Wednesday, July 31, 2019

A Clean Well Lighted Place †Theme and Setting Essay

A clean well lighted place by Ernest Hemingway has a few themes that stand out clearly but the one theme that stands out to me is despair. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, despair means to lose all hope or confidence. In the story, the older waiter and the old deaf man somehow share a common bond of despair. Both men are of age and like to be out, late at night, alone. Asides from the story alone, the theme of the story can be brought out by the setting. The setting contributes to the story’s theme in different ways. The setting contributes to the mood of the story, to the structure of the story, and to the lesson of the story. The cafe represents salvation for despair which is shown through the setting of the story. First, the setting contributes to the mood, from the quote â€Å"It was very late and everyone had left the cafe except an old man who sat in the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light. †(107) sets a mood of a person in sadness. As a regular, at a cafe, late at night alone reveals the character’s personality with the help of the setting. The setting reveals the story’s mood because it visualizes the scene along with emotions of the story. Obviously the old man is not the type of drunk to get violent or rough because the mood seems to be calming as the setting had described â€Å"but at night the dew settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference. †(107) Even though the old man is deaf, the setting intensified the mood of peacefulness that the old man enjoys nice quiet drinks at a clean place. Later in the story the older waiter had no place to go for a drink so, he had gone to a bar/bodega for a drink; however, the mood of the bar/bodega compared to the cafe was not as peaceful nor comfortable. The waiter mentioned â€Å"It was the light of course but it is necessary that the place be clean and pleasant. You do not want music. Certainly you do not want music. Nor can you stand before a bar with dignity although that is all that is provided for these hours. †(109) The mood clearly shows a difference within a different setting. If the old man were to drink in that bar then the story’s mood could have been perceived in a different way. Furthermore, the setting contributes to the structure of the story, like cartilages in a human body. The cafe can be viewed as a workplace and also as a place of peaceful socialization. Each person deals with despair differently. Having the setting at a cafe where it was mentioned that it was quiet help structure the story that it is neither a depressing story nor, a happy story. The two waiters who were gossiping about the old man mentioned that he had committed suicide but, he was saved. Being in a cafe is different than rather being in a bar or anywhere else. The cafe signifies a place for space or time, depending on the person. The old man is not trying to cure his despair but rather subdue it. The setting could have taken place anywhere but it also could have affected the structure of the story differently. For example, when the older waiter was out trying to kill time due to insomnia, he went to a bar but, it was not soothing; therefore, he went home. This proves how the setting was able to support its main structure of having a cafe rather than a different place. Finally, the lesson of the story is that do not be impatient. The setting contributed to how the lesson of the story was delivered. The old deaf man was not harming anyone and the cafe was not to close ‘til two-thirty in the morning but, the young waiter wanted to close early because he wanted to go home to his wife. The setting is pleasing and comfortable for those who need a place late at night yet, it was taken away from someone who needed it. Even though the old man left quietly, it was obvious he was not done drinking. If the setting were to be elsewhere like a bar, it would mean that the old man was looking for a good time but, that was not the case. The setting contributed to the lesson like a book to a lecture. Overall, the setting contributes to the theme. The cafe represents salvation, its cleanliness and good lighting suggest peace and relaxation, whereas a bar is chaotic and loud. The older waiter describes it as a refuge from the despair felt by those who are aware of the nothingness. In a clean well-lighted cafe, despair can be managed and even temporarily forgotten. When the older waiter describes the nothingness that is life, he says, â€Å"It was only that and light was all it needed and a certain cleanness and order. †(109) The â€Å"it† in the sentence was not defined, but we can speculate about the waiter’s meaning: although life and man are nothing, light, cleanliness, and order can serve as substance. They can help counter off the despair from anyone. As long as a clean, well-lighted cafe exists, despair can be kept in check. This shows how the setting contributes to the theme through the mood, the structure, and the lesson of the story shaped by the setting.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Fashion in the 1920s

