Global Issues. Land Reclamation. What are the alternatives to Research Paper

Global Issues. Land Reclamation. What are the alternatives to expanding a nation's economy rather than land reclamation - Research Paper Example But the moves to gain help from the government to reclaim the schemes began after the enactment of the 1894 Carey Land Act (Land Reclamation, 858). The act focused on conserving the natural resources. Additionally, it was advocated for lands that were ruined by grazing injudicious farming, deforestation, and lands with insufficient rainfall. Land reclamation is a global issue this is because thousands of species have been rendered instinct due to land reclamation and it takes the world to stop the issue as soon as possible (Spedding, 465). The menace has affected more countries in the world United States of America, Russia, Bahrain, Germany, and also Lebanon. We need to act now because the issue of land reclamation has become a global concern. This is because land is adversely affected by human activities   (Misiolek and Noser, 67). Therefore, the practice of converting this land that is deemed unproductive need to be implemented. Such mechanisms and methods include flood control, irrigation, changing the mineral and organic content of the soil. All the above methods have so far been used but the main effort behind the practice is through land irrigation (Taylor,31). The federal government need to plan and develop irrigation projects using the revenues from selling the public lands and the users of waters need to liquidate the purchase and cost that comes along with irrigation work over time frame of 10 year (Wallace,107). Consequently, under the 2012 reclamation Act, the Bureau of Reclamation need to supply water, subsidized by citizens to farmers on arid areas in all the stated (Wheeler,37). Bahrain continues to expand as a result of land reclamation. However, the issue brought critics from all corners of social, political, and economic perspective (Misiolek and Noser, 67). It is claimed that the reclamation crushed the channels of sweet water found below the sea bed, closing the supplies of fresh water feeding the palm gloves and the fertile land

Retention - Deciding to Act Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Retention - Deciding to Act - Assignment Example In this context, it can be further mentioned that WWW does not have efficient skilled management team, which will be responsible for controlling the operational activities of the company. Furthermore, lack of proper management functioning is another cause for reduced focus upon proposed business projects. However, the company is paying more wages to attendants as compared to others, but still is unable to satisfy the attendants as per their job securities (Heneman, Judge & Kammeyer-Mueller, 2014; Catano, Wiesner & Hackett, 2013). Besides, the company is also facing a large numbers of problems relating to recruitment of employees, due to lack of proper and systematic recruitment process. Moreover, the company is not having a proper management functioning process that is also likely to have negative impact on growth and development in long run. The company does not having any segregation in its operational departments, which resulting to loss in business. Attendants are responsible for conducting advertising campaigns for promoting the company’s special products and services. In this regard, the attendants of the company are experiencing high work burden in comparison to their assign remuneration. Therefore, by evaluating all the problems that has been faced by the company it is indicated that turnover is not a major problem behind the huge loss of WWW. The actual problem is relating with the improper managerial function of the company (Catano, Wiesner & Hackett, 2013; Gusdorf, 2008). 2. Based on the provided case study, it can be identified that the problems faced by WWW Company can be mitigated by applying few effective strategies within the operational process. In order to mitigate the internal problems that have been experienced by the company, initially the managers had conducted an informal interview session for collecting all the complaints with respect to the attendant and other service providers. In the context of case of study, the

Thoughts on Gestalt Essay Example for Free

Thoughts on Gestalt Essay After reading the chapter on Gestalt therapy, it seems that there is certainly more to this type of therapy than I had previously thought. Although Gestalt is not widely used, there are some aspects of it that I think could be useful in any therapeutic setting. The first key concept of gestalt that I think is useful is keeping the therapy focused in the here and now. Certainly we all have things in our past that affect the way we handle ourselves in the present, but bringing those past hurts into the current setting and dealing with them here and now seems like a good plan to me. Of equal importance is the fact of a client having personal awareness of themselves and the environment around them. I think the idea of a client being responsible for their actions and owning their reality could at the very least, be a challenge. The idea of a client reintegrating his or her experience into their whole self in the therapeutic process is the key. I like the idea that the whole is greater than the sun of its parts. Finally, the idea of a person knowing who they are and who they are not as opposed to who they think they should be (Paradoxical Theory of Change) is the catalyst of change. I think this idea transcends many approaches to therapy because it allows the individual to choose what and who they want to be. As stated in the text, gestalt therapy allows a person to try on new behaviors and seeing what works for them and what does not. In conclusion, in certain settings I can see where Gestalt therapy could benefit a client, but the client would need to be screened very carefully to make certain that their psyche could handle such a unique and hands on approach. The idea of a Gestalt group seems a daunting task, but something I may have the opportunity to employ in the future. We shall see what the future ho lds.

