Unity Among Student Scientists :: Personal Narrative Essays

Unity Among Student Scientists This summer I had the opportunity to attend the APEC Youth Festival in Singapore. On July 23, I arrived in San Francisco at the Marriott to gather with 19 other students from around the United States. The purpose of this gathering was to discuss our future trip to Singapore and to get acquainted with each other before we left. APEC stands for Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation. The purpose of the APEC Youth Festival is to bring unity among other student scientists from all around the world. Students who attended the Festival came from eleven different economies and all brought a unique culture with them. The festival included various activities, such as a cultural exchange, science and technology lectures, a youth science summit, a farewell party, and tons more. Every activity at the science festival was a learning experience. Two days of cultural performances were held, in which each of the economies put on a five-minute performance representing their culture. My favorite of these was the drum performance by the Koreans, but each of the dances by the many Asian cultures were equally good. And the U.S. economy's performance . . . who could forget about that? Did anyone really know what they were doing? Although the U.S. economy's cultural presentation definitely didn't turn out as expected, we gave the audience a good laugh and started a new craze among the other attendees: the shark song. The students' cultures were reflected not only in the two cultural presentations that were held, but also in the way they presented themselves at the conference. By attending the AYSF, I received a little taste of different cultures stretching all the way from Australia to Thailand. The real cultural experience came from the learning about the laws, languages and customs of Singapore. In Singapore, there are many laws that are strictly enforced, such as no chewing gum, no picking flowers, mandatory flushing of toilets and no bird feeding. The most outrageous law is the "no peeing in elevators" law. By the cleanliness of Singapore, one could tell the laws are enforced. In Singapore, just about every student that I had the opportunity to meet spoke two different languages. All spoke English and another Asian language. I had the opportunity to get to know students that spoke Chinese, Malay, Indonesian, Thai, and many more.

Heart of Darkness - Summary Essay -- essays research papers

Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness is based on Conrad’s firsthand experience of the Congo region of West Africa. Conrad was actually sent up the Congo River to an inner station to rescue a company agent who died a few days later aboard ship. The story is told by a seaman named Charlie Marlow and is rearranged through the thoughts of an unidentified listening narrator. This story, on level, is simply about a voyage into the heart of the Congo. On another level, it is about the journey into the soul of mankind. On a boat anchored in the Thames River outside London, a sailor named Marlow remarks to his friends that the land they’re standing on was once a place of darkness and an uncivilized wilderness. This contemplation leads him to remember an incident in his past when he commanded a steamboat on the Congo River. When retelling his story, Marlow is a young man anxious to see the unexplored African jungles. An influential aunt in obtains an position as captain of a Congo steamer for Marlow. But when he arrives at the Company's Outer Station in Africa, he's faced with a horrible display of black slavery and white greed and hostility. In a shady grove he discovers a crew of sickly African workers that have crawled away to die. He also meets the Company's chief accountant, who mentions a man named Kurtz who is a remarkable agent that has sent more ivory from the jungle than the other agents combined. Marlow's interest is perked in Kurtz and will eventually grow into an unhealthy obsession and become the focus of the story. After a difficult journey, Marlow arrives at the Company's Central Station where he learns that the steamer he was supposed to command has been destroyed in a wreck. He meets the local manager, who mentions Kurtz and says that Kurtz is assumed to be ill at his station up the river and that it's necessary to get to him as quickly as humanly possible. One night Marlow talks with one of the agents at the station, who speaks of Kurtz with great esteem and admiration but also with resentment at the talents that make him a likely candidate for a job promotion. He says that Kurtz is one of those types of men that have come to Africa not only to gain wealth, but with the notion of spreading enlightenment to the uneducated people. On another occasion, while na... ...ach his minion’s camp. Marlow and Kurtz make an intense departure the next day, surrounded by warriors who seem ready to attack under the leadership of a barbaric looking woman. But Marlow, again, sounds the whistle and frightens them away. As they sail back down the river on the vessel, Kurtz's life slowly slips away and on his deathbed he has a moment of enlightenment or a vision, and he cries out, "The horror! The horror!" before he dies. Marlow is also stricken by the fever that claimed Kurtz’ life and nearly dies. He survives the fever and returns to Brussels. Upon arriving in Brussels, he decides to visit Kurtz’s fiancà ©e to inform her of her intended’s passing. In mourning, she is heartbreakingly devoted to the memory of Kurtz, whom she thinks was noble and generous until the end of his life. She pleads with Marlow to relay to her Kurtz’s last words and Marlow simply cannot bear to tell her of Kurtz’s true nature or what really happened. And so, sparing her emotions and not finding it within himself to shatter her illusions: "The last word he pronounced was- your name," he says to her and she shrieks and collapses in tears.