Women's Fashion In The sass After the end of World War l, the United States president, Warren G. Harding, claimed that he wanted to return to normalcy and to bring back the peace following the years of war; society did change, but it was no where near what it had been before the war (Margarita 14). â€Å"The reactionary temper of the sass and the repressive movements it spawned arose as reactions to a much-publicized social and intellectual revolution that threatened to rip America from it old moorings† (Tindal 800). During this time, the 18th Amendment was passed in order to maintain society's previous morals and tankards.Many Americans saw the consumption of alcohol as a sin and did not want their society to lose their morals (Margarita 8). Shortly after its passage, the 19th Amendment was passed allowing women the right to vote; instead of having a passive role in society, women were beginning to be more proactive. The appearance of woman in society did not stop work place; instead, because of prohibition and the popularity of speakeasies, women were welcomed and populated such venues. Tuxedoed men accompanied women wearing the latest fashions filled the latest clubs (Margarita 27).Traditionally, 1920 was seen as marking a clear divide in the chronology of women's affairs: the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the vote ended years of struggle, and with the ‘liberation' of the war, which destroyed old stereotypes, led on to the ‘New Woman' of the sass† (Wynn 133). World War I was the turning point from traditional values to a newly enlightened America, a rebellious youth, and newly freed women; as art reflects society, the emancipation and celebration following the war is reflected in the style and fashion that came alive in this new era.Beautiful coordinated and accessories outfits were a feature of sass's ladies fashion, [which consisted of] hats, shoes, stockings, handbags, dresses and Jewelry [that] all came togethe r in perfect harmony to create a unique and elegant style† (Scott). This style portrayed the times as Americans began to stray from the past and the old American ways. â€Å"During those years a cosmopolitan urban America confronted an insular, rural America† leading to the development of urban cities (Tindal 800).In these populated cities, people began to let loose as â€Å"Prohibition indirectly led to bootlegging and speakeasies, while the rowing rebelliousness of teenagers highlighted the generation gap† (Drowned back cover). Participation in these illegal venues had been unheard of in the previous decades, but these changing times encouraged the promotion of such activities and these environments called for a certain style and fashion. â€Å"The Twenties did roar, and this volume shows the many colorful ways the decade altered America, its people, and its future† (Drowned back cover). This ‘new woman' [that arose] eagerly discarded the constrain ing fashions of the nineteenth century – pinched-in corsets, conforming petticoats, and floor-length dresses† (Tindal 801). As the times were changing, their fashion changed in order to reflect â€Å"the rebellion against prudishness and a loosening of inhibitions† (Tindal 801). These new trends shocked the old-timers as the â€Å"the revolution in manners and morals, evidenced first among young people† were represented in their clothing (Tindal 800). As women were beginning to live more freely, their style reflected the same attitude. In 1919 women's skirts were typically six inches about the ground; [but] by 1927 they were at the knee, and the flapper' was providing a shocking model of the new feminism† (Tindal 801). These omen portrayed â€Å"a period of escapism, a youthful reaction against the dark and serious clothes, behavior and mood of an older generation still clinging to old Victorian and Edwardian values† (Herald 6). They were star ting to represent the idea behind the ‘new women. ‘ During this time the girls are actually tempting the boys more than the boys do the girls, by their dress and conversation† straying away from old traditions (Tindal 801).They began â€Å"a move[meet] toward breaking down national boundaries in everything from finance to style – [which] was a theme that ran through the decade† (Herald 6). Women's fashion reflected the change in attitude evident following the war. Fashion followed the new needs of the wearers and the more rebellious consumers in urban American society. â€Å"The passing of bustles and corsets gave clothing designers much greater freedom of expression resulting in innovative styling† (Scott). This permitted the newly reformed lifestyle and attitude to be expressed in women's clothing.In came â€Å"the new and colorful fabrics [that] echoed the Joy felt by a war weary population following the end of hostilities† as well as the â€Å"slim, streamlined look of the twentieth century,† which represented â€Å"youth, ability, and a freer form of sexual expression† (Scott; Blackjacks 133). Women now had the freedom to express themselves and not worry about the opinion of the public. They no longer had to be concerned with their modesty as the ideals began to yield â€Å"to modern sensibilities,† they began to expose their limbs and a â€Å"tight encasement of the[IR] torso† (Blackjacks 133).Society demand brought the new style as they insisted â€Å"that clothes be appropriate for the time of day, the activity, or the formality of the occasion†¦ The higher someone's rank, [depicted the amount of] clothes they needed to meet society demands† (Herald 11). In addition, fashion made improvements towards practical clothing as â€Å"women's underwear changed . With corsets becoming smaller and more flexible, and modern style bras being introduced†¦ [providing] shape and support whereas the older style tended to flatten breasts and constrict the chest† (Scott).Another practical need emerged with the growing popularity of the speakeasies. Women were welcome and where the women are, the men will be and the women were flocking these clubs and actively dancing the night away. â€Å"Flappers, as the trendy young women were called in the U. S. Wore short dresses with a straight loose silhouette. By 1927 seams had risen to Just below the knee, so that part of the knee could be seen when dancing the Charleston† (Scott). â€Å"Flapper fashion featured bobbed hair, minimal undergarments, gauzy fabrics, and sheer stockings† so that they could be free to move while dancing (Tindal 801). Although the sass did abound with flappers and would be flappers, the decade also hosted†¦ Women asserting new power† (Coot 413). And while the flappers' new needs were sought out, fashion also created new opportunities in the workforce for Hes s brave and powerful women. Along with the 19th amendment allowing women's voice and freedom, fashion opened up new Job opportunities that were available to women. â€Å"Women were beginning to enter male-dominated profession, where male clerks were generally being replaced by women typists and secretaries† (Herald 11).The â€Å"office girls needed a whole new wardrobe of smart day wear [as they began working] with new-fangled machines† (Herald 11). These Jobs of â€Å"dressmaking and millinery courses in particular were embraced by women who wanted the new fashions but couldn't afford the retail prices† (Scott). Some women moved into new vocations created by the burgeoning consumer culture such as accounting assistants and departments store clerks† (Tindal 802). â€Å"All the big department stores had mail-order catalogs where you could order clothes for men, women, and children† and have them delivered (Scott).This meant country people had easy ac cess to city fashions for the first time† (Scott). Others were looking to create full part-time Jobs for themselves† (Scott). They also wanted to â€Å"support their fatherless families or to earn extra income to spend on the new luxuries. Working omen also embraced the relatively inexpensive ready-made clothes a mass production of contemporary clothing became common. † (Scott). As the times began to change, the clothes and their designers followed suit.Style and design of fashion changed as women's clothing became â€Å"lighter (due to less material and new synthetic fabrics) and brighter and shorter that ever before† (Scott). Fashion designers experimented with colors, patterns, and fabrics for textures. Evening dresses, coats and Jackets were often trimmed with fur. Hemlines rose for most of the decade† (Scott). One of the influential designers of the decade was Hattie Carnegie, known for her â€Å"personal taste and fashion sense, [which] influen ced the styles worn by countless American women† (Shaw). She sought to â€Å"interpret European style for American consumers† and her style was welcomed as it had â€Å"a guarantee of sophistication and propriety' (Shaw). Carnegie had â€Å"an approach to fashion that emphasized consummate polish in every outfit† (Shaw). Eventually she â€Å"made her name synonymous with American high fashion for almost half a century' (Shaw). â€Å"The Carnegie customer, whatever her age, seems to have been neither girlish nor attorney, but possessed of a certain decorousness† portraying the turn in attitude as well as fashion (Shaw).As the event of changing style, different fabrics were introduced changing the shape, feel, and mood of fashion. â€Å"The sass opened with an explosion of color† as the education of fabric became known and lines were becoming more demonstrated through out the style (Herald 6). Hattie Carnegie â€Å"often stressed the importance of black as a wardrobe basic for both day and evening† (Shaw). The color blue was known as â€Å"a standard color for woman's dress† in the sass's (Scott). Fashion designers used color to portray different emotions.Colors such as green were notorious for being â€Å"very restful to the eye [as] light orange is too bright to be used freely' (Scott). Later the â€Å"Barberry Company introduced its trademark red/camel/black-and-white check in the twenties as a lining for the trench coat† that is still popular today (Herald 6). As women were beginning to understand the use of the textiles, they began to see their â€Å"possibilities and make the most of them† (Scott). Fashion helped the women express their individuality as their role of the ‘new woman' was taking form.The transformation in American culture and society would not have been possible without World War l. Whether it was the celebrations for the end of the war or the results of 18th and 19th Ame ndments, society transformed from traditional values to new, enlightened customs. The celebrations, speakeasies, and superfluous lifestyles demented change and woman paved the way with fashion. Not only did women's fashion change, the new ‘modern women' was born. During this era known as the ‘Roaring Twenties' women were given the right to vote and more importantly, the right to live more freely throughout society. Fashion in the 1920s â€Å"Fashion is one of the greatest forces in present-day life. It pervades every field and reaches every class†¦. It has always been a factor in human life but never more forceful, never more influential and never wider in scope than in the last decade, and it gives every indication of growing still more important. † So with everything in mind, we can really agree with him when he said that it was more than an expression of individual taste; it was instead a statement of group membership, of involvement in the currents of one's time. â€Å"To be out of fashion,† he wrote, â€Å"is, indeed, to be out of the world.During the decade technology vastly improved which helped spread the word about what people were wearing and driving and how they were decorating their homes or designing their public buildings. Improved communication meant that a large proportion of the general population was exposed to the latest fashion trends and responded, positively or negatively, to them. During the sass the most distinctive clothing styles originated in Europe: in France for women's attire and in England for men's. Coco Channel was one of the first women designers to adopt the new era of clothing, which meant that she adopted a more boyish look.She replaced the corset with lighter clothing that wasn't so restrictive. Throughout the years dresses kept getting shorter and the backs lower. â€Å"By 1925 dresses were the shortest in history – an act of the devil, some thought. † Many people were so outraged that they passed laws in the states of Ohio and Utah that the hem length of ladies gowns had to be seven inches from the floor but these responses from mature adults simply increased young women's fondness for their short skirts and cosmetics. After all, what fun is it to rebel if nobody notices or cares? But what are some major reasons for this changes in women fashion?The first one is that after the war women continued to work outside their h ome, so the clothes had to be altered to allow for an ease of movement. Also with the lack of men due to the war, women began wearing more alluring clothing to attract a husband. The ratification of the 19th Amendment also played a major role as women soon began wearing loose pantsuits called ‘pajama suits', a