Carrolls Pyramid Of Corporate Social Responsibility Model Accounting Essay

Carrolls Pyramid Of Corporate Social Responsibility Model Accounting Essay In the past, the common perception of a business responsibility was to maximize their firms profit. This is because businesses were perceived to always put the shareholder interests first. However, businesses are moving towards impacting the socials and environments. Several research have found that businesses now have direct responsibilities to various other stakeholders which include preventing the harm of human rights and ensuring that there are solutions available if abuses occur (Smith, Wokutch, Harrington, and Dennis, 2001). The modern view of business responsibility demands companies to help in problems relating to public welfare. As firms have no utmost responsibility for these unpleasant situations, philanthropic responsibilities are still not mandatory. However, due to a decrease of social institutions that provide help to the communities, people have higher expectations towards company and believe that they should take part in filling up the shortages (Carroll, 1979). Carroll has proposed a CSR concept, which states the organizations 4 business responsibilities (i) economic, (ii) Legal, (iii) Ethical, and (iv) Discretionary (as shown in diagram 1). These four components are complementary to each other (not mutually exclusive). Diagram 1: Carrolls Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility Model Source: Chaisurivirat, 2009. The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility: Exploring the Relationship among CSR, Attitude toward the Brand, Purchase Intention, and Persuasion Knowledge. The economic and legal responsibilities are the basic and essential element in a business. There are a few researches done to further enhance the importance of these elements (Jamali and Mirshak, 2006). Basically, economic responsibility is similar to the traditional view of a business role; which is to maximize the firms profit for their shareholders. Carroll (1979) stated that business itself is an economic unit to the society. In addition, legal responsibility is where companies are required to obey the laws and regulations set by the government or respected authorities. The conventional profit-maximizing view explored in Albert Carrs article Is Business Bluffing Ethical (Velentzas and Broni, 2010). Carr stated that making money out of a product is the businesses main role. Business is said to be like a poker game, whereby organization are to play within the set of rules of the game (Carr, 1968). Those who do not comply will not be successful in their business. The duty that they had towards employees and shareholders surpasses the other moral obligation as long as it does not go against the law (Carr, 1968). Besides that, Milton Friedmans also explained that it is essential for a firm to maximize the revenues of a shareholder by overcoming all the environmental challenges (Cheers, 2011). Similarly, Friedman (1970) reemphasize that, There is one and only one social responsibility of business is to use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profit so long as it stays within the rule of the game. This can be further supported by a case of Dodge v. Ford Motor Company (Cheers, 2011). The Ford founder, Henry Ford aims to provide Ford vehicle for everyone by reducing the price. The shareholders were dissatisfied and claimed that the company should not make a profit-reducing decision. Court held that firms are primarily to bring profit to the shareholders. The company should not exercise any choices which will bring disadvantage to the shareholders. However, nowadays, the perception of a business role has changed. The businesses concern should not include only the shareholders, but also other parties or entities that would be affected by the organizations action, which refers to stakeholders (Fassin, 2008). Freeman (2012) defined stakeholders as (i) people or institutions that are affected by the corporate action, practices and decisions and also (ii) those who are related to the success of the corporation. Firms are expected to transform the profit maximization mindset to trusteeships or multifiduciary stakeholders concept, whereby the business role is now to achieve balance among the stakeholders interest by avoiding doing any harm to any individuals or groups (Goodpaster and Mathews, 1982). In addition, Carroll introduced the ethical and philanthropic responsibility. Carrolls ethical aspect refers to the societys perspective of a good behavior (Carroll, 1979). Corporation must comply with the rules and regulation set while operating. Moreover, it also includes the norms or expectations which are not written in law; in other words, the moral value and rights (Carroll, 1991). Furthermore, firms are obligated to act voluntarily beyond their business scope and rational ethical acts. This is known as the philanthropic responsibility, such as organizing or participating in charity event (Carroll, 1979). Bowen (1953) mentioned that social and philanthropic responsibility would serve as a guideline for the business in the future. Nowadays, most businesses believe that they should be more social responsible towards the society and environment and hence, criticisms arises over the traditional perspective. For example, some critics disagreed that business is a game, as it is a needed component in the society. Besides that, the competitions between different businesses are involuntary, which would involve and influence many other stakeholders, such as government and local communities (Kirkpatrick, 2002). Therefore, institutions are said to be accountable to the stakeholders. They need to pay back to the society for what they have done and thus, provide reasonable explanation to the stakeholders. Accountability vs Accounting According to Blagescu, Casas, and Lloyd (2005), accountability is the processes through which an organization makes a commitment to respond to and balance the needs of stakeholders in its decision-making processes and activities, and delivers against this commitment. As mentioned before, todays corporations also have responsibilities to other stakeholders, such as the society. Therefore, corporations have the obligation to be accountable to those stakeholders (Brennan and Solomon, 2008). An accountability framework, Global Accountability Project (GAP) (as shown in diagram 2), was developed by One World Trust with a purpose of generating wider commitment to the values and principles of accountability among global organizations (Blagescu, et.al, 2005). In the