Clause 49 – Listing Agreement

CORPORATE WORLD Clause 49 of Listing Agreement on Corporate Governance —Dilip Kumar Sen SEBI has revised Clause 49 of the Listing Agreement pertaining to corporate governance vide circular dated October 29, 2004, which supersedes all other earlier circulars issued by SEBI on this subject. The article highlights important changes in the corporate governance norms. C lause 49 of the Listing Agreement, which deals with Corporate Governance norms that a listed entity should follow, was first introduced in the financial year 2000-01 based on recommendations of Kumar Mangalam Birla committee.After these recommendations were in place for about two years, SEBI, in order to evaluate the adequacy of the existing practices and to further improve the existing practices set up a committee under the Chairmanship of Mr Narayana Murthy during 2002-03. The Murthy committee, after holding three meetings, had submitted the draft recommendations on corporate governance norms. After deliberations, SEBI accepted the recommendations in August 2003 and asked the Stock Exchanges to revise Clause 49 of the Listing recommendations and the same was put up on SEBI website on 15th December 2003 for public comments.It was only on 29th October 2004 that SEBI finally announced revised Clause 49, which will have to be implemented by the end of financial year 2004-05. These revised recommendations have also considerably diluted the original Murthy Committee recommendations. Areas where major changes were made include: ? Independence of Directors ? Whistle Blower policy ? Performance evaluation of nonexecutive directors ? Mandatory training of non-executive directors, etc. The changes in corporate governance norm as prescribed in the revised Clause 49 are as follows: A. Composition of BoardThe revised clause prescribes six tests, which a non-executive director needs to pass to qualify as an Independent Director. The existing requirement is that to qualify as an Independent Director, the di rector should not have, apart from receiving director’s remuneration, any other material pecuniary relationship or transactions with the company, its promoters, its management or its subsidiaries, which in the judgment of the Board may affect independence of judgment of the director. This requirement finds place in the revised clause also Agreement based on Murthy committee recommendations.This led to widespread protests and representations from the Industry thereby forcing the Murthy committee to meet again to consider the objections. The committee, thereafter, considerably revised the earlier The author is Vice President, Tata Tea Ltd. He can be reached at dilip. [email  protected] co. in THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 806 DECEMBER 2004 CORPORATE WORLD except that the relationship will now extend to its management, its holding company and its associates in addition to the existing list. Further the Board is no longer required to judge the independence status of a director as at present.Five new clauses have been added to determine independence of a director. These are: (i) He is not related to promoters or persons occupying management positions at the board level or at one level below the board; (ii) He has not been an executive of the company in the preceding three financial years; (iii) He is not a partner or an executive or was not partner or an executive during the preceding three years of (a) the statutory audit firm or the internal audit firm that is associated with the company; and (b) the legal and consulting firms that have a material association with the company. iv) He is not a material supplier, service provider or customer or a lessor or lessee of the company, and (v) He is not a substantial shareholder of the company owning two percent or more of the block of voting shares. The new tests of ‘independence’, the readers would recall, were mostly included in the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2003. The important and practical change t hat has now been made is addition of the word ‘material’ in item (iv) above. Without use of the word ‘material’, technically even a single supply or purchase by the director to or from the company would have taken away independence status if he/she was otherwise eligible.However, the word ‘material’ has not been defined. Nominee directors of Institutions are now to be considered as ‘Independent Director’. While on the subject of Independent Director one must remember that no one is invited to join a board to act as a nonexecutive director unless he/she is well known to the Promoters or the Chairman or the Managing Director. All non-executive directors, whether or not independent, need support of Promoter Group for their reelection. If the purpose or objective of having a specified number of independent directors on the boards of listed companies is to ensure that boards are notTwothird of the members of Audit committee shall be ind ependent directors as against the present requirement of majority being independent. packed with ‘yes-men’ or to ensure constructive criticism one needs to ponder how many independent directors can freely raise questions at board meetings. Is it right that a vast majority of them invariably support every proposal of management? Only a few persons who are eminent in their own fields may ask right questions, even if they look inconvenient, at board meetings but the majority may not muster enough courage to do so.It may therefore appear that no amount of regulation can ensure how an independent director should behave at board meetings. After all independence is a matter of attitude and a director who is conscious about his responsibilities, will always raise right questions at board meetings, whether or not he holds the independent status. The original recommendation of the Murthy Committee for mandatory training and updating of knowledge of directors has now been shifted to non-mandatory requirement, most probably in the face of strong opposition from industry.This indeed is sad as a vast majority of directors are in need of training in the business model of the company and for updating of knowledge. I do THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 807 DECEMBER 2004 CORPORATE WORLD believe that a beginning in this regard was immediately necessary. It may not be out of place to mention here that under the Listing requirements of UK all directors are mandatory required to regularly update and refresh their skills and knowledge. From the point of view of listed companies, a declaration should be obtained annually from all independent directors confirming compliance with all six conditions of independence.The CEO/CFO Certification is a new requirement and is based on Sarbanes Oxley Act of USA. Five new items have been added under nonmandatory requirements and the existing item on Postal ballot has been deleted. (ii) A code of Conduct for Board members and senior managemen t has to be laid down by the Board which should be posted on the website of the company. All Board members and senior management should affirm compliance with the code on annual basis and the annual report shall contain a declaration to this effect signed by the CEO. B.Non-Executive Directors’ compensation & disclosures A new requirement has been provided for obtaining prior approval of shareholders for payment