Survey Of Romantic Versus Realism Paintings Essays - Art History

Survey Of Romantic Versus Realism Paintings A Survey of Romantic and Realistic Paintings Fantasy and reality occupy our worlds everyday. One sees this world around himself and he retreats to what he wishes it was. Why shouldn't he paint about it? The portrayal of fantastic and realistic notions occupied the activity of painters from the mid 1800's to the 20th century. The period of Romantic painting lies roughly from the mid 1700s to the mid/later 1800s, while paintings from the movement of Realism are grouped from the mid 1800s to the 1900s. The aspect of a Romantic composition's balance is characterized by diagonals and tension. Disproportion, imbalance and a feeling of pushing and pulling within the depth of the composition can also be observed. While movement and activity is characteristic of Romantic paintings, a still, quiet, stationary behavior epitomizes Realism paintings. In Eugene Isabey's Boat Ashore at Calas (1851), simple romantic elements comprise the piece: diagonals and smoke. A main diagonal line emphasizes the downward slope of a shore lined with beached boats resting upon the sand. A challenging inferior diagonal line of a small group of people and their dinghies cross the main diagonal flow. The two lines of tension resolve at the lower center of the composition highlighting the main, looming subject - a dark massive apparition of a docked, freight boat enshrouded by blackening smoke. This is in contrast to Gustave Courbet's depiction of sea life in The Calm Sea (1869). The painting resembles a high re solution black and white photograph. Realistic elements are the stationary flatness of the horizon and the solitary presence of two single beached boats. The portrayal of the shoreline, horizon and cloud formation is horizontally stable, thus emphasizing the calmness of the sea. Baron Antoine-Jean Gros' Murat Defeating the Turkish Army (1805) is a composition which presents an overwhelming flow of diagonal tension. Murat is centered in the composition uprightly astride on his horse, while the Turkish army surrounds him in every conceivable contortion of agony. The Turkish general faces Murat, yet he is positioned diagonally right below Murat in an inferior military pose. Compared to Murat, Courbet's Bonjour Monsieur Courbet (1854) finds a very stable balance in the subject of two men saying good-bye to another man. The subject can be divided by the two men on the left and the backpacked man on the right. Stability is emphasized by the strong vertical presence of the men in direct co ntrast to the flat planed background. The use of balance and tension in Romanticism and Realism is not restricted to it's compositional flow but also to the the painter's use of his palette. The use of color in Romantic paintings is bold visually and figuratively. It's usage is implemented to represent a feeling or an ideal. The presence of a color may not be realistically representative. For example, if the blood of a corrupt official is painted, it might be painted black or green, rather than red. There is also a heavy application of paint from the brush. The presence of a blurring smoke is also present in much of Romantic paintings. Blurring smoke has many uses, although it's usual function is to detach and glorify the main subject from the rest of the background. Color in Realism is highly refined. Color defines the object and is representative of colors in real life - a person's blood will usually be red. Lighter brushstrokes are implemented conservatively to represent a true visual representation of reality. The use of color representation can be observed in Gros' Murat and Courbet's Bonjour. The victorious Murat is clothed in blue and white upon a white horse, sur rounded by the perishing Turkish swirls of orange and red. Anything that is orange or red around Murat is in a pose of impaled misery. All orange and red is contorted to reveal the imposing presence of Murat. In Bonjour, colors stay inside their lines. The colors used on the men's clothing are very specific to reveal the texture of the clothing. This restriction of color succeeds in giving the painting a quaint realistic candidness. The contrasting use of clouds and smoke can be noted in the romantic works of Gros' Murat and Francois Boucher's

Free Essays on Odepus

"An idea is an eye given by God for the seeing of God. Some of these eyes we can not bear to look out of, we blind them as quickly as possible." (Russell Hoban, American novelist) Sometimes the reality of a situation is so harsh that, instead of facing it, people blind themselves to it. In Oedipus Rex, the theme of sightlessness is prevalent throughout the play. Sophocles uses ambiguity to keep from creating biases toward the characters so that, in a sense the audience, as well as the characters, are blind. Fate and blindness go hand in hand in the play. The main character, Oedipus, is a severe victim of fate, ".... damned in his birth, in his marriage damned, damned in the blood he shed with his own hand." The hero Oedipus is tormented by the punishment of a crime that he did not commit. At birth, it was said that he would "†¦lie with [his] mother, breed children from whom all men would turn their eyes; and that [he] should be [his] father’s murderer." This fate is undeserved and makes one question the reasoning behind the fate. The gods seem heartless and cold in their treatment to an innocent man. The aspect of sightlessness is first mentioned in the discussion between a soothsayer and Oedipus to find out the justification for the punishing, "†¦murdering sea," that Thebes has been thrown upon. The city is being punished by the gods for an offense that has been committed by a criminal who does not know his crime. The question of justice arises and is dismissed just as fast because, "...justice is a concept. Muscle is the reality." The action of the gods may not have seemed fair, but, to coin a phrase, "life isn't fair." From his birth, Oedipus was prophesied to a fate worse than death, so his parents then sentenced him to death. He was bound at the ankles and carried off by a shepherd to be killed. The shepherd then felt pity for the baby in his arms and did not wish to kill it so he gave the baby to another she... Free Essays on Odepus Free Essays on Odepus "An idea is an eye given by God for the seeing of God. Some of these eyes we can not bear to look out of, we blind them as quickly as possible." (Russell Hoban, American novelist) Sometimes the reality of a situation is so harsh that, instead of facing it, people blind themselves to it. In Oedipus Rex, the theme of sightlessness is prevalent throughout the play. Sophocles uses ambiguity to keep from creating biases toward the characters so that, in a sense the audience, as well as the characters, are blind. Fate and blindness go hand in hand in the play. The main character, Oedipus, is a severe victim of fate, ".... damned in his birth, in his marriage damned, damned in the blood he shed with his own hand." The hero Oedipus is tormented by the punishment of a crime that he did not commit. At birth, it was said that he would "†¦lie with [his] mother, breed children from whom all men would turn their eyes; and that [he] should be [his] father’s murderer." This fate is undeserved and makes one question the reasoning behind the fate. The gods seem heartless and cold in their treatment to an innocent man. The aspect of sightlessness is first mentioned in the discussion between a soothsayer and Oedipus to find out the justification for the punishing, "†¦murdering sea," that Thebes has been thrown upon. The city is being punished by the gods for an offense that has been committed by a criminal who does not know his crime. The question of justice arises and is dismissed just as fast because, "...justice is a concept. Muscle is the reality." The action of the gods may not have seemed fair, but, to coin a phrase, "life isn't fair." From his birth, Oedipus was prophesied to a fate worse than death, so his parents then sentenced him to death. He was bound at the ankles and carried off by a shepherd to be killed. The shepherd then felt pity for the baby in his arms and did not wish to kill it so he gave the baby to another she...