direct result of the newly gained right to vote and the strong cries for further female empowerment. Probably, one of the first images that pops into your head when you hear the word sass fashion is the Flapper which is the symbol of the oaring twenties.It embodied the decades modern fashion elements such as short sleek hair, a short shapeless dress, a flat chest, and exposed limbs. Flappers also had a reputation that added to their style as well; they smoked from long cigarette holders, applied makeup in public and danced to Jazz with reckless abandonment of propriety. Men of this time wore suits, day suits, formal suits, all different kinds of suits. Along with their s uits, they wore a hat according to their class in society: the upper class wore top hats, middle class wore a fedora, and the working class wore a flat cap or no cap at all.To complete their ensemble they wore black patent leather shoes or saddle shoes. As well as the classic suit, flannel, twill, knickerbockers, and sweaters were a more commonly seen casual wear among men of all ages, Then around 1925 â€Å"Oxford bags† were introduced to the public, after being worn as a kind of uniform for Oxford University students. This style grew and grew and before you knew all the young men were wearing them. As the decade progressed, the automobile increasingly became another definer of status and social class in America, both for young people and their parent's. Henry Ford's Model T, which dominated the U. S. Rake until it went out of production in 1927, gave middle-class and even lower-middle-class citizens affordable, reliable transportation. The quintessential expression of Ameri can energy and optimism in the sass was the skyscraper, the great tower that aspired toward heaven and dominated the earth (rather, the urban streets) below. Throughout the sass, then, a concern for fashion, for style as a social and cultural delineated, flourished. Fashion developments in attire, in architecture, and in automobiles helped to define the decade and these developments proved more pervasive and more influential than they had ever been in the past. Fashion in the 1920s Women's Fashion In The sass After the end of World War l, the United States president, Warren G. Harding, claimed that he wanted to return to normalcy and to bring back the peace following the years of war; society did change, but it was no where near what it had been before the war (Margarita 14). â€Å"The reactionary temper of the sass and the repressive movements it spawned arose as reactions to a much-publicized social and intellectual revolution that threatened to rip America from it old moorings† (Tindal 800). During this time, the 18th Amendment was passed in order to maintain society's previous morals and tankards.Many Americans saw the consumption of alcohol as a sin and did not want their society to lose their morals (Margarita 8). Shortly after its passage, the 19th Amendment was passed allowing women the right to vote; instead of having a passive role in society, women were beginning to be more proactive. The appearance of woman in society did not stop work place; instead, because of prohibition and the popularity of speakeasies, women were welcomed and populated such venues. Tuxedoed men accompanied women wearing the latest fashions filled the latest clubs (Margarita 27).Traditionally, 1920 was seen as marking a clear divide in the chronology of women's affairs: the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the vote ended years of struggle, and with the ‘liberation' of the war, which destroyed old stereotypes, led on to the ‘New Woman' of the sass† (Wynn 133). World War I was the turning point from traditional values to a newly enlightened America, a rebellious youth, and newly freed women; as art reflects society, the emancipation and celebration following the war is reflected in the style and fashion that came alive in this new era.Beautiful coordinated and accessories outfits were a feature of sass's ladies fashion, [which consisted of] hats, shoes, stockings, handbags, dresses and Jewelry [that] all came togethe r in perfect harmony to create a unique and elegant style† (Scott). This style portrayed the times as Americans began to stray from the past and the old American ways. â€Å"During those years a cosmopolitan urban America confronted an insular, rural America† leading to the development of urban cities (Tindal 800).In these populated cities, people began to let loose as â€Å"Prohibition indirectly led to bootlegging and speakeasies, while the rowing rebelliousness of teenagers highlighted the generation gap† (Drowned back cover). Participation in these illegal venues had been unheard of in the previous decades, but these changing times encouraged the promotion of such activities and these environments called for a certain style and fashion. â€Å"The Twenties did roar, and this volume shows the many colorful ways the decade altered America, its people, and its future† (Drowned back cover). This ‘new woman' [that arose] eagerly discarded the constrain ing fashions of the nineteenth century – pinched-in corsets, conforming petticoats, and floor-length dresses† (Tindal 801). As the times were changing, their fashion changed in order to reflect â€Å"the rebellion against prudishness and a loosening of inhibitions† (Tindal 801). These new trends shocked the old-timers as the â€Å"the revolution in manners and morals, evidenced first among young people† were represented in their clothing (Tindal 800). As women were beginning to live more freely, their style reflected the same attitude. In 1919 women's skirts were typically six inches about the ground; [but] by 1927 they were at the knee, and the flapper' was providing a shocking model of the new feminism† (Tindal 801). These omen portrayed â€Å"a period of escapism, a youthful reaction against the dark and serious clothes, behavior and mood of an older generation still clinging to old Victorian and Edwardian values† (Herald 6). They were star ting to represent the idea behind the ‘new women. ‘ During this time the girls are actually tempting the boys more than the boys do the girls, by their dress and conversation† straying away from old traditions (Tindal 801).They began â€Å"a move[meet] toward breaking down national boundaries in everything from finance to style – [which] was a theme that ran through the decade† (Herald 6). Women's fashion reflected the change in attitude evident following the war. Fashion followed the new needs of the wearers and the more rebellious consumers in urban American society. â€Å"The passing of bustles and corsets gave clothing designers much greater freedom of expression resulting in innovative styling† (Scott). This permitted the newly reformed lifestyle and attitude to be expressed in women's clothing.In came â€Å"the new and colorful fabrics [that] echoed the Joy felt by a war weary population following the end of hostilities† as well as the â€Å"slim, streamlined look of the twentieth century,† which represented â€Å"youth, ability, and a freer form of sexual expression† (Scott; Blackjacks 133). Women now had the freedom to express themselves and not worry about the opinion of the public. They no longer had to be concerned with their modesty as the ideals began to yield â€Å"to modern sensibilities,† they began to expose their limbs and a â€Å"tight encasement of the[IR] torso† (Blackjacks 133).Society demand brought the new style as they insisted â€Å"that clothes be appropriate for the time of day, the activity, or the formality of the occasion†¦ The higher someone's rank, [depicted the amount of] clothes they needed to meet society demands† (Herald 11). In addition, fashion made improvements towards practical clothing as â€Å"women's underwear changed . With corsets becoming smaller and more flexible, and modern style bras being introduced†¦ [providing] shape and support whereas the older style tended to flatten breasts and constrict the chest† (Scott).Another practical need emerged with the growing popularity of the speakeasies. Women were welcome and where the women are, the men will be and the women were flocking these clubs and actively dancing the night away. â€Å"Flappers, as the trendy young women were called in the U. S. Wore short dresses with a straight loose silhouette. By 1927 seams had risen to Just below the knee, so that part of the knee could be seen when dancing the Charleston† (Scott). â€Å"Flapper fashion featured bobbed hair, minimal undergarments, gauzy fabrics, and sheer stockings† so that they could be free to move while dancing (Tindal 801). Although the sass did abound with flappers and would be flappers, the decade also hosted†¦ Women asserting new power† (Coot 413). And while the flappers' new needs were sought out, fashion also created new opportunities in the workforce for Hes s brave and powerful women. Along with the 19th amendment allowing women's voice and freedom, fashion opened up new Job opportunities that were available to women. â€Å"Women were beginning to enter male-dominated profession, where male clerks were generally being replaced by women typists and secretaries† (Herald 11).The â€Å"office girls needed a whole new wardrobe of smart day wear [as they began working] with new-fangled machines† (Herald 11). These Jobs of â€Å"dressmaking and millinery courses in particular were embraced by women who wanted the new fashions but couldn't afford the retail prices† (Scott). Some women moved into new vocations created by the burgeoning consumer culture such as accounting assistants and departments store clerks† (Tindal 802). â€Å"All the big department stores had mail-order catalogs where you could order clothes for men, women, and children† and have them delivered (Scott).This meant country people had easy ac cess to city fashions for the first time† (Scott). Others were looking to create full part-time Jobs for themselves† (Scott). They also wanted to â€Å"support their fatherless families or to earn extra income to spend on the new luxuries. Working omen also embraced the relatively inexpensive ready-made clothes a mass production of contemporary clothing became common. † (Scott). As the times began to change, the clothes and their designers followed suit.Style and design of fashion changed as women's clothing became â€Å"lighter (due to less material and new synthetic fabrics) and brighter and shorter that ever before† (Scott). Fashion designers experimented with colors, patterns, and fabrics for textures. Evening dresses, coats and Jackets were often trimmed with fur. Hemlines rose for most of the decade† (Scott). One of the influential designers of the decade was Hattie Carnegie, known for her â€Å"personal taste and fashion sense, [which] influen ced the styles worn by countless American women† (Shaw). She sought to â€Å"interpret European style for American consumers† and her style was welcomed as it had â€Å"a guarantee of sophistication and propriety' (Shaw). Carnegie had â€Å"an approach to fashion that emphasized consummate polish in every outfit† (Shaw). Eventually she â€Å"made her name synonymous with American high fashion for almost half a century' (Shaw). â€Å"The Carnegie customer, whatever her age, seems to have been neither girlish nor attorney, but possessed of a certain decorousness† portraying the turn in attitude as well as fashion (Shaw).As the event of changing style, different fabrics were introduced changing the shape, feel, and mood of fashion. â€Å"The sass opened with an explosion of color† as the education of fabric became known and lines were becoming more demonstrated through out the style (Herald 6). Hattie Carnegie â€Å"often stressed the importance of black as a wardrobe basic for both day and evening† (Shaw). The color blue was known as â€Å"a standard color for woman's dress† in the sass's (Scott). Fashion designers used color to portray different emotions.Colors such as green were notorious for being â€Å"very restful to the eye [as] light orange is too bright to be used freely' (Scott). Later the â€Å"Barberry Company introduced its trademark red/camel/black-and-white check in the twenties as a lining for the trench coat† that is still popular today (Herald 6). As women were beginning to understand the use of the textiles, they began to see their â€Å"possibilities and make the most of them† (Scott). Fashion helped the women express their individuality as their role of the ‘new woman' was taking form.The transformation in American culture and society would not have been possible without World War l. Whether it was the celebrations for the end of the war or the results of 18th and 19th Ame ndments, society transformed from traditional values to new, enlightened customs. The celebrations, speakeasies, and superfluous lifestyles demented change and woman paved the way with fashion. Not only did women's fashion change, the new ‘modern women' was born. During this era known as the ‘Roaring Twenties' women were given the right to vote and more importantly, the right to live more freely throughout society.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Constitutional and Administrative Law (Parliament Sovereignty in UK) Essay

