Wednesday, November 27, 2019

How to spark the curiosity of the readers

How to spark the curiosity of the readers How to "spark the curiosity of the readers" Alejandro Largo is one of our recent additions to Reedsy, and a fantastic designer. You can see some of his beautiful work for a variety of academic titles over at his Reedsy profile. Fun factoid: Alejandro has worked on several covers for texts within the humanities and social sciences, including philosophy, sociology, and literature, which are of course some of the most awesome of academic disciplines, at least according to a quick straw poll of the Reedsy offices. Meet Alejandro below. Enjoy!How did you get started in design, and how did you get into book covers specifically?I was fortunate to grow up in Colombia surrounded by art and design. My father, brother and uncle all are designers. When I was young, way before I knew what graphic design was, I would use to go to my dad’s office and be amazed by the vibe of a creative agency. At that point I knew I wanted to be in a creative field. When the time came to go to college, I had the opportunity to come to New York and att end the School of Visual Arts. During the program I got really interested in editorial design, especially book design. So much that I did my internship with Simon Schuster and my first job was designing book covers and interiors for Columbia University Press.Have you done much work with independent authors? If so, is there anything different about it compared to working with a traditional publisher?I haven’t had the chance to work with many independent authors yet, but I am excited about the prospect of working more directly with the author to create the cover. With a traditional publisher there are a lot channels you have to go through to get the cover approved internally before it even reaches the author for the first time. A more direct communication could allow us to create a cover that is relevant, interesting and stands out from the standard look you see on the shelfs.Thanks for your time Alejandro.Check out Alejandro’s profile and extensive portfolio.Follow Ree dsy on Twitter  , Facebook  and Google+

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Biography of Isoroku Yamamoto, World War II Admiral

Biography of Isoroku Yamamoto, World War II Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (April 4, 1884–April 18, 1943) was the commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet during World War II. It was Yamamoto who planned and executed the attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. Initially against war, Yamamoto nevertheless planned and participated in many of the most important battles of the war. He was finally killed in action in the South Pacific in 1943. Fast Facts: Isoroku Yamamoto Known For: Isoroku Yamamoto was the commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet during World War II.Also Known As: Isoroku TakanaBorn: April 4, 1884 in Nagaoka,  Niigata,  Empire of JapanParents: Sadayoshi Teikichi, and his second wife MinekoDied: April 18, 1943  in Buin,  Bougainville,  Solomon Islands,  Territory of New GuineaEducation:  Imperial Japanese Naval AcademyAwards and Honors:  Ã‚  Grand Cordon of the  Order of the Chrysanthemum  (posthumous appointment, Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers  (April 1942),  Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun  (April 1940); the subject of many books and moviesSpouse: Reiko MihashiChildren: Yoshimasa and Tadao (sons) and Sumiko and Masako  (daughters)Notable Quote: Should hostilities once break out between  Japan  and the  United States, it is not enough that we take  Guam  and the  Philippines, nor even  Hawaii  and San Francisco. We would have to march into   Washington  and sign the treaty in the  White House. I wonder if our politicians (who speak so lightly of a Japanese-American war) have confidence as to the outcome and are prepared to make the necessary sacrifices. Early Life Isoroku Takano was born April 4, 1884, in Nagaoka, Japan, and was the sixth son of samurai Sadayoshi Takano. His name, an older Japanese term for 56, referenced his fathers age the time of his birth. In 1916, following the death of his parents, the 32-year-old Takano was adopted into the Yamamoto family and assumed its name. It was a common custom in Japan for families without sons to adopt one so that their name would continue.  At age 16, Yamamoto entered the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy at Etajima. Graduating in 1904 and ranked seventh in his class, he was assigned to the cruiser Nisshin. Early Military Career While on board, Yamamoto fought in the decisive Battle of Tsushima (May 27-28, 1905).  During the engagement, Nisshin served in the Japanese battle line and sustained several hits from Russian warships. In the course of the fighting, Yamamoto was wounded and lost two fingers on his left hand. This injury led to him earning the nickname 80 sen, as a manicure cost 10 sen per finger at the time. Recognized for his leadership skill, Yamamoto was sent to the Naval Staff College in 1913. Graduating two years later, he received a promotion to lieutenant commander. In 1918, Yamamoto married Reiko Mihashi with whom he would have four children. A year later, he departed for the United States and spent two years studying the oil industry at Harvard University. Returning to Japan in 1923, he was promoted to captain and advocated for a strong fleet that would allow Japan to pursue a course of gunboat diplomacy if necessary. This approach was countered by the Army, which viewed the Navy as a force for transporting invasion troops. The following year, he changed his specialty from gunnery to naval aviation after taking flying lessons at Kasumigaura. Fascinated by air power, he soon became the schools director and began to produce elite pilots for the Navy. In 1926, Yamamoto returned to the United States for a two-year tour as the Japanese naval attachà © in Washington. Early 1930s After returning home in 1928, Yamamoto briefly commanded the light cruiser Isuzu before becoming captain of the aircraft carrier Akagi.  Promoted to rear admiral in 1930, he served as a special assistant to the Japanese delegation at the second London Naval Conference and was a key factor in raising the number of ships the Japanese were permitted to build under the London Naval Treaty. In the years after the conference, Yamamoto continued to advocate for naval aviation and led the First Carrier Division in 1933 and 1934. Due to his performance in 1930, he was sent to the third London Naval Conference in 1934. In late 1936, Yamamoto was made the vice minister of the Navy. From this position, he argued strenuously for naval aviation and fought against the construction of new battleships. Road to War Throughout his career, Yamamoto had opposed many of Japans military adventures, such as the invasion of Manchuria in 1931 and the subsequent land war with China. In addition, he was vocal in his opposition to any war with the United States and delivered the official apology for the sinking of USS Panay in 1937. These stances, along with his advocating against the Tripartite Pact with German and Italy, made the admiral very unpopular with the pro-war factions in Japan, many of which put bounties on his head. During this period, the Army detailed military police to conduct surveillance on Yamamoto under the guise of providing protection from potential assassins. On August 30, 1939, Navy Minister Admiral Yonai Mitsumasa promoted Yamamoto to commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet commenting, It was the only way to save his life- send him off to sea. Following the signing of the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy, Yamamoto warned Premier Fumimaro Konoe that if he were forced to fight the United States, he expected to have success for no more than six months to a year. After that time, nothing was guaranteed. With war almost unavoidable, Yamamoto began planning for the fight. Going against traditional Japanese naval strategy, he advocated a quick first strike to cripple the Americans followed by an offensive-minded decisive battle. Such an approach, he argued, would increase Japans chances of victory and might make the Americans willing to negotiate peace. Promoted to admiral on November 15, 1940, Yamamoto anticipated losing his command with the ascension of General Hideki Tojo to prime minister in October 1941. Though old adversaries, Yamamoto retained his position due to his popularity in the fleet and connections to the imperial family. Pearl Harbor As diplomatic relations continued to break down, Yamamoto began planning his strike to destroy the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, while also outlining plans for drives into the resource-rich Dutch East Indies and Malaya. Domestically, he continued to push for naval aviation and opposed the construction of the Yamato-class super-battleships, as he felt they were a waste of resources.  With the Japanese government set on war, six of Yamamotos carriers sailed for Hawaii on November 26, 1941. Approaching from the north they attacked on December 7, sinking four battleships and damaging an additional four- beginning World War II. While the attack was a political disaster for the Japanese due to the United States desire for revenge, it provided Yamamoto with six months (as he anticipated) to consolidate and expand their territory in the Pacific without American interference. Midway Following the triumph at Pearl Harbor, Yamamotos ships and planes proceeded to mop up Allied forces across the Pacific. Surprised by the speed of the Japanese victories, the Imperial General Staff (IGS) began to ponder competing plans for future operations. While Yamamoto argued in favor of seeking a decisive battle with the American fleet, the IGS preferred to move toward Burma. Following the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo in April 1942, Yamamoto was able to convince the Naval General Staff to let him move against Midway Island, 1,300 miles northwest of Hawaii. Knowing that Midway was key to the defense of Hawaii, Yamamoto hoped to draw the American fleet out so that it could be destroyed. Moving east with a large force, including four carriers, while also sending a diversionary force to the Aleutians, Yamamoto was unaware that the Americans had broken his codes and were informed about the attack. After bombing the island, his carriers were struck by U.S. Navy aircraft flying from three carriers. The Americans, led by Rear Admirals Frank J. Fletcher and Raymond Spruance, managed to sink all four Japanese carriers (Akagi, Soryu, Kaga, and Hiryu) in exchange for the USS Yorktown (CV-5). The defeat at Midway blunted Japanese offensive operations and shifted the initiative to the Americans. After Midway Despite the heavy losses at Midway, Yamamoto sought to press forward with operations to take Samoa and Fiji. As a stepping stone for this move, Japanese forces landed on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands and commenced building an airfield. This was countered by American landings on the island in August 1942. Forced to fight for the island, Yamamoto was pulled into a battle of attrition that his fleet could not afford. Having lost face due to the defeat at Midway, Yamamoto was forced to assume the defensive posture preferred by the Naval General Staff. Death Throughout the fall of 1942, he fought a pair of carrier battles (Eastern Solomons Santa Cruz) as well as numerous surface engagements in support of the troops on Guadalcanal. Following the fall of Guadalcanal in February 1943, Yamamoto decided to make an inspection tour through the South Pacific to boost morale. Using radio intercepts, American forces were able to isolate the route of the admirals plane. On the morning of April 18, 1943, American P-38 Lightning planes from the 339th Fighter Squadron ambushed Yamamotos plane and its escorts near Bougainville. In the fight that ensued, Yamamotos plane was hit and went down, killing all on board. The kill is generally credited to 1st LieutenantRex T. Barber.  Yamamoto was succeeded as commander of the Combined Fleet by Admiral Mineichi Koga.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Research paper on the death of ivan illyich by tolstoy Essay

