even murdering Smith's â€Å"Hald breed † son Jack, Chivington displayed no compassion. Instead, he demonstrated brute force and barbarism towards natives. Unfortunately, the Sand Creek massacre wasn't the finale occurrence of premeditated lethal conditions. On September 28th,1862 the American Government tried 392 Idginieos prisoners, sentencing 303 to death and giving 16 prison terms. Because this trial was a military trial President Lincoln reviewed the commissioner's findings and found that 303 deaths seemed to genocidal. So he revised the criteria for the death penalty to those who had been convicted of rape, which lowered it to two. This number was still unsatisfactory so the criteria changed to those who had participated in the civilian massacres. December 26th, 1862 39 natives were sentenced to death. 38 were hanged and one was given a reprieve at the last minute. What makes this event so heinous was the conditions in which the trial was executed. The trial was conducted in English, the natives were unrepresented and unfamiliar with court proceedings. Also, the war that prompted these â€Å"war crimes† occurred in a sovereign state and those men who have surrendered were entitled to treatment of such. The disadvantages of the hearing completely abolished any chance of the natives having a fair trial and the possibility of them being found innocent. By placing them in that biased, tainted courtroom the American Government sealed their fate with no chance to defend themselves. The reason for the war? Two years prior to the trial the US failed to meet treaty obligations. In retaliation, Dakota warriors raided stole food and killed five settlers. After the sentencing and executions, it was found that two natives had been hung by mistake and a letter written by Cheif Wabasha stated the Americans had promised no innocent natives would be punished if they followed the advice of General Sibley (Trials). The Us clearly deceived the Natives, placing them in a premeditated, biased courtroom with less than fair trial conditions that would ultimately result in their deaths. In 1887, the American Government passed the Dawes Act. A policy that aimed to â€Å"safely guide natives from the night of barbarism to the fair dawn of Christian civilization.† Assimilation consisted of natives converting to Christianity, learning and speaking English, wearing western clothes and hairstyles, and living a typical American lifestyle. The act also stated that Indian Reservations were to be distributed to individuals and that land could not be sold for 25 years, land left over from distribution could be sold to outsiders. This allowed native land to be purchased by Americans as if Americans didn't have enough already. And it doesn't stop there. In 1930 the Supreme Court ruled that Congress could disperse native land without Indian consent. And in 1924 The Citizenship act was passed. This Act granted citizenship to all Native Americans. Unfortunately, the desired effects were not seen as natives were forced to send their children to boarding schools for their education. In these schools children are often taught false information and censorship reigns supreme. Other nasty consequences of this act were the denial of rights to vote and extreme poverty. Most Indigenous people residing in inadequate housing with limited healthcare. While the United States failed in completely exterminating all Native Americans, no one can deny they had the mentality to do so. And this mentality, combined with artillery support led to the demise of hundreds of Natives. But even the slaughter of their people wants enough. Not only did we take their lives and their land, but we also stole their culture. Demanding them to replace their customs with our own or face death and discrimination. The United States failed in physical genocide but was successful in the demise of a cultural genocide.

