Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Comic Scenes in Doctor Faustus Essay Example For Students

The Comic Scenes in Doctor Faustus Essay Dr. Faustus, decidedly a tragic play, contains a number of comic scenes. It is a matter of sheer conjecture whether Marlowe wrote these scenes himself or allowed someone else to write them in deference to the prevailing taste of the times, because, Marlowe in the Prologue to Tambularine had contemptuously discarded buffoonery or clownage as being inappropriate for the dignity of tragic drama. The comic scenes of Dr. Faustus are significant in many respects. Now we may have a brief examination of the comic scenes. The first comic scene (Act I, Scene II) occurs between Wagner, the servant of Dr. Faustus and between two scholars. Wagner here parodies the mediaeval scholastic process of reasoning adopted by scholars whose discussions he has often heard at his masters residence. The scholars ask him as to the whereabouts of Faustus. Wagner tries first to puzzle them by his answers. Then he says, God in heaven knows where Faustus is. Certainly this produces laughter but it also indicates the degeneration of Faustus. Faustus, after turning to necromancy, will certainly degenerate and only God knows where he will go. We will write a custom essay on The Comic Scenes in Doctor Faustus specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Wagner refers to the dining hall as the place of execution. It is also the place of the moral execution of Faustus. This scene also indicates the misuse of knowledge. Faustus in the previous scene uses logic to justify reason for turning to necromancy while Wagner is using logic for no other purpose than to puzzle the two scholars. The next comic scene occurs in Act I, Scene IV. Wagner and the clown are engaged in this scene. Wagner wishes to engage the clown as his servant, and referring to the poverty of the clown he says that the clown is so hungry that he would give his soul to the devil for a shoulder of mutton, though it were blood-raw. But the clown refuses and he says the if he must give his soul for the sake of food, he will insist on the mutton being well-roasted and being good sauce. This scene no doubt produces laughter, but it is important also to indicate the degeneration of Faustus. Faustus would sell his soul to Mephistophilis for infinite power while the clown would sell his soul to the devil for good food. Both transactions are ridiculous the first even more than the second because the first is far less realistic. The next comic scene is the scene of seven deadly scenes in Act II, Scene II. The seven deadly scenes namely Pride, Covetousness, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Anger and Sloth were very important in mediaeval and later Christian theology. They played an important role in many works of mediaeval and Renaissance literature. The various sins do certainly amuse us by the manner which they describe their respective characteristics. Pride disdains to have any parents; Covetousness would like the house and all the people in it to be turned into gold; Wrath wounds himself with his daggers when there is nobody else to attack; Envy is begotten of a chimney-sweeper and an oyster-wife; Gluttony has bacon, beef, claret as his ancestors. When Faustus says that their parade feeds his soul, we can realize that he is going to be damned. Because, these sins are considered to put the soul of anyone manifesting them in peril of perpetual damnation. This scene is important also for the moral edification of the audience. The audience will be taught to hate these sins. In Act III, Scene I, Faustus harasses the Pope and other priests by remaining invisible. The scene may be considered as subversive criticism of religion as it alludes to the spiritual sterility of popes and priests. .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece , .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece .postImageUrl , .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece , .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece:hover , .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece:visited , .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece:active { border:0!important; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece:active , .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ue0ccdce5d8bed9a67b23730a450aeece:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Why is this scene dramatic? Essay SummaryThe events that occur in Act IV, Scenes I II with Ralph, Robin and Mephistophilis are also comical. Robin is preferring magic on the basis of what he has learnt from Faustuss book. He summons Mephistophilis in order to teach the innkeeper a lesson. But, Mephistophilis, being irritated changes Robin and Ralph into an ape and a dog respectively. Faustus in Act IV, Scene III, makes a pair of horns grow on the head of a knight who has been insolent towards him. It has a touch of comedy but it also indicates that Faustus, who could become Emperor of Emperors, has now turned into a mere trickster. The scene (Act IV, Scene IV) of Faustuss dealing with a horse-courser is the last comical scene. The manner of talking the horse-courser provides laughter. But indicates to the extreme point of the degeneration of Dr. Faustus. The man who can have billions of dollars by his necromantic power now deceives a horse-courser only for forty dollars. A great scholar has turned into a trickster. The comic scenes, however, indicate some defects in the play. The abundance, according to a critic, of the comic scenes here weakens the dramatic quality. Many time the comic scenes are not up to the mark. In the harassment of the Pope, comedy degenerates into farce. The practical jokes played on the horse-courser is sheer-clownage and unworthy of a somber and great play such as Doctor Faustus. Despite all these facts, however, these comic scenes are significant. It may be said that the various comic scenes serve to fill the interval between Faustuss attainment of magical power and the damnation, which overtakes him after the gap of twenty-four years.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Battle of Ligny During the Napoleonic Wars

Battle of Ligny During the Napoleonic Wars The Battle of Ligny was fought on June 16, 1815, during the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). Heres a summary of the event. Battle of Ligney Background Having crowned himself Emperor of the French in 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte embarked on a decade of campaigning which saw him win victories at places such as Austerlitz, Wagram, and Borodino. Finally defeated and forced to abdicate in April 1814, he accepted exile on Elba under the terms of the Treaty of Fontainebleau. In the wake of Napoleons defeat, the European powers convened the Congress of Vienna to outline the postwar world. Unhappy in exile, Napoleon escaped and landed in France on March 1, 1815. Marching to Paris, he built an army as he traveled with soldiers flocking to his banner. Declared an outlaw by the Congress of Vienna, Napoleon worked to consolidate power as Britain, Prussia, Austria, and Russia formed the Seventh Coalition to prevent his return. Armies and Commanders Prussians Field Marshal Gebhard von Blà ¼cher84,000 men French Napoleon Bonaparte68,000 men Napoleons Plan Assessing the strategic situation, Napoleon concluded that a swift victory was required before the Seventh Coalition could fully mobilize its forces against him. To achieve this, he sought to destroy the Duke of