Fate and Ignorance in Oedipus Rex Essay - 2564 Words

Oedipus Rex is a story that can be interpreted on many different levels of thinking. The ancient tale has existed for centuries and has been subjected to countless forms of analysis. What is it that makes Oedipus the King such a fascinating story? Is it the suspense of a developing mystery that captivates the audience? Or perhaps the wonderful feeling the readers get after vicariously experiencing the horror Oedipus feels? And if not that, could it be that the reader is intrigued at Sophocles description of one mans disbelief in the gods? Whichever way one looks at it, Oedipus Tyrannus was, and remains, one of the most highly admired plays of all time (Wood, et al, 163). One way of interpreting this story is by looking at†¦show more content†¦A possible reason for his ignorance, and a fascinating twist, could be that Oedipus had originally believed that he was the murderer of Laius, and knew at the time of the story, that he had married his own mother (Daniels and Scully, 26). All the public cursing, the whole Now my curse on the murderer (Sophocles, 172) was really a spectacle to throw the suspicion off himself (Daniels and Scully, 26). However, most literary scholars dont believe this, as Oedipus does seem to display a great deal of remorse when he realizes that the prophecies about him are true. If it is all a setup by Oedipus, then he is both extraordinarily intelligent and stupid, by hiding the truth for so long and being self destructive at the same time (Daniels and Scully, 26). Most believe that Oedipus has simply chosen to ignore a real possibility (Daniels and Scully, 21). Howard Clarke said that [Oedipus] reaches a point where he is, literally, the captive of what he is searching for. (Clarke, 593). He reached a point in his search where he is carried along on the tide of his of his own discoveries (Clarke, 593). A part from these interesting interpretations, Oedipus Rex can be read from cover to cover as a normal detective story with all the basic elements; suspects, crime, clues and an investigator. The whole plot rotates around one significant event, which was the killing of Laius. So now we have the crime stated, weShow MoreRelatedTragic Flaws Of Oedipus Rex950 Words   |  4 Pages Tragic Flaws of Oedipus Rex The ancient Greek’s culture was greatly influence by their belief in in many gods. They believed that the gods would guide them and that everyone was destined to live out their fates. In the case of Oedipus Rex Fate drove him into a downfall. Oedipus Rex is a part of the great Sophoclean play, written by Sophocles. Sophocles’ write this story to portray a tragic hero, using character flaws to explain his downfall. Oedipus is a perfect tragic hero because his whirlwindRead More Destiny, Fate, Free Will and Free Choice in Oedipus the King - Fates Triumph822 Words   |  4 PagesThe Power of Fate in Oedipus Rex  Ã‚   Oedipus, the fated tragic hero of Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex, is a complex character who, through slow realization, learns that one cannot escape fate.   Throughout the course of the tragedy, Oedipus’s attitude evolves from arrogance to humbleness as he learns to seek for truth and finds that fate is impossible to control. In the beginning of Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is a strong, noble king in search of justice for the slain former King Laios. Oedipus is both arrogantRead MoreOedipus Rex : A Tragic Hero882 Words   |  4 Pagesbelief in many gods. They believed that the gods would guide them and that everyone was destined to live out their fates. In the case of Oedipus Rex, fate drove him into a downfall. Oedipus Rex is a part of the great Sophoclean play, written by Sophocles. Sophocles wrote this story to exemplify a tragic hero, he uses specific character flaws to explain the downfall of his hero. Oedipus is a perfect tragic hero because his early life forces the audience to admire as a privilege young man and also pityRead MoreOedipus Rex By Oedipus The King1206 Words   |  5 PagesOedipus’ evolution throughout the Theban plays is one with fascinating twists and turns. Oedipus’ characterisation evolves and changes as he experiences the fall from being the great ruler of Thebes into a b lind beggar who is tortured by what he did. As the stories progress, so does their protagonist to the point where the Oedipus of the second play is a completely different man. In Oedipus Rex, the main character is portrayed as a strong and clever yet arrogant king whose ignorance leads him toRead MoreThe Role of Faith and the Gods in Oedipus Rex Essays1713 Words   |  7 PagesSophocles, in his work Oedipus Rex, establishes a view that gives fate, which is created by the gods, a seemingly inescapable characteristic over man. The role of fate is clearly defined, through the fulfillment of divine prophecy, and Oedipus’ inability to recognize prophecy as a realistic source of knowledge, as a fate that strikes a delicate balance with the free will of man. The balance stricken between fate and free will, in Sophocles’ mind, is portrayed through Oedipus’ fatal flaw, which forcesRead MoreOedipus Rex : A Tragic Hero945 Words   |  4 Pagesout their fates. In the case of Oedipus Rex Fate drove him into