The Outsiders 2 Essays - Films, The Outsiders, Greaser, Grease, Plot

The Outsiders 2 In this book analysis, about the book ?The Outsiders? by S. E. Hinton I will discuss character and plot development, as well as the setting, the author's style and my opinions about the book. In this part of the analysis I will give some information about the subjects of the book, and about the author. The author wrote the story when she was just 16 years old, in the 1950s. The book was successful, and it was sold, and still being sold, in many copies as a young adults novel. There was a movie made about it, and today there are still many schools that use this book in junior high and high schools for English classes. There were plays made about the book too. The Outsiders is about a gang. They live in a city in Oklahoma. Ponyboy Curtis, a 14 year old greaser, tells the story. Other characters include Sodapop and Darry, Ponyboy's brothers, Johnny, Dallas, and Two- Bit, that were also gang members and Ponyboy's friends. This story deals with two forms of social classes: the socs, the r ich kids, and the greasers, the poor kids. The socs go around looking for trouble and greasers to beat up, and then the greasers are blamed for it, because they are poor and cannot affect the authorities. I hope you would enjoy and learn something about the book from reading this analysis. Plot Development The plot development in the book, ?The Outsiders? by S.E. Hinton, was easy to follow. In this part of the book analysis I will give some more details about the plot development. There were no hooks or hurdles in the beginning of the book, the first sentence starts right away with the plot?without any forewords. This is the beginning of the first sentence: ?When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house...? (page 9). As you can see, it goes straight to the point without any prologues or any kind of introduction. The plot development in the middle of the story was sensible and easy to understand. It was clear and simple, and the events have occurred in a reasonable order. The ending of the story was a bit expected. I anticipated the death of Johnny because a broken neck usually means death. The death of Dally was not as predictable as Johnny's death because it was said that: ?He was tougher than the rest of us?tougher, colder, meaner.? (page 19). I did not think that such a tough person would get himself killed because of a death of a friend, although it was said a short time before the death of Dally that: ?Johnny was the only thing Dally loved.? (page 160). The climaxes at the end of the story were the deaths of Johnny and Dally. Here are quotations about the deaths: Johnny's death: ?The pillow seemed to sink a little, and Johnny died.? (page 157). Dally's death: ?He was jerked half around by the impact of the bullets, then slowly crumpled with a look of grim triumph on his face. He was dead before he hit the ground.? (page 162). To conclude I can say that the plot development was simple and easy to understand and to follow. The author organized it in a way that fits the actual content of the plot. Character Development The characters in the book, ?The Outsiders? by S.E. Hinton, were not very heroic?they were just humans?it was easy to believe that this is the way they should be. The characters in the plot give the reader a feeling this can be a true story. The author has created the personality of the characters through the descriptions of Ponyboy?the narrator?and through their actions. Following are some examples of these methods of getting familiar with a character. Here is an example for a description of Ponyboy: ?Steve Randle was seventeen, tall and lean, with thick greasy hair he kept combed in complicated swirls. He was cocky, smart, and Soda's best buddy since grade school. Steve's specialty was cars...? (page 17). The reader can find this kind of descriptions almost everywhere in the story, but especially in the beginning. I think the