Constitutional and Administrative Law (Parliament Sovereignty in UK) - Essay Example Britain is known to have an unwritten constitution; nevertheless, still, they do exist in a solitary text, just like other countries, for instance, the USA and Germany. For that reason, Britain constitution is too often described as partially written and completely unchanged (Goldsworthy, 1999). According to Goldsworthy (2010) the principle of parliamentary supremacy is about the connection between the Legislature and the courts. Is parliament sovereign or the courts? As aforementioned, the United Kingdom is known to have parliament sovereignty, but to what to degree? Dicey asserts that parliament is supreme, meaning that the Legislature has, under the English constitution, the right to make or unmake any decree whatsoever. Further, no individual or entity is acknowledged by the law of England as having a right to overrule or refute the legislation of Parliament. The dogma of legislature sovereignty in the United Kingdom has been considered as the most significant feature of the British constitution. It can be abridged in three parts. The Legislature has the authority to make any law they want, and no legislature can create a decree/law that future parliament cannot amend and only parliament can adjust or unmake a law passed by parliament. It offers categorical authority to Westminster Parliament Dicey illustrates it as the overriding trait of our political organs. Another feature to put into account is the effects of the European Union, the Human Rights Act 1998. It is also essential to consider the Devolution of sovereignty to Scottish Legislature and Welsh Assembly and the establishment of the United Kingdom Supreme Court. These features do not essentially undercut the doctrine of parliament sovereignty, at least theoretically, as the legislature could repeal any of the law carrying out these transformations. The Scottish Legislature and Northern Ireland Congress are both capable to pass key legislation within the places that have been devolved to them. As the network remains devolved and not centralized, the authority of these parliaments stems from the United Kingdom and can be balanced, as has occurred with the Northern Irish case. Nevertheless, this appear improbably to take place in Scotland or Wales, as such a judgment would presently be exce edingly out of favor with the electorate in both areas. The bodies of the European Union, in specific the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that suggests the supremacy to carried out judicial assessment over the United Kingdom law. In this scenario, an unfavorable establishment by the ECJ that a United Kingdom decree is conflicting with the EC Treaties mechanically rescinds the law, because the European Communities Act 1972 offers that European Community decree is sovereign in Britain. An example of this in connection to a law, the Merchant Shipping Act 1988, was the Factortame case. The European Community Act has been considered as a constitutional law. In the case of Thoburn V Sunderland City Council, the Weights puts on leash the impact of parliamentary supremacy, as the ECA must be explicitly repealed for it to be annulled by later unsuited legislation. The European Convention on Human Rights and the integration by the Human Rights Act 1988 of the European Convention an establishm ent of a contravention of Convention rights by the ECHR does not mechanically resc