of fees/compensation to non-executive directors. If there is stock option, the limit for the maximum number that can be granted to non-executive directors in any financial year and in aggregate should be disclosed. According to the Companies Act, 1956 fees paid to directors do not form part of Managerial remuneration and hence no approval of shareholders for payment of fees to directors is required.Listed companies will now need to obtain prior approval of shareholders for payment of sitting fees to directors. Unless the Government is contemplating to change the law an d bring sitting fees within the ambit of Managerial remuneration this contradiction should have been avoided. (v) Role of the Audit committee has been enlarged to include (a) matters required to be included in Directors’ Responsibility statement; (b) to review the functioning of Whistle Blower mechanism if the same is existing and (iii) review of performance of statutory and internal auditors. vi)The Audit committee will also mandatorily review (a) Management Discussion and Analysis of Financial condition and results of operations; (b) statement of significant related party transactions; (c) Management letters/letters of internal control weaknesses issued by t h e D. Audit Committee Following are the changes with regard to Audit Committee: (i) Two-third of the members of Audit committee shall be independent directors as against the present requirement of majority being independent; (ii) Earlier, only non-executive directors could be members of Audit committee. The revised cla use has omitted this requirement. iii) All members of the Audit committee shall be financially literate (as defined in the revised clause) as against the existing requirement of at least one member having financial and accounting knowledge. (iv) Minimum number of Audit committee meetings in a year increased to 4 from 3. C. Other provisions relating to Board (i) Gap between two meetings has been reduced to three months from four months ruling at present. statutory auditors; (d) Internal audit reports relating to internal control weaknesses, and (v) To review the appointment, removal and terms of remuneration of the Chief Internal Auditor.The Audit committee will no longer be required to review the company’s financial and risk management policies. Risk assessment and minimization procedures will now be reviewed by the Board. Listed companies should now THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 808 DECEMBER 2004 CORPORATE WORLD ascertain from their respective Audit committees the frequency of re porting related party transactions, frequency of discussing Management letters issued by the statutory auditors etc. drawn to the following: (a) Material non-listed Indian subsidiary has been mentioned only for Board representation.In respect of review of financial statements of unlisted subsidiary by the audit committee of holding company and placing of minutes and significant transactions entered into by subsidiary, it is significant that the words ‘material’ and ‘Indian’ solidated turnover or net worth respectively of the listed company and its subsidiaries. This definition is likely to exclude most of the unlisted subsidiaries as they are not likely to meet the turnover or net worth test. (c) Significant transaction or arrangement shall mean any individual transaction that exceeds 10% of the total revenues/expenses/assets/liabilities of the subsidiary.It is difficult to understand the logic of excluding subsidiaries incorporated abroad from the purview of representation on the board by an independent director. E. Subsidiary Companies These are new requirements, which provide for the following: (i) At least one indepen- T th he o m e ri in an M gin ha g o dat ur t al r m s f or hy ec pr an now kno y tr C om op ob dat b w ain o me in po ab or een led in mm nd de s ly y g g i a ed itio in re cha e o an tte tio qu n f d e n is n th g o sa fro e ire ed dir up fo f d. m fac me as ec da r i n e n t a n t o r tdu o f , o s st st mo nry ro s . T n t hi g s F.Disclosures Following new disclosure requirements have been specified in the revised clause 49: (i) Statement on transactions with related parties in the ordinary course of business shall be placed before the Audit committee periodically; (ii) Details of material individual transactions with related parties which are not in the normal course of business shall be placed before the Audit committee; and (iii) Details of material individual transactions with related parties or others, whic h are not on arm’s length basis should be placed before Audit committee together with management’s justification for the same.Here also, the word ‘material’ has not been defined. Listed companies should ascertain dent director on the Board of the holding company shall be a director on the board of a material non-listed Indian subsidiary company; (ii) The audit committee of the holding company shall review the financial statements, in particular, the investments made by the unlisted subsidiary company; (iii) The minutes of board meetings of the unlisted subsidiary company shall be placed at the board meeting of the holding company.The management should periodically bring to the attention of the holding company a statement of all significant transactions and arrangements entered into by the unlisted subsidiary company. Attention of the readers is have not been used. It can therefore be interpreted that board meeting minutes, financial statements and signific ant transactions of all unlisted subsidiaries whether incorporated in India or abroad are to be placed before the board of the holding company or to be reviewed by the audit committee of the holding company.Is this the intention? (b) Material non-listed Indian subsidiary shall mean an unlisted subsidiary, incorporated in India, whose turnover or net worth exceeds 20% of the con- THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 809 DECEMBER 2004 CORPORATE WORLD from their respective audit committees the frequency of reporting such transactions. (iv) Financial statements should disclose together with management’s explanation any accounting treatment different from that prescribed in Accounting Standard. v)The company will lay down procedures to inform board members about the risk assessment and minimization procedures which shall be periodically reviewed by the Board. (vi) The company shall disclose to the Audit committee on a quarterly basis the use of funds raised through public/ rights/preferential issues. Annually a statement showing use of funds for purposes other than those stated in Offer document/prospectus should be placed before the Audit committee. Such statement should be certified by the statutory auditors. vii) Under ‘Remuneration of Directors’ new disclosure requirements have been prescribed, which include criteria of making payments to nonexecutive directors, shares and convertible instruments held by non-executive directors and shareholding (both own and held on beneficial basis) of nonexecutive directors to be disclosed in the notice of general meeting called for approving appointment of such director. 