Strategic management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Strategic management - Assignment Example This is due to the reason that making effectual strategic decisions require reforms and modifications concerning the senior leader decision-making ways and organizational structure1. It is worth mentioning that every decision is associated with delivering certain results that reduces the current issues and challenges faced by an organization. Furtheromre, effective decision requires considerable understanding about the realities and the various environmental factors2. To be precise, in the simplest way, strategic decision-making is affiliated to decision-making process based on the strategic issues. In this regard, strategic issues generally encompass growth, events and trends that have potential impacts on organization’s strategies3. Correspondingly, there are various factors posing significant impacts on the strategic decision making process practiced within an organization. Among these, the four major influential factors include management teams characteristics, external environmental characteristics, internal organizational characteristics and decision-specific characteristics4. Strategic decisions can also be regarded as infrequent decisions taken by the senior leaders of an organization that tends to influence the performance and survival of any organization5. In other words, the inability of the senior leaders of the organization to make effective strategic decisions is also often associated with the demise of the business entity at certain instances. Correspondingly, this study intends to develop a case study of Nokia Corporation by applying and evaluating three analytical tools including the VRIN framework, the Porter’s 5 Forces model and Porter’s Generic Strategies in order to understand their contribution that can be critical to enable success of any enterprise. Nokia is a Multinational Corporation engaged in designing, developing and manufacturing a wide range

Maps Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Maps - Essay Example Due to the different kinds of representations, maps tend to have different messages and interpretations altogether (University of Southern Maine, p 1). Some of the interpretations give insight to areas with cultural, religious, economic, social and even political bearings. This information is important to any traveller or visitor to the area because it paints a picture that would not be easily expressed with words. This information, though essential to the visitors, is also useful to the natives. It helps them know their surroundings. An analysis to any map should be able to the information portrayed by the map. This paper will deal with the analysis of the American map in 1672 and its symbolism to the nation. Analysis of the map of America in 1672 The map under scrutiny here is the American map of 1672 (University of Southern Maine, p 1). This essay aims to critically analyze the underlying information that the map makers were trying to depict. One of the aspects that easily stands out is the presence of ships is various parts of the map. This brings out two aspects that were present at this time. First, is that, one of the most common modes of transportation were ships. The heavy presence of ships around north and South America suggests that there was a lot of movement to neighboring harbors. This also indicates that there was trade between neighboring countries. The heavy presence of ships all around shows that trade was quite prevalent, and this is also shown by the different kinds of ships around, this is could have been used to show other countries vessels. On some parts of the maps, a group of smoking ships are also depicted. This aim to show that these ships were in battle, or they were protecting the harbors from enemies. The smoke indicated the damage that might have been sustained during battle. The ships surround a half-submerged ship, which seems to indicate a fallen enemy vessel. On the bottom left part of the map, the map makers depict a group of Native Americans doing farming. This is an indication of the economic practices that were carried out during those times. Next to the farming there is a group of natives conversing with some merchant. This shows the time that merchants were moving around exploring new lands and looking for new trade relations. The map depicts the natives negotiating with the chief or leader. This depicts that, in this era, the merchants were trying to expand their relations and maybe create new allies for trading or other economics purposes (University of Southern Maine, p 1). This was mostly because there was so much competition between the Dutch and the Americans because of these new trading grounds. On the bottom left side of the map, the map makers show another group of people that are hunting. This also shows another economic practice that was prevalent in the era. The group of people is seen using spears and arrows to kill their prey. To the left of this is a group of other natives that are s hown as talking to a merchant as well, one is carrying a bow and arrow and another is carrying a spear, they are shown as paying keen attention to the merchant. On the bottom left of the map, new animals are also depicted. They represent animals that had been newly domesticated and were helping people with various tasks. The map makers have used a lot of different texture on the map to show the different terrains that were present. The darker textures depict the higher ground on the map, or the highlands. South of south America is particularly dark, and the map makers went an extra mile to show the hills. Apart from the terrain, the map makers have also shown running water bodies within the land. This is represented by rivers and estuaries,

Crucifixion by Barnaba da Modena Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Crucifixion by Barnaba da Modena - Essay Example The golden color dominates the whole painting and gives a more indoor look to the whole crucifixion scenario. Despite gold being the dominant color, the use of red color is done to highlight specific aspects of the painting. Other than the red color from the blood pouring out of the body of Christ, the board right on top of the cross is also painted in red and at the center, right at the foot of Jesus, Magdalene is also wearing red robes, which certainly becomes the second thing (if not the first) to observe for the viewer. Golden color is also apparent in the frame of the painting. On the wood it gives more prominence to gold; with the black rocks in the background and wooden cross, the gold color shines brightly in the whole painting. The overall mood of the crucifixion is gloomy but here is where the true beauty of the artwork lies. Jesus is on cross, with blood pouring from the nails driven in his feet and hands but the golden color that dominates and almost engulfs the whole pai nting represents heaven or the light from heaven. This probably indicates the rewards of the afterlife. Red in this painting is nothing but pain. The red robes of the mourning Magdalene, the blood gushing out of Jesus’s foot and the red color of the flag (soldier’s banner), and the sign on top of Christ, indicate pain, torture and sadness. But right above all these ‘red’ elements, the golden color gives hope in the afterlife. Modena made this art piece as a series of antitheses to portray the pagan Rome.