How does the inclusion of the witches in Macbeth heighten the dramatic impact of the play? Essay

Macbeth is a play written by the renowned playwright William Shakespeare in the early 17th century. Originally produced for the King of Denmark, the play explores themes such as ambition and betrayal through the actions of the main protagonist Macbeth. The play’s other significant figures include three witches whose practice of sorcery attracted a lot of controversy towards the play. At the time, their inclusion heightened the dramatic impact on the audience; primarily because of the public’s view of witches. Also referred to as the ‘’weird sisters’’, they form a fundamental element of the play because it is their input that shapes the play into action. During this period of time, the mainstream population of Europe was Christian and superstitious, therefore belief in witchcraft was at its peak and so-called ‘’witches’’ were persecuted. Supposedly, witches (along with Satan) were part of a collective of evil and were blamed for a lot of wrongdoing in society. For instance, political dissidents who opposed the King were thought to be under the influence of black magic. This was because there was commonly held believe that the King had the divine right to rule; thus anyone challenging the King was basically challenging God (which was considered blasphemy and punishable by death). The inclusion of the witches and amount of media coverage they received along with the public’s superstition helped to heighten the dramatic impact of Macbeth on a Shakespearean audience. Today, however, due to the secularisation of society, religious morals are diminishing and witchcraft is seen as nothing more than simple entertainment; this is certainly not how Shakespeare intended it to be. Furthermore, television programmes such as W.I.T.C.H. and books such as the Harry Potter series are depicting witches in a much more positive light. On the other hand, a small number of possible offshoots of witchcraft such as Wicca and Freemasonry are still being practiced despite it being punishable by death in some extremely religious cultures. In this day and age, the general view about witches lessens the dramatic impact significantly because it is seen as a comedy routine therefore Macbeth doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of the audience like its original purpose. In Act 1 Scene 1, as shown in the stage directions; the witches are the first performers when they enter an ‘’open place’’ with ‘’thunder and lightning’’. By being the first performers on stage, they intensify the dramatic impact because the audience focuses their attention towards them. Also, Shakespeare specifically chose the weather in this scene to be threatening, to reflect the negative view of witches at the time and to elevate the dramatic impact by making them see more powerful (witches were associated with the ability to manipulate the weather). The technique of using elements of nature to express mood is known as pathetic fallacy. In this scene, the first impression that the audience are given of the witches is that they are unattractive. For instance, the quotes ‘’your beards’’ and ‘’skinny lips’’ suggests that the witches are ugly and depict them as being unnatural due to having masculine characteristics. Shakespeare has done this to add to the negative interpretation of witches, which in turn heightens the dramatic impact (because the realistic appearance of the witches would frighten the audience). He also uses other characters to highlight the appearance of the witches and therefore raise the dramatic impact on the audience. For instance, Banquo describe the witches as being creatures ‘’ that look not like th’ inhabitants o’ th’ earth’’. He is suggesting that they do not resemble other humans and that they are abnormal; perhaps beings from another world. Shakespeare uses dialogue between the witches to heighten the dramatic impact on the audience. For example, in Act 1 Scene 3, one of the witches says to the others ’‘I’ll drain him dry as hay, sleep shall neither night nor day’’. This line heightens the dramatic impact because it portrays witches as evil because of the reference to torturing someone by depriving him of water. Also the words ‘’hay’’ and ‘’day’’ rhyme, during the Shakespearean era this was related to the spells chanted by witches, therefore the audience would have instantaneously assumed that the lines were malicious; thus increasing the dramatic impact. The lines spoken by the witches also include a rhythm. For example in Act 1 Scene 3, the three witches start their lines with ‘’all hail†¦ all hail†¦ all hail’’, this promotes the idea that the witches have the same thoughts and gives the impression that they are insane because they speak in a different pattern to the other characters. The witches also speak in riddles to scare and confuse the audience, for example, the line ‘’when the battles lost and won’’ may be referring to Macbeth or it could be talking about the struggle for the throne of Scotland. This intensifies the dramatic impact because the audience are left unsure and given the impression that the three witches know something that they don’t. Once again, the witches are depicted as being unnatural because of their ability to prophesise the future. Imagery is used cleverly in many ways by Shakespeare to show the witches in a negative light and add to the dramatic impact. For example, in Act 4 Scene 1, the 1st witch says ‘’round and round the cauldron go, in the poisoned entrails throw’’. This quote emphasizes the popular belief (at the time) that witches chant around their cauldrons which consisted of nauseating ingredients such as rats (creates the image that witches are sick). Also, the witches simultaneously say ‘’double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble’’, this makes the spell resemble a song more and consequently it increases the dramatic impact. To conclude, the inclusion of the witches in the play undeniably helps to heighten the dramatic impact on a Shakespearean audience. This is mainly because of his successful methods, for example when using pathetic fallacy. Today, however, his masterpiece has not been as popular and effective at creating a negative image of witches because of the enormous change in the public’s view of witches.