2002-03. The revised Clause only requires CEO and CFO to certify to the Board the annual financial statements in the prescribed format.While this certification will certainly provide comfort to the non-executive directors and will indeed act as the basis for the Board to make Directors’ Responsibility Statement in terms of section 217(2AA) of the Companies Act, 1956, it is not clear why SEBI did not require the listed companies to include such certification in the Annual Report. While the new corporate governance norms are more stringent than the existing requirements it must be appreciated that while regulations in these areas are necessary, regulations per se cannot and will not ensure good corporate governance.H. Compliance Report The format of quarterly report to be submitted to the Stock Exchanges has been revised and the new format follows the revised requirements of Clause 49. The CEO or the Compliance officer can now sign the compliance report. The annual corporate governance report should disclose adoption or non-adoption of non-mandatory requirements. G. CEO/CFO Certification This is a new requirement and is based on the Sarbanes Oxley Act of USA. This had also been recommended by the Naresh Chandra Committee set up by the Centre in I. Non-mandatory requirementsFive new items have been added under non-mandatory require- ments and the existing item on Postal ballot has been deleted. The first new item states that Independent directors may not have tenure not exceeding in the aggregate a period of nine years on the Board of the company. The next item relates to companies moving towards a regime of unqualified audit report. The third item deals with training of board members in the business model of the company as well as risk profile of the business parameters of the company and responsibilities of directors and how best to discharge it.The fourth item deals with performance evaluation of non-executive directors by a peer group comprising the entire Board. The fifth item relates to setting up of a whistle blower policy in the company. While the new corporate governance norms are more stringent than the existing requirements it must be appreciated that while regulations in these areas are necessary, regulations per se cannot and will not ensure good corporate governance. Attention of readers is drawn towards the Report on Observance of Standards and Codes carried out under a joint programmed of World Bank and IMF.This report benchmarks the observance of corporate governance in India against the benchmark Principles of Corporate THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 810 DECEMBER 2004 CORPORATE WORLD Governance laid down by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The assessment team had extensively interviewed issuers, institutional investors, financial institutions, market analysts, lawyers, accountants and auditors. The report was also discussed by Government of India and cleared by the DEA for publication in June 2004. Following are the areas identified for reform in the World Bank report: a.Sanctions and enforcements: Sanctions and enforcements should be credible deterrents to help align business practices with the legal and regulatory framework, in particular with regard to related party transactions and insider trading. b. The current framework places the oversight of listed companies partly with DCA, partly with SEBI and partly with Stock exchanges. This fragmented structure gives rise to regulatory arbitrage and weakens enforcement. c. If boards are to move away from simply ‘rubber stamping’ the decisions of management or promoters they must have a clear understanding of what is expected from them.They should know their duties of care and loyalty to the company and all shareholders. They should know their responsibilities and should be familiar with the changes in this regard arising from changes in laws and regulations. A key missing ingredient is a strong focus on professionalism of directors. Director training institutes can play a key capacity building role and expand the pool of competent candidates. d. Institutional investors acting in a fiduciary capacity should be encouraged to form a comprehensive corporate governance policy including voting and board representation.It will be observed that the World Bank report has stressed the need of training and updating of knowledge of directors. Unfortunately the recommendation of Murthy Committee in this regard has now been shifted as nonmandatory requirement. The rationale of industry’s objection to mandatory training, etc. of directors is not readily understandable. Hopefully, when the governance norms are reviewed next the training and knowledge updating would be made mandatory requirement. A new requirement has been provided for obtaining prior approval of shareholders for payment of fees/compensation to nonexecutive directors.If there is stock option, the limit for the maximum number that can be granted to nonexecutive directors in any financial year and in aggregate should be disclosed.  ¦ Leading light of CA world, SN Desai passes away ne of the highly revered Chartered Accountants and a leading light of the profession, ICAI’s former-president Shri Shantanu Nanubhai Desai passed away on 10th November 2004 in Mumbai. Born on 26th January 1925, he became a member of our Institute in 1949 and rose to become one of the pillars of the profession.Having become President of ICAI in 1961-62 at a young age of 35, he had served as a Central Council member for decades. He was actively associated with Indian Merchants Chamber as its Managing Committee member for a long period of 32 years. He became its President in 1976. He had held several distinguished positions in his illustrious professional life, including as Member of the High Powered Sachar Committee on Company Law & MRTP Reforms, as Chairman/ Director of several reputed public companies besides as a member of ASSOCHAM. Mr.Desai was also the founder member of the Bombay Chartered Accountants Society. A Rotarian of repute and a veteran of several Committees, Mr. Desai was a free, frank and modest personality— a thorough gentleman who endeared one and all with his qualities of both head and heart. Mr. Desai’s services to the cause of our pro fession and his long career of more than 50 years as one of our profession’s most distinguished ambassadors will long be remembered and will continue to inspire new generation of Chartered Accountants. O THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT 811 DECEMBER 2004

The Presidio San Elizario

