Software as a Service Goes Mainstream Assignment

Software as a Service Goes Mainstream - Assignment Example For all of these reasons, the organisations are coming up with different strategies and solutions in order to manage the business effectively and efficiently. One of the biggest changes or innovations which has been implemented by different organisations is of the different software for improving the business operations, like Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Plan (ERP) system (Holsapple & Sena, 2005). These software and Management Information Systems (MIS) allow the organisations to integrate the all components of the value chain and provide the customers with high value at the end of the process (O’Leary, 2004). There are different companies and organisations in the market which are providing the solutions of software and Management Information Systems (MIS) (Oz, 2009). However, a recent development in this regard is the new Software as a service (SAAS) model introduced by the salesforce.com (Laudon & Laudon, 2010). In this case study analysis an attempt has been made in order to explore and analyse the new software as a service (SAAS) model of salesforce.com. Along with this, the case study analysis presents different advantages and disadvantages associated with this new business model for software providers. Different challenges being faced by the management of salesforce.com in the process of providing this innovative service has been discussed along with the strategies and methods used by the management to overcome them. The report also outlines the different factors which should be kept in consideration while going for this new model and innovative service. Along with this the report also defines the businesses and organisations which can reap additional benefits by switching to the new software as a service (SAAS) model offered by the salesforce.com ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE SOFTWARE – AS – A – SERVICE MODEL: Salesforce.com has come up with a completely different model for providing diff erent software solutions to the customers. This new and innovative model is known as the Software as a service model (SAAS). The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) services are provided by the company through online in the form of ‘software as a service’ (SAAS). This is totally oppose to the traditional concepts of the software solutions being provided by different companies in the industry, as customers are required to purchase those software and install them on the respective computer or machines. The software solutions provided by the traditional software solutions providers require a whole set of different hardware, operating system, servers for maintaining database, application servers for installation, and several other additional accessories (Laudon & Laudon, 2010). Another advantage of the Software as a service model (SAAS) of the salesforce.com is that it has been priced comparatively low than the other software solutions. Apart from this the installation o f the normal or traditional software includes the additional cost of the licensing along with the regular maintenance cost. Along with this the installation of this new model of software only requires 0 to 3 months time period and there is no need of additional staff or consultants. On one hand the software is priced appropriately and on the other hand the organisations can avoid all additional hassle and cost associated with the installation of the software. The software is managed through a website online, which is regularly updated.