Research paper on the death of ivan illyich by tolstoy - Essay Example The inevitability of death is a realization which comes to most of us very late in life if at all. While the characters in the story understand that death is a reality and an event which will occur sooner or later, like Ivan, they choose to ignore it and give thoughts to other more pressing considerations which take up their time (Hustis, 2000). Strangely enough, it takes a writer like Tolstoy to show us that without considering death while we have the time to actively change our lives, our final days may be spent like Ivan who examines his life and finds it lacking. The introspective nature which Ivan develops before his death could have served him well had he thought about life and living before he had to struggle with thoughts of death and dying. At times the reader can associate with Ivan since death is never a pleasant topic to consider, especially one’s own death which is seldom given thought in our daily lives (Danaher, 2003). As the novella progresses, the intense inte rnal struggle that Ivan has with his own thoughts magnifies his dread of the approaching eventual end and so overwhelms his thoughts that it becomes impossible to live the life he still has left with him. The plot of the book shows how Ivan is a government official serving in the capacity of a high court judge who lives a carefree, happy and more or less content life with his wife and family members. He begins to suffer from a mysterious pain in his stomach once he falls while hanging curtains in his house. With time, the pain becomes worse and he runs from pillar to post while trying to find a cure for his ailment. We find out that his condition is a terminal one and he will be dead soon. Yet at the same time, he does not accept his death. He certainly knows that he will not live for ever since he understands the philosophical concepts of morality and the idea that all