Wellingtons coalition army south of Brussels before turning east to defeat Field Marshal Gebhard von Blà ¼chers approaching Prussian army. Moving north, Napoleon divided his Armee du Nord (Army of the North) in three giving command of the left-wing to Marshal Michel Ney, the right-wing to Marshal Emmanuel de Grouchy, while retaining personal command of a reserve force. Understanding that if Wellington and Blà ¼cher united they would have the power to crush him, he crossed the border at Charleroi on June 15 with the intention of defeating the two coalition armies in detail. That same day, Wellington began directing his forces to move towards Quatre Bras while Blà ¼cher concentrated at Sombreffe. Determining the Prussians to pose a more immediate threat, Napoleon directed Ney to seize Quatre Bras while he moved with the reserves to reinforce Grouchy. With both coalition armies defeated, the road to Brussels would be open. The next day, Ney spent the morning forming his men while Napoleon joined Grouchy at Fleurus. Making his headquarters at the windmill of Brye, Blà ¼cher deployed Lieutenant-General Graf von Zietens I Corps to defend a line running through the villages of Wagnelà ©e, Saint-Amand, and Ligny. This formation was supported by Major General George Ludwig von Pirchs II Corps to the rear. Extending east from I Corps left was Lieutenant General Johann von Thielemanns III Corps which covered Sombreffe and the armys line of retreat. As the French approached on the morning on June 16, Blà ¼cher directed II and III Corps to send troops to reinforce Zietens lines. Napoleon Attacks To dislodge the Prussians, Napoleon intended to send forward General Dominique Vandammes III Corps and General Étienne Gà ©rards IV Corps against the villages while Grouchy was to advance on Sombreffe. Hearing artillery fire coming from Quatre Bras, Napoleon commenced his attack around 2:30 PM. Striking Saint-Amand-la-Haye, Vandammes men carried the village in heavy fighting. Their hold proved brief as a determined counterattack by Major General Carl von Steinmetz reclaimed it for the Prussians. Fighting continued to swirl around Saint-Amand-Haye through the afternoon with Vandamme again taking possession. As the loss of the village threatened his right flank, Blà ¼cher directed part of II Corps to attempt to envelop Saint-Amand-le-Haye. Moving forward, Pirchs men were blocked by Vandamme in front of Wagnelà ©e. Arriving from Brye, Blà ¼cher took personal control of the situation and directed a strong effort against Saint-Amand-le-Haye. Striking the battered French, this assa ult secured the village. Fighting Rages As fighting raged to the west, Gà ©rards men hit Ligny at 3:00 PM. Enduring heavy Prussian artillery fire, the French penetrated the town but were ultimately driven back. A subsequent assault culminated in bitter house-to-house fighting which resulted in the Prussians maintaining their hold on Ligny. Around 5:00 PM, Blà ¼cher directed Pirch to deploy the bulk of II Corps south of Brye. At the same time, a degree of confusion struck the French high command as Vandamme reported seeing a large enemy force approaching Fleurus. This actually was Marshal Comte dErlons I Corps marching in from Quatre Bras as requested by Napoleon. Unaware of Napoleons orders, Ney recalled dErlon before he reached Ligny and I Corps played no role in the fighting. The confusion caused by this created a break which allowed Blà ¼cher to order II Corps into action. Moving against the French left, Pirchs corps was stopped by Vandamme and General Guillaume Duhesmes Young Guard Division. The Prussians Break Around 7:00 PM, Blà ¼cher learned that Wellington was heavily engaged at Quatre Bras and would be unable to send aid. Left on this own, the Prussian commander sought to end the fighting with a strong attack against the French left. Assuming personal oversight, he reinforced Ligny before massing his reserves and launching an assault against Saint-Amand. Though some ground was gained, French counterattacks forced the Prussians to begin retreating. Reinforced by General Georges Moutons VI Corps, Napoleon began assembling a massive strike against the enemy center. Opening a bombardment with sixty guns, he ordered troops forward around 7:45 PM. Overwhelming the tired Prussians, the attack broke through Blà ¼chers center. To halt the French, Blà ¼cher directed his cavalry forward. Leading a charge, he was incapacitated after having his horse shot. The Prussian cavalry was soon halted by their French counterparts. Aftermath Assuming command, Lieutenant-General August von Gneisenau, Blà ¼chers chief of staff, ordered a retreat north to Tilly after the French broke through at Ligny around 8:30 PM. Conducting a controlled retreat, the Prussians were not pursued by the exhausted French. Their situation improved quickly as the newly-arrived IV Corps deployed as a strong rearguard at Wavre which allowed a rapidly-recovering Blà ¼cher to reassemble his army. In the fighting at the Battle of Ligny, the Prussians sustained around 16,000 casualties while French losses numbered around 11,500. Though a tactical victory for Napoleon, the battle failed to mortally wound Blà ¼chers army or drive it to a location from which it could no longer support Wellington. Forced to fall back from Quatre Bras, Wellington assumed a defensive position where on June 18 he engaged Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. In heavy fighting, he won a decisive victory with the aid of the Blà ¼chers Prussians which arrived in the afternoo n.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Dorothy Dandridge, First Oscar-Nominated Black Actress

Dorothy Dandridge, First Oscar-Nominated Black Actress Dorothy Dandridge (Nov. 9, 1922–Sept. 8, 1965) had everything it took to succeed in 1950s Hollywood- she could sing, dance, and act, and was beautiful- but she was born black. Despite the biased era in which she lived, Dandridge became the first black woman to grace the cover of Life magazine and to receive an Academy Award nomination for best actress in a major motion picture. Fast Facts: Dorothy Dandridge ï » ¿Known For: Groundbreaking black actor, singer, dancerBorn: Nov. 9, 1922 in Cleveland, OhioParents: Ruby and Cyril DandridgeDied: Sept. 8, 1965 in Hollywood, CaliforniaAwards and Honors: Academy Award nomination, Golden GlobeSpouse(s): Harold Nicholas, Jack DenisonChildren: LynnNotable Quote: If I were white, I could capture the world. Early Life When Dorothy Dandridge was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on Nov. 9, 1922, her parents had already separated. Dorothy’s mother, Ruby Dandridge, was five months pregnant when she left her husband Cyril, taking their older daughter Vivian with her.  Ruby believed her husband was a spoiled mamas boy who would never leave his mother’s house, so she left. Ruby supported her daughters with domestic work. Dorothy and Vivian displayed an early talent for singing and dancing and began performing at local theaters and churches when Dorothy was 5. Ruby’s friend Geneva Williams, moved in, and although she taught the girls to play the piano, she pushed them hard and cruelly punished them. Ruby never noticed. Years later, Vivian and Dorothy figured out that Williams was their mothers lover. She and Williams labeled Dorothy and Vivian The Wonder Children. They moved to Nashville, and Dorothy and Vivian signed with the National Baptist Convention to tour churches throughout the South. The Wonder Children toured for three years, attracting regular bookings and earning a solid income, but Dorothy and Vivian wearied of the act and long hours practicing. They had no time for activities normal for youngsters their age. Lucky Breaks The Great Depression dried up bookings, so Ruby moved them to Hollywood. where Dorothy and Vivian enrolled in dance classes. When Ruby heard the girls and a dance school friend sing together, she knew they were a great team. Now known as The Dandridge Sisters, their big break came in 1935 when they appeared in the Paramount musical The Big Broadcast of 1936. In 1937, they had a small part in the Marx Brothers film A Day at the Races. In 1938 the trio appeared in Going Places, performing Jeepers Creepers with Louis Armstrong, and was booked at New Yorks Cotton Club.  