Kuwait and the Global Economy Example

Essays on Kuwait and the Global Economy Term Paper Kuwait and the Global Economy Source: Background s – Kuwait, Exports, the birth of Kuwait-style democracy, and economic policy determination Prior to the exploitation of oil, the Kuwaiti economy was seminomadic, with the people’s subsistence based in part on the caravan trade, agriculture, fish, and pearls. The global economic depression had a strong negative influence in Kuwait towards the latter half of the 1920s. Prior to this, Kuwait was world-renowned for its pearling industry and exported as many as 800 shiploads of pearls each year. When the depression set in, however, the demand for pearls and other luxury products suddenly fell, causing the Kuwaiti economy to suffer. At the same time, Japan developed a cultured pearl industry that captured the market away from Kuwait, and a trade embargo imposed by Saudi Arabia forced numerous people out of work (Casey, 2007, p.54). Due to subsequent widespread discontent with the economic and taxation policies of Sheikh Ahmad, a politico-economic opposition called the Majlis Movement was formed by the influential merchant families. This eventually forced the sheikh to make concessions and establish a consultative council, comprised of four members of the Al-Sabah family, nine members from the elite merchant families, and headed by Sheikh Salem. This was the birth of the fledgling democratic processes that would later contribute to the development of Kuwait (Casey, 2007, p.57). Today, the country is a constitutional hereditary emirate. The struggles between the duly elected National Assembly and the royally appointed government have caused certain delays in such programs as economic diversification, but this system at least creates a power equilibrium between the traditional monarchy and the popular will (PRS, 2010, p.U-1). Economic Developments in Kuwait While oil exploration in the region had begun decades earlier, it was not until the establishment of the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), a firm jointly held with the British government, in the early thirties that oil exploration in Kuwait began in earnest. By 1938, the KOC had struck upon one of the world’s largest and most productive oil fields, and today comprises about 20 per cent of the world’s known oil reserves. While initially much of oil revenues were repatriated to London, the Al-Sabah family were gradually able to negotiate a higher retention of oil revenues in Kuwait. By 1976, Kuwaiti oil production was nationalized (Casey, 2007, p. 59). Public services infrastructure Having gained independence from the British in 1961, the country benefitted from a succession of sheikhs who undertook a proactive approach to economic development. Half of all revenues went to public projects, infrastructure improvements, and the enhancement of government services. The other half went to the Al-Sabah family as owners of the land. During the 12 year reign of Amir Al Sabah until 1977, Kuwait enjoyed unprecedented prosperity, converting into a highly developed state with all the modern means of transportation and communication (State Department, 2007, p.1133). Because of this proactive approach, bold projects were embarked upon, such as the design and development in the 1950s of large desalination plants. Today Kuwait is the world leader in the production of potable water (Casey, 2007, p.60). Kuwaiti mega-projects also continue to this day. Slated for 2011 and onwards are the creation of Silk City (a business center), a large container port, a 25-kilometer causeway, ex panded rail system, housing, schools, and tourism-related establishments (PRS, 2010, p. U-1). Development of the local labor force The eventual overwhelming reliance on oil, however, drew interest away from developing other economic sectors (e.g. agriculture, herding and fishing). More people felt it more convenient to avail of the high-salaried guaranteed employment in government than engage in private enterprise. Furthermore, because of the benefits afforded by the Kuwaiti welfare system (which provided free health care and education for the people), many citizens found little incentive to work at all. There is therefore a large, highly diverse immigrant work force in the country upon which the country relies for much of its service industries (Casey, 2007, pp. 61-62), accounting for about 85 per cent of all employees (PRS, 2010, p. 8). Reforms are being adopted to address these concerns, however. Programs in training, education and healthcare have been adopted to enhance the quality of the domestic labor force, as well as the promulgation of a new labor law in 2009 (PRS, 2011, p.U-2). Laws have also been prom ulgated to regulate the importation of unnecessary foreign labor; presently, some 70,000 are in Kuwait on illegal residency permits (p.9). Foreign aid, investments, and international relations The government amended it tax laws in 2007 to peg foreign capital tax rate at 15% from what formerly ranged from 0% to 55%, in a bid to attract more investments. On the other hand, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) has been a source of financial and technical assistance to 16 Arab, 40 African, 35 Asian and European and 11 Latin American countries. It has granted a total of 793 loans valued at $15.4 billion since its start (Background Notes: Kuwait). Kuwait greatly values its regional and global affiliations, being a member of the United Nations, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, African Development Bank (AFDB), Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU), Group of 77 (G-77), Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and a host of many others (State Dept., 2007, p.1137). The country exerts great efforts in securing allies worldwide, specifically in the UN