Reporting Practices And Ethics Paper Essay Example for Free

Reporting Practices And Ethics Paper Essay As you visit a medical clinic or hospital you may have concerns about the medical care you will receive. You would hope that you will receive fair and ethical treatment from the staff. It is the responsibility of the staff to do the best job possible to service not only the paient but also the employer. There is a need for an ethical foundation, especially in the health care setting. According to Bringing Ethics And Integrity Into Focus (2012), â€Å"Patients and family members desire high quality care, patient safety and the latest medical technology. But, ultimately, trust in the integrity of the caregiver is the foundation for their peace of mind.† Elements of Financial Management Financial management is vital to an organizations effectiveness. Financial management consists of four elements. The financial manager takes the necessary steps to identify and organize the organizations objectives. This is the element called Planning. Controlling is when the financial manager ensures that the plans set by the organization are being followed properly and efficiently. The financial manager then makes the decision of how to use the resources of the organization to carry out the plans that have been established. This is where the organizing and directing comes in. The last step that the financial manager makes is the decision making process. This is where the financial manager will make informed choices through primary tasks of analysis and evaluation. Accounting Principles and Financial Ethics Standards It is very important that accounting and financial professionals abide by the ethical standards that regulate what kind of business is conducted, how they use their skills and who they serve. This is called Gernerally Accepted  Accounting Pricinples. Ethical standards are determined largely by professional accounting and finance organizations and the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Accountants and financial professionals must continue their education and practice the ethics that prepare them for their positions, and they must also continue that education by learning new information that can affect their practices. Accountants must be objective, avoiding conflicts of interest. They must not, for instance, perform accounting services for firms that they have a vested interest in. When working with a clients financial information, financial professionals have access to a great deal of personal information. This is not only limited to financial information but also includes the names and contact information of employees as well as the names and locations of firms with which the company does business. Financial professionals are required to keep that information private except when ordered to disclose it by a court of law. Keeping information private is an example of an ethical standard. Another example of ethical standards of conduct and financial reporting practices would be the company Enron. Enron is a company known for its ethical scandals. Enron was unethical due to the fraud that was committed by its top executives. On paper the accountants made Enron more powerful than they appeared. Subsidiaries, known as special purpose entities have a single purpose and it was not necessary that they were included on Enrons balance sheet. These subsidiaries were used to hide risky investment activities and financial losses. (Folger, 2011). It was later determied that Enron assets and profits were inflated, and even fraudulent and non-existent. Enron was one of the worst accounting scandals of all time. Conclusion With the Enron scandal, organization ethics are more important now than ever, but not only does it make a businesses practice sound, it also allows the employees of the organization to go by a higher standard of integrity in their daily functions. It is more critical in health care settings than any other environments that there is an ethical foundation. It is important that health care staff conduct themselves with integrity, honesty, and respect for others and health care organizations must adopt standards of professional practice and having ethics is critical to the care patients  receive. . References Bringing ethics and integrity into focus. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/bringing-ethics-and-integrity-focus Folger, J. (2011). The Enron Collapse: A Look Back. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1211/the-enron-collapse-a-look-back.aspx

The stock exchange of egypt

The stock exchange of egypt Country Research (Egypt)Country Research The stock exchange of Egypt is situated in Cairo, Egypt. The Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) is one of the oldest stock markets established in Middle East, who traced its origin from the merger of two stock exchanges in Egypt namely, Alexandria Stock Exchange which was established in 1883 and Cairo Stock Exchange established in 1903, now known as Egyptian Stock Exchange which was formerly known as Cairo and Alexandria Stock Exchange (CASE). Both exchanges were very active in 1940s, and both the exchanges combined were ranked fifth in the world. The vision of Egyptian Stock Exchange is â€Å"To be a World-Class, Egypt-based exchange: which would serve best to its stakeholders in the Middle East and North Africa region.† (The Egyptian Exchange, 2010). As every stock exchange has certain values and duties, the EGX also has system of values which have a common denomination of ethics practiced with every individual whether it is customer, members, issuers, local investment communiti es, employees and regulators. The Chairman, Mr. Maged Shawky is the head of the Egyptian Stock Exchange. (The Egyptian Exchange, 2010). The exchange has trading session from 10:30am to 2:30 pm on all days except Fridays and Saturdays and holidays declared in advance by the Exchange. Measure of Activity The main performance indicator or measure of activity of Egyptian Stock Exchange (EGX) is EGX30, which was previously known as CASE30 index. It includes the top 30 companies in terms of liquidity or 30 most active companies in the Egyptian Stock Exchange. The CASE 30 was started with base value of 1000 points on January 2, 1998 and was renamed to EGX 30 on March 1st, 2009. Any company to get listed or to get included in EGX30 must have a 15% free float. (The Egyptian Exchange, 2010). Trends in Egyptian Stock Exchange Egypt has a long and rich history of financial market. In late 1980s, Egypt had a sophisticated financial structure holding a mature stock exchange in both Alexandria and Cairo. (Wilson, 1995). The Egyptian Stock market has experienced several fundamental changes during major periods such as from 1888-1958, 1959-1971, 1972-1992, and 1992-present. Egyptian stock market was very mature and remarkable at earlier phases of its operation; in 1940s both the exchanges were very active. In 1959-1971 phases the stock exchange left its effective operations due to the intervention of government policies and restrictions. (MohieEldin, Sourial, 2000). After high intervention of government, there were several attempts made to improve the working and effectiveness of failing Egypt stock market which continued to stagnate. In 1990s the Egypt stock market went under significant revival of government liberalization policies and finally in 1997, major changes were made in Egypt stock market that refor med the stock market and several important steps have