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Obamacare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Obamacare - Essay Example There are various advantages of the Obama health care plan. First, the act reduces the overall health care cost by making services available to the people who had no access to insurance (Chrumbelievable, 2012). Such people initially often used hospital emergency room as the primary care with increased medical cost. This will be a relief to such people. In addition, it is a relief to those who cannot afford health insurance. This is because the federal government will pay the state to incorporate them in the Medicaid (Chrumbelievable, 2012). Secondly, those who fail to qualify for expanded Medicaid due to low income the state will be compelled to set up insurance exchanges to alleviate the burden of getting private health insurance coverage (Chrumbelievable, 2012). Thirdly, those with preexisting conditions like children will not be denied insurance cover. Additionally, insurance company will not drop anyone from the cover once they become sick. Moreover, parents can now put their chi ldren on their health insurance cover up to 26 years old (Chrumbelievable, 2012). This will be advantageous to the insurance companies because they will get more premiums at a lower cost on covering healthier individuals. Equally, small business are spared by this care while large business are only required to offer health insurance, but receive tax credits to help employees pay premiums (Chrumbelievable, 2012). On the other hand, the Obamacare also has disadvantages. First, the increased coverage is likely to raise the health care costs. This is because a large group of people will receive preventive care and testing without establishing whether they had critical illness (ProQuest, n.d.). Secondly, the drug cost is likely to increase in the future as the pharmaceuticals companies are forced to pay over $80 billion in fee of closing the â€Å"donut hole† (Pipes, 2010). Some business may be discouraged to hire new employees. For example, the medical-device manufacturer and importers are required to pay a 2.35 excise tax (Pipes, 2010). There is also likelihood of tax being raised in the majority of the population. The Obamacare is in consistency with the constitutional framework of federalism. This is because the enactment of the Obamacare preserved state sovereignty (Democrat, 2012). Although it had numerous stringent federal mandates, the state had maintained substantial

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Howard Hughes Essay Example for Free

Howard Hughes Essay Howard Hughes, one of the most mysterious men in America. He achieved the American dream by not only becoming wealthy but he also built an empire. A businessman, plane designer, movie producer, industrialist, was great in everything he focused in. Had and enormous wealth and intellect, and he also had achievement. He fortune with hard work in any job and with his great influential ideas. Howard Robard Hughes Jr. was born in Houston, Texas on December 24, 1905. He was the son of Allene Gano Hughes and Howard Robard Hughes Sr. , who invented the tri-cone roller bit which allowed rotary drilling for oil in previously inaccessible places. He also founded the Hughes Tool Company to commercialize this invention. Howard’s parents died when he was still a child; he inherited a considerable part of his father’s million dollar fortune. Howards goals as a child were to become the best golfer, the best pilot, and the best movie producer. Despite the fact that he attended great schools, he never got a diploma. His father arranged for him to attend math and engineering classes at the California Institute of Technology. Then he enrolled in the now-called Rice University. Hughes is best known as an aviation genius, because of all of his the designs, ideas, and invention of airplanes. He is famous for the H-4 Hercules, also known as the â€Å"Spruce Goose†, and is also known because of his eccentric behavior. He set many world records while flying that seemed unreachable in his time. On September 13, 1935, he set a new speed record aboard his H-1 Racer by setting a speed of 566 km per hour, the previous record was 505 km per hour. This H-1 was donated to the Smithsonian Institute in 1975; now it is on display at the National Air and Space Museum. On January 19, 1937, he set a trans-continental speed record by flying from Los Angeles to New York City in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 25 seconds. On 1938 he set a record by flying around the world in 3 days and 19 hours; the preceding record was more than four hours. Hughes also received many awards; some are: the Harmon Aviatrix Trophy (1936 and in 1938) which is given for the most outstanding international achievements, the Collier Trophy (1939) which is the most prestigious award in the aviation field, and the Octave Chanute Award (1940) which is given for engineering innovations. Howard Hughes purchased Transcontinental and Western Air (TWA) in 1939. This company grew along with his chairman Jack Frye. TWA broke Pan Am’s legal designation as the US sole international carrier, so TWA began transatlantic flights using the new Lockheed â€Å"Connie†, which was used as both a civilian airliner and U.S. military air transport plane. In 1950, the airline changed its name to Trans World Airlines (TWA), because it offered flying routes from Europe to all Asia until Hong Kong. Later with the Transpacific Route Case of 1969, TWA was able to fly in the Pacific Ocean too. TWA and Pan Am were the only U.S. airlines serving Europe. One of Hughes’s most famous designs was the H-4 Hercules, also known as the Spruce Goose. This was a jumbo boat that flew; it was specially designed for carrying soldiers in a war. The idea was to use it in World War II, but unfortunately the Hercules was finished just after the end of the war. This plane was another satisfactory idea of Hughes, because it successfully flew once with Hughes in control. This is why Howard had to testify against the Senate War Investigating Committee, but they failed to file a final report because the government didn’t permit planes made out of aircraft aluminum. So Hughes had to make the plane out of hard close-grained wood so he could accomplish his contract with the U.S. Government. This plane was on display next to RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California for many years, but now it is in McMinnville, Oregon where it is part of the Evergreen Aviation Museum. On July 7, 1946, Hughes was flying a prototype plane of the US Army, made by him, when an oil leak changed the way a propeller had to work. The plane started to drop down and crashed in a Beverly Hills neighborhood. When the plane finally stopped, after destroying three houses, the fuel tanks exploded, setting fire to the plane and a close house. In the accident, Hughes got a crushed collar bone, six crushed ribs and some third-degree burns, but besides this it affected him the rest of his life. With this he turned into a more unusual person because he developed an addiction to opiates because of use of morphine as a painkiller during his rehabilitation. He turned into an isolated person, developing a disease known as hypochondria, which makes a person preoccupied with physical health and body. This person believes, fears or is convinced that he has a serious disease, despite medical reassurance. Hughes became so isolated the he was inside a room for a little over 8 months, only opening the room for food carefully inspected for any germ. The main reason he left the room in 1947 was because he was called to testify. Senator Ralph Owen Brewster opposed the commercial interest of Howard Hughes. He said that Howard had received $40 million from the Defense Department without actually delivering the aircraft he had contracted to provide (which was the H-4 Hercules). Even though Hughes had everything against him, he combated Brewster with the same anger, accusing him of being corrupt. Hughes spread rumors about the senator’s close association with Pan Am (Hughes’s rival company), alleging that he received free flights and other things in return for help beating TWA. The senator also passed a bill to remove government approval for TWA flights across the Atlantic. Hughes openly said that Brewster had promised an end to the Senate investigation if he would agree to merge TWA with Pan Am. In reply, the senator, annoyed by the accusations, stood aside from leading the investigation to become a witness before the committee. He denied Hughes’s accusations and made several opposing accusations, but failed to harm Hughes. The senator’s reputation suffered greatly from this incident with Hughes. Howard Hughes died on April 5, 1976, at the age of 70 when he was going on an airplane from his penthouse in Mexico to a hospital in Houston. The autopsy showed that he died because of a kidney failure, plus in his bloodstream it appeared that he had 1.9 micrograms of codeine. This dose of codeine is more than fatal, and together with a good amount of valium it makes it fatal. Hughes was unrecognizable due to his long years of recluse. His hair, beard, finger and toe nails were disgustingly long. Doctors said that malnutrition to his 6’4† body helped him on his death, because he only weighed 90 lbs. Since he was too unrecognizable, the FBI had no other choice than to use the fingerprint identification to identify the body. Howard is buried in the cemetery of Glenwood in Houston. Hughes is worth writing research paper, because he is a genius on mostly everything related to plane designs. It is good to know that thanks to this man we are able to move fast and around the world. Jets are a great innovation on planes; Howard was the one of inventors of the jet propulsion airplanes, but wasn’t able to make the most out of them, because of his illness. I believe he is an inspiration for most of the youths out there wanting to study engineering, I think this is true, because Howard is my inspiration because of the great example he represents. Besides being a plane genius he was also a movie director producer which is also another reason why this man is a good research topic. Bibliography: Johnson, Bobby H. Howard Hughes The World Net Encyclopedia. Ed. Robert O Zeleny. Chicago World Enc. Inc, 1990. PBS Chasing the Sun- Howard Hughes [Online] Available http://www.pbs.org/Kcet/chasing the sun/innovators/hhughes.html, September 9, 2003. Golden Ages [Online] Available http://nationalaviation.org/museum-enshrinee/asp?eraid=3enshrineeid=302, September 12, 2003. Donald L. Bartlett and James B. Steele, Empire: The Life, Legend, and Madness of Howard Hughes (New York: Norton, 1979). Charles Barton, Howard Hughes and His Flying Boat (Fallbrook, California: Aero, 1982). Michael Drosin, Citizen Hughes (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1985). Howard Hughes, My Life and Opinions, ed. Robert P. Eaton (Chicago: Best Books Press, 1972). Robert Maheu, Next to Hughes: Behind the Power and Tragic Downfall of Howard Hughes, by His Closest Advisor (New York: HarperCollins, 1992). Harold Rhoden, High Stakes: The Gamble for the Howard Hughes Will (New York: Crown, 1980). Robert W. Rummel , Howard Hughes and TWA (Washington: Smithsonian Press, 1991). Tony Thomas, Howard Hughes in Hollywood (Secaucus, New Jersey: Citadel Press, 1985)