Security Council, ever since it was liberated from the Iraqi invasion and control. Corruption and bureaucratic impediments Despite a law criminalizing bribery and other inducements that has resulted in several investigations and trials, so far there has been no conviction since the Gulf War in 1991. The proliferation of corruption is largely due to Kuwait’s frequently lengthy procurement process. Transparency International rated Kuwait 65th out of a total of 180 countries in its 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI); Kuwait’s CPI rating of 4.3 out of 10 indicated the existence of â€Å"a serious corruption problem,† according to Transparency International (PRS, 2010, p. 7-8). Bibliography Background Notes on Countries of the World: Kuwait. (2011) Superintendent of Documents. From Business Source Complete. EBSCO Industries, Inc. 3/7/2011 Business Monitor International, Ltd. (2011) â€Å"Kuwait Security Overview.† Kuwait Defence Security Report Q3 2011. From Business Source Complete. EBSCO Industries, Inc. Casey, M.S. (2007) The History of Kuwait. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (2011) â€Å"Kuwait,† The World Factbook. Accessed 1 October 2011 from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ku.html U.S. State Department (2007) Kuwait and Its Leaders. From Business Source Complete. EBSCO Industries, Inc. Political Risk Services (PRS) Group, Inc. Kuwait Country Report, 1 Sept 2010.

Saving the Children Free Essays

Throughout history children have been deliberately killed, abused, and neglected by rulers, society or parents. Child abuse is an injury or pattern of injuries to a child that is not accidental. According to the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, in 1995 about 2. We will write a custom essay sample on Saving the Children or any similar topic only for you Order Now 9 million children in the United States were reported as abused or neglected to government agencies that investigate child abuse. Child abuse can be hard to recognize sometimes because it is often under the name of spanking or discipline ( According to the National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse, par. 1). Even when the state takes children away from parents because of the severity of the abuse, parents sometimes deny that they did anything wrong (par. 2). But when does discipline become abuse? According to Utah State law, if you spank a child too hard and he/she gets a bruise, that technically counts as an incidence of child abuse (par. 2). Refraining from physical punishment, as practiced by parents and recommended by children psychologist today, would have shocked parents of earlier times (Murdock 7). Before the 1960 s parental discipline often took the form of physical punishment. When spankings became beatings physical abuse prevailed (7). Child abuse does not only consist of physical abuse. There are several types of child abuse, and unfortunately, some children experience more than one. Physical abuse includes deliberate acts of violence that injure or even kill a child. Unexplained bruises, broken bones, or burn marks on a child may be signs of physical abuse. The average age of victims of physical child abuse is eight years old (Wallace 33). Twenty-seven percent of all child maltreatment cases involve physical abuse. Three percent of these cases involve life-threatening injuries such as poisoning, fractures, or brain damage. Fourteen percent involve minor injuries, including bruises, cuts or shaking. The remaining eleven percent are unspecified injuries (33). The data is probably a low estimate of the true incidence of abuse since there is no exact method of determining unreported cases. Sexual abuse occurs when adults use children for sexual gratification ( According to the National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse, par. ). Sexual abuse may begin with kissing or fondling and progress to more intrusive sexual acts, such as oral sex and vaginal or anal penetration. Experts estimate that one out of every three or four girls and one out of every seven to ten boys below the age of eighteen are violated (Murdock 11). Other acts that use children as sexual objects, such as, child pornography and subjecting children to view sexual acts committed by adults, are also include in the definition of child sexual abuse (Gitterman 346). The US Department of Health and Human Services categorizes sexual abuse into three groups: intrusion (evidence of actual penile penetration), molestation with genital contact (acts where some form of actual genital contact had occurred), and other or unknown sexual abuse (unspecified acts not known to have involved actual genital contact: e. g. , fondling of breasts or buttocks, exposure) (11). Mary Pipher, the author of Reviving Ophelia, states in her book that she had seen a bumper sticker on a young man s car that read: If I don t get laid soon somebody s gonna get hurt (Pipher 219). This is the sick society we live in, on any given day in America, 480 women and children will be forcibly raped, 5,760 women will be assaulted by a male intimate partner and four women and three children will be murdered by a family member (219). Emotional abuse, another type of child abuse, destroys a child s self-esteem and undermines his confidence (Landau 36). Such abuse commonly includes repeated verbal abuse of a child in the form of shouting, threats, and degrading or humiliating criticism (36). Other types of emotional abuse are confinement, such as isolation or denying a child friends (39). The most common form of child abuse is neglect. Neglect makes up almost half of the confirmed cases of child abuse in the 1990 s ( According to the National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse, par. 1). Physical neglect involves a parent s failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, or medical care to a child (par. 1). About fifty-five percent of children who are mistreated suffer from severe neglect (Morales, par. 6). These are very young children who are abandoned or left alone for more than forty-eight hours, aren t fed, do not receive needed medical treatment, or are not sent to school for days at a time (par. ). Emotional neglect occurs when a parent or caretaker fails to meet a child s basic need for attention and comfort. According to a study done by the US Department of Health and Human Services, 223,000 children or 3. 