Williams and the girls moved there, but her mother, having found small acting jobs, stayed in Hollywood. In Cotton Club rehearsals, Dorothy met Harold Nicholas of the Nicholas Brothers dance team and they began dating. The Dandridge Sisters were a hit and attracted lucrative offers. Perhaps to get Dorothy away from Nicholas, Williams signed them for a European tour. They dazzled European audiences, but the tour was shortened by World War II. The Dandridge Sisters returned to Hollywood, where the Nicholas Brothers were filming. Dorothy resumed her romance with Nicholas. The Dandridge Sisters performed a few more engagements but eventually split up. Dorothy then began to work on a solo career. Hard Lessons Hoping to succeed without help from her mother or Williams, Dandridge landed small parts in low-budget films, including Four Shall Die (1940), Lady From Louisiana (1941), and Sundown (1941), and sang and danced with the Nicholas Brothers to Chattanooga Choo Choo† in Sun Valley Serenade (1941) with the Glenn Miller Band. Dandridge refused demeaning roles offered to black actors- savages, slaves, or servants- but the sisters worked steadily. They both married in 1942, with 19-year-old Dorothy Dandridge wedding 21-year-old Nicholas on Sept. 6. After a life of hard work, all she wanted was to be the ideal wife. Nicholas started taking long trips, however, and when he was home he spent his time playing golf or philandering. Dandridge blamed her sexual inexperience for Nicholass infidelity. When she happily discovered she was pregnant, she believed Nicholas would settle down. Dandridge, 20, delivered a lovely daughter, Harolyn (Lynn) Suzanne Dandridge, on Sept. 2, 1943. She was a loving mother, but as Lynn grew, Dandridge sensed something was wrong. Her hyper 2-year-old cried constantly and didnt interact with people. Lynn was deemed developmentally disabled, likely due to lack of oxygen during birth. During this troublesome period, Nicholas was often physically and emotionally unavailable. In 1949, she obtained a divorce, but Nicholas avoided paying child support. Now a single mother, Dandridge reached out to her mother and Williams to care for Lynn until she could stabilize her career. Club Scene Dandridge loathed nightclub performing but knew an immediate, substantial movie role was unlikely. She contacted an arranger she had worked with at the Cotton Club, who helped her become a sultry, dazzling performer. She was mostly well received but learned that racism in many places, including Las Vegas, was as bad as in the Deep South. Being black, she couldnt share a bathroom, lobby, elevator, or swimming pool with whites. Even when she was headlining, her dressing room was usually a janitors closet or dingy storage room. But critics raved about her performances. She opened at the famed Mocambo Club in Hollywood and was booked in New York, becoming the first African-American to stay in and perform at the Waldorf Astoria. Club dates gave Dandridge publicity to land film work. Bit parts flowed in, but Dandridge had to compromise her standards, agreeing in 1950 to play a jungle queen in Tarzan’s Peril. Finally, in August 1952, Dandridge got the lead in MGMs Bright Road, an all-black production about a Southern schoolteacher. She was ecstatic about her role, the first of three film appearances she made with Harry Belafonte- who eventually became a close friend. Stardom Good reviews earned an even greater prize. The lead in the 1954 movie Carmen Jones, based on the opera Carmen, called for a sultry vixen. Dandridge was neither. Director Otto Preminger reportedly thought she was too classy to play Carmen. Dandridge donned a wig, a low-cut blouse, a seductive skirt, and heavy make-up. When she entered Premingers office the next day, he reportedly yelled, Its Carmen! Carmen Jones opened on Oct. 28, 1954, and was a smash. Dandridges performance made her the first black woman on the cover of Life magazine. Then she learned of her Academy Award nomination for best actress. No other African-American had earned that distinction. After 30 years in show business, Dorothy Dandridge was a star. At the Academy Award ceremony on March 30, 1955, Dandridge shared the nomination with Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Jane Wyman, and Judy Garland. Though Kelly won for her role in The Country Girl, Dandridge at 32 had broken through Hollywoods glass ceiling. Tough Decisions While Carmen Jones was filming, Dandridge began an affair with Preminger, who was separated but still married. In 1950s America, interracial romance was taboo, and Preminger was careful to show only a business interest in her publicly. In 1956, she was offered the supporting role of slave girl Tuptim in The King and I, but Preminger advised against it. She regretted turning it down when The King and I became enormously successful. Dandridges relationship with Preminger soon soured. She was pregnant, but he refused to get a divorce. He broke off their relationship and Dandridge had an abortion to avoid scandal. Afterward, Dandridge was seen with many white co-stars. Anger over her dating â€Å"out of her race† flooded the media. In 1957, a tabloid reported on a tryst between her and a Lake Tahoe man.  Dandridge testified in court that such a liaison was impossible because a curfew for people of color confined her to her room. She won a $10,000 settlement. Bad Choices Two years after Carmen Jones, Dandridge returned to acting. Fox cast her alongside Belafonte in Island in the Sun, a controversial movie dealing with interracial relationships. She protested the dispassionate love scene with her white co-star, but the producers were nervous. The film was successful but deemed nonessential by critics. Dandridge was frustrated. She couldnt find opportunities to showcase her talents and her career lost momentum. While the United States pondered race issues, Dandridges manager Earl Mills secured a role for her in the French film Tamango. The movie, which portrayed her in steamy love scenes with blond co-star Curd Jurgens, was a hit in Europe but wasnt shown in America until four years later. In 1958, Dandridge was chosen to play a native girl in The Decks Ran Red. Like Tamango, it was considered unremarkable. Dandridge was desperate, so when she was offered the lead in a major production of Porgy and Bess in 1959, she jumped at it. The characters were stereotypes- drunks, drug addicts, rapists, and other undesirables- that she had avoided her entire career, yet she was tormented by her refusal to appear in The King and I. Against the advice of Belafonte, who turned down Porgy, Dandridge accepted the role of Bess. Her performance won a Golden Globe, but the film didnt live up to the hype.   