The Presidio of San Elizario In 1598, the Spanish nobleman, Don Juan De Onate from Zacatecas, Mexico was leading a group of Spanish colonists from Mexico to settle the newly discovered province of New Mexico. The group traveled for weeks across the desert until it reached the banks of the Rio Grande River near the San Elizario area. Soon afterward, Onate proclaimed possession of this area in the name of his King, Phillip II. The small town of San Elizario is named after the French Saint Elcear, the French patron saint of the military.It is one of the oldest communities in the El Paso Area. The community was established during the late 1700’s. A presidio was built in the area in order to protect the Spanish settlers from the attacking Apache and Comanche Indian raiders. The exact date of when the presidio of San Elizario was first built remains a debate between many local historians. One well known area historian, Metz, writes, â€Å"The original presidio was built around 1773 and that the original chapel was built of mostly adobe and some wood, and took approximately 40 years to construct. Most of the work was done by prisoners, some of them Indian, mostly Apache. (254). As noted by an online source, the presidio itself was surrounded by a double wall of adobe measuring 13 feet tall by seven feet wide. Inside were barracks for soldiers and special officer quarters. Also within the fort were family residences, corrals, store rooms, and a small chapel. This small chapel was built in a box pattern reflecting the early â€Å"European colonialism. † (San Elizario). The chapel has gone through major changes throughout its history, yet still remains close to its original location to this day.As historian John O. West notes, the San Elizario Presidio is often mistaken as a mission. However, the presidio of San Elizario was not created to convert the local natives to Christianity, but in fact was created as a fort or presidio to protect the Camino Real an d other area settlements from Apache and Comanche Indian raiders. (19). An online source also notes that the presidio was involved in numerous military engagements and natural disasters which forced its movement many times throughout it’s early history. (Reyes).According to another historian, Douglas Kent Hall, â€Å"The presidio was moved 37 miles up the Rio Grande in 1780 to its current site. † (131). According to another internet source, â€Å"During the early 1830’s the unpredictable Rio Grande River changed course, virtually isolating San Elizario and its surrounding communities as an island in the middle of the Rio Grande. † (San Elizario). After the US-Mexico War of 1846-1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, establishing the Rio Grande River as the boundary between Texas and Mexico.This left San Elizario to become part of what is now the state of Texas. San Elizario is steeped in both Texas, and Hispanic history. Still remaining today, the San Elizario presidio and chapel has moved many times and gone through many changes since its original construction. One online source notes, in 1829, the Rio Grande flooded completely destroying the â€Å"Chapel at San Elizario. † (San Elizario). A different Website points out that the chapel that stands in the same location today was rebuilt in 1882. (Kohut). Another online source notes, the exterior has changed little from its original construction.The main difference was in the change of the front â€Å"facade,† as this added to the, â€Å"early European colonial,† influence on the contemporary construction of the time. A fire destroyed much of the interior of the chapel in 1935. The inside has undergone dramatic changes since then, again reflecting the influence of â€Å"European architectural style. † With â€Å"pressed-tin† covering the original ceiling covers and beams. Several additions have also been made to the exterior of the chapel . For instance, an orchard has been added to the east side of the chapel and the surrounding plaza.More adobe structures have also been added to the surrounding area in order to add to the formality of the area. The formal rectangular patterned streets and building orientation â€Å"reflects the elements of early Spanish colonialism. † In 1944 the chapel was repainted in order to honor the local soldiers who fought overseas in World War II. (San Elizario). A local college student writes in the Borderlands Website that a â€Å"major restoration of the chapel† began in 1993, however much work still needs to be done to the exterior walls of the structure.The Mission Trail Association, which was formed in 1986, has done much work to uphold the heritage of the chapel at San Elizario and other local Missions. Through their hard work, the Socorro and Ysleta missions, along with the San Elizario chapel have retained their beauty and strength through hundreds of years of faith and devotion. (Reyes). With the help of the Mission Trail Association and donations from tourists and local interest in its preservation, the San Elizario chapel can be a monument for many more generations to enjoy. Works Cited Hall, Douglas Kent.Frontier Spirit: Early Churches of the Southwest. New York: Abbeville Press, 1990. Print. Metz, Leon C. El Paso: Guided Through Time. El Paso, Texas: Mangan Books, 1999. Print. West, John O. â€Å"Presidio Chapel San Elceario: San Elizario, Texas, USA. † The Mission Trail: El Paso/Juarez. Ed. Laura Jusso. El Paso, Texas: Sundance Press, 1996. Print. Reyes, Blanca et al. â€Å"Area Missions are Part of Living History. † Borderlands. Web. 22 Jan 2009. â€Å"San Elizario Walking Tour. † El Paso County History. Web. 18 Dec 2009. Kohout, Martin D. â€Å"San Elizario Presidio. † Handbook of Texas Online. Web. 23 Apr 2009.

Love Is a Fallacy

Is Max Schulman's novel, Love is a Fallacy, anti-women or anti men? Although the answer to this question is very argumentative, many people would read this essay and immediately agree that this essay was written in an anti-woman perspective. However, there are those who would view this essay in the anti-men perspective as well. Moreover, neither view is 100% accurate. The story does, in fact, have a number of anti-women elements; however, there are also anti-men characteristics that are included. This being said, equally strong arguments can be made for both sides. The view of this specific essay all depends on the reader. Therefore, this story is not only anti-women, but it is also anti-men. There are definitely elements of this essay that support the anti-women argument. For example, the narrator makes the character Polly out to be quite unintelligent and of a â€Å"ditzy† nature. Therefore, the narrator seems to think of Polly only in the way of being a woman of beauty. He did not want to date her for any other reason at all. This is noticed when he says â€Å"I wanted Polly for a shrewdly calculated, entirely cerebral reason. I was a freshman in law school. In a few years, I would be out in practice. I was well aware of the right kind of wife in furthering a lawyer's career. The successful lawyers I had observed were, almost without exception, married to beautiful, gracious, intelligent women. With one omission, Polly fitted these specifications perfectly†. This statement said by the narrator makes it clear that he views Polly only as a beautiful symbol and nothing more. Viewing Polly in this way the narrator is nothing short of being ant-women. Nevertheless, this story also has its anti-men elements. This essay revolves around a man who believes none can ever measure up to his greatness. The narrator classifies himself as â€Å"better than the rest†. To illustrate, the narrator does not believe that a woman as beautiful as Polly would go for a man with low intelligence such as Petey. The narrator believes, because Petey is not a law-student or as intelligent as himself, Petey is of a lower standard. The narrator believes he is superior to Petey. The narrator is represented as what has become something of a stereotypical, condescending man. The way the narrator looks down on Petey definitely falls into the anti-men argument. As it is now clear, this essay has both anti-women and anti-men elements. This essay was written purposely to be an argumentative essay; therefore, there is no right or wrong argument. Love is a Fallacy is a very controversial story, meaning that the view of this essay, whether it is anti-men or anti-women, all depends on the reader. As many