5 per 1,000 suffer from emotional neglect ( Murdock 103). Emotional neglect can also be in the form of overprotective restrictions that further immaturity and emotional overdependence. Young adults who have been abused often confuse the concept of the family. To them, violence, anger, and fear are common. They may also confuse love with violence r love with sex. Because of these family distortions some victims have a hard time receiving help (Jacklitsch Powers 24). The consequences of child abuse are unfortunate. A child assaulted by a parent loses self-respect, hope, and trust and with no choice available, resorts to doing what they were taught, the only thing they know, abuse (Fong 27). The psychological effects of abuse include depression, low self-esteem, loss of trust, anxiety, denial, problems with establishing intimacy, feelings of futurelessness, and family distortion (Jaklitsch Powers 20-28). Confirmed by several studies, researchers have demonstrated that depression is one of the most commonly reported symptoms by adults who were sexually abused as children (21). Low self-esteem, as well, is a symptom among young people. They approach situations feeling inferior and are afraid to hope (22). A loss of trust is also common. Experiences with their own parental figures has taught them not to count on adults for support, guidance, or protection (22). Maltreated teenagers are filled with anger caused by years of pain and rejection. They become afraid when under stress of minor frustrations. Underneath the anger is pain, which makes these young people particularly vulnerable to additional disappointment and mistreatment (23). Denial is a natural response to painful experiences. Some of the behaviors in which these young people hide their denial are through drugs, alcohol, constant listening to music, sexual activity and aggression (23). Establishing intimacy is difficult for maltreated adolescents because their feelings were often discounted. They must realize that they are not responsible for their maltreatment 23-24). Many abused children feel hopeless. They have little faith in the future because they have learned to expect little or nothing of what they hoped for as children (24). A great deal of abuse happens secretly in the privacy of people s homes. Too often we only hear about the most sensationalized cases of abuse: those that reach television, radio, and newspapers (Landau 12). However, more subtle forms of abuse take place in households around the world on a daily basis (13). Why are so many children severely neglected and abused by those responsible for their care? Research has clearly revealed that child abuse is not associated with race or ethnicity in this country. The strongest correlating factor is poverty. However, abuse is found at all socioeconomic levels (Morales, par. 8). Parents who live on less than $15,000 a year are more likely to abuse their children than those who earn more than $30,000 per year (par. 8). Drug and alcohol abuse is also highly associated with child abuse. As a group, the largest number of children who are abused or neglected grew up having one or more alcoholic parents (Murdock 90). Substance abuse undermines adults ability to function in many areas, including parenting, work, and personal life (Morales, par. 9). There is also a strong relationship between stress and violent physical outburst directed at youngsters who are at the wrong place at the wrong time. Abusive mothers report high levels of parental-stress which they claim is brought about by their child s poor compliance with behavior-directed instructions and their own tolerance levels towards their child s behavior (Busby 47). Stress that is brought on by a variety of conditions raises the risk of child abuse within a family. These conditions include unemployment, illness, poor housing conditions, a larger-than-average-family size, the presence of a new baby, a disabled person in the home, or the death of a family member, but as always, families living in poverty make up the majority of reported child abuse cases. An important resource to help manage personal stress is the support of others e. g. , a spouse, relative, or friend (Morales, par. 10). Sexual abuse is driven by several destructive factors. Often, the perpetrator was sexually victimized as a child or youth and, unlike others, did not heal from the experience. The result frequently is distorted sexual drives and emotional needs. Divorce and single parenting expose children to other men who do not have a biological or long term commitment to youngsters well-being. Not to mention the erotic society that we live in which includes some men who have not learned or found a way to manage their sexual needs (par. 11). We must make an effort to prevent child abuse before it occurs. The process through which children are taken out of their homes and placed in the care of their economically poor relatives (usually grandparents), which occurs in almost fifty percent of cases, is a weak solution. It is costly, oftentimes leaves children in a state of emotional instability, and adds economic strain to the financially poor grandparents who are trying to raise their kin; and generally it is too late to prevent permanent damage to the child from years of abuse (Morales par. 15). The only hope in preventing much of this is for society to set an expectation for prospective and new parents to prepare themselves for the role. Parenting must be taken on with the utmost responsibility (par. 16). Next, private and public organizations, such as, churches, YMCA s community colleges, and city-funded community centers, could create family resource centers where parents could find practical information on parenting, classes for parents and kids, as well as childbirth classes (par. 17). Fortunately, some parenting programs have already been established. According to the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse (NCPCA), child maltreatment is a complex problem with a multitude of causes, an approach to prevention must respond to a range of needs (Donnelly, par. 1). The NCPCA has devised a strategy that consists of a variety of community-based programs to prevent child abuse. Hopefully, these programs will provide parents and children with the education and support necessary for healthy family functioning (par. 1). Some of the prevention programs include the prenatal support program. Its purpose is to prepare individuals for the job of parenting. Currently, home visitation is the most innovative prevention program used in approaching the difficulties of educating and supporting the at-risk-family (par. 3). Treatment for abused children include therapeutic day school programs as well as day hospital programs, residential programs, and home and clinical setting treatment. These programs concentrate on improving the emotional and developmental skills of younger children and psychodynamic treatment for children in older age groups (par. ). Child abusers must be stopped, closely monitored or removed from society before any more young people are damaged for life. While hospitals, schools, and community agencies have a critical role in preventing child abuse, they cannot do it alone. Educational campaigns are necessary to make the public aware of how severe child abuse is and how individuals can make a difference. The effectiveness of diminishing child abuse will only be realized when there is a fully aware public committed to preventing child abuse. How to cite Saving the Children, Essay examples

Wars And Stones Essays - The Wars, Stones, Horror, World War I

Wars And Stones Everyone is faced with struggles in life, whether physical or emotional. These struggles inevitably shape an individual's personality and outlook on life. Timothy Findley's novels, The Wars and Stones, suggest that the consequences of struggles in life result in a journey of self- discovery. War exists in the character's physical and psychological accounts of the horror of life. In the novel The Wars, Robert Ross actually goes to war and fights in World War I . In the novel Stones, Minna Joyce encounters a war in her life as a child, trying to survive on the streets. These physical encounters with war lead to a psychological change in the characters and their perception of living. Robert and Minna's experiences make them want to escape and help others overcome the terrible war, in their own lives. Furthermore, experiencing these struggles leads to the character's ultimate realization and self-discovery of life and of themselves. The horrors of war which Robert endures are instrumental in his psychological change. Minna's experiences in life, in death and her internal struggles, lead her on a journey of self-discovery. In the novel The Wars, Robert Ross is a sensitive nineteen year old boy who experiences first-hand the horrors of battle as a Canadian Soldier in the First World War. Being named a Lieutenant shortly after arriving in Europe, Robert is thrust into combat. While advancing to the front with his troops Robert witnesses his first images of the brutality of war: He was taking his troops to the front and they were walking along a road that had been shelled and there was a soldier lying dead by the road whose head had been smashed. It was an awful shock. The first dead man he'd seen. (The Wars 99) Robert has not yet experienced anything that could prepare him for the conditions he faces. In 2 this instance, Robert experiences brutality for the first time, in the form of a dead body which has been gruesomely wounded. The shock of seeing a dead body can be very disturbing to any individual, and not even an experienced veteran could be prepared for the horrific sight Robert endures here. Minna Joyce, a writer in the novel Stones, also experiences and reacts to the horrors of life. Minna's war is not like the World War in which Robert participates, but is a struggle with everyday life in the large city of Toronto. Minna witnesses horrific sights on Queen Street: ... with all its resident rubbies and gentle crazies, dressed in all weathers in their summer coats .... ..... and their eyes as crafty and innocent all at once as the eyes of bears.... (Stones 11) Minna Joyce experiences the harsh reality of individuals who have nothing, and are forced to live on the streets of downtown Toronto. Minna was brought up in an area of the city inhabited by many homeless people, or?artists?as she calls them, a little less horrifying. The thought of having to watch the people suffer is horrifying to her. The war of life is apparent in the challenges that both Minna and Robert are faced with in their lives. One of the most notable events which Robert faces is trench warfare during the First World War. After being sent away with a small battalion to begin the digging of another trench, Robert comes back to the front to find the trench destroyed and his comrades dead. When they made their way back through the trench there was nothing left alive. They had all been gassed or had frozen to death. Those who lay in water were profiled in ice. Everything was green: their faces ? and their fingers ? and their buttons and the snow. (The Wars 146) 3 In this situation, Robert witnesses many of the horrific ways in which soldiers were killed during the First World War. Snow and the bitterly cold weather attributed to many Canadian soldiers' deaths during World War One, and nearly one thousand men died from frost bite alone. The sight of his friends frozen dead in the water is terrifying, and to look down and see another soldier in the ice with his entire body green is a gruesome image. One of the most popular and deadly tactics used by the Germans during World War One was chlorine gas, which Robert was lucky to survive. He is subjected to the poison when it was sent up into the atmosphere which produced huge masses of chlorine gas clouds. These clouds made their way across