Hitting Bottom Dandridge married restaurant owner Jack Denison on June 22, 1959. Dandridge loved his attention, but his restaurant was failing, so she agreed to perform there to attract business. Mills, now her former manager, warned against it, but she listened to Denison. Dandridge soon discovered that Denison was physically abusive. Adding insult to injury, an investment she had made turned out to be a scam. Dandridge was broke. She began drinking heavily while taking anti-depressants. She finally kicked Denison out of her Hollywood Hills home and filed for divorce in November 1962. Dandridge, who earned $250,000 the year she married Denison, filed for bankruptcy after losing everything. Things got worse. She hadnt paid her daughters caretaker for two months, so she was caring for Lynn, now 20, violent, and unmanageable. No longer able to afford private care, she had to commit Lynn to the state mental hospital. Increasingly desperate, Dandridge contacted Mills, who agreed to manage her again and help her regain her health. He got her into a health spa in Mexico and planned several nightclub engagements there. By most accounts, Dandridge was coming back strong, receiving enthusiastic responses for the Mexican performances. She was scheduled for a New York engagement but fractured her foot on a flight of stairs while in Mexico. The doctor recommended having a cast placed on her foot. Death On the morning of Sept. 8, 1965, back in Hollywood, Dandridge asked Mills to reschedule the appointment for her cast so she could get more sleep. When he went to pick her up that afternoon, he found her on the bathroom floor, dead at age 42. Her death was initially attributed to a blood clot from her fractured foot, but an autopsy revealed a lethal dose of the anti-depressant Tofranil. Whether the overdose was accidental or intentional remains unknown. Legacy Dandridges last wishes, left in a note given to Mills months before her death, were for all her belongings to go to her mother. Despite her Life magazine cover, her Oscar nomination, her Golden Globe, and her extensive body of work, only $2.14 remained in her bank account after her death. Sources Dorothy Dandridge: American Singer and Actress. Encyclopedia Britannica.Dorothy Dandridge Biography. Biography.com.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Diffusion and osmosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Diffusion and osmosis - Essay Example The solution subjected to the highest temperature demonstrated the fastest rate of diffusion. The effect of varying solute concentrations was demonstrated by adding 2 drops of blood to six test tubes each containing different solutes. Crenation was observed in cells put in hypertonic solution, while lyses were observed in cells put in hypotonic solution. Cells put in isotonic solution showed no change in morphology. The effect of detergent was determined by adding 3 drops of detergent on the sodium chloride solution. The packed cell volume was also determined with the use of the microhaematocrit reader. Patients with low hematocrit values suggest anemia, among others, while an increased value would indicate several conditions including polycythemia. The human body is one masterpiece that is made up of a complex series of processes that work in coordination with all other bodily systems to maintain a healthy and thriving organism. These processes all happen in a controlled fashion, such that they simultaneously complement the activity of the other processes taking place in the other parts of the body. This is exemplified at the cellular level by the efficiency of the plasma membrane in regulating the flow of substances in and out of the cell. This study has been This experiment was made up of three parts. The first part demonstrated the effect of temperature on the rate of diffusion. Crystals of potassium permanganate were placed in beakers which were subjected to different temperatures. Changes in the solutions were observed over a period of time. Observations were noted and recorded at 0 minute, 5 minutes and then at 10-minute intervals for the first hour, and then again after every 20 minutes thereafter. To demonstrate the effect of osmosis on red blood cells, six test tubes were prepared and were labeled test tubes A-F. Two (2) ml of different solutions were placed in each

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Does the way in which accounting represents the world facilitate the Essay - 1

Does the way in which accounting represents the world facilitate the control of organizations - Essay Example They way in which accounting represents the world does not always facilitate the control of organizations. Representation versus control Not every nation has adopted the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) delivered in 2001 by the IASB. Because of this, there are independent and corporate investors that have identified opportunistic tax havens across the world. The ability to utilize foreign business accounting practices as a means to shelter resources continues to cause problems with how other businesses internationally perform their strategic management functions. For instance, Singapore has amended its tax laws as it had not, until 2009, adopted global accounting standards (google.com, 2009). Previously, businesses operating in Singapore maintained the ability to act as corporate and private investor tax havens as financial reporting from businesses in this country were able to manipulate data in a methodology that would be considered illegal in countries using the IFRS. Cost accounting not measured against IFRS, internally, eliminated the need for external auditing consultants, provided opportunity for less fiscal transparency, and allowed for strategic policy formation where allocation of costs was not standardized. What this speaks to is a lack of corporate governance in countries that are not yet fully standardized in the accounting function. Especially in terms of fiscal transparency and auditing practices, the businesses required less control and managers or executives with access to costs had the ability to shuffle currency or provide tax havens for investors with clever allocation of resources. â€Å"Culture is often considered to be one of the most powerful environmental factors affecting the accounting system of a country† (Tsui & Windsor, 2001, p.144). These authors consider accounting to be a â€Å"socio-technical† activity that involves human-based resources and financial resources in a way that is inseparable (Tsui & Windsor, p.145). In collectivist cultures, there is a mentality related to tradition and group affiliation where values are consistent with securing the needs of the group. These values are common in countries like Singapore and India. Thus, there is a resistance to change regarding adoption of international accounting standards that change the scope and policy formation related to resource utilization and fiscal transparency to the rest of the world. â€Å"Differences in accounting practices are manifestations of nationally different cultural systems† (Askary, Pounder & Yazdifar, 2008, p.145). Thus, businesses operating in one collectivist nation might have more focus on expansion whilst an individualistic country such as the United Kingdom might have more focus on developing more cost control by building a culture of lean production philosophy. In this situation, the method of accounting would differ, as would most assuredly those management systems in place in terms of c ontrol. In the individualistic culture that has adopted international standards, the implementation of new technologies to facilitate cost control and inventory control might be organisation-wide, such as new enterprise resource