History of DNA Sequencing and Research

History of DNA Sequencing and Research DNA sequencing technology has evolved very rapidly since its inception in the 1970s, and continues to evolve and grow today. This paper will review the major innovations and developments in sequencing technology and briefly summarize their methodologies. The first group that was able to sequence DNA was the team of Allan Maxam and Walter Gilbert (Maxam and Gilbert). This was a first generation sequencing reaction, and was developed in 1976-1977. This method uses purified DNA and relies on chemical modification of DNA bases (like depurination of adenine and guanine using formic acid and methylation using hydrazine or dimethyl sulfate). The 5 end is radioactively labeled so that it can be visualized in a gel, and then fragments of modified DNA are electrophoresed. Autoradiography can then be used to visualize the sizes of each DNA fragment. The maximum read length for this technique was approximately 100 bases long. The next major innovation in DNA sequencing was the Sanger dideoxy chain termination method. This was developed in 1977 by Frederick Sanger (Sanger, Nicklen, and Coulson), and became much more popular than Maxam and Gilberts method. Sanger sequencing is a synthesis reaction and uses dideoxy nucleotides to randomly terminate synthesized strands of DNA. The DNA strands that had been terminated with ddNTPs originally were run in 4 different lanes (one for each ddNTP) and were radiolabeled so that they could be visualized with autoradiography. Later innovations made Sanger sequencing even easier when each dideoxynucleotide was labeled with different fluorescent dyes. As such, sequences could be run on a single gel in a single lane. This method was the most popular way of sequencing DNA for many years, and was prevalent until about 2004. While read length was initially about 100 base pairs long, Sanger sequencing now has a read length of about 800 to 1000 base pairs long when run in capil lary gels. With the start of the human genome project, it was necessary to find ways to sequence DNA much more quickly and more cost-effectively than had been done previously. This led to the development of so-called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“second generationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  DNA sequencers. It also allowed for the use of smaller samples for sequencing. One of the first major automated platforms was the Roche 454 (Margulies et al.). This utilizes pyrosequencing, which is a synthesis type sequencing reaction. This also uses emulsion PCR on beads. When a dNTP is incorporated, it releases a pyrophosphate (PPi). ATP sulfurylase is present in the reaction mix, and when PPi is released, converts it to ATP, which can activate luciferase and the emission of light. The Roche 454 can measure the amount of light given off and relate it to the number of nucleotides that have been incorporated. One problem with this type of sequencing is that it can be difficult to accurately characterize sequences of the same nucleotide in a row as the intensity of the pyrophosphate peak given off does not have a linear relationship with the number of homopolymers present. The read length for 454 is approximately 250 base pairs long, and the error mode tends to have indels. The next major second gen sequencer is the Illumina Solexa platform (Bennett). The chemistry of this platform is that it utilizes reversible terminators and sequences by synthesis. A flow cell is covered with DNA oligonucleotides that are complementary to adaptor sequences that have been ligated to the ends of fragmented genome pieces. As the genome fragments are streamed across the surface of the flow cell, they will randomly bind and go through multiple cycles of denaturation and extension, which creates clusters of clones. After these clusters have been generated, they are loaded into a sequencer which measures fluorescent signals as single nucleotides are incorporated by taking a picture and noting the location of fluorescence. Read lengths are about 26-50 bases on average, and the types of errors that are typically present tend to be SNP errors. Another important second generation sequencer is the ABI-SOLiD (Sequencing by Oligonucleotide Ligation and Detection) sequencing platform (Valouev et al.). This is another sequencing by synthesis reaction, but unlike Illumina and 454, which use polymerases, this uses ligases. After using emulsion PCR on beads to create clonal clusters, primers base pair to a known adapter sequence that has been ligated to the genomic DNA. Differently labeled probes competitively base pair to the sequencing primer, and sequencing goes through several cycles in which different primers are used each time to bind to positions offset by a single nucleotide each time. DNA bases are added in groups of two in this method. Average read lengths for this technique are on average about 35 base pairs long. The next second generation sequencing technique is Ion Torrent, which is a sequencing by synthesis technique (http://www.iontorrent.com). When nucleotides are added to a growing DNA chain, pyrophosphate and a hydrogen ion are released. Ion Torrent takes advantage of this by measuring the pH of the reaction mix after flooding a DNA strand with the four bases (one at a time) to determine sequences. One major advantage of this technique is that it doesnt require a high-cost camera set-up to measure incorporation events. However, because it indirectly measures nucleotide addition through changes in pH, it has difficulty with accuracy in calling sequences of homopolymers, resulting in indel errors (like pyrosequencing). Average read lengths using this technique are about 200 base pairs long. A more recent innovation is the Helicos-True Single Molecule Sequencing (tSMS) technique (Thompson and Steinmann). It is somewhat similar to Illumina sequencing in that it also uses fragmented DNA, adaptors, and fluorescently labeled dNTPs, but there is no amplification step. This helps eliminate issues with GC bias, which tend to affect amplification steps and can cause errors in base calling. Average read length is greater than 25 base pairs. Pacific Biosciences SMRT technology (Single Molecule Real Time sequencing) immobilizes a DNA polymerase at the bottom of a well and is a sequencing by synthesis technique (Eid et al.). Fluorescently labeled phosphate groups in dNTPs are added to the reaction mix and as the base is added to the growing DNA strand, the machine can measure the light that is given off (each base is labeled with a different fluorescent molecule). The major advantage of this technique is that it can sequence very long reads (more than 1000 bp!) which is very important in de novo sequence assembly. In addition, PacBio can also measure methylation of DNA sequences based on the kinetics of addition of base pairs (using the observation that modified base pairs tend to take longer to incorporate into a DNA strand). Furthermore, this technique can also potentially use a single molecule of DNA, which reduces any GC bias that occurs due to amplification. The final technique that will be discussed here is nanopore sequencing (Stoddart et al.). The idea behind this is that DNA may be threaded through a nanopore one base at a time. As its fed through, the sequencer can measure the change in current as it passes through (which will vary based on what base is moving through the pore). Thus, the sequence can be determined straight from the DNA without the need for modifications or reagents. In addition, because this can be done on a single molecule, there is again no need for amplification and thus no possibility of any GC bias in base calls.