Impacts of Mergers Acquisitions on Shareholder Wealth

Impacts of Mergers Acquisitions on Shareholder Wealth This dissertation attempts to investigate, the impact of Mergers Acquisition (MA) on shareholder wealth in the European banking industry from 2003-2007 and explains in depth detail of the literature reviewed by the author to provide the basis of the successful achievement of the project. MA has been a popular research topic in finance with broad literature exists on MA. For this review to be achievable, a broad search for information was undertaken by means of the internet and library. The research question will examine the wealth effects (abnormal returns) of MA involving European banks using `event study` methodology over the period of 2003-2007 in both the announcement period and long run post acquisition period. In other words, can MA improves or destroy shareholder wealth of the targets, bidders and combined firms. 1.2 Introduction The decade of 1990 saw the biggest increase in European MA activity. Merger Acquisitions (MA) have been a significant phenomenon in the Europe. and the world economy which symbolizes one of the most important strategic decisions made by managers and shareholders of the engaged firm. Sudarsanam (2003,para1,p.1) argues shareholders and managers may be the most important stakeholders in MA but other groups such as workers, competitors, lenders, customers all have a collective interest in this activity. MA may be undertaken in order to replace an inefficient management, but sometimes two businesses may be more valuable together than apart. Motivation behind the mergers is to maximise the shareholders wealth. However, according to Jensen and Ruback (1983) and Sirower and O`byrne (1998), in almost two third of cases, mergers produce wealth gains for target shareholders and more or less zero gains to acquirers. Various studies have found that, usually the announcement of bank mergers neither create nor destroy shareholders value Pilloff and Santomero (1998). Also, some studies indicates that the announcement of certain types of bank mergers do create value, if that merger reduce costs. Berger, Demsetz, Strahan (1999) identified five fundamental dynamic factors that motivate corporate takeovers i.e. an increase of globalization, technological progress, financial deregulation, changes in customer demand and the integration of financial markets. Arnold (2005, para2, p.1041), defined mergers as the combining of two business entities under common ownership whereas Bruner (2005) states it as consolidation of two firms that creates a new entity in the eyes of the law. According to Investorwords.com acquisition is a acquiring control of a corporation, called a target, by stock purchase or exchange, either `hostile` or `friendly` which also be called takeover. E.g. in October 2007, Royal bank of Scotland (RBS) merged with Dutch bank ABN Amro to clinch Europes biggest ever banking takeover with 86% of ABN Amros shareholders accepting a 71bn euro (Ft.com). Bruner (2005) argues takeover activities are strategic transactions that could turn out to be an excellent investment of capital and resources. 1.3Merger waves Nowadays, MA is well known fact that comes in waves according to evidence from Bruner (2005), Gorton, Kahl Rosen (2005), Martynova Renneboog (2006). Five individual merger waves were observed in the UK economy in the last century i.e. 1900`s, the 1960`s, the 1970`s, the 1980`s and the 1990`s. (Kastrinaki, Stoneman 2007) Brankman, Garretsen, Van Marrewijk (2008) argues that, in terms of economic importance, the dominant merger wave unpredictable is the positive global outcome, suggesting that MA waves are an economy wide global phenomenon. The wave of bank mergers has been established to explain the diverse theories e.g. the `efficiency hypothesis` expect that mergers improve efficiency and help poor banks to survive as competition becomes increasingly rigorous in the banking industry. Gugler, Mueller, Yurtoglu (2004) finds that merger waves can be implicit if one identify that MA do not boost efficiency and doesnt increase shareholders` wealth but instead sited that MA waves are best come across as the answer of overvalued shares and managerial opinion. 1.4Why do MA occur? In various European countries, mergers have allowed banks to increase efficiency by assisting the coordination of the closing of branches. Banks shareholders and managers need to recognize the potential sources of economic gain emerged from MA. Banks can reduce costs and increase value in different ways e.g. diversification. I.e. if mergers generate cost synergies such as economies of scale, banks can reduce expenses. According to evidence from Berkovitch Narayanan (1993), Sudarsanam, Holl Salami (1996), Hannan Pilloff (2006), Martynova Renneboog (2006), the motives for MA have been categorised into the three main groups i.e. economic motive or synergy, managerial or agency problems and hubris. The actual distribution of merger gains between target and bidder shareholders will depend on their individual negotiating strengths. Therefore, following table shows the impact of mergers on shareholders wealth: Merger Motive Total Gains Target Gains Bidder Gains Synergy + + + Agency problems + Hubris 0 + 1.4.1 Synergy Motive The first key group that accounts for MA is an economic or synergy motive which means that two companies can achieve together which they cant achieve single-handedly. Siems (1996) argued that synergy theory projected that the acquiring bank can efficiently create synergies via economies of scale and scope by reducing costs and eliminating redundancies and duplication. Economies of scale occurs when the average unit cost of production declines as volume increases e.g. banking mergers in the UK of Bank of Scotland and Halifax of 30bn merger in May 2001, to create HBOS fifth major force in UK banking sector. The idea was that the Bank of Scotland was operating in north of the country and Halifax was in south by merging these two banks, were trying to reduce cost of processing banking transactions. Economies of scope occurs when the cost of producing several products in a multi product firm is lower than the cost of producing the same products by individual firms e.g. Banc assurance model, British banking and issuance giant Lloyds TSB acquired Scottish Widows in June 1999 for 7bn. Sudarsanam et al (1996) identified the sources of value creation into three main types i.e. operational synergy, managerial synergy and financial synergy. Operational synergy occurs during the recognition of economies of scale and scope, vertical integration, the elimination of duplicate activities, the transfer of knowledge or skills by the bidders management team and a reduction in agency costs by bringing organization precise assets underneath common ownership (Ravenscraft Scherer 1987, 1989 cited in Martynova Renneboog 2006). Sources of value in vertical mergers includes reducing transaction costs in which combining different stages of the production chain can reduce costs of communication and bargaining i.e. one companys output is other companys input and by putting together will make the business efficient. E.g. Microsoft bid for Yahoo in January 2008, worth $42bn that will create more powerful browser or have a better chance of tackling the internet search leader. Having said that, current trends towards outsourcing suggest that, the benefits from vertical mergers are limited. According to Martynova Renneboog (2006), establishments of operating synergies reduce production distribution costs and yielding an incremental cash flow accruing to the companys post-merger shareholders. Sudarsanam et al (1996) argues managerial synergy could occur if the bidder has a competent managerial team and takes over a target with fewer competent managers. Such takeover is disciplinary and likely to improve the wealth gain for both bidder and target shareholders. Having said that, there is a considerable risk of agency problems where the managers do not operate in the interest of shareholders. Martynova Renneboog (2006) argues that diversifying takeovers are likely to gain from financial synergies in which financial synergies may incorporate improved cash flow stability, cheaper access to capital, an internal capital market as well as contracting efficiencies created by a reduction in managers employment risk. Conglomerate mergers allow risk diversification by spreading the income stream of the holding company over a wide variety of products and markets. Sudarsanam et al (1996) finds that financial synergy materialize from three likely sources i.e. the tax advantage of unused debt, the growth opportunities and financial resources of the emerging companies and the coinsurance of debt of the two companies which result in lower costs of capital. 1.4.2 Agency factor The second main motive for MA is managerial or agency factor. Shareholders are Principals i.e. owners of companys assets and managers are employed as shareholders Agents to manage these assets on their behalf. Managers should make decisions that are consistent with the objective of maximize the shareholder wealth, but managers do not share this objective necessarily. Managers will have their own personal objectives which will be mainly concerned with maximizing their own welfare (Sudarsanam et al 1996). Therefore, managerial decisions in acquisitions may result in agent costs that reduce the total value of the joint firm as they do not maximise but weaken shareholders return. Berger, Demsetz, Strahan (1999) argues that one managerial intention may be empire-building. Executive compensation leads to increase with companys size, so managers may wish to accomplish personal financial gains by engaging in MA, although at least in part the higher observed compensation of the managers of larger institutions rewards greater skill and effort. To protect their firm-specific human capital, some managers may also try to reduce insolvency risk below the level i.e. in shareholders interest possibly by diversifying risk through MA movement. Arnold (2005) observes that the managers may enjoy the thrill of the merger process itself and as a result push for such deals to take place. 1.4.3 Hubris The third and final main motive for MA is Hubris which was specified by Richard Roll in 1986. Arnold (2005, para2, p.1055), define hubris as over weaning self confidence or, less kindly, arrogance. The hubris hypothesis states that the valuation of target by the bidder management is over optimistic and per se the bidding firms management overpays for the target. This perhaps for a number of bases such as decisions makers believing themselves, that the value exists when it does not or that their valuation is correct and that the market is not shimmering the full economic value of the combined firm. These managers may perhaps be overconfident or have misplaced faith in their ability to develop the profit performance of the target firm. Berkovitch Narayanan (1993) argues that the hubris maintains that decision makers in the bidding firms simply pay too much for their targets as a result of mistakes in overestimating the value of the targets. 1.5 Factors influencing shareholder returns Shareholders returns are not just affected by MA announcements, but they are also influenced by bid characteristics e.g. method of payment, cross border MA, friendly vs. hostile bids etc. 1.5.1 Method of payment The method of payment is one of the key variables that must be agreed between the buyer and seller to determine the firms` abnormal returns and overall outcome of the bid. According to Huang and Walkling (1989), The form of payment will influence bidding strategy if it affects the anticipated NPVs of an acquisition. Huang and Walkling found that when method of payment and degree of conflict were taken into account statistically, abnormal returns were no higher in tender offers than in mergers. Payment methods can affect NPVs through interrelations with either acquisition cost or the probability of success or both whereas Dube, Glascock Romero (2007) argues that the different stages of benefit growing to the target and acquiring firms shareholders is attributed to the alternative methods of payments. Arnold (2005, para1, p.1059) states that cash payment has been the most popular and most valued method of payment which offers higher return than equity. For example, bidding firm is expected to carry out stock financed merger if the management of bidding firm has better-quality inside information that the existing assets of the firm are overvalued. However, if the bidder firm has confidential information about the target company and trusts it to be undervalued, then it probably offer cash financed merger. Therefore, merger financed with stocks are a negative signal because the use of stocks as a method of payment is more likely to occur when the stock is overvalued, while the use of cash is taken as the firm being overvalued. Alternatively, if target shareholders consider that their bank is overvalued, they will prefer to receive cash. This theory is supported by empirical literature and it demonstrates that at the time of the bid announcement acquirers who propose cash, tend to practice higher abnormal returns than those who offer stock financed merger. The advantage of cash is that the acquirer shareholders hold the same level of control over their company because their proportion of ownership has not been diluted by giving target shareholders stock options in the merged company. Therefore, the returns to the shareholders of a bidding firm will be higher in cash financed merger than the stock. Brealey, Myers Marcus (2004, para1, p.599) states if cash is offered, the cost of the merger is not affected by the size of the merger gains. And if stock is offered, the cost depends on the gains because the gains show up in the post merger share price, and these shares are used to pay for the acquired firm. 1.5.2 Cross border MA The combination of worldwide financial markets has been going together with, increases in the number and tiny proportion of firms that operate in the global market and the globalization process has been to a rational extent encouraged by cross border MA. According to Brankman, Garretsen, Van Marrewijk (2005, 2008) cross border MA are the main medium for foreign direct investment. MA provides fundamental but also limited understanding of this form of takeover, as cross-border MA are most likely related to economy-wide shocks such as economic integration, changes in the legal and regulatory environment or likely asymmetric business cycles. Based on past empirical evidence, though the majority of the domestic MA create significant wealth gains for the targets and negative or zero returns for bidders, cross border MA could have different impact on related firms. Kang (1993) stated that cross border MA are expected to create more wealth than domestic ones because of existence of market imperfections which leads to guide multinational firms (MNC) having a competitive advantage over local firms. Foreign banks have to act in accordance with with both regulations at home and abroad; domestic credit establishments have cost advantages, since fulfilling two diverse sets of regulation enforce additional costs on foreign banks. Also, different regulations reduce the amount of related fixed costs. This decreases the possibility for banks to collect benefits from economies of scale and scope. Economies of scale propose that bank is able to reduce its costs by growing the volume of output of products and services it already produces. As a result of developing into new country, a bank increases its potential client base and benefits from economies of scale. According to economies of scope, banks that diversify activities could reduce costs by providing more services. 1.5.3 Friendly vs. hostile bids Analysis regarding the impact of hostile takeovers has been arguable, varying from the benefits of market discipline for maximizing efficient utilization of resources to the damage of market shortsightedness on the economy, on the society and on value built over years. Dube, Glascock Romero (2007) argues such debates can impact financial marketsand can be expected to expand as developing markets open up to foreign corporations and as economic power is redistributed amongst countries. Hostile takeovers occur, when the management of a firm resists the takeover attempt by bidders. Lambrecht and Myers (2007) state that in some cases a potentially hostile acquirer could be better off negotiating with the target management for a merger and that such a situation reduces the power of the target shareholder to extract value from the bidder. Hostile acquisitions also involve swifter and more drastic changes in target. In both friendly and hostile acquisitions, overpayment can arise due to age ncy reflection of managerial objective maximization by the acquirer management. Goergen and Renneboog (2003) analyzed the market reactions to the different types of takeovers i.e. friendly, hostile and bids with multiple bidders. They found that hostile bids created the largest abnormal returns for the target i.e. 13% on the announcement day. When a hostile bid is made, the share price of the target straight away reflects the expectation that opposition to the bid will guide to upward revisions of the offer price. Various empirical studies have found that the returns to bidders in hostile takeovers are negative; resulting in low possibility of success of a hostile bid. 1.6 Impact of MA on shareholders Almost all of the studies of MA in banking industry are based on US data. As we know, one of the main objectives of mergers is to maximise the shareholders value by the means of increase in dividends and increase in share prices, so the shareholders can enjoy the capital gains. The two most important methods which can be used to assess the impact of MA were explained by Firth in 1980. In the first method, accounting information is used to determine the firms` financial performance profitability. The second method believes in efficient market which can be used in share price movements to estimate the economic impact of the event. The second method, direct measures any increase or reduction in shareholders wealth but also experience from the reality that no market is really efficient which results to mislead conclusions due to movement in share price. In this project, author chose the second method i.e. an event study in which the focal point will be on three different sets e.g. the target, the bidder and the impact of MA on combined firm in the long run. Various empirical studies on MA have concentrated on establishing stock market reaction around the announcement of a deal and whether a merger creates value for the shareholders of target and bidding firm. Delong (2001) examined 56 banks between 1991 and 1995, for focusing mergers that create positive abnormal returns whereas diversifying mergers produce negative abnormal returns. DeLong (2001) has point out that upon announcement the market responds positively to mergers that focus both on the activities and geography, which is consistent with Siems (1996). Delong finds that the cumulative abnormal returns (CAR) of target firm has been increased to 14.8% after merger and the bidding firm loose a significant 2.2%, whereas the combined firm neither created nor destroyed the shareholders value. The result also shows that the long term performance is improved when mergers involve inefficient bidders, payment not just made by cash and earnings are not diversified. Cybo ottone and Murgia (2000) analysed 54 largest MA deals with CARs at +3,41% between 1988 and 1997 on the European banking sector in 14 European markets. They have found that at the time of announcement, there was a positive and an important increase in the market value of the banks engaged in these deals. They have found positive abnormal returns for both buyers and the sellers using the general market index in the short period of eleven days, but found negative market reaction to acquiring bank. In other words, European bank mergers generate value for the combined firms including the target and the bidders do not lose. Various studies have shown that in Europe and the USA, target shareholders earn positive abnormal returns from mergers. Cyboottone and Murgia (2000) stated that bidding firm shareholders earn positive abnormal returns in European studies whereas in USA studies bidding firm shareholders earn negative abnormal returns from the mergers. Shareholders of target European banks achieve more than the bidding bank shareholders, however, the difference is very tiny indeed. So in other words, we can say that Cyboottone and Murgia (2000) results are not consistent with the USA banking literature which shows that no value creation effects are usually found. Martynova and Renneboog (2006) examined the short term wealth effects of 2,419 European MA announcements between 1993 and 2001 in twenty eight European countries. They found that UK target created higher returns (9%) and UK bidders experienced lower wealth losses (0.5%) in comparison to the total European average result. They also identified the share price reaction of bidding firms; on a hostile merger i.e. it generated a negative abnormal return of -0.4%, on the other hand, a friendly acquisition created a positive abnormal return of 0.8%. Therefore, Martynova and Renneboog (2006) have concluded that MA do create value for the bidding and the target shareholders in which target shareholders enjoy majority of gains as they collect large premiums. Beitel (2001) look at 98 large MA of European banks between 1985 and 2000 using the event study in which he found out, the shareholders of the target firm enjoy positive cumulative abnormal returns (CAR), whereas the shareholders of the bidding firm doesnt earn any CARs. However, the combined analysis of bidding and target European bank merger do create the shareholders value significantly. They also notice a change in the results after 1998 that European bidding banks in large deals experienced negative CARs and especially cross border mergers of European banks appeared to have destroyed shareholders value. Table 1: Summary of bank mergers using event studies of previous Abnormal Returns to shareholders MA studies Sample period Sample size Event Window Target CARs (%) Bidder CARs (%) Antoniou, Arbour Zhao (2006) 1985-2004 396 -2 to +2 17.37 -3.32 Cybo-ottone Murgia (2000) 1988-1997 54 -10 to 0 16.1 Not significant DeLong (2001) 1988-1995 280 -10 to 1 16.61 -1.68 Sudarasanam, Holl Salami (1996) 1980-1990 429 -20to+40 days 29 -4 Becher (2000) 1980-1997 553 -30 to +5 22.64 -0.1 Siems (1996) 1995 19 -1 to +1 13 -2 Houston Ryngaert (1997) 1985-1991 184 -2 to +2 20.40 -2.40 Ismail and Davidson (2005) studied 102 merger announcements in European banking industry between 1987 and 1999. They found positive abnormal returns for targets and the return to bidders differs across the deal type, also the merger deals earn higher returns than acquisition deals. They reported that the high competition in the market and reduction in the profitability in the banking industry in Europe is extending a depressing picture of performance of the future. They also reported low positive abnormal returns to target shareholders compared to other findings in the banking industry in Europe. The reason behind is that the bidder not ready to pay higher premiums in a competitive environment in which level of profits are decreasing. Ismail and Davidson (2005) pointed out that if equity is used as a method of payment instead of cash, then merger deals earn lower returns because of the fact is that equity signal to the market that the equity is overvalued which is consistent with fin dings of Huang and Walkling (1987). 1.7 Conclusion A bank acquires another bank because of number of reasons e.g. diversification, market power, managers preference etc. This literature review looks at the motives of MA based on the past academic studies i.e. Berkovitch Narayanan (1993), Sudarsanam et al (1996), Hannan Pilloff (2006), Martynova Renneboog (2006). Having said that, it is still not clear whether synergy gains or personal quest of managers is behind motivating majority of MAs. Evidence suggests that the managers may use the free cash flow for mergers that may produce negative NPV investments, because managers pursue their own interests rather than those of shareholders, resulting in mergers to not create value for shareholders. Whereas hubris, which supports the efficient market hypothesis (EMH) suggests that any bid for the target at premium overpays and it is result of the hubris. Arnold (2005) state it is similar to `winners curse` where the highest bidder will bid typically higher than the expected value of the purpose. However, most of the evidence suggests that the target shareholders gain positive abnormal returns while the cumulative abnormal returns (CARs) to the bidders are significantly negative and the combined banking firms seems to improve the shareholders value. Various studies also supports the fact that target shareholders gain at the expense of bidder shareholders and bank mergers do not create value for the combined firm in stock market reaction to bank mergers. Also, evidence shows that shareholders returns are not only affected by the MA announcements but they are also influenced by bid characteristics. 2.0 Methodology 2.1 Introduction Choosing appropriate research methods are clearly vital. According to Veal (1997) it is important for the researcher to be aware of the range of methods available and not to make claims that cannot be justified on the basis of the methods used. This part of this dissertation gives an outline how information was collected, the sample design statistics and which methodology is used by concentrating on European banking sector mergers between 2003 and 2007. Firstly, we have to decide the philosophy underlying this research, which involves choosing a paradigm. Collis and Hussey, 2003, p. 352 define paradi