Thursday, November 14, 2019

How Arthur Miller Creates Tension in A View From The Bridge :: Arthur Miller

Show how Arthur Miller creates a tense atmosphere at the end of act one of ‘A View From The Bridge’ In the play ‘A View From The Bridge’ there are many ingredients that finish with the final dish at the end. Usually, when you know the ingredients to a dish, you could guess what it would taste like or look like. Basically, there are many pressure points in the play that lead to the final outcome, and that outcome is very obvious. The audience would not be surprised when they get to the end, many would see it coming from far. The play is set in New York, in the Red Hook neighborhood in the borough of Brooklyn, next to the docks. It’s a quiet simple community of Italian immigrants, who follow an unwritten respectful Italian law. The Italians keep to themselves pretty much as they feel as though they have been separated from their Italian roots. The ‘unwritten law’ requires for everyone to be respected, and it also encourages revenge, as it shows in the play. This Sicilian Code Of Conduct consists of honor, marriage, family well being, revenge hospitality, love, respect and strictly no snitching. The Sicilian Code Of Conduct shows all sorts of good things that also relate to the philosopher’s idea of a good and honest life. If Eddie could have stuck to this advice, and kept his feelings and anger to himself (which would have been impossible for Eddie), everything would have turned out better. Italy represents homeland, origin and culture for the citizens of Red Hook. But Italy represents different things to the main characters in the play, for example Catherine associates Italy with mystery, romance and beauty, but Rodolpho on the other hand is actually form Italy, and thinks it is a place with little opportunity, that he feels justified from escaping from. All of the characters appreciate the benefits of living in the US, but still strongly hold to Italian traditions. Italy is the basis of the cultural traditions in Red Hook, and it serves as a touchstone to unite the community, with their own laws and customs. The main areas of tension are when, Eddie gets frustrated when Rodolpho tells him lemons are green, Eddie is rude about Italian wives, Eddie tells Rodolpho that America is as strict as Italy, Catherine asks Rodolpho to dance, Eddie claims that Rodolpho is not a real man, Eddie punches Rodolpho, Rodolpho asks Catherine to dance and the last one is when Marco raises a chair over his head as warning.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Where ever people live together law and rules are developed

Law is an interesting profession to choose and lawyers make a difference in people’s lives. A career in law means a commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes. The disagreements are not likely to be eradicated hence the need for lawyer is not likely to disappear. In order to remove complexities in the environment law is a requirement. Where ever people live together law and rules are developed. Rules are necessary for settling of disputes. Law is a group of rules that are enforced by the government through police, its courts and the agencies. Law helps people to peacefully live in a society. If there was no law every man could do whatever he feel like doing. There are two types of law which includes civil law and criminal law. Civil law settles disputes between people and companies. Whereas criminal law is concerned regarding crimes and actions that cause harm to an individual or group. Law enforcement is one of the most important ways a government has of protecting its citizens. I am very eager and enthusiastic about the law profession since my high school started. I was impatiently waiting for my school to over so that I can begin with my law school. From the beginning of my school I was really involved in all the law related discussions and used to spend ample amount of time on searching for law profession. I used to keep myself updated with all the legal matters going around. Law has become a passion for me and I’m very keenly waiting for the response for admission in the law school. I frequently read many case studies and articles on law and try to apply the knowledge to do the analysis. In the end I would conclude that no society could exist if all people did just as they are pleased and the law thus establishes the rules that define a person's rights and obligations.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Financial to people who are living in poverty Essay