Marriott Corporation: Business Overview

Harvard Business School 9-282-042 Rev. September 15, 1986 Marriott Corporation The idea of repurchasing shares was no stranger to Bill Marriott by January 1980. Almost five million shares of common stock had been repurchased on the open market by Marriott Corporation during 1979 at a total cost of $74 million and an average price of $15. 16 in the belief that they were undervalued—a belief that still was not fully reflected in the market price. At $19 5/8, the stock was selling at only six times cash flow per share; and its price/earnings ratio of nine was a far cry from historical multiples as high as fifty times as recently as 1973.Its low price seemed to offer once again an obvious opportunity to benefit shareholders. However, the proposal to repurchase 10 million of the 32 million still outstanding shares aroused some uneasiness. If successful, it had the potential of enhancing Marriott's EPS and of increasing family and management control from 20% to 29% of outstanding sh ares. However, it represented a move that was almost entirely financial—one that would run the debt well above the levels advocated before the Board of Directors only two years earlier.The repurchase would also necessitate renegotiation of restrictive covenants in existing loan agreements. Lastly, the huge size of the proposed program would require a tender price of $23 1/2, a hefty premium of $4 over the current market price. All of this seemed somewhat out of character for a corporation known for caution and stability. Background Marriott Corporation was founded as a nine-seat A Root Beer Stand in Washington, D. C. , in 1927 by J. Willard Marriott. Mr.Marriott had a gift for anticipating, or helping to create, trends in public eating habits. Shortly after the first stand opened, a second was built, and soon a chain of Hot Shoppes was underway. In 1934, industrial cafeterias were opened at a General Motors plant in Georgia and at the Ford Motor Company plant in Virginia. In 1937, the airline industry was revolutionized when Mr. Marriott established an airline catering service, providing box lunches from a Hot Shoppe next to the old Hoover Airport, on the site of what is now the Pentagon. Seven years later, Mr.Marriott led the company into the hotel field, opening the Marriott Twin Bridges just over the Potomac River from Washington. It became known as a motor-hotel and helped to revolutionize the lodging industry, for it offered a drive-in registration desk, a restaurant on the premises, and a convention center. By 1964, there were 77 restaurants, 4 hotels, and 9,600 employees generating total sales of $85 million. This case was prepared for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation.Copyright  © 1981 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www. hbsp. harvard. edu. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. 1 282-042 Marriott CorporationBill Marriott assumed the presidency from his father in 1964 and initiated further diversification into theme parks, cruise ships and international host services. In 1967 the company acquired the Big Boy Restaurants franchise based in the Los Angeles area. A year later, Marriott opened its first Roy Rogers Roast Beef Sandwich outlet, which would grow into the Roy Rogers Family Restaurant chain. Since 1964, growth was little short of phenomenal. From sales of $85 million 16 years earlier, sales in 1979 exceeded $1. 5 billion.Operations expanded to 476 company-operated restaurants, 55 hotels and resorts, a cruise ship line, two theme parks , and 66,000 employees. (See Exhibit 1 for financial information on Marriott's various businesses. ) Hotels (35% of sales)—Marriott Hotels was one of the world's leading and most successful operators of hotels and resorts. By 1980, more than 23,000 rooms were offered through 55 hotels and resorts located primarily in the U. S. Approximately 70% of company-operated rooms were owned by outside investors and managed by Marriott under agreements averaging 70 years in length.These management agreements contributed approximately $40 million to operating profits in 1979—profits that tended to rise with inflation. Contract Food Service (32% of sales)—Marriott operated almost 300 contract food units, providing a wide range of food service capabilities to a variety of clients. It was the world's leading supplier of catering services to airlines, with 62 flight kitchens serving domestic and international air travelers. The Food Service Management Division also managed rest aurants, cafeterias, conference centers and other facilities for over 200 clients, including business, health care, and educational institutions.Restaurants (25% of sales)—Marriott's Restaurant Group consisted of 476 company-owned units offering a variety of popularly priced food in 46 states. Roy Rogers fast food restaurants and Big Boy coffee shops accounted for 92% of the total units. Theme Parks and Cruise Ships (8% of sales)—The two Great America theme parks, located in Gurnee, Illinois, between Chicago and, Milwaukee, and in Santa Clara, California, were opened in 1976. Both parks combined a wide variety of thrill and family rides, live musical productions and stage shows, arcades and games, merchandise and food.The attractions were set in five authentically recreated areas of America's past and have strong appeal for the entire family. The Sun Line fleet, consisting of three vessels, offered luxury sailing in both the Aegean/Mediterranean and Caribbean cruise ma rkets, and was widely recognized as the leader in quality in the Aegean market. Past Performance Marriott had always been a strong performer in profit terms. Over the entire 25 years ended 1979, there were only two down years and only three other years in which earnings per share grew at less than a 15% rate.Profits doubled on average every 3 to 4 years. A major return on investment improvement program, initiated in 1975, accelerated the earnings growth. The program consisted of three parts: (1) the sale or liquidation of $92 million of marginal assets, including land, 38 restaurants, a security services business, 2 European airplane flight kitchens, and a travel division, (2) a major effort to turn around the Sun Line operation and to develop volume in the recently opened Theme Parks, and (3) the shift of Marriott's hotel strategy from ownership to leasing and management contracts.The shift in the hotel strategy reflected management's belief that its comparative advantage was in ho tel development and management, and not in long-term hotel ownership. 2 Marriott Corporation 282-042 The results were dramatic. Net income as a percentage of sales rose from 3. 1% to 4. 7%. The company's return on average equity improved from 9. 5% in 1975 to 17. 0% in 1979. Earnings per share soared from 69? to $1. 95. (See Exhibit 2 for a summary of Marriott's historical performance. ) Profitability—An Elusive NotionWhile the trend in profitability seemed clear and encouraging, the actual level was a matter of debate and uncertainty for Marriott, as well as for American business in general. Double-digit inflation cast doubts on the usefulness of numbers based on historical costs, and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) recently issued guidelines which required firms to present, beginning in 1979, supplemental financial information that reflects the effects of general inflation. Marriott even though they reported these adjustments as required by Financial Account ing Standards No. 3 felt the numbers were misleading since they only adjusted for general inflation. Marriott also reported a second method of adjusting for inflation which they called Current Value and which they explained in the annual report: The Financial Accounting Standards Board has recently addressed the problem of financial reporting during inflationary periods. However, each industry and company is impacted differently by inflation and the choice of measurement must reflect the specific situation. Current Value is the best method for tracking Marriott's economic performance, and it differs from either historic costs or the present FASB definition.According to Current Value accounting, the value of shareholders' equity increased by $125 million in 1979 alone, and the increase would have been $199 million more if not for the $74 million share repurchase. (See Exhibit 3 for Current Value Figures). Current Value accounting differs from historic cost accounting in four areas. F irst, it values most fixed assets on a discounted cash flow basis, net of anticipated future capital requirements, thereby