buy custom Banning Smoking in Public Places essay

buy custom Banning Smoking in Public Places essay The issue as to whether a smoking ban should or should not be put in place is very controversial. People who have never smoked have often expressed their desire to have a smoking ban put in place. However, smokers feel that this would be a personal infringement on their personal freedom. Given that smoking is addictive and it is a habit that one does not explicitly decide whether or not to dispense of, it is understandable from the smokers side of view why they have avidly put up a spirited defense for smoking especially in public places (David 2). Smoking bans were first put in place in 1590 by Pope Urban VII whereby people were excommunicated if found smoking close to a church. However, this debate gained momentum in the 20th century after various researchers found the effects of smoking to be detrimental not only to the smoker but also to those around them. California was the first state to issue a ban on smoking in restaurants in 1990. Since then, over thirty four American states have put in place similar anti-smoking laws (Dusenberry 2-6). In the past, the onset of smoking signified adulthood with this image being propagated by adverts of famed stars. However, this trend has been declining in the recent past due to health concerns and various bans in cities. There are various pros in favor of the ban on smoking in public places (Hazards Magazine 12). First, health concerns have been constantly raised as to the dangers posed by smoking. The Surgeon General has persistently warned of these dangers as indicated on each pack of cigarettes as to the personal health concerns posed by smoking to the consumer. In fact, recent studies have proved that those close to smokers face similar or even graver health risks. Therefore, for this purpose, the health risks faced by smokers are similar to those faced by those in their neighborhood such as family members or friends. Cigarette smoking is not only detrimental to ones health but also harmful to ones physique and teeth. Secondly, studies have shown that smoking is detrimental not only to the smoker but also to those around them thereby putting them at a risk commonly referred to as passive smoking. This is especially the case for unwilling smokers especially in public places like bars, restaurants and around children. The inhalation of second-hand smoke through involuntary smoking has been found to be as injurious to the persons health as to the actual smoker. Medical experts have found that there are various effects of passive smoking in adults and children. Pickworth states thatthe results indicate that, contrary to the belief of many consumers, bidi and additive-free cigarettes deliver substantial amounts of nicotine and other toxic components of tobacco smoke to the passive smoker (p.22)Minor side-effects to passive adult smokers are: sore throat, cough, headache, eye irritations, nausea and infections in the nose and ears. Long-term effects of passive smoking are lung cancer, pneumonia, hyperte nsion, asthma, tuberculosis and bronchitis. Other diseases may not be chiefly caused by passive smoking, but it in effect increases risks are: heart diseases, dementia, brain tumors, renal cell carcinoma and diseases associated with the circulatory system. In children, passive smoking results in even more risky effects since children have a weaker immune system. Cases of bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, allergies and ear, throat and lung infections have been documented. In fetus, passive smoking has been found to cause: Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, premature births, low birth weights and failure in the production of sufficient baby milk by the affected mothers. Finally, cigarettesmoke harms the reproductive system in males and females as well as the unborn baby. In men, cases of low sperm count, increased proportions of deformed sperms, unwarranted adjustments in the sex hormones such as testosterone, reduced sperm mobility, and cases of impotence have been reported. In femal es, smoking leads to higher exposure to a number of risks, such as miscarriage and premature birth, irregular menstrual cycles, early menopause, stroke in those over 35 years old, and increased incidences of cancer of the cervix. The unborn baby is put at various risks, such as low child birth weight, which may lead to prolonged difficulties during subsequent growth and development, and a high probability of occurrence of cleft clip and respiratory illnesses (Yap 1). In view of these facts, public smoking is not only detrimental to the smokers themselves but also to non-smokers, a ban on smoking should be hastily put in place to counter all these effects. Thirdly, the cost of smoking to the individual and to the expenses incurred by the state due to health problems and loss in productivity has been of concern. In 2008, a pack of cigarettes had a retail price that was ranging from $4 to in excess of $7. Additionally, the Center for Disease Control carried out a study that estimates that each pack of cigarettes smoked leads to an expenditure in each state of as much as $16 on average due to expenditure on health and loss in productivity. Therefore, a ban on smoking would serve to eliminate these costs. A ban would also ensure that these costs are recovered by instituting a levy on cigarettes so as to discourage smoking. This was the case in Texas, whereby it made $1.4 million from cigarette tax revenue (Byrne 8). Fourthly, smoke is not only an air pollutant, and should therefore be eliminated, but it also has an unpleasant smell, discolors clothing, decorations in homes and furniture. If a smoking ban is successfully put in place, it would eliminate these undesirables while saving on costs associated with filtering and cleaning. Finally, smoking in public encourages children to take up the habit in line with the view that children model the behavior of adults. A ban on smoking shall ensure that lesser children take up smoking since it shall be viewed as wrongful rather than a mature lifestyle. Most smokers start smoking in order to fit in. A soon-to-be smokers environment may be heavily influenced by parents or friends who are regular smokers. For instance, it is a well-known fact that most people start smoking during their teenage years. Peer pressure is responsible for recruiting new smokers, who then become life-long cigarette consumers. In addition, teenagers and the youth tend to idolize and emulate the actions of celebrities and other well-known societal figures. Hence, when celebrities appear in adverts or movies while smoking, the young generation picks up this habit believing that it is fashionable. Once one becomes a regular smoker, it becomes almost impossible to quit. However, opponents to this law have come up with various arguments against the ban on smoking. Key among them is that a ban on smoking implies an infringement on peoples personal right to freedom. This right, as instituted in the United States Bill of Rights, is contravened by any attempts to limit this personal freedom therefore such a ban should not be put in place owing to the superiority of the constitution. Secondly, this is a hypocritical approach since other chemicals such as alcohol, preservatives and junk foods have been found to have more detrimental and immediate effects on the consumer. For instance, the recent wave of obesity and coronary and heart problemms have been associated with junk foods which various research analyses have shown to be causing more deaths than cigarette smoke. This is widely felt by such opponents to the smoking ban such as Ray who feels that Smoking/Air Pollution: is there much difference? Breathing polluted air is similar to smoking 20 cigarettes a day. Further, pollution in the environment and in the air is being caused more by large industries. A mere smokes air pollution is negligible when compared to the large amount of toxic wastes released by various unethical global giants (p.6). Thirdly, opponents to the institution of this ban feel that cigarette smoking has been given more attention than due while negating major causes of health problems and mortality. Therefore, this spotlight on tobacco and its classification as a taboo may lead to more smokers since humans love trying what is classified as a taboo in society. This may also lead to youngster taking up smoking behind closed doors as has been the case with substance abuse. Further, smoking withdrawal symptoms by smokers may lead to a decline in their productivity. For instance, some people may start smoking when experiencing a transition phase. Individuals have been known to start smoking when undergoing stressful situations or significant changes in their lives. For instance, a recently divorced man may turn to alcohol and cigarettes in order to avoid thinking about his predicament. Furthermore, stressed and overburdened employees may choose to take breaks at specific intervals during which they share cig arettes as they converse about their situation. Therefore, a non-smoker is soon initiated in the group as this symbolizes a common bond of friendship. In addition, some smoke in order to calm their nerves. Although nicotines soothing effects do not last long, a smoker derives a sense of confidence and calmness when facing situations that make one anxious or exited (Ditcher 1). Finally, a ban on public smoking will have an adverse effect on the commercial front. Businesses such as the British American Tobacco shall experience lower sales which may lead to loss of jobs and revenue as they downsize in order to fit into the shrinking market. Also, a significant source of funding to the treasury is the taxes levied on cigarettes which shall be lost with reduced consumption. Further, smoking is more of a lifestyle and people normally visit some social sites such as bars to smoke. Banning smoking in such zones leads to a loss in business for such joints leading to their eventual closure. In conclusion, all the above cons do not serve as a basis on which a sound argument against the implementation of the ban on smoking can be nullified. Despite the fact that cigarette smoking is harmful to ones health, a fact that smokers know too well, most people experience difficulties in their attempt to quit smoking. Whereas one is free to choose whether to smoke or not, the decision to quit is not always straightforward. Quitting requires willpower and personal commitment in order to overcome this harmful habit. Although most smokers feel good during and after smoking, there are no documented health advantages. Smoking harms the consumer as well as those close to him or her. Although smoking is a personal decision, its side effects are felt by the user, ones immediate family, and the community at large. Therefore, it is imperative to raise awareness amongst active smokers and non-smokers. This will not only help smokers quit cigarettes but shall also deter non-smokers from joini ng their counterparts. In view of the multiple health problems associated with smoking and the expenses incurred, a ban should be put in place so as to reverse this trend. Buy custom Banning Smoking in Public Places essay

Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum

Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum China has a very rich heritage and history that dates back more than a thousand years. Apart from relics and various artifacts that can tell us about the past, museums are essential gateways in explaining what life was like some thousand years ago. The Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum keeps watch over a lot of China’s history. Many travelers and visitors do not flock the museum because of the notion that it is difficult to find. The trick is simply to plan your visit. You have to expect it might take you a long time to get there but it’s a trip you should not miss. There are two bus stops that can connect you to the museum. The Youanmenwai bus stop is closer. It is at least 500 meters or a 7-minute walk from the bus stop. Bus numbers 19, 48, 72, 88, 377, 454, and 474 can take you there. Another bus stop is the Caihuying or Daguanyuan and you can take any of these buses 19, 49, 59, 122, 361, 716, 717, 744, and 800. From this stop, you will need to walk 800-meters north. The building looks unassuming against the apartment blocks around it. It is made of gray brick with an arched glass window. The museum is built underground so it may be easy to overlook it against the other buildings surrounding it. It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 9AM to 4PM. Entrance is free. Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum is divided into two sections: the underground part and the historical displays. The underground part or the Shuiguan site is where the historic original water gate is located. The water gate goes as far back as the 12th century during the Jin dynasty. It is one of the very few gates that have been preserved and survived being burnt by the Mongolian troops. The museum is unique in this sense that it is built on an old aqueduct or water gate. This is why the Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum is a Beijing Cultural relic site. The water gate was primarily used as a means to enter the city walls, which were built to protect the ancient Beijing against invasion. Another part of the museum is the artifacts. Most of the displays are from the Liao and Jin dynasties. The first floor of the museum, though is dedicated to Buddhist artifacts and daily tools from the Han and Qin dynasties. Precious pottery and very detailed calligraphy from the Jin dynasty are also displayed. The museum has also displayed what has been excavated from the site, namely the roof ornaments, tiles, and tablets. One of the museum’s highlights is the gravestone of Lu Hui which is one of the best preserved white marble stones that had been dug up along the Liangshui River. The museum also boasts of solitary exploration since not a lot of tourists find their way there. Make no mistake it houses artifacts that you cannot see in other museums. It is worth your time.

Operations and IT Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Operations and IT Management - Essay Example This will significantly reduce conflicts when we come to implementation or operations of the managers. The information lifecycle approach has strengthened customer relationship management, which is a widely applied strategy for running a company’s relations with its customers, clients as well as sales prospects. It encompasses the use of technology to organize, computerize, and harmonize business processes-mainly sales activities, but, in addition to those for marketing, client service, along with technical support (Fitzsimmon, 2005). The predominant goals are to find, attract, and convince new clients, nurture and lock in the customers, which the company already had before, entice previous clients back into the fold, and minimize advertising costs and client services. Customer relationship management illustrates a company’s broad business plan including client interface sections as well as other departments. Computing and valuing customers’ correlation is crucial to implementing this strategy. This has tremendously reduced conflicts between operations managers and information technology managers, due to specialization and division of areas of jurisdiction within the business system. Information privacy and data security; operations managers and information technology managers are now working concurrently to ensure that there is information security. Given the fact that security is an area of concern in the business sector, the two bodies have no choice but, to pull together as a team in considering the desire for information and data privacy, as well as the legislative and cultural standards. Some clients would like their pertinent information to remain their secret, and not to allow any other unauthorized persons, without their permission access to it. Information lifecycle approach enables business firms to keep different business documentation for a different

Trust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Trust - Essay Example Marketing scandals have marred the industries of Asia, with citizens and consumers ending up cynically viewing the way industries there portray products. The general consensus amongst citizens of Asia (mainly Pakistan, India and Srilanka) is that marketers can sell them anything for a profit. There is also the unanimous agreement that the strict implementation of consumer rights laws in Canada is the reason for most companies working alongside ethical standards; which gives citizens ample reason to believe everything companies tell them about products. (Global corporate comparisons, 2010) Agricultural Finance Services Corporation is at present rated to be the best company both employer-wise and also social-service wise. The work atmosphere at AFSC is extremely well maintained; with high a degree of communication between the management and employees. Employee engagement programs are carried out, with each employee receiving individual performance reviews. As a corporation, AFSC has been rated to be involved in community work above-average. Every year, the company and its employees support countless charities and social working groups, and donate to helping charitable organizations in need. This drastically raises the company’s standing in the eye of the society. (Top Employers, AFSC 2011) Rated number second in Canada’s top employers, the work atmosphere at Agrium is said to be above average. High communication is maintained between the management and the employees via corporate newsletter, corporate internet site, and traditional and email suggestion boxes respectively. Aside from annual individual reviews of each employee’s performance in the corporation, employees are also encouraged to provide their own feedback with respect to the management – and in full confidence. This builds and maintains trust within the organization, which reflects on the ever-watching society. With an above-average community development involvement,