Frederick Douglass :: American History, Masters and Slaves

In 1845, Frederick Douglass published a narrative will be remembered in history forever. Douglass’ narrative is a recount of the tough life on the plantations before his escape to New York. He describes in this narrative the senseless acts of cruelty on the part of the masters as well as the debased lives of the slaves. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave provides a powerful account of the role of ignorance of slavery, the damaging effects on slaves and slaveholders, and the knowledge to the path of freedom for African Americans. Frederick Douglass was born in a slave cabin, in February, 1818, close to the town of Easton, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. (Bio of FD, 1) Frederick Douglass, whose full name is Frederick Augustus Washington Baily, was abandoned by his mother when he was just a baby and then was raised by his grandparents. Douglass never knew his father and according to him and nearly everyone, "†¦opinion was also whispered that my master was my father† his father figure was a white man ( NLOFD, 1). When Douglass was around the age of six, his grandmother took him to the plantation of his master and left him there. (Bio of FD, 1) He stayed there with his master for about two years then he was relocated around the age of eight where he was sent to Baltimore to live as a houseboy with Hugh and Sophia Auld, relatives of his master. Not long after his arrival his new mistress taught him the alphabet. The lessons soon came to a cease when Hugh said â€Å"learning will spoil the best nigge r in the world† (Foner, 17). When her husband forbade her to continue her instruction, because it was unlawful to teach slaves how to read, Frederick took it upon himself to learn. This marked the turning point when Frederick Douglass started to become a man. Frederick Douglass’ Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave was written to expose the ignorance of slavery, the damaging effects on slaves and slaveholders. Douglass wanted to show the world his story and point of view throughout his journey through slavery. The novel lets the readers feel the cruelty and hardship of Douglass’ life. The narrative goes from his early childhood, to when he escaped to freedom, to his role in the abolitionist movement. When Douglass was a young boy, he witnesses for the first time his aunt, a slave, getting whipped.

Biblical Women in Popular Culture

In today’s culture where individualism is emphasized and especially that women are encouraged to assume equal roles as men would normally take, two or three decades ago, it is very difficult to see eye to eye with how women are portrayed in the Bible during biblical times. â€Å"Girl power† or women empowerment is the rule of the day for women nowadays. Although, of course, all women as all men have the right to lead in the sense that they have the same intrinsic capacity to influence, the role of leadership has been blown out of proportion by feminist groups as they apply it to women.The result of this over blown leadership role of women has been the constant battle between members of opposite sexes in many significant areas within society. It has affected the homes, government and non-government institutions, down to the smallest entity that has within its membership men and women. The aim of this paper is to draw a comparison between Biblical projection of women (as portrayed in the Bible and the movie â€Å"One Night With The King†) and today’s popular culture’s endeavour to depict the function of women (McMurray, 2007).While at the moment, the common cry of women is equality to both genders as it is reflected in women’s roles in the family, in public places, and the obliteration of the stereotyped designation of females in past decades which until now has its bearing in the minds of the general public the consequent outcome of this campaign is prevalent in almost every area where function is concerned. In the late 1960s, women’s movement began to blossom.It was stirred by the then sentiment of repulsion to the tasks being typecasted among women. Women’s movement of the 60s aimed to question the menial duties relegated to women such as getting married, becoming a housewife and afterwards attending to household chores (including raising children), and when outside opportunity comes for them to work, the y’re consigned to answering phones, photocopying, etc (Encarta, 2006). The scenery has been changed and is no longer the same as in the past 30 or 40 years.The typical woman today is one that is among the working class – no longer confined to house premises, but working and providing as much as her male counterparts. She can be the manager or an executive of an established firm where most of the male employees are under her command. Equality in roles has now been achieved. Whereas this status and depiction of women in itself is not outright negative, the undercurrent force that it has created is the programming of the minds of today’s women to be resistant to the biblical description of their role as they are teamed with men.Instead of seeing male and female partnership as complimentary to both sexes, the danger of too much emphasis on equality especially when it is defined merely in domestic and public functions is the threat that masculinity poses to womanhood . It is good for women to fight for their basic equal rights with men as members of this global community, but if it results in certain imbalances because the aim has become the dethronement of the opposite gender, then the battle for equality has now turned into fight for superiority of the female sex.Biblical Women in Biblical Text The movie â€Å"One Night with the King† has successfully showed to modern world the right balance when it comes to understanding the woman’s role. In the film, the first of these lessons on womanhood could be derived from the example of Queen Vashti, King Xerxes’ dethroned Queen. Vashti’s removal as Queen was hastened by her attitude towards her King as she turned down King Xerxes’ request â€Å"to show her beauty to the people and the officials† (Esther 1:11, NKJV The Holy Bible 1982).At the very outset of this biblical narrative, there was already a sort of struggle as to whether the King should be obeyed in whatever demands he make or not. The whole picture of the Persian Kingdom’s celebration included not only King Xerxes’ feasting with people and officials but also Queen Vashti’s party which she arranged for â€Å"the women in the royal palace† (Ibid). In biblical times, kings command absolute obedience to their subjects. They could do everything at whim even the execution of their citizens.However, to what extent should Queen Vashti needed to â€Å"show her beauty to the people† at the King’s bidding, one cannot determine for sure. If it meant the exposure of the beauty of her naked body before the expectant public, it was wise and courageous for her to refuse even if it was a direct violation of the royal protocol. She was submissive to the King until this point of their relationship. Esther, however, as she is the main protagonist in the story, much of the lessons on women can be extracted from her life’s example. The first is her c ourage to risk her life for others.When she was finally raised to the high position of a Queen, she did not forget but rather remained committed to the preservation and welfare of her people. Until today, this virtue of selfless courage is admired in the world. It is one of the sought after virtues of leadership which unfortunately is lacking in many of those occupying leadership positions. The courage that the life of Esther showed in the story was not independent courage which resulted from a stubborn will. It was a courage constantly tempered by another life, the life of her cousin and mentor, Mordecai.She allowed herself to be constantly advised and influenced by the one who helped her reached her current high position. She remained as humble as she was in spite of the great changes and promotion that happened to her. She did not forget where she came from and did not abandon her people. It was Esther’s submissive attitude that brought her to the high position of being Qu een to King Xerxes in stead of Vashti. Contrary to what is being promoted today by our culture, Esther continued living her life (even as Queen) in a responsible manner.It is the dream of many young women today to wade their way through life to reach the point where there will be no one to hold them accountable anymore or have somebody to check them. Example after example of young celebrities have been the focus of media and news headlines that project the common outcry of many which hailed them to be the representations of American dream. Most of these modern-day models are strong-willed, carefree, and want to believe that life can be lived irresponsibly with no accountability. Esther’s example, on the other hand, stands in stark contrast to common perception of women in popular culture.Effects of Non-Biblical Portrayal of Womanhood Because of this non-biblical portrayal of women in our society, a lot of damaged has been inflicted on the minds of the majority of people. For one thing, the current trend of thinking is resistant to the Biblical teachings regarding women. The common minds have been preconditioned to reject and to not understand the Biblical ideals of what females should be. As a result, when femininity is the question, people would rather look to non-biblical sources as authority than the Bible.Non-biblical portrayal of women has pre-programmed people to reject biblical standards. When that happens, society begins to have problems because the standards have become different. Its negative effects include the entertainment of a different kind of criteria by which we look at what qualities should our average women possess. This is reflected in the women’s attempt to pursue what are not beneficial to them, simply because they have adopted rules or guidelines that are to them may put them in better position in this very competitive society.Other things that are currently occurring include the perversion of the role that women play befor e the eyes of the greater public. Roles that actually begin to evolve and never to bring the women to healthier assessment of themselves but either a view that makes them as simply objects of perversions or whimsical creation of a role that is not only sickening but also in reality, harder than the real, and more biblical portrayal of women.Femininity then, is very important to be defined and assessed according to real thing: the biblical benchmarks. Women will begin to see themselves the way God sees them then. As partners in the fulfilment of God’s grand design and when women start to accept the roles as defined by the bible, they then develop into healthy â€Å"organisms† capable of even settling into times when to be in the background is still very acceptable. Reference:1. Encarta Dictionary 2006. (DVD) 2. Maxwell, John, 2000. Commentary on Esther. P. 600. The Maxwell Leadership Bible. 3. McMurray, Sheri. â€Å"One night with the King† review. Christian Spot light. Accessed Sept. 24, 2007. 3. New King James Version, 2000. Maxwell Leadership Bible. Maxwell Motivation , Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishing).