been taken by government to modernize the stock exchange. The Egyptian Stock Market has significantly grown by 40% per year since the 1997 reforms and in May, 2001 it reached $36.7 billion. (AMF, 2001). In the current situation of Egypt Stock market, the prices of share fell down on Monday and EGX30 index fell by 3.84 percent with the closing of stock market (AFP, 2010). With the losses on two consecutive days the Egyptian Stock Exchange rose on Tuesday with an increase of 2.1 percent in the EGX30 gaining 140 points close to 6659 and the prices of share jumped to 3.5 percent (Egypt News, 2010). Egypt Stock market History The Egyptian Stock exchange is one of the oldest stock exchange which was established in the Middle East. In early times Egypt had two stock exchanges namely Alexandria Stock exchange which was established in 1883 and then Cairo Stock exchange in 1903. The Alexandria futures market was one of the oldest market in the world. The first transaction which took place in 1885 was of cotton in Alexandrias cafà © de lEurope, which was later, named as Mohamed Ali Square. At that time Reputation was everything and timing and reliability was considered to be important if the profits were made on regular basis. There were two respected institutions which were affiliated with the International Cotton Congress. At an informal meeting in the early 1900s, the Monsieur Maurice Cattaui reminded the merchants and broker that there should be stocks exchange in Cairo same as of Alexandria. The official headquarters for Cairo stocks exchange was chosen to be the old premise of Ottoman Bank. In 1928, the Cairo stocks exchange moved into its present premise Sherifien Street. In July 1961, the two stock exchanges merged into Cairo and Alexandria stock exchange which was ranked fifth in the world in terms of market capitalization. (The Egyptian Exchange, 2010). Currency and its The official currency of the Egypt is Egyptian Pound (Geneih) usually written as L.E. Earlier Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire until the French occupation took control in 1798 and later on by British in 1801. In early 1900s the Egypt was made a British protectorate. In 1922, the Egyptian kingdom was declared and on November 14, 1936 Egypt gained its full independence. From 1958-1961, Egypt was untied with Syria, as a part of United Arab Republic. In 1834, the financial system was reformed by Mohammed Ali, setting 1 Egyptian Piastre/Qrish divisible into 40 Para and equal to 1/100 Pound. On November 14, 1985, the Gold standard was adopted and in 1898, the National Bank of Egypt started issuing Bank Notes but they were not legal until 1914. In 1961, Central Bank of Egypt took control and became the ultimate authority of issuing note and they started issuing some small denomination notes (Global Financial Data, 2010). The Egyptian Pound was pegged to the US dollar until 2000 and cent ral bank of Egypt was forced to devalue the Egyptian Pound due to several economic crisis in Egypt. From 2000-2003 the value of Egyptian Pound felt almost to 50 percent. The paper money of Egypt has two faces; an English face and an Arabic face and there are different pictures on each faces. The Arabic face has pictures of mosques in Egypt while the English side has Pharaonic scene. The coins are generally made of silver and copper and the coins have pictures of pyramids on one side and value denomination on the other side (Egyptvoyager, 2000). Banking The banking sector of Egypt is one of the well-established part of the economy and the first bank in Egypt was dated back in 1920s and expanded markedly in 1970s by their so called open door policy (AmCham Egypt, 2010). The Central Bank of Egypt is the governing body of the banking sector in Egypt, which comprises of 11 Investment banks, 24 commercial and joint venture banks, 15 branches of foreign banks and 3 specialized banks (HSBC, 2001). There has been continuous growth in the annual growth in deposits and assets. By June 2004, the ROE and ROA of Egyptian banks rose to 9.8% and 0.5% respectively. The Egyptian banking sector is improving with time and has gone various reforms in the form of MA, privatization from 1991 up to today. (AmCham Egypt, 2010). Egyptian Currency Exchange to USD The Egyptian Pound is the official currency in Egypt and its symbol is  £E. The Current conversion of Egyptian Pound to US Dollar. Mathematically, 5.50 Egyptian pound per 1 USD. (Indirect Quote) (CoinMill, 2010) 0.18 USD per 1 Egyptian pound. (Direct Quote) (CoinMill, 2010) Business Practices In the Egyptian business culture, the key to doing business well is patience. Initial contacts regarding business are very important and they often mean the difference between success and failure. Egyptians are little more concern on the part of trust and know how i.e. why they mostly do the business that they know or trust, for this reason before practicing any business in Egypt one should have a mediator or a representative who can assist in meeting and acts as go-between (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). As there is diversity in culture of every nation, there are certain Dos and Donts while practicing or starting or doing a business in Egypt which must be followed. Dos Before doing business, make appointments which should be scheduled either in written or over telephone a week before the appointment. (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). Maintaining an eye contact with the Egyptian counterpart, especially with male colleague is a sign of truth and honesty. (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). Always wait for your Egyptian business associate to initiate the greeting at first meeting. Addressing Egyptian counterparts with their title followed by their surname is deeply appreciated with pride. (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). While doing a business impeccable appearance is important. Male business visitors should wear suits with neckties on most occasion. Donts Rushing or forcing the Egyptian business counterpart while making quick decision can sometimes proves to be ineffective. (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). If, Egyptian business associate stands very close to you and talk then dont get surprised and dont try to get back as this would create a bad impression and may lead to offence. Asking detailed question about their family members is considered to be inappropriate, especially family members. (CIA World Fact Book, 2007). Avoid setting up meetings during Ramadan. Starting a business in Egypt While starting a business or a firm in Egypt, one has to go through the legal and bureaucratic hurdles. There is a certain procedure which has to be followed while registering a new company or a firm. (World Bank Group, 2010). The first and foremost step in starting a business is to obtain a legal certificate from a well-known authorized bank, which might cost EGP 300 and take up to a day to get the certificate in hand. Next step is to deposit the documents to the department of companies, which are viewed by a lawyer and a detailed invoice of all the fees is issued. Third step is to get the articles of association registered and notarize the companys contract. After the articles are registered, the authority then issues a certificate notifying the establishment of the company; this process might take up to 24 hours. Once the company gets establishment certificate, the company completes the tax registration process. Last step is to get the employees registered with the National Authority of Social Insurance. (The World Bank Group, 2010) Negotiation Practices Egyptian business people are mostly experienced in doing business and interacting with outsiders. While negotiating with these people one thing should always be kept in mind is that the people here expects the things to be done in their way. (Katz, 2008). There are some negotiating practices while doing a business in Egypt: Leveraging relationships is a key element while negotiating in Egypt and Egyptian business people never look for situations like win-win. (Katz, 2008). Pace of negotiation is slow and protracted and often negotiation decisions are made in rounds rather than at a table.