eliminating the valuation distortions caused by conventional depreciation accounting.In contrast with manufacturing facilities, Marriott's high-quality building structures, properly maintained, do not physically wear out at the depreciation rates assumed by industry accounting standards. In fact, Marriott's real estate assets actually increase in value during inflation, as demonstrated by actual property sales. For example, Marriott's Essex House Hotel is 50 years old, yet it remains one of America's finest real estate values due to its location in New York City and its excellent maintenance program.Second, Current Value reports an improved measure of annual economic profit— Discretionary Cash Flow—which disregards accounting depreciation and substitutes the actual required capital expenditures made for maintenance of property, plant and equipment. Third, Current Value accounting recognizes the annual gains in purchasing power from repaying debt in cheaper, inflated dollars. Accounting convention charges the inflation component of interest against current earnings, but does not reflect the benefits of debt.Fourth, Current Value reflects the gains from holding debt borrowed at comparatively low interest rates. According to Marriott's calculations the current value price per share of Marriott's stock was $27. 83 versus the historic book value of $12. 88. Prospects Stock price, of course, is based on more than book or replacement value; it is also based on future earnings potential. Marriott's prospects for growth and profitability seemed excellent. Marriott's major chain competitors were not expanding on an ownership basis and only selectively on 3 282-042 Marriott Corporation management basis; and independents were unable to obtain financing for new hotels without a chain affiliation and a management contract from a successful national operator. This presented management with a major opportunity to accelerate the planned annual hotel room growth to 20%-25% per year. There were already over 50,000 hotel rooms, representing nearly 100 properties, in the development â€Å"pipeline. † This was 2 1/2 times the current number of company-operated rooms. Management was optimistic about the future and expected profitability to improve from an aftertax return on assets of 6. 6% in 1979 to 8. 7% by 1983.Furthermore the company seemed ahead of schedule in achieving its goal of a 20% ROE by 1983. Main contributors would include a continued buildup of attendance at the two Theme Parks and a continued shift from hotel ownership to outside ownership and Marriott management contracts. All management contracts provided at a minimum a constant percentage of hotel profits, and most new contracts would provide Marriott with an increased share in profits after achieving certain targeted levels. Financial Policies Marri ott's success seemed certain to present management with a problem of too much cash and underutilized debt capacity. . . a situation almost totally the reverse of what Gary Wilson, chief financial officer, found when he joined Marriott as treasurer in 1974. At that time, he found a company with a high debt burden, heavy debt repayments due to short maturities, and access to only a limited number of funding sources. Wilson immediately went to work at broadening the potential lenders, opening up the commercial paper market, refinancing with longer maturities, and reducing the total debt load from 55% of total capital in 1975 to 41% at year-end 1979.His financial policy guidelines won approval by the board of directors in 1978 and included the following: 1. Maintain senior funded debt to total capital in the 40%-45% range; maintain this ratio including capitalized financing leases below 50%. 2. Maintain the P-1 Moody's commercial paper rating, as it lends credibility to Marriott's claim of prime credit worthiness and impacts the availability and rate of its commercial bank and privately placed bond debt. Among the 500 companies with P-1 rated commercial paper and rated bond debt, only one has a bond rating of less than â€Å"A. â€Å") 3. Position the company further in the domestic, unsecured, long-term, fixed-rate bond market as the principal source of future debt financing. 4. Issue no convertible debt or preferred stock. In addition, while Marriott had begun paying a cash dividend in 1977 and had increased it twice, the firm's policy was not to increase payout substantially as explained in its Annual Report: 5. The company has a good record of reinvesting cash flow at high returns.Marriott will continue this reinvestment strategy, so that shareholders should profit through share appreciation taxed at advantageous capital gains rates, rather than through higher dividends taxed at ordinary rates. Too Much Cash By 1979, Marriott's four-year-old program of impro ving its returns through hotel management fees and the divestiture of low return operations was working so well that it was producing an embarrassment of cash-flow riches. The company was rapidly moving in the direction of unused debt capacity, which Wilson deemed â€Å"imprudent† in an inflationary environment. 4 Marriott Corporation 82-042 By 1983, the debt to capital ratio would fall to roughly 20% if the projected excess cash flow, $125 million over the 4-year period, were merely used to pay down debt while the equity base continued to grow through the retention of earnings. Wilson explained his dislike for low debt ratios: I'm a great believer in prudent leverage. Many other companies aren’t. But in the next decade, inflation will make them come around to my viewpoint. Leverage is attractive for a very simple reason. Capital, which is the stuff by which investments are made, is comprised of two components—equity and debt.Equity in the case of Marriott costs about 17% after tax; that is, the investor expects to earn 17% on an investment in Marriott's stock. Debt costs only about 5% after tax. Given an investment that earns 10% after tax, it is evident that the more debt that I have in my capital structure, the lower will be the cost of my capital, and the more return I will have left over for the holders of my common stock. Since debt is so cheap relative to equity, it would seem attractive to use as much debt as possible in a capital structure. In fact, if cost were the sole criteria for selection, one would use 100% debt.This brings us to the second component of the determinants of capital structure and that is coverage. Debt unlike equity has a fixed interest charge that must be met or the equity holders' investment will be jeopardized. It is common to speak of the firm's ability to meet its interest payments in terms of coverage, or the number of times the pretax cash flow from the firm meets the interest charges. Coverage is proba bly the most important quantitative measure used in the rating of debt instruments by rating agencies; as coverage rises, so does the bond rating.Highly rated firms also tend to have low debt ratios which are more representative of the fact that these firms tend to be exceedingly large, in mature industries, with limited reinvestment opportunities, rather than demonstrative of prudent financial policy. It can be reasonably argued that growth companies should be positioned in the triple-B range or lower, as opposed to the higher ranges. The firm's annual report expanded on this theme by stating: Maintaining excess debt capacity is inconsistent with the goal of maximizing shareholder wealth for three reasons; (1) Unused debt capacity is comparable to unused plant capacity.Fully utilizing this capacity maximizes shareholder's returns. (2) High proportions of debt reduce a company's weighted cost of capital and increase the real returns to shareholders. (3) Debt-financed real estate pro vides distinct advantages in an inflationary environment. Repurchase of 10 million shares would, with one move, eliminate Wilson's concern. In fact, it would push the debt ratio back above the 1975 high and also above the policy guidelines passed less than two years before. Further, it would result in interest coverage of less than three times—well below the six times deemed necessary for an â€Å"A† rating. See Exhibit 4 for pro forma statements based on the proposed share repurchase. ). Bill Marriott's Concerns Bill Marriott had great respect for the judgment of his financial team. However, a $235 million debt issue used to repurchase 10 million shares would put Marriott's debt ratio well outside the range of other food and lodging firms, and would necessitate renegotiation of several restrictive covenants under existing loan agreements. (See Exhibits 5 and 6 respectively for financial information on competitors and for information on restrictive covenants. ) Repurch ase also seemed to 5 282-042 Marriott Corporation be a negative move. . . a cutting back of resources . . . . very different from the tone of aggressive expansion of operations. Maybe Finance was right about the potential leverage benefits; maybe the proposal to repurchase all shares held outside of the family and management was more than jest. But was it obvious that paying a premium of $4 per share to bring in 10 million shares was wise? What was the correct price for Marriott's stock and would a repurchase help increase it? The Street certainly seemed divided on the attractiveness of the stock at $19 5/8. (See Exhibit 7 for a summary of the forecasts and opinions of several leading analysts on Wall Street. 