Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Comparison - Essay Example At the same time, the tables are turned, and he depends on his family and assistance and care from his sister while it used to be the other way round; hence, the family which was dependent on him has to start working again. The play Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner by Alan Sillitoe follows the life of a young boy who is caught robbing a bakery by the law enforcers, and this lands him a place at the prison school at Ruxton Towers. The living conditions at the Borstal are tough and Smith seeks solace in long-distance running to escape from these circumstances. He attracts the attention of the school authorities who promise early to release from the brutality of Borstal if he wins an important cross-country championship. Smith has all the reasons and the powers to win the competition, but on an interesting turn of events, he deliberately loses the race to the dismay of spectators and school authorities. The two stories seek to present the social problems faced by the society, whic h are social and emotional alienation, loneliness as demonstrated by the main characters. Both authors, Kafka and Sillitoe explore effective use of metaphor to address these issues and present them to the audience. While Kafka uses vermin, Sillitoe uses running. Both are demonstrated throughout the respective stories in examining major obstacles faced by the characters. Therefore, the metaphors are used to convey the actions of the characters, Samsa and Smith, and how they interact with them to achieve the purpose of the stories. Kafka is one of the greatest German writers, famous for writing technique that unites concrete and figurative language in order to demonstrate purpose and idea. As such, amazing use of metaphor in writing is one of the significant elements of his writing techniques. In the story Metamorphosis, he does not fail short of this technique, which he uses to convey the social problems in the society through the main character. Kafka uses metaphor to represent or r eveal the relationship between people or characters in the story, in which he uses vermin. The first metaphor in this story is metamorphosis itself whereby Samsa suddenly changes to a monstrous insect one morning. Samsa contributes a great deal to the enhancement of the metaphor of metamorphosis because, despite unusual transformation, he does not stop to question why and how it could be possible. Metamorphosis is a metaphor because it is unrealistic for human beings to transform into insects, but Samsa accepts this situation fairly, readily without questioning the reality or logic behind this matter. This direction taken by the main character is peculiar because normal human nature would seek inquiry to explain the transformation. This lack of query is unusual, and one could argue that the transformation occurred mentally and not physically. The transformation into a beetle represents the life in Samsa’s family, as well as a reflection of his own life. Samsa provides for his family the same way an insect would provide for the rest of the members; thus, the transformation represents his role in the family. He is so much concerned with work and provision for his family that he does not even have hobbies or real friends, let alone a good friendship with his own family. This behavior can be compared to that of an insect, and thus, Samsa successfully delivers the purpose of the story with the aid of the metaphor. Another metaphor in this story is communication in the Samsa family. Kafka uses metap

Monday, October 28, 2019

Supply Chain Management Essay Example for Free

Supply Chain Management Essay All supply chain management shares one common, and central, objective – to satisfy the end customer. All stages in a chain must eventually include consideration of the final customer, no matter how far an individual operation is from the end-customer. Each operation in the chain should be satisfying its own customer, but also making sure that eventually the end-customer is also satisfied. Supply chain objectives Meeting the requirements of end-customers requires the supply chain to achieve appropriate levels of the five operations performance objectives: quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost. Quality – the quality of a product or service when it reaches the customer is a function of the quality performance of every operation in the chain that supplied it. Errors in each stage of the chain can multiply in their effect on end-customer service. Speed has two meanings in a supply chain context. The first is how fast customers can be served, an important element in any business’s ability to compete. However, fast customer response can be achieved simply by over-resourcing or over-stocking within the supply chain. Dependability – like speed, one can almost guarantee ‘on-time’ delivery by keeping excessive resources, such as inventory, within the chain. However, dependability of throughput time is a much more desirable aim because it reduces uncertainty within the chain. Flexibility – in a supply chain context is usually taken to mean the chain’s ability to cope with changes and disturbances. Very often this is referred to as supply chain agility. The concept of agility includes previously discussed issues such as focusing on the end-customer and ensuring fast throughput and responsiveness to customer needs. But, in addition, agile supply chains are sufficiently flexible to cope with changes, either in the nature of customer demand or in the supply capabilities of operations within the chain. Cost – in addition to the costs incurred within each operation, the supply chain as a whole incurs additional costs that derive from each operation in a chain doing business with each other. These may include such things as the costs of finding appropriate suppliers, setting up contractual agreements, monitoring supply performance, transporting products between operations, holding inventories, and so on. 5 factors for rating alternative suppliers Short-term ability to supply Range of products or services provided Quality of products or services Responsiveness Dependability of supply Delivery and volume flexibility Total cost of being supplied Ability to supply in the required quantity Long-term ability to supply Potential for innovation Ease of doing business Willingness to share risk Long-term commitment to supply Ability to transfer knowledge as well as products and services Technical capability Operation capability Financial capability Managerial capability Choosing suppliers should involve evaluating the relative importance of all these factors. 6 supply chain relationship business-to-business (B2B) relationships are by far the most common in a supply chain context and include some of the e-procurement exchange networks discussed earlier. Business-to-consumer (B2C) relationships include both ‘bricks and mortar’ retailers and online retailers. Consumer-to-business (C2B) relationships involve consumers posting their needs on the web (sometimes stating the price they are willing to pay), companies then deciding whether to offer. Customer-to-customer (C2C) or peer-to-peer (P2P) relationships include the online exchange and auction services and file sharing services. 7 types of supply chain relationship The very opposite of performing an operation in-house is to purchase goods and services from outside in a ‘pure’ market fashion, often seeking the ‘best’ supplier every time it is necessary to purchase. Each transaction effectively becomes a separate decision. The relationship between buyer and seller, therefore, can be very short-term. Once the goods or services are delivered and payment is made, there may be no further trading between the parties. The advantages of traditional market supplier relationships are usually seen as follows: ââ€"  They maintain competition between alternative suppliers. This promotes a constant drive between suppliers to provide best value. ââ€"  A supplier specializing in a small number of products or services  (or perhaps just one), but supplying them to many customers, can gain natural economies of scale. This enables the supplier to offer the products and services at a lower price than would be obtained if customers per formed the activities themselves on a smaller scale. ââ€"  There is inherent flexibility in outsourced supplies. If demand changes, customers can simply change the number and type of suppliers. This is a far faster and simpler alternative to having to redirect their internal activities. ââ€"  Innovations can be exploited no matter where they originate. Specialist suppliers are more likely to come up with innovative products and services which can be bought in faster and cheaper than would be the case if the company were itself trying to innovate. ââ€"  They help operations to concentrate on their core activities. One business cannot be good at everything. It is sensible therefore to concentrate on the important activities and outsource the rest. There are, however, disadvantages in buying in a totally ‘free market’ manner: ââ€"  There may be supply uncertainties. Once an order has been placed, it is difficult to maintain control over how that order is fulfilled. ââ€"  Choosing who to buy from takes time and effort. Gathering sufficient information and making decisions continually are, in themselves, activities which need to be resourced ââ€"  There are strategic risks in subcontracting activities to other businesses. An over-reliance on outsourcing can ‘hollow out’ the company, leaving it with no internal capabilities which it can exploit in its markets. Short-term relationships may be used on a trial basis when new companies are being considered as more regular suppliers. Also, many purchases which are made by operations are one-off or very irregular. For example, the replacement of all the windows in a company’s office block would typically involve this type of competitive-tendering market relationship. In some public-sector operations, purchasing is still based on short-term contracts. This is mainly because of the need to prove that public money is being spent as judiciously as possible. However, this short-term, price-oriented type of relationship can have a downside in terms of ongoing support and reliability. This may mean that a short-term ‘least-cost’ purchase decision will lead to long-term high cost. Virtual operations An extreme form of outsourcing operational activities is that of the virtual  operation. Virtual operations do relatively little themselves, but rely on a network of suppliers that can provide products and services on demand. A network may be formed for only one project and then disbanded once that project ends. The advantage of virtual operations is their flexibility and the fact that the risks of investing in production facilities are far lower than in a conventional operation. However, without any solid base of resources, a company may find it difficult to hold onto and develop a unique core of technical expertise. The resources used by virtual companies will almost certainly be available to competitors. In effect, the core competence of a virtual operation can only lie in the way it is able to manage its supply network. ‘Partnership’ supply relationships Partnership relationships in supply chains are sometimes seen as a compromise between vertical integration on the one hand (owning the resources which supply you) and pure market relationships on the other (having only a transactional relationship with those who supply you). Although to some extent this is true, partnership relationships are not only a simple mixture of vertical integration and market trading, although they do attempt to achieve some of the closeness and coordination efficiencies of vertical integration, but at the same time attempt to achieve a relationship that has a constant incentive to improve. Partnership relationships are defined as: ‘relatively enduring inter-firm cooperative agreements, involving flows and linkages that use resources and/or governance structures from autonomous organizations, for the joint accomplishment of individual goals linked to the corporate mission of each sponsoring firm’.11 What this means is that suppliers and customer s are expected to cooperate, even to the extent of sharing skills and resources, to achieve joint benefits beyond those they ould have achieved by acting alone. At the heart of the concept of partnership lies the issue of the closeness of the relationship. Partnerships are close relationships, the degree of which is influenced by a number of factors, as follows: ââ€"  Sharing success. An attitude of shared success means that both partners work together in order to increase the total amount of joint benefit they receive, rather than manoeuvring to maximize their own individual contribution. ââ€"  Long-term expectations. Partnership relationships imply relatively long-term commitments, but not  necessarily permanent ones. ââ€"  Multiple points of contact. Communication between partners is not only through formal channels, but may take place between many individuals in both organizations. ââ€"  Joint learning. Partners in a relationship are committed to learn from each other’s experience and perceptions of the other operations in the chain. ââ€"  Few relationships. Although partnership relationships do not necessarily imply single sourcing by customers, they do imply a commitment on the part of both parties to limit the number of customers or suppliers with whom they do business. It is difficult to maintain close relationships with many different trading partners. ââ€"  Joint coordination of activities. Because there are fewer relationships, it becomes possible jointly to coordinate activities such as the flow of materials or service, payment, and so on. ââ€"  Information transparency. An open and efficient information exchange is seen as a key element in partnerships because it helps to build confidence between the partners. ââ€"  Joint problem-solving. Although partnerships do not always run smoothly, jointly approaching problems can increase closeness over time. ââ€"  Trust. This is probably the key element in partnership relationships. In this context, trust means the willingness of one party to relate to the other on the understanding that the relationship will be beneficial to both, even though that cannot be guaranteed. Trust is widely held to be both the key issue in successful partnerships, but also, by far, the most difficult element to develop and maintain. 8 Matching the supply chain with market requirements. The supply chain policies which are seen to be appropriate for functional products and innovative products are termed by Fisher efficient supply chain policies and responsive supply chain policies, respectively. Efficient supply chain policies include keeping inventories low, especially in the downstream parts of the network, so as to maintain fast throughput and reduce the amount of working capital tied up in the inventory. What inventory there is in the network is concentrated mainly in the manufacturing operation, where it can keep utilization high and therefore manufacturing costs low. Information must flow quickly up and down the chain from retail outlets back up to the manufacturer so that schedules can be given the maximum amount of time to adjust efficiently. The chain is then managed to make sure that products  flow as quickly as possible down the chain to replenish what few stocks are kept downstream. By contrast, responsive supply chain policy stresses high service levels and responsive supply to the end-customer. The inventory in the network will be deployed as closely as possible to the customer. In this way, the chain can still supply even when dramatic changes occur in customer demand. Fast throughput from the upstream parts of the chain will still be needed to replenish downstream stocks. But those downstream stocks are needed to ensure high levels of availability to end-customers. 9 The bullwhip effect The ‘bullwhip effect’, is used to describe how a small disturbance at the downstream end of a supply chain causes increasingly large disturbances, errors, inaccuracies and volatility as it works its way upstream. Its main cause is an understandable desire by the different links in the supply chain to manage their production rates and inventory levels sensibly. Miscommunication in the supply chain Whenever two operations in a supply chain arrange for one to provide products or services to the other, there is the potential for misunderstanding and miscommunication. This may be caused simply by not being sufficiently clear about what a customer expects or what a supplier is capable of delivering. There may also be more subtle reasons stemming from differences in perception of seemingly clear agreements. The effect is analogous to the children’s game of ‘Chinese whispers’. The first child whispers a message to the next child who, whether he or she has heard it clearly or not, whispers an interpretation to the next child, and so on. The more children the message passes between, the more distorted it tends to become. The last child says out loud what the message is, and the children are amused by the distortion of the original message. Reducing bullwhip effect Reduce lead time Information sharing One of the reasons for the fluctuations in output described in the example earlier was that each operation in the chain reacted to the orders placed by  its immediate customer. None of the operations had an overview of what was happening throughout the chain. If information had been available and shared throughout the chain, it is unlikely that such wild fluctuations would have occurred. It is sensible therefore to try to transmit information throughout the chain so that all the operations can monitor true demand, free of these distortions. An obvious improvement is to make information on end-customer demand available to upstream operations. Inventory pooling Stable prices 10 time compression One of the most important approaches to improving the operational efficiency of supply chains is known as time compression. This means speeding up the flow of materials down the chain and the flow of information back up the chain. The supply chain dynamics effect was due partly to the slowness of information moving back up the chain.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Impact of Morality, Religion, and Law Upon Advertising Essay