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The theory of Initial Ocean and atmosphere Essay Example for Free

The theory of Initial Ocean and atmosphere Essay In 1953 Stanley Miller put the atmosphere consisting of hydrogen, methane, ammonia and steam to the experiment with electricity discharges. At that some of the numerous amino acids forming albumen were generated. However he succeeded to get only four of twenty amino acids essential for any life-forms to appear. Even in fifty years scientists are still unable to get experimentally all the twenty amino acids needed under conditions that can be called possible. Miller supposed that the initial Earth atmosphere was similar to that inside his experimental camera. Why? He and his colleague expressed the reason later:†Synthesis of biologically important compounds takes place only under restoration conditions (without any free oxygen in atmosphere)†. But according to his opponents oxygen is essential for the beginnings of life on Earth. The difficulty arisen is described by Hitching as following: â€Å"If there was any oxygen in the air the first amino acid would never arise and if there wasn’t it would be destroyed by the Space radiation. That’s highly interesting, Hitching says, that during Miller’s experiment with electricity discharges the four amino acids got survived only because they were taken out of the area of the discharges. If they continued to be there the discharge would decompose them. Supposing the amino acids to somehow get to the oceans and to escape the solar radiation of atmosphere there. And what then? Hitching explains: â€Å"Under the water cover there is not enough energy for the activation of the following chemical reactions; the water itself hampers the synthesis of complex molecules†. Chemist Richard Dickerson considers the following:† It’s hard to imagine polymerization taking place in the initial ocean, because the presence of water assists depolymerization only†. Biochemist George World agrees with the above saying:† It’s much more likely for the spontaneous dilution to happen in water â€Å". All the arguments given above clearly contradict to Stanley Miller’s theory. Yet, it’s still the only one explaining the reality we have.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Power of Spoken Word Poetry Essay -- performing art

Each year, City High School holds a poetry cafà ©. During this event, many young adults have the opportunity to get up and perform for their peers. This past year, a plethora of young adults choose to perform spoken word poetry. Some demonstrated issues that multiple people deal with and others expressing who they truly are within themselves. Spoken word poetry is a necessity to openly discuss the issues that affect today’s youth. Spoken word poetry allows young adults to deal with issues of gang violence. Two young men by the names of Nate Marshall and Demetrius Amparan recite a spoken word poem â€Å"Lost Count: A love story† because of the death of children that occurred in their neighborhood in Chicago that year. The poet’s voice is valued because they experienced firsthand the danger of growing up in the ghetto: â€Å"Though Marshall's mother worried about his long commute to Whitney Young, it was the walk though his own neighborhood that frightened her the most. One day, during his junior year, four thugs jumped him at 115th and Halsted Streets as he was getting off the bus on his way home from school†(Turner â€Å"Poets Tell Story of Chicago School Children Killed). With the streets being so dangerous, mothers worry about their kids simply walking to school. The fear of a child being shot in the streets is very real. Statistics from the crime lab at University of Chicago demonstrate this: â€Å"In the year of 2008, 510 people were killed and nearly early half were between the ages of ten to twenty-five and the majority of them being male† (uchicago.edu). . Through the poem Lost count: â€Å"A Love Story†, the two young men are telling a story of each of their classmates while speaking each name of a child that has died. Young adults in ... ... greater. Spoken word poetry shows great truths to the issues young adults experience today. The issues in our world tend to be over whelming. We need a voice and because of spoken word poets, we our provided with a way to. Works cited Turner, Dawn. "Poets Tell Story of Chicago School Children Killed." Chicago Tribune. N.p., 26 Oct. 2009. Web. 14 May 2014. "CRIME LAB." Report: Gun Violence Among School-Age Youth in Chicago. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. "The Truth about Children and Divorce." Emery on Divorce. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. â€Å"Jason Taylor Foundation.† Jason Taylor Foundation. N.P., N.d. web 15 May 2014 Stlieber, Dave. â€Å"The power of spoken word poetry. â€Å"The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post.come, 12 Feb. 2014. Web.15 May 2014 "The Truth about Children and Divorce." Emery on Divorce. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. The Power of Spoken Word Poetry Essay -- performing art Each year, City High School holds a poetry cafà ©. During this event, many young adults have the opportunity to get up and perform for their peers. This past year, a plethora of young adults choose to perform spoken word poetry. Some demonstrated issues that multiple people deal with and others expressing who they truly are within themselves. Spoken word poetry is a necessity to openly discuss the issues that affect today’s youth. Spoken word poetry allows young adults to deal with issues of gang violence. Two young men by the names of Nate Marshall and Demetrius Amparan recite a spoken word poem â€Å"Lost Count: A love story† because of the death of children that occurred in their neighborhood in Chicago that year. The poet’s voice is valued because they experienced firsthand the danger of growing up in the ghetto: â€Å"Though Marshall's mother worried about his long commute to Whitney Young, it was the walk though his own neighborhood that frightened her the most. One day, during his junior year, four thugs jumped him at 115th and Halsted Streets as he was getting off the bus on his way home from school†(Turner â€Å"Poets Tell Story of Chicago School Children Killed). With the streets being so dangerous, mothers worry about their kids simply walking to school. The fear of a child being shot in the streets is very real. Statistics from the crime lab at University of Chicago demonstrate this: â€Å"In the year of 2008, 510 people were killed and nearly early half were between the ages of ten to twenty-five and the majority of them being male† (uchicago.edu). . Through the poem Lost count: â€Å"A Love Story†, the two young men are telling a story of each of their classmates while speaking each name of a child that has died. Young adults in ... ... greater. Spoken word poetry shows great truths to the issues young adults experience today. The issues in our world tend to be over whelming. We need a voice and because of spoken word poets, we our provided with a way to. Works cited Turner, Dawn. "Poets Tell Story of Chicago School Children Killed." Chicago Tribune. N.p., 26 Oct. 2009. Web. 14 May 2014. "CRIME LAB." Report: Gun Violence Among School-Age Youth in Chicago. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. "The Truth about Children and Divorce." Emery on Divorce. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014. â€Å"Jason Taylor Foundation.† Jason Taylor Foundation. N.P., N.d. web 15 May 2014 Stlieber, Dave. â€Å"The power of spoken word poetry. â€Å"The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post.come, 12 Feb. 2014. Web.15 May 2014 "The Truth about Children and Divorce." Emery on Divorce. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Critical Response Essay

