Snow Falling on Cedars - 1700 Words

Men with authority in Snow Falling on Cedars possess great power and can manipulate an outcome based on their own personal bias. Horace Whaley’s racist qualities emerge from their patriotism and experiences in war. Horace Whaley, a coroner, is a Caucasian American who served his country in war. His patriotism and experience in war allows him to become a close-minded and racist individual, â€Å"Horace had served as a medical officer for twenty months in the Pacific theater and had suffered in that period from sleep deprivation and from a generalized and perpetual tropical malaise that had rendered him, in his own mind, ineffective† (Guterson 46). After the morning recess, Horace Whaley swears softly on the courtroom bible and edges his name†¦show more content†¦In this particular case, Guterson provides information about Horace Whaley, including his painful and traumatic experiences of this psychological pain. This unpleasant experience communicates a negative response, since the cause of Horace’s psychological trauma will result in deep hatred towards that certain cause, in Horace’s case his services in war against foreigners. Psychoanalytical theory is applicable in this scenario under Horace’s deep resentment towards Japanese individuals. Horace’s harsh experiences resulted in the development of resentment of Japanese individuals. Horace directs resentment towards the Japanese since they were the cause of his pain and sense of shame that he attained in war. Accordingly, Horace develops behavioural manifestations of an indirect sense of vengeance. Horace’s contains aggressive wishes towards the Japanese man on trial, seen in his opposing position on the trial. Thus, the negative implications imposed on Horace through the environmental experiences of war have formulated his distinct hatred towards the individuals responsible for his trauma. Horace’s involvement in the war led to the development o f his racist qualities coupled with his patriotism, â€Å"Horace indicated for Art Moran the blood that had clotted in the dura mater and the tear in it where the piece of brain protruded. ‘He got hit pretty hard with something fairly flat, Art. Puts me in mind of aShow MoreRelated Snow Falling on Cedars Essay702 Words   |  3 Pages Throughout the film ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’ the director Scott Hicks has used symbolism to convey a number of his ideas. He used the fog and snow to symbolise hidden secrets, the sea to represent life and death, and he used the Cedars to symbolise a place of secrecy and protection. By using these three symbols, Scott Hick’s ideas could be conveyed without anything being said at all. Fog and snow are used in the film to symbolise hidden secrets and to convey the idea that nothing can stay hiddenRead More Snow Falling On Cedars Essay1052 Words   |  5 Pagesrange from a simple comment to make another human being feel inferior, to complex actions that make others feel unwelcome in society because of who they are. The theme of racism can be seen throughout literature. In the murder mystery novel, Snow Falling on Cedars, by David Guterson, many examples of wartime racism are evident. The novel is set on San Piedro Island off the coast of Washington in the year 1954. It is a place of â€Å"five thousand damp souls† (5). Kabuo Miyamoto, a member of the islandsRead More Critical Response to David Gutersons Snow Falling on Cedars1247 Words   |  5 PagesCritical Response to David Gutersons Snow Falling on Cedars David Gutersons novel Snow Falling on Cedars undoubtedly holds high acclaim in its reputable attempt to show the prejudice between the Americans and Japanese after World War II and more importantly the prejudice that is unavoidably apart of human nature. The author of the criticism recognizes and brings to light the things done by Guterson throughout the novel. He refers to the animosity between people brought about by differences,Read More Difficult Choices in David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars1976 Words   |  8 PagesDifficult Choices in David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars It is mid 1950’s in predominantly white populated San Piedro Island. One of its residents has been murdered and another stands accused of the crime. From the first chapter and through the use of flashbacks, David Guterson makes us aware of the racism that exists in the small, West Coast island of San Piedro. The victim, Carl Heine, is of European descent; the accused man, Kabuo Miyamoto, is of Japanese ancestry. There also is a smallRead More Racial Prejudice in David Gutersons Snow Falling on Cedars Essay1791 Words   |  8 PagesRacial Prejudice in David Gutersons Snow Falling on Cedars Its not one ocean, said Hatsue. Its four oceans...Theyre different from each other. Well how are they different? They just are. (Guterson 97). Snow Falling on Cedars, David Gutersons award winning novel, is set on an island in Puget Sound in the early 1950s. It is a story of the racial prejudice that was felt so strongly against Japanese Americans immediately before, during and after WWII. Kabuo Miyamoto,Read MoreLantana and Snow Falling on Cedars906 Words   |  4 PagesLantana and Snow Falling on Cedars present a variety of relationships that explore the restrictions of characters in a culturally limiting society, and ones with intertwining emotions and secrets that contain a darker reality. The crucial type of relationship in both texts is the forbidden connections that are abundant with unrealistic expectations, developed through characterisation as the plot progresses. The texts also display the relationships that have become dysfunctional after significantRead More Snow Falling on Cedars Essay1129 Words   |  5 PagesSnow Falling on Cedars Everyone has experienced prejudice sometime in their life. It has been an undeniable force in society ever since history was recorded. Even the most open-minded people and enlightened organizations can be blamed as being prejudice sometime or another. However, prejudice always takes its toll from these people who form opinions beforehand or without any facts. The novel, Snow Falling On Cedars, take place during a time in which Americans are prejudice towards JapaneseRead MoreSnow Falling on Cedars Essay897 Words   |  4 Pagesis powered by an individual’s determination and will. The use of the word â€Å"chambers† echoes directly with three major themes of the text, these being; the chambers of the heart, the chambers of the judge’s courthouse, and also the chambers of the cedar tree where Hatsue and Ishmael consummate their love. The final sentence has great importance to the text as it shows Ishmael understands that he will always love Hatsue however he w ill never be able to know her hearts desires, and should thereforeRead MoreConflicting Perspectives - Snow Falling on Cedars993 Words   |  4 Pagesperspectives eventuating in conflict with another. These ideals are represented through the character construction and narrative style displayed in David Gutterson’s â€Å"Snow Falling On Cedars† and the filmic version of Harper Lee’s â€Å"To Kill a Mockingbird† directed by Robert Mulligan. Body: A key character in â€Å"Snow Falling on Cedars† who represents the ideals of bias and self-interest affecting ones perspective is Etta Heine. Etta Heine’s character has been constructed to represent the strong socialRead MorePrejudice And Discrimination In Snow Falling On Cedars2253 Words   |  10 PagesHow does Guterson present the prejudice and discrimination against the Japanese Americans in chapter 1-15 of Snow Falling on Cedars. This book shows a great difference between cultures on the island of San Piedro. To start with the island is a very cosmopolitan island with its residents all from different backgrounds and countries, Japan, England, Germany, Spain and Denmark to name a few. We can tell this from the long lists of shops and their owners on page three. Chapter one tells us more about

Public Policy of Social Security and Retirement Savings Essay

Social Security is on the verge of taking care of the baby boomers generation. This means that it will be paying more benefits than taxes it receives. In lay-man’s terms it means it will be spending more money than it is making. I think that you should pay into your own private retirement account for you to reap the benefits in the future. Not for you to pay into a cluster of workers money for current elders to benefit from. You need to take care of your own future and not rely on other people’s responsibility. â€Å"†¦people began to think retirement funding as a right†¦and so†¦started saving less† (Klay Steen). That being said, people of a certain age should be â€Å"grandfathered† into this meaning, people of the age of say 40, still get the†¦show more content†¦Back in 1950, as the baby boom was just getting started, each retirees benefit was divided among 16 workers. Taxes could be kept low. Today, that number has dropped to 3 .3 workers per retiree, and by 2025, it will reach--and remain at--about two workers per retiree (Social Security Reform Center – Problem). The number of workers for each beneficiary dropped from 5.1 in 1960 to 3.3 in 2006. This is expected to decrease to 2.1 by 2030 (Klay Steen). Baby boomers are going to retire and Social Security begins to spend more on paying benefits than it receives in taxes in 2017 or 2018 (Social Security Reform Center – Problem). This means Social Security will begin to handle very large funding problems because of the amount of people retiring and the worker/beneficiary ratio falling. This is caused by the increase of the payroll tax 17 times since 1935 (Epstein). Currently Social Security is not having any issues with payments. It lifts 1.3 million children and almost 13 million senior citizens out of poverty (Merino). The other side of the problem though is fairness. For example, you give someone $20 every month to save until the end of th e year for you, but until then they can lend out that money and use it how they want until the end of the year. At the end of the year you might have your money or someone else’s money. This problem reaches all aspects of American life and its people. It affects the taxShow MoreRelatedThe First Retirement Plan Of The United States1592 Words   |  7 PagesThe first retirement plan created in the United States, is one that the majority of us are familiar, the Social Security Act, signed under law in 1935. Up until 1939, Social Security only paid retirement benefits to primary workers, which for the most part were men. Age 65 was chosen as the retirement age because individuals who survived past childhood were likely to live past 65. However, not everyone benefited from such assistance, even after age 65—agricultural and domestic workers were excludedRead MoreEssay on Speech: IRA Retirement Plans931 Words   |  4 PagesSpeech: IRA Retirement Plans Saving for Retirement General Purpose: My general purpose is to persuade. Specific Purpose: My specific purpose is to persuade the audience to start saving for their retirement instead of simply relying on Social Security. Thematic Statement: Starting to save for retirement early has many benefits over Social Security. Introduction of Speech I. I took a survey of thirty BSU students, who are employed, to determine how many of them have started saving for theirRead MoreThe Problem With Social Security Trust Fund865 Words   |  4 PagesThe problem with Social Security trust fund is that at the present time there is more credit in the trust fund than is required for payment of Social Security benefits. â€Å"By 2027 revenue coming into the trust fund will fall below the level of being paid out, and by 2040 the trust fund will be depleted (Quadagno, 2014).†Meaning there will be not enough money from payroll taxes to pay all the benefits that are promised to citizens. This puts everyone who is going to enter retirement in jeopardy. EvenRead MorePension Reform Essay837 Words   |  4 PagesThe analysis of networks of Turkish pension reform is interesting for two reasons. The first reason is about the Turkish political context for the study of policy network. The second reason is the criticisms about the policy-making processes and the justifications of Turkish pension reform. Turkish political context for policy network approach Turkish political context is in a nutshell that state is everything. Turkish state exhibits a highly-centralized and interventionist characteristic. InRead MoreThe U.s. Economy Operates On A Fundamentally Capitalistic Reward Based Principle1236 Words   |  5 PagesWhen President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in 1935, this was exactly the concern he intended to address [1]. Specifically, as a result of having spent their prime working years fall within the Great Depression, many elderly citizens had not been able to accumulate enough savings to provide for themselves in retirement. As part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal to help America’s recovery from the Depression [2], the Social Security Act was introduced to â€Å"provide for the generalRead MoreFinance : Life Insurance Benefits1443 Words   |  6 PagesFinance: Life Insurance When I was young, I didn’t care about saving money, and I just spent it on food. As a college student, my uncle, who works for the World Financial Group, told me that I should start saving money for my college tuition and retirement. He suggested that I invest in life insurance to make more money instead of putting all of it in the bank. So, I decided to buy life insurance after I got a job to pay for it monthly. Despite the risk, the promise of earning one millionRead MoreThe Social Security Act Of 19351679 Words   |  7 PagesThe passing of the Social Security Act generated a social insurance program that protected a multiplicity of people by supplying a monthly benefit to societal individuals age 65 and older who were no longer actively working; it was a means of income to individuals once they retired and was based on the person’s payroll tax contribution (Martin Weaver, 2005). The longer amount of years a person was employed, the higher their benefi t amount is set to be. Social weighing was a method they used toRead MoreA Pension Policy For The Province Of Ontario1636 Words   |  7 PagesA pension policy for the province of Ontario is being discussed, in an attempt to make it more effective or being readily available. The existing issue is how it functions in low interests rates and low returns in equity markets. Also, the low participation in such plans is failing the system as a whole. It is important the government to protect workers in the private sector; as it is noted one-third of the paid workforce in 2005 was in a registered pension plan. Canada lacks when it comes to voluntaryRead MoreU.s. Labor Policy Proposal Essay3170 Words   |  13 Pages Labor Policy Proposal Presented by Institution Introduction Many people have no idea of what they expect to achieve after retirement when asked about their retirement plans. The government’s policies about retirement do not cater for the well-being of retirees creating a lot of worry for the life after employment. The increasing number of employees demanding cover by government pension programs and the current decline in the retirement income levels contributes to the change of theRead MoreSocial Security a Challenge to Public Finance1824 Words   |  7 PagesThe 1935 Franklin D. Roosevelt created the foundation for what today is Social Security. The bill entitled the Economic Security Bill and was the starting point for Social security. (ssa.gov) Social Security was enacted as part of the New Deal. Its purpose was to provide a safety net for the elderly and their direct survivors, as well, temporary unemployment benefits. The funding was a compulsory taxation of the employed workforce in shared responsibility with the employers (Hym an 2010 p. 312). The