The Impact of Morality, Religion, and Law Upon Advertising Religion and other value systems are certainly crucial in defining and sanctioning sex and decency. Moslem countries tend to frown upon all kinds of salacious displays and even indirect sexual references. Similar Christian standards operate in such countries as Ireland, South Africa, Mexico, and the Philippines. Other cultures may be considered rather tolerant in sexual matters (for example, French commercials on public television readily show live semi-nude models) but may prohibit any show of pubic hair (Japan), the promotion of contraceptives (France), or the lewd use of women (Scandinavia and the Netherlands) in advertisements. Values change, however. Thus, the spread of AIDS has reopened the issue of advertising condoms and other contraceptives in a totally different context, which transcends the older concerns about birth control and venereal-disease prevention. The law usually parallels religious and moral standards. There are often statutes dealing with public indecency (in Switzerland, Thailand, and the United Kingdom), the moral protection of minors, the restriction of violent displays (including sado-masochistic ones), and discriminatory job advertisements (particularly in Australia, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States). Restrictions on the publication and circulation of "sexy" magazines of the Playbqy variety, with their usually more risque ads, also belong to this category (Argentina, Lebanon, South Africa, and Thailand). Reflecting concerns about "sexist" portrayals, a 1979 amendment to the 1972 Norwegian Marketing Control Law states: An advertiser and anyone who creates advertising matter shall ensure that the advertisement does not conflict with the inherent parity between the sexes, and that it does not imply any derogatory judgment of either sex or portray a woman or a man in an offensive manner." Similar provisions have been enacted in India, Peru, and Portugal to protect women against indecent or derogatory representations. Still, the matter of constitutional freedom of speech as applied to advertising has raised serious questions concerning control of sex and decency in advertising. Swedish courts, for example, have not sustained some initiatives of the Consumer Ombudsman in this matter; and the Swedish Parliament sta... ...and P.R. Parsons, "Self-Regulation and Magazine Advertising," Journal of Advertising, 18, 4 (1989): 33-40. Randall Rothenberg, Condom Makers Change Approach," New York, Times, August 8, 1988, p. D1. Colin Shaw, Sex and Violence, Plus Decent Research," Marketing Review (UK), February 1989, pp. 6-7. Sherry B. Valan, Broadcast Ad Standards for Personal Products," Advertising Compliance Service, December 21, 1987, pp. 5-7. Laurel Wentz, AIDS: Condom Advertising Charts Broader Course Overseas," Advertising, Age, March 9, 1987, p. 62. Aubrey Wilson and Christopher West, The Marketing of Unmentionables,"' Harvard Business Review, January-February 1981, pp. 91 102. World Federation of Advertisers, "The Portrayal of Women in Advertisements" (Brussels, April 1988). R.G. Wyckham, "Self-Regulation of Sex Role Stereotyping in Advertising: The Canadian Experience," Journal of Public Policy and Marketing, 6 (1987): 76-92. Jean J. Boddewyn is a professor of marketing and international business at Baruch College, City University of New York. Heidi Kunz is an assistant vice president and financial controller with FISERV, Inc., New York.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

‘The Great Gatsby’ is an interesting novella about the intertwining lives of those who are striving for the artificial American Dream

‘The Great Gatsby' is an interesting novella about the intertwining lives of those who are striving for the artificial American Dream. It is a story of contrasts: the rich and poor, the loved and unloved and the different aspects of society that are shown in this passage through dramatic symbolism and highly structured parallels. The parallels between the first and third chapters show rich and privileged lifestyles, first the life of Tom and Daisy then Gatsby's party. This passage is conveniently placed between the two to show the â€Å"real world† of the likes of Wilson and other â€Å"sickly†, â€Å"ash-grey men†. It helps us to understand Myrtle as a character. Her hopes and dreams to get away from this life that is a constant struggle. This also describes the way both Gasby and the author Fitzgerald lived as children, and therefore their reasons to follow their dreams and aspire to something better. These parallels are a typical example of how novella's are tightly structured. We are led to believe that Nick is the narrator of this passage, however Nick has never been to the area before so when it is described cinematically and we are told of how passengers on trains wait â€Å"for as long as half an hour† we realize Nick could not have previously known this and therefore it is told to us directly by Fitzgerald. This poses a problem because the reader knows and trusts Nick but not Fitzgerald so he manipulates the reader into thinking it is Nick so that we believe him. The drawbridge in the final paragraph symbolises how it is not easily to get out of the Valley of Ashes, reflecting how it is not easy to get out of a hard life and achieve the American Dream. Myrtle tries hard in the novella to do this, and for a while Gatsby does, which is one reason why we see him as a hero. Images of how the American Dream has died are shown in the â€Å"Valley of Ashes†. Ash is symbolic of death, as in â€Å"ashes to ashes, dust to dust†, a traditional phrase at funerals. In the Valley of Ashes everything is bare, dull, lifeless and dead. It is based on the Corona Dump in Queens, which Fitzgerald famously resented on sight. He also nicknamed the Corona Dump the â€Å"Valley of Ashes†. ‘Of Mice and Men' by John Steinbeck also mentions â€Å"ash pile† in the beginning of the novel about the struggle to reach an American Dream. Death is represented by ash later on in the novella when Gatsby is described as â€Å"ashen† after his death. He was born in ash and died as ash. His life started as a struggle in a poor area and although he died wealthy, he still died in ash. The dust which â€Å"drifts endlessly† could symbolise shards of the American Dream which are helplessly out of reach of the people who live here, but drift in the air to taunt them about what they could become. The empty valley of ashes reflects the empty lives of the people who live in it. â€Å"Occasionally† grey cars enter the â€Å"desolate† area, so they made occasional breaks in the emptiness. This is parallel to the empty lives of the inhabitants. Occasionally there is a break and they have visions of hope, such as Myrtle's aspiration to be rich in a life with Tom. This also reflects Gatsby's funeral which was empty apart from Nick and Gatsby's father. Fitzgerald thought of himself as a failure as his writings were not particularly successful during his lifetime, so he may have had himself in mind when describing these lives wih failed hopes and empty dreams. This passage also gives the impression that morality in the modern world has died. As its place in the novel, the passage is between Nick meeting Tom's wife and Tom's mistress, his situation proves Tom's lack of morals. The passage is the no-mans land between the two women. Nick, the only character proved to have morals in the novella, is introduced to the â€Å"eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg† on an advertising board. The â€Å"blue and gigantic† eyes look down over the Valley of Ashes and this could be interpreted as God watching over his world. This idea is later strengthened when Wilson looks up at him and refers to him directly as God. Eckleburg, however, wears â€Å"enormous yellow spectacles† and also his vision is clouded with dust, and as we see God as our ‘all-seeing' moral guide, this could symbolise a lack of moral guidance in the jazz age of the 1920's. There is no-one to show people the way. Doctor T. J. Eckleburg is another good example of sym bolism in the passage. Sight is the link between the three paragraphs of this passage. It moves from sight being obscured by ash and dust, to clarity of sight which is implied by how suddenly the narration switches from grey and dull areas to the bright colours blue and yellow on the ‘all-seeing' symbol of T. J. Eckleburg, to train passegers observing what's going on. These are the three ways that Fitzgerald wants us to see the characters, from all angles. An example is how we learn about Gatsby and his life becomes clearer to us by the end of the novella. Life and death are symbolised by T. J. Eckleburg and ash in this passage and they are described intertwined so as to make it impossible to work out where one ends and another begins. However, mostly this passage is mostly about death: the death of morality, the American Dream and the death of hope. Without these three things, the lives of the people in the area were totally meaningless. Tony Tanners' quote about how the narrator respnds reflects the readers response to this realisation. â€Å"Nick cannot tolerate the thought of confronting a reality that is merely poor and bare, dust-covered and wrecked. There must be more than that.†

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Why market prices are useful to a financial manager?