1. Introduction Microfinance is the provision of financial to people who are living in poverty. The system is providing small loans to poor person who want to expand their business. A series of financial service include loaning, saving, insurance and so on. There are two main characteristic on microfinance. Firstly, it is focus on below average income person or poor person for their customers. Secondly, it must ensure that the possibility of its own sustainable development. The beginning of the activity was most closely associated with economist Muhammad Yunus in 1976. He was born in Bangladesh. Between 30 years, the success of Grameen Bank which was built by Yunus was noticed by the world. Then, microfinance has covered nearly development countries and some developed counties. In the case of the text book, microfinance was present by two extreme parts, macro success and global mess. For the macro success, lender loaned money to women in order to support their family. Then, much family got rid of po verty. By 2001, more than 7,000 microfinance institutions had served 120 million borrowers around the world. On the other hand, there are two debates lead to huge problems. Firstly, most of microfinance institution’s new shareholders were rich investors. Secondly, several competitive microfinance institutions loaned money to the same uneducated clients, if crop or ventures fail, clients would face crushing debt loads. For example, in some parts of India, almost 80% of borrowers were in default. 2. Case question 1 Therefore, what happen about microfinance? Does it macro success or global mess? 2.1 SWOT analysis For the critical thinking of microfinance is SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis may help us know more about microfinance totally. There are two strengths for microfinance, the first one is that helped in decrease the poverty. The target of microfinance is to provide loans to poor people who want to start small business but cannot able to receive commercial bank help. For example, more than 350 million people in Indian below average income. The microfinance institutions offer the opportunity to them to start their own business. So, microfinance helps in decrease the poverty. The second one is that promoting the development of local community. If every individual who receive small loans to become rich, the development of local community will be promoted. There are two weaknesses about the microfinance. First of all, it is not proper regulated on banking process. Due to lack of efficient rules and regulations there would lead to high case of credit risk and defaults. Moreover, microfinance institutions focus on less people only. For example, India’s 70% of people live in the village, that is to say that most of poor area haven’t been touched. For the opportunity of microfinance, there are two main points also. Initially, it still has huge untapped market. For example, Pakistan’s microfinance industry was developing faster already, with an expansion of nearly 47 percent during 2007 (AbanHaq, 2008). By the end of 2008, the borrowers had been extended to 1.7 million (Meher Shah, 20 09). In addition, some small business which were loan from Microfinance institutions would provide much more employment opportunities. Microfinance institutions not only loan money to individual to start their business but also help in the increase the employment opportunity to them. There two threat analysis about microfinance as well. The first one is that over involvement of government. For example, in Indian, bank had freeze on credit to micro lenders for many times, it led to Indian’s microfinance industry pushed to the brink of collapse (India’s microfinance sector under threat, 2010). Furthermore, it is a high competition industry. For example, Indian’s commercial bank normally provides about US$ 133 a week in credit to the microfinance industry (India’s microfinance sector under threat, 2010). So, it is cause to high competition for much more applicant. 2.2 Why has microfinance been quite successful on worldwide basis? In the study case, 84% of microloan recipients are women(D’Espallier, Guà ©rin, & Mersland, 2011). Therefore, it is easily find that most of microfinance institutions target to women. This is because that repayment is higher among female borrowers, they usually do more conservative investment and reduce moral hazard risk(D’Espallier, Guà ©rin, & Mersland, 2011). On the other hand, when women improve their circumstances, they also improve the lives of their children. So, by investing in nutrition and education, they can help to create a better future for their children and their communities. Furthermore, many microfinance institutions help much poorest families get rid of poverty. It is â€Å"to ensure that 175 million of the world’s poorest families, especially women, receive credit for self-employment and other financial and business services†(D’Espallier, Guà ©rin, & Mersland, 2011). Thus, it absorbs global attention. In addition, the success of the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh indicated that a new business model had been created. Until recently, Grameen has reported repayment rates of 98% and serving over much more function to poor person (Morduch, 1999). This new business models was imitated by the world. 3. Case Question 2 Using agency theory, identify the area or improvement for the government of certain MFI have be found to engage in questionable practice. Microfinance institution is a party that helping poverty to do business by offering mini-loan. It is an agency of not only providing finance service to support poverty but also an organization contributes to society. The main problem of lending money to pool people is high risks of returning the money. The pool people, who are lack of educations, experience and need more train to return to the job. As an agency the â€Å"principal† (top managers) require profit while loan office is less concern about the interest. 3.1 Agency theory Agency theory explains the relationship between principals and agents. The objective about this theory is to identify and resolve the problem and conflict between principal and the agent of the principal. The two problems agency theory addresses are: * Problem of desire goal of principal and agent are in conflict. * Problem of different acts in managing the risk. This theory had been used in examining the relationship of agency, define as â€Å"a contract under which one or more persons (the principal) engage another person (the agent) to perform some on their behalf which involves delegating some decision making authority to the agent† (Jensen & Meckling, 1976) The following equation shows the result of problem come from. The utility of the principal will focus on return, whereas the utility of the agent will focus on the income. Agent wants to increase the income while the principal refers to more return. As the result, there is a trade-off exist in between. UP (R) = 1/UA (I) UP = Utility of the principal UA= Utility of the agent R = Returns I= Income In consequent, to resolve the problem is to design the ideal contract. There are two types of contracts design for such problem: behavior-based contracts and outcome-based contracts. Behavior-based contract, the principal monitor, measure and reward the base on the agent’s behavior (Bergenetal, 1992). The outcome-based contract, the agent will be rewarded according to the realized outcome (Bergenetal, 1992). 