An Epic Hero: Beowulf Essay

Beowulf is an epic from the Anglo-Saxon period about a hero who takes on extreme challenges. The main character, Beowulf, embodies the virtues of the Anglo-Saxon culture and beliefs. He also embodies the traits of the Anglo-Saxon society: strength, bravery, honor, and the want and need to help others around them. Beowulf is faithful to his word and shares any and all of his winnings and gifts that he has received. His being faithful to his oaths links him to the Anglo-Saxons. Beowulf makes an oath to kill Grendel and he does (page 37). After Grendel is killed, the people tell Beowulf of Grendel’s mother and he tells them he will have her dead as well and indeed he does (page 41). Anglo-Saxons are very generous when it comes to sharing their wealth. Hrothgar offers treasure and gold to Beowulf in exchange for the death of Grendel’s mother (page 39). Wiglaf speaks of how Beowulf gave him and the warriors gold and other gifts, so they in turn should help Beowulf defeat the dragon and defend their leader (page 47). In order for Beowulf to be like the Anglo-Saxons, he would have to have these characteristics and he did. Beowulf made allegiances between leaders, but relied on fate a lot which is exactly the trait of an Anglo-Saxon. His reliance on fate was a big rise for him, but when he faced the dragon fate was no longer on his side. Before the dragon, Beowulf believed that if he was given a task then fate would make it so. For example, he says, â€Å"†¦ death was my errand and the fate they had earned† (lns 158-159). At the end of Beowulf’s speech to the king, he exclaims, â€Å"Fate will unwind as it must! † (line 189) which shows how he relies on fate. The allegiances he made helped him look better by giving him more fame. After Beowulf’s speech to the king, Hrothgar replied, â€Å"No one strange to this land has ever been granted what I’ve given you, no one in all the years of my rule. Make this the best of all mead-halls yours, and then keep it free of evil, fight with glory in your heart! Purge Herot and your ship will sail home with its treasures full† (lns 385-391). With that, Hrothgar finally decides to allow Beowulf and his men to take down Grendel. Beowulf’s allegiances and beliefs embody the traits of the Anglo-Saxons. Love of fame, pride, and boastfulness are the downside to the Anglo-Saxon characteristics and Beowulf holds all three of these traits inside of himself. His pride and boastfulness is what intimidates others to keep them thinking that he is better than them and no one could beat him and Beowulf lets everybody know it. When Unferth challenges Beowulf, Beowulf replies boastfully on how there is nobody that swims in the sea like him and how nobody is as strong as he is (page 30). Beowulf later goes on to tell a tale of him and a friend, â€Å"He could never leave me behind, swim faster across the waves than I could, and I had chosen to remain close to his side† (lns 274-276). His love of fame and success is not uncommon among the Anglo-Saxon culture. Beowulf loves to hear his success stories, so he tells about how he â€Å"drove five great giants into chains† and â€Å"chased all of that race from the earth† (lns 153-155). These downside characteristics are the values of an Anglo-Saxon. Beowulf has inside of him all of the traits and characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon people. This epic hero is a perfect example of the Anglo-Saxon values. These traits, good and bad, are what make up Beowulf as well as the Anglo-Saxon society.

Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox

Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox Known for: known for her plotting on behalf of Roman Catholicism in England.  Ã‚  She was the  grandmother of James VI of Scotland who became James I of England, and the mother of James father, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley.. Margaret Douglas was the niece of Tudor King Henry VIII and granddaughter of Henry VII. Dates: October 8, 1515 - March 7, 1578 Heritage Margaret Douglas  mother was Margaret Tudor, daughter of Englands King Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Margaret Tudor, named for her paternal grandmother,  Margaret Beaufort, was the widow of James IV of Scotland. Margaret Douglas father was Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus; the marriage of Margaret Tudor and Archibald Douglas in 1514, at first secret, was the second for each, and alienated many of the other Scottish nobles and threatened her supervision of her two sons by James IV, James V (1512-1542) and Alexander (1514-1515). Margaret Douglas, the only child of her mothers second marriage, was brought up with and was a lifelong friend to King Henry VIIIs daughter by Catherine of Aragon, Princess Mary, later Englands Queen Mary I. Scandalous Relations Margaret Douglas became engaged to Thomas Howard while she was a lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn, the second queen of Margarets uncle Henry VIII. Howard was sent to the Tower of London in 1537 for their unauthorized relationship, as Margaret was at that time next in line of succession, Henry VIII having declared illegitimate his daughters Mary and Elizabeth. Love poems she wrote to Thomas Howard were preserved in the Devonshire MS, now in the British Library. Margaret had reconciled with her uncle by 1539, when he asked her to greet his new bride Anne of Cleves on her arrival in England. In 1540, Margaret had an affair with Charles Howard, nephew of Thomas Howard and brother of Catherine Howard, the fifth queen of Henry VIII. But again Henry VIII reconciled with his niece, and Margaret was a witness to his sixth and final marriage, to Catherine Parr, who had known Margaret for many years. Marriage In 1544, Margaret Douglas married Matthew Stewart, the 4th Earl of Lennox, who was living in England. Their elder son, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, in 1565 married Mary, Queen of Scots, daughter of James V, Margaret Douglas half-brother. The Stewart (Stuart) name for a later line of kings of England and Scotland comes from Margaret Douglas second husband through the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Lord Darnley. Plotting Against Elizabeth After Marys death and the succession of Protestant Queen Elizabeth I in 1558, Margaret Douglas retired to Yorkshire, where she became involved with Roman Catholic plotting. In 1566 Elizabeth had Lady Lennox sent to the Tower. Margaret Douglas was released after her son, Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, was murdered in 1567. In 1570-71, Matthew Stewart, Margarets husband, became Regent in Scotland; he was assassinated in 1571. Margaret was again imprisoned in 1574 when her younger son Charles married without royal permission; she was pardoned in 1577 after he died. She briefly helped care for the daughter of Charles, Arbella Stuart. Death and Legacy Margaret Douglas died only a year after she was released. Queen Elizabeth I gave her a large funeral. Her effigy lies in Westminster Abbey, where her son Charles is also buried. The grandson of Margaret Douglas, James, who was the son of Henry Stewart, Lord Darnley, and of Mary, Queen of Scots, became King James VI of Scotland and, at the death of Elizabeth I, was crowned King James I of England. He was the first Stewart king.

Free Essays on The Disney Way Of Life

â€Å"The happiest place on earth.† This phrase has been used to describe the Disney theme parks all over the world: Orlando, Florida; Anaheim, California; Paris, France; and Tokyo, Japan. Happy music plays, happy characters greet you, and happy workers clean up happy trash. For decades, children have been ecstatic to ride the teacups, have breakfast with the characters, and meet the famous mouse that started the entire Disney industry. Since the beginning, Disney has grown to gargantuan proportions with its numerous outlet stores, movies, and merchandise as well as its connections with other big companies such as AT&T and many television and movie industries. Disney has, in a sense, taken the real world by storm with the joyful world it has created. â€Å"The Wonderful World of Disney† is nothing more than a failed attempt to make the world a pretty, blissful place. Even worse is its attempt to create a carefree, secure, jolly city where the residents would have nothing at all to worry about. This has proven that Disney is on the long list of failed utopias. â€Å"Utopia† is defined as â€Å"the word for a perfect or ideal place- especially one with an ideal social or political system†(The Learning Kingdom). Many authors have tried to convey the idea of a perfect world through their writings. The term comes from Sir Thomas More’s 1516 book Utopia in which he described an ideal place that didn’t exist. He derived the word from the Greek roots ou (not) and topos (place), so â€Å"utopia† literally means â€Å"no place.† More knew this place could not exist, and named it appropriately. All throughout history, people have tried to create ideal ways of life. â€Å"Whereas once the inclination to imagine alternative socie... Free Essays on The Disney Way Of Life Free Essays on The Disney Way Of Life â€Å"The happiest place on earth.† This phrase has been used to describe the Disney theme parks all over the world: Orlando, Florida; Anaheim, California; Paris, France; and Tokyo, Japan. Happy music plays, happy characters greet you, and happy workers clean up happy trash. For decades, children have been ecstatic to ride the teacups, have breakfast with the characters, and meet the famous mouse that started the entire Disney industry. Since the beginning, Disney has grown to gargantuan proportions with its numerous outlet stores, movies, and merchandise as well as its connections with other big companies such as AT&T and many television and movie industries. Disney has, in a sense, taken the real world by storm with the joyful world it has created. â€Å"The Wonderful World of Disney† is nothing more than a failed attempt to make the world a pretty, blissful place. Even worse is its attempt to create a carefree, secure, jolly city where the residents would have nothing at all to worry about. This has proven that Disney is on the long list of failed utopias. â€Å"Utopia† is defined as â€Å"the word for a perfect or ideal place- especially one with an ideal social or political system†(The Learning Kingdom). Many authors have tried to convey the idea of a perfect world through their writings. The term comes from Sir Thomas More’s 1516 book Utopia in which he described an ideal place that didn’t exist. He derived the word from the Greek roots ou (not) and topos (place), so â€Å"utopia† literally means â€Å"no place.† More knew this place could not exist, and named it appropriately. All throughout history, people have tried to create ideal ways of life. â€Å"Whereas once the inclination to imagine alternative socie...