The reason why a Financial manager is establish is for them to be able to make investment decisions, make financing decisions, and manage cash flow from operating activities. With that establish is clear that in order to understand the approach that the manager is going to approach, is necessary to study, understand, and develop the market taking into consideration the needs of the company. If he financial manager does not study the market prices, he will not be able to create a good sales strategy that will give the company a profitable product development.Discuss how the Valuation Principle helps a financial manager make decisions. First what the Valuation Principle does, is that it shows how to make the cost and benefits of a decision comparable so we can weight them properly. This principle is the one that the Financial Manager will be able to use to make a better decision of the study of the market based on the market value and the needs of the company.Describe how the Net Prese nt Value is related to cost-benefit analysis. The Net Present Value is the base of the cost-benefit analysis, the reason for this is that the NPV is the difference between costs and benefits, and this NVP is what determine the outcome of a cost-benefit analysis and what direction this Manager and the Company is going to take in that project in which they did the analysis. Explain how an interest rate is just a price.When we use interest rate is based on a future price, an example is that if you have $100 in a bank for one year at 6% interest rate, in a year you will have $106. The present value of your money is $100 but in a year that same $100 is worth $106, why because is just a price given to your money in the future. Describe how a bond is like a loan. In definition the bond is a security sold by governments and corporations to raise money from investors today in exchange for a promised future payment.So yes is like a loan made to the company or government, the reason for this i s to give opportunity to make money in both sides, one the borrower is getting an opportunity to have the income to move forward with projects or products that will generate more income. In the other side we have the investors that gave the money for this project to develop and have the chance to increase their investment through this bond.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Calculate Sales Tax - Questions and Answers

Calculate Sales Tax - Questions and Answers One of the most common types of percent problems youll encounter in daily life is calculating sales tax. Its not hard to do. Heres an example of how a student worked through percent and sales tax problems and tips on how you can learn to master the technique, too. Student With Sales Tax Problems I was tutoring Jason (not his real name), to prepare him for Algebra. He attended tutoring on the Internet with the help of his high-speed internet connection, web camera, computer, and graphing calculator. Thankfully, all of the technology was functioning properly and we were on our way to higher grades.  Today, I began, we are going to review percents and sales tax.Ok, Ms. Jennifer, I got this. I know all about sales tax. Jason confidently announced as he pulled out a pen.Oh no, Jason. Where is your pencil?Pencil? Jason was puzzled about a ten cent pencil, yet he sat in a maze of hundreds of dollars of gadgets.Yes, Jason, a pencil. You know that we do not do math in pen.Yes maam.  Jason hunted down a pencil and sharpened it with a butter knife. A hand sanitizer gel spill had ruined his pencil sharpener but rendered it 99.9% germ-free. Calculating Sales Tax After Jason put away his primitive sharpening tool, we talked about a printer that he was planning to buy. At $125, the printer was a bargain, but I emphasized that he needed to know the true amount to stay within his budget. If the sales tax rate was 8%, then how much would he pay in sales tax for the printer? What do you know?The sales tax rate is 8% or 8 percent. Realize that 8 percent means 8 per 100.8% 8/100The printer cost $125.00With percents, think part/whole.8 (part)/100 whole x (the part, or the sales tax amount is unknown) /125 (the whole)8/100 x/125Cross multiply. Hint: Write these fractions vertically to get the full understanding of cross multiplying. To cross multiply, take the first fractions numerator and multiply it by the second fractions denominator. Then take the second fractions numerator and multiply it by the first fractions denominator.8 * 125 x * 1001000 100xDivide both sides of the equation by 100 to solve for x.1000/100 100x/10010 xVerify the answer.Does 8/100 10/1258/100 .0810/125 .08 So, he would spend $135 ($125 $10) on a $125 printer. Note: Add $125 and $8 to get the total amount. Remember, the sales tax is 8% of the price, not $8. Answers and Explanations Original Worksheet Sales Tax Percent Example Calculations 1. Laptop Bag Price: $18Sales tax rate: 9%Sales tax amount:$1.62Final cost: $19.62 What do you know?9/100 x/18 Cross Multiply and Solve.9 * 18 x * 100162 100x162/100 100x/100$1.62 xVerify the Answer. Does 9/100 1.62/18?9/100 .091.62/18 .09$1.62 $18 $19.622. Anti-Virus SoftwarePrice: $50Sales tax rate:   8.25%Sales tax amount: $4.125Final cost: $54.13 What do you know?8.25/100 x/50 Cross Multiply and Solve.8.25 * 50   x * 100412.50 100x412.50/100 100x/100$4.125 xVerify the Answer. Does 8.25/100 4.125/50?8.25/100 .08254.125/50 .0825$4.125 $50  Ã¢â€°Ë† $54.13 3. USB DrivePrice: $12.50Sales tax rate: 8.5%   Sales tax amount: $1.0625Final cost: $13.56 What do you know?8.5/100 x/12.50 Cross Multiply and Solve.8.5 * 12.50   x * 100106.25 100x106.25/100 100x/100$1.0625 xVerify the Answer. Does 8.5/100 1.0625/12.50?8.5/100 .0851.0625/12.50 .085$12.50 $1.0625 ≈ $13.56 4. Graphing CalculatorPrice: $95Sales tax rate:   6%Sales tax amount: $5.70Final cost: $100.70 What do you know?6/100 x/95 Cross Multiply and Solve.6 * 95   x * 100570 100x570/100 100x/100$5.70 xVerify the Answer. Does 6/100 5.70/95?6/100 .065.70/95 .06$95 $5.70 100.70 5. MP3 Player Price $76Sales tax rate:   10%Sales tax amount: $7.60Final cost: $83.60 What do you know?10/100 x/76 Cross Multiply and Solve.10 * 76   x * 100760 100x760/100 100x/100$7.60 xVerify the Answer. Does 10/100 7.60/76?10/100 .107.60/76 .10$76 $7.60 $83.60 6. Laptop ComputerPrice: $640Sales tax rate:   8.5%Sales tax amount: $54.40Final cost: $694.40 What do you know?8.5/100 x/640 Cross Multiply and Solve.8.5 * 640   x * 1005440 100x5440/100 100x/100$54.40 xVerify the Answer. Does 8.5/100 54.40/640?8.5/100 .08554.40/640 .085$640 $54.40 $694.40

Monday, October 21, 2019

University of Arkansas at Monticello Admissions

University of Arkansas at Monticello Admissions University of Arkansas at Monticello Admissions Overview: The University of Arkansas at Monticello has open admissions, meaning that all interested students have the chance to study there if they meet minimum application standards. Those interested in attending will need to submit an application, high school transcripts, and scores from the SAT or ACT. Admissions Data (2016): University of Arkansas at Monticello Acceptance Rate: -University of Arkansas at Monticello has open admissionsTest Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: - / -SAT Math: - / -SAT Writing: - / -Whats a good SAT score?Compare SAT scores for Arkansas collegesACT Composite: - / -ACT English: - / -ACT Math: - / -Whats a good ACT score?Compare ACT scores for Arkansas colleges University of Arkansas at Monticello Description: Founded in 1909, the University of Arkansas at Monticello is a public, four-year institution located in Monticello, Arkansas. Little Rock is about 90 miles to the north. The school has small branch campuses at Crossett and McGehee. The university offers a wide range of academic programs at the associate, bachelors, and masters degree levels, as well as about 30 professional certifications. Academics are supported by a 17 / 1 student / faculty ratio, and the school takes pride in the personal attention students receive. The schools attractive campus includes a pond, farm land, and woods. In fact, UAM has achieved Tree Campus USA status every year since 2010, and the university is proud of the main campuss 1,433 trees representing 80 different species. UAM has the only School of Forestry in Arkansas, and over a thousand acres of the schools 1,600-acre campus are forest land used for research and instruction. Athletics are popular at UAM. Intramural sports include racquetball, bowling, billiards, wallyball, volleyball, and dodgeball. On the intercollegiate front, the UAM Weevils compete in the NCAA Division II  Great American Conference. Enrollment (2015): Total Enrollment: 3,643  (3,428 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 43% Male / 57% Female62% Full-time Costs (2016  - 17): Tuition and Fees: $7,210  (in-state); $13,060 (out-of-state)Books: $1,200 (why so much?)Room and Board: $6,338Other Expenses: $3,600Total Cost: $18,348  (in-state); $24,198 (out-of-state) University of Arkansas at Monticello Financial Aid (2015  - 16): Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 97%Percentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 95%Loans: 60%Average Amount of AidGrants: $7,649Loans: $5,168 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Agriculture, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, General Studies,  Health and Physical Education,  P-4 Early Childhood Education Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 52%Transfer Out Rate: 20%4-Year Graduation Rate: 12%6-Year Graduation Rate: 18% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Football, Basketball, Baseball, Track and Field, Golf, Cross CountryWomens Sports:  Basketball, Golf, Softball, Track and Field, Volleyball, Cross Country Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like University of Arkansas at Monticello, You May Also Like These Schools: Arkansas Tech UniversityHenderson State UniversityUniversity of Arkansas at Little RockUniversity of Central Arkansas (UCA)University of Arkansas at Fort SmithUniversity of Arkansas at FayettevilleHarding UniversityLyon CollegeHendrix CollegeGrambling State University