(Katz, 2008) Information is not shared freely as Egyptians think sharing information can create bargaining advantages. (Katz, 2008) Egyptian businessmen are very smart at using deceptive techniques and are often use them. Sources AFP. (2010), retrieved from http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g4kHjFmtReyhZpAkC_AVAs312NYA AmCham. (2010), American chamber of commerce in Egypt, retrieved from http://www.amcham.org.eg/BSAC/StudiesSeries/Report47.asp AMF. (2001), The database for Arab financial markets, pp. 51-55, AMF: Abu Dhabi CIA World Fact Book. (2007), retrieved from, http://www.communicaid.com/access/pdf/library/culture/doing-business-in/Doing%20Business%20in%20Egypt.pdf Coin Mill. (2010), retrieved from, http://coinmill.com/EGP_USD.html#EGP=1 The Egyptian Exchange. (2010), retrieved from, http://www.egyptse.com/English/Mission_vision.aspx The Egyptian Exchange. (2010), retrieved from, http://www.egyptse.com/English/homepage.aspx Egypt News. (2010), retrieved from, http://news.egypt.com/en/201003249948/news/-business/egyptian-stock-exchange-rallies-jumps-2.1-pct.html Egypt Voyager. (2000), retrieved from, http://www.egyptvoyager.com/features_money.htm Global Financial Data. (2010), retrieved from, http://www.ameinfo.com/financial_markets/Egypt/Currency/ Google Images. (2010), retrieved from, www.panoramio.com/photos/original/18078449.jpg HSBC Investment Bank. (2001), Treasury and Capital Markets: Guide to Egypt Katz, L. (2008), Negotiation International Business- The Negotiators Reference Guide to 50 Countries Around the World Mohie, E. M, Sourial, M.S. (2000), Institutional Aspects, Distributional characteristics and efficiency of Egyptian securities markets; recent trends in Arab stock markets: Recent trends and performances, pp. 1-44, Cairo: AVC press World Bank Group. (2010), retrieved from, http://www.doingbusiness.org/ExploreTopics/StartingBusiness/Details.aspx?economyid=61 Yahoo Finance. (2010), retrieved from, http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=CMA.CAt=5yl=onz=mq=lc=4

Theories: Ways to motivate employees

Theories: Ways to motivate employees Ways of motivating employees Motivation of employees is one of the most important processes that managers should develop. An organization is highly dependent on people; therefore, their motivation for higher productivity is crucial for the whole company. Thus, the success of any organization depends on the ability of managers to provide a motivating environment for its employees. Motivated employees are more productive, happier, and stay with the organization longer. One of the primary tasks a manager faces is to find out how to motivate their employees. Different ways of motivating employees are described by academics and business people. The motivation of employees also depends a lot in the culture where the employees reside. Some of the organizations reward their employees according to performance while some others provide only static income and measure the performance according to that. The purpose of this assessment is to describe the common theories of employee motivation and also practical ways of motivat ing employees in an organization regardless of the culture. One of the basic theories of employee motivation is the scientific management whose basis is considering employees as an input to the production of goods and services. The approach stresses on scientific selection, training and development of workers instead of allowing them to choose their own tasks and training methods and its objective is to carry out work in accordance with scientifically devised procedures. One of the pioneers and inventor of scientific approach to management was Frederick Taylor. Frederic Taylor, (1856-1915) was the first to analyze human behavior scientifically with his machine model by making individuals into the equivalent of machine parts. He broke down the tasks to its smallest unit to figure out the best approach. After careful analysis of the job, workers were trained to do only those motions essential to the task. Taylor attempted to make a science for each element of work and restrict behavioral alternatives facing worker and looked at interaction of h uman characteristics, social environment, task, and physical environment, capacity, speed, durability and cost. The overall goal was to remove human variability (Terpstra, 2005). Taylors machine model was a success and did increase production and profitability because rational rules replaced trial and error and management became more formalized which eventually led to increased efficiency. But Taylors treatment of human beings like machines faced resistance from managers and workers who considered this way of working as dehumanization of work. This method also faced stiff group resistance because no one likes to be so close monitored for each little part of the work he/she does. Despite its criticisms, Taylors methods had a great impact on work because he invented a new, efficient and more productive way to work that changed the complete nature of the industry. Before scientific management, departments such as work study, personnel, maintenance and quality control did not exist (Buf ord, 2000). The core elements of scientific management remain popular and have only been modified and updated to suit the current times we live. The second most common and widely know theory of employee motivation is the behavioral approach. Unlike scientific approach behavior approach places emphasis on what motivates people and seeks to identify and account for the specific influences that motivate people. Maslow (1943) put forward the hierarchy of needs theory which saw human needs in the form of a hierarchy, ascending from lowest to the highest. He argued that lower level needs had to be satisfied before the next higher level need and once one set of needs is satisfied, this kind of need ceases to be a motivator. According to Maslow (1943), the five needs are: Physiological needs Safety or Security needs Social Needs Esteem Self actualization Looking at Maslows hierarchy of needs triangle, as each needs are substantially satisfied, the next need becomes dominant. (eg. esteem needs become dominant after social needs are satisfied).Also, when a need gets substantially satisfied, it stops to be motivating. The core of Maslows theory is to focus on finding out the level of hierarchy the person is in and focusing on satisfying his/her needs and the needs above it. Maslows theory of needs has been wider recognized and is being practiced by managers across the globe. The theorys ease of understanding and intuitive logic makes it easy to implement, but there is no empirical evidence to validate the theory and there is no metric to measure the success of the theory after being implemented. In addition