a downfall. Oedipus Rex is a part of the great Sophoclean play, written by Sophocles. Sophocles’ write this story to portray a tragic hero, using character flaws to explain his downfall. Oedipus is a perfect tragic hero because his whirlwind of a life force the audience to admire him in the beginning of the story as a privilege young man and also pity him a he falls into a crushing downfall. Sophocles intentionally gave Oedipus certainRead MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus Rex Bliss 944 Words   |  4 PagesMr. Myles May 3, 2010 Oedipus Rex - Bliss in Ignorance One of the most memorable and meaningful Socratic quotes applies well when in context of Sophocles Theban Trilogy. The unexamined life is not worth living, proclaims Socrates. He could have meant many things by this statement, and in relation to the play, the meaning is found to be even more complex. Indeed, the situation of Oedipus, king of Thebes, the truth of this statement is in question. Would Oedipus have been better offRead MoreOedipus The King, Or Oedipus Rex1249 Words   |  5 Pagesmost famous probably being Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, or Oedipus Rex. For a play to be considered a tragedy, it must have a tragic hero. According to Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero, they must be a decent moral person, of high social standing who eventually meets with a tragic downfall, of their own doing, suffering more than deserved, and realizing their error too late. In the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus is the epitome of a tragic hero. Oedipus Rex was generally a â€Å"good† person; he wasRead MoreEssay The Tragic Fall Of Oedipus in Oedipus the King824 Words   |  4 PagesTragic Fall Of Oedipus Rex in Sophocles Oedipus Rex The tragic fall of Oedipus in Sophocles play â€Å"Oedipus Rex† is both self-inflicted and result of events drawn from his own destiny. First off early on in Oedipus’ life his first deadly mistake towards succeeding his self-inflicted downfall was the murder of his father the former king. In a blind rage without any motive, he kills Liaus and his men at a rode crossing. Fate may have had led him to that point but it was his own rage that resultedRead MoreDeconstructing Tragedy And The Definition Of The Protagonist’S1173 Words   |  5 PagesDefinition of the Protagonist’s Innocence In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, Oedipus meets the Aristotelian definition of a tragic hero as divine fate and tragic flaws lead to his downfall. Oedipus’s tragic flaws like hubris, curiosity, and anger, contribute to his unfortunate fate. The components of a perfect tragedy as defined in Aristotle’s Poetics are at the center of Oedipus Rex. The play contains the elements of a perfect tragedy such as â€Å"imitation †¦ purification †¦

Managing Global Trade Operations Free Essays

Introduction This purpose of this document is to discuss the trade between McDaniel’s Commodities UK Ltd and Yamaha Koshimoto (YK) Impex Japan. The document specifies the seller’s conditions for the completion of the export of dried cassava chips to YK Impex Company. The transportation method, payment terms, required documentation and other important inputs, processes and terms needed to accomplish the trade between both parties would be discussed. We will write a custom essay sample on Managing Global Trade Operations or any similar topic only for you Order Now Each of the clauses in the following sections contains discussions on the conditions and requirements for the trade between the two parties. Clause No. 1: Commodity and Country of Origin. The commodity concerned is processed dried cassava chip pellets used for the production of industrial starch, and the country of origin is the UK. According to Barbrow and Judson (1976) and the international system of units, the best way to measure commodities in international trade is through Metric Tonnes (MT). Metric tonne is equivalent of 1000kg. As a result therefore, all weight measurement concerning the trade shall be measured in metric tonnes. Clause No. 2: Product Specification The specifications of the Cassava chips referred to by the seller meets buyer’s requirements: the following are the criteria which specify the seller’s offer. As noted by WTO (2008) one of the challenges of global trade is meeting product specifications given the technicalities, barriers, standard problems and issues of safety, therefore for trade to be successful, seller’s must ensure that they meet adequate standards even where it is not stated in trade agreements. The physical test: (A)- The product is free from smell and other radioactive materials. (B)- The chips are dried, cut into sizes and free from foreign matters. (C)- It is free from any insects or Animals. (D)- It is free from any solvents or chemicals used during extraction and processing. The Product Specification StarchMinimum 75% Moisture:Maximum 11% FibreMaximum Content 3% SandMaximum 2% SkinPeeled and Pelted Crop year2010-2011 SizesIrregular Shipment and Packaging Given that the product would be required in hundreds of metric tonnes and in light of their fragile nature, all shipments are to be arranged in bulk bagging of 100 Kg each. It would be shipped in 40 ft containers provided