Sunday, October 20, 2019

The Difference Between Good and Bad Writing

The Difference Between Good and Bad Writing Here are 10 writers and editors, ranging from Cicero to Stephen King, offering their thoughts on the differences between good writers and bad writers. 1. Dont Expect It to Be Easy You know what, it is so funny. A good writer will always find it very hard to fill a single page. A bad writer will always find it easy. (Aubrey Kalitera, Why Father Why, 1983) 2. Master the Fundamentals I am approaching the heart of this book with two theses, both simple. The first is that good writing consists of mastering the fundamentals (vocabulary, grammar, the elements of style) and then filling the third level of your toolbox with the right instruments. The second is that while it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad writer, and while it is equally impossible to make a great writer out of a good one, it is possible, with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a merely competent one. (Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, 2000) 3. Say What You Think A bad writer is a writer who always says more than he thinks. A good writerand here we must be careful if we wish to arrive at any real insightis a writer who does not say more than he thinks. (Walter Benjamin, journal entry, Selected Writings: Volume 3, 1935-1938) 4. Reach for the Best Word It is the misuse and overuse of vogue words that the good writer must guard against. . . . It is extraordinary how often you will find vogue words accompanied in the same sentence by pretentiousness or sloppiness or other signs of sickness. No motorist is to be blamed for sounding his horn. But if he sounds it repeatedly we are not only offended by the noise; we suspect him of being a bad driver in other respects too. (Ernest Gowers, The Complete Plain Words, revised by Sidney Greenbaum and Janet Whitcut, 2002) 5. Order Your Words The difference between a good and a bad writer is shown by the order of his words as much as by the selection of them. (Marcus Tullius Cicero, The Oration for Plancius, 54 B.C.) 6. Attend to the Details There are bad writers who are exact in grammar, vocabulary, and syntax, sinning only through their insensitivity to tone. Often they are among the worst writers of all. But on the whole, it can be said that bad writing goes to the roots: It has already gone wrong beneath its own earth. Since much of the language is metaphorical in origin, a bad writer will scramble metaphors in a single phrase, often in a single word... Competent writers always examine what they have put down. Better-than-competent writers- good writers- examine their effects before they put them down: They think that way all the time. Bad writers never examine anything. Their inattentiveness to the detail of their prose is part and parcel of their inattentiveness to the detail of the outside world. (Clive James, Georg Christoph Lichtenberg: Lessons on How to Write. Cultural Amnesia, 2007) 7. Dont Fake It In the course of a fairly long work, there are bound to be impasses. The writer must backtrack and choose other alternatives, observe more, and sometimes have bad headaches till he  invents something. Here lies the distinction between a good writer and a bad writer. A good writer does not fake it and try to make it appear, to himself or the reader, that there is a coherent and probable whole when there isnt. If the writer is on the right track, however, things fall serendipitously into place; his sentences prove to have more meaning and formative power that he expected; he has new insights; and the book writes itself. (Paul Goodman, Apology for Literature. Commentary, July 1971) 8. Know When to Quit Everyone who writes strives for the same thing. To say it swiftly, clearly, to say the hard thing that way, using few words. Not to gum up the paragraph. To know when to quit when youve done. And not to have hangovers of other ideas sifting in unnoticed. Good writing is precisely like good dressing. Bad writing is like a badly dressed woman- improper emphasis, badly chosen colors. (William Carlos Williams, review of Sol Funaroffs The Spider and the Clock, in New Masses, August 16, 1938) 9. Lean on Editors The less competent the writer, the louder his protests over the editing. . . . Good writers lean on editors; they would not think of publishing something that no editor had read. Bad writers talk about the inviolable rhythm of their prose. (Gardner Bots ford, A Life of Privilege, Mostly, 2003) 10. Dare to Be Bad And so, in order to be a good writer, I have to be willing to be a bad writer. I have to be willing to let my thoughts and images be as contradictory as the evening firing its fireworks outside my window. In other words, let it all in- every little detail that catches your fancy. You can sort it out later- if it needs any sorting. (Julia Cameron, The Right to Write: An Invitation and Initiation Into the Writing Life, 2000) And finally, heres a cheerless note to good writers from English novelist and essayist Zadie Smith: Resign yourself to the lifelong sadness that comes from never  ­being satisfied.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 3

Research Methods - Essay Example Malaysia is currently enrolled in the Vision 2020 project to upgrade to fully developed nation status. Educational opportunities in the healthcare profession comprise an important component of these efforts to improve nation status in the world community. The paper addresses the scope of these efforts to address post-registration degree course student participant evaluation in this developing nation. The research presented in this paper describes the results of a qualitative study of the personal and professional experiences of a group of nurses enrolled in a two year post-registration degree course offered in Malaysia by an Australian University that was administered as an off-campus teaching module. The stated goal of this research was to assess the opinions of nursing professionals enrolled in a post-baccalaureate research program offered in Borneo by an Australian University. The overall purpose of this research endeavour was well-stated and clearly introduced in light of the importance of integrating such programmes into the nursing education programmes of developing nations. The authors cite the dearth of studies on post-baccalaureate nursing education in developing nations as most of the current studies of this important area of nursing education have been conducted in Western nations. The paradigm that the data on these nursing programmes from Western nations may be broadly applied to other areas of the world in regard to addressing critical issues in nursing education was questioned by these researchers, who decided to explore issues of postgraduate nursing education in the context of a developing nation with limited access to these opportunities for advanced education i n nursing to explore the specific issues that may specifically need to be addressed in these area. The bulk of the existing research has focused on post-baccalareate conversion programs in the US, UK and Australia.

Real World Negotiation 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Real World Negotiation 2 - Assignment Example The pair, Sofia and Echo, remained on silent terms for about a week until when Echo approached me and asked me to facilitate their reconciliation. Echo and I had a lengthy discussion and he expressed his desire to resolve his conflict with Sofia. So we arranged for a special dinner whereby I could meet both of them and try to resolve the conflict. I called Sofia and asked her to accompany me for dinner on that due date. I requested to surprise her by inviting a third person, Echo. To keep Sofia calm, I reminded her of how she had made out with a stranger at a party and never mentioned the same to Echo. I indirectly threatened to discuss the same with Echo and see if she was fair enough in her reaction. She eventually agreed to my proposal out of guilt. Thereafter, I rang my favorite hotel and made a reservation for a table for three. When the three of us met at the hotel, I asked Echo to apologize to Sofia after talking to them deeply in turns. I deliberately told Echo numerous and long stories of how wrong cheating was to compel him to issue an apology. He asked for forgiveness without complaining. I requested Sofia to accept the apology and as a reward I promised to do her laundry for the next two weeks. Sofia smiled as she embraced Echo in a show of forgiveness. I used the tactic successfully to compel Echo to issue an apology to Sofia. The very long stories about the negative aspect of cheating left him no chance of arguing. Next time I am negotiating using the tactic, I would give stories with both positive and negative aspects. That would ensure the other party does not discover my intention in advance. I successfully employed the tactic on Sofia at the instance that I reminded her of how she had made out with a stranger. The reminder sparked emotions of guilt in her conscience. Through arousing guilt inside Sofia, I had used intimidation to make her accept my dinner proposal. The tactic worked because I

Friday, October 18, 2019

Strategic Planning in Spokane Washington Case Study

Strategic Planning in Spokane Washington - Case Study Example The purpose of these regular meetings was to brainstorm rather than implement any long-term solutions. Chief Manga figured that the organization’s leaders are in a better position to suggest changes rather that through the central police department. The group was turned into a Strategic Planning Committee that could communicate between the different actors in the SPD. Chief Manga was trying to instill a corporate culture that was based on mutual trust and understanding rather than fear. An added benefit of this was that committee members felt confident enough to share any concerns because there was no chance of any repercussions. Instead of taking the lead role, Chief Manga acted more as a sounding board to let committee members bounce ideas off him. When determining the department’s values, Chief Manga allowed everyone one in the department to contribute towards it. Whenever a set of department values are created, it is always best to include everyone in the decision-m aking process because they will be the ones to carry out those values on a daily basis. In the same way, the vision statement also provided a path for the SPD to follow and allow the department to take ownership of it. Chief Manga also encouraged innovation on all levels because it would help to improve the efficiency of the department. The Strategic Planning Committee helped to form community policing into defined responsibilities that would improve all tasks throughout the department. A result of this was that the department should be working more closely with those in the community. Chief Manga also knew the importance of originality, so he gave authority to individuals who demonstrated innovation by allowing them the freedom to design new programs. This was not restricted by rank and was inclusive of everyone working in the department. In conclusion, Chief Manga adopted an

What are the common types of leadership that most organizations now Essay

What are the common types of leadership that most organizations now use - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that your identity is who you really are—and your image is how much of that real people understand the daunting boundaries of language and culture. The paper tells that corporate image and identity comes hand in hand to make up a desired audience perception towards the corporation. The image and identity that is projected towards the market, most significantly to its target consumers, create a reputation about the corporation that would eventually become the basis of the people’s decision of availing the services of the corporation. Just as any other corporations present in the community, pedagogical institutions are not exempted from this common situation in the community. It is necessary for any organization to project a good image and identity towards the community since it is considered as one of the best strategies that any organization should take into consideration. The present research has identified that leadership fo r that matter plays a detrimental role. As simple as these two ideas may seem yet, in reality, this is one of the most difficult and the most complex challenges that a business may face that concerns management these days. In order to address this challenge, every organization must understand and recognize the important leadership and become aware of which type of leadership will prove to be effective for the organization. ... Corporate identity and leadership digs deeper as to the process and the ways in which the company creates its own value in the community where it markets its products and services (Managing Image in a Dynamic Corporate Environment). On the other hand, corporate image has to do something with the people who had availed of the corporation's products and services, their impressions and associations towards the corporation as perceived through their experiences with the company. Generally, these impressions and association that the consumers have developed within themselves can however be controlled by the corporation. Everything that the consumers have to go through is capable of being controlled by the corporation to a greater or lesser degree. This "may include the tone and manner of its employees, its pricing structure, the quality of its customer service, the publicity it receives from the media, its social responsiveness and its activities in the community" (Managing Image in a Dynamic Corporate Environment). It is and has been conceptualized largely in terms of the visual aspect it projects to the people. In business management studies, they also suggest that leadership style is determined mostly by the organization and is presented to the employees in both verbal and visual form (Moffit & Williams, 1997). Thus by maintaining the most effective type of leadership, the company is assured that the desired reputation of the corporation towards its target consumers is achieved (Managing Image in a Dynamic Corporate Environment).