Grapes of Wrath Essay Example for Free

Grapes of Wrath Essay In Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck wrote about the Joads and their forced migration from Oklahoma to California. They were forced to leave their simple farming life because of the Great Depression. Through the struggles of the members and friends of the Joads, Steinbeck was able to portray an undesirable, yet accurate picture of America in the early twentieth century. Thus, this story is considered as one of the most powerful social novels in human history. But, Steinbeck did not just describe the country where he lived. In the later part of the novel, Steinbeck crafted a political message that is intended to change the present and unacceptable state of America. In Nobody Knows My Name, James Baldwin wrote a series of essays about the experiences, thoughts, and struggles of an African-American deep in the heart of Europe. The collection of essays appears to be a rite of passage for Baldwin who did not want to be labeled as a Negro writer, but simply an American writer. But, through the series of essays, Baldwin wove together his own political message, which wanted to radically shift the point of view of society about what America is all about. In both pieces of literature, it can be found that the written works of art are not just mere expressions of the authors’ creativity. This is because a simple creative expression is wandering and aimless. The written art is similar to a powerful sword that can be wielded to effect political and social changes, but this figurative sword obeys the authors’ personal views that are derived from their personal experiences. Despite the personal basis of the authors’ opinions, the political nature of the written art is needed in societies that are thrown in the midst of division and conflict because the political nature of written art serves as a guiding beacon of light, both for the ordinary citizens and for the political leaders. Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath has many interpretations that originate from varying perspectives, such as religious, economic, social, political, and personal. The same could be said of Baldwin’s Nobody Knows My Name. Different and numerous interpretations of literary works are acceptable because that is the nature of all literary works and the authors could not be confronted and asked to choose which interpretation is the most accurate. It is probable that Steinbeck purposely wove a novel that is a mosaic of several messages. And it is also probable that Baldwin delved into different issues and each essay in the said collection might be about more than one perspective. But, in comparing the novel and the essay collection, the two perspectives that will be analyzed are the similar personal and the political beliefs of the authors about the American society. Both Steinbeck and Baldwin see a divided American society. In Steinbeck’s novel, the division is between the rich and the poor. This division is felt sharply in the Great Depression when the rich and powerful preyed on the desperation of the poor people. The reputed rich grape vineyards in California became attractive to the Joads and other poor people who are suffering the pangs of hunger due to the poor harvest. The house was dead, and the fields were dead† (Steinbeck, 135). The family chose to uproot themselves and went to California. But, the vineyards did not deliver the promise of providing enough food security for the people. Instead, the Joads toiled hard, day and night, but remained poor, oppressed, and discriminated. In Baldwin’s essay, the division is between the Blacks and the White. The Civil War has ended but the discrimination against the Black Americans remained. Many Americans gave lip service to the concept of equality and assimilation, but it is far more difficult to remove the generations-old dogma of Blacks being an inferior race. Hoping to achieve the desired state of equality, the Blacks fought by excelling in the fields of sports, music, and literature. But this was not enough. Instead, the Blacks continued to endure discrimination. The nature of the division that was described by Steinbeck may not be exactly the same as the division described by Baldwin. But the division and the conflict are strongly felt. And because of the presence of the conflict, America is not united. Unfortunately, there are more conflicts that exist other than the conflict between people of different races and people who come from different socio-economic status. There are conflicts based on gender, education, and sexual orientation. â€Å"The tensions of American life, as well as the possibilities, are tremendous† (Baldwin, 11). But what could be the long-term implications of having a divided country? Both Steinbeck and Baldwin predicted that the present divisions in America would lead to overwhelming wrath that might destroy society. In Steinbeck’s novel, the poor finds that many of their opportunities are kept away from them or wasted away by the rich and powerful. â€Å"The people come with nets to fish for potatoes in the river, and the guards hold them back †¦ in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath† (Steinbeck, 477). It is suggested that the travels of Steinbeck revealed to him the desolate state of his country and the increasing resentment of the poor. In Baldwin’s essay Fifth Avenue, Uptown: a Letter from Harlem, he described the rotting and festering social situation of Harlem, the corner of the world where he grew up. Baldwin drew upon his experiences and observations when he was still living in Harlem to create this essay that depicts the oppression that the Whites wielded through the police. The policemen â€Å"represent the force of the white world the black man corralled up here, in his place† (Baldwin, 57). The Blacks have began to realize that they were being discriminated and that the basic right to human dignity was been taken away from them through the selfish and callous way that the Whites treated them in the past decades. But, instead of being apologetic, the Whites, being the majority, demanded assimilation. It would be inevitable that the Blacks would feel resentment. And with resentment, there would be a burgeoning anger. Steinbeck and Baldwin are personally aware of the negative effects of the existing conflicts in their societies. They knew that anger would be fermented. There is a limit to the patience of the people who are being oppressed. What then should Americans do with the existing conflicts in their country? Both Steinbeck and Baldwin personally believed that there must be a radical political change in the country, but for any radical change to happen, there should also be a radical change within each individual American. In Steinbeck’s novel, there were many characters that underwent changes throughout the story. However, the character that underwent the most radical change was Rose of Sharon, who, after suffering from the loss of her own child, has agreed to nurse an old man. â€Å"Then she lay down beside him. He shook his head slowly from side to side. Rose of Sharon loosened one side of the blanket and bared her breast† (Steinbeck, 619). This last scene in Steinbeck’s novel often elicits a violent reaction from readers. But, upon reflection, it was the most humane act of all. The violent reaction occurred simply because many readers are trapped within the bounds of society’s conventions. Without these conventions, the readers will be rid of preconceptions that prevent them from reaching out to other people. Without preconceptions, the division between the poor and the rich would eventually disappear. In Baldwin’s essays, the personal change that he wanted to obtain is to prevent the self from following the tides of anger that will sweep and destroy the country. Thus, instead of wearing the easy cloak called Negro writer, he chose to create a new one, the American writer. He found that the American writers of his time lack the sense of purpose that a literary artist should have. This is because the American writer, similar to the many readers of Steinbeck, is trapped by conventions of society. Baldwin believes that unless the American writer â€Å"is released from the habit of flexing his muscles and proving that he is just a regular guy that he realizes how crippling this habit has been† (Baldwin, 6). If all Americans will remove the concept of race from their minds, they will find that there is no Negro problem after all. The concept of effecting an individual change prior to achieving a wider social change evolved primarily from the personal experiences of the authors and from their observations. These were distilled to create the plot of the novel and the subject of the essays. As influential authors, were Steinbeck and Baldwin ethically appropriate in creating literary works that came from their personal experiences and personal political beliefs? The answer is an affirmative. The literary artist must take his own personal history, distill truth from his experiences, and use his insights responsibly by sending a political and social message to the rest of the world.