In the article â€Å"Pandemic or Panic† (2010) by Brian Molloy and the article â€Å"Hindsight is easy† (2010) by Erica Grove, they both discuss the way WHO response to the outbreak of H1N1 influenza and they present different perspectives on how the money was spent on and how the resource was distributed. Molloy is neutral about the WHO’s response of H1N1 influenza outbreak, while Molloy is highly skeptical. First, Molloy argues that WHO send everyone into a panic about H1N1, but it is not the threat people imaged it to be.Grove, however, states that it is necessary for the WHO and the government to take  the threat of H1N1 seriously. Next, Molloy claims that British government spend a lot of money on vaccine which makes two major pharmaceutical companies earn billions from swine flu, and there is a conflict of interest between the government and drug manufactures. He believes that this money should be spent on a right situation like helping disable instead of treating flu. Grove also believes that there is a mismanagement of the distribution of vaccine.Discussion: Molloy claims that the WHO and the government spends massive expenditure on doses of vaccine, while the death rate  for H1N1 is far low than for ordinary influenza. He criticizes the reports of H1N1 cases are exaggerated which send people into a panic about H1N1. By contrast, Grove states that the WHO did not overreact to the crisis. Rather, she feels grateful that the authorities took the threat of a pandemic seriously. She also points out that everything is always better to overprepare than to underprepare. Molloy appears to have overlooked that the powerful of virus can be. In fact, there are a couple of factors like infectivity, severity and lethality which can all affect the strength of a virus.Transmission is also a key factor to determine how the virus spread and be identified. As Molloy mentions that the death rate for H1N1 is relatively low than for ordinary pandemi c, it does not mean that H1N1 is a weak influenza. Perhaps the low death rate is due to early trace the source, infected people are well isolated from the rest of the community in order to control the spread of H1N1, or synthesis of a new vaccine by scientists in a short period of time. These could be one of the reasons of why the death rate for H1N1 is low. In this sense, Molloy fail to notice that.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

A New Mandate for HR-An Analysis Essay

In the article the writer had expressed his concern on underestimating role of Human resources Department in an organizational set up. The role of HR manager has confined to paper work related to recruitment and termination of employees, compensation and incentives, impart training to employees and design of developmental programmes etc. The HR Manager is responsible for implementation of policies made by CEOÂ’s or line Managers. David Ulrich has emphasized that the role of HR should be organizational excellence rather than focusing on fundamental HR issues only. HR has to take the lead to enable organizations survive in globalized era, to sustain revenue growth, to harness technological advances, to protect intellectual property and keep pace with changing business environment. In global competitive economy, managers are required to be aware of entire global market scenario, political uncertainties, trade issues, fluctuating exchange rates and customer preferences. Revenue growth by way of lay- offs, cost cuts and merger & acquisitions has become new mantra for organizations. He feels rather companies should focus on creativity and innovation. The employees should be encouraged to share learning and honing their skills for achieving required revenue growth. The geographical distance has been bridged by technological advances. In the era of technological revolution employees had to learn how to exploit technology for organizational goal. In the changing scenario companies, who can attract, retain and develop best talent will lead the world. Companies have to keep on shifting gears to beat competition, has to take rapid decisions and invent new ways of doing work. He affirmed that HR can deliver excellence by being partner with the senior management in the strategy execution of organization.HR can help in reducing cost of organization by work organization, delivering administrative efficiency with quality.HR should be an interface between employees and  higher management to apprise concerns of the employee to management and to motivate employees to contribute to the organization. HR should transform itself with change in organizations processes, culture. HR should be given responsibility for designing organizational structure. The structure should identify each element of an organization and put them together for seamless operations.HR should be accountable for organizational audit. Audits are required to identify which parts require change. After the components are identified which need renovation HR should seek ways and methods to renovate that part.HR at the same time must audit its own work. HR must assess impact of each activity in collaboration with operating managers. HR must identify processes within their domain which can be done faster, cheaper and better. For example resume screening can be done using scanner software tools to reduce recruitment cycle time. They can design and implement new system that allows sharing administrative services. In new role HR must be responsible for ensuring employee engagement & commitment. HR must train operating managers about importance of employee morale. Workshop reports, employee surveys and written reports are few of the tools to train line managers on importance of high employee morale. HR should recommend ways to maintain high morale. HR may suggest recruitment of few more employees on a particular project or for imparting training to employees to execute some work. HR must make people adaptable to changes rather than resist. HR must introduce change model such as one introduced by GE ”Change Begins asking Who, Why, What & How.” Before enforcing a change, management must ask Why are we seeking change? What will be the benefits to the organization? How to implement changes? HR must brain storm with management team to answer these questions. However Ulrich thinks that it the collective responsibility of line managers, CEO, and HR to transform an organization. The line managers can help HR in focusing on results by talking serious about how organizational capability will create value to shareholders. They can invest more time on issues related to people. Line Managers should clearly tell HR what they wanted from them. Management shall invest in HR tools like conferences and management literature. Senior line should be always ready to adapt new HR practices. Management shall insure that HR managers are aware of intricacies of processes and reengineering. They should be updated regularly to deliver results. Ulrich stated that it is not an easy task to take up the new role for HR managers. They must work toward goals. They must redefine their goals in terms of value addition to the organization and business results. Senior line must drop their attitude towards HR as incompetent and ineffective staff.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Cephalopods Facts