to the theories of employee motivation, there are a number of practical ways for managers to motivate their employees. One of the main ways to motivate your employees is make their tasks and activities as fun. Frederick Herzbergs (1959) famous quote says If you want people to do a good job, give them a good job to do. Some workers really want to enjoy the work they do. Many who enjoy the activities they participate in at work look forward to the day each morning. The opposite also can be true when workers dont enjoy the tasks they perform at work, but they may like their social activities after work (football, shows, movies, going out with friends, community events). These are the individuals that get excited at the end of the day knowing that the fun can now begin. Leaders should take notice of these signs. If your workers are more excited at the end of the day (to leave) than they are at the beginning of the day (to arrive), then there is probably a lack of motivation taking place in the area of intrinsic process or fun. Managers should look for tasks which are each of employees favorites, find ways to assign more of the tasks they enjoy and fewer of the ones they dont like to do and also create a good climate in the whole organization. Finally, it is important in this regard to plan social events for your employees, organize a company ball (softball, baseball, basketball, volleyball, football) game, sponsor a company barbecue, take your employees out to dinner or invite them to your house for dinner, and Have company-wide events that are intended to let everyone have fun. Secondly, a motivation factors which is valued a lot especially in the Western culture, is the rewards according to performance. The basic idea is that performance is the responsible factor that leads to intrinsic as well as extrinsic rewards and these rewards, along with the equity of individual leads to satisfaction. Hence, satisfaction of the individual depends upon the fairness of the reward (Bowen 1991). Many workers need to know their work will be rewarded to be motivated to perform. Per hour pay is what keeps people coming to work, but this isnt what will motivate them to excel in their work. People motivated by rewards will look beyond whether they are getting something tangible for their work. They will also consider what others are getting for their work and often will compare their output with others. For example, if a worker notices that he or she consistently outperforms coworkers, but knows that those coworkers earn a higher salary, this will not sit well with a person motivated by rewards. In fact, it will make a worker want to work less hard if colleagues earn more without being more productive. The opposite also works against motivating an instrumentally motivated worker. If a worker earns more than a colleague, but is less productive than the other worker, this wont cause this person to work harder. It will not cause this person to change their effort level at all. The reason for this is that if a worker motivated by rewards doesnt think that his or her pay really depends on how well they perform, then they wont be motivated to work harder. Extra effort and hard work will come from these individuals only when it is clearly rewarded and when it will affect their rewards. In addition to rewards and fun, many employees need the respect and upgrade of their reputation. People motivated by reputation have a strong need to enhance their image or esteem with others. There are a lot of people out there who want others to think highly of them. Many people are just plain hungry, starving in fact, for some attention and accolades. Individuals striving for popularity or fame characterize the self-concept external motivation. Many workers will not work hard unless they believe their efforts will be noticed and recognized. Workers often say that their managers dont care for their contribution. Other workers will work hard for a short while until they realize that their boss doesnt verbalize any appreciation for their efforts. When this happens, motivation disappears. People motivated by this source will go to great lengths to save face in the public eye. These are the individuals who take great pride in their appearance, in the clothes they wear, the cars they d rive, the neighborhood they live, and other outward things. These people are seeking approval from others. Thus, managers, in order to motivate employees through reputation, should give workers lots of feedback about the way they are performing, give praise in front of other people, criticize these individuals only in private and never in front of others and give unsolicited compliments and positive reinforcement to workers for jobs with which you are satisfied The last among most common ways of motivating employees, is the purpose. Individuals who are motivated by purpose look beyond themselves. They really arent concerned with their own self-interests or with who may notice what theyve done or whether they are being pushed and challenged. What matters to a person motivated by a strong sense of purpose is that they must believe in what the organization is doing. If they agree with what the company stands for and what the company is trying to do, then they will join in and give their fullest efforts to achieve the organization goals. However, if these individuals dont feel called by the vision or purpose, they will seem rather lethargic or uninterested in whats going on. Instead their best efforts will be reserved for other causes in their lives more deserving of their heart and soul effort. These are the individuals who commonly will work very hard on community-based problems or charity. Goals are important for purpose-driven persons; ther efore, an organizations that has clear mission and vision and also clear goals in implementing their strategies, would help those people and motivate them for further work. To conclude, employee motivation is very important for an organization and for its productivity. There are a number of theories on the employee motivation. The scientific method claims that motivation is the scientific management whose basis is considering employees as an input to the production of goods and services. Unlike scientific approach behavior approach places emphasis on what motivates people and seeks to identify and account for the specific influences that motivate people. In addition to the theories, among the practical methods of employee motivation is that employees should always like what they do in order to achieve optimal productivity. In addition, employees should be rewarded according to their performance, their reputation should be respected and also they should be given a purpose in line with their interests. Following this ways of employee motivation, managers will manage to motivate them and increase their productivity, fruitfulness and create a good climate in their organizations. Works cited: Bowen, B. E., Radhakrishna, R. B. (1991). Job satisfaction of agricultural education faculty: A constant phenomena. Journal of Agricultural Education, 32 (2). 16-22. Buford, J. A., Jr. (2000). Extension management in the information age. Journal of Extension, 28 (1). Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., Snyderman, B. B. (1959). The motivation to work. New York: John Wiley Sons.. Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, July 1943. 370-396. Terpstra, D. E. (2005). Theories of motivation: borrowing the best. Personnel Journal, 58. 376.

Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay: Time -- Love Song J. Alfred Pr

Time and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock  Ã‚      Pericles once said "Be ruled by time, the wisest counselor of all." This ruler of the past might not have had the technology of today, but he did not need it to recognize time’s domineering nature over all mankind. No matter what advances man makes, he will never be able to slow down time nor stop it completely; nor it appears will he be able to leap into the past or the future. Time is one thing that man cannot manipulate, instead it manipulates man. No poem better illustrates this point than T.S. Eliot’s "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Prufrock is trapped by the conundrum of time in that no matter what he does, he always regresses to his starting point. His life has been reduced to a diurnal cycle of monotonous chores that seem dictated by time. Prufrock’s " decisions and revisions" are tedious and monotonous; in a sense, he has no free will. His lack of self-control can be clearly seen in his circular voyage throughout the poem: he begins his journey by conforming to time, makes a meager attempt to disrupt the invariability of everyday life, and finds himself again hopelessly bound by time to his habitual tendencies. In this poem, time takes on a distinct meaning. Rather than simply being an external object that lacks control over man, Eliot raises the meaning of this foreign object to a new level. The time provided to the speaker can be equated with his actions. Everyday he is provided a certain amount of time, and day after day he is prepared to "spit out the butt-ends of [his] ways"(Eliot 2461) at the end of the his bland day. The frustration Prufrock builds up is caused by the tiresome repetition of his actions. Furthermore, he feels as though he can not esc... ...gle daily: we can not control time. No matter how much technology mankind obtains, it is unlikely that we will ever arrive at a point in history where time does not limit us in some way. The importance of this fact lies in its acceptance by man. Once we are able to comprehend our domination by time, we will be able to live in harmony with it, using all of this precious quantity which we are granted.    Works Cited Eliot, T.S.. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams. New York: Norton, 1996. 2459-2463. Pinion, F. B. A T.S. Eliot Companion. Totowa: Barnes & Noble Books, 1986. Sharma, Jitendra Kumar. Time & T.S. Eliot: His Poetry, Plays, and Philosophy. New York: Apt Books, INC. 1985. Spurr, David. Conflicts in Consciousness: T.S. Eliot’s Poetry & Criticism. Urbana: U of Illinois P. 1984. Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock Essay: Time -- Love Song J. Alfred Pr Time and The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock  Ã‚      Pericles once said "Be ruled by time, the wisest counselor of all." This ruler of the past might not have had the technology of today, but he did not need it to recognize time’s domineering nature over all mankind. No matter what advances man makes, he will never be able to slow down time nor stop it completely; nor it appears will he be able to leap into the past or the future. Time is one thing that man cannot manipulate, instead it manipulates man. No poem better illustrates this point than T.S. Eliot’s "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." Prufrock is trapped by the conundrum of time in that no matter what he does, he always regresses to his starting point. His life has been reduced to a diurnal cycle of monotonous chores that seem dictated by time. Prufrock’s " decisions and revisions" are tedious and monotonous; in a sense, he has no free will. His lack of self-control can be clearly seen in his circular voyage throughout the poem: he begins his journey by conforming to time, makes a meager attempt to disrupt the invariability of everyday life, and finds himself again hopelessly bound by time to his habitual tendencies. In this poem, time takes on a distinct meaning. Rather than simply being an external object that lacks control over man, Eliot raises the meaning of this foreign object to a new level. The time provided to the speaker can be equated with his actions. Everyday he is provided a certain amount of time, and day after day he is prepared to "spit out the butt-ends of [his] ways"(Eliot 2461) at the end of the his bland day. The frustration Prufrock builds up is caused by the tiresome repetition of his actions. Furthermore, he feels as though he can not esc... ...gle daily: we can not control time. No matter how much technology mankind obtains, it is unlikely that we will ever arrive at a point in history where time does not limit us in some way. The importance of this fact lies in its acceptance by man. Once we are able to comprehend our domination by time, we will be able to live in harmony with it, using all of this precious quantity which we are granted.    Works Cited Eliot, T.S.. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." The Norton Anthology of English Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams. New York: Norton, 1996. 2459-2463. Pinion, F. B. A T.S. Eliot Companion. Totowa: Barnes & Noble Books, 1986. Sharma, Jitendra Kumar. Time & T.S. Eliot: His Poetry, Plays, and Philosophy. New York: Apt Books, INC. 1985. Spurr, David. Conflicts in Consciousness: T.S. Eliot’s Poetry & Criticism. Urbana: U of Illinois P. 1984.

Benjamin Franklin Essay example -- essays research papers fc

Benjamin Franklin-Scientist and Inventor Benjamin Franklin has influenced American technology, and indirectly, lifestyles by using his proficiencies and intelligence to conduct numerous experiments, arrive at theories, and produce several inventions. Franklin's scientific and analytical mind enabled him to generate many long lasting achievements which contributed to the development and refinement of modern technology. Few national heroes, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, played a more significant role in shaping the American way of life than Franklin. According to Fowler, "He personified the ideal of the self-made man, and his rise from obscurity to eminence exemplified the American dream" (32). Looby adds, "The study of Franklin's image for the past two centuries shows that his legacy had a distinctive place in American culture" (85). It has been felt by many people over the years that there was no United States inventor as great as Franklin until the time of Thomas A. Edison (Blow 24). Franklin's words to a friend in Pennsylvania, Joseph Huey, best explain his attitude not only toward what he considered his civic duties, but also his investigations as a scientist or philosopher. He made some of the most famous and certainly the most practical discoveries of his time. "For my own part, when I am employed in serving others, I do not look upon myself as conferring favours, but as paying debts. In my travels, and since my settlement, I have received much kindness from men, to whom I shall never have any opportunity of making the least direct return . . . I can therefore only return on their fellow men; and I can only show my gratitude for these mercies from God, by a readiness to help his other children and my Brethren" (Dineen 6). Wright quotes Franklin as saying, "As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others," and, "we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours" (19). Franklin summarizes his attitude toward his inventions by asking the question, "What signifies Philosophy that does not apply to some use?" (Fleming 21). Another time Franklin is quoted as saying, "Utility is in my opinion the test of value in matters of invention, and that a discovery which can be applie... ...ngame, Roger. Benjamin Franklin: Envoy Extraordinary. New York: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1967. Clark, Ronald W. A Biography: Benjamin Franklin. New York: Random House, 1983. Cohen, I. Bernard. Benjamin Franklin: Scientist and Statesman. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1975. Dineen, Michael P. The Most Amazing American: Benjamin Franklin. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Country Beautiful, 1973. Donovan, Frank R. The Many Worlds of Benjamin Franklin. New York: American Heritage Publishing Co., 1963. Fleming, Thomas. The Man Who Dared The Lightning: A New Look At Benjamin Franklin. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1971. Fowler, Mary J. Great Americans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: The Fideler Company, 1960 Looby, Christopher. Benjamin Franklin. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990. Meltzer, Milton. Benjamin Franklin: The New American. New York: Franklin Watts, 1988. Potter, Robert R. Benjamin Franklin. New Jersey: Silver Burdett Publishers, 1991. Seeger, Raymond J. Benjamin Franklin: New World Physicist. New York: Pergamon Press, 1973. Wright, Esmond. Franklin of Philadelphia. Cambridge Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1986. Benjamin Franklin Essay example -- essays research papers fc Benjamin Franklin-Scientist and Inventor Benjamin Franklin has influenced American technology, and indirectly, lifestyles by using his proficiencies and intelligence to conduct numerous experiments, arrive at theories, and produce several inventions. Franklin's scientific and analytical mind enabled him to generate many long lasting achievements which contributed to the development and refinement of modern technology. Few national heroes, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, played a more significant role in shaping the American way of life than Franklin. According to Fowler, "He personified the ideal of the self-made man, and his rise from obscurity to eminence exemplified the American dream" (32). Looby adds, "The study of Franklin's image for the past two centuries shows that his legacy had a distinctive place in American culture" (85). It has been felt by many people over the years that there was no United States inventor as great as Franklin until the time of Thomas A. Edison (Blow 24). Franklin's words to a friend in Pennsylvania, Joseph Huey, best explain his attitude not only toward what he considered his civic duties, but also his investigations as a scientist or philosopher. He made some of the most famous and certainly the most practical discoveries of his time. "For my own part, when I am employed in serving others, I do not look upon myself as conferring favours, but as paying debts. In my travels, and since my settlement, I have received much kindness from men, to whom I shall never have any opportunity of making the least direct return . . . I can therefore only return on their fellow men; and I can only show my gratitude for these mercies from God, by a readiness to help his other children and my Brethren" (Dineen 6). Wright quotes Franklin as saying, "As we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others," and, "we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours" (19). Franklin summarizes his attitude toward his inventions by asking the question, "What signifies Philosophy that does not apply to some use?" (Fleming 21). Another time Franklin is quoted as saying, "Utility is in my opinion the test of value in matters of invention, and that a discovery which can be applie... ...ngame, Roger. Benjamin Franklin: Envoy Extraordinary. New York: Coward-McCann, Inc., 1967. Clark, Ronald W. A Biography: Benjamin Franklin. New York: Random House, 1983. Cohen, I. Bernard. Benjamin Franklin: Scientist and Statesman. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1975. Dineen, Michael P. The Most Amazing American: Benjamin Franklin. Waukesha, Wisconsin: Country Beautiful, 1973. Donovan, Frank R. The Many Worlds of Benjamin Franklin. New York: American Heritage Publishing Co., 1963. Fleming, Thomas. The Man Who Dared The Lightning: A New Look At Benjamin Franklin. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1971. Fowler, Mary J. Great Americans. Grand Rapids, Michigan: The Fideler Company, 1960 Looby, Christopher. Benjamin Franklin. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1990. Meltzer, Milton. Benjamin Franklin: The New American. New York: Franklin Watts, 1988. Potter, Robert R. Benjamin Franklin. New Jersey: Silver Burdett Publishers, 1991. Seeger, Raymond J. Benjamin Franklin: New World Physicist. New York: Pergamon Press, 1973. Wright, Esmond. Franklin of Philadelphia. Cambridge Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1986.

Isolationism, Intervention, and Imperialism: Assignment Essay

Monroe Doctrine: statement issued by President James Monroe stating that the Western Hemisphere was off limits to further European intervention Intervention: involvement by a foreign power in the affairs of another nation, typically to achieve the stronger power’s aims Sphere of Influence: an area or region over which a country has significant cultural, economic, military, or political influence Isolationism: policy of refraining from involvement in global affairs Expansionism: policy of growing a nation’s physical territory or political influence Imperialism: policy of creating colonies in weaker nations in order to generate raw materials and have access to new markets Turner’s Thesis. – An idea advanced by historian Frederick Jackson Turner that argued that Americans should seek a new frontier, one in foreign lands; because this would help Americans maintain their inventive and energetic spirits Big Stick Policy: foreign policy under Theodore Roosevelt that used U.S. power to police foreign nations, particularly those in Latin America Roosevelt Corollary: policy put forth by Roosevelt stating the United States would intervene in Latin America on behalf of foreign powers if Latin American nations did not meet their agreements Dollar diplomacy: foreign policy under William Howard Taft that used U.S. economic power to try to shape international affairs Natural resources: materials such as oil, natural gas, lumber, gold, copper, waterways, and fertile soil that are native to a given place and can be used for economic benefits Markets: places where manufactured goods can be bought and sold Notes: Alaska Secretary of State William H. Seward signed the treaty to purchase Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million in 1867. Many Americans thought buying Alaska was a mistake. Alaska was barren and covered with ice. They called it names such as â€Å"Seward’s Folly† and the â€Å"Polar Garden.