David Gutersons Snow Falling on Cedars Essay -- Snow Falling on Cedar

David Guterson's Snow Falling on Cedars Snow Falling on Cedars, a novel written by David Guterson, depicts the struggles that many Japanese-Americans faced in our country throughout World War II. Though the events and characters in this novel are fictional, the manor in which they were treated was not. Ever since the tragedy of December 7, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese people throughout the United States were seen as traitors through the eyes of Americans. Every Japanese, whether or not they were a natural born citizen or an illegal alien, were all treated as a possible threat to the safety and well being of the United States. Kabuo Miyamoto, the Japanese American put on trial for murder, had endure this harsh reality of racism that plagued his town and saturated the court system giving him no chance for a fair and just trial. On the morning of December 7, 1941, the surprise bombing of Pearle Harbor violently awoke America causing great uproar throughout its nation. With all of America hating the then called, â€Å"Japs,† it made certain that no other Japanese person either from Japan or from our own soil, got a chance to do any further damage to our already crippled country. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Executive Order in February of 1942, which gave De Witt the power to round up over 112,000 Japanese Americans, over half of whom where U.S. citizens by birth (Manzanar 2). These Americans were forced to leave everything behind taking only what they could carry. They were sent to one of the ten concentration camps established throughout the United States. They were constructed in remote areas between the Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Mississippi River (Relocation 1). The United States governme... ...treated as enemies in their own country just because of their family background. Just as these Japanese Americans were considered guilty by race, so was Kabuo Miyamoto. His Japanese background alone was enough to convince the island of San Piedro of his guilt. Kabuo Miyamoto had to endure this harsh reality of racism that plagued his town and saturated the court system giving him no chance for a fair and just trial. Work Cited Guterson, David. Snow Falling On Cedars. New York: Vintage Books, 1995. Manzanar. â€Å"America’s Concentration Camp.† February 1942. http://members.aol.com/EARTHSUN/Manzanar.html. P.B.S. â€Å"Conscience and Constitution.† July 2000. http://www.pbs.org/conscience/the_story/characters/akutsu_jim.html. Relocation of Japanese Americans. â€Å"War Relocation Authority.† May 1943. http://www.sfmuseum.otg/hist10/relocbook.html.

Consideration Essay

An Agreement here is defined as every promise and every set of promises, forming the consideration for each other, is an agreement defined under section 2(e) of Indian Contract Act, 1872. Making a contract is simply a way of facilitating amongst other things, the exchange of goods and services. Under a contract the, parties voluntarily assume their obligations or undertakings. Consideration is the recompense given by the party contracting to the other. 2. Consideration is the price for which the promise of the other is bought, and the promise thus given for value is enforceable. 3. Consideration means something which is of some value in the eyes of the law. 4. A valuable consideration in the sense of the law, may consist either in some right, interest, profit or benefit accruing to the one party or some forbearance, detriment, loss or responsibility given, suffered or undertaken by the other. If a bargain gives a party a choice of alternative obligations, each alternative on its own must constitute sufficient consideration for the return promise. If a promise is void or voidable – e. g. , due to the incapacity of the promisor – the sufficiency of the consideration is not necessarily negated. The judges, when they exercise this power of interference, are playing an extrinsic test which frustrates the expectation of the parties. It does not follow however, that such a test is necessarily harsh, still less that it is illogical. In some of the cases the law is settled, other are shrouded in controversies; but in all of them the grounds of interference seems to be the same. Consideration made not be adequate and may, on occasion be extremely tenuous, but it must comprise ome element which can be regarded as the price of the defendant promise; and merely to repeat an existing obligation may well seem to offer nothing at all. It may be appreciated that a person, who by his official status or through the operation of the law is under a public duty to act in a certain way, is not regarded as furnishing consideration merely by promising to discharge the duty. For example, no one would expect a policeman to bargain with a citizen for the price of his protection. In the case stated the defendant argued that this meant that they were not obliged to pay for the large number if policemen who attend their ground at home matches because, in present conditions of crowd behaviour, a major police presence at the ground was necessary to preserve law and order. The Court of Appeal thought that there was a fundamental difference on the facts. In the Glassbrook case the threat to law and order was external to the parties since neither could call off the strike. In the present case, the defendant had voluntarily to put on their matches at times, typically Saturday afternoons, when large attendance and therefore large possibilities of disorder where likely, and when a substantial police presence could only be achieved by calling policemen of their rest days and paying large sum of overtime. The police authority were, therefore, entitled to be paid. When the plaintiff is bound by an existing contractual duty to the defendant : There is no consideration if all that the plaintiff does is to perform, or to promise the performance of, an obligation already imposed upon him by previous contract between him and the defendant – is illustrated by a group of thesis in the first half of 19th century. In this case the defendant where a firm of building contractors who entered into a contract for the refurbishment of a block of 27 flats. They sub – contracted the carpentry work to the plaintiff for 20,000. Although there was no formal arrangement to this effect, the plaintiff was paid money on account. After the contract had been running for some months and the plaintiff had finished the carpentry at 9 of the flats and done some preliminary work in all the rest, for which he had received some 16,200 on account, he found that he was in financial difficulties. This difficulties arose partly because the plaintiff had underestimated the cost of doing the work in the first place and partly because of faulty supervision of his work men. The plaintiff and the defendants had a meeting at which the defendants agreed to pay the plaintiff a further 10,300 at a rate of 575 per flat to be paid as each flat was completed. The plaintiff carried on work and finished some 8 further flats but only 1one further payment of 1,500 was made. The plaintiff stopped work and brought an action for damages. The defendant argued that they were not liable as they had simply promised to pay the plaintiff extra for doing what he has in any case obliged to do, that is to finish to the contract. The Court of Appeal might perhaps have found consideration in what Russell LJ described as the replacement of ‘a haphazard method of payment by a more formalised scheme involving the payment of the specified sum on the completion of each flat’ since it was clear that the under the original contract there was no express agreement for stage payments. 3. Composition with creditors : It has long been a common practise for the creditors of an impecunious debtor to make an arrangement with him where by each agrees to accept a stated percentage of his debt in full satisfaction. The search for a sufficient consideration to support so reasonable an agreement has caused the courts much embarrassments. It would appear at first sight to fall under the ban in Pinnel’s case, and such was the view adopted in 1804 by Lord Ellenborough. Two alternatives suggestions have been proffered. The first was the second thought of Lord himself. There was consideration for the composition, he suggested in 1812, in the fact that each individual creditor agreed to forgo part of his debt on the hypothesis that all the other creditors would do the ame. A moment’s reflection will expose the weakness of this argument. Such a consideration would, no doubt, suffice to support the agreement as between the creditors themselves. But, if the debtor sought to rely upon it, he would be met by the immediate objection that he himself had furnished to return for the creditors’ promises to him, and, as already observed, it is a cardinal rule of the law that the consideration must move from the promisee. A second solution is to say that no creditor will be allowed to go behind the composition agreement, to the prejudice either of the other creditors or of the debtor himself, because this would be a fraud upon all the parties concerned. The solution was suggested by Lord Tenterden in 1818 and supported by Willes J in 1863, and it has since won general approbation. But it is frankly an argument ab inconvenienti and evades rather than meets the difficulty. Where the plaintiff is bound by an existing contractual duty to a third party : When the plaintiff performs, or promises to perform, an obligation already imposed upon him by a contract previously made, not between him and the defendant, but himself and the third party. The question whether such a promise or a performance affords suficient consideration has provoked a voluminous literature – more generous, indeed, then the practical implications would seem to warrant. In a case mentioned here the defendant agreed to pay money to he plaintiff in return for the plaintiff promise (a) to execute a separation deed and b)to pay his debts to a third party. The promise to execute the separation deed raised questions of public policy but was held good consideration.