by the shipping company. To ensure that the shipment and packaging meets the international standards, the seller would ensure that it is accordance with (INCOTERMS 2000). Incoterms according to Morrissey et al (2000) are a series of pre-defined commercial terms published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) widely used in international commercial transactions. Clause No.3: Transportation Maersk, which is known as the foremost global shipping company will be used as the shipping commodity to handle the cargo and the shipment will be in ther the following order. The commodity will be shipped via sea from the Felixstowe port of UK to the Port of Hakata in Japan. Further transportation upon clearance at the port shall be arranged from the port by the buyer. SELLER and BUYER shall mutually appoint internationally recognized first class independent surveyor company SGS/CIQ at both the loading port and unloading port to assess and certify the quality and quantity of the cargo according to the provisions herein started. Costs of the inspection will be shared equally by the seller at loading port and by buyer at unloading port, as per surveyors invoice. Clause No. 3: Payment Terms. The payment shall be by irrevocable, transferable, confirmed, documentary letter of credit payable 100% not later than 60 days against presentation of shipping documents. To ensure safety in the payment arrangement it is commonplace as noted by Pierreand Stewart (2010) to comply with incoterms arrangement with regards to payment and as such the following must be ensured. The Buyer shall open a non operative confirmable, irrevocable, transferable; auto revolving Letter of Credit (L/C) within 7 working days after final signing of agreed sales and purchase agreement by both parties. The LC shall be subject to UCP 2007 revision, ICC publication NO. 600 cover 100% of the total contract value in favour of the seller Buyer’s letter of credit shall comply with other terms of uniform customs and practice (UCP 600) issued by (ICC). The buyer’s letter of credit payment value shall be only for the net cassava quantity actually delivered to the discharge port and upon the shipping documents submitted by the seller to the buyer’s bank. The buyer’s bank shall issue the operative Letter of credit only in favour of the seller’s company which signed the final contract with the buyer’s. All official communications between the seller’s bank and the buyer’s bank shall be by: Society for Worldwide Inter-bank Financial Telecommunications (known as S.W.I.F.T.). Before the shipment of any part of the contract seller shall confirm that all forms of payment are satisfactory and conforms to legal standards. In case the BUYER’s letter of credit is delayed and seller is not able to receive payment as a result of the buyer’s bank fault or the buyer or any of its agents. The BUYER will pay a penalty to the SELLER at rate of 0.1% for each day of delay but not more than 2% of unpaid amount. Clause No. 4: Required Shipping Documents All shipping documents shall be original and written in English language only. The INCOTERMS does not permit that carbon copies of documents should be acceptable by the Seller as it might create dispute, therefore all documents must be original. The sellers agrees to provide insurance certificate covering all shipment risks issued by the buyer’s favour through a known global insurance Company in the value of (110%) one hundred ten percent. Analysis certificate of the shipment issued by seller: this would include all the technical specifications of the commodities produced by the party or an official party on the seller’s behalf. Signed commercial invoices issued by the seller in the Buyer’s name with reference to commodity description, contract type buyer’s name (Letter of credit number Issuance date as well as unit, price quantity, value and date. 2/2 of Bills of Lading (B/L) originals and copies) signed and stamped by the vessel’s captain and marked â€Å"clean on board†, indicating the vessel’s name and address of the vessel’s owner, vessel’s master name, loading port and date, contract number, buyer’s (letter of credit) Number and issuance date. Certificate of Commodity Inspection and Quarantine issued by Defra UK Two original and copies of certificate of origin issued and authenticated by the (Department for food, forestry and Agriculture: UK) or its representative. Two original and 2 copies each of the inspection certificates issued at the loading port Confirming product specifications, quality, packing and that the shipment in line with the contracted specs in clause 2. Insurance certificate covering all shipment risks issued in favour of EXW by prime insurance Company in the value of (110%) one hundred ten percent of the (letter of credit value issued in US dollars. Two original and two copies each of certificate of origin issued and authenticated by the UK Defra at the port of origin Two originals and two copies each of official shipping advice issued by the seller’s shipping company showing in-depth details about the shipment such as: vessel’s sailing date, vessel’s name / registration date number / age/ nationality/ flag, name of Loading and Delivery port, name of shipped goods, (SGS) tests report at the