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Do EU Trade Policies Help or Hurt Developing Countries Essay

Do EU Trade Policies Help or Hurt Developing Countries - Essay Example In numerous developing countries, the trend is shifting from trade liberalisation to economic independence (Candau & Jean 2006). The multilateral trading system is enduring from the instability of the economy while preferential agreements keep on flourishing. Nowadays, no developing country is withdrawing from this development. Even if the European Union (EU), which began with the enforcement in 1958 of a customs union, has been putting into effects preferential agreements for several years, other developing countries, particularly those in East Asia, did not aid the increase in the prevalence of preferential agreements (Hoekman & Prowse 2005). Nevertheless, in the recent decades, developing economies, such as China, have further strengthened this risky development. Because of the failure of the Geneva ministerial convention in 2008, there will be heightened need for PTAs (Hoekman & Prowse 2005). The issues raised in the recent decade will occur again. The absence of growth in the mu ltilateral stage will be considered as the major justification for preferential agreements and, apparently, this claim is currently more compelling than before (Falvey & Reed 2002). With the absence of any possible settlement on the Doha Development Round, the international economy is seasoned once again for a new batch of preferential agreements. However, policymakers should understand the risks that PTAs create for developing countries. Theoretically, preferential agreements rule out countries (Candau & Jean 2006). Liberalisation is PTAs’ deal and countries make compromises in them, yet these are exclusive to the signatories. Hence, preferential agreements exclude (Evenett 2008). Given this fact, the first most favourable solution would be to remove preferential agreements in general. Countries, without preferential agreements, could either agree in multilateral discussions on liberalisation plans or have unilateral trade regulations (Hoekman et al. 2008). Nowadays, neverth eless, this is not a possible suggestion. All countries would have to concur with the restrictions of PTAs. Hence, the challenge at present is to enforce mechanisms that lessen the unfavourable effects of PTAs, in particular on developing countries. This issue will be thoroughly discussed in this paper. Preferential Trade Agreements: Favourable or Unfavourable to Developing Countries? Several studies have investigated the effect of the trade preferences of EU on imports from developing nations. Majority have reported favourable outcomes, specifically for the preferences provided to the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states (Persson and Wilhelmsson 2007), which are aiming for sustainable development and reduction of poverty levels. Evenett (2008) emphasises that the effect of the EU Generalised Scheme of Tariff Preferences (GSP), which guarantees that exporters from developing countries are charged with lesser duties, relies on which of the EU GSP agreement that is concerned an d that the organisational expenditures related with acquiring level of preferences to that margins of preference of not below 4.5% are non-utilised (Nilsson & Matsson 2009, 5). Other scholars, such as Cipollina and Salvati (2008), study the effect of preferences of the EU in the industry of agriculture. These scholars reported that the preferential schemes of

How global warming affects animals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

How global warming affects animals - Essay Example The current literature blames the inability of policy makers and politicians to design measures that can help curb further destructions on climate. In fact, most nations lack political will to mitigate the impacts global warming poses on animals. The current literal works of researchers underscore on the need for the world to focus its activities towards protection of the environment but does not say about the future and uncertainty surrounding animals as global warming gets to its extreme. This paper takes the assumption that the situation of global warming is typical fight between cases of survival for the fittest against the selection of the fittest by Global Warming. This means that with time, every animal species in the globe will adapt to global warming in varying ways. For example some animals will undergo genetic regeneration whereas others will simply die. I plan to organize my paper by discussing the main points as earlier stated while giving a detailed analysis concerning the impact of global warming on animals on such matters as habitat displacement, breeding, hibernation and migration behaviours. in this regard, the points will be arranged chronologically. Melting ice in the polar region has caused flow of water disturbing natural habitats of polar bears in the arctic regions. In addition, the breeding environments for waterfowl in the prairie pothole region of north Iowa and central Alberta has been adversely affected due to rising temperatures in the springs. Animals often move into new habitats whenever their current habitats become elusive to their survival. However, the current human population limits this movement since land that would otherwise have been suitable in accommodation Global warming raises temperatures within the arctic regions of the world which is the main habitat of polar bears. In addition, raised temperatures in the springs destroy breeding conditions of waterfowl

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Do EU Trade Policies Help or Hurt Developing Countries Essay

Do EU Trade Policies Help or Hurt Developing Countries - Essay Example In numerous developing countries, the trend is shifting from trade liberalisation to economic independence (Candau & Jean 2006). The multilateral trading system is enduring from the instability of the economy while preferential agreements keep on flourishing. Nowadays, no developing country is withdrawing from this development. Even if the European Union (EU), which began with the enforcement in 1958 of a customs union, has been putting into effects preferential agreements for several years, other developing countries, particularly those in East Asia, did not aid the increase in the prevalence of preferential agreements (Hoekman & Prowse 2005). Nevertheless, in the recent decades, developing economies, such as China, have further strengthened this risky development. Because of the failure of the Geneva ministerial convention in 2008, there will be heightened need for PTAs (Hoekman & Prowse 2005). The issues raised in the recent decade will occur again. The absence of growth in the mu ltilateral stage will be considered as the major justification for preferential agreements and, apparently, this claim is currently more compelling than before (Falvey & Reed 2002). With the absence of any possible settlement on the Doha Development Round, the international economy is seasoned once again for a new batch of preferential agreements. However, policymakers should understand the risks that PTAs create for developing countries. Theoretically, preferential agreements rule out countries (Candau & Jean 2006). Liberalisation is PTAs’ deal and countries make compromises in them, yet these are exclusive to the signatories. Hence, preferential agreements exclude (Evenett 2008). Given this fact, the first most favourable solution would be to remove preferential agreements in general. Countries, without preferential agreements, could either agree in multilateral discussions on liberalisation plans or have unilateral trade regulations (Hoekman et al. 2008). Nowadays, neverth eless, this is not a possible suggestion. All countries would have to concur with the restrictions of PTAs. Hence, the challenge at present is to enforce mechanisms that lessen the unfavourable effects of PTAs, in particular on developing countries. This issue will be thoroughly discussed in this paper. Preferential Trade Agreements: Favourable or Unfavourable to Developing Countries? Several studies have investigated the effect of the trade preferences of EU on imports from developing nations. Majority have reported favourable outcomes, specifically for the preferences provided to the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states (Persson and Wilhelmsson 2007), which are aiming for sustainable development and reduction of poverty levels. Evenett (2008) emphasises that the effect of the EU Generalised Scheme of Tariff Preferences (GSP), which guarantees that exporters from developing countries are charged with lesser duties, relies on which of the EU GSP agreement that is concerned an d that the organisational expenditures related with acquiring level of preferences to that margins of preference of not below 4.5% are non-utilised (Nilsson & Matsson 2009, 5). Other scholars, such as Cipollina and Salvati (2008), study the effect of preferences of the EU in the industry of agriculture. These scholars reported that the preferential schemes of

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

History II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History II - Essay Example Japanese targeted Pearl Harbor and attacked Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor is located on the west of Honolulu on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. It is under the command of United States Pacific Fleet. Japanese army attacked the Pearl Harbor on the 7th of December 1941. The impact of this attack was massive and began World War II. In the past the Pearl Harbor contained a shallow entrance and it was impossible for the large ships to enter the harbor (Hakim 93). The United States pacific fleet was previously located at the San Diego. Then President Franklin D. Roosevelt relocated it and sent it to the Hawaii (Hakim 149). The American invasion in the Hawaii made changes to the harbor and the rules related to it. The main motive of making of Pearl Harbor as narrated by United State is to protect the sailor and other men which are related to whaling industry (Hakim 152). It was decided to make pearl harbor a duty free harbor to increase the trade in the vicinity. By the start of the 1900 to 1908 t he American Navy expanded and improved the services (Hakim 153). On the day of 7th December 1941 Japanese imposed a surprise military attack on the United States Navy at the Pearl Harbor. According to Japanese the imposed military action is to avoid United States Navy to interfere in the Japanese invasion to the other parts of the world (Hoyt 104). The Japanese air strike nearly crushed many of the United States naval ships.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Jones Law of 1916 Essay Example for Free