Famous Medieval and Renaissance Couples

Famous Medieval and Renaissance Couples Throughout history, men and women have joined together in partnerships both romantic and practical. Kings and their queens, writers and their muses, warriors and their lady-loves have at times had an impact on their world and on future events. The same could be said for some fictional couples, whose often-tragic romances have served to inspire both literature and true-life romantic adventures. These passionate, political, and poetic couples from the Medieval and Renaissance ages will go down in history. Abelard and Heloise Real life scholars of 12th-century Paris, Peter Abelard and his student, Heloise, had a torrid affair. Their story can be read in A Medieval Love Story. Arthur and Guinevere The legendary King Arthur and his queen are at the center of a huge corpus of medieval and post-medieval literature. In most stories, Guinevere had a real affection for her older husband, but her heart belonged to Lancelot. Boccaccio and Fiammetta Giovanni Boccaccio was an important 14th-century author. His muse was the lovely Fiammetta, whose true identity is undetermined but who appeared in some of his early works. Charles Brandon and Mary Tudor Henry VIII arranged for his sister Mary to wed King Louis XII of France, but she already loved Charles, the 1st Duke of Suffolk. She agreed to wed the much older Louis on condition that she be allowed to choose her next husband herself. When Louis died shortly after the marriage, Mary secretly wed Suffolk before Henry could embroil her in another political marriage. Henry was furious, but he forgave them after Suffolk paid a hefty fine. El Cid and Ximena Rodrigo Dà ­az de Vivar was a notable military leader and the national hero of Spain. He acquired the title el Cid (sir or lord) during his lifetime. He really did marry Ximena (or Jimena), the kings niece, but the exact nature of their relationship is obscured in the mists of time and epic. Clovis and Clotilda Clovis was the founder of the Merovingian dynasty of Frankish kings. His pious wife Clotilda convinced him to convert to Catholicism, which would prove significant in the future development of France. Dante and Beatrice Dante Alighieri is often considered the finest poet of the Middle Ages. His devotion in his poetry to Beatrice made her one of the most celebrated figures in western literature. Still, he never acted on his love, and may never even have told her personally how he felt. Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville Handsome  Edward was attractive and popular with the ladies, and he surprised quite a few people when he married the widowed mother of two boys. Edwards bestowal of court favors on Elizabeths relatives disrupted his court. Erec and Enide The poem Erec et Enide  is the earliest extant Arthurian romance by 12th-century poet Chrà ©tien de Troyes. In it, Erec wins a tournament to defend the assertion that his lady is the most beautiful. Later, the two go on a quest to prove to each other their noble qualities. Etienne de Castel and Christine de Pizan The time Christine had with her husband was a mere ten years. His death left her in financial straits, and she turned to writing to support herself. Her works included love ballads dedicated to the late Etienne. Ferdinand and Isabella The Catholic Monarchs of Spain united Castile and Aragon when they married. Together, they overcame civil war, completed the Reconquista by defeating the last Moorish holdout of Granada, and sponsored the voyages of Columbus. They also expelled the Jews and began the Spanish Inquisition. Gareth and Lynette In the Arthurian tale of Gareth and Lynette, first told by Malory, Gareth proves himself to be chivalrous, even though Lynette heaps scorn upon him. Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell The story of the loathly lady is told in many versions. The most famous involves Gawain, one of Arthurs greatest knights, whom the ugly Dame Ragnell chooses for her husband, and is told in The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle. Geoffrey and Philippa Chaucer He is considered the quintessential medieval English poet. She was his devoted wife for more than twenty years. While they were wed  Geoffrey Chaucer  led a busy, successful life in service to the king. After her death, he endured a solitary existence and wrote his most notable works, including  Troilus and Criseyde  and  The  Canterbury Tales. Henry  Plantagenet  and Eleanor of Aquitaine At the age of 30, the bold, beautiful  Eleanor of Aquitaine  was divorced from her husband, the meek and mild King Louis VII of France, and married the brash young 18-year-old  Henry  Plantagenet,  future  king of England. The two would have a tempestuous marriage, but Eleanor bore Henry eight children- two of whom became kings. Henry Tudor and Elizabeth of York After his defeat of Richard III,  Henry Tudor  became king, and he sealed the deal by marrying the daughter of an undisputed king of England (Edward IV). But was Elizabeth really happy married to the Lancastrian enemy of her Yorkist family? Well, she gave him seven children, including the future king Henry VIII. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn After decades of marriage to Catherine of Aragon, which produced a daughter but no sons,  Henry VIII  threw tradition to the wind in pursuit of the captivating Anne Boleyn. His actions would ultimately result in a split with the Catholic Church. Sadly, Anne also failed to give Henry an heir, and when he tired of her, she lost her head. John of England and Isabella When  John  married  Isabella of Angoulà ªme, it caused some problems, not least because she was engaged to someone else. John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford The third son of  Edward III,  John  married and outlived two women who brought him titles and land, but his heart belonged to Katherine Swynford. Though their relationship was at times rocky, Katherine bore John four children out of wedlock. When  John, at last, married Katherine, the children were legitimized, but they and their descendants were officially barred from the throne. This would not stop  Henry VII, a descendant of John and Katherine, from becoming king a century later. Justinian and Theodora Considered by some scholars to be the greatest emperor of medieval Byzantium,  Justinian  was a great man with an even greater woman behind him. With  Theodoras support, he reclaimed significant portions of the western empire, reformed Roman law and rebuilt Constantinople. After her death, he achieved little. Lancelot and Guinevere When political necessity joins a young woman to a king, should she ignore the dictates of her heart?  Guinevere  didnt, and her passionate affair with  Arthurs greatest knight  would lead to the downfall of Camelot. Louis IX and Margaret Louis  was a saint. But he was also a mamas boy. He was only 12 when his father died, and his mother Blanche served as regent for him. She also chose his wife. Yet Louis was devoted to his bride Margaret, and together they had 11 children, while Blanche grew jealous of her daughter-in-law and died with her nose out of joint. Merlin and Nimue Arthurs most trusted advisor may have been a wizard, but  Merlin  was also a man, susceptible to the charms of women. Nimue (or sometimes Vivien,  Nineve,  or Niniane) was so charming she was able to  ensorcell  Merlin and trap him in a cave (or sometimes tree), where he was unable to help Arthur in his time of darkest trouble. Petrarch and Laura Like Dante and Boccaccio,  Francesco Petrarca, the  founder of  Renaissance Humanism,  had his muse: the lovely Laura. The poems he dedicated to her inspired poets of succeeding generations, most notably Shakespeare and Edmund Spenser. Philip of Spain and Bloody Mary Poor Mary, the Catholic queen of England, loved her husband madly. But  Philip  couldnt stand the sight of her. To make matters worse, the largely Protestant population of her country simply would not convert back to Catholicism, and they resented the presence of a Catholic foreigner in Marys household. Heartsick and stressed, Mary had several hysterical pregnancies and died at the age of 42. Raphael Sanzio and Margherita Luti The charming, suave, amiable  Raphael  was so popular he became known as the prince of painters. He was very publicly engaged to Maria Bibbiena, the niece of a powerful cardinal, but scholars believe he may have  secretly married  Margherita Luti, the daughter of a Sienese baker. If word of this marriage got out, it would have severely damaged his reputation; but Raphael was just the type of man to throw caution to the wind and follow his heart. Richard I and Berengaria Was  Richard the Lionheart  gay? Some scholars believe it to be the reason he and  Berengaria  never had children. But then, their relationship was so strained Richard was ordered by the pope to patch things up. Robert Guiscard and Sichelgaita Sichelgaita (or Sikelgaita) was a Lombard princess who married  Guiscard, a Norman warlord, and proceeded to accompany him on many campaigns.  Anna Comnena  wrote of Sichelgaita: When dressed in full armor, the woman was a fearsome sight. When Robert died during the siege of Cephalonia, Sichelgaita was right by his side. Robin Hood and Maid Marian The legends of  Robin Hood  may have been based on the activities of real-life outlaws of the 12th century, though if so, scholars have no definitive proof of who precisely served as their inspiration. Marian stories were a later addition to the corpus. Tristan and Isolde The story of  Tristan and Isolde  was incorporated into Arthurian tales, but its origins are a Celtic legend that may be based on an actual Pictish king. Troilus and Criseyde The character of Troilus is a Trojan prince who falls in love with a Greek captive. In Geoffrey Chaucers poem she is Criseyde (in William Shakespeares play she is Cressida), and though she declares her love for Troilus, when she is ransomed by her people she goes to live with a big Greek hero. Uther and Igraine Arthurs father  Uther  was king, and he coveted the wife of the Duke of Cornwall, Igraine. So Merlin cast a spell on Uther to make him look like Cornwall, and while the real duke was out fighting, he slipped in to have his way with the virtuous lady. The result? Cornwall died in battle, and Arthur was born nine months later. William of Normandy and Matilda Before he seriously took aim at the crown of England,  William the Conqueror  set his sights on Matilda, daughter of Baldwin V of Flanders. Though he was distantly related to her and the pope condemned the marriage as incestuous, the pair went through with the wedding. Was it all for love of the lady? Perhaps, but his alliance with Baldwin was critical in cementing his position as Duke of Normandy. Still, he and Matilda had ten children, and to patch things up with the pope, they built two monasteries at Caen.