6 Marriott Corporation 282-042 Exhibit 1 Sales Summary of Operations by Principal Business Segment (dollars in millions) 1975 $238 256 268 – 14 $776 1976 $281 289 296 64 17 $947 1977 $335 342 317 72 24 $1,090 1978 $408 388 347 76 31 $1,250 1979 $535 480 377 84 34 $1,510 Hotel group Contract food Restaurants Theme parks Cruise ships and other Total Operating Profit Hotel Group Contract food Restaurants Theme parks Cruise ships and other Total Interest (net) Corporate expenses Income before taxes $33 19 22 – (3) 71 23 8 $40 $38 19 20 15 1 93 27 13 $53 $54 21 26 10 4 115 30 16 $69 $66 23 28 12 5 134 24 15 $95 87 32 29 17 6 171 28 20 $123 Net Assets 1978 Hotel Group Contract food Restaurants Theme parks Cruise ships and other Corporate Total $304 99 162 161 32 69 $827 Employed 1979 $372 124 175 158 32 31 $892 Capital 1978 $63 11 34 9 0 22 $139 Expenditures 1979 $81 20 45 6 1 5 $158 Depreciation 1978 1979 $15 8 12 9 2 1 $47 $16 8 15 9 1 2 $51 7 282-042 Marriott Corporation Exhibit 2 Summary of Historical Performance (dollars in millions, except per share amounts) 1975 1976 $ 947 32 3. 4% $ 326 378 48% 3. 0 10. 4% $ . 86 0 8. 95 13. 54 36. 5 14,765 52,900 1977 $1,090 39 3. 6% $ 366 370 45% 3. 3 11. 1% $ 1. 04 . 03 10. 02 11. 75 36. 15,383 56,100 1 978 $1,250 54 4. 3% $ 419 310 38% 5. 0 13. 9% $ 1. 43 . 13 11. 40 12. 13 36. 7 17,987 63,600 1979 $1,510 71 4. 7% $ 414 365 41% 5. 4 17. 0% $ 1. 95 . 17 12. 88 17. 38 32. 1 20,956 65,700 Sales Net Income % of sales Shareholders' equity Senior debt and capital lease obligations % of total capitala Times interest earnedb Return on average shareholders' equity after taxes Earnings per sharec Cash dividends per share Book Value per share Year-end market price Number of shares outstanding (millions) Company-operated hotel rooms Employees $ 776 24 3. 1% $ 264 406 55% 2. 7 9. 5% $ . 69 0 7. 68 15. 46 34. 4 12,987 47,600 Total capital is defined as total assets less current liabilities. b Times interest earned is calculated by dividing earnings before interest and taxes by interest expense net of interest on projects under construction. c Fully diluted earnings per share based upon the average number of shares outstanding for the year. 8 Marriott Corporation 282-042 Exhibit 3 Current Value Statement (dollar figures in thousands) Changes in Shareholders' Current Value Equity for 1979 Current value, December 28, 1978 Increase in current value of assets Discretionary cash flow Reduction in current value of debt Cash dividends Purchase of sharesCommon stock issued Current value, December 28, 1979 Change in current value during 1979 Change in current value during 1979 before cash dividends, share repurchase and issuance of new common stock $ 767,719 77,227 99,123 25,287 (5,776) (74,187) 3,810 $ 893,203 $ 125,484 201,637 Shareholders' Equity Historical Cost Non-monetary assets (primarily plant and equipment) Less: net monetary liabilities Senior debt and capital leases Convertible debt Other monetary liabilities Shareholders' equity, December 28, 1979 $ 927,287 365,279 26,918 121,587 $ 413,503 Current Value $1,356,244 320,736 20,718 121,587 $ 893,203 282-042 Marriott Corporation Exhibit 4 Pro Forma Financial Statements Based on Repurchase of 10 Million Shares of Common Stoc k, Funded with a $235 Million Debt Issue (dollar figures in millions, except earnings per share) Year Ended December 28, 1979 Actual Pro Forma Earnings before interest and taxes Interest: existing debt $235 million in new debt Profit before tax Income taxes Net income Average number of shares (millions) Earnings per sharea $ 151 28 – $123 52 $71 36 $1. 96 $151 28 31 $92 36 $56 26 $2. 14 Consolidated Balance Sheet, December 28, 1979 ASSETS Cash & Mkt.Securities Accounts receivable Inventories Other Total current Net fixed assets Other Total Actual $ 21 100 47 10 $ 178 825 77 $1,080 Pro Forma $ 21 100 47 10 $ 178 825 77 $1,080 LIABILITIES & EQUITY Short-term loans Current portion, longterm debt Accounts payable Accrued liabilities Income taxes payable Total current Senior debt Capital lease Subordinated debt Other liabilities Equity Total a Fully diluted based upon the average number of shares outstanding for the year. Actual $ 4 10 72 80 22 $ 188 341 24 27 86 414 $1,080 Pro Fo rma $ 4 10 72 80 22 $ 188 576 24 27 86 179 $1,080 10 Marriott Corporation 282-042 Exhibit 5Financial Information on Competitors Holiday Inns $17 1/4 1. 75 9. 9 3. 50 4. 9 . 66 17. 50 Marriott Stock Price January 1980 1979 epsa P/E Ratio 1979 Cash Flow per share a Price/Cash Flow Dividend per share Book Value per share Avg. Annual Growth (1974-1979) Sales Earnings Return on Equity, 1979a Total Long term debt % Book Capital Times Interest Earned Rating of Senior debt Beta a Estimated Hilton $29 1/2 3. 75 7. 9 4. 80 6. 1 1. 09 14. 91 McDonalds $ 44 4. 70 9. 4 6. 80 6. 4 . 51 23. 69 Disney $ 45 3. 50 12. 9 4. 80 9. 4 . 48 29. 75 $19 5/8 1. 95 10 3. 80 5. 2 . 17 12. 88 18. 7% 23. 4% 17% 45% 5. 4 NR 1. 25 6. 2% 41. % 26% 24% 15. 0 NR 1. 30 2. 45% 11. 4% 9% 33% 5. 6 BBB 1. 45 21. 6% 22. 9% 20% 50% 5. 2 A 1. 05 13. 1% 18. 7% 12% 0% – NR 1. 15 Note: Yields on 91-day Treasury bills, 5 yr. Treasury notes and 30 yr. Treasury Bonds were 12. 5%, 10. 4%, and 10. 1%, respectively, as of Janu ary 1980. 11 282-042 Marriott Corporation Exhibit 6 Selected Restrictive Covenants Under the $40 Million Loan Agreement Dated 1977 With Six Life Insurance Companies, 8-3/4% Rate, Due in 15 Equal Annual Installments Beginning December 15, 1983 1. Total book assets shall be at least 155% of the sum of consolidated funded debt plus consolidated capital leases.Funded debt shall mean all indebtedness having a final maturity of more than one year. 2. Consolidated net working capital shall be at least equal to $6 million. 3. Consolidated senior funded debt shall be less than the sum of 66 2/3% of consolidated net hotel assets plus 50% of all other consolidated assets. 4. Consolidated tangible net worth shall be maintained at all times in an amount of least equal to the sum of $240 million plus 25% of consolidated net income for the period from July 31, 1976. Tangible net worth shall mean shareholders' equity minus all intangible items. 5.Net income available for fixed charges for the past year shall have been at least 175% of pro forma annual fixed charges. Net income available for fixed charges shall mean EBIT plus the imputed interest in all capital leases. Source: Casewriter 12 Marriott Corporation 282-042 Exhibit 7 Summary of Forecasts and Opinions of Several Leading Analysts from Major Investment Firms Firm A Est. 1980 eps Est. 1983 eps Est. 1980 return on equity Est. 1983 return on equity Est. long-term eps growth Riskiness of stock $1. 95 3. 00 14% 14% 15% average Firm B $2. 20 3. 80 16% 17% 20% average Firm C $2. 0 3. 25 14% 15% 16% average Firm D $2. 10 3. 60 15% 16% 20% low Firm E $2. 15 3. 25 15% 15% 15% low Avg. $2. 08 3. 38 14. 8% 15. 4% 17. 2% – Recommendation Long-term Hold Long-term Buy Long-term Hold Hold Long-term Hold – Marriott and Market Information Marriott Return on Equity Earnings per share Dividends per share Price/Earnings (Average) Market value/Book value (Avg. ) Standard & Poor's Industrials Return to Equity Earnings per shar e Dividends per share Price/earnings Market value/Book value Interest Rates (Year-end) 91-Day Treasury Bill 5-Year Treasury Note 30-Year Treasury Bonds 7. % 7. 2% 8. 0% 5. 3% 7. 4% 8. 0% 4. 4% 6. 2% 7. 3% 6. 3% 7. 5% 8. 0% 9. 6% 9. 3% 8. 9% 12. 5% 10. 4% 10. 1% 14. 8% $9. 69 4. 72 10 1. 4 12. 3% $8. 55 3. 78 11 1. 4 14. 5% $10. 68 4. 25 11 1. 5 14. 6% $11. 57 4. 96 9 1. 3 15. 2% $13. 12 5. 35 8 1. 2 17. 1% $16. 08 6. 04 7 1. 2 1974 10. 6% $ . 70 0 18 2. 1 1975 9. 5% $ . 69 0 17 1. 6 1976 10. 4% $ . 86 0 17 1. 8 1977 11. 1% $1. 04 . 03 12 1. 2 1978 13. 9% $1. 43 . 13 10 1. 3 1979 17. 0% $1. 95 . 17 8 1. 2 13