loading port, name and address of the buyer’s company, name of the vessel’s captain, invoice date and value, oil country of origin, bill of lading date and number, contract number, net quantity loaded, voyage itinerary and vessel’s estimated time of arrival (ETA) to the delivery port. Beneficiary’s certificate confirming that all original shipping documents were sent to the buyer’s bank by international courier services (as Fedex or any express courier). Any other payment documents stated in the buyer’s letter of credit letter of credit The original shipping documents shall be sent at seller’s account to the buyer and to the buyer’s bank via approved courier services (as DHL or equivalent) as soon as possible to match the vessel’s Final arrival date to the delivery port. The original shipping documents for all shipments shall be presented to the buyer’s bank within the Validity period of the buyer’s operative (letter of credit). The Seller shall notify the Buyer of the expected date of arrival at discharge port within 120 hours after the completion of the loading. The Seller shall require the tankers Master to advise the Buyer and ship Owners Agent at the port of discharge, the ships estimate time of arrival (ETA), its name, tonnage, flag, draughts, loaded quantity in every holed, etc. at least 144 hours before her arrival of the destination port. Clause No. 5: Raising Finance With respect to finance for accomplishing the trade, both parties will be under financial obligations to ensure that the trade is accomplished. This would require that each party must have available finance obtainable. On the Seller’s side, the payment required would be that to pay shippers, insurance, inspectors, local transportation, shipping documents, administration and shipment given that the arranged INCOTERMS is C.I.F. Similarly, the buyer will be under obligation to pay for transportation and the C.I.F cost. For the seller in particular the most feasible and preferable option would be through short term trade finance. According to Humphrey (2009) short term trade finance are always available to exporters when they have sufficient evidence to demonstrate that they can fulfil a particular order and has the capacity. Humphrey points out that although banks usually assess risks of the trade and the fitness of the exporter to fulfil the terms before granting short term fina nce. However, since such terms can be fulfilled by the Seller given the product availability, it is likely that such finance would be accessible from the bank. Usually, short trade finance must be paid within 6 months therefore, since the payment arrange with the buyer would be within 60 days L/C maturity, no problem with regard to raising such finance is anticipated. Failing this however, the UK trade and investment short term finance program would be tapped into for financing the trade while other Angel investors would be explored. For the buyer, the most feasible payment option is to finance the trade by lodging cash in the bank in order to be entitled to a sound and reliable letter of credit. Or otherwise, the buyer can set up a payment plan with its banks by giving proof of through its previous financial records that payment would be returned to the bank upon receiving and selling the product. Clause No. 6: Business Procedure. The buyer signs, seals and sends the final contract to the seller as e-mail attachment. The seller signs, seals the final contract and sends it back to the buyer within (3) three days by fax or email attachment. The paper copy signed and sealed by both parties and sent by DHL or equivalent expedited courier shall be deemed the original contract. Within (3-7) Three to seven banking days from the signing of the final contract, the buyer’s bank shall send SWIFT a pre advice to the seller’s bank confirming the presence of a non-operative letter of credit covering the value of the quantity. The buyer and the seller are fully committed to execute the signed contract upon established terms. Clause No. 7: Delivery Terms. The date of the bill of lading (B/L) shall be considered the date of shipment and shall be within fifty to sixty days. Discharge rate and demurrage charges shall be the buyer’s responsibility. The delivery port is Port of Hakata, Japan. The seller’s shipping agent shall notify the buyer and the buyer’s shipping agent at the delivery Port by e-mail attachment the information about the vessel’s position (7) seven days, (72) seventy two hours and (24) twenty four hours of the vessel’s final berthing. References Barbrow, L.E.; Judson, L.V. (1976). Weights and measures standards of the United States – A brief history Humphrey, J. (2009). Trade financing: Available at: http://voxeu.org/index.php?q=node/3507 Accessed: 3rd of May, 2012 Morrissey, M. Joseph F.; Jack M. Graves, K. (2008). International Sales Law and Arbitration: problems, cases and commentary. Kluwer Law International. p. 23 Pierre D. Stewart, R. (2010). International Logistics: the management of international trade operations (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning. p. 113. The International System of Units (SI) (PDF), 8th Edition, 2006, Section 4.1 How to cite Managing Global Trade Operations, Essay examples