case of GAR, it can be seen that they have indeed put in efforts to increase their accountability to their stakeholders, especially in relation to social and environmental aspects. Diagram 2 Global Accountability Project (GAP) Framework Source: Blagescu, Casas, and Lloyd (2005). Pathways to Accountability: The GAP Framework. According to GAP framework, there are four dimensions that are important for increasing and evaluating accountability of organizations. First is the transparency. Transparency is that stakeholder can access to credible and timely information about the organizations operations (Blagescu, et.al, 2005). To be transparent, organizations must do more than simply disclose commonly standardized information. In other words, it needs to provide more useful and needed information for the stakeholders for decision-making. Organizations should be focusing on the quality of the information disclosed, instead of the quantity (Hassan and Marston, 2010). GAR disclosed important information for their stakeholders. For example, they announce that they will partner with TFT for forest conservation while building shareholders value (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011b). The second dimension is participation. It means that the organizations allow those key stakeholders to be involved in the decision-making process and activities which would influence them (Blagescu, et.al, 2005). GAR does fulfill their accountability obligation in this dimension. They have been working hard to engage with their stakeholders, such as their customer, Nestle, in order to improve the performances (Harvey, 2011). Furthermore, evaluation is another essential part of organizations accountability. It involves the evaluation and monitoring of both end results and the ongoing progress of the organizations activities (Blagescu, et.al, 2005). This dimension plays two significant roles in accountability. It reports the performances against expectations after an event in order to supply crucial information to stakeholders; it also increases accountability by learning and increasing organizational responsiveness to stakeholders (McKenna, 1983). In fact, GARs performances in relation to sustainability development are evaluated and monitored by few external independent organizations, such as Greenpeace (Harvey, 2011). Additionally, the dimension of complain and response mechanisms is for both organizations and stakeholders to seek and receive feedbacks from each other in order to increase accountability (Blagescu, et.al, 2005). For instance, GAR takes into account the responses of customers, such as Nest le (Harvey, 2011). Although the interpretations of accountability are very wide and are limited only by imagination, accountability is always found to have links with the provision and receipt of financial information in many accounting literatures (Narasimha Rao and Raghavendra, 2011). Due to the rapid climate change, undeniably, accounting and the environment are no longer mutually exclusive (Andrew, 2001). In fact, accounting had long been treated as just a technique used to provide financial information for stakeholders (Bushman and Smith, 2001). Normally, people will assume that all the accounting information is just financial. However, a modern accounting concept should also include some green issues in order to increase organizations transparency (Andrew, 2001). Besides, accounting system can also help the stakeholders in evaluating the organizational performances as it could provide them with relevant information (Perrini and Tencati, 2006). It is not surprising that accounting can actually be used to increase organizations accountability. Overall, increasing accountability is important for organizations, including GAR. GAR was required to increase their degree of accountability, especially to those external key stakeholders. This is because According to The Straits Times (2010), GAR had deforested illegally before in Indonesia. In order to meet the expectations of the stakeholders, GAR started to be committed in the conservation of forests and peatlands in Indonesia. There are two main actions taken by GAR to do so. Firstly, GAR has signed a forest-conservation agreement with TFT, a non-government organization (NGO). Also, GAR starts to disclose their social and environmental performances in annual report (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011b). GAR published their inaugural sustainability report in 2011, after their illegal deforestation activity was discovered to the society (The Straits Times, 2010). All these signs indicate that GAR is bowing to the pressure from the NGOs and external stakeholders (Harvey, 2011). In fact, there are some conceptual theories which could provide an explanation for the sudden changes made by GAR. These organizational practices changes in GAR could be explained using Legitimacy Theory. This theory asserts that organizations seek to ensure that their activities and operations are perceived to be legitimate by the society and stakeholders (Deegan, 2011). Legitimate could be said as a social construct based on cultural norms for organizations behaviors (Suchman, 1995). Therefore, organizations have to be committed to the social contract between the companies and the society to gain recognition. Social contract could be roughly defined as the implicit and explicit expectations that the society has on the organizations (Deegan, 2011). In fact, failing to commit to the social contract would be perceived as not legitimate, and eventually will bring negative impacts to the companies, such as difficult to obtain resources and supports from the society to continue the operations. Thus, legitimacy is an important component for the organizations as it is considered as a precious intangible resource which organizations rely on in order to survive (ODonovan, 2002). Corporations could actually establish their legitimacy by information disclosures (Suchman, 1995). Through the disclosure of information in relation to social and environmental performance, the company would gain the societys trust. Consequently, it will be beneficial to the company in ways, such as improving companys reputation and establish competitive advantages (Porter and Kramer, 2006). As a result, GARs changes their organizational practice by starting the publication of sustainability report. Besides that, Stakeholder Theory could also be used to gain an understanding of why GAR responds to NGOs in this manner. One of the branches of Stakeholder Theory, ethical perspective, adopts a normative position; that organizations should consider the