Its All AboutAttitudeNothing Can Stop The free essay sample

Its All About Attitude Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. Thomas Jefferson Many times In life the difference between failure and success Is determined by a persons attitude Having the right mental attitude simply means one Is able to go through each of these steps In a calm and rational manner. Each stage Is digested and thought out. Too much weight or emphasis on one stage will have an impact on the final outcome. Too much emotion in the first stage means that the second stage, comprehension of the situation, becomes compromised or negatively impacted. When that happens, the final evaluation and corresponding feelings or actions will then be based on flawed information, causing one to act in a manner that may do more harm than good. Having the right mental attitude simply means that someone can go through these stages calmly and intelligently without letting emotions distort their Judgment. We will write a custom essay sample on Its All AboutAttitudeNothing Can Stop The or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When a person performs these steps rationally, actions will be based on thoughtful analysis, Increasing the likelihood for achieving specific goal.Having the wrong attitude, usually caused by emotion or a certain disposition In your head thereby clouding a rational Interpretation of each stage, will make It difficult to reach goals. In other words, without a clear head to analyze any given situation, It will be almost impossible to achieve success. Confidence comes from trying, not from knowing youre right Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong. Peter T. McIntyre I have been proven to be wrong hundreds, nay, thousands of times more than I have been right. Ive failed more times than I can member.However, I do not consider myself a failure. The day when I cant hold my head up high, when I accept defeat and stop trying or saying whats on my mind, will be the day that I become a failure. Despite what people may claim, everyone is wrong from time to time. Being wrong means that you are not afraid to speak your mind. It means that you made an effort. It means that youre not afraid to try. Successful politicians and salespeople are the ones who are confident In what they say. It doesnt matter that what they say Is wrong most of the time, What matters Is that hey said something in a confident manner.The only way to become confident is by not being afraid to be wrong. It is how you learn. It is how you find out that you are wrong and what the truth is. Speaking with confidence means youve given thought to what you are saying. It means in your mind you think it is correct. People respect that. Dont be afraid to be wrong. If you think about it, its the person who is unsure of what to say that either gets blamed, doesnt get elected or doesnt make any sales. It isnt what you say that matters, but how you say it. When you speak with confidence o give strength and inspiration to those around you. They will not hold it against you if youre wrong. You develop your character when you admit you were wrong and gain the respect of others. What matters most Is confidence In yourself, In knowing that as long as you keep trying, you will succeed one day. The best way to build confidence In yourself Is to get over the fear of being wrong, or being rejected. The world will not suddenly turn against you. When you are proven to be wrong, youll speaking. Youll realize that its not what you say that matters, but in how you say it.

Literary Analysis - The Outsiders free essay sample

This is an essay over S. E. Hinton’s novel, The Outsiders. In this essay I will be using the following literary terms: symbolism, allusions, and foreshadowing. I will also be giving several examples of these literary terms. The background of this novel is about two rival gangs named the Greasers and the Socials (or Socs). To begin with, I will be using foreshadowing. Here in this quote, Things gotta get better, I figured they couldnt get worse. I was wrong, it foreshadows the fact that things can get worse. Like the fight in the park between the Socs and the Greasers that resulted in the death of the Greaser’s member and friend, Bob Sheldon. Also, before the fight and after Johnny and Ponyboy got jumped, Johnny threatened to kill any Soc that tried to jump the greasers again. That foreshadowed Johnny killing a Soc, because when he did that, he and Ponyboy had to run and hide in a church. We will write a custom essay sample on Literary Analysis The Outsiders or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Next, I will be using allusions. Ponyboy first speaks aloud to a work of literature in Chapter 1, when he compares himself to Pip from Charles Dickens’s â€Å"Great Expectations. † As he lies dying in Chapter 9, Johnny speaks these words to Ponyboy; â€Å"Stay gold. † Those words are a reference to a Robert Frost poem that Ponyboy repeats to Johnny when the two are trying to hide out in the Windrixville Church. One line in the poem reads, â€Å"Nothing gold can stay,† which means that all good things must come to an end. Finally, the last and final literary element I will be using is symbolism. In, The Outsiders, symbols that would make a connection would be sunrise and sunset. For example, when Ponyboy and Cherry are connecting at the movies on the topic of sunsets, Ponyboy realizes that all humans are linked through the natural world. But, when Ponyboy is angry and upset with Cherry’s willingness to help the Socials before the rumble and after Bob’s death, he uses the topic about sunrises to help calm or settle the situation. Using sunrise again, it is a much closer connection between Ponyboy and Johnny. The climax of this connection would be when the two boys are watching the sunrise together on top of Jay Mountain and after Ponyboy repeated the poem â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay† by Robert Frost. When Johnny tells Ponyboy, â€Å"I never noticed colors and clouds and stuff until you kept reminding me about them. It seems like they were never there before,† Johnny finally realizes what experiencing new things feels like, and he is joyful about it. By Johnny seeing the sun at that moment, it is truly new to him because he opens his eyes wide to the natural world. At this moment in the book, Johnny is not the only one that feels joy, because Ponyboy is just happy to find someone that shares his vision of the natural world. When Ponyboy tells Johnny, â€Å"You aint like any of the gang. I mean, I couldnt tell them about the sunrise and clouds and stuff,† this helps us understand how he is handling his friend’s death. The use of symbolism, allusions, and foreshadowing are the main tools of choice for S. E. Hinton. Through these different types of literary terms used, it gives the reader a deeper understanding of characters and how they relate to each other in the storyline. When you are just looking at it, it’s not just two gangs fighting each other; it’s really a more complex story. Overall, the story becomes more complicated when examined using these forms of literary terms.

french essays

Communisme/french essays n jeune Karl Marx nous propose plusieurs thories entre les annes 1841 et 1849. Lune delle, qui sera plus tard lide centrale du paradigme marxiste, influencera plusieurs pays et dmarrera lEurope et lAsie en crise didentit. Ce paradigme est simplement btit sur un concept universel, oà ¹ une classe en suppose une autre : la dialectique entre la classe ouvrire et le patronat. Le communisme, selon Marx, est la cure pour ce conflit. Ceci fut en dmarche depuis la configuration de la domination dun acteur sur un autre, et qui selon lui ne sera jamais rsolu sans cet agent quilibrant. Cent ans aprs sa conception, le communisme est lobjet de critique par les pays dmocratiques et sera hai puis craint globalement par des millions de spectateurs calculateurs envers son existence dans un nouveau monde, l ge Nuclaire. Une image tnbreuse et flegmatique fut peint des pays qui adoptrent ce systme et ce paradigme marxiste. A cet gard, plusieurs perturbations majeures ont branles le communisme moderne vers la fin des annes 1980 en Europe de l'est. En pleine dtresse, le systme politique sovitique chuta. Hypnotis par des promesses dgalit et assur de retrouver une homostasie nationale, un peuple sveille dun long sommeil trs coà »teux et ce retrouve en pleine ruine. Le communisme na pu satisfaire les besoins lmentaires du tissu social russe donc les droits rudimentaires furent supprims. Dans un monde oà ¹ le droit de lhomme devient de plus en plus capital voqu, est-ce que le communisme peut subsist dans un nouveau millnaire Dans cet essaie, je vais dmontrer ...