Cash Flow And Liquidity Samples for Students †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Cash Flow And Liquidity In Accounting. Answer: Cash flow and liquidity Cash flow from the operation of the company for the year ended 30th June 2016 was $ 437,691 thousands as compared to the $ 340,448 thousand as on 30th June 2015. However, the closing balance for cash reduced to $ 103,631 as on 30th June 2016 as compared to $ 153,220 as on 30th June 2015. Therefore, the companys liquidity position is reducing that indicated that the companys ability of paying the short-term liabilities is decreasing (Harveynorman.com.au 2017). On contrary, closing cash balance of Woolworths, companys competitor, is $ 956,000 as on 30th June 2016 whereas as on 30th June 2015 it was $ 133,340. Therefore, with respect to liquidity aspect, Woolworths is in better position (Woolworths.com.au 2017). AASB 107 Note 28b that is stated in the page 112 is no more required after the amendment issued during 2016 March with respect to AASB 107 with the added paragraph under 44A to 44E (Carey, Potter and Tanewski 2014) Impairment If there is any indication that due to any event of loss the expected future cash flows will be impacted and the amounted can be reliably estimated, the asset will be impaired. Impairment amount is determined by computing the market value and carrying value of asset (Amiraslani, Iatridis and Pope 2013). When the carrying amount exceeds the market value, the difference is charged as impairment. Impairment of asset for Harvey Norman as on 30th June 2016 is as follows Equity accounted investment - $ 72,35,000 Computer software - $ 18,83,000 Information regarding dividend payment Dividend related information is stated in Note 25 of the financial statement for the year ended on 30th June 2016 Other comprehensive income Other comprehensive incomes are the gains, revenues, losses and expenses that are excluded from the computation of net income and they are included in the comprehensive income statement even before the realization of those expenses, gains, revenues or losses (Babalola and Abiola 2013). As on 30th June 2016 the comprehensive income item for Harvey Norman were Foreign currency transactions Income tax effect on cash flows hedging movement Investment of cash flow hedging Net gain from investment held for sale Share option plan of executives The details of share option plan for executives are as follows Name of the executive No. of vested option Value No. of unvested option Value J. E. Slack-Smith 567,000 $ 159,894 817,000 $ 287,394 D. M. Ackery 567,000 $ 159,894 - - C. Mentis 567,000 $ 159,894 817,000 $ 287,394 Total 17,01,000 $ 479,682 16,34,000 $ 574,788 Reserves Reserves related information are stated in Note 24 and the amount of reserves as on 30th June 2016 was $ 155,814,000. Reserves of the company are mentioned below Acquisition reserve Cash flow hedging reserve Available for sale reserve Asset revaluation reserve Foreign currency transaction reserves Employee equity benefit reserve Remuneration of the auditor The audit fees proportion was 45% as compared to the other fees like legal fees. This is acceptable proportion as the services of audit is not availed throughout the year whereas they legal services are availed for throughout the year. Auditors remuneration includes the following Review of financial report Entitys tax services Other services of the company Financial statement preparation In accordance with Para 71 of AASB 101, any prescribed format like as per function or nature for presentation of financial statement is not mentioned. However, Harvey Norman classifies the expenses by function. Deferred tax liability The temporary differences are identified as the deferred tax liabilities by the company (Laux 2013). The company recognized the following as deferred tax liabilities Research and development $ 17,053,000 Revaluation of investment properties to the fair values - $ 116,814,000 Depreciation on the building reversal for investment properties - $ 70,085,000 Difference among theaccounting carrying amount and tax base of computer software cost - $ 479,000 Land and buildings revaluation to its fair values - $ 30,677,000 Non-allowable depreciation for building for the changes in legislative of New Zealand - $ 17,798,000 Other items - $ 23,61,000 Income tax Current income tax for the year ended on 30th June 2016 is $ 46,92,000 and the tax as per income statement is $ 142,423,000. The difference is there as the changes in equity show the tax along with deferred tax and the income statement shows the paid amount of tax. Standards on accounting AASB that are issued or amended during the year but Harvey Norman has not yet adopted those are mentioned below AASB 15 on revenue from the contracts with the customers AASB 9 on financial instruments AASB 16 on leases Reflection report Analysing the annual report of a company like Harvey Norman will definitely help me to analyse the performance the company from the financial aspect. Analysing the annual report of the company dated 30th June 2016, I found out that the annual report is an essential part to the company for its customers, creditors, shareholders and investors to state its sustainability, liquidity, solvency and profitability position. While going through the report, I