Jones Law of 1916 Essay Whereas it was never the intention of the people of United States in the incipiency of the war withSpainto make it a war of conquest or for territorial aggrandizement; and Whereas it is, as it has always been, the purpose of the people of the United States to withdraw their sovereignty over Philippine Islands and to recognize their independence as soon as a stable government can be established therein; and Whereas for the speedy accomplishment of such purpose it is desirable to place in the hands of the people of the Philippines as large a control of their domestic affairs as can be given them without, in the meantime, impairing the exercise of the rights of sovereignty by the people of the United States, in order that, by the use and exercise of popular franchise and governmental powers, they may be the better prepared to fully assume the responsibilities and enjoy all the privileges of complete independence: Therefore Section 1.―The Philippines Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the provisions of this Act and the name â€Å"The Philippines† as used in this Act shall apply to and include the Philippine Islands ceded to the United States Government by the treaty of peace concluded between the United States and Spain on the eleventh dany of April, eighteen hundred and ninety-nine, the boundaries of which are set forth in Article III of said treaty, together with those islands embraced in the treaty between Spain and the United States concluded at Washington o the seventh day of November, nineteen hundred. Section 2.―Philippine Citizenship and Naturalization That all inhabitants of the Philippine Islands who were Spanish subjects on the eleventh day of April, eighteen hundred and ninety-nine, and then resided in said Islands, and their children born subsequent thereto, shall be deemed and held to be citizens of the Philippine Islands, except such as shall have elected to preserve their allegiance to the Crown of Spain in accordance with the provisions of the treaty of peace between the United States and Spain, signed at Paris December tenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, and except such others as have since become citizens of some other country:Provided, That the Philippine Legislature, herein provided for, is hereby authorized to provide by law for the acquisition of Philippine citizenship by those natives of the Philippine Islands who do not come within the foregoing provisions, the natives of the insular possessions of the United States, and such other persons residing in the Philippine Islands who are citizens of the United Stat es, or who could become citizens of the United States under the laws of the United States if residing therein. Section 3.―Bill of Right (a) Due process and eminent domain.―That no law shall be enacted in said Islands which shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, or deny to any person therein the equal protection of the laws. Private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation. (b) Rights of persons accused of crime.―That in all criminal prosecutions the accused shall enjoy the right to be heard by himself and counsel, to demand the nature and cause of the accusation against him, to have a speedy and public trial, to meet the witnesses face to face, and to have compulsory process to compel the attendance of witnesses in his behalf. That no person shall be held to answer for a criminal offense without due process of law; and no person for the same offense shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment, nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself. That all persons shall before conviction be bailable by suffici ent sureties, except for capital offenses. (c) Obligation of contracts.―That no law impairing the obligation of contracts shall be enacted. (d) Imprisonment for debt.―That no person shall be imprisoned for debt. (e) Suspension of habeas corpus.―That the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion, insurrection, or invasion the public safety may require it, in either of which event the same may be suspended by the President, or by the Governor-General, wherever during such period the necessity for such suspension shall exist. (f) Ex post facto laws, primogeniture, titles of nobility.―That no ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted nor shall the law of primogeniture ever be in force in the Philippines. That no law granting a title of nobility shall be enacted, and no person holding any office of profit or trust in said Islands shall, without the consent of the Congress of the United States, accept any present, emolument, office, or title of any kind whatever from any king, queen, prince, or foreign state (g) Bail and punishment.―That excessive bail shall not required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor crue l and unusual punishment inflicted. (h) Unreasonable searches.―That the right to be secured against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated. (i) Slavery.―That slavery shall not exist in saidIslands; nor shall involuntary servitude exist therein except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted. (j) Freedom of speech.―That no law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the Government for redress grievances. (k) Freedom of religion.―That no law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, and that the free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed; and no religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights. No public money or property shall ever be appropriated, applied, or used, directly or indirectly, for the use, benefit, or support of any sect, church, denomination, sectarian institution, or system of religion, or for the use, benefit, or support of any priest, preacher, minister, or other religious teacher or dignitary as such. (l) Poligamy.―Contracting of polygamous or plural marriages hereafter is prohibited. That no law shall be construed to permit polygamous or plural marriages. (m) How public funds to be spent.―That no money shall be paid out of the treasury except in pursuance of an appropriation by law. (n) Uniform tax.―That the rule of taxation in saidIslands shall be uniform. (o) Subject and title of bills.―That no bill which may be enacted into law shall embrace more than one subject, and that subject shall be expressed in the title of the bill. (p) Warrants of arrest.―That no warrant shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the person or things to be seized (q) Special funds.―That all money collected on any tax levied or assessed for a special purpose shall be treated as a special fund in the treasury and paid out for such purpose only. Section 8.―General Legislative Power That general legislative power, except as otherwise herein provided, is hereby granted to the Philippine legislature, authorized by this Act. Section 13.―Election and Qualification of Senators That the members of the Senate of the Philippines, except as herein provided, shall be elected for terms of six and three years, as hereinafter provided, by the qualified electors of the Philippines. Each of the senatorial districts defined as hereinafter provided shall have the right to elect two senators. No person shall be an elective member of the Senate of the Philippines who is not a qualified elector and over thirty years of age, and who is not able to read and write either the Spanish or English language, and who has not been a resident of the Philippines for at least two consecutive years and an actual resident of the senatorial district from which chosen for a period of at least one year immediately prior to his election. Section 14.-Election and Qualification of Representative That the members of the House of Representatives shall, except as herein provided, be elected triennially by the qualified electors of the Philippines. Each of the representative districts hereinafter provided for shall have the right to elect one representative. No person shall be an elective member of the House of Representatives who is not a qualified elector and over twenty-five years of age, and who is not able to read and write either the Spanish or English language, and who has not been an actual resident of the district from which elected for at least one year immediately prior to his election: Provided,That the members of the present Assembly elected on the first Tuesday in June, nineteen hundred and sixteen, shall be the members of the House of Representatives from their respective districts for the term esxpiring in nineteen hundred and nineteen. Section 15.-Qualification of Voters That at the first election held pursuant to this Act, the qualified electors shall be those having the qualifications of voters under the present law; thereafter and until otherwise provided by the Philippine Legislature herein provided for the qualifications of voters for senators and representatives in the Philippines and all officers elected by the people shall be as follows: Every male person who is not a citizen or subject of a foreign power twenty-one years of age or over (except insane and feeble-minded persons and those convicted in a court of competent jurisdiction of an infamous offense since the thirteenth day of August, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight) who shall have been a resident of the Philippines for one year and of the municipality in which he shall offer to vote for six months next preceding the day of voting, and who is comprised within one of the following classes: (a) Those who under existing law are legal voters and have exercised the right of suffrage. (b) T hose who own real property to the value of 500 pesos, or who annually pay 30 pesos or more of the established taxes. (c) Those who are able to read and write either Spanish, English, or a native language. Sedition Law of 1901 [No. 202.] AN ACT defining the crimes of treason, insurrection, sedition, conspiracies to commit such crimes, seditious utterances whether written or spoken, the formation of secret political societies, the administering or taking of oaths to commit crimes or to prevent the discovering of the same, and the violation of oaths of allegiance, and prescribing punishment therefor By authority of the President of the United States, be it enacted by the United States Philippine Commission, that: Section l. Every person, resident in the Philippine Islands, owing allej^ance to the United States or the Government of the Philippine* Islands, who levies war against them, or adheres to their enemies, jriving them aid and comfort within the Philippine Islands or else- where, is guilty of treason, and, upon conviction, shall suffer death or, at the discretion of the court-, shall l)e imprisoned at hard labor for not less than five years and fined not less than ten thousand dollars. Sec. 2. Every person, owing allegiance to the United States or the (Tovemment of the Philippine Islands, and having knowledge of any treason against them or either of them, who conceals, and does not, as soon as may be, disclost? and make known the same to the Provin- cial (Governor in the Province in which he resides, or to the Civil Governor of the Islands, or to some Judge of a Court of Hec »ord, is guilty of mLsprision of treason, and shall be imprisoned not more than seven years and be fined not more than one thousand dollars. Sec. 3. Everj’ pei*son who incites, sets on foot, assists or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the Ignited States or of the Government of the Philippine Islands, or the laws thereof, or who gives aid or comfort to any one so engaging in such rebellion or insurrection, shall, upon (*onviction, lie imprisoned for not more than ten years and Ik* fined not more than ten thousiiud dollars. Sec. 4. If two or more persons conspire to overthrow, i)ut down or destroy by force, the Government of the ITnited States in the Philippine Islands or the Government of the Philippine Islands, or by force to prevent, hinder or delay, the execution of any law of the UnilcKl States or of the Philippine Islands, or by force to seize, take, or possess, any property of the United States or of the Government of the Philippine Islands, contrary to the authority thereof, (*a*li of such persons shall be punished by a fine of not more than f\\c thous^ind dollars, and by imprisonment, with or without hanl labor, for a ieri(Kl not more than six years. Sec. 5. All persons who rise publicly and tumultuously in onler to attain by force or outside of legal methwls any of the following object*, are guilty of sedition: 1. To prevent the promulgation or  »xecution of any law or thr free holding of any popular election. 