3.2 Porter’s Five Forces Porter’s five forces is concept for analyzing industry and developing strategy of a company to position business. Base on this concept to understand microfinance industry environment. Investors always seek for return; the industry environment will impact how efficient the decision made for profit. Source:(Porter, 1979) Suppliers (High) There are many investors in market; those can divide into two types, commercial investor and faith investor. The faith investors are not seeks for profit, but long term poverty alleviation. (Cranenburgh, 2010)Commercial investors are looking for return because the capital market is cheaper. Unfortunately there are most MFI remain lending money to pool people are informal which the stakeholder are commercial investor. Threat of new entrants (High) Commercial investors are better in positioning that they have better access than financial service expertise. Low entrant capital require lead to low entrant standard require. The investors seeks return, it cause high impact in investment. Commercial investors look for short term invest, and it can be re-enter for commercial investment as a cycle. Threat of substitute (Medium) Poor people need money of making living and other social purpose (education, insurance, sickness.eg) for life long. In India, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) provides life insurance for poverty to improve the life expenses under the microfinance category. In many other countries, MFI design new financial service according to the need of poverty which charge very low interest. Internal rivalry In fact, the intensity of competition is depends upon the size of the company in the game. As entrant barrier low, the major operators in industry are informal institution (SHGs, MFI and NGOs). The competition will increase when an established organization goes into market and implement promotional strategy for boosting out of bad situation as it is weak. In additional, some formal bank start to do financial support with the help of other commercial organization like provide loan for SHGs. This factor will attract more operators in market. 3.3 Challenge Facing by Microfinance The microfinance system is separated in three levels: micro, meso and macro. To understand the function of those levels activity, identify the challenge MFIs are facing by governance. Source: Adapted from Helms, Access for All The micro level activity includes both perspectives of clients and MFI. The problem comes out from the borrower’s perspective is limitation of financial support. This would cause predatory lending practices. From the clients’ perspective, the problem relate to the managerial experience of clients, how they manage the funds and sustainable funds. The meso level is about services and infrastructures. The MFI need strong backup to support ongoing financing lending process. Limited capacity would terminate the funds to borrower. The macro level consists of central bank, finance ministries and other financial department. The problem comes out the potential risk when new policy established (monetary and currency, egg). The failure of systemic function would lead to a collapse of MIFs. 4. Case Question 3: ON ETHICS: Given the criticisms that â€Å"the rich have literally profited from the dirt poor†. Do you have any reservations about investing in MFIs that have gone through IPOs? Microfinance is a key thing that can help people living in poverty to become financially independent. It is better able to provide for their families in times of economic difficulty. Considering nearly half of world in less than two dollars a day to survive, microfinance is an important solution. However, microfinance has its shortcomings. Thus, in our opinion about this question, we are neutral. Here are advantages and disadvantages in below. 4.1 Advantages Access Banks will not extend loans to those with little or no assets, and generally so not engage in small size of loans associated with micro-financing companies. Microfinance is based on the concept that even small amounts of credit can help end the vicious cycle of poverty. Extending education Families receiving microfinance are less likely to pull their children to leave school for economic reasons. Improve health and welfare Microfinance can lead to better access to clean drinking water and better sanitation, and providing better access to health care as well. Sustainability In the developing country, even a small working capital loans $100. It can be launch a small business. Benefactors can help pulling themselves and their families out of the poverty. For example, a 19-year-old girl named Salamatu, from Sierra Leone started selling rice business (Kate, 2011). When her father and brother died, she could not pay the school fees by her own. She joined a local saving and Loans Group Plan in her community. This group can give small loans to them. Salamatu took out two loans. One is starting a small rice selling business and one is paying for her school fees (Kate, 2011). Job creation Microfinance can help create new jobs. It has a beneficial impact on the local economy. 4.2 Disadvantages Some investors who are interested in specific microfinance IPO must be wary (wise GEEK, 2012). Because some microfinance institutions are free with funding to the poor, but require excessive interest payments in return. This can put a person into a wore financial hole. This would cause social unrest. MFIs in India increased the risks. MFIs might face increased pressure to provide the assets and income growth (Jennifer, 2010). Thus it would increase default risk. In addition, because of high yield investors’ interests, microfinance institutions issuing high risk loans. This could cause valuation issues. However, lenders often could not perform. Because India does not have national systems that track the borrower’s credit history (Jennifer, 2010). 5. Conclusion Firstly, we give the reason of microfinance has been successful. Secondly, we identify the areas for improvement of MFIs. Then, we provide the two parts – advantages and disadvantages. Some considering buying into microfinance IPO should be carefully examined, and understand the company and its specific practices, then proceeding. Microfinance is not always appropriate. For extreme poor, or those who are sick or unable to work, microfinance may not be an appropriate tool. Bibliography India’s microfinance sector under threat. (2010, November). Australian Banking & Finance, p. 20. Cranenburgh, K. C. (2010). Analysis of the Microfinance Sector Faith Institutions and Impact Investing. International Interfaith Investment Group, 37-38. D’Espallier, B., Guà ©rin, I., & Mersland, R. (2011, 5). Women and Repayment in Microfinance: A Global Analysis. World Development, pp. 758-772. Haq, A. (2008). Microfinance Industry Assessment: A Report on Pakistan. Islamabad Pakistan: Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN). Jongbloed, K. (2011). DIY Banks Make Education Possible For Girls. Retrieved from http://blog.becauseiamagirl.ca/diy-banks-make-education-possible-for-girls Meher Shah, A. N. (2009). Spot light on microfinance. Micro note. Islamab: Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN). Morduch, J. (1999, October). The role of subsidies in microfinance: evidence from the Grameen Bank. Journal of Development Economics, pp. 229-248. Shevock, J. (2010). Microloan Default Risk Rises in India as SKS Microfinance Plans Initial Public Offering (IPO). Retrieved from http://www.microcapital.org/microcapital-brief-microloan-default-risk-rises-in-india-as-sks-microfinance-plans-initial-public-offering-ipo/ WiseGEEK. (2012). What Is a Microfinance IPO? . Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-microfinance-ipo.htm