found that the company complies with the framework and guidelines of IFRS and AASB. I further found that the auditors of the company are responsible for approving that the financial statements of the company are prepared as per the required standards and they issue their audit report accordingly. The most important fact regarding the annual report that I found is that the disclosure notes plays an important role and states the preparation basis of the financial statements,accounting treatment, concepts used for preparing the statement and revealing the detailed break-up for each item. Thus, I can state that annual reports of the company play crucial role in stating its financial position. References Amiraslani, H., Iatridis, G.E. and Pope, P.F., 2013.Accounting for asset impairment: a test for IFRS compliance across Europe. Centre for Financial Analysis and Reporting Research (CeFARR). Babalola, Y.A. and Abiola, F.R., 2013. Financial ratio analysis of firms: A tool for decision making.International journal of management sciences,1(4), pp.132-137. Carey, P., Potter, B. and Tanewski, G., 2014. AASB Research Report Harveynorman.com.au. 2017. Harvey Norman | Shop Online for Computers, Electrical, Furniture, Bedding, Bathrooms Flooring | Harvey Norman Australia. [online] Available at: https://www.harveynorman.com.au/ [Accessed 23 Oct. 2017]. Laux, R.C., 2013. The association between deferred tax assets and liabilities and future tax payments.TheAccounting Review,88(4), pp.1357-1383. Woolworths.com.au. 2017.Woolworths.com.au. [online] Available at: https://www.woolworths.com.au/ [Accessed 22 Oct. 2017].

A Splendid Exchange Essay Example

A Splendid Exchange Paper Dennis BerkA. P. World Dr. Andrews Summer Assignment The accelerating pace of international trade is one of the most dominating, and important features, of contemporary life. Globalization is creating widespread changes for societies, economics, and governments. Since the invention of the steam engine, transportation and communication limits have faded away and, with the development of the Internet, practically disappeared. A case can be made for the proposition that trade, throughout history, has been the main engine for the development of the world as we know it today. In his book, A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World, William J. Bernstein makes this case. The main thesis of A Splendid Exchange by William J. Bernstein is to describe how, where, and why trade goes on in certain parts of the world, and how it affects completely different regions on Earth. Bernstein does this by using facts, details, and accounts of other economists and writers. A Splendid Exchange is not just about the trading of silk, tea, or coffee. It also speaks about the movement of diseases throughout the world. For example, when Christopher Columbus sailed the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria into the New World, disease quickly spread throughout the Americas, such as small pox. Obviously at the time the diseases made life miserable for many of the people living in the Americas, killing loved ones, friends, and family making it much more difficult for everyone to live. However, because the disease was spread, many people that now live in the Americas are immune to these diseases, including small pox. This is a classic example of the idea of natural selection, stating that only the fittest survive. We will write a custom essay sample on A Splendid Exchange specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A Splendid Exchange specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A Splendid Exchange specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Bernstein writes about this again in his novel while talking about the plague that rampaged through the streets of cities in Europe during the Dark Ages. This plague killed off an enormous amount of the European population, but eventually Europeans grew immune to the disease and now many cities in Europe are prospering. A Splendid Exchange has greatly changed my view of history. It has shown me how important trade was and how difficult it used to be compared to now. Today, many people have cell phones and even more people have access to a elevision, radio, or the Internet, so, for example, if an event occurs in South Korea in less than an hour news stations all over the world are reporting about it and have analysts debate about it for hours. However, back in the 1000’s and 1100’s, if you were living in France, and an event occurs in China, there is a good chance that the person living in France would never know about it. Also, in the 1000’s or 1100’s if y ou were born in a village in England, unless you were a merchant, chances are that you would not go further than 50 miles in any direction from where you were born. Transportation in the 1000’s and 1100’s was limited to walking and sea travel. Sea travel was very dangerous, due to pirates and poorly made ships, so many Europeans didn’t risk it. Today, with the invention of the steam engine, automobile, and airplane to go from New York to California by plane takes only six hours, although you are traveling around 3000 feet. In today’s world it’s no big deal if you travel 3000 feet in one day, but in the 1000’s and 