The audit report and internal control evaluation. Apollo Shoes Inc Essay

The audit report and internal control evaluation. Apollo Shoes Inc - Essay Example The auditing process of financial statements and evaluation of internal control systems of Apollo shoes was perfect. This is a report of findings, and recordings of the audit firm as of 31st December 2011. The audit follows the basis on the international Standard of Auditing and general accepted audit standards of United States of America. Key target of the audit is to obtain a reasonable assurance on whether there are any material misstatements on the financial statements. This will lead to drawing an opinion to the shareholders regarding the state of financial records (Ainapure, 2011, p. 26). Background Apollo shoes Inc. is a leading company in the United States of America. In reference to the evaluation conducted by the audit company, the Apollo management team is highly competent with certified employees. The management team comprises of 13 members and an executive committee of three members. The company's revenue of the year ended 31st December 2011 $108 million. This is a 6% in crease in reference to the working papers of previous auditor. It also has over 600 full time employees, 3500 part-time graduates, and 1000 undergraduates. The company has many branches all around the States to increase the net revenue. In this financial year, the company won different awards as a result of its quality management strategies. This has raised the creation of a sustainable business environment in such a competitive economy. It proves to be among the best performing companies in this line. Accounting sampling and testing procedures The audit entailed different sampling and testing procedures. This is to provide material evidence before presenting the opinion to the shareholders and directors. Tracing the flow of transactions and authorization is the crucial task in auditing. This is because auditors will identify transaction initiation and completion by the company. The audit team also made a detailed compliance test seeing whether all guidelines within the company are functional. A test on the control system is pivotal in auditing; its helps the auditor to identify the extent of other tests. In reference to the audit team, it is evident that Apollo shoes management is competent in implementing these tools. This implementation is responsible for immaterial gaps in the company. The auditing team gives all recommendations and management action plans to cover these gaps. Risk Exposure From the audit analysis, internal auditors perform detailed risk analysis targeting all areas of concern of the company. The key target areas are cash inflows, grant activities, operating systems, level of external rules and regulation among others. The objective of evaluating risk exposure through the internal audit team is identifying all entities that should receive audit attention (Ainapure, 2011, p. 32). Scope The main aim of auditing the statements is to represent the shareholders in affirming the fairness of the statements. It also helps in determining whether th ey are in accordance with the accepted accounting standards of USA. The audit includes testing, examining basis, evidence on the supporting information, and disclosing the financial statements to all parties. It also includes a review of administration grant, safety, network security, and service centre. It covers the period from 1st January 2011 and 31st January of the same year. This is in reference to Apollo Shoes financial year. The report has made a combination of analytical review procedures on the financial statements (Ainapure, 2011, p. 36). Opinion In accordance with the financial statements presented by the management of Apollo shoes Company, the company’s financial statements are in line with the USA accounting standard. This is in reference to the financial records of the year ended 31st January

How God Organizes People for Effective Action Essay

How God Organizes People for Effective Action - Essay Example Our assigned tasks fit together to complete His plan. God views each of us as a very important puzzle piece, existing to complete the whole. For instance, the Bible speaks of King David who greatly enhanced and extended the kingdom of Israel and established the Judean dynasty. This biblical figure was indeed a historical character. According to Daniel Hillel in his book The Natural History of the Bible, in 1993, excavations at Tel Dan, at the far northern-tip of the state of Israel, uncovered an inscription with an explicit mention of the "House of David". Dr. Michael Denton in his book Nature's Destiny, concluded that, "All the evidence available in the biological sciences supports the core proposition of traditional natural theology -that the cosmos is a specially designed whole with life and mankind as its fundamental goal and purpose, a whole in which all facets of reality, from the size of galaxies to the thermal capacity of water, have their meaning and explanation in this central fact." The world is custom-made for our essence. Daniel Hillel describes in his book, The Natural History of the Bible, the venture to the Promised Land.

What are the Elements of a Successful Counter-terrorist Strategy Dissertation

What are the Elements of a Successful Counter-terrorist Strategy - Dissertation Example It is properly defined as the creation and exploitation of fear through the use of violence or threat of using violence (Burke 2006). Because of the effect of terrorism on the social, economic and political aspect of states and non-states, various methods have been devised to prevent terrorist attacks, or at least reduce its negative effects. Thus, counterterrorism has been considered as yet another important agenda of states and other juridical entities (Durmaz 2007). This study aims to look into the different methods falling under the umbrella of counterterrorism as well as the elements that the same must contain in order to ensure its success. This chapter aims to provide an introduction to the topic at hand as well as to the aims and contents of this dissertation thus dividing it into the following sections: first, background of the study; second, research objectives; third, statement of the problem; fourth, research questions; fifth, significance of the study; sixth, scope and l imitations; seventh, operational definition of terms; and finally, an overview of the dissertation. Background of the Study As earlier mentioned, counterterrorism refers to an important agenda of states and non-states in their attempt to respond to terrorist threats and attacks (Orttung and Makarychev 2006). More specifically, counterterrorism pertains to the different practices, tactics, techniques and strategies that various juridical personalities (i.e. departments and corporations) make use of in order to effectively prevent and respond to terrorist threats and acts whether they be real or not. In this regard, counterterrorism focuses on both the detection of potential attacks as well as to the development of effective responses in... The intention of this study is terrorism that has been one of the most significant problems that the World has been dealing with in the twenty-first century. It generally pertains to the systematic use of terror as a means by which a person or a group of people could coerce another into doing something. In its common usage, the word terrorism pertains to those acts committed to cause fear and compromise the safety of the civilians. Most importantly, the prevalence of this problem in this particular era has led to the perception that it is often perpetrated by groups guided by their desire to attain a certain religious, political or ideological goal. Terrorism, thus, is considered as both a tactic and a strategy. It is properly defined as the creation and exploitation of fear through the use of violence or threat of using violence. Because of the effect of terrorism on the social, economic and political aspect of states and non-states, various methods have been devised to prevent terr orist attacks, or at least reduce its negative effects. Thus, counterterrorism has been considered as yet another important agenda of states and other juridical entities. Because of the importance of strategies related to counter-terrorism, it has been expounded that all aspects and segments of the society are of paramount importance in designing a counter-terrorist plan. In the same manner, it has also been argued that it is of utmost significance that propaganda and indoctrination be properly understood for the two lie at the heart of terrorism.

Inattentiveness in School Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Inattentiveness in School - Research Paper Example The children going to school are the most affected by inattentiveness especially in cases where they have no option but to strain in order to meet the school requirements in terms of performance. They appear not to react at all to any situation they encounter. They are likely to experience problems when completing tasks (World Health Organization 19). It is evident that such disorders may not easily be noticed until in a later stage of life. The problem if unattended to affects the overall performance and behavioral traits of an individual. They end up lacking non-verbal communication skills as they are not attentive to issues in class from which they are expected to learn how to express themselves. This disorder has made most of the students to take a longer time to learn how to express them as they end up having low self-esteem. Physically, they appear clumsy and less interactive among their peers. Their mod of interaction appears to be an odd one that is observed where they depict specific behavior that appears to be restricted to them. Inattentiveness is caused by a variety of factors and it should not be assumed that it begins in class since there is a possibility that it begins outside the class and only extended to the classroom setting. For instance, when children are taken to the kindergarten, they are very eager to learn only to learn on information they are already aware of. This makes them learn faster than the average learner who needs to repeat several times in order to understand. With time the quick learners become less attentive to what they already know ignoring the new information that is likely to be derived. He average learners, on the other hand, find this to be demanding and brain numbing and with time they also become inattentive.  

Action Research Project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Action Project - Research Paper Example I will be able to conduct my professional care in different ways such as encouraging my students that exhibit physical and slight mental disability to actively participate in inclusive classroom proceedings from the knowledge gained throughout the ARP. I will provide after school programs to student with disabilities to obtain the extra remediation they need to pass class ad end-of-course exam. Additionally, I will come up with effective co-teaching strategies to ensure that every student in my inclusive classroom including students with disabilities comprehends adequate background information on subject through collaborating with my co-teachers.   I will ensure that I will follow the comprehensive evaluation and assessment process rather than just the normal grading system.   Furthermore, I will ensure effective parental involvement for the student with disabilities underscoring tests and arrange frequent meetings with them to discuss strategies to ensure their children’s academic, social, and behavioral success. Recommendationâ€Å"Strive to understand the problem you plan to research on and not proving it at the earliest time possible of the graduate program.† This is one of my recommendations to students entering the process of action research project. The main purpose of an ARP is to promote professional and personal actions by use of the problem statement and planning matrix. Most importantly, a student staring the process should chose a rather specific section.... strategies to ensure that every student in my inclusive classroom including students with disabilities comprehends adequate background information on subject through collaborating with my co-teachers. I will ensure that I will follow the comprehensive evaluation and assessment process rather than just the normal grading system. Furthermore, I will ensure effective parental involvement for the student with disabilities underscoring tests and arrange frequent meetings with them to discuss strategies to ensure their children’s academic, social, and behavioral success. Recommendation â€Å"Strive to understand the problem you plan to research on and not proving it at the earliest time possible of the graduate program.† This is one of my recommendations to students entering the process of action research project. The main purpose of an ARP is to promote professional and personal actions by use of the problem statement and planning matrix. Most importantly, a student staring the process should chose a rather specific section research question or topic. The students should be ready to dig deep reviews of a particular problem to come up an appropriate understanding of the concept before conducting the action plan. Considerably, most students strive to pass the ARP unit for their academic devotions. However, this should not be the case and the students in pursuit of undertaking this process should focus on gaining professional and personal knowledge and skills on the area of action plan. Aspects that would have improved my ARP My action research project was successful in portraying the learning challenges that students with disability face throughout their education process especially substantial failure to pass tests. However, a number of factors would have made my action