Understanding Object Pronoun Verb Order in French

Understanding Object Pronoun Verb Order in French Mistakes will always be made in French, and now you can learn from them. There are two kinds of object pronouns, direct and indirect. Beginning students of French tend to misplace them and the result can be nonsense to the French ear. The rule of thumb: Place object pronouns before  the verb, with the indirect going before the direct object pronoun. When the verb is in the passà © composà © or another compound verb that includes an auxiliary verb, the pronoun precedes the entire verb; in other words, before the auxiliary verb, which is  the conjugated avoir  or  Ãƒ ªtre. The Correct Format Its never correct to say  Jai lui dit. The pronoun lui goes before ai, which begins the compound verb, like this: Je lui ai dit (Im telling him). The major exception is the imperative mood (limperatif), when object pronouns follow the verb: Donne-le-lui (Give it to him/her). Here are some examples of the correct format: Tu las vu? Have you seen it?Je lui ai dit la và ©rità ©. I told him/her the truth.Il  leur  achà ¨te des livres.   He buys books  for them.  Elle  ma à ©crit.   She wrote  to me.  *Je te lavais bien dit! I told you so! *In this example, there is both an indirect (te) and direct (le) object. Remember, the indirect object always comes first. The verb is still compound, but now the tense is plus-que-parfait (pluperfect) with the auxiliary verb in the imparfait (imperfect). So the object pronouns precede avais, which is the auxiliary verb here. Indirect Object Pronouns For indirect objects, the verbs action occurs to or for a person or other animate noun. Im talking to  Pierre. Je parle   Pierre.To whom  am I talking?  To Pierre. Indirect object pronouns  are the words that  replace  the name of the indirect object. They include:   Ã‚  Ã‚  me  /  m  Ã‚  Ã‚  me  Ã‚  Ã‚  te  /  t  Ã‚  Ã‚  you  Ã‚  Ã‚  lui  Ã‚  Ã‚  him, her  Ã‚  Ã‚  nous  Ã‚  Ã‚  us  Ã‚  Ã‚  vous  Ã‚  Ã‚  you  Ã‚  Ã‚  leur  Ã‚  Ã‚  them Me  and  te  change to  m  and  t, respectively, in front of a vowel or  mute H. Direct Object Pronouns Direct objects are the people or things in a sentence that receive the action of the verb. To find the direct object in a sentence, ask who or what. I see  Pierre. Je vois  Pierre.Who  do I see?  Pierre. Direct object pronouns  are the words that  replace  the direct object, so that we can avoid endlessly repeating the name of the object. They include:   Ã‚  Ã‚  me  /  m  Ã‚  Ã‚  me  Ã‚  Ã‚  te  /  t  Ã‚  Ã‚  you  Ã‚  Ã‚  le  /  l  Ã‚  Ã‚  him, it  Ã‚  Ã‚  la  /  l  Ã‚  Ã‚  her, it  Ã‚  Ã‚  nous  Ã‚  Ã‚  us  Ã‚  Ã‚  vous  Ã‚  Ã‚  you  Ã‚  Ã‚  les  Ã‚  Ã‚  them Me  and  te  change to  m  and  t, respectively, in front of a vowel or  mute H.  Le  and  la  both change to  l. Remember that both indirect object  pronouns and  direct object  pronouns precede the verb, with the indirect object pronoun going first. When deciding between direct and indirect objects, the general rule is that if the object is preceded by the  preposition  Ã‚  or  pour, that object is an indirect object. If its not preceded by a preposition, its a direct object. If its preceded by any other preposition, it cant be replaced  by an object pronoun.   If you have an indirect object thats not a person or animal, it can only be replaced with the  adverbial pronouns  y and en.  Y stands in for    a  noun  and usually means there or to it.  En  replaces  de a noun and usually means some, any, one, or of it/them.

European & Equity Law of UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

European & Equity Law of UK - Essay Example The Treaty obligates UK to legislate in line with the international law in securing universal human rights it envisages. The Treaty also established the European Court on Human Rights (ECtHR) to give individual British citizens an appeal option for those who feel that their rights have been violated under the local law (Davies, & Virgo, 2013). As such, many UK citizens have filed their appeals at the Strasbourg Court, with a majority of the cases being decided in their favour and thus piling more pressure on UK government to make more liberal laws. Such EU Decisions prompted the UK parliament to pass the Human Rights Act 1998, which has been in effect since 2000. The Act is deemed as a local reflection of the human rights provisions under the EU Convention, which the Labour government promised the voters in 1997. The domestication of the EU law arguably ensures justice by limiting the cost and time of having to pursue justice at the Strasbourg Court. The HRA Act 1998 also imposed an obligation on the local UK courts to adopt the precedents set by the ECtHR when deliberating similar cases in a manner that explains the tremendous influence on local law. In the event that local courts and parliament disagree with the international law, UK would be deemed as failing to safeguard individual rights. As such, I believe UK would be at pains to fend off arguments that it is in utter violation of its international duties under the treaty. The ECtHR has in it its rulings attempted to create harmony with local state mechanisms by ensuring that its rulings are flexible under the principle of margin of appreciation. When issuing its verdicts on cases, this principle gives states some freedom in enforcing human rights based on their customized needs. Regardless, this has been insufficient on the issues where London starkly is in conflict with the ECtHR decisions. In the recent past, UK’s government has been in

Social Work Theory & Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Social Work Theory & Practice - Essay Example The concern of the State to utilize medical facilities to control bad behaviour (in the absence of formal evidence of psychosis) continued in the twentieth century (Rogers and Pilgrim, 2005). In Scotland this is a major undertaking by government. Mental health law is about securing benefits for, and protecting the rights of, people with a mental disorder. Its primary objective is to make sure people with a mental disorder can receive effective care and treatment (Scottish Executive, 2003). This highlights the fact that the government and its policies are geared towards the care for the mentally aberrant. The new legislation dealing with mental health lays the foundation for government to act in dealing with those who are mentally troubled. In fact, the new legislation is Scotland establishes principles upon which government measures are to be based on. What are unique in the current law is the new mechanisms it puts into place. These new measures better empower the state in dealing with this social concern. An example of this is when the law sets out principles relating to the way in which the function must be discharged. These require the person discharging the function to do so in a way, which involves the minimum restriction on the freedom of the patient (Scottish Executive, 2003). The current policies also clarify and refine the role and duty of government with regards to mental health. The new Mental Health law in Scotland allows for the removal to a place of safety of a person who is exposed to ill-treatment or neglect or who is unable to look after himself or his property/financial affairs. It further allows for a person to be removed from a public place to a place of safety where it is in the interests of that person or where it is necessary to protect other people (Scottish Executive, 2003). This descriptively lays down the scenario when the state should act and for what