1100’s this was such a radical thought that no one had ever even wasted their time trying to think about it. William J. Bernstein asks many questions in his novel. One of them is how goods got from China to Rome. Bernstein answers this question by saying the trade was very slow, and the process went in stages. Bernstein describes how Chinese merchants sailed their ships down to Indochina and how the goods were exchanged by six different nations before reaching Rome. Obviously, this is a very long process, and the trade was only sped up by the invention of better ships, and eventually the airplane. Another question asked in A Splendid Exchange is what drove early man to trade? This question is answered by Bernstein stating that political stability was most important for man to want to trade, and he says that the technological innovations of land and sea transport are secondary. With political stability, nations are able to expand and then there is a sudden increase in demand for more goods, which can only be completed by trade. In A Splendid Exchange, the thing I was most surprised to learn about was the great impact that the Peloponnesian War had on trade. Greece’s city-states didn’t have the best soil to plant on before the Peloponnesian War, and certainly not after it. Because of all the battle that took place, much of Greece’s fertile land was destroyed. Because Greece now had less arable land, and less people to farm this land because of all the deaths during the Peloponnesian War, the city-states of Greece had to rely heavily on trade. Another thing I was surprised to learn about was how a country 1000s of miles away from another country can be the reason that country continues to live on. As an example, the Greeks could not grow wheat. Clearly, without wheat a country simply cannot prosper, as it is put into so many foods necessary for the body to properly function. In order for the Greeks to continue living, they would need to trade for wheat. As many countries of the Mediterranean did, Greece got its wheat from Egypt. Had the Egyptians not traded their wheat to Greece, it is very possible that Greece would have been conquered by another nation. It’s amazing how trade that went on centuries ago has affected the world as we know it today. In Bernstein’s novel, the thing I was most disappointed to learn about was Zaccaria opening the Strait of Gibraltar to plague ships. These plague ships eventually spread the black death. Had Zaccaria not opened the Strait of Gibraltar, the Black Death could’ve came in more methodically, allowing Europeans more time to prepare for it, as opposed to the Black Death being thrown onto the Europeans, thus giving them less time to prepare for it and try to stop the plague or evacuate from the cities. Because the housing in the cities of Europe during the Dark Ages were so tightly packed together, once one person got a disease it would spread almost instantaneously, and had there been more warning for the plague, actions could’ve been taken so that less people would have died. I enjoyed A Splendid Exchange by William J. Bernstein very much. The book has given me invaluable knowledge about the ancient world and how the ancient world has affected the modern world. Bernstein does a great job explaining how trade affects the entire world, and he backs it up with facts and quotes from economists and historians. Bernstein also shows how trade developed, starting with the trading of ancient Sumer all the way up to modern day trade and what this all means. I thought the novel was worthwhile, and so did many others because it won the Financial Times and Economist Best Book of the Year award. If I were having a discussion with a friend about A Splendid Exchange by William J. Bernstein, I would tell them that it completely changed my view of history. Bernstein’s novel has taught me many new things and has shown me how important trade is in today’s world. A Splendid Exchange really makes you think of how important events that occurred over 1000 years ago are today. The novel also describes how trade developed from not only adjacent countries trading, but how countries from different sides of the planet were able to trade. I absolutely would recommend this book to my friend because it teaches you so many things about world history and how important trade is. In Bernstein’s novel, he showed some preconceived biases. One of these biases is that Bernstein seems to favor protectionism and tariffs rather than free trade. In the chapter, The Triumph and Tragedy of Free Trade, Bernstein seems to speak more about the tragedies of free trade rather than the triumphs of it. This shows that Bernstein has a bias towards free trade and prefers tariffs and protectionism. In A Splendid Exchange: How Trade Shaped the World, by William J. Bernstein, he shows how and why certain things are today because of trade. Bernstein proves how trade from thousands of years ago has had an impact on today’s world. William J. Bernstein has shown that trade on one side of Earth affects the other side in many different ways. Bernstein also shows how natural selection played a big role in trading thousands of years ago. A Splendid Exchange has changed my view of history and my view on the importance of trade.