readers would argue about whether this essay is anti-women or anti-men, unfortunately, this question can never be accurately answered. The argument about which side the story is based on could go on forever. The conclusion I have drawn about whether Schulman's essay is anti-women or anti-men is that its subject matter contains both anti-women and anti-men elements. Therefore, this essay is just as much anti-men as it is anti-women. Love Is a Fallacy Is Max Schulman's novel, Love is a Fallacy, anti-women or anti men? Although the answer to this question is very argumentative, many people would read this essay and immediately agree that this essay was written in an anti-woman perspective. However, there are those who would view this essay in the anti-men perspective as well. Moreover, neither view is 100% accurate. The story does, in fact, have a number of anti-women elements; however, there are also anti-men characteristics that are included. This being said, equally strong arguments can be made for both sides. The view of this specific essay all depends on the reader. Therefore, this story is not only anti-women, but it is also anti-men. There are definitely elements of this essay that support the anti-women argument. For example, the narrator makes the character Polly out to be quite unintelligent and of a â€Å"ditzy† nature. Therefore, the narrator seems to think of Polly only in the way of being a woman of beauty. He did not want to date her for any other reason at all. This is noticed when he says â€Å"I wanted Polly for a shrewdly calculated, entirely cerebral reason. I was a freshman in law school. In a few years, I would be out in practice. I was well aware of the right kind of wife in furthering a lawyer's career. The successful lawyers I had observed were, almost without exception, married to beautiful, gracious, intelligent women. With one omission, Polly fitted these specifications perfectly†. This statement said by the narrator makes it clear that he views Polly only as a beautiful symbol and nothing more. Viewing Polly in this way the narrator is nothing short of being ant-women. Nevertheless, this story also has its anti-men elements. This essay revolves around a man who believes none can ever measure up to his greatness. The narrator classifies himself as â€Å"better than the rest†. To illustrate, the narrator does not believe that a woman as beautiful as Polly would go for a man with low intelligence such as Petey. The narrator believes, because Petey is not a law-student or as intelligent as himself, Petey is of a lower standard. The narrator believes he is superior to Petey. The narrator is represented as what has become something of a stereotypical, condescending man. The way the narrator looks down on Petey definitely falls into the anti-men argument. As it is now clear, this essay has both anti-women and anti-men elements. This essay was written purposely to be an argumentative essay; therefore, there is no right or wrong argument. Love is a Fallacy is a very controversial story, meaning that the view of this essay, whether it is anti-men or anti-women, all depends on the reader. As many readers would argue about whether this essay is anti-women or anti-men, unfortunately, this question can never be accurately answered. The argument about which side the story is based on could go on forever. The conclusion I have drawn about whether Schulman's essay is anti-women or anti-men is that its subject matter contains both anti-women and anti-men elements. Therefore, this essay is just as much anti-men as it is anti-women.

Modern Management Essay

Today, individuals are sometimes naà ¯ve to believe that modern management is a result of recent practices, theories, and ideas. Some believe the general structure of management and how human resources are carefully planned is the direct result of today’s contributors. They are erroneous to believe such. This commentary will explore the histories of management while cultivating the reader concerning the development of modern management and supervision as it is the result of the evolution of management that began in the nineteenth century involving slavery, railroads, and legal issues. Assignment 1.2 – Development of Modern Management Modern management has a distinctive composition consisting of managers, administrative practices, personnel, and capital. Many individuals are naà ¯ve in their perception of today’s management believing it is a direct result of recent practices, theories, and concepts; however, historians argue differently. Historians have taken readers on a journey through the history of management, while educating people concerning the management of slaves, railroads, and legal issues – the pillars of modern-day management. Slavery â€Å"American slavery has been wrongfully excluded from histories of management. By 1860, when the historical orthodoxy has modern management emerging on the railroads, 38,000 managers were managing the 4 million slaves working in the US economy.† (Cooke, 2003) Slave trade greatly influenced the management era. Slaves were responsible for farming, construction, irrigation, housekeeping, child-care, cooking, and much more. This surplus of human resources and capital required managers which eventually led divisions of management. Slave owners hired managers to supervise the slaves while wives oftentimes supervised slaves who worked as housekeepers and cooks. Managers were responsible for setting the expectations of the slaves and theirrespective daily duties. Slave owners oftentimes delegated authority and responsibilities to the manager who in-turn commanded the workers. Although slave management contributed to modern management practices, it has not been viewed by many histor ians to be a form of management. â€Å"Throughout the era of slavery the Negro was treated in a very inhuman fashion. He was considered a thing to be used, not a person to be respected. He was merely a depersonalized cog in a vast plantation machine.† (Cooke, 2003) The treatment of slaves and the criticism of such behavior as seen today have led many individuals to overlook slave management as a contribution to modern principles and ideas. Many historians prefer to give more credit to the railroads. â€Å"Of course, such a history would equally challenge any version of the history of management which explicitly or otherwise excludes slavery.