Cephalopods Facts Cephalopods are mollusks (Cephalopoda), a class which includes octopuses, squid, cuttlefish, and nautilus. These are ancient species that are found in all of the worlds oceans, and are thought to have originated about 500 million years ago. They include some of the most intelligent creatures on the planet. Fast Facts: Cephalopods Scientific Name: CephalopodaCommon Name(s): Cephlapods, mollusks, cuttlefish, octopuses, squids, nautilusesBasic Animal Group: InvertebrateSize: 1/2 inch–30 feetWeight: 0.2 ounce–440 poundsLifespan: 1–15 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: All of the oceansPopulation: UnknownConservation Status: Critically Endangered (1 species), Endangered (2), Vulnerable (2), Near Threatened (1), Least Concern (304), Data Deficient (376) Description Cephalopods are highly intelligent, highly mobile ocean-dwelling creatures that are remarkably diverse in size and lifestyle. All of them possess at least eight arms and a parrot-like beak. They have three hearts that circulate blue blood- cephalopod blood is copper-based, rather than iron-based like red-blooded humans. Some cephalopod species have tentacles with suckers for grabbing, camera-like eyes, color-changing skin, and complex learning behaviors. Most cephalopod eyes are quite like humans, with an iris, pupil, lens, and (in some) a cornea. The shape of the pupil is specific to species. Cephalopods are intelligent, with relatively large brains. The largest is the giant squid (30 feet long and weighing 440 pounds); the smallest are the pygmy squid and California lilliput octopus (under 1/2 inch and 2/10 of an ounce). Most live only one to two years, with a maximum of five years, except for nautiluses which can live as long as 15 years. Species There are over 800 living species of cephalopods, loosely divided into two groups called clades: Nautiloidea (of which the only surviving species is the nautilus) and Coleoidea (squids, cuttlefish, octopuses, and the paper nautilus).  The taxonomic structures are under debate. Nautiluses have a coiled shell, are slow-moving, and are only found in deep water; they have more than 90 arms.Squids are by and large torpedo-shaped, fast-moving, and have a thin, flexible internal shell called a pen. The pupils of their eyes are circular.Cuttlefish look and behave like squid but they have stouter bodies and a broad internal shell called a cuttlebone. They navigate by undulating their body fins and live in the water column or on the sea floor. Cuttlefish pupils are shaped like the letter W.Octopuses live mostly in deep water, have no shell, and can swim or walk on two of their eight arms. Their pupils are rectangular. Habitat and Range Cephalopods are found in all of the major water bodies in the world, primarily but not exclusively salt water. Most species live at depths between seven and 800 feet, but a few can survive at depths near 3,300 feet. Some cephalopods migrate following their food sources, a characteristic that may well have allowed them to survive for millions of years. Some migrate vertically every day, spending most of the day in the dark depths hiding from predators and rising to the surface at night to hunt.   Diet Cephalopods are all carnivorous. Their diet varies depending on the species but can include everything from crustaceans to fish, bivalves, jellyfish, and even other cephalopods. They are hunters and scavengers and have several tools to assist them. They grasp and hold their prey with their arms and then break it into bite-sized pieces using their beaks; and they further process the food with a radula, a tongue-like form edged with teeth that scrapes the meat and pulls it into the cephalopod digestive tract. Behavior Many cephalopods, especially octopuses, are intelligent problem solvers and escape artists. To hide from their predators- or their prey- they can eject a cloud of ink, bury themselves in the sand, change color, or even make their skin bioluminesce, emit light like a firefly.  Skin color changes are engineered by expanding or contracting pigment-filled bags in the skin called chromatophores. Cephalopods move through the water in two ways. Traveling tail-first, they move by flapping their fins and arms. Traveling head first, they move by jet propulsion: muscles fill their mantle with water and then expel it in a burst that propels them forward. Squids are the fastest of any marine creature. Some species can move in bursts up to 26 feet per second, and in sustained migrations for up 1 foot per second. Reproduction Cephalopods have both male and female sexes, and mating usually includes a courtship often involving skin color changes, varying with the species. Some species of cephalopods gather together in great masses to mate. The male transfers a sperm packet to the female through her mantle opening via either a penis or a modified arm; the females are polyandrous, meaning they can be fertilized by multiple males. The females lay large yolky eggs in clusters on the ocean floor, creating 5 to 30 egg capsules with four to six embryos each. In many species, males and females both die shortly after spawning. Octopus females, however, stop eating but live on to watch over their eggs, keeping them clean and protecting them from predators. Gestation periods can last for months, depending on species and conditions: one deep-sea octopus, Graneledone boreopacifica, has a gestation period of four and a half years. Identifying the young of different cephalopod species is difficult. Some juvenile cephalopods swim freely and feed on marine snow (bits of food fragments in the water column) until they mature, while others are adept predators at birth.   Conservation Status There are 686 species listed in the class Cephalopoda in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. One species is listed as Critically Endangered (Opisthoteuthis chathamensis), two are Endangered (O. mero and Cirroctopus hochbergi), two are Vulnerable (O. calypso and O. massyae) and one is Near Threatened (Giant Australian Cuttlefish, Sepia apama). Of the rest, 304 are Least Concern and 376 are Data Deficient. The Opisthoeuthis genus of octopus live in the most shallow waters of the oceans, and they are the species which is most threatened by commercial deep-water trawling.   Cephalopods reproduce rapidly and over-fishing is not typically a problem. Nacre from the nautilus is prized in the United States and elsewhere, and although nautiluses are not listed in the IUCN Red List, they have been protected under the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) since 2016.   Sources Bartol, Ian K., et al. Swimming Dynamics and Propulsive Efficiency of Squids Throughout Ontogeny. Integrative and Comparative Biology 48.6 (2008): 720–33. Print.Cephalapoda - Class. IUCN Red List.Cephalopoda Cuvier 1797. Encyclopedia of Life, 2010.Hall, Danielle. Cephalopods. Ocean. Smithsonian Institution, 2018.Vendetti, Jann. The Cephalopoda: Squids, octopuses, nautilus, and ammonites. Lophotrochozoa: Mollusca, University of California at Berkeley, 2006.Young, Richard E., Michael Vecchione, and Katharina M. Mangold. Cephalopoda Cuvier 1797 Octopods, squids, nautiluses, etc. Tree of Life, 2019.Wood, James B. The Cephalopod Page, University of Hawaii, 2019.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Significant Events of the Delaware Colony