Cadbury Dairy Essay

Cadbury Dairy milk is in the mature stage of the product life cycle, the reason being is that it is a well-established product since 1905. The maturity point is generally reached when about half the potential users have adopted the product. Since Cadbury Dairy Milk is Australia’s favourite chocolate, it is safe to say that there is already consumer trust and loyalty to the brand. However customers still need continued satisfaction and loyalty, built on lower cost, differentiation or customer service. Seeing that Cadbury chocolate is considered a common brand name in households all over Australia, there is nothing within the external environment that should be modified and it will remain in a strong steady position in the confectionery industry. Product: In order to continue generating sales, Cadbury took into consideration one of the threats that the confectionery industry is facing today. Consumers are becoming more health conscious; therefore Cadbury will support and promote physical activity by giving away mountain bikes to 100 lucky winners around Australia! The promotion will only feature in the Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate block range: including the Fruit and Nut, Hazelnut etc†¦ Featured on the wrapping will be, â€Å"WIN A MOUNTAIN BIKE† with a picture of the bike that will be won. Price: The pricing of Dairy Milk Chocolate will also maintain the same pricing strategies to remain competitive with its competitors Nestle and Mars. Place: The distribution of Cadbury Dairy Milk should be at its maximum capacity, remaining readily available in supermarkets, convenience stores, seven elevens and kiosks. Promotion: Cadbury should continue to generate promotions to remind and encourage consumers to purchase Dairy milk chocolate. In order to maintain the sales of Dairy Milk, sales promotion should be implemented to generate growth. This is done by creating advertisements on Television and in-store promotional posters to display the promotion that is running. The television and in-store promotion is to inform consumers of the promotion that is currently running. The sales promotion will be â€Å"WIN A MOUNTAIN BIKE† This promotion is for the Cadbury Dairy Milk block chocolate range. Every consumer that purchases a block range from Cadbury’s will have the opportunity to enter the competition by text via SMS a code that is given inside the wrapper. f. ) Marketing Action Plans: A key objective is to hold current customers and to maintain and increase the retail and brand market share to make sure that the Cadbury brand and products remain one of the top selling confectionery brands in Australia. Since Cadbury Dairy Milk is in the top five selling chocolates list, there will be no need for any tremendous change. A good way to promote The other Cadbury block chocolate range such as Fruit and nut and Hazelnut†¦etc will also have his competition. Price: Cadbury’s human resources department will need to find a place that will provide us with the mountain bikes. The costing of the bikes and the overall promotions will need to be considered, as Cadbury does not want to spend so much on promotions, when Cadbury Dairy Milk is not declining any time soon. Promotion: Pictures of this new competition will need to be put in magazines such as: Women’s day, News Idea, newspapers†¦. etc†¦designers will be needed to create the advertisements for this promotion. However, to promote Cadbury Dairy Milk’s new competition, television is the key to ensure that viewers all around Australia will know about the â€Å"WIN A MOUNTAIN BIKE† promotion. As television is the main and preferred type of advertising, it is certain that consumers will know about the competition faster. And in addition to that, the Cadbury chocolate commercials will still be showing, to heighten promotions. It is best to air the promotion on television between 4:00 pm – 9:00pm, since that is the time when consumers are most likely to be at home. Place: The exposure of Cadbury Dairy Milk promotion will need to be more publicized in convenience stores and kiosks in the form of a poster. g. ) Management of the marketing effort and the marketing function: In order to make sure that they marketing effort and function works accordingly a few steps have to be taken in regards to the management of the planning. The three step process that will have to be put in place will be based around †¢Marketing Implementation –The process of putting marketing strategies into action †¢Intended Strategy The strategy that the company decides on during the planning phase †¢Realized Strategy – The strategy that actually takes place Cadbury must be able to respond and adapt to its internal marketing department. Coordinating internal exchanges between the firm and its employees to achieve successful external exchanges between the firm and its customers is very important as it allows for a gauge or a measure to be received as a result of acceptance and understanding. In regards to the marketing activities it all starts within the Cadbury management team. The ability to motivate marketing personnel plays a large part in the initial process to get the promotional idea off the ground, once the team is able to have a grip of the idea that tackles the current health issue and that a bike will be awarded as a prize and health product then extreme communication within the marketing unit will be essential. Openness and responsiveness from other marketing departments will be just as important to make sure that the management and strategy travels across all channels. This will be indispensable to the organizing and coordinating of marketing activities which then lead to a schedule for implementation. The marketing control process consists of three steps; Establishment of control standards, Evaluation of actual performance relative to established standards and corrective action if necessary. A few key guidelines that will help Cadbury in controlling marketing activities: Within the Marketing Control Process †¢Establishing performance standards and trying to match actual performance to those standards Establishing Performance Standards Expected levels of performance †¢Taking Corrective Action oImprove actual performance oReduce or change the performance standards oDo both †¢Problems in Controlling Marketing Activities oLack of the information required to control activities oUncontrollable influence of market environment changes on marketing activities oTime lag that occurs between marketing campaigns and their results delays corrective actions A few problems can also occur in the controlling of marketing activities, however the ability to act on these problems will only make the campaign more successful and responsive.