Friday, November 8, 2019

Audience in Rhetoric and Composition

Audience in Rhetoric and Composition In rhetoric and composition, audience  (from the Latin- audire: hear),  refers to the listeners or spectators at a speech or performance, or the intended readership for a piece of writing. James Porter notes that audience has been an important concern of Rhetoric since the fifth century B.C.E., and the injunction to consider audience is one of the oldest and most common suggestions to writers and speakers (Encyclopedia of Rhetoric and Composition, 1996). Examples and Observations Your readers, those people you are trying to reach with your writing, constitute your audience. The relationship between your audiences needs- based on its knowledge and level of expertise- and your own selection and presentation of evidence is important. Much of what you say and how you say it depends on whether your audience is a group of experts or a more general audience consisting of diverse people interested in your topic.Even the way you organize your writing and the amount of details you include- the terms you define, the amount of context you provide, the level of your explanations- depends in part on what your audience needs to know.(R. DiYanni and P. C. Hoy II, Scribners Handbook for Writers. Allyn, 2001) Knowing Your Audience Knowing your audience means understanding what it is that they want to know, what they are interested in, whether they agree with or oppose your central arguments, and whether they are likely to find your subject matter useful. You also need to keep in mind the diversity of the audience- some of them might want knowledge while others want to be entertained.(David E. Gray, Doing Research in the Real World. SAGE, 2009)In short, knowing your audience increases your ability to accomplish your purpose for writing.(George Eppley and Anita Dixon Eppley, Building Bridges to Academic Writing. McGraw-Hill, 1996)Writing a book is a solitary experience. I would hide from my own family in a tiny room next to our washer/dryer and type. To keep the writing from being too stiff, I tried to imagine I was having a conversation with a friend.(Tina Fey, Bossypants. Little, Brown, 2011)Forget your generalized audience. In the first place, the nameless, faceless audience will scare you to death and in the second place, unlike the theater, it doesnt exist. In writing, your audience is one single reader. I have found that sometimes it helps to pick out one person- a real person you know, or an imagined person and write to that one.(John Steinbeck, interviewed by Nathaniel Benchley. The Paris Review, Fall 1969) How to Increase Your Awareness of Audience You can increase your awareness of your  audience  by asking yourself a few questions before you begin to write: Who are to be your readers?What is their age level? background? education?Where do they live?What are their beliefs and attitudes?What interests them?What, if anything, sets them apart from other people?How familiar are they with your subject? ​(X.J.  Kennedy, et al.,  The Bedford Reader, 1997) Five Types of Audience We can distinguish five types of address in the process of hierarchical appeals. These are determined by the kinds of audiences we must court. First, there is the general public (They); second, there are community guardians (We); third, others significant to us as friends and confidants with whom we talk intimately (You which internalized becomes Me); fourth, the self we address inwardly in soliloquy (the I talking to its me); and fifth,  ideal audiences whom we address as ultimate sources of social order.(Hugh Dalziel Duncan, Communication and Social Order. Oxford University Press, 1968) Real and Implied Audiences The meanings of audience...tend to diverge in two general directions: one toward actual people external to a text, the audience whom the writer must accommodate; the other toward the text itself and the audience implied there, a set of suggested or evoked attitudes, interests, reactions, [and] conditions of knowledge which may or may not fit with the qualities of actual readers or listeners.(Douglas B. Park, The Meaning of Audience. College English, 44, 1982) A Mask for the Audience [R]hetorical situations involve imagined, fictionalized, constructed versions of the author and the audience. The authors create a narrator or speaker for their texts, sometimes called the persona- literally the mask of the authors, the faces they put forward to their audiences. But modern rhetoric suggests that the author makes a mask for the audience as well. Both Wayne Booth and Walter Ong have suggested that the authors audience is always a fiction. And Edwin Black refers to the rhetorical concept of audience as the second persona. Reader-response theory speaks of implied and ideal audiences. The point is that the author has already begun to craft the appeal as the audience is envisaged and assigned to a position...The success of the rhetoric  depends partly upon whether members of the audience are willing to accept the mask offered to them.(M. Jimmie Killingsworth, Appeals in Modern Rhetoric: An Ordinary-Language Approach. Southern Illinois University Press, 2005) Audience in the Digital Age Developments in computer-mediated communication- or the use of various forms of computer technology for writing, storing, and distributing electronic texts- raise new audience issues...As a writing tool, the computer influences the consciousness and practice of both writers and readers and changes how writers produce documents and how readers read them...Studies in hypertext and hypermedia point out how in these media readers contribute actively to textual construction in making their own navigation decisions. In the realm of interactive hypertext, the unitary notions of text and author are further eroded, as is any notion of the audience as a passive receiver.(James E. Porter, Audience. Encyclopedia of Rhetoric and Composition: Communication from Ancient Times to the Information Age, ed. by Theresa Enos. Routledge, 1996)