The Crucible Essays

The Crucible Essays The Crucible Essay The Crucible Essay I would direct Mary to say this in a pleading and terrified force, and I would direct her to lean forward and back a little once saying it, so it looks like she wants to reach out and grab Abigail. This conveys to the audience that Mary is petrified of Abigail and she knows what Abigail is doing. After this, Mercy steps forward out of the crowd of girls on stage and starts chattering her teeth and puts her arms out to show her shaking hands and looks at Danforth and Yells : Your Honour, I freeze! in a distinctive shivering voice. This conveys to the audience that Mercy wants the judges to believe Abigail, and shows that Mercy has understood Abigails hint to start seeing the devil. When Mary says her next line, I would direct Mary to do the line: Lord, save me! in a crying out loud motion, and I would direct her to fall to the floor by her knees starting to bend, and I would direct proctor to grab her underarms and lift her back up. This conveys to the audience that Mary doesnt have anything to do with what Abigail is doing, and she feels like she has no hope left in her, and that only the lord can save her. Danforth then looks directly at Mary and says: Mary Warren, do you with her? I say to you, do you send your spirit out? I would direct Danforth to look at Abigail before he says the line and then to look directly at Mary, this shows to the audience that he had noticed what is going on and is being biased about what he is saying. When Danforth is saying his lines I would direct him to say Mary Warren in a gruff tone, and once he has said her name he looks back at Abigail and then sharply turns his head back to Mary and gives pointy eyes (commonly known as e vils) to Mary. The he also says the line in a direct accusation tone. This shows the audience that Danforth believes Mary and he is frightening her. Once Abigail has said her line : oh, heavenly father, take away this shadow I would direct Proctor to leap forward, letting go of Mary, and grabs Abigail by the hair, and falls upon Danforths desk and then pulls himself up, still gripping her hair, and pulls her to her feet viciously, while Abigail screams in pain, and turns Abigail to face him (all of this would be a side view of the two inn front of the audience, so the audience can see what proctor is doing to Abigail) and he lets go of her hair, but with one hand still holding it tightly, and the other hand grabbing the bottom of her chin and he lifts her chin up and yells : How do you call heaven, Whore! Whore! This expresses to the audience that Proctor has lost his temper with Abigail, and is taking out his aggression on what she has done on her and is willing to lose his good mans reputation for it, to prove to the court that Abigail is capable of anything. Once Proctor and Abigail have been separated, Proctor should say his next line: It is a whore in a breathless and agonising way, and he should bend down and place his hands on his knees. This shows that he put all his effort into attacking Abigail and is now tired out. On the line: John, you cannot say such a - I would direct Francis to look horrified about what Proctor has just said about Abigail, and makes big hand gestures while saying it to show his emotion in what he is saying. This suggests to the audience that he doesnt want Proctor to say that Abigail is a whore, and it shows that he doesnt believe what Proctor has just said and that he doesnt believe that a child could be capable of it. I would direct proctor to look up, with his head held high, gripping his fists and trying to keep back the tears and says : in the proper place, where my beasts are bedded. On the last night of my joy, some eight months past. She used to serve me in my house, sir. (He has to clamp his jaw to stop him from weeping) A man may think that God sleeps, but God sees everything, I know it now, I beg you, sir, I beg you see her what she is. My wife, my dear good wife, took this girl soon after, sir, and put her put on the highroad. And being what she is, a lump of vanity, sir (he is being overcome. ) Excellency, forgive me. (Angrily against himself, he turns away from the Governor for a moment. Then as though to cry is his only means of speech left) she thinks to dance with me on my wifes grave! And well she might, for I thought of her softly. God help me, I lusted, and there is a promise in such sweat. But it is a whores vengeance, and you must see it; I set myself entirely in your hands. I know you must see it now. Where the words are in italics, this is when I would direct proctor to nearly break down in tears, and show his true emotion; and the words that are in bold I would direct him to say these words distinctively. This communicates with the audience that Proctor is deeply ashamed of himself and is desperately trying to get through to the judge about what Abigail is like. After Proctors heart wrenching speech, I would direct Danforth to look at Abigail disappointingly, and then Abigail would say her line