Significant Events of the Delaware Colony The Delaware colony was founded in 1638 by European colonists from the Netherlands and Sweden. Its history includes occupations by the Dutch, Swedish, British- and the colony of Pennsylvania, which included Delaware until 1703. Fast Facts: Delaware Colony Also Known As: New Netherland, New SwedenNamed After: Then-governor of Virginia, Lord de la WarrFounding Country: Netherlands, SwedenFounding Year: 1638First Known European Landing: Samuel ArgallResidential Native Communities: Lenni Lenape and NanticokeFounders: Peter Minuit and the New Sweden CompanyImportant People: James, Duke of York, William Penn Early Arrivals The first European arrivals in the area occurred in the early 17th century when the Dutch were involved in establishing many trading posts and colonies around the world including in North America. Henry Hudson had been hired by the Dutch to explore the New World in 1609 and he discovered and named the Hudson River. By 1611, the Dutch had established fur trading enterprises with the Native Americans called the Lenni Lenape. In 1614, Fort Nassau, on what is the Hudson River near Gloucester, New Jersey, was the earliest Dutch settlement in the New World. Peter Minuit and the New Sweden Company In 1637, Swedish explorers and stockholders created the New Sweden Company to explore and trade in the New World, under a charter with Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus. Adolphus died in 1632, and his daughter and successor Queen Christina took over the charters administration. Christinas chancellor formed the New Sweden Company in 1637 and hired Peter Minuit. Minuit was a German-born Dutch resident likely of French Huguenot ancestry, who had previously been the governor of New Netherland from 1626 to 1631 and is most well known for the purchase of Manhattan Island. In March of 1638, Minuit and his two ships, Key of Kalmar and the Griffin, landed at the mouth of a river they named Christina, in what is now Wilmington and founded the first permanent colony in Delaware. Annexed to New Netherland While the Dutch and Swedes coexisted for some time, the incursion of the Dutch into New Sweden territory saw its leader, Johan Rising, move against some Dutch settlements. In 1655, Peter Stuyvesant, New Netherlands governor, sent armed ships to New Sweden. The colony surrendered without a fight.  Thus, the area that was once New Sweden then became part of New Netherland.   British Ownership The British and Dutch were direct competitors during the 17th century. England felt they had a claim to the prosperous New Netherland territory due to the explorations by John Cabot made in 1498. In 1660, with the restoration of Charles II to the throne of England, the Dutch feared the British would attack their territory and forged an alliance with the French against the British. In response, Charles II  gave his brother, James, the Duke of York, New Netherland in March 1664. This annexation of New Netherland required a show of force. James sent a fleet of ships to New Netherland to demand its surrender. Peter Stuyvesant agreed. While the northern part of the New Netherland was named New York, the lower part was leased to William Penn as the lower counties on the Delaware. Penn wanted access to the sea from Pennsylvania. Thus, the territory was part of Pennsylvania until 1703. In addition, Delaware continued to share a governor with Pennsylvania until the Revolutionary War, even though it had its own representative assembly.   Beginning the War of Independence In October 1765, Delaware sent two delegates to a congress of the colonies in New York to deliberate on a joint colonial response to recent British measures, in particular, the Sugar Act of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765. The two men were landholder Caesar Rodney and attorney Thomas McKean: the two men and assemblyman George Read would continue to play a role in the movement for independence.   Delaware declared its independence from Great Britain on June 15, 1776, and signed the declaration of independence with its fellow colonies on July 4. Sources Delaware Facts. Delaware Historical SocietyMunroe, John A. History of Delaware, 5th ed. Cranbury NJ: University of Delaware Press, 2006.Wiener, Roberta and James R. Arnold. Delaware: The History of Delaware Colony, 1638–1776. Chicago, Raintree, 2005.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Corporate law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Corporate law - Essay Example The aspects that Corporation Law takes care of in relation to the activities of the companies are its formation and operations including fundraising and activities of the officer’s involved1. The Corporations Act already defines remuneration in Section 9 noting it to be â€Å"any benefit that is given to an officer or employee of a corporation is remuneration if and only if the benefit, were it received by a director of the corporation, would be remuneration of the director for the purposes of an accounting standard that deals with disclosure in companies’ financial reports of information about directors’ remuneration†1. This discussion intends to recognize the laws relating to director’s remuneration particularly in Australia. Moreover, the effectiveness of these laws safeguarding shareholders’ interests will also be determined in the discussion. Legal Issues Prevalent to Laws of Directors’ Remuneration There had been a public enquiry that was conducted by the Productivity Commission of Australia for the purpose of regulating the framework of the directors’ remuneration for the companies falling under the purview of Corporations Act. The commission was specifically requested to consider a few points namely; The Australian trend followed with respect to the remuneration of directors along with executives The strength of the regulatory framework in practice over the transparency, responsibility as well as oversight of the remuneration practices of the executives and directors The role of various bodies like the retail and institutional shareholders in various aspects of the remuneration practices like setting, development, reporting and consideration The possibility of mechanisms that would be helpful to enhance the alignment of the boards’ and executives’ interests with the broader community The strength of effects of the responses received internationally about the various issues of remunera tion that tend to arise out of the financial crisis globally2. There were certain changes brought about in the Corporations Act with regards to the remuneration of executives and directors especially in Australia. These changes were passed through the Corporation Amendment Bill 2011. The changes include the following points: The ‘No Vacancy’ Rule: This change was set with intent to be applicable for public companies following a board limit less than the higher limit specified in their organizational constitution4. Proxy Voting: This is set for all the companies. According to this, the proxy holders shall have to direct every alternative as directed for all the resolutions4. The ‘Two Strike Rule’: This sets for the listed companies which signifies that any vote for the directors in order to compete for re–election shall be needed in case a board proceeds with proposal for remuneration even after obtaining 25 percent or more vote at two successive gene ral meetings conducted annually4. Remuneration Consultants: This is for the companies that tend to disclose every detail in the report in connection with the remuneration provided by the company to the directors4. Voting by Key Management Personnel (KMP): This affirms that KMP as well as their close associates would be prohibited from partaking in the non-binding votes particularly in the case of listed