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Experience and Other Evidence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Experience and Other Evidence - Essay Example (Ricks, 2006) Placing Ricks' findings and observations in Epicurean terms, I was able to synthesize the following argument: One could interpret America's continued occupation of Iraq as a manifestation of 'partiality', in this case toward so called national interest, which in turn translates into the interests of military contractors and oil corporations based in the country. The destruction of lives and resources on both sides is as a result of America 'troubling' itself and 'troubling' its distant and weak enemy in the form of Iraq. Further, consistent with the tenet, the invasion implies 'weakness' on part of the aggressor, more specifically a 'weakness' for material wealth (in this case fossil fuel). It is interesting to note that the wisdom of Epicurus, set out two millenniums ago, finds application in contemporary political actions as well as in an individual's personal life. In the case of the latter, I myself have been found falling short of being a 'blessed and indestructibl e being', for my occasional imprudent anger and partiality has gotten me into hot water a few times. One lingering memory in this respect is when I got into a verbal scuffle with a member of the audience during a college football game. I was slightly inebriated when my team was way behind in the game and the chance of winning was slim. At that point I over-reacted to a snide remark from a fan of the opposing team and got into a heated exchange. In retrospect I realized that though his remark was offensive it was not a defeat to my team and it did not mean anything significant. At that point I got the insight that my reaction is comparable to the way our government has conducted itself in the ongoing War on Terror... The researcher of this essay describes the element of his personal philosophy of life, regarding the dynamics of 'contentment'. Since the whole canon of Western Philosophy is centered on the causes, states and conditions of contentment, it is fair to say that contribution through this narrative is a minuscule one. Yet, the researcher would like to voice his assessment of this universal human concern and try to refine his theory through the responses it will elicit from the audience. The researcher has synthesized hispersonal experience with a larger political event and has studied them both in a philosophical framework. The researcher states that, in order for civilization to progress, parochialism and narrow-mindedness will have to be overcome by embracing principles of solidarity and compassion toward fellow humans. Bringing about this transformation at the level of nations is a highly challenging project, given the power and efficiency of propaganda systems in place. But transform ation at the individual level is more plausible. The researcher personally has endeavored to mould himself in the Epicurean fashion with reasonable success and he implores members of the audience to consider this path. By embracing this philosophy, that was discussed in the essay in details one can acquire a high degree of sophistication and refinement as a person. The researcher then concluds that it will also enable an individual to navigate challenging phases in life with equipoise, stoicism and mental tranquility.

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Company analysis - Sears Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Company analysis - Sears - Term Paper Example Henceforth, the study attempts to determine the recent corporate governance issues that are currently affecting the company's decisions and to report how the company is or should be handling the issues. Mission, vision, and primary stakeholders: The most important mission of the company is to build customer relationships by providing better qualities of wide ranges of goods and services, like clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, appliances, housewares, tools, and electronics. Profitability or the policy of making more money is another important mission of the company. The final mission of the company is to make improvements in each and every day in the business domain and also in the market and to the customer through achievement of greater customer satisfaction. The most important vision of the company is explained by the company itself which is: â€Å"Sears is committed to improving the lives of our customers by providing quality services, products, an d solutions that earn their trust and build lifetime relationships† (Vision, mission, values, 2012, p. 1). The company was founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in 1886. From its beginning, the primary stakeholders of the company were Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck. In 2005, the company was merged with Kmart and created Sears Holdings Corporation. Since then, the owners of Kmart also become the primary stakeholder of the company (Corporate History: A retailing legend is born, 2012, p. 1). Five forces of competition and its impacts on the company: Threat of new entrants: The large size of the company, the large size of the market share of the company, the high level of customer satisfaction, cost-effective business strategies, as well as high level of profit making ability are creating potential threats for new entrants to enter into competition with the company. This is in effect raising the level of profit and market share of the company. Thr eat of Substitute Products: Since the company is only a departmental store of various goods and services which are products or services of other production houses, therefore, the theory of substitute is not directly related to the company. However, the company faces competition from other departmental store like WalMart. In this case, the company takes strategies like lowering prices of various products and/or increasing the quality of these products to create treats to substitute companies and their products. These strategies are helping the company to increase the share of the market and also to make more profits. Bargaining power of suppliers: The bargaining power of the suppliers of various goods and services supplied to the company depends upon the markets for those products and services. Since the markets for various products sold by the company are very large, therefore, these suppliers are also gaining little bargaining power in the market and, hence, the amount of earned pr ofits of the company is very high. Between 1950s and 1970s the high quality of products sold by Sears and greater volume of profits gave the company’s suppliers negligible amount of bargaining power. Bargaining power of customers: The greater level of customer satisfaction is the most important part of the success story of the company. In this regard, the level of bargaining power of the customers of the company is also low. However, this does not mean that the company implements whatever policies it wants to

Friday, July 26, 2019

Small Island Andrea Levy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Small Island Andrea Levy - Essay Example It was not only dehumanising but also very demeaning, inspiring a number of strong written versions of expression of anguish. This novel is an attempt to do the same. However, it is not the author who takes up the task of story narration, and in turn imposes her thoughts. Instead, the author gives greater levels fo autonomy to her four principle characters to take turns and narrate the story! Thus, it is akin to a personal account of the experience of these individuals, set in racist England. This write-up is an attempt to sketch the character of Hortense, who is a migrant from the island of Jamaica. Her character is round, and undergoes a number of changes, spiritually and psychologically through the novel. This is exactly what I have attempted to chalk out, in this paper. The character of Hortense is representative of the average immigrant from the island of Jamaica, who comes to England with dreams to pursue a career. Through her character, the author gives the readers an insight into the mindset and expectations that these immigrants envisage; and how they face sheer disappointment and trauma on reaching the place and living in the midst of racially abusive individuals. UPBRINGING Hortense's character is carved on the dynamic side. Hortense was the daughter of a learned and respected person, Lovell Roberts. He is referred to, as "a man of class". Hortense's childhood was not that of a typical 'Black' Jamaican. She was above them-she had skin "the colour of warm honey" and was certainly not 'Black'. She received class education to become a teacher and possessed polished manners and behaviour. Her hands were adorned with white gloves and she certainly was, a picture of class. Hortense was disappointed with her career as a teacher in Jamaica, since she had to teach the 'Blacks' and not polished youngsters of class. INITIAL RACIST VIEWS This initial description is a give away into the racist Jamaican society. There existed deep-rooted racism, based on the colour of skin. For instance, Hortense was considered a cut above the rest, since she did not have black' skin like the others and possessed a honey-coloured complexion. This establishes the fact that she belonged to the so-called higher strata of the society, back home in Jamaica. She was proud of her skin-tone that was her passport to a higher class in society. She certainly did possess racist views and loathed having to teach the Black children, who were 'wretched', as she felt. Thus, the initial phase of the novel is quite a revelation of Hortense's early life, her racist views and ambitions of making it big in her career. SHIFT IN PERCEPTIONS WITH SHIFT IN PLACE She married Gilbert, who is scheduled to move to England, for the sole reason that she too could get to go to England. She marries him

Sport Economic Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sport Economic Analysis Paper - Essay Example The Phoenix Suns is a team that has recently not been doing well. They have shown a turnaround this summer in the Summer League, but that is not a sure prediction of a turnaround during the regular season. With a new head coach and general manager both in their first year in those positions, the future of this year for the organization is predicted to be a team building year. The spending on salaries for team members is one of the ways in which a team can be predicted for success. The following analysis will look at the nature of team salaries and how they are predictive of success in relationship to the current position of the Phoenix Suns. Background: A New Head Coach and General Manager The Phoenix Suns have found a new coach in order to support their success, but they did not look too far from their own history. Jeff Hornacek was a second round draft pick for the Phoenix Suns in 1986, but now at the age of 50 has been hired as a first time head coach. The Suns are currently in tr ouble as they have not been showing much in the way of talent on the playing floor. The Suns have not been in this much trouble since well before most of the players were born, having really bad seasons in 1994 and even further back, making this during the time when Hornacek was playing. When Hornacek was in his third season as a combo guard, the team averaged about 36 wins in five seasons previous. However, Cotton Fitzsimmons, a veteran coach at the time, took over and flipped the franchise overnight so that he managed to gain 55 wins in his first season as coach. As a part of that history, Hornacek is one of the more popular players in the history of the organization. There is an expectation that Hornacek will pull a similar miracle to the one performed by Fitzsimmons in his freshman year as coach. Caplan (2013) writes that â€Å"The Suns haven't finished above .500 since 2010, when they went to the Western Conference finals. They bottomed out last season -- the first of the post -Steve Nash era -- at 25-57†. Ryan McDonough, age 33, is the first year general manager of the team. The team of Hornacek and McDonough form an unseasoned pair to lead the team towards better outcomes, but there have been some signs that there is already improvement. The Suns came close to winning the Summer League Championship. McDonough was instrumental in bringing in Eric Bledsoe and Carin Butler who both provide the potential for upping the quality of the play for the team. McDonough spoke out about how he views his position for this first year. He told Caplan (2013) that â€Å""The expectations are, for me, just to establish a culture of work, to get better every day†¦I'm not going to measure our success this year in terms of wins and losses, just in terms of: Are we making progress? Are the guys buying in? Are they playing hard and playing the right way? That's what I'm looking for." In rebuilding this team the idea is to be steady and strong, building what they ne ed and looking for the advantages and weaknesses so that they can work with them to build real teamwork. An example of an obstacle for Hornacek is Kendall Marshall who is described by Caplan (2013) as â€Å"the slow-footed point guard who was routinely outplayed in Vegas by the lanky and athletic Goodwin†. Wu (2013) writes that Marshall is consistently attached to any trades that the team considers as they want to move