Economic Issues Simulation Paper

As a representative of Castor Insurance, the job is to maximize profit and minimize risk for the company. Healthcare is a high in demand good that the consumers of any job wants and needs to have. So it is very important to chose the right kind of healthcare for your employees. The two companeys in question Constructit and E-editors need to choose a well balanced health insurance plan that will work for there group of people. I am Jamie Ruth, I am the Vice President, Strategy and Financial Planning at Castor Collins. My duties include pricing plans and setting insurance premiums for our potential clients. Castor Collins was approached by two companies looking for employer insurance and both companies have a set rate their employees are able to pay for premiums since both groups will have to pay for his or her own insurance. The first company is Constructit that consist of 1,000 people and E-Editors that consist of 1,600 people. It is up to my team to come up with a plan the meets Constructit $4,000 max on premium and E-editors max of $4,500 premium. Our task is to keep revenue maximized and risk to a minimum by choosing one of our three plans, which are Castor Standard, Castor Enhanced and our customized plan called Castor Enhanced Minor to suit Constructit the company I have chosen. Demographics of Constructit Constructit consist of 550 men between the ages of 26 to 45 and 450 women between the ages of 26 to 42. At Constructit 32% of the workforce’s duties involve excessive physical activities. This can cause some health risk with these employees. Whereas 25% of the workforce’s duties involve modest physical activities and the remaining 43% of the workforce’s duties involve inactive activities. With the modest activity there is always a chance an injury could happen. The inactive employees mainly desk employee are not immune from injury either. Married employees consist of 60% of the workforce. The employees at Constructit are not all in perfect health. Out of 1000 employees 170 men and 210 women 38% of the workforce has no major health problems. With almost 10% of the workforce 55 men and 36 that are smokers. The majority of the workforce misses work due to injuries, respiratory system diseases, digestive disorders, migraine, and allergic conditions. Health Concerns In our investigation of the health demographics in Constructit we discovered the following health concerns. Almost half of the employees are obese, 198 men and 192 women which adds up to 39% of the workforce which in itself is a major concern. Obesity can cause High Cholesterol the second highest medical condition within this group meaning 19%, 101 men and 95 women. As well as high blood pressure is another cause of health concern with 88 men and 105 women, 19% of the workforce. We also discovered many suffer from an allergy which affects 92 men and 85 women 17% overall. Many of the employees suffer from migraines 16%, 75 men and 93 women. Although only 13% of the employees 78 men and 57 women Respiratory Diseases is still a cause of concern. The Last medical condition we discover was digestive disorders at 8% 52 men and 32 women. Now our task was to develop a plan and stay within our $4000 premium limit. Plans Here at Castor Collins we have two plans that could possibly fit the needs of Constructit. One is Castor Standard which does not cover preexisting medical conditions and the other is Castor Enhanced which does cover preexisting medical conditions. Helen one of my team members suggests we offer Constructit Castor Enhanced and eliminates a few services that have high utilization. Adam says or we could choose not to insure either group if our risk outweighs the profits. In our evaluation the risk, anticipated cost, and cost-effectiveness are different for both plans. We did not choose Castor Standard because for one it did not cover preexisting condition. The premium is within payment range enrollees can pay and our profits would be higher. The cost associated with Castor Collins providing services to Constructit does not include any copayment the enrollee has to pay. For example for inpatient hospital services for Standard the enrollee pays $114 where in Enhance they pay $144. For emergency physician or hospital care Standard is $310 where Enhances is $388. For outpatient services like physician visits the in Standard the enrollee would pay $56 and in the Enhanced he or she would pay $70. If the enrollee was to need outpatient surgery for standard he or she would pay $305 where with enhanced the cost is $381. Here is the expected utilization of services when Castor Standard or Castor Enhanced is provided to Constructit. On average utilization of the services in the population of color scheme are for the age group of 26 through 45. Inpatient hospital services are 3% for standard and 4% for enhanced with the annual average is 6% for standard and 8% for enhanced with the surgical benefits the same. For emergences the expected utilization is 6% and the annual average is the same for standard whereas for enhanced the expected utilization is still 6% however the annual average is 8% for inpatient services. In standard most of the expected utilization is anywhere from 3% to 10% whereas the annual average is 6% for standard. Outpatient services the expected utilization is anywhere from 3% to 10% and the average annually is 6%. For enhanced the expected utilization norm is 4 to 9% and with enhanced the norm is 6% for standard and enhanced is anywhere from 4 to 12%. Plan Choice For Constructit we decided to go with Castor Enhanced so we could modify it so we were able to stay within the $4000 premium prices range. Even though the copay to the enrollee is higher the benefits are revenue for us is higher. We were able to keep the premium below $4,000; the premium is $3,943 making our profit a $3. 94 million and only eliminated obesity treatment. To keep cost and risk low we decided not to include Obesity treatment. To include this service the premium would have exceeded what the enrollees would be able to pay. All other services are intact. Castor Collins earning is high and is adequate to cover the risk insuring Constructit. Services such as substances abuse treatment the expected utilization is low. Even with Castor Enhanced Minor covering preexisting medical conditions, the risk are low and the earnings could be high. Copays for services such as preventative services, diagnostic services, and chiropractic care are at 8% rate. Conclusion Our task was to evaluate the company’s demographics and develop an adequate health care plan that suits Constructit. With Castor Enhanced the premiums are below $4,000 which them enrollee can pay and still have comparable health coverage that cover preexisting medical conditions. Utilization annual average is mostly 8%. Copays are higher but the benefits are higher as well. This was a difficult task but I believe we did what was expected of us in supplying health coverage for Constructit.