turning back to Danforth and stepping towards him saying in a sharp tone : what look do you give me? I would direct Danforth to look stunned at this point) Ill not have such looks. (she turns for the door) By Abigail saying this in a sharp tone, and Danforth being stunned, it conveys to the audience that Abigail is still manipulating Danforth and that Danforth is now starting to believe Proctor. Once Elizabeth has entered on page 90, I would direct Elizabeth to say her first line: Good, sir very faintly. This conveys to the audience that Elizabeth has been treated badly in the prison and has poor health. I would then direct Elizabeth to try to get proctors attention while saying: she were - I would direct her to glance in proctors direction, with a tear in her eye, and she would say the line very timidly. This conveys to the audience that Elizabeth doesnt know how to answer the question as she does not know if her husband wants her to tell them or not. When Elizabeth says the line Oh God! I would direct her to attempt to look back at proctor and for her to break down in tears. This conveys to the audience that she lied for Proctor not realising that he didnt want her to lie for him. After all this drama on stage, I would direct Hale to say his line a very demanding way. When he says the line: I believe him! (Pointing to Abigail. ) This girl has always struck me false! She has - I would direct him to quickly point at Abigail, using his whole arm and will walk to towards her before he finishes the sentence. This shows the audience that Hale believes Proctor and is trying to show the court what is really happening and that he is trying to convince the court to believe Proctor. When Abigail screams and says the line: You will not! Begone! Begone I say! In a very scared manner; I would direct Abigail to thrust her arms back and to look up at the ceiling while saying the line, but just before she says the line I would direct her to make a weird, wild and chilling cry. When Danforth asks Abigail what is the matter, I would direct Abigail to point at the ceiling with fear, and moves her head to face Danforth, and her eyes look frightened, with her face terribly awed, and then she looks at the girls, and they all do the same as what she was doing previously, and then Abigail looks up at the ceiling again. This conveys to the audience that Abigail is telling the girls to look up at the ceiling as something is there. When Proctor says the line : Do you see a bird I would direct him to say this in a confused way, to show that hes not sure if a real small bird is there or not. This conveys to the audience that only the girls can see the bird. On the line: Abby, Im here! I would direct Mary to be yelling this at Abigail while leaning forward a little, as if to go near her, whilst with both hands clenched on her heart. This conveys to the audience that Mary is desperate for Abby to stop it and that Mary isnt doing anything wrong. When all the girls say: Abby you mustnt I would direct all their eyes to fixed wide open. This creates a dramatic effect on stage and conveys to the audience that their actions have something to do with their plan with the devil. Mary then yells: Abby and I would direct her to have tears rolling down her cheeks, but not hysterically, and for her to stamp her feet like a little child desperate to get what she wants. This conveys to the audience again that Mary is desperate for Abigail to stop otherwise if the judges believe Abigail and the girls; Mary could face a death sentence for it. On the line: Look out! Shes coming down! I would direct all the girls to look up before that line and once the line is said, all the girls should shriek and run to wall on stage where the judges are not positioned. I would also direct the cover the eyes using a cross shape with their hand, with the palms facing outwards, like a shield before their eyes. The girls all scream, and then I would direct Mary to look around the courtroom, to look frightened, and close her eyes with her fists clenched, and for her to let out the loudest scream she possibly can, and as soon as this happens I would direct the girls screams to slowly fade and for them to un-shield their eyes, so everyone in the courtroom is watching Mary screaming. Then I would direct proctor to run towards her and to grab her by the shoulders. This suggests to the audience that Mary got to scared and joined Abigails side, and that Proctor is astonished by what Mary has just done. After that, I would direct that Mary pulls away from proctor and stops screaming, but turns to face him and slowly backs away shrieking: My name, he want my name (I would direct Mary to look at Danforth sympathetically and then turn back round) Ill murder you he say, if my wife hangs! we must go and overthrow the court he says! Then I would direct Danforths head to jerk towards proctor, with the most shock and horror on his face. This conveys to the audience that the girls are definitely lying because the audience knows that Proctor never said any of the things that Mary has accused him of. When Danforth says to Proctor: What are you? (Proctor is beyond speech to his anger. You are combined with anti- Christ, are you not? I have seen your power, you will not deny it! What say you, Mister? I would direct Danforth to say the first part of the passage in a disappointed way, as if to show that he is disgusted by what Proctor has become; I would then direct him to say the second bit of the passage in a disgraced and angry way. This conveys to the audience that Danforth believes the girls over what Proctor and Hales say. Hale goes extra mad at this and yells extremely loudly so all the members of the court turn to look at him: I denounce these proceedings! this conveys to the audience that Hale believes Proctor and wants to stop what the court is doing.