Commercial Aviation Safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Commercial Aviation Safety - Essay Example After the two wars, the availability of decommissioned military aircraft as well as the increase in number of decommissioned military pilots paved the way for the modern aviation industry. At the same time, aircraft manufacturers such as Cessna, Piper and Beechcraft made passenger aircraft made for specific roles. These aircraft manufacturers eventually became the world's leaders in passenger aircraft technology ("Commercial Aviation", 2006). The development continued over the next 20 years and by the 1950's, Boeing introduced their first line of passenger aircraft that utilized jet engine technology such as the Boeing 707. The evolution of the commercial aircraft industry continues with airport authorities and airline services going hand in hand in providing safe and efficient air travel around the world ("Commercial Aviation", 2006). But the industry is never without its troubles and complications. There are several factors that make air travel rather risky and dangerous. Among the se are technical problems, human error, unpredictable weather conditions, hi-jacking and many more. Out of these issues, terrorism had the most significant impact in the industry, as it was responsible for the death of thousands of innocent lives. The most infamous of these aerial terrorists act was the September 11, 2001 attacks, also known as 9/11 ("September 11 Attacks", 2006). There are a ... Weather disturbances such as ice and other forms of precipitation pose great risks for the pilots and passengers. Take for example the case of a certain Georgian Express Flight that happened in January 14, 2004. The flight involved a Cessna 208B that took off from Pelee Island Ontario and eventually crashed into Lake Eerie moments later after take-off killing all 9 passengers and the pilot. The crash was believed to be due to pilot fatigue and poor visibility due to icy weather conditions (Aarons, 2006). Other cases of human error are linked to faulty and obsolete flight equipment, such as manual controls that are totally dependent upon the pilot's skills. Obsolete equipment combined with mediocre skills can greatly increase the occurrence of a mishaps happening in the industry (Evans, 2004). Proof of this comes from the Aviation Safety Network which reported that there were about a dozen or so airline mishaps in June 2006 alone, among these involved n A-320 Airbus incident in Sochi, Russia and a DC-10 incident in Managua, Nicaragua (Aviation Safety Network, 2005). Aircraft structural fatigue is also blamed as the number one killer in the skies, this happens especially in a lot of older aircraft that are still used by some airliners up to this date (Aubury, 2006). Also, financial problems may plague an institution if it is not ready to support airline operations. Such was the problem of South African Airways when their profit plunged into an all-time low of almost 90% because of rising fuel prices, lower cost of competition as well as their failure to generate enough profit. South African Airways has also run through debts in the course of its operations thus forcing it to cut back on costs while maintaining its

Action Research Project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Action Project - Research Paper Example I will be able to conduct my professional care in different ways such as encouraging my students that exhibit physical and slight mental disability to actively participate in inclusive classroom proceedings from the knowledge gained throughout the ARP. I will provide after school programs to student with disabilities to obtain the extra remediation they need to pass class ad end-of-course exam. Additionally, I will come up with effective co-teaching strategies to ensure that every student in my inclusive classroom including students with disabilities comprehends adequate background information on subject through collaborating with my co-teachers.   I will ensure that I will follow the comprehensive evaluation and assessment process rather than just the normal grading system.   Furthermore, I will ensure effective parental involvement for the student with disabilities underscoring tests and arrange frequent meetings with them to discuss strategies to ensure their children’s academic, social, and behavioral success. Recommendationâ€Å"Strive to understand the problem you plan to research on and not proving it at the earliest time possible of the graduate program.† This is one of my recommendations to students entering the process of action research project. The main purpose of an ARP is to promote professional and personal actions by use of the problem statement and planning matrix. Most importantly, a student staring the process should chose a rather specific section.... strategies to ensure that every student in my inclusive classroom including students with disabilities comprehends adequate background information on subject through collaborating with my co-teachers. I will ensure that I will follow the comprehensive evaluation and assessment process rather than just the normal grading system. Furthermore, I will ensure effective parental involvement for the student with disabilities underscoring tests and arrange frequent meetings with them to discuss strategies to ensure their children’s academic, social, and behavioral success. Recommendation â€Å"Strive to understand the problem you plan to research on and not proving it at the earliest time possible of the graduate program.† This is one of my recommendations to students entering the process of action research project. The main purpose of an ARP is to promote professional and personal actions by use of the problem statement and planning matrix. Most importantly, a student staring the process should chose a rather specific section research question or topic. The students should be ready to dig deep reviews of a particular problem to come up an appropriate understanding of the concept before conducting the action plan. Considerably, most students strive to pass the ARP unit for their academic devotions. However, this should not be the case and the students in pursuit of undertaking this process should focus on gaining professional and personal knowledge and skills on the area of action plan. Aspects that would have improved my ARP My action research project was successful in portraying the learning challenges that students with disability face throughout their education process especially substantial failure to pass tests. However, a number of factors would have made my action

Impact of currency devaluation output growth in the long run Research Paper

Impact of currency devaluation output growth in the long run - Research Paper Example The other group of researchers argues that continuous depreciation or devaluation is an indicator of economic weakness therefore; in the long run this relationship is no longer positive. In order to evaluate the early research work that studies the relationship between currency devaluation and output level, the literature review has been created. In this section, the research work of various researchers will be discussed and their methodologies and findings will be also reported to gain a significant insight to the topic under investigation. Various economic models such as Keynesian model argue that devaluation of currency has an expansionary impact on domestic output (Lai & Chang, 1989). According to the orthodox view devaluation has a positive impact and has a very significant role in the balance of payments stabilization whereas, the New Structuralist School argues that currency devaluation has a contractionary impact (Agà ©nor, 1999). The depreciation of currency improved the demand of exports and shifts the aggregate demand curve to the right, thereby, increasing the real GDP (Lee, 2002). Christopoulos (2004) studied the impact of currency devaluation on output expansion in Asian countries for the period 1968-1999 by using panel data unit root tests and cointegration tests and found that currency devaluation affects output growth in the long run. Huang, Hsu and Kang (2010) used an empirical model and econometric methodology to study the impact of current devaluation on output in Asian countries and their empirical results showed a positive relationship between currency depreciation and output growth in Asian countries. On the other hand various researchers found the relationship between currency devaluation and output level negative, neutral or positive in the short term. Krugman and Taylor (2002) studied the contractionary impact of currency devaluation