† (Cooke, 2003) Slavery brought about new and innovative ideas regarding human resources. Slaves worked the plantations, which sometimes were hundreds of acres, and they were managed by individuals designated by the owner. Managing slaves required a great deal of time management, conflict resolution, capital expenditures, and even slave trading. â€Å"The chain of command went upwards from drivers to overseers to masters. Always there was obedience. † (Cooke, 2003) The management of slaves required a chain of command to be operational. Slaves answered to their overseer and overseers answered to their masters. This form of organizational structure allowed for delegation, communication, and duties to flow smoothly. In comparison, modern management structure is quite similar in nature. For example, McDonalds franchise has such a structure. For example, crew members are tasked with the job of handling customer orders, cooking, and cleaning and they answer to a shift leader. The shift leader is responsible for ensuring the crew works diligently and effectively. The shift leader answers to the assistant manager or store manager who is responsible for the overall mission of the store. The store manager would report to the owner or in the case of slavery – master. â€Å"The slaveowner urges the slave to ‘be a man’ and commands the slaves to put things to rights. They gathered around him in their helplessness, trusting implicitly in his judgment, receiving his rapid comprehensive orders† (Cooke, 2003). Likewise, modern management structure delegate managers to encourage and motivate employees to work more effectively and sometimes harder. Although there are compelling reason s whyhistorians choose not to regard the management of slaves as a contribution to modern management, the fact remains that slave owners contributed to the body of knowledge concerning management. Yes, many would agree that slavery was cruel and involved unusual punishment and treatment, but it helped shaped today’s management. †¦it is shown slavery is included within capitalism by many historians; we also see plantations as a site of the emergence of industrial discipline. Second, ante-bellum slavery is demonstrated to have been managed according to classical management and Taylorian principles. Third, those doing the managing are shown to have been employed at the time as ‘managers’. In the idea of the manger, and of scientific and classical management slavery has therefore left an ongoing imprint in management practice and thought. A strong argument is made for not just for postcolonisalist accounts of management, but for management histories in which anti-African-American racism is a continuing strand. The fundamental significance of the article however is its identification of slavery as of intrinsic, but hitherto denied, relevance to management s tudies. (Cooke, 2003) There are many compelling reasons why historians choose to ignore the management of slaves as a contribution to the evolution of management. Some think it will stir up some sort of controversy. Slavery was not the only major contributor to the evolution of management. Railroads  Like slavery, the railroads played a significant role in the evolution of management. â€Å"The railroads had to be innovators in many of the ways of modern corporate management†¦railroad managers were forced to work out the basic methods of communication and control essential to the operations of the modern business corporation.† (Chandler, 1965) Unlike many other industries during 1850’s, the railroads were faced with new challenges that required innovative management and administrative ideas. In an effort to sustain business, the railroads had to devise ways to resolve issues efficiently and effectively. â€Å"The railroaders were innovators not because they were necessarily more perceptive, energetic, or imaginative than other contemporary businessmen, but rather because they were the first to face the challenge of handling efficiently large amounts of men, money, and materials within a single business unit.† (Chandler, 1965) The size and co mplexity of the railroads forced the managers of railroads to be pioneers of management. The railroads required more operating expenses and start-up costs than any other industry during that time. Size was only one dimension of the unique challenges facing managers of the new, large railroads in the 1850’s. Their day-to-day operations called for far many more and far more complex decisions than did the working of a mill, canal, or a steamship line. Unlike a textile company, whose group of mills could be viewed within half an hour, a railroad was spread over hundreds of miles and included a wide variety of activities and facilities such as shops, terminals, stations, warehouses, office buildings†¦and so forth†¦So every day railroad managers had to make decisions controlling the activities of many men to whom they rarely talked or even ever saw. (Chandler, 1965) The railroad managers pioneered corporate management through their skillful use of time, communication, transportation, capital, and human resources. Many new positions within the organization were created to aid management. For example, chief clerks, senior financial officers, and secretaries were just a few positions crafted to help sustain the organization. The chief clerks and financial officers helped the organization use time and finances effectively. In comparison to slavery, the railroads had an unparallel influence on modern management through the use of innovation. Legal Construction Similar to the contributions of slavery and railroad management, legal construction played a role in the evolution of management. During the 1830’s, many industrial plants were ‘on the rise’, which led to the creation of many new employment opportunities. The industrial revolution offered jobs to the working-class, while also offering dangerous work environments. Many individuals were employed in factories with large mechanical machines. Although these machines helped the company with productivity and efficiency, they posed a tremendous amount of safety and health risks. Many companies were faced with unprecedented lawsuits as a result of employee injuries. The suit mounted by Gilham Banes was the first of a flood of suits alleging that employers were legally obliged to compensate employees for injuries arising in the course of their employment that came before American courts in the quarter century prior to the Civil War. This new phenomenon of employer liability suits marked a decisive moment in American labor and legal history, for it confronted courts with a demand that they impose on employers a clear legal obligation to safeguard their employees’ present and future earning capacity commensurate with the employer’s claim to the employees’ obedience on the job. (Tomlins, 1988) Conclusion Although many historians disagree, the management of slavery made many important contributions to modern management. Through the use of many positions such as overseers and masters, slave owners were able to manage thousands of slaves in different capacities. Many individuals choose to disregard the management of slavery on the basis of racism and the bad criticism surround it; however, the management of slavery has shaped management as many know it today. The railroads also made huge contributions to modern management. Positions such as clerks and financial officers are still widely used today to sustain business operations. The managers of railroads were able to communicate over long distances and keep business operational. Legal construction, like railroads and slavery, helped shaped the management structure. Employers now abide by laws that protect workers against harm on the job. Many historians rate different industries as contributing the most to modern management, but slavery , railroads, and legal construction has shaped management in an unparallel way. References Chandler, A. D. (1965). The railroads: Pioneers in modern corporate management. The Business History Review, 39(1), 16-40. Cooke, B. (2003). The denial of slavery in management studies. Journal of Management Studies, 40(8), 1895-1918. Tomlins, C. L. (1988). The mysterious power: Industrial accidents and the legal construction of employment relations in Massachusetts, 1800-1850. Law and History Review, 6(2), 375-438.