Supervalu Company Analysis Essay Example for Free

Supervalu Company Analysis Essay One company that may provide investors such an opportunity is Supervalu, Inc. Supervalu is an Eden Prairie, Minnesota based retail supermarket chain that has experienced sharp drop in the value of their share over the past several years. The company has committed itself to a turn-around by replacing Wayne Sales with Sam Duncan as CEO. Duncan followed his appointment as CEO by shuffling the top management deck and bringing in a new president in charge of Save-A-Lot, the companies most important subsidiary. All this was done with the ultimate aim of speeding up the turnaround. The company is also trimming down with layoffs and selling some of its well known brand to investment group Cerberus Capital (Anderson, 2013). 2. Overview of Supervalu Supervalu is an American retail giant. It has been in business for more than a century. With over 130,000 employees, it is the third largest food retail company in the United States (after Kroger and Safeway), and ranks number seventy five on the 2012 Fortune 500 list of America’s largest companies (Forbes, 2012). On June 2nd 2006, the company announced the purchase of Boise, Idaho based Albertsons, Inc and all of its 1,124 stores. The Supermarket News magazine’s ranking of â€Å"Top Wholesalers for 2008† put Supervalu at the very top of the list (Supermarket News, 2008). The company has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 1967. The company’s mission is served by operations consisting principally of grocery and pharmacy operations with a total of 2,432 stores with the firm also offering supply chain services for smaller retailers, serving over 4,300 retailers (Supervalu, 2012). The retail operations are supported by 22 distribution centers, and the wholesale distribution is supported by nine distribution centers, the latter of which also supply company owned stores. The company benefits from a solid level of diversification with a number of different brands targeting different markets, including Acme, Albertsons and Shop ‘n Save brands. The company owns 1,102 traditional food retail stores, as well as 397 hard discount stores trading under the Save-A-Lot brand name (Supervalu, 2012). In addition the company also licenses the Save-A-Lot brand to 935 independent operators. With what seems to be a successful operation, the company however still faces a number of uphill battles with the last three years reporting significant losses and extreme pressure from competitors. In 2012 CEO Craig Hackert in charge since 2009 was replaced by company chairman Wayne Sales. A move that saw a sharp drop in share prices was met eight months later with Sales’ own firing and replacement with newcomer Sam Duncan in January of this year with the aim of accelerating the company’s turnaround. There have been significant problems including massive losses and decline in revenue production. Measures are now being taken to limit losses, slash cost and regain sales, including the sale of non-profitable brands as well as a shakeup in top management as discussed earlier. However, issues such as high levels of debt, a low level of equity and difficult trading conditions may persist for some time. In order to assess the organization as a potential investment, it is necessary to look at the financial analysis. 3. Financial Analysis Companies produce annual reports designed with the shareholder as the primary audience. The annual reports which are published using the standard format present the performance of the organization in the preceding 12 month period. The annual reports the 10-K in the United States – are overseen by an auditor to ensure that they reflect a true and honest picture of the company and are compiled in line with the required account standards. It should however be noted that financial reports may sometimes be rife with misleading information as was the case in recent years with Enron and WorldCom. However, for the purpose of this project, it is assumed that there are no potential misstatements. 4. 1 Summary of Statements All figures presented will be in millions of US dollars when examining the different financial statements – unless otherwise specified with the exception of per-share numbers. All figures for Supervalu, Inc. , have been extracted from the 10-k for the financial year ending February 2011 and 2012. Where industry comparisons are made, these have been taken from relevant ratio pages on MSN Money. 4. 2. 1 Income Statement The income statement, which can be found in appendix 1 is also called the Consolidated Statement of Earnings and shows that the financial year which ended on February 25th 2012 (a 52-week year) saw net sales of $36,100. This represented a deep in revenues on the previous two years as the 2011 net sales was $37,534 and the 2010 net sales was $40,597. Since 2010 the company has seen an 11. 0 percentage point decline in revenues. Some downward movement in revenue was however expected as a result of the divestments that occurred in mid to late 2011. The gross profit for the year 2012 was $8,019 which is a gross profit margin of 22. 1%. However the company saw a loss in operating profit of $519, primarily the result of high cost on intangible assets. 2012’s operating profit was still a lower loss in operating profit compared to 2011 when it was $976 and a gain of $1,201 in 2010. Net earnings are shown on the income statement. For the sake of accounting, net earnings may be presente d before or after taxes. Since Supervalu is experiencing an adverse financial climate and took advantage of a negative tax payment in 2010 and 2011, this paper will utilize the definition of net earnings as being earnings after tax. After provisions for income taxes were factored in, the company showed a loss of $1,040 or -2. 88% in net earnings in 2012. It must however be noted that this number represents an improvement on the previous year when net earnings registered a -4. 02% loss at $1,510. In 2012 there was a loss of $43. 91 per share in net earnings. This number is however an improvement from 2011 when the net loss per share was $7. 13 . It should be noted that these changes are not influences by the weighted average of outstanding share which stood at 212 million (Supervalu, 2012). The income statement highlights a company in some serious difficulties; however the numbers show encouraging signs of a rebound to better times in 2010. 3. 1. 2Balance Sheet The balance sheet referenced in Appendix 2 defines the company’s position in terms of assets and liabilities. The company experienced a drop in the value of its assets in 2012, however there was also a decrease in total liabilities overall. Current assets generally calculated as having an economic shelf life of 12 months or less fell steadily from 2010 ($3,711) to 2011 ($3,420) and 2012 ($3,225). This decline can be seen across all asset categories. Long-term assets also declined to $12,053 representing a 12. 39% drop in value. Measures to cut cost and control debt are starting to take hold as the level of current liabilities has declined year to year since 2010. The long term liabilities of the companies on the other hand have seen an upward tick with total liabilities rising from $11,524 in 2011 to $12,032 in 2012. Important to investors is the decline in the level of equity within the organization. This has gone down from $2,887 in 2010 to $1,340 in 2011 and just $21 in 2012. The balance sheet continues to paint a picture of current gloom face the organization in the near term. 3. 1. 3 Cash Flow Statement The cash flow statement in Appendix 3 shows $157 in cash and cash equivalents in hand at the end of 2012. This represented a decline in the previous two years of $211 in 2010 and $172 in 2011. This represents a gradual but consistent drop in cash and cash equivalents of the company. Significant impacts are the losses carried over into cash flow which amounted to $1,040 for 2012 and $1,510 for 2011. The net effect is a reduction in the amount of cash provided for operating activities. It is important to make note of the fact that while the company has engaged in disposing of some assets, there have also been new investment resulting in overall net investing of $484 in 2012 and $227 in 2011. Cash flow from financing activities was also negative with $291 raised from the issuance of long-term debt, but this is counteracted with $798 payment of long-term debt and capital lease obligations. This results in net cash outflow from financing activities of $587. However, this is a decline on the previous year of $975. 3. 1. 4Statement of Owners Equity The consolidated statement of stockholders equity found in Appendix 4shows the balance of equity over a period of four years, 2009-2012. The statement shows that the position of common stock has not changed, with a total of $230. The capital in excess of par has only change very slightly from $2,853 in 2009 to $2,855 in 2012. The major factor of the equity level is a deficit which resulted in a negative balance of -$1,892 at the end of 2012. When added with other accumulated losses results in a total shareholder equity in the firm of $21. This is a notable change compared to 2009 when the total balance of equity was $2,581. . 1 Ratio Analysis Ratio analysis can be used here to explore the financial position of the firm and the way in which it is performing by analyzing internal performance as well as providing a benchmark for comparison with the industry. This section puts forward some ratio analysis calculations and makes comparisons with industry averages where available. 3. 2. 1 L iquidity Liquidity is an important measure companies facing hard times. It measures the firm’s ability to survive in the short term and meet its current financial obligations (Libby et al, 2010). The current ratio and the quick ratio are the two main measure of liquidity also known as the acid test. The current ratio measures the firm’s ability to use current assets to settle current liabilities. In the case of Supervalu, there are insufficient assets available to pay current liabilities. This is however not unusual as like in many industries with rapid cash flow, a relatively low current ratio may be acceptable based on expected cash flow. Supervalu is therefore not necessarily showing any signs of mounting distress with the current ratio at 0. 0 as shown in table 1. The industry average is slightly higher, however this difference may be indicative of better use of capital – although it could also indicate cash flow issues. Table [ 1 ]: Current ratio Current ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Current assets| 3,711| 3,420| 3,225|   | Current liabilities| 4,167| 3,786| 3,590|   | Current ratio| 0. 89| 0. 90| 0. 90| 1. 1| (Supervalu figures are extracted from Supervalu Inc. 10-K. Industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012). The quick ratio is another way to evaluate liquidity within a company. The idea behind this is that an organization may not be able to realize the full value of its inventory if they are required to liquidate inventory in order to pay current liabilities. Calculations for the quick ratio are similar to the current ratio minus inventory value which is deducted from the total current assets as can be seen in Table 2. Table 2: Quick ratio Quick ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Current assets| 3,711| 3,420| 3,225|   | Inventory| 2,342| 2,270| 2,150|   | Net current assets| 1,369| 1,150| 1,075|   | Current liabilities| 4,167| 3,786| 3,590|   | Quick ratio| 0. 3| 0. 30| 0. 30| 0. 7| (Supervalu figures are taken from Supervalu, Inc. 10K. Industry figures are taken from Microsoft Money, 2012) 3. 2. 2Asset Management The company’s ability to manage assets will be a key deciding factor in its return to profitability. Measures of asset management include return on assets and return on equity. For Supervalu, the return on assets shows a sligh t improvement in 2012 at -8. 06% compared to -10. 00% in 2011. Table [ 3 ]: Return on assets Return on Assets| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Net income| 393| -1510| -1040|   | Total assets| 16436| 13758| 12053|   | Return on assets| 2. 31%| -10. 00%| -8. 06%| 6. 80%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) The return on equity is poor. While the actual loss has declined in 2012, the phenomenal change in the return on equity showing large losses is the results of adjustments that followed the steep decline in the level of equity. Table [ 4 ]: Return on equity Return on Equity| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Net income| 393| -1,510| -1,040|   | Equity| 2,887| 1,340| 21|   | Return on equity| 13. 60%| -112. 69%| -4952. 38%| 15. 5%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) The return on equity may not be enough to make an assessment of management’s use of assets. An alternative measure will be asset turnover (Libby et al, 2010). This analyzes the way in which assets are used to generate revenue. It will show how many times assets have been turned over in a given year. Supervalu seems to be improving efficiency in terms of utilization. They turned over assets equivalent to 2. 8 times in 2012 which was an increase from the previous two years (2. 9 times in 2011 and 2. 39 times in 2010). Looking at this in terms of industry context where the average is 2. 4 times, Supervalu appears to be improving efficiency which is positive for recovery. 3. 2. 3Debt Management The company’s debt equity ratio seems to spell doom for the future. This ratio measures the proportion of debt to equity. Compared to the industry average of 1. 03 shown in table 5 Table 5: Return on equity Debt to equity ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Total debt|   | 11,524| 12,032|   | Total equity|   | 1,340| 21|   | Debt/Equity|   | 8. 6| 572. 95| 1. 03| Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) Another measurement of debt management is the debt ratio. Supervalu’s debt ratio show s that it is in a delicate position with the majority of assets being funded by debt. Many companies have gone through similar issues due to losses in equity but have rebounded as was the case with auto maker General Motors. These numbers do not therefore signify an inability for Supervalu to rebound. 3. 2. 4 Profitability An important measure of viability is the profitability of the organization. There are various measures of profit, however in this report I shall focus on net profit margin. This is the level of profit that remains after all cost has been deducted. In this report, I shall utilize the measure after interest and taxes. As can be seen on table 6, the company is slowly digging itself out of a low point in 2011 when the net profit margin was negative 4. 02%. However in an industry where the average is 3. 24%, it is obvious the organization has a long way to go. Table 5: Return on equity Net profit margin| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Revenue (Net sales)| 40,597| 37,534| 36,100|   | Net profit| 393| -1,510| -1,040|   | Net profit margin| 0. 96%| -4. 02%| -2. 88%| 3. 24%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) 3. 2. 5Market Value There are a number of different measures of market value, the most common of which is the price earnings ratio. This is a measure that assesses Harold company will take to earn is total capitalization. However, as Supervalu is making a loss this ratio is not relevant and cannot be calculated. To assess market value a measure which may be utilized are the earnings per share. The earnings per share are shown in table 10, and are a measure of the profit, or loss, the company makes attributed to each share outstanding. As expected, this is in line with the net profit margin in table 5, with the earnings per share being -$4. 91 in 2012 falling from -$7. 12 in 2011. Table 6: Return on equity Earnings per share| 2010| 2011| 2012| Net profit| 393| -1,510| -1,040| Average share out| 213| 212| 212| Net profit margin| 1. 84%| -7. 12%| -4. 91%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K 3. Competitors Supervalu is widely considered the third largest supermarket chain in the country. Its main industry peers are  Safeway, Kroger, and  Whole Food Market. Supervalu generated a steady gross margin of 22. 21% in 2012 and 22. 41% in 2011. However, the company is a loss-maker and it produced negative earnings in the previous year. Safeway, Kroger and Whole Food Market generated operating margins of 2. 37%, 1. 61%, and 6. 36%, respectively. It is clear from these gross margin numbers that the grocery industry has very slim operating margins on sales. Table 7: Competitor Analysis Figure in Million| Net Income| Long term D/E| Operating Margin %| Supervalu| -1244| Very High| -2. 1| Kroger| 728| 1. 8| 1. 61| Whole Food Market| 465| 0. 001| 6. 36| Safeway| 523| 2. 3| 2. 37| (Competitor results taken from Finviz. com) It also seems that Supervalu continued to struggle with insufficient growth in its operating activities in the last quarter of 2012. The corporations operating income fell for fiscal 2012. Furthermore, Supervalu is susceptible to financial leverage as it took on a new $2. 5 billion of debt in the third quarter of 2012 (Boehme, 2012). Supervalu needs to continue to reduce its operational cost in order to record positive results. 4. Conclusion The shedding of 877 grocery stores in a $3. 3 billion dollar deal with Cerberus Management LP in the first quarter of this year seems to have been a sign of a new and positive beginning (Dezember, 2013). The company’s stock has been one of the top performers this year; contradictory for a company still drowning in debt and declining sales. However the market has a positive outlook on the company. Since January 1st this year, shared of the company have gained a solid 133%. Supervalu closed the first day of trading this year at $2. 60 and ended the last week trading at $5. 26. Thanks to these positive numbers, both Fitch and Moody’s have upgraded their ratings on the company from negative to stable which has been a boost to investor confidence. The reduction in non-performing assets is expected to continue to improve the stability of the company. With less exposure to market volatility, the company should be able to rebound and even thrive. Decreasing the debt level will boost the balance sheet and future net revenues. 5. Recommendation Although the bullish run of Supervalu which started early this year continues, the company still has a long way to go in its quest to recover. Therefore the subjective recommendation of this report will be to hold. Based on the company’s current trend, it is very likely that within the next year the company will show even more positive signs of improvement and therefore warrant a change to a buy recommendation. If the organization is able to make a recovery it will be in a very strong position in the market as the number three grocer that also benefits from a large wholesaler and supply chain management operation. References Anderson, Jake, (January 10th 2013), Supervalu to Sell 5 Chains in $3. 3B Deal, Replace CEO. Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://tcbmag. om/News/Recent-News/2013/January/Supervalu-to-Sell-5-Chains-in-$3-3B-Deal,-Replace Patton, Leslie, (July 30th 2012), Supervalu Names Wayne Sales CEO Amid Strategic Review. Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://www. bloomberg. com/news/2012-07-30/supervalu-names-sales-chief-executive-officer-to-replace-herkert. html Forbes Inc. (2012), Fortune 500 List of Best Companies (2012). Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2012/full_list/ Supermarket News (2008, SN Top Wholesalers for 2008. Retrieved April 17th 2013 from http://supermarketnews. om/top-75-retailers-amp-wholesalers/sn-top-wholesalers-2008 Supervalu, (2012). About Supervalu. retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://www. supervalu. com/sv-webapp/about/about. jsp Boehme, Kate, (September 16th 2012), Can Supervalu Survive Its Debt? Retrieved April 18th 2013 from http://seekingalpha. com/article/869491-can-supervalu-survive-its-debt Dezember, Ryan and Hudson, Kris (January 10th 2012), Property Is Plum in Supervalu Deal. Retrieved April 18th 2013 from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424127887324581504578233411904827872. html