British terrestrial broadcasting

Since its controversial launch in March 1997 Channel 5 has been the fifth wheal upsetting the balance of British terrestrial broadcasting. With millions of videos to retune and a paltry programme budget few foresaw success, but C5 was the only mainstream broadcaster to increase its audience share last year1, and at the beginning of this year it was valued at 1.2 billion. The recent purchase of the rights to screen ITVs Australian soap opera Home and Away is a major coup, the first time it has poached from a competitor (its had to get used to the reverse). The problems C5 have had in the past C5 executives are eager to overplay recent well publicised successes, but the channel has been dogged by problems from the start, some technically unavoidable and some disputably due to managerial misjudgement. At the RTS convention in 1999 Greg Dyke, chairing a session on branding, challenged David Brook (director of marketing during C5s launch) that part of the problem with C5 was that it didnt live up to its launch. Brook disagreed saying You must remember, we had to launch a channel without any programmes and amongst all the confusion of retuning His defence cites two of the three main initial problems C5 faced 1) A budget 1/6 of the BBCs 2) The necessity to retune your TV/Video. Also hindering performance was 3) The lack of reach (still only 80% of BBC). The million pounds spent on marketing and producing the glamorous opening was supposed to tackle the first 2 problems, however critics say the reliance of style over substance faith in the power of persuasive com! munication, was short sighted. Brooks successor, Jim Hyther commented (Guardian Nov 1st, 99) Once the coffee jar is on the supermarket shelf, you cant keep pretending to the customer its premium ground when its actually instant granules. Typical schedule content (see appen...

Analysis of Articles about the Racism in the US Annotated Bibliography

Analysis of Articles about the Racism in the US - Annotated Bibliography Example Lamberth, John. â€Å"Driving While Black: A Statistician Proves That Prejudice Still Rules the Road.† Race, Ethnicity, and Policing: New and Essential Readings. Eds. Stephen K. Rice and Michael D. White. New York, NY: New York University Press, 2010. 32-36. Print. In this article, which was originally published in the Washington Post, John Lamberth sheds light on the phenomenon referred to as DWB (Driving While Black). He uses statistics obtained from data that he and his team collected on the New Jersey Turnpike, as well as the data made available to him regarding I-95 in Maryland, to show that blacks are 16.5 times more likely to be stopped than non-blacks on the New Jersey Turnpike. Jefferson, Thomas. From â€Å"Notes on the State of Virginia.† Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. 7th ed. Eds. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. 486-490. Print. Thomas Jefferson, a noted founding father of the United States, in this excerpt from his essay, lays out a case about the inferiority of the blacks when compared with the whites. He lays down that blacks are, by nature, inferior to whites and, therefore, even after they are granted freedom (keeping in mind that this was written when slavery was the norm), they are not to be removed from the society so as not to be able to mix their blood with the whites, that is to say, to procreate with the whites. Steele, Shelby. â€Å"I’m Black, You’re White, Who’s Innocent?† Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. 7th ed. Eds. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007. 530-540.  

Lego Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lego - Assignment Example However, this decision turned sour and LEGO withdrew their production from Flextronics in 2009. There are two major reasons behind LEGO’s decision to have 80 percent of their products produced in Flextronics. The first one was the introduction of new toys in the market by its competitors. This influenced the company’s decision to partner because it was during the same period the company had lost confidence in its key product, LEGO brick (Larsen et al, 3). The second reason that triggered partnership was the changes in the global market, as well as, the currency exchange rates in the major importing countries. Through partnership, the company had aimed at increasing its market shares and producing new products. The partnership did not last long without challenges which with time led to the end of the relationship between the two companies. The fist challenge was ensuring that enough stock is constantly maintained. This was mostly contributed by the errors in forecasting and fluctuation of seasonal demand. In addition, the need to meet consumers’ expectations of large stock within a short period led to over production (Larsen et al, 5). The second challenge was the need for change in its retailers. This was a challenge, especially in supply chain management, considering the level of flexibility towards all retailers and smallest outlets. Although the partnership between the two companies did not turn as expected, LEGO can use this failure as its strike back in handling supply chain complexity as well as knowledge sharing, flexibility and coordination (Larsen et al, 10). However, the company has to consider several aspects to achieve these. The first aspect is being open and putting into consideration consumer views. This can be achieved by working closely with the retail shops which in turn reaches the consumer. The