Sarah Emma Edmonds - Woman Who Fought in the Civil War

Sarah Emma Edmonds - Woman Who Fought in the Civil War Known for:  serving in the Civil War by disguising herself as a man; writing a post-Civil War book about her wartime experiences Dates:  - Sarah Emma Edmonds was born Edmonson or Edmondson in New Brunswick, Canada in December 1841. Her father was Isaac Edmon(d)son and her mother Elizabeth Leepers.   Early Life Sarah grew up working in the fields with her family and was usually wearing boys’ clothing doing so.  She left home to avoid a marriage instigated by her father.  Eventually, she began dressing as a man, selling Bibles, and calling herself Franklin Thompson.  She moved to Flint, Michigan as part of her job, and there she decided to join Company F of the Second Michigan Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, still as Franklin Thompson. During the War She successfully evading detection as a woman for a year, though some fellow soldiers seem to have suspected. She participated in the Battle of Blackburns Ford, First Bull Run/Manassas, the Peninsular Campaign, Antietam, and Fredericksburg. Sometimes, she served in the capacity of a nurse, and sometimes more actively in the campaign.  According to her memoirs, she sometimes served as a spy, disguised as a woman (Bridget OShea), a boy, a black woman or a black man. She may have made 11 trips behind Confederate lines.  At Antietam, treating one soldier, she realized that it was another woman in disguise, and agreed to bury the soldier so that none would discover her real identity. She deserted in Lebanon in April 1863. There’s been some speculation that her desertion was to join James Reid, another soldier who left, giving as a reason that his wife was sick. After deserting, she worked - as Sarah Edmonds - as a nurse for the U.S. Christian Commission. Edmonds published her version of her service - with many embellishments - in 1865 as  Nurse and Spy in the Union Army. She donated proceeds from her book to societies founded to help veterans of the war. Life After the War At Harpers Ferry, while nursing, she had met Linus Seelye, and they married in 1867, first living in Cleveland, later moving around to other states including Michigan, Louisiana, Illinois, and Texas. Their three children died young and they adopted two sons. In 1882 she began to petition for a pension as a veteran, asking for assistance in her pursuit from many who had served in the army with her. She was granted one in 1884 under her new married name, Sarah E. E. Seelye, including back pay and including removing the designation of deserter from Franklin Thomas’ records. She moved to Texas, where she was admitted into the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic), the only woman to be admitted. Sarah died a few years later in Texas on September 5, 1898. We know of Sarah Emma Edmonds primarily through her own book, through records assembled to defend her pension claim, and through diaries of two men with whom she served. Bibliography Civil War Battle from the Perspective of a Nurse - S. Emma Edmonds  - an excerpt from Edmonds 1865 memoir telling the story of the Battle of Bull Run, 1861 (also called 1st Manassas)Moss, Marissa.  Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, a Civil War Hero.  Ages 9-12.Sequin, Marilyn.  Where Duty Calls: The Story of Sarah Emma Edmonds, Soldier and Spy in the Union Army.  Young Adult Fiction.Reil, Seymour.  Behind Rebel Lines: The Incredible Story of Emma Edmonds, Civil War Spy.  Ages 9-12.Edmonds, S. Emma.  Nurse and Spy in the Union Army: Comprising the Adventures and Experiences of a Woman in Hospitals, Camps and Battle-Fields.  1865.

City-states in Lower Mesopotamia essays

City-states in Lower Mesopotamia essays Factors that contributed to the emergence of city-states in Lower Mesopotamia and the influence the landscape played in the formation of the civilization which emerged. For this essay I considered the question of what factors contributed to the emergence of city-states in Lower Mesopotamia and the influence the landscape played in the formation of the civilization which emerged. Through my research on this topic I found that there is much evidence to support the claim that landscape was a very large influence on the emergence of civilization and that most of the contributing factors were, in some way, linked to geography. In order to fully understand the topic, I first explored what the definition of civilization is. The first criterion for civilization, that I could think of, is domestication and an agricultural economy capable of producing a stored surplus. From this, I felt the need to examine the origins of Mesopotamian agriculture. With the glacial retreat after the last ice-age (roughly 10000 BC) the Mesopotamian climate improved and many modern plants and animals began to become concentrated in specific areas. Around 9000 BC the vast majority of Mesopotamian peoples were hunter-gatherers. With the concentrations of plants and animals being in specific areas these hunter-gatherers soon began to domesticate those plants and animals and a sedentary village farming pattern arose. This became the predominant way of life around 6000 BC. This change from food collecting to food producing was one of the major transformations in human history. Early peoples no longer had to live the nomadic life of hunter-gatherers but could settle down in permanent housing and produce their own food. It also began an economic change that altered social and political institutions, religion, etc. Domestication is the process of altering plants and animals so that they are no longer bound to the natural habitats of their wild ancestors. In es ...

The US Governments Websites Design Research Paper

The US Governments Websites Design - Research Paper Example Looking at the web page of Department of Health and Human Services, it is impressive on first sight since the visual pictures showing medical related activities are displayed and this is consistent with the duties of the department (Information Resources Management Association   & Khosrowpour, 2002). Besides there are various options of access further detailed information from the bold headlines and systematic flow of directions. The title of the photo on this web page is talking about women’s contribution in science an indication that the website is always conforming to the current affairs. The website of U.S department of state is fairly comprehensive and systematic in presentation with most sensitive passport issue top on the title and careers related issues coming last. The smooth flow of pertinent Web Pages to the citizens makes very effective in communication to the people. Finally, the U.S department of Agriculture is presented with complete directory and location map that makes one to trace where it is from anywhere on Earth. It prioritizes food and nutrition then explores its various agencies. It even includes place for reports that manifests its appreciation of releasing periodic reports on various issues. These sites share common characteristic in giving a comprehensible webpage and directory backup which makes them to qualify under the website assessment criteria. That is, all of them are accurate, exudes authority, are objective, consistent with current issues and have wide coverage (International Conference on Multiple Criteria Decision Making & Ehrgott, 2010). However, the web sites omit some essential features like e-mail address if need be. The exhaustive coverage of many issues on the websites is focused to the centrality of US in the world economy that makes it attract even international guests on its website. This is a label on the container of antacid. The design and pattern on it is very significant in how it communicates to the u ser or potential user (In Miller , Wyllie , Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations & Joint Commission Resources, 2006). Fig.1 The visual impression of the path of movement of the medication serves as the first attraction to people. The large fonts used in this label makes more conspicuous and speak louder to what it should be used for. The yellow part with clear information of â€Å"fast acting† reiterates to the user its effectiveness and this boosts the desire and hope of a person to getting relief as soon as it is prescribed and taken. Within the red background of the label is a brief but concise list of all the conditions it can serve to cure. The presentation of the label is brief to the point and even the color is captivating to all and sundry (Jedlicka, 2010). The audience to this information constitutes all the persons with ability to read English and this is inclusive of all age groups in the society who may directly or indirectly affected by a ny of the listed curable conditions.  

Pablo Picasso The Artistic Genius of an Avant-garde Painter Research Paper

Pablo Picasso The Artistic Genius of an Avant-garde Painter - Research Paper Example The paper "Pablo Picasso The Artistic Genius of an Avant-garde Painter" investigates the avant-garde and the role of Pablo Picasso in it. The rejection of society of his work has never discouraged him. Quite the opposite, it has encouraged him. Yet, in the recent decades, the circumstances have changed. It is hard by now to recall how painful the struggle was. The works of art of those who opposed the existing order is currently displayed in sites of tribute and the word ‘radical’ is starting to lose its previous significance. The brilliance and creativity of the founders remains obvious but it is easy to overlook their boldness and the defiance they raised to core issues of art and the bond between life and artistry. The recognized ideas of cultured tastes, beauty, and consistency which in 1881 were valued as measures by which the people may securely make its opinions have been challenged. Beauty itself is currently doubtful of its meaning. Yet, the drained and dishonor ed ideas of the past have not been ruined by academics but by the imaginative effort of artists who have discovered new ways of expression and introduced us to new varieties of artistic styles. A development of such impact can merely take place when a path is provided to it by talented individuals. The past eight decades have actually been made dramatically vivid by the canvasses of artists who have enriched the development of modern painting; yet, no single individual has influenced this radical transformation more deeply than Pablo Picasso.