Adorno and Horkheimers Dialectic of Enlightenment Essay -- Mythology

Adorno and Horkheimer's Dialectic of Enlightenment 'Myth is already enlightenment; and enlightenment reverts to mythology' (Dialectic of Enlightenment XVI) Adorno and Horkheimer's obscure and nihilistic text Dialectic of Enlightenment (DoE) is an attempt to answer the question 'why mankind, instead of entering a truly human condition, is sinking into a new kind of barbarism' (DoE, p.xi). The result is a totalising critique of modernity; a diagnosis of why the Enlightenment project failed with no attempt to prescribe a cure. This is achieved by a historical-philosophical study of the mythic world-view of animism and anthropomorphism and the Enlightenment attempt to dissolve myth through objectification and instrumental reason. DoE also uses Homer's Odyssey as a metaphorical interpretation of this historical change, where Odysseus is the prototype of the bourgeois man. This study reveals for Adorno and Horkheimer the failure of the Enlightenment project. Enlightenment has no claim to being less a myth than the mythology it failed to escape. This new myth is defined for them by the drive to dominate nature at the expense of alienation of man from nature and from his own inner nature. They follow the appearance of the subject as it is objectified alongside nature, and is dominated with it. The subject becomes an object and his intellect becomes instrumental, and all instinct and sensory experience that fails to be productive in the pursuit of domination is repressed, man becomes mechanized. They also assert that class domination is a direct and inevitable consequence of the attempt to dominate nature, and is therefore inescapable. Background to the text. Adorno and Horkheimer, members of the Frankfurt school in Germany, wrote DoE (which was completed in 1944) while Fascism, a kind of barbarism never seen before, was threatening Europe. They viewed this as the epitome of the self-destructive nature of enlightenment, the final evidence that it would never result in 'a truly human condition'. They wrote in the introduction to DoE that 'the indefatigable self-destructiveness of enlightenment†¦requires philosophy to discard even the last vestiges of innocence in regard to the habits and tendencies of the spirit of the age' (p.xi), hence the intensity of their critique. Being part of the Frankfurt school, Adorno and Horkheimer were influenced... ...kfurt school, does not accept Adorno's solution. He believes Adorno is being too nihilistic in [continued next page] allowing no way to escape instrumental rationality. Habermas's main philosophical project has been to resolve this problem, to allow for the possibility of substantive rationality (i.e. rationality that is not aimed at power and domination but, rather, validity) and, thus, to save the project of the Enlightenment. The result is a theory of open communication that is aimed at an 'ideal speech situation', that is, at a discourse not tainted by instrumental aims. Bibliography: Theodor Adorno and Maw Horkheimer: The Dialectic of Enlightenment (Verso: London, 1997). Theodor Adorno: Negative Dialectics (Routledge: London, 1990)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jurgen Habermas: The Entwinement of Myth and Enlightenment: Re-reading Dialectic of Enlightenment, in Jay Bernstein (ed.): The Frankfurt School: Critical Assessments vol.3 (Routledge: London, 1994). Axel Honneth: The Critique of Power: Reflective Stages of Critical Social Theory (M.I.T: Boston, 1991). Gà ¶ran Therborn: The Frankfurt School, in New Left Review (ed.): Western Marxism: a Critical Reader (New Left Books: Norfolk, 1977).

Different Wars, Similar Outcome

Wars that lay buried in history and wars present in the world today unite through the most common and blatant reality of war: violence resulting in imminent death. Literature often presents different perspectives of these wars that ultimately tie together and bring forth the actuality of war. Timothy Findley's The Wars and Wilfred Owen's â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† present a precise example of different pieces of literature that connect through the common theme of war. The Wars and â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† offer the unconcealed and harsh violence of war and through vivid imagery, these authors depict life at war. Additionally, both of these works contain the four basic elements of life – earth, water, fire, and air – to reveal that these four basic elements can represent death as well. Moreover, the theme of appearance versus reality impacts both works profoundly through the ruthless truth of war as compared to the credulous beliefs of war. Through these ways, a novel and a poem unify to unveil the truth about war and convince audiences of the violent reality of warfare. The violent nature of war is visibly illustrated in both The Wars and â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†.Could Cold War Have Been Avoided? Death, the impending result of such violence, is an underlying theme that highlights both literary works and assists audiences in grasping the severe veracity of war itself. In Findley's The Wars, death assists in emphasizing the overall violence imprinted by the war. â€Å"Half an hour later, Rodwell wandered into No Man's Land and put a bullet through his ears. † (Findley, 135) Similarly, Owen's â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† incorporates death to underline the extreme violence caused by war, when in line 15 and 16, the author watches in his â€Å"helpless sigh [as] he plunges at [him], guttering, choking, and drowning. (Owen, 15, 16) The presence of violence is also evident in both works between characters and victims of war. Robert Ross, the main character from The Wars, experiences this violence firsthand when, alone and defenceless, he experiences the brutality of war through rape. â€Å"His legs were forced apart so far he thought they were going to be broken. Mouths began to suck at his privates. Hands and fingers probed and poked at every part of his body. Someone struck him in the face. † (Findley, 174) In Owen's poem, this brutality is described through the â€Å"white eyes† of the â€Å"writhing† victim of the war (Owen, 19). His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin; if [one] could hear, at every jolt, the blood come gargling from the forth-corrupted lungs†¦ † (Owen, 20-22) This dramatic picture painted by both authors displays the terrible and violent effects of war as well as the fatal outcome violence trails behind. The violent results of war are represented through the use of the four elements of life in both works – earth, water, fire, and air. Both Findley and Owen describe the devastating outcome that these four elements that usually symbolize life can bring. Fire implies deep suffering and overall destruction in the battlefield, and as The Wars narrates, fire can become a damaging weapon. â€Å"The nights lit up with flames of a terrible new weapon†¦ it was something called a flame thrower†¦ fire storms raged along the front. Men exploded where they stood†¦ homes fell with their bones on fire†¦ She believed her country was being destroyed by fire. † (Findley, 131-132, 136) Likewise, â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† describes fire as â€Å"haunting flares† and as damaging â€Å"like a man in fire†(Owen, 3, 12). Fire, however, differs greatly from the earth, which embodies a trap in combat that slowly confines its victims. In The Wars, earth is portrayed as a grave in which its victims â€Å"drowned in mud. Their graves, it seemed, just dug themselves and pulled down. † (Findley, 70) Correspondingly, Owen's portrayal of soldiers crossing through this earth is a picture painted with hardships, violence, and suffering. â€Å"Bent double, like old beggars undersacks, knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed through the sludge†¦ any had lost their boots, but limped on, blood-shod. † (Owen, 1-2, 5-6) Another element that forms a part of war is water and through Owen's depiction, audiences can see how this element can serve as a life-ending source. † As under a green sea, [he] saw him drowning. † (Owen, 14) The Wars also demonstrates that water can be a powerful element that is capable of engulfing completely its surroundings during times of conflict and war. â€Å"On either side, the ditches are filled with fetid water. Everything is waterlogged. Even bits of grass won't float. (Findley, 69) The final element used in both The Wars and â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† is air and in both works, this holds great value and significance. Owen illustrates that during war, air can serve as a deadly killer that tragically ends one's life. â€Å"Gas! GAS! Quick boys! – An ecstasy of fumbling fitting the clumsy helmets just in time†¦ through the misty panes†¦ I saw him drowning†¦ guttering, choking, drowning. † (Owen, 9-10, 13, 14, 16) The Wars also portrays the fatalities that the usual life-nourishing air can bring forth in times of fighting and loss. â€Å"The smoke from the brazier burned his eye s. He was fearful of the fumes from the coke. Men had died in their sleep down the line in a dugout with no ventilation. (Findley, 90) When all these four elements of life are brought together during times of tension and wars, they can slowly, painfully, and tragically end lives. As seen in The Wars and â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†, these elements possess enough power to kill the lives of many in just an instant in the battlefield, leaving behind nothing more than fallen corpses and overall suffering. Wars and battles signify great suffering along with substantial loss. Findley and Owen successfully represent these two major themes of war and more importantly, both works are able to illustrate the most unforeseen theme of war: appearance versus reality. Owen flawlessly exemplifies this theme by revealing the cold reality of war and the violence that is â€Å"obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud. † (Owen, 23) â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† brings forth the powerful message that the realities of war are far more destructive than thought by anyone before and if people knew of the unrestrained truth, â€Å"[they] would not tell with such high zest the old lie: dulce et decorum est pro patria mori. (Owen, 26-28) This saying, that it is sweet and right to die for your own country, is viewed as a lie to the author's eyes most likely because he knows the cruel reality of war and not the much talked about and happy reality of war. This happier reality of war is portrayed in The Wars through Robert and his desire to go to war, thinking it was an e scape. â€Å"Robert envied him because he could go away when this was over and surround himself with space. † (Findley, 19) What looked like an escape from the violent death of Robert's sister, however, was in reality a doorway to a brutal path of violence resulting in his own demise. The open space this character dreamed about became his prison and later on lead to his violent death. â€Å"There were flames all around him†¦ looking down at Robert after the flames had been extinguished, he was barely able to recognize that Robert had a face† (Findley, 192). Robert as well as the character in â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† both see the charm of war melt before their eyes and both come to the realization from first-hand experience the cruel realities of war. The callous reality of war is seen throughout the world, whether it is represented through present day wars or wars that complete part of history. Literature presents diverse viewpoints of war that unite through extreme violence resulting in significant deaths. Owen's â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† and Findley's The Wars portray ideal examples of literature connected through the lucid actuality of war. Both works provide a vivid and gruesome description of the massive violence perceived in war. This immense violence carried out in war is represented through the four elements of life – earth, water, fire, and air – which are characterized in the battlefield of each literary work as elements that represent death as well. Furthermore, the theme of appearance versus reality influences both The Wars and â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† intensely through the cruel truth of war as compared to the unsuspecting and naive beliefs of war. Overall, both literary works serve their purpose in depicting the horrid reality about war and both accurately portray the war in a way that audiences can clearly see the violent actuality of war. Unknowingly, these two pieces of literature connect and foil one another in the description of wars and their violent veracity.