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Bonds and Interest Rates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bonds and Interest Rates - Essay Example When interest rates go up compared to the coupon rate, bond prices would fall in the market and when interest rates fall, bond prices would go up.   Bond price and interest rates have an inverse relationship. When interest rates go up compared to the coupon rate, bond prices would fall in the market and when interest rates fall, bond prices would go up.   2. The calculations involved with pricing a bond and a stock a) A bond is priced by converting the future cash flows from the coupon rate and the maturity payment to their present value. The discount rate for calculating the present value is the investor’s required yield.  The formula is shown below. An Excel worksheet has PV calculation as a built-in macro.  Bond Price =    C / (1+r)) + C / (1+r) 2 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦   C / (1+r) n    + M / (1+r) nWhere,    ‘C’ is the Coupon rate                          Ã¢â‚¬Ëœn’ are the number of payments         à ‚                 Ã¢â‚¬Ëœr’ is investor’s required yield  Ã‚                        M is the maturity value of the bond   Ã‚     b) The price of a stock is determined using the Dividend Discount Model where the future dividends to be paid out by the company are discounted to a present value. An assumption often made is that there would be a growth in the rate of payment of dividends as the company grows in the future.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Media Comparison Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media Comparison Paper - Essay Example The E-business in its simplest form can be described as doing business in electronic form. Online presence is one predominant form of e-business. Today we are living in a society where the marketing techniques hold a great deal of importance. These techniques include marketing communication together with packaging of the product or service. Mass media plays a crucial role in propagating the message from the company to the existing as well as prospective customer. 'Mass media' a perfect combination of 'Mass' i.e. the public and 'media' i.e. the means of communication, is a deceptively simple yet broad term which encompasses Institutions as well as individuals. Electronic media, print media, internet, informal channels etc are all different forms of mass media. Now a days print media stands distinctly apart from other forms of media. While internet is able to provide us instant access to any information that we desire, print media has the potential of holding our attention provided the company is able to come out with a catchy advertisement. This forms the basis for further exploration. Dell seems to have mastered the art of co ming out with catchy ideas while propagating the message through print media. ... ell makes it a point that the advertisement appears distinctively graceful and full of information, sufficient enough for the prospective customer to do some initial research. In addition the company indicates its website address as well, with the information that the products can be customer built depending upon the requirements of the customers. This helps the company in making it a comprehensive marketing communication campaign. Dell.com: Where every day brings a New Deal The homepage of Dell is quite attractive as compared with the latest laptops inviting the visitor to at least have a look on the features. In the products category on the net, the company displays its entire range of products with options for the customer to go through all these products and zero-in on the desired one. Subsequently, the customer is taken on the desired product page, which displays; i. The price of the product ii. The tabs 'Build yours' and 'Build Yours with 64 bit power' for customization of the product1 Once the customer starts making his/her own product e.g. laptop computer with distinctive requirements, the costs of the product gets updated automatically. This feature is generally not found with other companies Once the prospective customer finalizes his/her requirements, the website asks the customer to fill out some of the personal details so that the company executive could get in touch with the person/s. This process hardly takes couple of minutes. Now, it is the turn of the company and its executives to get in touch with the online visitor and offer him/her the products at best possible prices. This is perfectly in line with the theories of communication which say that the visit must be followed up with matching offers to the customer. If the customer feels inclined

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Critically analyse the midwives role in relation to the administration Essay - 1

Critically analyse the midwives role in relation to the administration of epidural anaesthesia - Essay Example (2004), the concentration of the anaesthetic that is used to prevent or block the propagation of the stimuli from the uterus and birth canal vary from one case to the other.Higher doses are used when the mobility of the stimuli is to be fully blocked. Despite the advantages of this technique that has been commonly used during labour, it is also associated with some problems. Some of the known problems include shivering, fever, cardiovascular depression as well as retention of urine in the patients’ bladder. The anaesthetic can be administered through a bolus, continuous infusion or through PCP.PCP refers to the use of a patent controlled pump. According to Benfield (2002), the last ten years, about 24 % of women have used epidural analgesia during labour in the United Kingdom. In addition to this, about 60 % of those women who underwent assistive delivery also used this technique. Midwives do play an important role during the administration of epidural analgesia. Most of the roles are focused on monitoring the women to ensure their overall well being. The NICE guidelines lay out the duties and responsibilities of the midwives during the administration of epidural analgesia. The midwives work in collaboration with obstetricians and anaesthetist in the maternity clinics. All these three professionals have their specific duties that are concisely and clearly laid down in the NNC guidelines (Nursing & Midwifery Council 2014). The midwife, just like the other professionals always follows these guidelines when caring for the pregnant women in labour who are being given epidural analgesia as a way of relieving the pain that resu lt from the contraction of the birth canal and the uterus. The midwife, working with the obstetrician and anaesthetist may consider epidural analgesia for the expectant women for several reasons. Some of the reasons why this can be done include maternal request, prolonged and painful labour, multiple pregnancy and anticipated instrumental

Monday, July 22, 2019

Public Private Partnership in the Philippines Essay Example for Free

Public Private Partnership in the Philippines Essay Methodology The researcher used the historical research method that provided information on the value of Public-Private Partnership in Philippine Infrastructure Construction. The data provides an overview on how valuable, whether it be for the benefit or detriment of the country, PPP projects are in the socio-economic paradigm. The gathered data were from relevant books, research papers, government data, and thru papers released by relevant parties. What is Public–Private Partnership? Public–private partnership (PPP) describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies. These schemes are sometimes referred to as PPP, P3 or P3. 1 1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public%E2%80%93private_partnership 1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public%E2%80%93private_partnership One of the possible reasons why PPP is the format as to how the Philippine government is conducting most of its high budgeted infrastructure projects is clearly stated by Ferreira and Khatami â€Å"The private sector is playing an increasingly crucial role in the financing and provision of services that were traditionally the domain of the public sector. One of the key reasons is that governments are unable to cope with the ever-increasing demands on their budgets. Most infrastructure expenditures in developing countries have been funded directly from fiscal budgets but several factors such as macroeconomic instability and growing investment requirements have shown that public financing is volatile and, in many countries, rarely meet crucial infrastructure expenditure requirements in a timely and adequate manner.† PPP involves a contract between a public sector authority and a private party, in which the private party provides a public service or project and assumes substantial financial, technical and operational risk in the project. In some types of PPP, the cost of using the service is borne exclusively by the users of the service and not by the taxpayer. In other types (notably the private finance initiative), capital investment is made by the private sector on the strength of a contract with government to provide agreed services and the cost of providing the service is borne wholly or in part by the government. Government contributions to a PPP may also be in kind (notably the transfer of existing assets). In projects that are aimed at creating public goods like in the infrastructure sector, the government may provide a capital subsidy in the form of a one-time grant, so as to make it more attractive to the private investors. In some other cases, the government may support the project by providing revenue subsidies, including tax breaks or by providing guaranteed annual revenues for a fixed period. 2 2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public%E2%80%93private_partnership 2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public%E2%80%93private_partnership PPP in the Philippines The Philippines has a long history of public-private partnership (PPP) initiatives, which serve as a rich basis for future investments. As of now it is a priority of the Benigno Aquino III Administration probably due to its perceived socio economic benefits not only in the usual infrastructure projects like roads, expressways, bridges, transportation terminals etc., it is also going after sectors like information and communications, healthcare, etc. One of the forefront departments involved in Infrastructure development and PPPs is the Department of Public Works and Highways. As Infrastructures are means for our country to regain and sustain high economic growth, improve the social living standards of the people and remove the bottlenecks to international commerce and investment. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is seen as â€Å"approach to invest resources for adequate road infrastructure. The Government has fewer resources to invest on Expressways. DPWH will undertake the reforms needed to create a more conducive environment for private business and help generate many more bankable projects.3† DPWH PROJECTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION IN 2011 1. NAIA Expressway (Phase II) 2. NLEx-SLEx Link Expressway (Unsolicited Proposal) 3. 3 Department of Public Works and Highways, PPP Projects 3 Department of Public Works and Highways, PPP Projects Daang Hari SLEx Link | There were 10 PPPs announced for bidding in 2010, 4 were airport projects. The PPPs included: * the Cavite-Laguna Expressway project, * NAIA Expressway II, * LRT 2 East Extension project * Privatization of LRT-1 OM, * Privatization of MRT-3 OM, * LRT 1 Cavite Extension project, * Bohol Airport, * Puerto Princesa Airport, * New Legaspi (Daraga) airport, and * Privatization of OM of Laguindingan airport. But some of these projects were shelved because the government wanted to be prudent about the structure and rules under which these would be bid out to private investors. Feasibility studies also took a lot of time. 4 4 Why the Initial 10 PPP’s were designed to fail by AYA LOWE 4 Why the Initial 10 PPP’s were designed to fail by AYA LOWE Rene Santiago, a transportation consultant said that opportunity losses due to delays in the PPPs are mounting. For the LRT-1 Cavite extension alone, he estimated the loss at P80 billion in the last 10 years. Santiago also estimated the losses for 2011 to 2013 to total P25 billion in economic costs. The value of the economic benefit loss of the LRT-2 east extension, which would not be completed until 2016, according to Santiago, is already P5.4 billion, more than half the cost of the project itself, which is P9 billion. According to Santiago, Manila was first among ASEAN countries to set up an urban railway the LRT-1 built in the 1980s. â€Å"Many of ASEAN countries have now overtaken Manila,† he said, however.â€Å" From now until 2020, expect the Philippines to lag behind other countries in terms of railway projects,† he said. Based on the researched data Public Private partnership for infrastructures benefits are as follows: * It could increase and give greater infrastructure solutions due to private companies having more resources for research and development and use of innovative technology. * It will offer faster project completion and reduced delays because it skips most of the government red tape present in normal construction and funding is internal to the private sector so there are no projected delays due to budget release. * Its return of investment (ROI) is greater when compare to traditional methods, due to innovative design and financing approaches because of the experience of the private sector in marketing. * Risks are weighted from initial conceptual stages to determine the feasibility of a certain project * The operational and project execution risk is transferred totally to the private sector, leaving the public component on a win-win situation * It is a concept where early completion of the infrastructure is expected under expected budget, reducing the claims and change order process due to it being similar to a developers scenario. * It allows government funds to be re-directed to other important socio-economic areas because funding of projects are done by the private sector. * Reduces government budget and budget deficits, because the government is virtually getting an infrastructure for free. * Public Private partnership allows a reduce tax payment from users similar to the subsidies of the government in LRT, MRT. * Allows the government to direct the expected function of the project in accordance to their own interests But not everything is good about PPP, listed are some of the determined drawbacks: * PPPs have risks involved, and the government will the pay the price to transfer those risks to the private sector, risks like bankruptcy, possible failure of the project during operation. * Certain situations can affect the purity of the process due to specialized areas being improved, reducing the number of contractors available to perform the requested projects wherein sometimes monopoly of contracts happen. * Profits of the projects can vary depending on the assumed risk, competitive level, complexity and volume of the project being performed * Government representative must be highly specialized personnel and contracting experts mostly people from concerned agencies like DOT and DPWH have to have these kind highly trained personnel. CONCLUSION Based on the data gathered the proponent of the study has come to the following conclusion, the benefits of Public Private Partnership further outweighs its detriments as some of the drawbacks can be easily averted through proper project planning and control and preparation. For PPP to be successful, the government and the private sectors involved must do it in with careful urgency. The Philippines is a developing country as such progress and infrastructures needed to elevate our status would be beneficial if achieved in the shortest amount of time as possible, but these projects, if without ample considerations, may initially look promising but in the end may cause a lot of problems, and instead of helping become one of those elements that keep slowing the country down.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