† The Russians agreed. They had decided to sell Alaska because they did not think it was profitable. But the purchase grew the nation by about 600,000 square miles—about twice the size of Texas—for only about two cents an acre. Despite low expectations, Alaska was rich with natural resources such as lumber, gold, copper, and other metals. Oil and natural gas were discovered in Alaska, which continues to fuel battles between conservationists and energy and mining interests. The discovery of gold in Alaska in the 1890s led to a gold rush. It also encouraged the development of Seattle as a major port. Pacific Islands – Midway, Samoa, Guam After the Civil War, U.S. expansionism into the Pacific began. Merchant ships sought places to refuel. Missionaries wished to spread Christianity around the globe. The United States began expanding in the Pacific with the occupation of the Midway Islands, located about 3,000 miles west of California. Just as merchants needed ports to refuel their trading ships, the U.S. Navy needed safe harbors abroad. The United States began working to gain control of strategic ports in the Pacific in order to meet this need. Small islands that had been mostly ignored by imperial powers thus became more valuable. Before long, the United States had established rights in Pacific island nations including the Marshall Islands and Guam. U.S. traders and missionaries stopped in Samoa en route to Australia. Rivalries among the United States, Britain, and Germany became heated in 1878 after Samoa gave the United States permission to build a military base in Pago Pago. To settle this dispute—but witho ut consulting the Samoans—the United States and Germany divided up the islands. Britain agreed to withdraw in return for the rights to other Pacific islands. In 1899, this division was complete. The United States annexed its portion of Samoa. Hawaii Missionaries and whalers were the first Americans to stop on the Hawaiian Islands. Some eventually settled there. American settlers also began growing sugar and selling it to the United States. Sugar became Hawaii’s most important export. Former Americans came to dominate both Hawaii’s economy and its government. In 1875, the United States and Hawaii agreed to give the United States favored-nation status. This allowed Hawaiian sugar to be imported to the United States without tariffs. In 1887, the United States pressured the Hawaiian government to allow the United States to establish a naval base at Pearl Harbor in exchange for renewing this agreement. This agreement ended when Congress passed the McKinley Tariff of 1890. Under pressure from U.S. sugar growers, Congress revoked Hawaii’s special privilege and forced Hawaiian sugar growers to compete with U.S. and Cuban  sugar producers. As a result, Hawaii faced a severe economic depression. To get around this tariff, planters in Hawaii plotted to make Hawaii a territory of the United States. Political turmoil followed as American Hawaiians clashed with the native government under Queen Liliuokalani. Over the next decade, sugar growers and other U.S. interests pushed to have the Hawaiian Islands annexed by the United States. Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1900. Japan Americans wanted to begin trading with Japan to grow their profitable Pacific trade. Japan also offered a place for fisherman in the commercial whaling industry to refuel. But for two centuries, Japan had isolated itself from the rest of the world. It limited outside influence by restricting trade with all but a few Dutch and Chinese traders. Japan also prohibited foreigners from entering the country. This changed on March 31, 1854, when U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry landed in Japan. Aware that it would be unable to defend itself and perhaps fearing war, Japan agreed to a treaty of friendship. China In the mid-1800s, China opened its ports to trade with the United States and Europe. However, China’s leaders were unable to keep foreign powers from taking over its territory. In 1895, Japan attacked China, taking over a large Chinese peninsula. China was severely weakened, and the European powers took advantage. In the late 1890s, European powers carved out spheres of influence in China. These gave European nations favorable-trade status. Many U.S. business and government leaders worried that they were not given equal access, so the United States proposed an Open Door Policy with China. This policy allowed all nations to trade freely in China. But European governments realized that the policy would greatly benefit the United States and take away the power that European nations had accumulated. Thus, they were reluctant to accept this policy. In 1899, a group of Chinese martial artists led the Boxer Rebellion. This violent uprising against foreign influence in China was put d own two months later. By then, however, more than 200 foreigners had been killed. Not wanting another bloody rebellion, European powers then accepted the Open Door Policy. The policy respected China’s borders and vowed to maintain its independence. Venezuela Venezuela and Great Britain had long disputed the boundary separating Venezuela and British Guiana. After a 509-ounce gold nugget was found in the disputed territory, tensions rose. Both countries claimed the gold was discovered in their territory. Eager to enforce the Monroe Doctrine and to keep Britain from gaining more land in the Western Hemisphere, President Grover Cleveland attempted to intervene. Eventually a neutral arbitrator settled the dispute. But the message to the world that the United States would enforce the Monroe Doctrine was clear. Virgin Islands When the Europeans began colonizing the Americas, many countries targeted the Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea. The Dutch claimed the islands, divided them into plantations, and began to grow sugarcane there. The Virgin Islands were an important stop on the Triangular Trade routes that passed from Europe to Africa and the Americas. After slavery was abolished on the islands and the sugarcane plantations began to fail, the United States set its sights on the territory in the late 1800s. By 1917, the United States had bought the Islands from the Dutch. At the beginning of U.S. occupation of the islands, the U.S. Navy controlled the territory. Alaska purchased from Russia acquire land and resources Samoa agreed to split rights with Germany acquire ports in the Pacific China instituted Open Door Policy gain trading rights in China Cuba refused to support revolution maintain isolationist ideals Dominican Republic sent financial adviser Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine Hawaii refused to, but eventually did annex maintain isolationist ideals; gain valuable resources Japan opened trading gain trading partner Venezuela and British Guiana tried to intervene in dispute gained Monroe Doctrine Virgin Islands purchased from Denmark acquire land, military ports, and resources

Plot Analysis: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Essay

Before the start of the novel, Voldemort, considered the most evil and powerful dark wizard in history, kills Harry’s parents but mysteriously vanishes after trying to kill the infant Harry. While the wizarding world celebrates Voldemort’s downfall, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall and Rubeus Hagrid place the one year-old orphan in the care of his neglectful and abusive Muggle (non-wizard) uncle and aunt: Vernon and Petunia Dursley, who have a son, Dudley, a spoiled and selfish boy. For ten years, Harry is tormented by the Dursleys. Shortly before his eleventh birthday, a series of letters addressed to Harry arrive, but Vernon destroys them before Harry can read them, leading only to an influx of more letters. To get away from the letters, Vernon takes the family to a small island. As they are settling in, Hagrid bursts through the door to tell Harry what the Dursleys have kept from him: Harry is a wizard and has been accepted at Hogwarts. Hagrid takes Harry to Diagon Alley, a magically concealed shopping precinct in London, where Harry is bewildered to discover how famous he is among wizards as â€Å"the boy who lived.† He also finds that he is quite wealthy, since a bequest from his parents has remained on deposit at Gringotts Wizarding Bank. Guided by Hagrid, he buys the equipment he needs for Hogwarts. At the wand shop, he finds that the wand that suits him best is the twin of Voldemort’s; both wands contain feathers from the same phoenix.