In Praise of the F Word Essay

In Mary Sherry’s essay, â€Å"In Praise of the F Word,† the author encourages all parents and teachers to use failure as a form of encouragement. Sherry would like for them to use it as a way to motivate students to do better and want more when it comes to their education. What Sherry believes in is that the threat of flunking is a â€Å"positive teaching tool† (566). In Praise of the F Word by Mary Sherry Summary Mary Sherry in praise of the F  word uses a variety of examples to support her claim. The author’s main source of evidence used to support her claim was personal experience. Sherry shares with us her son’s senior year high school experience. He was not putting in the necessary effort needed in class and his English teacher, Mrs. Stifter was not willing to tolerate it. She then said to Sherry that she would flunk her son. Without having seen this type of approach before Sherry was flustered. Not once before had her son been threatened by a teacher like that, but she managed to agree with her approach in the end. Her son realizing he would fail and not graduate, made English class a priority and passed with an A grade (Sherry 565). One of the many night students that Sherry teaches said, â€Å"I was a good kid and didn’t cause any trouble, so they just passed me along even though I didn’t read well and couldn’t write,† this example shows that instead of the teacher using a method that gives her the power she needs, students do as they please without much effort. Sherry’s son was the type to get away with many things until now faced with the fear of failure. The greatest strength in Mary Sherry’s argument is the involvement of her night time students. I believe the things some of them had to say about their personal education experiences helped me fully understand and support Sherry’s claim. I have also personally heard people question their reasons for receiving their high school diploma, I have heard people say they never received a passing grade on an assignment but had a great relationship with the instructor, so they passed the course. The things that some of the students stated and experienced were examples of what I saw in my high school. I enjoyed the way the essay flowed, not a thing seemed to be randomly inserted and was easy enough to interpret. Lastly, I liked the way  Mary Sherry included her personal experience with her son, it was a way of demonstrating that situations where students are accustomed to simply sailing by are happening everywhere. The greatest weakness in the argument is the lack of a possible outside source. I would have liked to see numbers or a study conducted to see how many students have experienced situations where they didn’t have to do much to earn their diploma. I also think it would have been great to include other teachers’ perspectives on this subject and if whether or not they think it is a good idea to praise the F word. I think research could have made the essay a lot more reliable and persuade the readers even more. Overall, Mary Sherry presents her audience with a compelling and convincing argument. I believe she did an excellent job on persuading readers to agree to this form of teaching to help improve education by stating that, â€Å"students don’t put school first unless they perceive something is at stake in the end. They‘d rather be sailing† (Sherry 566). Sherry did a good job on repeating the need for having a fear of failure and having the threat of flunking as a positive form of teaching for students in a way to try and convince her readers.

Manipulation in Oryx and Crake Essay Example

Manipulation in Oryx and Crake Essay Example Manipulation in Oryx and Crake Paper Manipulation in Oryx and Crake Paper Manipulation in Orgy and Crake Manipulation may be a horribly effective word. Individuals have a tendency to utilize this move consistently to impel what they require in life. By misleading individuals or deceiving them into seeing a precise reason for read, individuals addition power. To skillfully utilize the office of control an individual ought to utilize someone elses shortcomings. By utilizing an individuals feelings against them, they will be controlled effortlessly. In the novel Orgy and Crake, many of the characters of uses these techniques virtually to realize their goals. Artistic gadgets like symbolism, clash, and imagery are utilized as a part of writing to pass on an exceptional intending to the reader. Regularly these gadgets are utilized to make a thought clearer, underline a point, or relate a knowledge to the reader. In her famous book, Orgy and Crake, Margaret Atwood uses arcane accessories to acquaint the theme and purpose of her book. Atwood makes frequent utilization of imagery to support her theme. Throughout the novel, we realize that the characters are indeed very manipulative and, in some ways, eager to have some power over someone else. Jimmy himself is to a certain extent a manipulative character. He knows how to use others to obtain what he wants. This is particularly true as to his relationships with women. Jimmy knows how to make them feel useful; he chooses sad women, delicate and breakable, women whod been messed up and who needed him. comforting them, he expects that a grateful woman would go the extra mile. (121 He also manipulates his mother in the sense that he wants to get a reaction from her, by any means, from making her laugh to making her cry. He wants her to feel something and manipulates her feelings until he gets what he wants. This is to the first time Atwood depicts a male character exercising power over women. Once more, Atwood uses conflict to support her theme. The diversions the two young men played in their initial youth are all centered around win ning an aggregate force upon the other and on controlling the other to achieve that objective. They all used parallel strategies: you had to see where you were headed before you got there, but also where the other guy was headed. Crake was good at that game because he was a master of the sideways leap. (47). It appears that control and the suspicion that one must have some force pond another person is embedded from right on time youth, however likewise that Crake as of now had a transcendence on Jimmy, playing recreations additionally in a general way treating him with prevalence and loftiness. He appears to make a moron of Jimmy, and this inclination contain joyously develops, alongside the novel, as Jimmy finds Crakes arrange and after that as he understands that Crake made him in charge Of his animals once mankind is destructed. Jimmys impression of being misdirected comes with the clear naivety he exemplifies. Manipulation would therefore be n implement for potent people to have power upon weaker people. In like matter, the theme manipulation is shown through Tattoos use of symbolism. Atwood uses the pills to display the affect that companies has over the citizens. By supplying the pills everyone thinks they take it to be healthy. Eave cant give people hope. Hope isnt ripping off! At Nonskid princes it is. You hype your wares and take all their money and then they run out of cash, and its no more treatments for them. (67). The company manipulates individuals by creating them to believe that they are sick, and retesting to cure them of something that doesnt they dont even have. The way that the organizations have aggregate control over the needs of individuals, over their longings and over what they purchase to satisfy them, demonstrates how compelling they are in the general public and how they can keep on creating without being addressed. The need to fit a model, the steady yearning for wellbeing, excellence, and even sexual claim is molded by these partnerships, making both the need and the arrangement. The force here lives in the way that the companies assemble the entire impact accessible in the public arena because of the framework that works around. In the novel, Orgy and Crake the theme manipulation is demonstrated through the utilization of symbolism, conflict, and imagery. Atwood passes on unique intending to the reader on various events all through her novel. Her gifted utilization of these devises underscores her principle focuses and frequently makes distinctive image in the reader mind.