rights and interest of all the stakeholders, regardless of their powers and influences on the company (Deegan, 2011). According to Freeman and Reed (1983), stakeholders are any parties that are affected by the organizations operations. Usually, organizations would try to meet the stakeholders expectations and be accountable to them by providing and disclosing organizational information (Gray, Kouhy, and Lavers, 1995). Therefore, it is believed that this might be one of the reasons why GAR alters their organizational practice. Undeniably, bowing to the pressure from stakeholders is a good start for GAR. Committing to CSR, disclosing social and environmental performance records, and being more accountable are indeed beneficial to GAR themselves and also their stakeholders. It is also important to note that accountability and transparency are one of the essential factors in enhancing the organizations sustainability development (Global Public Policy Institute, 2005). Sustainability development is generally defined as to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). Golden-Agri Resources Ltd (GAR)s Sustainability Report Currently, there is no any legal law or regulation states that organizations have to disclose their social and environmental aspects. However, voluntary disclosures would bring favorable impacts to both internal and external stakeholders. Therefore, many corporations start making voluntary disclosures, so does GAR (Cheynel, 2012). In fact, GAR published their inaugural sustainability report for a purpose of providing the stakeholders a better understanding of the companys priorities, performances, and stakeholder engagement process (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011b). GARs sustainability reports standard was assessed at application level B, based on an internationally established reporting framework (shown in diagram 3) developed by Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011c). This framework was designed to provide organizations with a set of principles for defining report content and ensuring the quality of the reported information (Global Reporting Initiativ e, 2000). Diagram 3 Global Reporting Iniative (GRI) Framework Source: Global Reporting Initiative, Sustainability Reporting Guidelines (https://www.globalreporting.org/resourcelibrary/G3.1-Sustainability-Reporting-Guidelines.pdf) Diagram 4 Global Reportive Initiative (GRI) Principles for Reporting Source: Institut fur Wirtschaftsinformatik, GRI Principles (http://www.iwi.uni-hannover.de/upload/lv/sosem10/Seminar_SS_2010/SS10/Seminararbeit/torres/www/measuring2.html) According to the GRIs framework, there are 4 principles (Materiality, Stakeholder Inclusiveness, Sustainability Context, and Completeness) (shown in diagram 4) for defining the report content (Global Reporting Initiative, 2000). The materiality principle requires corporations to address the most important and concerning issues to their stakeholders. The major current concerning issue for GAR and their stakeholders is deforestation in Indonesia (Harvey, 2011). This is because GAR had cleared the forests illegally before in Indonesia, as mentioned before. In addition, this deforestation act is destroying the livelihood of the habitat there. The stakeholders, such as Indonesia government, local communities, and even those NGOs are therefore showing their concerns on this issue badly (Harvey, 2011). In GARs sustainability report, it focused on disclosing information about policies of preventing deforestation. For example, they state that they would have a no-deforestation footprint in In donesian rainforest by partnering with NGO, TFT to launch Forest Conservation Policy (FCP) (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011b). Overall, it is believed that the report content is fairly material. Furthermore, GARs sustainability report does fulfill the principle of stakeholder inclusiveness. One of the main disclosures is their multi-stakeholder engagement process (Golden Agri Resources Ltd, 2011b). For examples, engaging NGOs, customers, and local communities to address the interests those stakeholders have in order to achieve their expectations and sustainability development. Moreover, the underlying question of a sustainability report is how organizations plan to contribute in the future to improve economic, environmental, and social developments at both local and global level (Global Reporting Initiative, 2000). This is related to the principle of sustainability context. The report discloses that GAR is committed to a holistic approach towards sustainability, as it is always looking at methods to increase productivity while reducing negative impacts on its land. One of its sustainability policies, Yield Improvement Policy (YIP), is focused on plantation management and land suitability (Global Reporting Initiative, 2000). This shows that GARs voluntary disclosures do meet the requirement of sustainability context. Besides that, the information GAR discloses includes all significant actions or events within the reporting period; which fulfills the principle of completeness. However, it can be seen in the report that data and statistics regarding to enviro nment and sustainability performances are insufficient. Furthermore, there is limited alignment between the sustainability report and overall business strategy. Lack of all these information could affect the completeness of the report (KPMG, 2008). Apart from the content aspect, the quality of the sustainability report is also an important element. Balance, comparability, timeliness, accuracy, and reliability are the 5 principles used to test the report quality (shown in diagram 4). GARs report does not really meet the balance principle as they mostly disclose favorable aspects of the organizations performance while there is lack of unfavorable results and topics. This could affect stakeholders assessment and decision making adversely. Besides that, the comparability principle is irrelevant to the report as this is the inaugural sustainability report for GAR. Therefore, it cannot be used by the stakeholders to compare with its past performance (Global Reporting Initiative, 2000). Other than these, the report does meet the accuracy and reliability principle. Qualitative statements in the report are valid only if it is based on the basis of other reported information and evidences (Global Reporting Initiative, 2000). GAR does pro vide other evidences and information to increase the accuracy and reliability of their reports. Overall, GARs sustainability report is believed to have met the reporting standard