[1] A month later, Harry leaves the Dursleys’ home to catch the Hogwarts Express from King’s Cross railway station. There he meets the Weasley family, who show him how to pass through the magical wall to Platform 9 ¾, where the train is waiting. While on the train, Harry makes friends with Ron Weasley, who tells him that someone tried to rob a vault at Gringotts. During the ride, they meet Hermione Granger. Another new pupil, Draco Malfoy, accompanied by his sidekicks Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, offers to advise Harry, but Harry dislikes Draco’s arrogance and prejudice. Before the term’s first dinner in the school’s Great Hall, the new pupils are allocated to houses by the Sorting Hat. Before it is Harry’s turn, he catches Professor Snape’s eye and feels a pain in the scar Voldemort left on his forehead. While Harry is being sorted, the Hat wonders whether he should be in Slytherin, but when Harry objects, the Hat sends him to Gryffindor. After a terrible first Potions lesson with Snape, Harry and Ron visit Hagrid, who lives in a cabin on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. There they learn that the attempted robbery at Gringotts happened the day Harry withdrew money. Harry remembers that Hagrid had removed a small package from the vault that had been broken into. During the new pupils’ first broom-flying lesson, Neville Longbottom breaks hi s wrist, and Draco takes advantage to throw the forgetful Neville’s fragile Remembrall high in the air. Harry gives chase on his broomstick, catching the Remembrall inches from the ground. Professor McGonagall dashes out and appoints him as the new Seeker for the Gryffindor Quidditch team.[a] When Draco tricks Ron and Harry, who are accompanied by Neville and Hermione Granger, into a midnight excursion, they accidentally enter a forbidden corridor and find a huge three-headed dog. The group hastily retreats, and Hermione notices that the dog is standing over a trap-door. Harry concludes that the monster is guarding the package Hagrid retrieved from Gringotts. After Ron criticises Hermione’s ostentatious proficiency in Charms, she hides in the girls’ toilet, crying. At the Halloween Night dinner, Professor Quirrell reports that a troll has entered the dungeons. While everyone returns to their dormitories, Harry and Ron rush to warn Hermione. The troll corners Hermione in the toilet but Harry and Ron clumsily save her. Afterwards, Hermione takes the blame for the battle and becomes a firm friend of the two boys. The evening before Harry’s first Quidditch match, he sees Snape receiving medical attention from Filch for a bite on his leg caused by the three-headed dog. During the game, Harry’s broomstick goes out of control, endangering his life, and Hermione notices that Snape is staring at Harry and muttering. She dashes over to the Professors’ stand, knocking over Professor Quirrell in her haste, and sets fire to Snape’s robe. Harry regains control of his broomstick and catches the Golden Snitch, winning the game for Gryffindor. Hagrid refuses to believe that Snape was responsible for Harry’s danger, but lets slip that he bought the three-headed dog and that the monster is guarding a secret that belongs to Professor Dumbledore and someone called Nicolas Flamel. Harry and the Weasleys stay at Hogwarts for Christmas, and one of Harry’s presents, from an anonymous donor, is an Invisibility Cloak owned by his father. Harry uses the Cloak to search the library’s Restricted Section for information about the mysterious Flamel, and he happens to find a room containing the Mirror of Erised, which shows him his parents and several of their ancestors. Harry becomes addicted to the Mirror’s visions until he is rescued by Professor Dumbledore, who explains that it only shows the viewer what he most desperately longs for. When the rest of the pupils return for the next term, Draco plays a prank on Neville, and Harry consoles Neville with a sweet. The collectible card wrapped with the sweet identifies Flamel as an alchemist. Hermione soon finds that he is a 665-year-old man who possesses the only known Philosopher’s Stone, from which an elixir of life can be extracted. A few days later, Harry notices Snape sneaking towards the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. There he half-hears a furtive conversation about the Philosopher’s Stone between Snape and Quirrell. Harry concludes that Snape is trying to steal the Stone and Quirrell has helped prepare a series of defences for it, which was an almost fatal mistake. The three friends discover that Hagrid is raising a baby dragon, which is against wizard law, and arrange to smuggle it out of the country around midnight. Draco, hoping to get them into trouble, tells Professor McGonagall. Although the dragon is safely away, they are caught outside of their dormitory. Harry, Hermione, Draco, and Neville (who, trying to stop Harry and Hermione after hearing what Draco had been saying, was caught by McGonagall as well) are punished by helping Hagrid to rescue a badly injured unicorn in the Forbidden Forest. They split into two parties, and Harry and Draco find the unicorn dead, surrounded by its blood. A hooded figure crawls to the corpse and drinks the blood, then moves towards Harry, who is knocked out by an agonising pain in his scar. When Harry regains consciousness, the hooded figure is gone and a centaur, Firenze, offers to give him a ride back to the school. The centaur tells Harry that drinking a unicorn’s blood will save the life of a mortally injured person, but at the price of having a cursed life from that moment on. Firenze suggests Voldemort drank the unicorn’s blood to gain enough strength to make the elixir of life from the Philosopher’s Stone, and regain full health by drinking that. A few weeks later, Harry learns from Hagrid that the dragon egg was given to him by a hooded stranger who had asked him how to get past the three-headed dog, which Hagrid had admitted was easy – music sends it to sleep. Realising that one of the Philosopher’s Stone’s defences is no longer secure, Harry goes to inform Professor Dumbledore, only to find that the headmaster has just left for a meeting in London. Harry concludes that Snape faked the message that called Dumbledore away and will try to steal the Stone that night. Covered by the Invisibility Cloak, Harry and his two friends go to the three-headed dog’s chamber, where Harry sends the beast to sleep by playing a flute. After lifting the trap-door, they encounter a series of obstacles, each of which requires special skills possessed by one of the three, and one of which requires Ron to sacrifice himself in a game of wizard’s chess. In the final room Harry, now alone, finds Quirrell rather than Snape. Quirrell admits that he let in the troll and that he tried to kill Harry during the first Quidditch match. Snape had been trying to protect Harry all along. Quirrell serves Voldemort and, after failing to steal the Philosopher’s Stone from Gringotts, allowed his master to possess him in order to improve their chances of success. However, the only other object in the room is the Mirror of Erised, and Quirrell can se e no sign of the Stone. At Voldemort’s bidding, Quirrell forces Harry to stand in front of the Mirror. Harry feels the Stone drop into his pocket and tries to stall. Quirrell removes his turban, revealing the face of Voldemort on the back of his head. Voldemort/Quirrell tries to grab the Stone from Harry, but simply touching Harry causes Quirrell’s flesh to burn. After further struggles, Harry passes out. He awakes in the school hospital, where Professor Dumbledore tells him that he survived because his mother sacrificed her life to protect him, and Voldemort could not understand the power of such love. Voldemort left Quirrell to die and is likely to return by some other means. The Stone has now been destroyed. Harry returns to the Dursleys for the summer holiday, but does not tell them that under-age wizards are forbidden to use magic outside Hogwarts.