2. To prevent the Insular Government, or any Provincial or Mnnicipiu Qovemment or any public official, from freely exercisingits or his duties or the due execution of any judicial or administrative order. 3. To inflict any act of hate or revenge upon the person or property of any official or a^ent of the Insular Government or of a Provincial or Municipal Government. 4. To inflict, with a political or social object, any act of hate or revenire, upon individuals or upon any class of individuals in the Islands. 5. To despoil, with a political or social object, any class of persons, natural or artificial, a Municipality, a Province, or the Insular Government or the Government of the United States, or any part of its pro perty. Sec. 6. Anyperaon guilty of sedition as defined in section 5 hereof, shall be punished by a line of not exceeding five thousand dollars and by imprisonment not exceeding ten years, or both. Sec. 7. All persons conspiring to commit the crime of sedition shall be punished by a fine of not exceeding one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding fiVQ years, or both. Sec. 8. Every ierson who shall utter seditious words or speeches, write, publish, or circulate, scurrilous libels against the Government of the United States or the Insular Government of the Philippine Islands or which tend to disturb or obstruct any lawful officer in exe- cuting his office, or which tend to instigate others to cabal or meet togetlier for unlawful purposes, or which suggest or incite rebellious conspiracies or riots or wiiich tend to stir up the ieople against the lawful authorities or to disturb the i)eace of the community, the safety and order of the Government, or who shall knowingly conceal such evil pra(*tic( »s, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding two years, or both in the discretion of tlio Court. Sec. 9. All persons who shall meet together for the purpose of forming, or who shall form any secret society or who shall after the l)assago of this Act cont inue memlHjrship in a society already formed having for its object in whole or in part, the promotion of treason, r(‘l)(41ion or sc^dition, or the promulgation of any political opinion or policy, shall 1k » punished by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both. Sec. 10. lentil it has been officially proclaimed that a state of war or insurr( »ction against the authority or sovereignty of the United States no longer exists in the Philippine Islands, it shall be unlawful for any person to advocate orally or by writing or printing or like m( »tli(Kls, th(^ independence of the Philippine Islands or their separa- tion from the I’nited States whether by peaceable or forcible means, or to print, publish or circulate any handbill, newspaper, or other publication, advocating such indeiendence or separation. Any person violating th » provisions of this section shall be punished by a lint* of not exceeding two tlumsand dollars and imprisonment not exceeding one year. Flag Law of 1907 ACT NO. 1696 An act to prohibit the display of flags, banners, emblems, or devices used in the Philippine islands for the purpose of rebellion or insurrection against the authorities of the United States and the display of Katipunan flags, banners, emblems, or devices and for other purposes By authority of the United States be it enacted by the Philippine Commission that: Section 1. Any person who shall expose or cause or permit to be exposed to public view on his own premises, or who shall expose or cause to be exposed to public view either on his own premises or elsewhere, any flag, banner, emblem, or device used during the late insurrection in the Philippine Islands to designate or identify those in armed rebellion against the United States, or any flag, banner, emblem, or device used or adopted at any time by the public enemies of the United States in the Philippine Islands for the purposes of public disorder or of rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United Sta tes in the Philippine Islands, or any flag, banner, emblem, or device of the Katipunan Society or which is commonly known as such, shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred pesos nor more than five thousand pesos, or by imprisonment for not less than three months nor more than five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. Sec. 2. Any person or persons having charge of any banquet, public entertainment, public meeting, or reunion, or any parade, procession, or review, who shall display or cause or permit to be displayed at such banquet, public entertainment, public meeting, or reunion, or in such parade, procession, or review, or who shall expose or cause to be exposed to public view any flag, banner, emblem, or device used during the late insurrection m the Philippine Islands to designate or identify those in armed rebellion against the United States, or any flag, banner, emblem, or device used or adopted at any, time by the public enemies of the United States in the Philippine Islands for the purposes of public disorder or of rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States in the Philippine Islands, or any flag, banner, emblem, or device of the Katipunan Society or which is commonly known as such, shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred pesos nor more than five thousand pesos, or by imprisonment for not less than three months nor more than five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. Sec. 3. It shall be unlawful tor any person to expose or cause or permit to be exposed to public view on his own premises, or to expose or cause to be exposed to public view either on his own premises or elsewhere, or to display or cause to be displayed at any banquet, public entertainment, meeting, or reunion, or in any parade, procession, or review, or for any person having charge of such banquet, public entertainment, meeting, or reunion, or of such parade, procession, or review, to permit to be displayed or exposed to public view, any flag, or banner the use or display of which is prohibited by executive order of the Governor-General. Any person who shall violate the provisions of this section shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred pesos nor more than five thousand pesos, or by imprisonment for not less than three months nor more than five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court: Provided, however, That nothing in this secti on contained shall be construed to authorize the Governor-General to permit the use or display of any flag, banner, emblem, or device whose use, display, or exposition to public view is prohibited by the preceding sections of this Act. Sec. 4. Any person who shall wear, use, or expose to public view in any parade, procession, or review, any uniform or dress or part thereof, adopted or used during the late insurrection in the Philippine Islands to designate or identify those in armed rebellion against the United States, or any uniform or dress or part thereof adopted or used at any time by the public enemies of the United States in the Philippine Islands for the purposes of public disorder or of rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States in the Philippine Islands, shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred pesos nor more than five thousand pesos, or by imprisonment for not less than three months nor more than five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court. Batas Tydings-Mcduffie Batas Tydings-McDuffie (opisyal na pangalan: Batas sa Kalayaan ng Pilipinas; Pampublikong Batas Blg. 73-127) na inaprubahan noong Marso 24, 1934 ay isang pederal na batas ng Estados Unidos na nagkaloob ng nagsasariling pamahalaan ng Pilipinas at ng kalayaan nito (mula sa Estados Unidos) matapos ang sampung taon. Noong 1934, pinamunuan ng Pilipinong pulitikong si Manuel L. Quezon ang misyong pang-kalayaan ng Pilipinas sa Washington, DC na nagtagumpay sa pagpapatibay ng Kongreso sa batas na ito. Batas Tydings-McDuffie (opisyal na pangalan: Batas sa Kalayaan ng Pilipinas; Pampublikong Batas Blg. 73-127) na inaprubahan noong Marso 24, 1934 ay isang pederal na batas ng Estados Unidos na nagkaloob ng nagsasariling pamahalaan ng Pilipinas at ng kalayaan nito (mula sa Estados Unidos) matapos ang sampung taon. Noong 1934, pinamunuan ng Pilipinong pulitikong si Manuel L. Quezon ang misyong pang-kalayaan ng Pilipinas sa Washington, DC na nagtagumpay sa pagpapatibay ng Kongreso sa batas na ito. Batas Tydings-McDuffie (opisyal na pangalan: Batas sa Kalayaan ng Pilipinas; Pampublikong Batas Blg. 73-127) na inaprubahan noong Marso 24, 1934 ay isang pederal na batas ng Estados Unidos na nagkaloob ng nagsasariling pamahalaan ng Pilipinas at ng kalayaan nito (mula sa Estados Unidos) matapos ang sampung taon. Noong 1934, pinamunuan ng Pilipinong pulitikong si Manuel L. Quezon ang misyong pang-kalayaan ng Pilipinas sa Washington, DC na nagtagumpay sa pagpapatibay ng Kongreso sa batas na ito. Bell Trade Act In 1946, the US congress offered 800 million dollars as rehabilitation money in exchange for the ratification of the Bell Trade Act. It was passed by the US congress specifying the condition of the Philippine economy governing the independence of the Philippines from the Americans. A system of preferential tariffs was implemented which discouraged government officials to control the country’s import-export market. The Philippine peso followed the US dollar currency. Aggravating the Filipino citizens, U.S. citizens and corporations were granted equal access to the natural resources of the country. Many nationalists were not in favor of the bell trade act because it was â€Å"a curtailment of Philippine sovereignty, virtual nullification of Philippine independence† as said by former president Sergio Osmena. Roxas supported the acceptance of two important laws passed by the Congress of the United States to the Philippines. These laws were The Philippine Rehabilitation Act and the Philippine Trade Act (Bell trade act). On August 5, 1946, the Treaty of General Relations was ratified between the Philippines and the US. It recognized Philippine independence as of July 4, 1946 and relinquished American sovereignty over the Philippine Islands. The establishment of US bases was also included in this treaty. On March 14, 1947, the Treaty of General Relations was signed. On September 7, 1946, Manuel Roxas granted a General Amnesty to guerrillas who were imprisoned during World War 2. On January 28, 1948, General Amnesty was given to all those arrested for conniving with Japan. An earlier amnesty hindered Roxas because of his fear that the Americans might stop rendering financial assistance to the country. On January 1, 1947 under the Bell Trade Act, the Parity Amendment was introduced. It gave American citizens and corporations equal rights to Filipinos to utilize natural resources and operate public utilities. On March 11, 1947, it was ratified in a national plebiscite.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