Enigmas, Puzzles, and Riddles

Enigmas, Puzzles, and Riddles Enigmas, Puzzles, and Riddles Enigmas, Puzzles, and Riddles By Maeve Maddox On the day of the Iowa Caucus, pollster Ann Selzer made the following comment about Donald Trump: He’s just this riddle inside a puzzle. I immediately thought of Winston Churchill’s oft-repeated comment about Russia at the beginning of World War II: a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. I couldn’t help wondering if Ms. Selzer chose the word puzzle because she felt that the general American public in 2016 were less likely to understand the word enigma than a general British public in 1939. But, I’m probably being uncharitable. Puzzle is a valid synonym for enigma, although not nearly as classy. Enigma is from Latin aenigma, â€Å"a riddle or a mystery.† The Latin noun is from a Greek verb meaning, â€Å"to speak allusively or obscurely.† Riddle is a word inherited from German. In Old English, riddle was the usual English translation of Latin aenigma and referred to what modern speakers, especially children, mean by riddle: â€Å"a question or statement intentionally phrased to require ingenuity in ascertaining its answer or meaning. For example, â€Å"How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?† Puzzle is of unknown origin. Its earliest English use was as a verb meaning, â€Å"to cause a person to be at a loss what to do; to create difficulties for someone.† The verb came to have several meanings, including these: to cause someone to feel confused because they cannot understand something. to perplex or bewilder the brain. to be at a loss how to act or decide to search in a bewildered or perplexed way The noun puzzle is derived from the verb and means â€Å"a perplexing question or a difficult problem.† It can also signify â€Å"a person who is difficult to understand.† Note: Selzer’s remark referred not so much to the man, but to his apparently inexplicable popularity with â€Å"moderate and mainstream† Republicans as well as with extremists. English has numerous words to convey something that is baffling or mentally challenging. Here are some others: mystery conundrum paradox quandary brainteaser Most are near synonyms. All imply something baffling or challenging, but they carry different connotations. A mystery invites speculation. A conundrum, like a riddle, is often phrased as a question. The answer usually involves a play on words or a twist in thinking. For example: What is greater than God, more evil than the devil, the poor have it, the rich need it, and if you eat it, youll die? (Answer: Nothing) A paradox seems absurd, but in reality expresses a certain truth. For example, â€Å"Youth is wasted on the young.† A quandary is a state of extreme perplexity. A person or a group is said to be â€Å"in a quandary,† as in this headline from The Gaffney Ledger: â€Å"Council still in a quandary over healthcare insurance.† Of the three words in the title of this post, puzzle is most frequent in a Google search (296,000,000), riddle next (140,200,000), and enigma last (64,400,000). The figure for enigma is no doubt inflated because of the popularity of the word in the entertainment industry. References to the German â€Å"enigma machine† probably also account for some of the results. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund Phrases"Have" vs "Having" in Certain ExpressionsWood vs. Wooden

Master Budget Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Master Budget - Essay Example The first and foremost step in developing the master budget is the sales forecast in terms of quantities and values of products. After considering the opening and closing inventory levels, the production quantities are determined which is known as the production budget. The production budget is further divided into the direct materials purchases and usage, direct labor and factory overhead budgets. Likewise the indirect material and labor, other factory overheads, cost of manufacturing, cost of goods sold, ending inventory of finished goods, selling, administrative and operating expenses are budgeted. Finally, the cash budget is prepared in which cash receipts and disbursements are determined. The process ends with the completion of the Pro Forma Income Statement, Pro Forma Statement of Cash flows and Pro Forma Balance Sheet. Zero based budgeting is a method of budgeting where all expenditures are justified and every department function is reviewed comprehensively rather than only gauging the increases. The reasons for adopting a zero based budget are that it results in efficient allocation of resources, it helps detecting inflating budgets, cost effective ways to improve operations are determined, it increases the staff motivation and provides an initiative for decision making, it is highly useful for departments where the output is not identifiable, it identifies outsourcing opportunities, removes wastage and outdated operations, communication and coordination within the organization becomes more efficient, and the task of cost centers and their relationship to the overall goals are identified. Question 2 Usually a budget