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

South Koreas Infatuation With Computer Gaming Culture

South Korea's Infatuation With Computer Gaming Culture South Korea is a country infatuated with video games. It is a place where professional gamers earn six-figure contracts, date supermodels, and are treated as A-list celebrities. Cyber competitions are nationally televised and they fill-up stadiums. In this country, gaming is not just a hobby; it’s a way of life. Video Game Culture in South Korea Although the per capita access to broadband internet is high, most Koreans actually conduct their gaming activities outside of the home in local gaming rooms called â€Å"PC bangs.† A bang is simply a LAN (local area network) gaming center where patrons pay an hourly fee to play multiplayer games. Most bangs are cheap, ranging from $1.00 to $1.50 USD an hour. There are currently over 20,000 active PC bangs in South Korea and they have become an integral part of the country’s social fabric and cultural landscape. In Korea, going to a bang is equivalent to going to the movies or the bar in the West. They are especially prevalent in big cities like Seoul, where heightened population density and the lack of space offers residents few options for recreational and social interaction. The video game industry makes up a large share of South Korea’s GDP. According to the Ministry of Culture, in 2008 the online-gaming industry earned $1.1 billion dollars in exports. Nexon and NCSOFT, South Korea’s two largest game development companies reported a combined net income of over $370 million in 2012. The entire game market is estimated at approximately $5 billion dollars annually, or about $100 per resident, which is more than three times what Americans spend. Games like StarCraft have sold over 4.5 million copies in South Korea, out of a worldwide total of 11 million. Video games also stimulate the country’s informal economy, as millions of dollars are traded yearly through illegal gambling and betting on game matches. In South Korea, cyber competition is considered a national sport and numerous television channels broadcast video game matches regularly. The country even has two full-time video game television networks: Ongamenet and MBC Game. According to the Federal Game Institute, 10 million South Koreans regularly follow eSports, as they are known. Depending on the matches, some video game tournaments may garner more ratings than pro baseball, soccer, and basketball combined. There are currently 10 professional gaming leagues in the country and they are all sponsored by big corporations such as SK Telecom and Samsung. The monetary rewards for winning a league tournament are colossal. Some of South Korea’s most famous players like the StarCraft legend, Yo Hwan-lim could earn more than $400,000 a year just from league matches and sponsorships. The popularity eSports has even led to the creation of the World Cyber Games. Gaming Addiction in South Korea Over the past decade, the Korean government has spent millions of dollars on clinics, campaigns, and programs to minimize this problem. There are now publicly funded treatment centers for game addicts. Hospitals and clinics have installed programs that specialize in treating the disease. Some Korean game companies such as NCsoft also finances private counseling centers and hotlines. In late 2011, the government took a stern step further by imposing a â€Å"Cinderella Law† (also called the Shutdown Law), which prevents anyone under the age of 16 from playing online games on their PCs, handheld device, or at a PC bang from midnight until 6 a.m. Minors are required to register their national identification cards online so that they can be monitored and regulated. This law has been highly controversial and is contested by the majority of the general public, video game companies, and game associations. Many people argue that this law infringes on their liberty and would yield no positive results. Minors could just register using someone else’s identification or completely circumvent the ban by connecting to Western servers instead. Although by doing so, it certainly affirms one’s addiction.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Ethics - Essay Example As with all opinions, just because they are diverse, does not mean that one is right, or one is wrong. Aristotle’s views, while not necessarily congruent with Plato’s views, do show a strong influence as a result of what Plato taught. Plato’s discourses are heavily influenced by the Pre-Socratics and Sophists, and none too little influenced by Socrates himself, however, while they may show those influences, the views are entirely his own. Plato’s primary literary form was the dialogue; he would use two characters of opposing sides arguing each point with the other in order to show both sides of the philosophical question and in doing so, allow his true views to show through. In The Allegory of the Cave, an excerpt from Plato’s Republic, the reader receives some insight into what Plato believes â€Å"the good life† to be. Plato speaks first of the State, and discussing how it can be tailored to be the best that it can be, speaking of how †Å"the State in which the rules are most reluctant to govern is always the best and most quietly governed, and the State in which they are most eager, the worst (The Allegory of the Cave, 4).† This is one of the more influential teachings of Plato’s in relation to Aristotle, something that will be touched upon later. Plato, still in The Allegory of the Cave, discusses Homer’s perspective, â€Å"Better to be a poor servant of a poor master, and to endure anything, rather than think as they do and live after their manner? Yes, he said, I think that he would rather suffer anything than entertain these false notions and live in this miserable manner† (6). Plato refers to the concept discussed regarding those whose eyes are not yet opened to the fact that the shadows are not reality; that anything at all would be better than to remain under the false impression that the shadows dancing on the wall are all that is there, are all that is real. He would rather have enlightenment, knowledge, and suffer, than to remain in the dark forever, thus showing that one characteristic of â€Å"the good life† in his view, is knowledge. A key insight into Plato’s view comes along towards the end of The Allegory of the Cave when he pronounces â€Å"they who are truly rich, not in silver and gold, but in virtue and wisdom, which are the true blessings of life† (10), showing that in order to have it good, one must have virtue and wisdom, before any form of monetary wealth, in order to be considered to have a high quality of life. It is not just Plato’s Republic, however, that shows what his opinions are on what is good and what is right; one must look to Plato’s other works in order to find out more. Plato took it upon himself to write of Socrates, and the trial which took place during his life. Socrates had a habit of not writing down any of his teachings, preferring instead to spending the time teaching others to question the world as he did. Among Plato’s other works were the Euthyphro, the Apology, and the Crito; these works speak of the trial, the sentencing, the imprisonment and the death of Socrates. Based upon the way that Plato has written these discourses, in fact, the way that he wrote all of his works, it is a task of relative ease to pull key phrasing from these dialogues, in order to find out more about what Plato considers to be â€Å"the good life.† In the Euthyphro, Plato makes it clear that distinction is important. It is not enough to know generally of what a thing is,

Friday, November 1, 2019

Ethical Standards for Behavior in International Negotiations Essay

Ethical Standards for Behavior in International Negotiations - Essay Example The country is adopting and improving its business environment for making its international negotiation process more efficient. The country has no quotas, foreign exchange controls and trade barriers regarding international negotiation. UAE conducts the business around the world. For this reason, the country follows the wide framework of foreign policies. UAE is very much concerned about its commitments. It is one of the important ethical principles of this country. The country tries to maintain peace and stability in its international negotiations (Hooper and Newlands, 2012). The country builds a good relationship with foreign companies and countries for establishing effective negotiation policies. UAE emphasizes on tolerance, modernization while doing international negotiation. The country respects people of different places and religions for developing good relations with other countries. The government of UAE tries to maintain the balance between international environment and com munity. Some government-affiliated bodies contribute a lot to developing a good international environment which will facilitate the negotiation process. The rules and regulations of UAE are developed in such a way which helps the people in becoming a good global citizen. In international negotiation, the people of UAE focus more on words. The country puts a huge effort into following the words said in the negotiation process (Soriano, 2014). The people of UAE directly discuss the topic on which they are holding the meeting of business negotiation. They make sure that some strong benefits are obtained by international negotiation. While negotiating with foreign companies and countries the people of UAE do not get distracted from the objectives of the negotiation. They maintain a specific standard for doing international negotiation. Trust and sincerity are considered as most important factors for doing international negotiation.