Biography of Franklin Delano Roosevelt Essay

The 32nd president of the United States, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, accomplished many things during his three terms in office. Being the only president ever elected to more than two terms, it is easy to suppose that he was a well-rounded president. His leadership, success in getting programs passed, management of economic and domestic policy, foreign policy, and role as Chief Party Leader all contribute to an overall grade of an A for his presidency. First off, as the symbol of the country and the presidency, Franklin Delano Roosevelt gets an A. He showed great character and leadership with his thirty â€Å"fireside chats† on the radio. With these, he was able to soothe the thirty five million people listening. It was successful too, in that, after his first in which he assured the safety of keeping money in a reopened bank, confidence was restored and the banks began to open up. His ability to master the press contributed strongly to his overall public opinion and showed he had good character. Also, in WWII conferences such as Casablanca and Teheran, Roosevelt represented the country well in his efforts with the Allies to stop Nazi Germany. His leadership of the country and his character are the reason that he was the only president ever to be elected to four consecutive terms as the leader of the country. Particularly with the New Deal, FDR was rather successful as a policy and legislative leader. With the nation in the midst of the Great Depression, there was a lot of pressure on the president to take immediate action. Beginning with â€Å"the first hundred days,† Roosevelt shut down the banks and met with Congress. He was able to get 15 major bills approved regarding the economy in attempts to get it back on track. With such turmoil happening in the country, FDR was very efficient in getting bills passed by Congress, which is why he deserves an A. Though the actual success of each program may be questioned, his quick action and role as a policy and legislative leader was executed well. The same is true for when the United States became involved in WWII. This situation again demanded quick action and Roosevelt pulled through by passing various acts such as the Lend Lease Act and Neutrality Acts. Though again these may not have always had the best outcomes, his initiative and f air thinking are what gets him an A for this category. FDR’s most noted domestic policies while in office were those of the New Deal. With a nation pressuring the president for change, Roosevelt developed a plan called the New Deal. The principal acts were done during his first hundred days, as mentioned earlier, in attempts to achieve his goals of relief, recovery, and reform. Regarding the economy, Congressed passed the Glass-Stegall Banking Act which established the FDIC, a very important act after the crises leading up to the Great Depression. By stopping the bank runs, he was able to steer the economy in the right direction, creating a corporation that is still used today. In addition, under his presidency, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was established, giving jobs to young men while at the same time conserving both human and natural resources. With the young men being able to send the money back to their families, it was a way to decrease unemployment and boost the economy. Another important issue was his repeal of t he Prohibition through the 21st amendment. This gave much needed revenue to the country and provided employment. Despite these successful acts of domestic policy, Roosevelt was not always so brilliant. The Agricultural Adjustment Administration, one of the New Deal agencies, increased unemployment, frustrated farmers, and was eventually deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. His intentions and theories to end overproduction were good, just not executed well. Another of Roosevelt’s reforms is Social Security. This is perhaps one of the most controversial of his policies. Some loved it and some hated it. In fact, the benefits of this administration are still debated over today with people calling into question the longevity of its existence. One problem that Roosevelt seemed to face was his long-running battle with the Supreme Court. Consisting of older aged, ultraconservative men whom Roosevelt had not appointed, the Supreme Court was something the president wanted to change. To fix it, he asked Congress to permit him to add up to 15 justices to the Supreme Court. This attempt to â€Å"pack† the court cost Roosevelt severely in the eyes of the public. It was his away of going around the Constitution in order to be able to keep more of his programs and agencies from the New Deal. In total, despite also several failures, many of FDR’s domestic policies were good. They helped relieve some of the stress set on by the depression. However, that’s all they did – relieve. His policies and the New Deal did not cure the country of the Great Depression, only temporarily masked the problems with only of his agencies still existing after his presidency. For these reasons, I give Roosevelt a B for his domestic policy. In the beginnings of a second world war, Roosevelt had important foreign policies that were