How to Use Italian Definite Article Forms

How to Use Italian Definite Article Forms The Italian definite article (articolo determinativo) indicates something well defined, which is assumed to be already acknowledged. If, for example, someone asks: Hai visto il professore? (Have you seen the professor?) they are alluding not to any professor, but to one in particular, that both the speaker and listener know. The definite article is also used to indicate a group (luomo à ¨ dotato di ragione, that is, ogni uomo- man is endowed with reason, every man), or to express the abstract (la pazienza à ¨ una gran virtà ¹- patience is a great virtue); to indicate parts of the body (mi fa male la testa, il braccio- my head hurts, my arm), to refer to objects that belong strictly to oneself mi hanno rubato il portafogli, non trovo pià ¹ le scarpe- they stole my wallet, I cannot find my shoes), and is also used with nouns that signify something unique in nature (il sole, la luna, la terra- the sun, the moon, the earth) and the names of materials and matter (il grano, loro- wheat, gold). In certain contexts the Italian definite article functions as a demonstrative adjective (aggettivo dimostrativo): Penso di finire entro la settimana- I think Ill finish by the end of the week (or later this week); Sentitelo lipocrita!- Listen to him the hypocrite! (this hypocrite!) or a demonstrative pronoun (pronome dimostrativo): Tra i due vini scelgo il rosso- Between the two wines I choose the red, (the one thats red); Dei due attori preferisco il pià ¹ giovane- Of the two actors I prefer the younger (the one thats younger). The Italian definite article may also refer to individual members of a group: Ricevo il giovedà ¬- I receive it Thursday (every Thursday); Costa mille euro il chilo (or al chilo)- It costs a thousand euro a kilogam (per kilogram), or time: Partirà ² il mese prossimo.- Im leaving next month (in next the month). Italian Definite Article FormsIl, iThe form il precedes masculine nouns beginning with a consonant except s consonant, z, x, pn, ps, and the digraphs gn and sc: il bambino, il cane, il dente, il fiore, il gioco, il liquorethe child, the dog, the tooth, the flower, the game, the liquor The corresponding form for the plural is i: i bambini, i cani, i denti, i fiori, i giochi, i liquorithe children, the dogs, the teeth, the flowers, the games, the liqueurs Lo (l), gliThe form lo precedes masculine nouns that begin: with s followed by another consonant: lo sbaglio, lo scandalo, lo sfratto, lo sgabello, lo slittino, lo smalto, lo specchio, lo studiothe mistake, the scandal, the evicted, the stool, the sled, the enamel, the mirror, the office with z: lo zaino, lo zio, lo zoccolo, lo zuccherothe backpack, the uncle, the clog, the sugar with x: lo xilofono, lo xilografothe xylophone, the engraver with pn and ps: lo pneumatico, lo pneumotorace; lo pseudonimo, lo psichiatra, lo psicologothe tire, the collapsed lung, the pseudonym, the psychiatrist, the psychologist with the digraphs gn and sc: lo gnocco, lo gnomo, fare lo gnorri; lo sceicco, lo sceriffo, lo scialle, lo scimpanzà ©the dumpling, the gnome, to play dumb; the sheikh, the sheriff, the shawl, the chimpanzee with the semivowel i: lo iato, lo iettatore, lo ioduro, lo yogurtthe hiatus, the evil eye, the iodide, the yogurt NOTE: Nevertheless, there are variations, especially before the consonant cluster pn; for example, in contemporary spoken Italian il pneumatico tends to prevail over lo pneumatico. Also, before the semivowel i the use is not constant; in addition to lo iato there is liato, but the elided form is less common. When preceding the semivowel u, its necessary to distinguish between Italian words, which take the article lo in the elided form (luomo, luovo), and words of foreign origin, which take the form il: il week-end, il whisky, il windsurf, il walkman, il word processorthe weekend, the whiskey, the windsurfer, the Walkman, the word processor. With plural nouns the forms gli (gli uomini) and i (i walkman, i week-end) are used respectively. For words starting with h use lo (gli, uno) when preceding an aspirated h: lo Hegel, lo Heine, lo hardwarethe Hegel, the Heine, the hardware. And use l when preceding a non-aspirated h: lhabitat, lharem, lhashishthe habitat, the harem, the hashish. NOTE: In contemporary colloquial Italian there is a preference for the elided form in all cases, since even foreign words with an aspirated h (for example the aforementioned hardware, as well as hamburgers, handicap, hobbies, etc.) usually have an Italianized pronunciation in which the h is muted. However, in adverbial phrases the form lo (instead of il) is common: per lo pià ¹, per lo meno, corresponding to the use of the definite article in early Italian. The form lo also precedes masculine nouns that begin with a vowel, but in this instance it is elided to l: labito, levaso, lincendio, lospite, lusignolothe dress, the fugitive, the fire, the guest, the nightingale. As previously noted, before the semivowel i there is typically no elision. The form corresponding to lo in the plural is gli: gli sbagli, gli zaini, gli xilofoni, gli (or also i) pneumatici, gli pseudonimi, gli gnocchi, gli sceicchi, gli iati, gli abiti, gli evasi, gli incendi, gli ospiti, gli usignoli NOTE: Gli can only be elided before i: glincendi (but more frequently the entire form is used). The gli form is used instead of i before the plural of dio: gli dà ¨i (in obsolete Italian gliddei, plural of iddio). La (l), leThe form la precedes feminine nouns starting with a consonant or the semivowel i: la bestia, la casa, la donna, la fiera, la giacca, la ienathe beast, the house, the woman, the fair, the jacket, the hyena. Before a vowel la is elided to l: lanima, lelica, lisola, lombra, lunghiathe soul, the propeller, the island, the shadow, the fingernail. The form corresponding to la in the plural is lei: le bestie, le case, le donne, le fiere, le giacche, le iene, le anime, le eliche, le isole, le ombre, le unghiethe animals, the houses, the women, the fairs, the jackets, the hyenas, the souls, the propellers, the islands, the shadows, the nails. Le may be elided only before the letter e (but this happens rarely, and almost always as a stylistic device in poetry): leliche- the propellers. With nouns starting with h, unlike the masculine form, the non-elided form predominates: la hall- the hall, la holding- the holding company.

Enterprise Project 3 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Enterprise Project 3 - Research Paper Example Quality improvement that is undertaken continuously throughout the organization remains a prioritized or key aspect within the organization. The Quality improvement processes herein involve systematic analysis of the processes utilized by the organization in delivering products that meet the customers’ requirements. The TLG’s quality control structure is defined by the organization’s structure. Different individuals within different departments are usually assigned different responsibilities in concerns to the TLG’s quality management. In other words, the quality control teams at TLG are formed by staff members from different TLG’s departments. These teams are responsible for the quality management and control to all production and service delivery aspects in the organization (Bell et al. 77). i. Check sheet – these are forms utilized in collecting data through assessment of the product specifications according to customer requirements. The information collected becomes essential in assuring quality of products before dispatching these products to the market. They are commonly utilized by the quality assurance teams. ii. Control chart – these are utilized by the management and departmental heads to establish the control of the processes and they utilize the statistical analysis. These charts are essential in identification of instances which might require adjustments to ensure better performance of the organizations. These charts provide essential information to enable the management to establishing quality assessment team for various operations, both ad hoc and standing teams. iii. Cause-effect diagrams – these are utilized by the standing cross-functional teams in assessing the cause-effect relationship of various processes. This analysis enables the teams to make informed improvement decisions on the processes Cost of quality

Start up of Replacement Ink Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Start up of Replacement Ink - Assignment Example The concept of CRM is very closely related to the relationship marketing. It suggests that maintaining and fostering personalised relationships, in the context of business to consumer sales, can definitely lead to profit if it is combined by a mutual exchange of benefits and fulfilment of promises on the part of both the parties i.e., buyers and sellers. CRM therefore involves managing customer information in a way that can lead the organisation to satisfy its customers in a better manner. A new business of replacement inkjet cartridges, in the same vein, needs to employ effective customer relationship management programs such as customer surveys, service evaluations, pre-sale and after sale inquiries on a database driven system so as to foster the relationship with its customers and stimulate customer loyalty. Loyalty is regarded as an important aspect of relationship management. Crosby (2002, p273) expounds that, â€Å"loyalty refers to a strong emotional attachment to a firm that is manifest in customer behaviours like staying with the company, recommending it, buying additional products and services and so forth†. At the crux of customer relationship management is the concept of customer loyalty. CRM programs are basically designed to keep the customers loyal to the organisation. The customers display their loyalty mainly by coming to the company every time the same product is needed or recommending the product to the others. However, this report focuses on the criticism of relationship.... A new business of replacement inkjet cartridges, in the same vein, needs to employ effective customer relationship management programs such as customer surveys, service evaluations, pre-sale and after sale inquiries on a database driven system so as to foster the relationship with its customers and stimulate customer loyalty. Loyalty is regarded as an important aspect of relationship management. Crosby (2002, p273) expounds that, "loyalty refers to a strong emotional attachment to a firm that is manifest in customer behaviours like staying with the company, recommending it, buying additional products and services and so forth". At the crux of customer relationship management is the concept of customer loyalty. CRM programs are basically designed to keep the customers loyal to the organisation. The customers display their loyalty mainly by coming to the company every time the same product is needed or recommending the product to the others. CRM programs can be initiated to enhance relationships at both ends i.e., the suppliers as well as the customers. However, this report focuses on the criticism of relationship building in case of business to consumer sales. Criticism Of Customer Relationship Management In The Context Of Business to Consumer Sales: Despite the fact that there happen to be several benefits attributable to the implementation of customer relationship management, several criticisms have been levied against this concept in the context of business-to-consumer sales. In a consumer market scenario, the customer relationship management is not considered to result into enhanced customer relationship. A study of literature [for example, Mishra et al. (1998), Gronroos (1994), Bagozzi (1995), Tax et al.

Gun control College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gun control College - Essay Example The assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and etc in the year 1960 develop issues related to gun control and the element of guns and arms become a subject of passion and controversy (Roleff, 2007). Different people have different opinions about the issue of gun control and many individuals consider it as a criminal issue however different people consider as a right issue. Responsible citizens can manage this issue but if it is not managed properly then it can create numerous problems for than individual and for the society Different laws regarding to arms and ammunition has been initiated by the government since 1934 and these laws and regulations are for the firearms and their ammunition. The biggest advantage of gun control is that it curbs the access of arms by criminals, juveniles and other high risk individuals. Individuals believe that federal measures are the most important element of reducing the availability of guns and it can easily stop crimes. Similarly, the registration of guns and the registrations of arm dealers can reduce the element of violence in our society (Roleff, 2007). This won't incur any social costs and no constitutional barriers are present. However, certain opponents of the gun control believed that federal policies keep the arms out of the hands of high risks persons but they create burdens for law-abiding citizens (Almanac of Policy Issues, 2009). There are two major federal statutes that are related to gun control. These two acts are National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968. A transfer tax was imposed on machine guns and short-barreled guns in the Act of 1934. However, the Act of 1968 prohibits mail order sales and interstate sales of guns and arms. Similarly, sales to minors and certain penalties and licensing requirements for manufacturers, dealers and importers were imposed. However, on June, 2008 made a landmark ruling regarding arms and the Supreme Court upholds the right of individuals to bear arms for hunting and for the purpose of self defense (Awesome Library, 2009). Certain statistics and figures are used in the gun control debate and statisticians suggest that the numbers of homicides with firearm persons are increasing and the figure has risen to 173%. However, from 1985 to 1993 the figure decreased by 47% and in the year 1999 this figure decreased to 22%. The advocates of gun control argue on the point that the availability of guns to injury and mortality rates comes from the study of domestic violence. The advocates of firearms believe that because homeowners possess a risk of home invasion that is the reason why they acquire arms and these guns and arms are for their security. However, researcher analyzed that he risk of a homicide is higher in these homes because individuals have easy access to guns and no one is present to stop them. A number of individuals believe that sensible gun control in beneficial for the society and all the guns and owners of these guns should be registered. The Bullets of these guns should have serial numbers so that in becomes quite easy to trace a crime. Proper registration process must be incorporated and the gun