requirements set by GRI. Nevertheless, the quality of the report can be improved through the compliance of accounting standards. Accounting Standards Accounting standards (AS) are defined as a policy set by authorities such as accounting body, government or regulatory body to regulate the accounting transactions in the financial statement (The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, 2011). As globalization emerges, the business world realizes the importance of having a common standard in the financial aspect. A survey conducted by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) shows that majority of the leaders from accounting fields support the idea of having common international standards as part of economic growth (Private Company Financial Report, 2008). Thus, the International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) developed the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) (Cellucci, 2011). IFRS aims to serve as a regulation for financial reporting which can be exercised equally throughout the world (Ball, 2006). One of the advantages of IFRS is that it provides a principle-based framework with better quality. In addition, there are lesser regulation and exception as compared to the other standards such as General Accepted Accounting Principle. By adopting IFRS, a more professional judgment is being introduced which helps to reduce the risk faced by the company. There is also more transparency in the economic transactions (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2007). However, the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) states that the standards in IFRS are highly inadequate compare to some accounting standards (Cellucci, 2011). For instance, the General Accepted Accounting Principle (GAAP) is considered to be the gold standard in US (Private Company Financial Report, 2008). The Staffs interpretation of GAAP includes some disclosures of environmental issues on contingent liabilities. This is to recognize the contingent losses and to acknowledge the different accounting practices and disclosure on contingent liability (Roberts, 1995). However, IASB reported that environmental issues reporting are not within the scope of IFRS (Yara C, Nelson, and Bruna, 2008). Thus, it shows that IFRS are still not compatible with other standards like GAAP in the social and environment accounting aspect (Center for Audit Quality, 2009). Besides that, there are several studies which reported that there are limitations in the role of accounting standards. This includes ensuring the reporting quality as well as the emphasis on the firms incentive in reporting (Ball, Kothari, and Robin, 1998; Ball, Robin, and Joanna, 2002; Leuz, 2003; Ball and Shivakumar, 2004). The application of the accounting standards involves significant judgments and usage of private data. Thus, substantial discretion is provided by any accounting standards to a firm. However, the quality of how the firm behaves depends on the incentive in reporting, such as the market forces and legal institutions (Daske, Hail, Leuz, and Verdi, 2008). The institutions have the right to choose the information that they want to disclose. Hence, an accounting standard for better sustainable development should meet the needs of the users by encouraging feedbacks and comments. Similarly to other accounting standards, IFRS do not record all the effect of economic action (SIGMA, 2003). For instance, externalities, such as the costs and benefit which do not affect the organization directly, are not included in the financial reports. Costs and benefit should be included to provide a better market-based decision making (SIGMA, 2003). For example, the emission of petrol will cause climate changes and air pollution. These consequences are considered as the original cost to the society in the present and future. However, these costs are not reflected in the fuel price. Positive externalities are those that would be beneficial to the society. This shows that the present accounting standard does not have sufficient regulation that enables the firms to relate to the sustainable development aspect. For a company to achieve sustainable development, one should balance the economic, social and environmental impacts in their decision-making. This includes the analysis of the positive and negative impacts of the three dimensions on policy changes, and identifying the outcomes which would benefit one party and harm the other parties as well as the proper precaution steps to minimize negative impact (Bebbington, 2000). The analysis on past principles focuses more on economic impact (Kirkpatrick, George, and Curran, 2001). Rio Principle 4 states that it is essential for environmental aspect to be integrated as part of the development process while Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) principle 3 recognized the importance of integrating the 3 dimension policy and purpose (Janeiro, 1992). Overall, the current accounting standards are inadequate in maintaining a companys sustainable development. Therefore, many efforts have been done to integrate the economic, social and environment policy. For instance, Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment, Global Initiative for Sustainable Rating and others have been created. This shows that our current standards are not capable to ensure companies, such as GAR, to commit to sustainability development. Hence, Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) is launched to create sustainable accounting standards for the users (Deloitte, 2012). This will include the disclosures of sustainability issues which enable investors and public to have a better decision making. The SASB developed a Sustainable Industry Classification System (SICS) to create a sustainable accounting standards that suits different industry (Deloitte, 2012). As a conclusion, apart from profit maximization, organizations play a major role in the community. Organizations should also disclose social and environmental factors in their financial reports. Thus, GAR is held accountable to the Indonesian forests and peats as well as all the stakeholders. They should maintain environmental disclosure in their financial reporting for all stakeholders. However, besides GAR, the regulators and professional bodies also play a big role in ensuring organizations to be more committed to sustainable development. This can be done by creating adequate sustainable accounting standards for the organizations.

The Great Gatsby: The Integrity of Nick Carraway :: essays research papers