How Virgil Integrates Myth and History in The Aeneid

How Virgil Integrates Myth and History in The Aeneid How does Virgil integrate myth and history in The Aeneid? Discuss with reference to specific passages. Written as Rome faced a new era, and as its politics and society rapidly evolved, The Aeneid is essentially Virgil’s own reflection on these transformations. The narrative, interwoven with numerous historical and mythological elements, highlights his political and moral concerns regarding the new empire, his blurring of boundaries, between past and present, and myth and reality, bookmarking this exploration. As these worlds collide and blend throughout the narrative, our reading of Aeneas’ journey is expanded; this epic foundation myth can be read as Virgil questioning the new empire, how it would affect the Roman identity and its traditional values, whether Rome was truly free from the violence and corruption of the Civil Wars, and his hope for peace under Augustus’ rule. By analysing the text we may infer the extent to which he integrates myth and history in his political commentary. This interweaving of reality and fiction for such effect is seen instantly in Jupiter’s prophecy in Book 1 where the very real figure of Augustus is linked to the mythological figure of Aeneas. This link, as mapped out by Jupiter, passes from Aeneas, the first founder of Rome, through the legendary twins Romulus and Remus, central characters in Rome’s foundation legend, and onto ‘a Trojan Caesar’(1.287), Augustus’ own uncle and adopted father, Julius Caesar. Commonly seen in Julian propaganda of the 1st century BC, this association highlights the link between the ‘gens Iulia’ and the ‘eponymous figure of Iulus-Ascanius’[1], Aeneas’ son, and explicitly places Augustus in the line of ‘noble stock’ ‘the rulers of the world’ (1.282-286) originated from. Decreed to be a direct descendent of these two legendary characters by the father of the gods, Augustus is instantly cemented as the rightful rul er and depicted as the next piece in Rome’s foundation myth; that he too is a legendary figure. Furthermore, these characters themselves embody the blurring between myth and reality. For example each is of both divine and mortal descent: Aeneas is the son of Venus and Anchises, Romulus the son of Mars and Ilia the priestess queen and Augustus too, according to Jupiter’s prophecy, can trace his lineage to both these legendary figures, and a ‘Caesar’, Rome’s first imperial figure. This not only gives Augustus further gravitas and legitimacy as a ruler, but also suggests that he is re-establishing the Rome as it was prophesised, and the Roman identity as it should be. Also it suggests that Rome’s foundations are equally legendary, born from the combination of myth and reality, and equally endorsed by the gods. While Aeneas’ overall journey in The Aeneid also sees this close relationship between myth and reality, we may also see it as mirroring Rome’s own growth as a nation.[2] For example, Aeneas’ time in Carthage, between Books 1 and 4, represents the Punic Wars, a series of wars fought between Rome and Carthage between 264 BC and 146 BC which saw more than a century of conflict, thousands of deaths, and Rome succeeding Carthage as the most powerful state in the Western Mediterranean. This section is steeped in historical allegory: Dido’s suicide and Carthage seemingly burning with ‘the flames of poor Dido’s pyre’ (5.3-4) represents Carthage’s own defeat at the hands of Rome, and its decline as Rome’s power grew. Following this Aeneas’ progress encapsulates the narrative and in Books 5 to 8 we see him get gradually closer to Italy. This part of his journey however also sees many allusions to the Odysseus myth and is litt ered with Homeric motifs as Aeneas encounters a number of supernatural creatures, such as journeying to the Underworld, contact with the Harpies and Cyclops, close encounters with the sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis and with the lands of the Sirens and Circe. By translating a Homeric and mythological world onto the well-charted, and well-traversed, Mediterranean, Virgil continues to interweave reality and fiction, and, in doing so, blurs what is true and what is false. This also creates tension between the two as contemporary readers, recognising the places Aeneas visits and passes, sees these familiar lands as the homes of legendary creatures. While on one hand this section can be seen as portraying Aeneas as an equal hero to Odysseus, it can also be seen as reflecting Rome’s journey and growth, from Trojan foundations to an identity of its own. Virgil continues this tension in Books 9 to 12 as Aeneas’ battles with the Latins closely reflect the recent Civil Wars, a nd Aeneas and Turnus’ one-to-one combat represents the Battle of Actium where Augustus defeated his last rival, Mark Antony. While gradually reflecting Rome’s past with Aeneas’ journey, Virgil strives to remind Rome of the destruction it has faced, externally such as in Carthage, and internally such as during the civil wars, and in doing so he attempts to show Romans that they must learn from their past. Like many other historical epics, both Greek and Roman, The Aeneid is used to define a national identity in opposition to an ‘other’, as evidenced by the vast historical skeleton the narrative is built upon.As J. D. Reed suggests, it aims to present Rome as distinct to all other nations: from ‘the Trojans with whom it originated, the Greeks whom the Trojans had fought and [who] the Romans were to conquer’ by distancing Aeneas from the Homeric and Greek world; ‘the Carthaginians who threaten Roman ascendancy’ with the death of Dido; and ‘the Italian peoples among whom Rome arose’ with Aeneas’ war with the Latins.[3] Virgil continues to merge the past and present in Book 8 and, in Aeneas’ visit to Pallanteum, images of Virgil’s contemporary Rome bleed into the descriptions of Evander’s archaic settlement. For example, as Evander guides Aeneas, we see ‘cattle†¦ lowing in the Roman forum’, and the ‘Capitol, now all gold’ now ‘bristling with rough scrub’ (8.349-362). Also, throughout the description, many landmarks recognisable to Virgil’s contemporary readers, such the ‘Alter of Carmentis and the Carmental Gate’ (8.338) are seen. These images appear to transcend time itself, and by warping the familiar with the historical, Virgil’s narrative continues to run on underlying tension. However these images are also accompanied by those of a bucolic paradise: the site is described as the ‘haunt of native fauns and nymphs ’and Saturn’s first ‘Golden Age’ (8.315-325). Hence, with thi s blurring of past and present, and by translating images of contemporary Rome onto those of pastoral peace, Virgil is linking Aeneas’ coming, and therefore Augustus’, with Saturn’s; he hopes that Augustus is bringing the second Golden Age of ‘peace and serenity’ (8.326). However, Evander’s account is also greatly pessimistic, detailing a ‘worser age of base material’ as the time of peace disintegrated and the ‘madness of war’ and ‘the lust for possessions’ (8.327-328) consumed all. While this is clearly representing the recent civil wars that tore apart Rome, it also reveals Virgil’s own hopelessness for the future of Rome; like Evander he views the Golden Age, and the empire, as ‘only an intermission from continuous fighting and invasions’.[4] This hopelessness for the future appears to stem from Virgil’s own cynical view of human nature, as can be seen in the myth of Hercule s and Cacus. In essence a tale of a hero and a monster, and of archetypal good and bad, Virgil’s description casts an unnerving similarity between the two as both are described as incredibly violent and rabid with furor. This, therefore, causes us to question whether Virgil truly endorses Aeneas, who is also seen as incredibly violent in battle, and the new emperor he represents. Supporting this is the description of Aeneas and Mezentius’ battle in Book 10 where the tale of Hercules and Cacus is literally mirrored as ‘Mezentius rode around [Aeneas] three times’ (10.886), recalling Hercules’ three trips around Mount Aventine in anger (8.231-232). This similarity disturbingly places Aeneas, our supposed hero, in the place of the monster Cacus and contradicts the many positive descriptions of Aeneas, causing us to believe that Virgil had mixed opinions about Augustus and the new empire: this use of myth shows he had hopes for the peace one ruler could bring, yet was cynical of the destruction human nature could cause. Book 8 also sees the pinnacle of Virgil’s use of myth and history in the description of Aeneas’ resplendent shield. Crafted by the fire god Vulcan it is a clear echo of Achilles’ own shield from The Iliad and another allusion to Homer. However, on one hand, while Homer chooses to depict the entire world, including the earth, oceans, heavens, stars, and human life; Hephaestus engraves Achilles’ shield with the pleasures of peace as Homer strives to remind his hero of what he is fighting for. Virgil, on the other hand, chooses to engrave Aeneas’ shield with a memorialization of Rome’s military victory, and her success in conflict as well as peace, as he prophesises Rome’s history.[5] This is due to the context of The Aeneid. Written soon after the Battle of Actium where Augustus put an end to the strife of civil war in Rome, becoming the first emperor, The Aeneid reflects this recent shift in power; the description of Aeneas’ shie ld in particular. Primarily, Virgil’s language choice, namely in characterisation, is important in establishing this Homeric relation and political undercurrent. For example, his description of Augustus sees the new emperor’s association with the divine increasingly emphasised; the gods themselves are listed in the description of his followers, indicating that he has the divine right to rule, and his recent success at Actium as determined by the gods. Also, Augustus is physically elevated in this image, and is therefore physically closer to Olympus. Similarly he is described as wearing a ‘double flame’ and ‘his father’s star’ (8.682). On one hand this associates him with Ascanius who, in Book 2, is blessed by the gods with a halo of holy fire, this portent followed by a second: a star sent by the gods. This similarity, while supporting Jupiter’s prophecy in Book 1 that Ascanius will establish the seeds of a power that, eventually , will become Rome, further emphasises Augustus’ right to rule. Also, the inclusion of ‘his father’s star’ alludes to his adoption of Julius Caesar’s name, and emphasises his legitimacy. Essentially, the description of Augustus is steeped in social and political context with the intention of establishing his sovereignty, suggesting that there was possible unrest in his early years of power. This description, notably Augustus’ relationship to the gods, sees Virgil’s focussing on highlighting Augustus’ power, and the legitimacy of that power. Similarly, Virgil’s description of Antony informs us of the social and political background of The Aeneid. Introduced as ‘in triumph from the shores of the Red Sea’ (8.688-689), Antony is portrayed positively, which, as Augustus’ rival, is peculiar. Also, he describes their conflict as ‘mountains were colliding with mountains’ (8.694), associating both with the seemingly-immortal strength of Homeric heroes, and indicating that they are equals in power. Also, contextually, there was no honour in fighting a fellow Roman, and Virgil avoids this in his glorification of Augustus by undermining Antony’s involvement. Virgil achieves this by using active verbs to describe Cleopatra, and while she is described as ‘summon[ing] her warships’ and ‘calling for winds’ (8.698-708), her role in the battle eclipses Antony’s. This has the effect of giving Rome a common enemy: the woman and the foreigner. This in itself ass ociates Cleopatra with Dido, also a foreign queen, who, throughout her relationship with Aeneas, is portrayed as deterring his progress, and therefore, deterring the progress of Rome. Furthermore, Cleopatra’s description echoes that of Dido. Called ‘his Egyptian wife’ or the ‘queen’ (8.689-698), she is denied a name, and the autonomy of self, just as Dido, who is defined by her relationship with Aeneas so much so as to take her own life when he leaves. By giving the Romans a common enemy, the civil war is instead turned into that with a foreign power, and creates a sense of Roman unity, unity that perhaps was not as assured in reality, and notably, unity brought by Augustus’ success. The gods too are purposely characterised for effect. While on one hand, the Roman gods are named and recognisable, the Egyptian gods are described as ‘monstrous’, Virgil even highlights the dog form of Anubis who ‘barked†¦ at Neptune and Ve nus’ (8.699-700). This emphasis on the animalistic qualities of the Egyptian gods serves the purpose of establishing a divine hierarchy; the Roman gods, as human in shape, naturally come before the ‘dog god’, an animal typically obedient to man. This hierarchy serves to assert Roman superiority, culturally and spiritually, as well as militarily. Virgil’s description of the shield in itself is important too; throughout the passage, there is fluidity between narrative and object. This is achieved by the subtle blurring of the mythical world, as depicted on the shield, and the ‘real’: Aeneas’ story. For example, as the passage flows through the narrative, certain words and phrases alluding to the material of the shield, how it’s made and the maker, such as ‘the God of Fire’ who had ‘fashioned the Nile†¦ with every fold of drapery beckoning’ (8.709-714), disrupt the flow and pull the reader sharply to reality. Also, there is a prevalent dichotomy of senses; we are told that Anubis ‘barked’ while the Roman gods ‘swooped’ and ‘strode’ (8.699-703). This sense of motion and sound brings a still image and object alive, and reflects the power of well-crafted art; just as Aeneas’ shield seems to come to life in his hands, the poem does in the reader’s mind. Ultimately, through his integration of myth and history, Virgil is able to blur truth and fiction, transforming The Aeneid into accepted fact. This not only establishes his account into the foundation myth of the Roman identity, but also establishes Augustus into the pantheon of Rome’s mythological founders. On a deeper level though it also allows him to explore complex issues such as the effect the civil wars had on the Roman identity, his hopes for Augustus’ rule, and his fears that human nature, greed and violence will plague the new empire. Essentially, through the merging of the two worlds, whether this be between the mythological and realistic, classical allusion and historical context, or narrative and material object, he achieves the ultimate contrast; between a piece of literature, and a political message. Bibliography Bell, K. K. 2008. ‘â€Å"Translatio† and the Constructs of a Roman Nation in Virgils â€Å"Aeneid†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, Rocky Mountain Review 62: 11-24. J. D. Reed, ‘Vergil’s Roman’, in J. Farrell and M. C. J. Putnam (ed.), A Companion to Vergil’s Aeneid and its Tradition. Oxford 2010: 66-79. J. E. G. Zetzel, ‘Rome and its Traditions’, in C. Martindale (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Virgil. Cambridge 1997: 188-203. Johnson, W. R. 2005. ‘Introduction’, in S. Lombardo (Trans.), Aeneid, Indianapolis. lxi-lxxi. R. D. Williams, ‘The Purpose of The Aeneid’, in S. J. Harrison (ed.), Oxford Readings in Vergil’s Aeneid. Oxford 1990: 21-36. S. Casali, ‘The Development of the Aeneas Legend’, in J. Farrell and M. C. J. Putnam (ed.), A Companion to Vergil’s Aeneid and its Tradition. Oxford 2010: 37-51. Virgil, The Aeneid, trans. D. West [Penguin Classics] (London: Penguin Books, 2003) Williams, R. D. 1965. ‘The Mythology of the â€Å"Aeneid†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢, Vergilius 11, 11-15. ID number: 1335307Words: 2,426 [1]Casali 2010: 49. [2]Zetzel 1997: 189. [3]Reed 2010: 66 -76. [4]Zetzel 1997: 191. [5]Johnson, W. R. 2005. ‘Introduction’, in S. Lombardo (Trans.), Aeneid, Indianapolis. lxi-lxxi.