Ac Synchronous Machine And Its Application Engineering Essay

Ac Synchronous Machine And Its Application Engineering Essay Synchronous machines are principally used as alternating current (AC) generators. They supply the electric power used by all sectors of modern societies: industrial, commercial, agricultural, and domestic. Synchronous machines are sometimes used as constant-speed motors, or as compensators for reactive power control in large power systems. This article explains the constructional features and operating principles of the synchronous machine. Generator performance for stand-alone and grid applications is discussed. The effects of load and field excitation on the synchronous motor are investigated. The hunting behavior of a synchronous machine is studied, and a review of various excitation systems provided. INTRODUCTION: Synchronous motor A synchronous electric motor is an AC motor distinguished by a rotor spinning with coils passing magnets at the same rate as the alternating current and resulting rotating magnetic field which drives it. Another way of saying this is that it has zero slip under usual operating conditions. Contrast this with an induction motor, which must slip in order to produce torque. They operate synchronously with line frequency. As with squirrel-cage induction motors, speed is determined by the number of pairs of poles and the line frequency. Synchronous motors are available in sub-fractional self-excited sizes to high-horsepower direct-current excited industrial sizes. In the fractional horsepower range, most synchronous motors are used where precise constant speed is required. In high-horsepower industrial sizes, the synchronous motor provides two important functions. First, it is a highly efficient means of converting ac energy to work. Second, it can operate at leading or unity power factor and thereby provide power-factor correction. There are two major types of synchronous motors: non-excited and direct-current excited. Non-excited motors are manufactured in reluctance and hysteresis designs, these motors employ a self-starting circuit and require no external excitation supply. Reluctance designs have ratings that range from sub-fractional to about 30  hp. Sub-fractional horsepower motors have low torque, and are generally used for instrumentation applications. Moderate torque, integral horsepower motors use squirrel- cage construction with toothed rotors. When used with an adjustable frequency power supply, all motors in the drive system can be controlled at exactly the same speed. The power supply frequency determines motor operating speed. Hysteresis motors are manufactured in sub-fractional horsepower ratings, primarily as servomotors and timing motors. More expensive than the reluctance type, hysteresis motors are used where precise constant speed is required. D C-excited motors made in sizes larger than 1  hp, these motors require direct current supplied through slip rings for excitation. The direct current can be supplied from a separate source or from a dc generator directly connected to the motor shaft. Slip rings and brushes are used to conduct current to the rotor. The rotor poles connect to each other and move at the same speed hence the name synchronous motor. Synchronous motors fall under the category of synchronous machines which also includes the alternator (synchronous generator). These machines are commonly used in analog electric clocks, timers and other devices where correct time is required. The speed of a synchronous motor is determined by the following formula: where v is the speed of the rotor (in rpm), f is the frequency of the AC supply (in Hz) and n is the number of magnetic poles. Figure: Two pole Two pole: P.T.O Main features of synchronous machine: A synchronous machine is an ac machine whose speed under steady-state conditions is proportional to the frequency of the current in its armature. Armature winding: on the stator, alternating current. Field winding: on the rotor, dc power supplied to built a rotating magnetic field. Cylindrical rotor: for two- and four-pole turbine generators. Salient-pole rotor: for multi-polar, slow-speed, hydroelectric generators and for most synchronous motors. The rotor, along with the magnetic field created by the dc field current on the rotor, rotates at the same speed as, or in  synchronism with, the rotating magnetic field produced by the armature currents, and a steady torque results. Synchronous motors have the following characteristics: A three-phase stator similar to that of an induction motor. Medium voltage stators are often used. A wound rotor (rotating field) which has the same number of poles as the stator, and is supplied by an external source of direct current (DC). Both brush-type and brushless exciters are used to supply the DC field current to the rotor. The rotor current establishes a north/south magnetic pole relationship in the rotor poles enabling the rotor to lock-in-step with the rotating stator flux. Starts as an induction motor. The synchronous motor rotor also has a squirrel-cage winding, known as an Amortisseur winding, which produces torque for motor starting. Synchronous motors will run at synchronous speed in accordance with the formula: 120 x Frequency Synchronous RPM = Number of Poles Example: the speed of a 24 -Pole Synchronous Motor operating at 60 Hz would be: 120 x 60 / 24 = 7200 / 24 = 300 RPM Synchronous Motor Operation: The squirrel-cage Amortisseur winding in the rotor produces Starting Torque and Accelerating Torque to bring the synchronous motor up to speed. When the motor speed reaches approximately 97% of nameplate RPM, the DC field current is applied to the rotor producing Pull-in Torque and the rotor will pull-in -step and synchronize with the rotating flux field in the stator. The motor will run at synchronous speed and produce Synchronous Torque. After synchronization, the Pull-out Torque cannot be exceeded or the motor will pull out-of-step. Occasionally, if the overload is momentary, the motor will slip-a-pole and resynchronize. Pull-out protection must be provided otherwise the motor will run as an induction motor drawing high current with the possibility of severe motor damage. Advantages of Synchronous Motors: The initial cost of a synchronous motor is more than that of a conventional AC induction motor due to the expense of the wound rotor and synchronizing circuitry. These initial costs are often off-set by: Precise speed regulation makes the synchronous motor an ideal choice for certain industrial processes and as a prime mover for generators. Synchronous motors have speed / torque characteristics which are ideally suited for direct drive of large horsepower, low-rpm loads such as reciprocating compressors. Synchronous motors operate at an improved power factor, thereby improving overall system power factor and eliminating or reducing utility power factor penalties. An improved power factor also reduces the system voltage drop and the voltage drop at the motor terminals. Synchronous generator: Speed of rotation of synchronous generator: Electric power generated at 50 or 60 Hz, so rotor must turn at fixed speed depending on number of poles on machine To generate 60 Hz in 2 pole machine, rotor must turn at 3600 r/min, and to generate 50 Hz in 4 pole machine, rotor must turn at 1500 r/min Internal generated voltage of ac generated machine. magnitude of induced voltage in one phase determined in last section: EA=à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡2 à Ã¢â€š ¬ NC à Ã¢â‚¬   f Parts of ac synchronous machine: A synchronous motor is composed of the following parts: The stator is the outer shell of the motor, which carries the armature winding. This winding is spatially distributed for poly-phase AC current. This armature creates a rotating magnetic field inside the motor. The rotor is the rotating portion of the motor. it carries field winding, which may be supplied by a DC source. On excitation, this field winding behaves as a permanent magnet. The slip rings in the rotor, to supply the DC to the field winding, in the case of DC excited types. Operation: The operation of a synchronous motor is simple to imagine. The armature winding, when excited by a poly-phase (usually 3-phase) winding, creates a rotating magnetic field inside the motor. The field winding, which acts as a permanent magnet, simply locks in with the rotating magnetic field and rotates along with it. During operation, as the field locks in with the rotating magnetic field, the motor is said to be in synchronization. Once the motor is in operation, the speed of the motor is dependent only on the supply frequency. When the motor load is increased beyond the break down load, the motor falls out of synchronization i.e., the applied load is large enough to pull out the field winding from following the rotating magnetic field. The motor immediately stalls after it falls out of synchronization. Starting method of synchronous motor: Synchronous motors are not self-starting motors. This property is due to the inertia of the rotor. When the power supply is switched on, the armature winding and field windings are excited. Instantaneously, the armature winding creates a rotating magnetic field, which revolves at the designated motor speed. The rotor, due to inertia, will not follow the revolving magnetic field. In practice, the rotor should be rotated by some other means near to the motors synchronous speed to overcome the inertia. Once the rotor nears the synchronous speed, the field winding is excited, and the motor pulls into synchronization. The following techniques are employed to start a synchronous motor: A separate motor (called pony motor) is used to drive the rotor before it locks in into synchronization. The field winding is shunted or induction motor like arrangements are made so that the synchronous motor starts as an induction motor and locks in to synchronization once it reaches speeds near its synchronous speed. Reducing the input electrical frequency to get the motor starting slowly, Variable-frequency drives can be used here which have Rectifier-Inverter circuits or Cycloconverter circuits. Special Properties: Synchronous motors show some interesting properties, which finds applications in power factor correction. The synchronous motor can be run at lagging, unity or leading power factor. The control is with the field excitation, as described below: When the field excitation voltage is decreased, the motor runs in lagging power factor. The power factor by which the motor lags varies directly with the drop in excitation voltage. This condition is called under-excitation. When the field excitation voltage is made equal to the rated voltage, the motor runs at unity power factor. When the field excitation voltage is increased above the rated voltage, the motor runs at leading power factor. And the power factor by which the motor leads varies directly with the increase in field excitation voltage. This condition is called over-excitation. The most basic property of synchro motor is that it can be use both as a capacitor or inductor. Hence in turn it improves the power factor of system. The leading power factor operation of synchronous motor finds application in power factor correction. Normally, all the loads connected to the power supply grid run in lagging power factor, which increases reactive power consumption in the grid, thus contributing to additional losses. In such cases, a synchronous motor with no load is connected to the grid and is run over-excited, so that the leading power factor created by synchronous motor compensates the existing lagging power factor in the grid and the overall power factor is brought close to 1 (unity power factor). If unity power factor is maintained in a grid, reactive power losses diminish to zero, increasing the efficiency of the grid. This operation of synchronous motor in over-excited mode to correct the power factor is sometimes called as Synchronous condenser. Uses: Synchronous motors find applications in all industrial applications where constant speed is necessary. Improving the power factor as Synchronous condensers. Electrical power plants almost always use synchronous generators because it is important to keep the frequency constant at which the generator is connected. Low power applications include positioning machines, where high precision is required, and robot actuators. Mains synchronous motors are used for electric clocks. Record player turntables. Advantages: Synchronous motors have the following advantages over non-synchronous motors: Speed is independent of the load, provided an adequate field current is applied. Accurate control in speed and position using open loop controls, e.g. stepper motors. They will hold their position when a DC current is applied to both the stator and the rotor windings. Their power factor can be adjusted to unity by using a proper field current relative to the load. Also, a capacitive power factor, (current phase leads voltage phase), can be obtained by increasing this current slightly, which can help achieve a better power factor correction for the whole installation. Their construction allows for increased electrical efficiency when a low speed is required (as in ball mills and similar apparatus). They run either at the synchronous speed else no speed is there. Conclusion: With the help of the above paper now we can understand ac synchronous machine, its working, method, uses, advantages, disadvantages, application etc. We can also explain what kind of further enhancements are going to be, on the field of ac synchronous machine. Although important information is been provided about ac synchronous motors, ac synchronous generator etc. And even on the combination of both of them.