System development life cycle

System development life cycle The report contains the brief overview of the system development life cycle followed in Shriv Commedia Solutions Pvt Ltd. The project includes the adequate technical details about the different phases including the practical example of Bank management system developed by SCMS for its client Corporate Bank. The methodology followed by SCMS for scheduling the project (using Gantt chart) and the software used in assisting the planning process are described in report. Various tests including the feasibility test conducted by system analyst and technical tests conducted by developer are mentioned with the procedure followed during the testing process. The possible threats which may result to the loss of information have been described in the report and the recommendations (solutions) to avoid such threats are also discussed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In general, the report includes the procedure of the information system development in SCMS along with the practical description of the SDLC process, Gantt chart, testing process and the threats for the information system (with recommendations). Relevant examples are included wherever felt necessary to facilitate the reader for easy understanding of the report. Shriv Commedia Solutions Pvt ltd (SCMS) is a dedicated software based company which focuses in areas like Software development, Web designing, Multimedia services, Outsourcing, E-commerce, Technical writing, Search engine optimization and testing solutions, providing the services to the clients ranging from public to private sector. Shriv Commedia Solutions Pvt Ltd has been operating under the software development atmosphere since 2001. It has its head office located in India and the branches in UK, Canada and US, all of them focusing on finest, cost-effective and timely solutions. With the main pillars, mission, vision and values, SCMS has been rapidly progressing in todays competitive IT world. It has been successful in providing the innovative and perfect solutions to its clients with the client based approach.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From the list of systems developed by SCMS we have decided to discuss the Bank management system developed for ‘corporate bank’ by SCMS. Corporate bank was established on 1906 and is one of the imperative clients of SCMS since 2004. The system developed by SCMS for Corporate bank is designed in the way to achieve the maximum security for the databases used to store the details about all the banking transactions as well as the account details of the costumers. It is also capable of recording the data of the bank employees. For example, Employee payroll records, details of employee and the attendance of employee. The system developed is able to work with all, internet, intranet as well as extranet. It was also optimized to work with different operating system and was capable to be upgraded along with the introduction of the new technology. Taking the same banking management system developed by SCMS into consideration, each of the development methodology is discussed further in the project. Information System Model in Shriv ComMedia Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Information System Model states an elementary conceptual outline for the major components and activities of information system. In Shriv Commedia Solution Pvt. Ltd, information system depends on the resource of people, software, hardware, data and networks to perform input, processing, output and storage and control activities that converts data resource into information products. Information system Model of Shriv ComMedia Solutions Pvt. Ltd. illustrates that information system consists of 5 major Components: 1. PEOPLE RESOURCES: In SCMS people (end users and IS specialists) are necessary for the function of all information system. 2. SOFTWARE RESOURCES: it includes all sets of information processing instructions 3. HARDWARE RESOURCES: It comprises of all the physical materials and devices used in information processing. Machines: All physical devices: Computers, peripherals and telecommunication networks. Media: all tangible objects in which data is recorded Hardware resource in SCMS 4. DATA RESOURCE:- Data are raw facts and figures typically about physical phenomena or business transaction. Data constitutes a valuable organizational resource. SCMS process data into information and organize it for future use. In SCMS data resource of information system are typically organized into 5. NETWORK RESOURCE: It includes the means of communication within the organization or with the outside world like internet, intranet by which data or information can be transferred between the different departments of the organization. Telecommunication network like internet, intranet and extranet have become essential for the organizations. Network resources includes System Development Lifecycle generally consists of the five phases including Planning, Analysis, design, implementation and support. All the five phases are arranged together and used to build the information system. Followings are some of the SDLC model used by SCMS depending on the softwares requirement: Waterfall Model Prototype Model Iterative Model Spiral Model Agile software Development Model RAD Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Shriv Commedia Solutions (SCMS) they first take the user requirements and decide which type of models should be followed for the development of the system. The second step will be to organize the activities by grouping them into larger categories called phases. In this way the phases are formed into the loop with support phase pointing to the planning phase whenever there is the necessity to change in the information system. The change is determined by the users want of information in different format, release of new version, or due to the hardware becoming obsolete. When the changes occur the planning phase begins again and some part of whole of the system is modified and the system development lifecycle starts again. When corporate Bank offered the project of developing ‘Bank management System’ to Shriv Commedia Solutions, Spiral Model was followed there in order to develop Bank Management System. They selected spiral Model since it provides early indication of undefeatable risks and users can be closely tied to all lifecycle steps. SCMS arranges its system development process in following order. 1. Planning Phase:- The client requests are reviewed by the steering committee (decision making body) which consists of 7-8 people in SCMS including vice president, managers and non-managerial employees. During this phase: Project ideas are collected and reviewed Project ideas are prioritized Allocate resources Project Development team is formed 2. Analysis Phase:- Gather Customer requirements: Following techniques are used by SCMS for collecting the requirements from the customers: Interviews Questionnaires Client Documents Scenarios Rapid Prototypes Select and justify a project (feasibility test) Submit and approve the request for proposal Get the project team in place Prepare the requirements documents Conduct project kick-off meeting Develop Statement of Scope WBS Development: Conduct ‘work break down Structure’ meeting Build work break down Structure Update WBS in project plan Outline project plan Assign resources to project plan tasks Create entity relationship diagram (ERD) Create Data Flow Diagram (DFD) Define data dictionary Perform object-oriented analysis 3. Design phase:- Acquire hardware and software needed for the project Design data model Write functional specifications Design prototypes Write detailed design specifications Write documentation plan Write beta test plan Write customer support plan Write training plan Write risk management plan 4. Implementation phase:- Development AND Unit Testing of Module(1-n) Testing Integration Software Quality Assurance (SQA) System test Track defects Regression test Manage Release and Change Configuration management New full releases Maintenance releases Installing and testing of new system Install beta test system Conduct beta tests Track defects and report to customer support Gather requirements for customizations Implement software Execute customer acceptance test procedure Cutover development to production Training Develop training specification for end users, help desk support staff Identify training delivery methodology i.e. computer based, classroom Develop training materials Develop training delivery mechanism 5. Support:- Post implementation system review:- Document lessons learned Distribute to team members Create software maintenance team Identify errors and enhancement Monitor the performance of system Shriv ComMedia Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Followed the same method discussed above for accomplishing the project offered by the Corporate Bank Following steps are used in SCMS to create a Gantt chart:- 1. All activities or task are listed in plan They find out the earliest possible date of all the tasks or activities of project and estimate the length of time it will take and check whether it is parallel or sequential. If the task is sequential they show the stages on which it depends. They use the X axis of the graph paper for the date, week or months required for the completion of the project and Y axis to itemize the tasks in its order 2. Plotting the tasks onto the plan They list the tasks in Y axis on the left hand side of the page and to draw up a rough first draft of the Gantt chart, they plot each task on the plan showing it starting on the earliest possible date. They draw each task as a horizontal bar with the length of the bar being the length of the time the task will take. Above each task bar they mark the estimated time taken to complete the task. 3. Schedule the tasks Now they redraw the Gantt chart on a fresh sheet to schedule actions and tasks. They schedule these in such a way that sequential actions are carried out in the desired sequence e.g. dig holes then lay the foundation and then start construction. They also ensure that these dependent activities do not start until the activities they depend on have been totally completed They try to schedule parallel task so that they do not interfere the sequential action on the critical path. While scheduling they make sure that they are making the best use of time and resource available to them. Once their Gantt chart is drawn one can see how long it will take to complete the project. Assessment process begins as soon as the requests are received in SCMS. They perform the various feasibility evaluations in order to know how suitable the development of a system will be to the company. The feasibility test process conducted by SCMS for the project request of Corporate Bank consisted 3 phases: The feasibility tests performed by system analyst of SCMS were: 1. Operational Feasibility: Operational feasibility was based on the following parameters: The effectiveness of the proposed system in corporate bank. Impact of new system in existing system User preferences (collected from interview) Requirements of the new system 2. Schedule feasibility: Following parameters were responsible for schedule feasibility The deadline of the project (either reasonable or not) Estimated time for project completion 3. Technical feasibility: Following things were considered during technical feasibility: Hardware and software required for project Availability of the people to deliver and support the proposed system 4. Economic feasibility: In SCMS the economic feasibility test was conducted by system analyst with the assistance of financial analyst. Following were the parameters looked upon for economic feasibility: Benefits of the proposed system to the corporate bank Cost-Benefit relation regarding the system use After the feasibility test was conducted the system analyst submitted the feasibility report to the steering committee recommending the further study (detailed analysis) of the corporate bank. Feasibility report in case of SCMS was a written document submitted with the details of the existing system, benefits of new system and recommendation. The implementation phase in SCMS consists of four major phases: Development of the program Testing of the new system Train the users Convert to new system SCMS generally uses two methods for the development of the program. Outsourcing the program Developing the program SCMS sometimes outsource the software required for them but most of the times the development process is favoured. During the preparation of the software for Corporate Bank following software and technologies were used by SCMS. The tests performed by SCMS for verifying the Bank management system designed for Corporate Bank were: 1. Functional Testing: The main objective of the functional test was to ensure that each of the elements of the system meets the user requirements. The requirements were: Requirements placed by user (corporate bank) Business Design Specification Year 2000 development standard Different phases of functional testing were: a. Validation Test It basically checked the Windows GUI standards, Valid, invalid and limit data input, Screen and field look and appearance, and Overall consistency with rest of the units. b. Specific functional test (UNIT TEST) Low level tests which were conducted to test the individual process and data flow. 2. System Test: This test was performed to check whether all the units of the application were working together to produce the output and there is no gaps in the data flow from one unit to other. 3. Integration Test: Integration test was performed by connecting the application with the different other application. The performance of the application with different other software was noted and the application was verified based on the results. 4. Performance Testing: This test was carried out to verify that the system provides the acceptable response time (should not exceed 4 seconds). 5. Regression Testing: The main objective of the regression test was to observe the functionality and stability of the software. It was automated with the help of the automated testing tools. Test environment available in visual studio and NUnit software was used to automate the testing of the application designed for Corporate Bank. Several formal reviews were carried before and during the tests and they were documented. The major formal review points were placed in different stages of testing as shown in the diagram: When all the tests were performed by the developer and all the errors /bugs were fixed, the additional tests were performed to ensure that system was working in integrated manner. In this way the application designed for the corporate bank was verified by the developers team. During the system development in SCMS there are various security that arises which may lead to the information loss. Following are some of the security risks and their solutions to prevent the information loss: 1. Server Downtime: Risk: Server downtime may cause the server to stop working so that the entire computer bridged with the server will be unable to connect with server. This may cause the loss of the information when the information is being sent to server. Solution: Before upgrading or migrating to a different physical server, make sure servers pass all tests prior to full deployment, and test and debug all applications prior to full deployment. 2. Obsolete application and tools: Risk: Due to the defect in the application and tools the loss of the information may occur. Hardware crashes and Software failure may occur causing the information loss. Solution: Make the careful inventory of the all applications and tools currently in use, prior to system implementation. Always use the trusted Hardware brands and software brands to avoid the hardware/software failure. Benchmarking testing can prove fruitful to check the hardware or software. 3. Computer Virus, Worms and Trojans: Risks: These are the malicious-logic program which act without user knowledge can alter the computers operation and result to information loss. Solutions: Following measures can be adopted to prevent the computer viruses, worms and Trojans: Prevent starting the computer with removable media in drives. Never open an e-mail attachment from source other than trusted. Set the macro security level to medium in the word processing or spreadsheet programs. Install the genuine version of the operating system Install the good antivirus software (updatable, reliable and efficient) 4. Denial of Service (DoS) attack: Risk: A DoS attack is designed to overload the server. The perpetrators use the softwares of codes to send thousand of requests to the server so that the valid user cant connect the server. Solution: The best way to prevent the DoS attack is not letting the DoS style attacks near the webserver. The tools like apaches mod_security or mod_dosevasive/mod_evasive can be used to drop the abusive IP address at the firewall before they get anywhere near the webserver. 5. Backdoors: Risk: Backdoors are the programmer created algorithms which bypass security mechanisms and provides the access to the programs so as to access the program for troubleshooting or saving the development time. But hackers and crackers use backdoors to gain access to program and inject the malicious code to the program causing the information loss. Solutions: Scan for the Backdoors with the help of tools available in market. Eg: SpyHunter security tool Update the antispyware software For developer: Try avoiding the backdoors during the design phase or eliminate the backdoors before the delivery of the software to the client. 6. Hardware Failure: Risk: Hardware failure can cause the loss of information stored in hard drives. Solutions: Frequently backup the hard drives Use Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) to prevent hardware crashes Online Storage of the data and information After the research conducted on the System Development lifecycle of Shriv Commedia Solutions Pvt Ltd we came to conclude that the company (SCMS) follows the general five phases of the information system development cycle for the project received. It follows all the five phases thoroughly and tends to meet the user requirements by developing the perfect matching solutions for their business.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We came to know that the system analyst has the major role in the development process as he/she acts as the bridge between both users and developers. Analyst is the person who conducts the feasibility tests and decides the suitability of the project for company. The project development team consisting of different level of employees work on the project, as scheduled on Gantt chart, designed by the project leader. SCMS conducts the different tests during and after the designing of the application to make the application error-free before it is delivered to the client. There are also many security threats for the application which may cause the information loss. By the help of the research we came to know the measures to eliminate the security risks and protect the loss of information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In general, after the research on SCMS and its system development methodology in case of Corporate Bank (one of its client) we had the detailed knowledge of the different phases of the information system development lifecycle and the possible threats for the information loss.