Biography of Carter G. Woodson, Black Historian

Biography of Carter G. Woodson, Black Historian Carter G. Woodson (December 19, 1875–April 3, 1950) is known  as the father of black history and black studies. He worked tirelessly to establish the field of African-American history in the early 1900s, founding the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History and its journal. This son of two former slaves, he rose from modest origins to become the respected and groundbreaking historian who founded Negro History Week, today known as Black History Month. Fast Facts: Carter Woodson Known For: Known as the father of black history, Woodson founded Negro History Week, upon which Black History Month is foundedBorn: December 19, 1875 in New Canton, VirginiaParents: Anne Eliza Riddle Woodson and James Henry WoodsonDied: April 3, 1950 in Washington, D.C.Education: B.A. and M.A., University of Chicago. Ph.D., Harvard UniversityPublished Works:  The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861, A Century of Negro Migration, The History of the Negro Church, The Negro in Our HistoryAwards and Honors: 1926 NAACP Spingarn Medal, 1984 U.S. Postal Service 20 cent stamp honoring WoodsonNotable Quote: Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history. Early Life Woodsons parents owned a 10-acre tobacco farm near the James River in Virginia and their children had to spend most of their days doing farm work to help the family survive. This wasnt an unusual situation for farm families in late 19th-century America, but it did mean that young Woodson had little time to pursue his studies. Two of his uncles ran a schoolroom that met five months out of the year, and Woodson attended when he could. He learned to read using the Bible and his fathers newspapers in the evening. As a teenager, he went to work in the coal mines. During his free time, Woodson continued his education on his own, reading the writings of Roman philosopher Cicero and the Roman poet Virgil. Education When he was 20 years old, Woodson enrolled at Frederick Douglass High School in West Virginia, where his family then lived. He graduated in a year and went on to Berea College in Kentucky and Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. While he was still in college, he became an educator, teaching high school and serving as a principal. After his college graduation in 1903, Woodson spent time teaching in the Philippines and also traveled, visiting the Middle East and Europe. When he returned to the U.S., he enrolled at the University of Chicago and received both his bachelors and masters degrees in the spring of 1908. That fall, he became a doctoral student in history at Harvard University. The Founder of Black History Woodson was not the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. in history from Harvard; that distinction went to W.E.B. Du Bois. But when Woodson graduated in 1912, he embarked on the project of making the history of black Americans both visible and respected. Contemporary conventional historians were white and had a very narrow scope in their historical narratives; one of Woodsons professors at Harvard, Edward Channing, asserted that the negro had no history. Channing was not alone in this sentiment, and U.S. history textbooks and coursework emphasized political history, which covered the history of the white middle-class and affluent men. Woodsons first book was on the history of African-American education titled,  The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861, published in 1915. In his preface, he emphasized the importance and power of the African-American story: [T]he accounts of the successful strivings of Negroes for enlightenment under most adverse circumstances read like beautiful romances of a people in an heroic age. The same year that his first book came out, Woodson took the important step of creating an organization to promote the study of African-American history and culture. It was called the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). He founded it with four other African-American men; they agreed to the project during a meeting at the YMCA and envisioned an association that would promote publishing in the field but also racial harmony by improving historical knowledge. The association had an accompanying journal that still exists today, The Journal of Negro History, which began in 1916. In 1920, Woodson became dean of the School of Liberal Arts at Howard University, and it was there that he created a formal African-American history survey course. That same year, he founded Associated Negro Publishers to promote African-American publishing. From Howard, he went on to West Virginia State, but in 1922 he retired from teaching and devoted himself entirely to scholarship. Woodson moved to Washington, D.C., and erected the permanent headquarters for the ASNLH. Woodson also continued to publish works such as  A Century of Negro Migration (1918), The History of the Negro Church (1921), and The Negro in Our History (1922). Negro History Week If Woodson had stopped there, he still would be remembered for helping to usher in the field of African-American history. But he wanted to spread knowledge of this history to black students of all ages. In 1926, he hit upon an idea- a week purely devoted to the celebration of the achievements of African-Americans. Negro History Week, the progenitor of todays Black History Month, began the week of Feb. 7, 1926. The week included the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Black educators, with Woodsons encouragement, rapidly adopted the week-long study of African-American history. Later Life and Death Woodson spent the rest of his life studying, writing about, and promoting black history. He fought to keep African-American history alive at a time when most white historians were actively hostile to the idea. He kept the ASNLH and its journal going, even when funding was scarce. Woodson died at his home in Washington, D.C., at the age of 74 on April 3, 1950. He is buried at Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in  Maryland. Legacy Woodson did not live to see Brown v. Board of Education, which made segregation in schools illegal, nor did he live to see the creation of Black History Month in 1976. But his brainchild, Negro History Week, is the direct predecessor of this significant educational advance. His efforts to highlight the achievements of African-Americans gave to the civil rights generation a deep appreciation of the heroes who had preceded them and in whose footsteps they were following. The achievements of African-Americans like Crispus Attucks and Harriet Tubman  are part of the standard U.S. history narrative today, thanks to Carter G. Woodson. Sources Baldwin, Neil. The American Revelation: Ten Ideals That Shaped Our Country from the Puritans to the Cold War. Macmillan, 2006.Carter G. Woodson: Father of Black History. Ebony. vol. 59, no. 4, February 2004. pp. 20, 108-110.Dagbovie, Pero Gaglo. The Early Black History Movement, Carter G. Woodson, and Lorenzo Johnston Greene. The University of Illinois Press, 2007.Woodson, Carter G. The Education of the Negro Prior to 1861. G.P. Putnams sons, 1915.