The Great Gatsby: The Question of Nick Carraway's Integrity In pursuing relationships, we come to know people only step by step. Unfortunately, as our knowledge of others' deepens, we often move from enchantment to disenchantment. Initially we overlook flaws or wish them away; only later do we realize peril of this course. In the novel "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the journey from delight to disappointment may be seen in the narrator, Nick Carraway. Moving from initial interest to romantic allure to moral repugnance, Nick's relationship with Jordan Baker traces a painfully familiar, all-to-human arc. Nick's initial interest in Jordan is mainly for her looks and charm. Upon first sight of her at the Buchanan's mansion, he is at once drawn to her appearance. He Notes her body "extended full length" on the divan, her fluttering lips, and her quaintly tipped chin. He observes the lamp light that "glinted along the paper as she turned a page with a flutter of slender muscles in her arms." He is willing to overlook her gossipy chatter about Tom's extra- marital affair, and is instead beguiled by her dry witticisms and her apparent simple sunniness: "Time for this good girl to go to bed," she says. When Daisy begins her matchmaking of Nick and Jordan, we sense that she is only leading where Nick's interest is already taking him. It is Jordan, then, who makes Nick feel comfortable at Gatsby's party, as we sense what Nick senses: they're becoming a romantic couple. As they drive home a summer house-party, Nick notes her dishonesty but forgives it, attributing it to her understandable need to get by in a man's world. She praises his lack of carelessness, tells him directly "I like you"--and he is smitten, After Jordan tells him the tale of Gatsby and Daisy's past, Nick feels a "heady excitement" because she has taken him into her confidence. Attracted by her "universal skepticism" and under the influence of his own loneliness, Nick-- overlooking this time her "wan, scornful mouth"--seals their romance by planted a kiss on Jordan's lips. But the attraction can't last and is, by summer's end, replaced by repugnance. The smallest of details, at first, heralds this falling-apart: "Jordan's fingers, powdered with white over their tan, rested for a moment in mine." Here Fitzgerald has dropped a subtle hint that their liaison is to be the matter of only a moment, and that Jordan's "integrity" may be a matter of mere cosmetics. But it is Jordan's failure to feel the gravity of the real falling- apart--among Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby--that most rankles Nick, and he reacts with

What is the federal theatre project Essay -- essays research papers

What Was The Federal Theatre Project????? Throughout the late 1920's an important theatrical movement developed: The Workers' Theatre Movement. In the end, it diminished around the middle of the 1930's, and one of the developments aiding the decline of the Workers' Theatre Movement, was the creation of the Federal Theatre Project. The Federal Theatre Project was the largest and most motivated effort mounted by the Federal Government to organize and produce theater events. Once the government took on the duty of putting people to work, it was able to consider the movement. The Federal Theatre Project’s purpose was â€Å"to provide relief work for theatrical artists that utilized their talents and to make their work widely available to ordinary Americans, thus democratizing high culture.† (www.answers.com) Furthermore the FTP tried to present theatre that was relevant socially, politically, and had popular prices, such as free shows. The majority of its famous productions, although not all of them, came out of Ne w York City. New York had many units, such as, a classical unit, Negro unit, units performing vaudeville, children’s plays, puppet shows, caravan productions, and the new plays unit. The Federal Theatre Project was â€Å"the only fully government-sponsored theatre ever in the United States†. (Witham 16) During the late 1920s, in October 1929, the stock market crashed which led to the Great Depression. By winter 1930 through 1931, four million people were unemployed; by March 1931, eight million. By the year 1932, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected, the national income was half that of 1929; there were twelve million unemployed, moreover, there were one of four. Within two weeks of his inauguration, in the year 1933, FDR reopened three-fourths of the Federal Reserve Banks and tried to save the economy. Many called Franklin Delano Roosevelt's administration "the Alphabetical Administration; it was often ridiculed because it seemed to have so many different organizations designated by different groups of letters.† (Witham 48) For example, the C. C. C., the Civilian Conservation Corps, started in the year 1933 and found jobs for over 250,000 men. The Federal Emergency Relief Act, or F. E. R. A., started in the year 1933, led by Harry Hopkins put $500 million back into circulation. By the year 193... ... held on the last day of the Federal Theatre Project existence, which was June 30, 1939. Fairly because of long held doubts that the FTP was fraught with Communists and fellow travelers and the18-month-long rehearsal time, Congress shut it down. The remaining three Arts Projects, Music, Art, and Writing, survived and were financed by Congress until the year of 1941. Concluding the Federal Theatre Project, it has accomplished the goal of introducing theatre to millions who had never seen theatre before. It employed thousands of people, initiated European epic theatre and Living Newspaper theatre techniques to the United States, and for this reason could be seen as a vast achievement. Work Cited 1, Bordman, Gerald. American Theatre: Chronicle of Comedy and Drama 1930- 1989. Chicago: Oxford University Press, 1996. 2. Manning, Susan H. Modern Dance, Negro Dance: Race in Motion. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press, 2004 3. Witham, Barry. The Federal Theatre Project: A Case Study. Nevada: The Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 2003. 4. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/fedtp/ftwpa.html 5. http://www.answers.com/topic/federal-theatre-project

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 12