Airline Industry SWOT Analysis

Airline Industry SWOT Analysis Conducting a SWOT analysis, that is, reviewing the strengths of an organization, its weaknesses, opportunities it can capitalize on for maximum profits, and the threats to achieving its full potential provides very invaluable information to the organization about the market and understanding the industry, as well. The aviation industry is not an exception, it too has its own share of strengths and opportunities which once utilized by an organization can help it grow substantially and weaknesses and threats which the organization must strive to minimize to the lowest possible levels. Strengths One of the strengths of an organization in the aviation industry is the growing income levels. The growth in individual incomes increases the amount of disposable income and hence many people are able to utilize the carriers to fly to their destinations Growth in tourism is also a major strength as it has led to a significant increase in the number of domestic and international passengers with statistics indicating a 50% growth in the number of domestic flyers and a 25% increase in the number of international flyers. Despite the downturns, air travel has continued to grow over time and is one of those industries that are far away from reaching their peak. This can be partly attributed to the ever growing population and the increase in the propensity of people to fly. With efficient management, an organization in the aviation industry is guaranteed to grow into a big and profitable enterprise. Air travel has a marked safety record and has been generally accepted as a safe and fast way to travel. Even the low cost growing airlines have safety and speed attributed to them and therefore, a small growing airline shares this strength with big and recognized brand names in the industry which is quite an advantage. Airline staff consists of highly trained personnel, which is a major strength, to any organization in the industry. Weaknesses One of the major weaknesses in the aviation industry is infrastructural development. The development of infrastructure has been very slow thus unable to keep up the pace of growth of the aviation sector. It is therefore, a major bottleneck in the industry. A growing airline should therefore, give priority to investing in infrastructure by constructing state of the art airports with adequate runways and ample parking lots for passengers. It should also invest on routes leading to the airports to help reduce passenger delays due to traffic. Airlines have been known to have a very high spoilage rate in comparison with other industries. Once a passenger misses his/her flight, the income/revenue from that seat is lost. In order to avoid or minimize this occurrence, the airline should establish a method of contacting all the passengers prior to departure to remind them of their flight. There should also be a larger time window between the boarding time and the departure of the airbus to cater for those passengers who arrive late for their flights. Aircrafts are very expensive and running an airline requires a very huge capital outlay. For this to work to the advantage of the airline, proper marketing strategies are required, and careful planning to ensure that returns on investment are greater than the initial investment. An airline may find it very difficult to compete with other carriers due to their low fares. To survive this, the organization can lower its fares but ensure that they are in balance with the returns to avoid losses. Extensive advertising campaigns on quality can also give it an edge over the low cost carriers. Airlines have to maintain a huge work force which is spread over an outsized ecological area and which requires constant communication and monitoring. For this to work to its advantage, extensive evaluation of the personnel is required to ensure competence and also the ability of the workers to work under minimum supervision. Opportunities There are many opportunities that an airline can capitalize on to reap maximum profits. Expected investment is one of the opportunities that can benefit an airline. The aviation sector is ever growing, and there is an increasing number of stakeholders in the industry willing to invest in air travel. An airline can take this opportunity to increase its capital base so as to be able to enjoy large economies of scale. Development of new products and services can have a substantial blow on the profits of an organization. In aviation, an airline can introduce mailing services for delivery of mails and parcels across the globe. It can also introduce special fare packages for those travelling to certain destinations for pleasure or business. Technological advancement and investment in information technology is an opportunity that can greatly help an organization to minimize its operation cost. An airline can rely on information technology to offer more customers friendly services and also provide customers with other services like internet while travelling which would make them pay more for the services hence increasing the profit margins of the organization. The organization should evaluate end user response to its services to gain information on what areas of its services to improve. This would go a long way in helping the organization acquire new customers as well as retain its old ones who are satisfied with the services being offered. The organization should also take the opportunity to expand and cover a larger geographical area. It should grow into the untapped markets and offer its products and services in these regions. Having a large customer base would increase its profits. Acquiring better supply deals, for example, a less expensive fuel supplier would greatly minimize the operation cost of an organization in the aviation industry. The airline can also retain its suppliers but negotiate for better deals with the aim of increasing its profit margin. Cutting down on delays is very important in the aviation industry. Minimized delays would mean less refunds and minimal compensation due to inconveniences made. It would also help the organization to gain the customers trust thus establishing itself as a carrier of choice for many travelers. Linking up with other carriers in the industry is an opportunity that should not be ruled out. Linking up with another carrier would increase the passenger volume greatly. This can be done through ensuring a coordinated schedule where the airlines offer their services to various destinations through a sharing agreement. Only one carrier flying to a given destination from a particular location would enable the partnering carriers to avoid the long time taken before an aircraft is filled. Threats There are many threats facing organizations in the aviation industry. Travelling for leisure and business is greatly impacted by the global economy. A downturn in the global economy means that less people are likely to travel for pleasure and to do business. This leads to low income to the airline during this period. To minimize the effect of this, the organization should devise a mechanism of lowering its operation cost to the minimum possible levels to avert possible losses due to its operating costs exceeding income. Some government legislation can also be a major threat to investors in the aviation industry. Intervention by the government can come with it rules which are very costly to adhere to and also competition from unexpected quarters, for example, from international airlines due to liberalization of the market. Air travel is very vulnerable to environmental changes. Heavy storms are detrimental to flight schedules, and this may mean refunding those customers who opt to cancel their flights all together other than to wait. It can also lead to loss of an asset, for example, the crashing of an aircraft. To minimize the effect of this, the airline should ensure that it is well insured against losses resulting from these weather changes. There should also be an insurance cover for its passengers. Air travel has a seasonal demand especially where the largest percentage of travelers involves those travelling for leisure. In this case, the highest demand is likely to be during international holidays like the Christmas season and a significant decrease in demand midway through the year. To ensure that there is no considerable drop in customers during the off peak seasons, the organization can come up with a method of encouraging people to travel during this period by, for example, lowering the travelling rates, offering discounts and special travelling packages. In recent times, air travel has been a target to terrorists, and this has had a very negative impact on the airlines themselves. Frequent fliers have been scared away, and the airline industry has lost a considerable number of customers. To gain back the lost confidence, an organization should carry out an extensive campaign meant to assure customers of their safety when travelling using their airline. Over the next few years, huge investments are expected to be made in the aviation industry. New airlines are likely to crop up and this will lead to a strain on the available pilots, and airport staff. This will be a limiting factor to the continued growth of the airline. To prevent this, the airline should start training its own pilots and airport staff. This would in future give it an advantage over the other airlines which would be experiencing a shortage of the same. The airline can therefore, transform this threat into an opportunity by selling some of its staff to the other businesses for a profit. With the increasing number of airlines and aircrafts, there is likely to be a marked shortage of airports and airport facilities. The airline should therefore, invest heavily in its own airports and ensure that they have ample parking bays for its aircrafts. The organization also faces the threat of being vulnerable to attacks by its major competitors. It should therefore, have all the mechanisms of counteracting this in standby so that it does not fall to accusations from other airlines. The greatest hurdle facing many airlines today is high fuel prices. A huge upward surge in fuel prices can destabilize an investment in the aviation industry. To counter this, the airline should ensure that it has its own fuel reserve so that it is not immediately affected by the changes in fuel prices as it will have time to adjust while relying on its fuel reserves. With its own reserve, it can benefit from this threat by providing that much needed resource to its competitors at a large profit margin.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Imagine you have been asked to direct J.B. Priestley’s “An Inspector :: Drama

Imagine you have been asked to direct J.B. Priestley’s â€Å"An Inspector Calls† what Instructions would you give to the actor playing the part of Mr Arthur Birling At the opening of the play, Priestley presents a typical Edwardian middle class business family. The arrogance and pomposity of the Birlings is clear immediately as Priestley remarks, â€Å"they are all feeling rather pleased with themselves.† As the audience are introduced to the play the Birlings are celebrating the engagement of Sheila Birling and Gerald Croft. Mr Birling is a successful businessman who has been active in local politics and has had the honour of being Lord Mayor. He is a magistrate and has hopes of being given a knighthood which will make him socially closer to Sir George and Lady Croft, the parents of his future son in law, Gerald Croft. Mr Birling is self confident, but his more humble upbringing makes him â€Å"social outcast† and he enters the group of â€Å"noveau riche† the new rich. The way he speaks shows him up; he is not a highly intellectual man of upper-class grace, but a man who still speaks with limited interests and narrow-minded views. Mr Birling is the man of the house, and in the setting of the play, 1912, it was a patriarchal society, where men had more power and were considered more important than women, as even Mrs Birling accepts, â€Å"when your married you’ll realise that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend nearly all their time and energy on their business.† Mr Birling is a bully, he rules by intimidation and self importance. Mr Birling will be dressed appropriately for his daughter’s engagement, wearing an expensive tailor-made suit with tie, or a dinner jacket with bow tie. Mr Birling represents the older generation, where he cannot accept responsibility for mistakes he has done. It is a huge failing in him, and ends up in attempting to cover himself up. His weakness makes him appear desperate and foolish, and gives the Inspector the advantage of having Mr Birling cornered, â€Å"Look Inspector-I’d give thousands-yes, thousands-.â€Å" The Inspector has broken him, he has the call of the questions. The opening of the curtains starts with ironically with Mr Birling speaking in his very loud abrasive manor, â€Å"Giving us the port, Edna? That’s right. You ought to like this port, Gerald. As a matter of fact, Finchley told me it’s exactly the same port your father gets from him.† The atmosphere on stage at this point in the play, is very cheerful and light spirited, they are all celebrating the engagement of Gerald and Sheila, a very serene and joyous occasion.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Essay on the Dilemma of Billy Budd -- Billy Budd Essays

The Dilemma of Billy Budd    Herman Mellville's Billy Budd is and extremely divisive novel when one considers the dissension it has generated. The criticism has essentially focused around the argument of acceptance vs. resistance. On the one hand we can read the story as accepting the hanging of Billy Budd as the necessary ends of justice. We can read Vere's condemnation as a necessary military action performed in the name of preserving order aboard the Indomitable. On the other hand, we can argue that Billy's execution as the greatest example of injustice.    The question has been asked if Vere's conduct is right or wrong. In either case, since Billy Budd is an ethical text, it is very odd that there is an absence of the emotion guilt.   Billy Budd is a story about two murders. Billy kills Claggart and Vere (although indirectly, the decision is ultimately his) kills Budd. Neither of the murderers demonstrate guilt in the form of remorse. For a narrative that tries to put the reader in a moral and ethical position, it is ironic that the characters themselves don't exhibit what would seem most ethical.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ... ... To read the story as either accepting or resisting an ethical dilemma is perhaps debatable. The point of the story may be to state man's need to punish and retaliate with injury through means that may be befogged. The reader may be upset with the death of Billy Budd not for the seemingly unjust killing of a sympathetic character, but for its illustration of a society coming apart at the seams; one which doesn't necessarily make sense considering human nature, but one that is so closely linked to social systems, it is doubtful that it could ever be changed.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