Autobiographical Essay Essay Example for Free

Autobiographical Essay Essay My first encounter with fear to a high extent was when I was six years old. I was riding in the car with my mom who was under the influence of alcohol. The fear that rushed through my veins made me think that something as horrible as death could happen. My older brother and younger sister were both in the car. We then pulled into the parking lot of a liquor store. My heart sank to know that my mom was consuming more alcohol to make her blood alcohol level rise. My mom stepped out of the car into the cover of darkness and walked into the store to purchase a fifth of whiskey. When she walked out of the store, I thought to myself that something really bad was going to happen that night. When my mom returned to the car, I looked deep into her eyes and asked her, â€Å"Can you please take us home before anything bad happens?† She looked at me and said, while slurring her words, â€Å"Everything is going to be okay.† I knew that everything was not going to be okay. My mom then started the car, reversed, and drove out of the parking lot of the liquor store to run over the island in the middle of the road. The car tilted from side to side and back onto the smooth road to safety. As I looked out of the window of my door with water filling my eyes, I blurrily saw cops drive past us as though we were invisible. Every part of me wanted to spring out of my car door and bring attention to the danger that was in the atmosphere. Every time a chance came, I let it slip by because I was afraid that my mom would scream at me. All I wanted to do was fall asleep and wake up in my comfy bed at home, but I knew that was impossible. We had been driving for what felt like an hour but it was only five minutes. After I blinked the water from my eyes, I realized that we were in the parking lot of Papa Murphy’s. My mom sent my older brother in to go and get the pizza that she had ordered earlier that afternoon. When he returned my mom got off the car and walked over to a group of guys standing outside of a bar and started hitting on them making a complete fool of her. As I watched those guys scan her body, disgust over took my body. As soon as her door clicked shut, I unbuckled my seatbelt, grabbed to fifth of whiskey out of the cup holder, opened my door, and through the bottle at a nearby tree. The glass bottle shattered into tiny pieces onto the grass around the tree. The relief that rushed through my body gave me hope and actually made me believe that  everything was going to be okay. After my mom finally got back into the car, she looked back at me and my sister in the back seat and said, â€Å"I’m taking you home to eat dinner with your dad now.† When those words came out of her mouth, I was filled with joy. When we finally pulled into our driveway, I unfastened my seatbelt in a flash and bolted into the house, turned the oven on, and ran into my dad’s loving arms as tears ran down my face. The comfort and loving care I felt as my dad wrapped his arms around me, made me know that I was safe. My dad then looked down at me and said with a serious look on his face, â€Å"I’m going to go and talk to your mom and see what she wants to do.† When he closed the slider door behind him, I heard my mom raise her voice in a way that made you think someone was dying. I ran to the slider door to see what was happening. The look on my dad’s face brought tears to my eyes. He was so sickened to see my mom drown herself in alcohol. My mom through her hands into the air, got back into her car, and drove away angrily. My dad then came up the steps of our deck as though he just found out that he had only a week to live. When he finally reached the door, he looked up to see the dry tear marks down my face, opened the door, and embraced me. We then walked into our living room to see my brother and sister watching Sponge Bob, we joined them. My dad then slowly walked into the kitchen to place the pizza in the oven. After about twenty minutes, we all sat down together and had dinner. Soon after, my dad looked at us three kids and said with a smile, â€Å"I have a surprise for you guys!† I looked at my siblings and saw life come into their eyes. My dad then went into the other room and came back out with an enormous bag of candy. As soon as he placed the bag on the table, we kids dog piled that bag of candy like it was the last supply of food on the earth. After we were all satisfied with candy sticking to our faces, we all went into the living room to watch a movie. I sat next to my dad while my siblings sat right in front of the 60 inch television. After, I finally fell asleep in my dad’s arms watching Popeye, I felt secure and safe. The next morning, I woke up to my dad saying to me, â€Å"Your mom got a DUI last night and she has to spend some time in jail.† When I heard that, I immediately thought that maybe my mom had either caused an accident or possibly even killed someone. We then immediately left the house to see if we could go and bail my mom out. We  couldn’t. She had to spend 4 days in jail. Those 4 days were the longest days ever. I loved my mom so much but I hated her when she was under the influence. Losing emotional connection from my mom was a hard thing to go through. I was a â€Å"daddy’s girl† so, my mom just always thought that my dad had to only be there for me. Even when they divorced she was never there for me emotionally. Ever since that day we’ve never emotionally connected. She confessed to me that she had to shut me out because I reminded her of my dad. Aside from all the chaos, I learned a very important lesson; never drink and drive. Experiencing this moment, made me know that alcohol affects everyone; the devout Christian, the highest paid employee, the people who swore they would never drink, and even the Lindsay Lohan’s. I knew from that moment on that if I even dared to drink alcohol, I would not do it front of my children or drive. Ten years after this encounter, my mom has lived her life as a recovered addict from alcohol. She saw how her drinking effected everyone she loved; her kids, husband, mom, dad, nieces, nephews, etc. From that moment on, my mom decided that she wouldn’t use alcohol as a numbing device to the pain. She hasn’t even touched the smallest bit of alcohol since. I am proud of her and am happy to see her live her life in freedom instead of bondage. That day made me know that I didn’t want to be seen by my kids, drinking and driving. I believe this moment was put in my life just so that I would now not to make the mistakes that my mom made and actually live my life in peace. Autobiographical Essay. (2016, Jun 01).