crucial to the United States’ welfare. With an attempt to end the Depression, Roosevelt was initially going to send a delegate to take part in the London Conference. However, upon a second look, he decided that international agreements about the value of the dollar might restrict him in domestic recovery. This begins a trend toward increased nationalism and eventually to the United States’ views on isolationism. Though we are unable to tell what might have come out of the conference, it seems like a poor decision for Roosevelt to leave America totally on its own from other countries. Along with this idea of isolationism, through the Tydings-McDuffie Act, the United States freed the Philippines (after 12 years). This act was more beneficial for the United States than the actual freed country because of less foreign competition for sugar, as well as fewer people competing for jobs. Overall, it did help the U.S.; however, it also kind of abandoned the Philippines with not-so-nice economic terms. In contrast to these inward-looking acts, Roosevelt also created the Good Neighbor Policy with Latin America. He focused on consultation and nonintervention in hopes to unite the Western Hemisphere against any powers on the other side of the world. This was a smart move after withdrawing ties from Europe and Asia. It was a good idea that ended up being very successful for him and Roosevelt ended up with the title of â€Å"traveling salesman for peace.† In such fear of war, Congress passed the Neutrality Acts so as not to be brought into the violence like had been done in WWI. However, Roosevelt later changed these Acts to mean that an arms embargo be established for both Loyalists and rebels. As far as Roosevelt’s foreign policies go, this one was really bad. So scared of war, they basically aided in Franco’s taking over of the republican government of Spain. This in turn led to the strengthening of the European dictators, leading to the second world war. For this reason, Roosevelt’s grade goes down. Then, in 1941, neutrality had its meaning changed again. Really, it was thrown out the window with passing of Lend-Lease Act. The reasoning behind it was very understandable. Arm the other fighting democracies with weapons to defend against Hitler, or allow them to fall and have the U.S. face them alone. Knowing the risk, and after many debates, it was finally approved. It also set up the United States for war production when they did fight. However, the Lend-Lease Act ultimately was what brought them into the war once they had to start using armed Destroyer ships to take them to Britain. Roosevelt’s idea was good, however the consequences were bad. Later in the war, Roosevelt met with Churchill and Stalin for the Teheran Conference. Here, the three agreed upon a plan to attack Germany from the East as well as from the West. This was an incredibly important part of Roosevelt’s foreign policy since it was the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. The Allies were able to recover France from the Nazis and continue their fight with Germany. Though Roosevelt died a month before V-E Day, his position as Commander in Chief for the past twelve years caused the United States and the Allies to defeat Germany. Though nobody is perfect, Roosevelt was able – through all decisions, good and bad – to stop the Nazis and ultimately save Europe. For these reasons, Roosevelt gets an A as Commander in Chief. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was strong in communicating with the public was well as dictating foreign and domestic policy. For this reason, his party grew during his presidency and so he deserves an A as Chief Party Leader. He started the â€Å"FDR Coalition† for his first term to get votes. Throughout his successes in the beginning, he was able to change many Republicans into Democrats, strengthening the Democratic Party for years to come. In addition, he also aided more Democratic candidates in all areas of government into office. With Roosevelt in office, the party grew both in voters as well as representation in Congress and other branches of government. His role as Chief Party Leader was done well and that is why he gets an A. Franklin Delano Roosevelt came into office at first having to deal with the struggles of the Great Depression. He was then later faced with the challenges of World War II, attempting to protect the United States as well as all Democratic countries from Nazi takeover. Anyone faced with these difficult challenges would have their ups and downs. FDR, on balance, was a good president and gets and overall A for his role as a country symbol, legislative leader, manager of the economy, Global leader, Commander in Chief, and Chief Party Leader. Works Cited Bailey, Thomas Andrew, David M. Kennedy, and Lizabeth Cohen. The American Pageant. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Print. Hughes, L. P. â€Å"†FDR AS NATIONAL LEADER†Ã¢â‚¬  Austin Community College – Start Here. Get There. 1999. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. . Mintz, S. â€Å"The First 100 Days.† Digital History. 2007. Web. 01 Apr. 2011. . http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=468 (80%) http://www.austincc.edu/lpatrick/his2341/fdr.html (shrink 90%, page 4)