I'm not sure if it was the fresh air or the flowers Emily had brought me, but I slept soundly that night. The next morning I woke up to bright sunlight in my chambers and, for the first time since Rosalyn's death, didn't bother to drink the concoction Cordelia had left on my nightstand. The smell of cinnamon and eggs floated up from the kitchen, and I heard the snort of the horses as Alfred hitched them outside. For a second, I felt a thrill of possibility and the nascent bud of happiness. â€Å"Stefan!† my father boomed on the other side of the door, rapping three times with his walking stick or riding crop. Just like that, I remembered all that had transpired in the past week, and my malaise returned. I remained silent, hoping he'd simply go away. But instead he swung the door open. He was wearing his riding breeches and carried his black riding crop, a smile on his face and a sprig of a violet flower in his lapel. It was neither pretty nor fragrant; in fact, it looked like one of the herbs Cordelia grew down by the servants' quarters. â€Å"We're going riding,† Father announced as he swung open the shutters. I shaded my eyes against the glare. Was the world always so bright? â€Å"This chamber needs to be cleaned and you, my boy, need sun.† â€Å"But I should really attend to my studies,† I said, gesturing limply to the volume of Macbeth open on my desk. Father took the book and closed it with a definitive clap. â€Å"I need to speak to you and Damon, away from any prying ears.† He glanced suspiciously around the chambers. I followed his gaze but saw nothing except for a collection of dirty dishes that Cordelia hadn't yet cleared. As if on cue, Damon strode into the room, wearing a pair of mustard-colored breeches and his gray Confederate coat. â€Å"Father!† Damon rolled his eyes. â€Å"Don't tell me you're on about that demon nonsense again.† â€Å"It's not nonsense!† Father roared. â€Å"Stefan, I'll see you and your brother at the stable,† he said, turning on his heel and striding out. Damon shook his head, then followed him, leaving me to change. I put on my full riding costume–a gray waistcoat and brown breeches–and sighed, not sure I had enough strength to ride or to endure another marathon bickering session between my father and brother. When I opened the door, I found Damon standing at the bottom of the curved staircase, waiting. â€Å"Feeling better, brother?† Damon asked as we walked out the door and across the lawn together. I nodded, even as I noticed the spot under the willow tree where I'd found Rosalyn. The grass willow tree where I'd found Rosalyn. The grass was long and bright green, and squirrels were darting around the tree's gnarled trunk. Sparrows chirped, and the drooping branches of the weeping willow looked lush and full of promise. There was no sign that anything had been amiss. I breathed a sigh of relief when we reached the stable, inhaling the familiar, loved scent of well- oiled leather and sawdust. â€Å"Hi, girl,† I whispered into Mezzanotte's velvety ear. She whinnied in appreciation. Her coat seemed silky-smooth, even more so than the last time I'd brushed it. â€Å"Sorry I haven't come to visit you, but it looks like my brother's taken good care of you.† â€Å"Actually, Katherine's taken a shine to her. Which is too bad for her own horses.† Damon smiled fondly as he jerked his chin to two coal- black mares in the corner. Indeed, they were stamping their feet and staring at the ground dejectedly, as if to express just how ignored and lonely they were. â€Å"Y ou've been spending quite a bit of time with Katherine,† I said finally. It was a statement, not a question. Of course he had been. Damon always had an ease around women. I knew he knew women, especially after his year in the Confederate army. He'd told me stories about some of the women he'd met in cities like Atlanta and Lexington that had made me blush. Did he know Katherine? â€Å"I have been,† Damon said, swinging his leg over the back of his horse, Jake. He didn't elaborate. â€Å"Ready, boys?† Father called, his horse impatiently stamping its feet. I nodded and fell into stride behind Damon and Father as we headed to the Wickery Bridge, all the way on the other end of the property. We crossed the bridge and continued on into the forest. I blinked in relief. The sunlight had been too bright. I much preferred the dark shadows of the trees. The woods were cool, with wet leaves covering the forest floor, even though there hadn't been a rainstorm recently. The leaves were so thick, you could see only slight patches of blue sky, and occasionally I'd hear the rustle of a raccoon or badger in the underbrush. I tried not to think of the animal noises as coming from the beast that had attacked Rosalyn. We continued riding into the forest until we reached the clearing. Father abruptly stopped and hitched his horse to a birch tree. I obediently hitched Mezzanotte to a tree and glanced around. The clearing was marked by a collection of rocks set up in a rough circle, above which the trees parted to provide a natural window to the sky. I hadn't been there in ages, not since before Damon went away. When we were boys, we used to play illicit card games here with the other fellows in town. Everyone knew the clearing was the place boys came to gamble, girls came to gossip, and everyone came to spill their secrets. If Father really meant to keep our conversation quiet, he'd have been better off taking us to the tavern to talk. â€Å"We're in trouble,† Father said without preamble, glancing up at the sky. I followed his gaze, expecting to see a fast-moving summer storm. Instead, the sky was spotless and blue. I found no solace in this beautiful day. I was still haunted by Rosalyn's lifeless eyes. â€Å"We're not, Father,† Damon said thickly. â€Å"Y ou know who's in trouble? All of the soldiers fighting this godforsaken war for this cause you've made me try to believe in. The problem is the war and your incessant need to find conflict everywhere you turn.† Damon angrily stomped his feet, reminding me so much of Mezzanotte that I stifled the urge to laugh. â€Å"I will not have you talk back to me!† Father said, shaking his fist at Damon. I glanced back and forth at the two of them, as though I were watching a tennis match. Damon towered over Father's sloping shoulders, and for the first time I realized that Father was getting old. Damon put his hands on his hips. â€Å"Then talk. Let's hear what you have to say.† I expected Father to shout, but instead he crossed to one of the rocks, his knees creaking as he bent to sit. â€Å"Y want to know why I left Italy? ou I left it for you. For my future children. I knew I wanted my sons to grow and marry and have children on land I owned and land I loved. And I do love this land, and I will not watch it be destroyed by demons,† Father said, flinging his hands wildly. I stepped back, and Mezzanotte whinnied a long, plaintive note. â€Å"Demons,† he repeated, as if to prove his point. â€Å"Demons?