Financial Markets and Bank Management Coursework - 1

Financial Markets and Bank Management - Coursework Example The company sells second-hand clothes in the African markets. Rive Gauche plans to explore a new market opportunity in Asia. The company plans to meet the demand in the new market by importing more clothes from Germany. Rive Gauche Ltd seeks for working capital funding through overdraft. The facts point that the company prefers meeting the shortage in its working capital by seeking for short-term sources of funds (bank overdraft). On that note, the current overdraft of the company stands at  £ 90,000. The management plans to increase the overdraft level to  £ 400,000, which is an increase by  £ 310,000. In other words, the company is seeking for a loan worth  £ 310,000 to meet its working capital needs as it explores the new market. Working capital is arrived at by the following formula: working capital = (current assets – current liabilities). The company relies on its working capital to meet current obligations and run the day-to-day operations. Therefore, is advisable for managers to formulate and implement more efficient working capital management strategies. The primary reason behind the most effective strategy is to ensure the constant availability of sufficient levels of working capital. Rive Gauche Ltd.’s current assets are (stock + debts + cash) = (311,000 + 208,000 + 40,000) =  £ 559,000. On the other hand, the current liabilities are (creditors + other liabilities) = (200,000 + 200,000) =  £ 400,000. Based on the working capital formula, the company’s working capital = (559,000 – 400,000) =  £ 159,000. The estimation states that Rive Gauche Ltd currently has  £ 159,000 to meet its current obligations. The analysis clearly shows that working capital is not sufficien t to cover the current obligations. Therefore, the company’s working capital requirement is determined as follows: working capital requirement = (current liability – working capital) = (400,000 – 159,000) =  £ 241,000 (Bhattacharya 2009, pp).

Tax Memos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Tax Memos - Essay Example Under Section 1212, Anita will be entitled to carry forward this capital loss to succeeding years, provided there is a net loss including all other similar type of transactions involving capital transfer. Moreover, Anita can claim a deduction of $600 from taxable income, since it is well within the limits amounting $3000, under Section 1211 (Cornell University Law School, â€Å"Limitation on Capital Losses†). While analyzing this situation, Anita, being a taxpayer has to refer to Section 267 of US Code of taxation, if she wants to sell the stocks to her sister, Kathy (Cornell University Law School, â€Å"Losses, Expenses and Interest with respect to transactions between Related Tax Payers†). Under Section 267, Kathy would be considered as a related party in this type of transaction between the two, Anita and Kathy and hence the amount of deduction will not be available then. However, sale of the stocks to her friend, Marcia will not attract Section 267. Marcia and Dave, who are married to each other is planning for a divorce agreement. They have two children and will be in the custody of Marcia after their separation. In accordance with the divorce agreement Dave decides to keep the boat and give away the home to Marcia. Dave and Marcia will also have to decide upon whether Marcia will be receiving the stocks which were acquired at $100,000 and having a present market value of $150,000 or in the form of yearly payments to Marcia for 5 years, with an included yearly interest @ 8% p.a. On analyzing this situation, the first consideration would be the tax consequences as a result of the transfer and settlement of properties. The immediate tax implications will be nil because Under Section 1041, any transfer of property within 1 year of the divorce will not amount to any gain or loss. However, it can have an effect in future, after 1 year, when either the home or the boat is sold by any of them and it can attract capital