Policing Of Gangs In Rural And Urban Areas Criminology Essay

Policing Of Gangs In Rural And Urban Areas Criminology Essay Gang related crimes and activities are being exported to rural communities and gangs are migrating to more rural areas. Social reasons and drug trafficking are the primary reasons for the spread of drug use and why gangs are developing in rural areas. When concerning the exporting or spreading of urban crimes to rural areas, the migration of gangs and their criminal activities plays a large role. Police strategies make it hard for gangs to stay inside of the metropolitan areas, so gangs are moving their operations to places less known to the police. Gang members find a base for their operations and seek out troubled or lost youth to join their gang. When concerning the methods of policing, policing strategies, and crime, there is a big difference between rural environments and urban environments. Gang Identification There are significant indications which identity gang members in a particular group or gang. These indications are specific tattoos, graffiti tags, gang colors, and self identification by youths (Weisheit Wells, 2001). Law enforcement officials rely on visual impressions when determining whether or not a youth, or any individual is in a gang. When gang members try to keep a low profile, this can make it especially hard for law enforcement to identify them individually or as a group. Gang members keep low profiles by not getting tattoos that signify their gang, by not wearing any specific color in their dress, and by withholding the use of gang signs. Many suburban and rural communities are experiencing rises in gang related crimes and violence. However, the impact of gangs is worse the mores densely populated areas, especially areas with populations of 50,000 people or more (Howell, 2006). However, gangs are attracted to rural communities because this way they can grow their drug distribution areas, they can hide from or escape from police, and recruit new members into their gangs. Relocation of Gangs Gangs use tools to recruit new gang members and one of these tools is the Internet. The Internet makes communication between them and other gang members in other parts of the country or even in other foreign countries possible. These gangs commit about 80% of the crime in many communities (National Gang Intelligence Center, 2009). Reports of gang related homicides are mainly concentrated in the largest cities in the United States, because gangs are more persistent in these large cities. Youth gangs are also responsible for a disproportionate number of homicides (Howell, 2006). Some of the more common kinds of gang related crimes are smuggling aliens, armed robbery, assault, auto theft, trafficking drugs, fraud, identity theft, home invasions, and murder (National Gang Intelligence Center, 2009). Gangs deal with the trafficking of illicit drugs such as marijuana and cocaine in most suburban communities. The impact of gang migration on local gangs is not as large as once thought, but it is still an issue. According to a 2004 National Gang Youth Survey study, which involved information they received from law enforcement of gang member migration, the results showed that a small number of agencies had reported that more than half of the documented gang members had migrated from other areas (Howell, 2006). Of the agencies that experience a larger percentage of gang migration, 45% reported the reason behind the migration was due to social reasons, such as family. They also reported that 23% was due to the drug market, 21% was due to evading law enforcement, and 18% was because of other illegal ventures (Howell, 2006). Social reasons or issues are the driving force behind gang migration. Gangs spread out into smaller regions or towns because the access to transportation is easy to obtain. The easy access to transportation makes it easier to traffic drugs. Gangs are attracted to trafficking drugs out from small rural areas because of the large profits they can make off of drugs in smaller towns. The street value of drugs in smaller towns is two to three times higher than the value in metropolitan areas (Donnermeyer, 1995). These gang members establish or set up drug dealing businesses or franchises in these rural communities because they can move drugs more securely and safely and because the latest and most popular drugs are available more speedily (Donnermeyer, 2005). Even though there is a focus on urban street gangs in rural areas, biker gangs have a history of criminal activity in rural settings (Muhammad, 2002). It is also easier in rural areas for gang members to get the local drug dealer(s) to cooperate with them in drug transactions. Gangs not only migrate from urban settings or regions to rural areas, they also migrate from rural regions to urban areas. These types of gangs are generally known as hate groups. These hate groups include white supremacist groups. There are many members of these white supremacist groups such as Members of the Aryan Nation and Skinheads that are born and raised in rural areas (Donnermeyer, 2005). Since these white supremacist gang members are born and raised in rural areas, they are more likely to first establish gang operations in these rural areas. Once they have their drug franchises established in rural areas, they then reach out and get connected with gang members in the larger cities and then are able to move and set up their operations in the larger metropolitan areas (Donnermeyer, 2005). Once they are settled into the urban area, they have easier access to and can target minority groups. Urban Gangs and Rural Gangs There are many similarities between metropolitan and rural gangs. Metropolitan and rural gangs both are strongly connected with social stability and they both are molded by characteristics of the population (Weisheit Wells, 2001). According to a study or survey based on police reports on gangs between the years of 1996 and 1998, among the agencies in nonmetropolitan areas; 22.6 percent reported persistent gang problems, 57 percent reported a persistent absence of gangs, and 20.4 percent reported transitory gang problems (Weisheit Wells, 2001). The biggest difference in urban and rural gangs is the role economic issues have on these groups. Economic factors are more important to gangs in urban areas than gangs in rural areas. Gang activity in metropolitan areas has a different relationship to poverty as compared to gang activity in rural areas (Weisheit Wells, 2001). Gangs are more likely to be reported in nonmetropolitan areas that are growing economically. Police Response to Gangs The practices of policing are different from one jurisdiction to another and being able to gain information on the different styles of police behavior can bring about a detailed look into the role of the police in urban and rural communities. There are various types of policing styles when it comes to different rural regions. These differences change from region to region and from one jurisdiction to the next. In one region police may be more involved dealing with illegal immigration and in another region police may be more involved with drug trafficking and/or illegal crops. There are specific issues that influence law enforcement operations in rural communities. These aspects are the informal social control among individuals in the rural community, rural citizens not trusting the government, and keeping their inside problems to themselves (Falcone, Weisheit, Wells, 1994). Citizens in rural communities are less likely to report crimes and because of this, there is less information gathered on the precise number of crimes that happen in these rural communities. One way police deal with or respond to gangs in their jurisdiction is through gang training. Police have training on technical assistance thatà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s needed when dealing with gangs and when concerning forming task forces. The most frequent response to gang activity is suppression through strict enforcement, such as the zero tolerance policy, which is more associated with urban police (Weisheit Wells, 2001). It has been suggested that zero tolerance strategies are easier to implement in smaller communities where gang members were easier to identify. Police use the community and stress the importance of prevention when it comes to gangs and gang activity (Weisheit Wells, 2001). When it concerns youth in gangs and that have stronger bonds with the community, police tend to focus more on family pressure than on prevention. Conclusion There are differences in crimes and policing concerning gangs in rural regions and gangs in urban regions. It seems that the differences of gang related crimes and policing efforts in various jurisdictions and regions may be decreasing but the spread of gang related crimes is finding its way into rural regions. There needs to be more research on rural gangs so rural law enforcement can better understand, be better trained, and be better equipped to deal with these gang members and to be able to prevent and reduce gang related activities. Even though law enforcement agencies in rural areas may be lacking when it comes to tools and resources, rural police agencies seem to be more efficient and more respected by the public. .

The Importance of Duncan’s Murder in Macbeth Essay -- Macbeth essays

The Importance of Duncan’s Murder in Macbeth  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   In Shakespeare’s Macbeth, the repercussions of Macbeth murdering his King are very numerous. Through themes that include, imagery, soliloquies, atmosphere, and supernatural beings, Shakespeare enforces the magnitude of Macbeth’s crime. Most of these factors are linked together. One of the main ways in which the horror of the murder is underlined is through the Great Chain of Being. At the time this play was written, it was believed that there was a hierarchy in the universe, with God being at the top, then angels, then the King, then man, and finally animals. This meant that the King was God’s representative on earth, and so if a rebel were to attack the King, he would be seen to be attacking and rebelling against God. This is seen in Act One, Scene Two, when the Thane of Cawdor rebels against King Duncan, where the Sergeant says – â€Å"Ship wracking storms and direful thunders break† (L.26). This thunderous weather symbolizes God’s anger at his representative of Scotland being attacked. The darkness during the play (all but two of the scenes are set in darkness) shows how the night is strangling the earth, representing the anger of God at the events in Scotland. The â€Å"Dark night strangles† (Act Two, Scene Four, Line Seven) the earth, showing God’s, overall grip on the world. The King at this time had an absolute monarchy (power of life and death over everyone in his kingdom). The belief was that God had passed special powers to all Kings, such as that for healing, which Malcolm identifies in Edward the Confessor (the King of England) in Act Four, Scene Three – â€Å"He cures†¦the healing benediction†¦he hath a heavenly gift of prophecy† (L.152-157). Shakespeare later uses Edwa... ...elm.   Criticism on Shakespeare s Tragedies . A Course  Ã‚  Ã‚   of Lectures on Dramatic Art and Literature. London: AMS Press, Inc., 1965.  Ã‚   Shakespeare, William.   Tragedy of Macbeth . Ed. Barbara Mowat and Paul  Ã‚   Warstine. New York: Washington Press, 1992.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Steevens, George. Shakespeare, The Critical Heritage. Vol. 6. London:  Ã‚   Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1981.  Ã‚   T.W. Shakespeare, the Critical Heritage. Vol. 5. London: Routledge & Kegan  Ã‚   Paul, 1979.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wills, Gary. Witches & Jesuits. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995.     Epstein, Norrie, The Friendly Shakepeare, New York, Viking Publishing, 1993. Harbage, Alfred, Macbeth, Middlesex England, Penguin Publishing, 1956. Magill, Masterplots- Volume 6, New Jersey, Salem Press, 1949. Staunten, Howard, The Complet Illustrated Shakespeare, New York, Park Lane Publishing, 1979.      

Anabolic Steroids Essay -- Drugs Veterinarian Biochemistry Essays

Anabolic Steroids Of the diagnostic methods available to veterinarians, the clinical chemistry test has developed into a valuable aid for localizing pathologic conditions. This test is actually a collection of specially selected individual tests. With just a small amount of whole blood or serum, many body systems can be analyzed. Some of the more common screenings give information about the function of the kidneys, liver, and pancreas and about muscle and bone disease. There are many blood chemistry tests available to doctors. This paper covers the some of the more common tests. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) is an end-product of protein metabolism. Like most of the other molecules in the body, amino acids are constantly renewed. In the course of this turnover, they may undergo deamination, the removal of the amino group. Deamination, which takes place principally in the liver, results in the formation of ammonia. In the liver, the ammonia is quickly converted to urea, which is relatively nontoxic, and is then released into the bloodstream. In the blood, it is readily removed through the kidneys and excreted in the urine. Any disease or condition that reduces glomerular filtration or increases protein catabolism results in elevated BUN levels. Creatinine is another indicator of kidney function. Creatinine is a waste product derived from creatine. It is freely filtered by the glomerulus and blood levels are useful for estimating glomerular filtration rate. Muscle tissue contains phosphocreatinine which is converted to creatinine by a nonenzymatic process. This spontaneous degradation occurs at a rather consistent rate (Merck, 1991). Causes of increases of both BUN and creatinine can be divided into three major categoriesprerenal, renal, and postrenal. Prerenal causes include heart disease, hypoadrenocorticism and shock. Postrenal causes include urethral obstruction or lacerations of the ureter, bladder, or urethra. True renal disease from glomerular, tubular, or interstitial dysfunction raises BUN and creatinine levels when over 70% of the nephrons become nonfunctional (Sodikoff, 1995). Glucose is a primary energy source for living organisms. The glucose level in blood is normally controlled to within narrow limits. Inadequate or excessive amounts of glucose or the inability to metabolize glucose can affect nearly every system in the body. Low blood gl... ...ecomes less invasive to the patient. The more information that is made available to the doctor allows a faster diagnosis and recovery for the patient. Bibliography Barrie, Joan and Timothy D. G. Watson. â€Å"Hyperlipidemia.† Current Veterinary Therapy XII. Ed. John Bonagura. PhiladelphiaW. B. Saunders, 1995. Bistner, Stephen l. Kirk and Bistner’s Handbook of Veterinary Procedures and Emergency Treatment. PhiladelphiaW. B. Saunders, 1995. de Morais, HSA and William W. Muir. â€Å"Strong Ions and Acid-Base Disorders.† Current Veterinary Therapy XII. Ed. John Bonagura. PhiladelphiaW. B. Saunders, 1995. Fraser, Clarence M., ed. The Merck Veterinary Manual, Seventh Edition. Rahway, N. J.Merck & Co., 1991. Garrett, Reginald H. and Charles Grisham. Biochemistry. Fort WorthSaunders College Publishing, 1995. Lehninger, Albert, David Nelson and Michael Cox. Principles of Biochemistry. New YorkWorth Publishers, 1993. Schmidt-Nielsen, Knut. Animal PhysiologyAdaptation and environment. New YorkCambridge University Press, 1995. Sodikoff, Charles. Labratory Profiles of Small Animal Diseases. Santa BarbaraAmerican Veterinary Publications, 1995.