† Damon snorted. â€Å"More like big dogs. Don't you see it's talk like this that will make you lose everything? Y say you want a good life ou for us, but you're always deciding how we'll live that life. Y made me go to war and made Stefan ou get engaged, and now you're making us believe your fairy tales,† Damon yelled in frustration. I glanced at Father guiltily. I didn't want him to know I hadn't loved Rosalyn. But Father didn't look at me. He was too busy glowering at Damon. â€Å"All I wanted was for my boys to have the best. I know what we're facing, and I do not have time for your schoolboy arguments. I am not telling tales right now.† Father glanced back at me, and I forced myself to look into his dark eyes. â€Å"Please understand. There are demons who walk among us. They existed in the old country, too. They walked the same earth, talked like humans. But they wouldn't drink like humans.† â€Å"Well, if they don't drink wine, that would be a blessing, wouldn't it?† Damon asked sarcastically. blessing, wouldn't it?† Damon asked sarcastically. I stiffened. I remembered all the times after Mother had died that Father would drink too much wine or whiskey, lock himself in the study, then mumble late into the night about ghosts or demons. â€Å"Damon!† Father said, his voice even sharper than my brother's. â€Å"I will ignore your impudence. But I will not have you ignore me. Listen to me, Stefan.† Father turned toward me. â€Å"What you saw happen to your young Rosalyn wasn't natural. It wasn't one of Damon's coyotes,† Father said, practically spitting out the word. â€Å"It was un vampiro. They were in the old country, and now they're here,† Father said, screwing up his florid face. â€Å"And they are doing harm. They're feeding on us. And we need to stop it.† â€Å"What do you mean?† I asked nervously, any trace of exhaustion or dizziness gone. All I felt was fear. I thought back to Rosalyn, but this time, instead of remembering her eyes, I remembered the blood on her throat, having flowed from the two precise circles on the side of her neck. I touched my own neck, feeling the pulse of blood beneath my skin. The rush below my fingers sped up as I felt my heart skip a beat. Could Father be †¦ right? â€Å"Father means that he's been spending too much time listening to the church ladies tell their tales. Father, this is a story that would be told to scare a child. And not a very clever one. Everything you're saying is nonsense.† Damon shook his head and angrily stood from his perch on the tree stump. â€Å"I will not sit around and be told ghost stories.† With that, he turned on his gold- buttoned boot and swung his foot up over Jake's back, gazing down at Father, as if daring him to say one more thing. â€Å"Mark my words,† Father said, taking a step closer to me. â€Å"Vampires are among us. They look like us and can live among us, but they are not who we are. They drink blood. It is their elixir of life. They do not have souls, and they never die. They are forever immortal.† The word immortal made me suck in my breath. The wind changed, and the leaves began rustling. I shivered. â€Å"Vampires,† I repeated slowly. I'd heard the word once before, when Damon and I were schoolchildren and used to gather on the Wickery Bridge, trying to scare our friends. One boy had told us of seeing a figure kneeling down in the woods, feasting on the neck of a deer. The boy told us he had screamed and the figure had turned to him with hellred eyes, blood dripping from long, sharp teeth. A vampire, he said with conviction, glancing around the circle to see if he'd impressed any of us. But because he'd been pale and scrawny and not any good at shooting, we'd laughed and mocked him mercilessly. He and his family had moved to Richmond the next year. â€Å"Well, I'd take vampires over an insane father,† Damon said, kicking Jake's flanks and riding off into the sunset. I turned toward Father, expecting an angry tirade. But Father simply shook his head. â€Å"Do you believe me, son?† he asked. I nodded, even though I wasn't sure what I believed. All I knew was that somehow, in the past week, the whole world had changed, and I wasn't sure where I fit in anymore. â€Å"Good.† Father nodded as we rode out of the forest and onto the bridge. â€Å"We must be careful. It seems the war has awakened the vampires. It's as if they can smell blood.† The word blood echoed in my mind as we directed our horses to walk away from the cemetery and toward the shortcut through the fields that would lead to the pond. In the distance, I could see the sun reflecting on the pond's surface. No one would ever imagine this verdant, rolling land as being a place where demons walked. Demons, if they existed at all, belonged in the old country, amid the decrepit churches and castles Father had grown up with. All the words Father said were familiar, but they sounded so strange in the place where he was saying them. Father glanced around as if to make sure no one was hiding in the bushes near the bridge. The horses were walking alongside the graveyard now, the headstones bright and imposing in the now, the headstones bright and imposing in the warm summer light. â€Å"Blood is what they feed on. It gives them power.† â€Å"But then †¦,† I said, as the information whirled in my brain. â€Å"If they are immortal, then how are we to †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Kill them?† Father asked, finishing my thought. He pulled the reins on his horse. â€Å"There are methods. I've been learning. I've heard there's a priest in Richmond who can try to exorcise them, but then people in town know †¦ some things,† he finished. â€Å"Jonathan Gilbert and Sheriff Forbes and I have discussed some preliminary measures.† â€Å"If there's anything I can do †¦,† I offered finally, unsure what to say. â€Å"Of course,† Father said brusquely. â€Å"I expect you to be part of our committee. For starters, I've been talking to Cordelia. She knows her herbs, and she says there's a plant called vervain.† Father's hand fluttered to the flower on his lapel. â€Å"We will come up with a plan. And we will prevail. Because while they may have immortality, we have God on our side. It is kill or be killed. Do you understand me, boy? This is the war you're being drafted to fight.† I nodded, feeling the full weight of the responsibility on my shoulders. Maybe this was what I was meant to be doing: not getting married or going off to war, but fighting an unnatural evil. I met Father's gaze. â€Å"I'll do whatever you want,† I said. â€Å"Anything.† The last thing I saw before I galloped back to the stable was the huge grin on Father's face. â€Å"I knew you would, son. Y are a true Salvatore.†