also contains non-financial information. This information is used to explain the financial information, qualify it and divide the financial information into sub information. Types of Non-Financial Information Information like the quality of the resources, quantity of the resource required, procedure for calculation and the mechanism is generally included. In some cases the workload on the employees and the human resources required to do the job is often included. This information is used injunction with the financial details and helps to clarify the budget. Calculation of Financial Information using Non-Financial Information Non-Financial information is used commonly to calculate the financial information. For example the quality of a certain product can be divided into 4 classes and each class is allocated a weightage. The price of the product will be multiplied with the weighted average of the product to give the actual total price. Another example can be the quantity of wood required to manufacture 1000 units of chairs. This will be calculated by first finding the number of planks of wood a truck of tree gives. Then the quality of wood will be quantified to manufacture one unit of chair and finally the total cost will be found out. Thus non-financial information is usually necessary to calculate financial information. Advantages of Including Non-Financial Information in Budgets The benefit of using non-financial information in the budgets is that it makes the employees aware of the goals and objectives expected. These goals are set by using the non-financial inf

The pricing decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The pricing decision - Essay Example These situations include new product promotion, test marketing, countering competition or predatory pricing, promotion of associated products and cost plus contracts. Fazlzadeh, Mohammadi & Sepehrfar (2011, p. 66) state â€Å"Setting optimal prices, however, is a complex problem in general and is particularly challenging in industrial or B2B market settings, where purchase prices of products and services typically vary from one customer account to another as prices are negotiated and modified from list prices in the course of the purchase process†. Based on the purpose, marginal, differential or total costing method would be adopted in pricing. The pricing strategies also vary according to the type of market such as monopoly, monopolistic or oligopoly. The strategy of skimming the market or the policy of ‘what the traffic will bear’ in the case of products backed up with IPRs are not uncommon in the market place. Also, pricing strategy for the same product by the same company varies based on the usage or purpose. For instance LPG cylinder used for commercial purposes could be costlier than the LPG used for domestic purposes. This paper seeks to discuss about various strategies adopted by businesses in pricing decisions. Why pricing decision is important? The strategic importance of pricing is many fold. Promotion Strategies (2010) states, â€Å"The  marketing promotion mix  is the use of the 4 P's. These are Product, Price, Place, and Promotion.  This system first appeared in 1949 and was developed by Philip Kotler†. The pricing is an important area in the management decision making, because profitability of any business hinges on right price for the product for making the most out of the prevailing economic situation and developments in technology, internet and telecommunications in the context of the business. Bayati & Makui (2011, p. 371) observe â€Å"Making an appropriate pricing and marketing strategy is a crucial managem ent issue in E-commerce†. The appropriate pricing strategy is adopted after analyzing the factors related to various pricing situations. Evidence – Chevrolet’s Spark Chevrolet has introduced the model ‘Spark’ for marketing in the developing countries, in the small car segment, which is not very popular in US or other developed countries. The price of the car is fixed at INR. 279,000 in India which works out to just US$ 6200 approximately. In the case of new products, in spite of the extensive market research on potential demand for the product, adopting a right pricing strategy is important to be competitive in the market. As it is a question of creating demand for the new product, pricing is the key to success in influencing the consumers’ decisions. Price sensitivity of the consumers is an important variable in the decision making process, and the proper positioning of the product in the market place and its rational pricing would stimulate demand for the product from the target consumers. The strategy should also ensure that the competitors are not tempted to introduce similar products in view of the attractive margin. This philosophy aims at sustainable growth in the long run. Therefore, the prices are fixed with a reasonable margin and at the same time not tempting the competitors to rush into this segment to spoil the first mover advantage. Argument for fixing prices at a lower level The pricing decision in this case is taken in the backdrop of uncertainties about the