Answer question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Answer question - Essay Example Nonetheless, the relationship between Rose and Saba concerning a graphic design desktop computer worth 1,500 did not constitute a valid contract. Despite the seller’s â€Å"offer† of the item for sale, MacIntyre (2013) would argue that Rose’s response did not meet the â€Å"acceptance† test. Her counter-offer of 1,000 for the same item was not readily accepted by the seller, thus stripping the agreement of any validity. This case is almost similar to Hyde v Wrench (1840) 49 ER 132 in which the respondent offered a piece of land valued at  £1,000 for sale (Elliott, & Quinn, 2014). The plaintiff gave a counter offer of  £950 which the seller refused. The plaintiff then communicated his acceptance of the initial offer of  £1,000, but the seller refused to sell the property to him, prompting the litigation for performance. The court is likely to follow the precedent set in Hyde where a counter-offer invalidated the contract and stripped the claimant of the rights to specific performance. The status of contract between Rose and TW depends on whether each party acted reasonably to see its creation. Whereas the two weeks that Rose took to communicate her acceptance of the TW offer was reasonable, it may have been the cause of the subsequent delay, leading TW to revoke the contract. The main legal issue in this case is whether TW made a valid revocation of the offer. The validity of a revocation of an offer principally lies in its communication to the offeree. Rose has grounds against the validity of TW’s letter of revocation. Rose’s claims are backed by the ruling in Byrne & Co v Leon Van Tien Hoven & Co [1880] 5 CPD 344 where the court imposed a ban on revocation of an offer by the postal rule, but allowed acceptance under similar circumstances. As Justice Lindley held in the case, TW would only be deemed as having validly revoked the offer through a direct communication

Examining different types of budgets and their uses

Examining different types of budgets and their uses Budgeting operations are very important for any kind of an organization, that is involved in making profits or not. This is the case because all forms of organizations have a number of resources, both material and human, which have to be managed in order to promote and effective realization of goals and objectives. As well, all organizations shall have a number of obligations and missions that have to be realized within stated time durations, and hence budgeting acts as one of the major tools that can be greatly applicable towards realization of goals and objectives. This paper shall hence give the major findings on the budgetary framework, usage and benefits of the 8 types of budgets. Introduction Definitively, a budget refers to forecast of companys incomes and expenses anticipated for a given period of time. With a budget, an organization is able to analyze how much money they are making and spending, and they are able to figure the best way to channel it among various categories and departments. Budgeting depicts the entire process of analyzing and planning using a budget. Since budgets are vital tools for management and planning, the process of budgeting generally affects all types of organizations regardless of their size and composition. Many organizations participate in budgeting process with the view of determining the most cost effective and efficient strategies of making profits and intensifying its capital and asset base. In management, budgeting guides an organization to use its scarce resources in a way that exploits the existing business opportunities well. Good budgeting concepts integrate efficient business judgment and help the management to make decisions reg arding the overall performance of the company. In budgeting, an organization typically develop long-term and short-term plans that assist in implementation of its policies and even though its expensive and time consuming, it increases awareness of costs and coordination of activities channeled towards achievement of company goals and objectives. In any organization, an effective budget always explains the projected route a company would follow in achieving its objectives and goals, and it summarizes the forecasted result of production and marketing efforts, and acts as a benchmark in which the management compares its performance against the actual outcomes. The major functions of budgeting include planning and control. Planning activities convey the views and plans of a company in scientific terms and the eventual planning on its part creates the framework for control, which an organization uses to delegate duties and standardizes procedures (Banham, 2000). Budgeting process is chronological in nature, and consists of many budgets that are roughly classified according to methods and techniques of an organization in generating and spending its money. Different budgets are used for different applications. Some of these mentioned budgets deal with income coming from dividends, sales and interest. Consequently, other budgets give details of sources of expenditures like labor, selling costs, purchases, and factory costs. Some unique types of budgets are chiefly concerned with investments and forecast for company productivity and performance. These budgets are classified according to their usage and include ,Sales budget, Production budget, Direct materials usage budget, Direct materials purchase budget, Direct labor budget, Factory overhead budget, Selling and administration budget and Cash budget (Colin, 2005). Types of budgets Sales budget In any organization, its the sales department that has the overall responsibility of preparing the sales forecast. Sales forecast is a requirement in devising sales budget on which an organization can schedule its production. Sales budget refers to a comprehensive schedule that shows the anticipated sales for a given period of time. The plan for this given period is usually expressed in terms of volume of total sales and selling prices of each class of goods or services. An accurate sales budget is an important element in budgeting as it contributes to the overall organization budgeting process. If sloppily done and formulated, the rest of the budgeting process becomes a waste (Adams, et al., 2008). The sales budget is also referred to as revenue budget since its a preliminary step in preparation of master budget. In an organization, sales budget assist the management to determine the amount of units to be produced thus the production budget is formulated after the sales budget, whic h in turn is used to determine budgets for production costs that include direct materials , production overhead costs and direct labor budget. In essence, the sales budget is very critical in that it elicits a chain of reaction that often leads to growth and development of other types of budgets. The sales budget consists of sales that are expressed in terms of number of units and the amount of revenue including all expenses that support sales, advertising and the cost of distribution of goods sold. Sales budget also consist of forecast of distribution of expenditure for goods sold (Banham, 2000) When developing a sales budget, the following calculations are formulated; the sales budget is erected by multiplying the budgeted sales in units by the selling price. Budgeted Sales = [Budgeted Unit Sales] [Budgeted Sales Prices] For the management, sales budget is often the preliminary step in preparation of the master budget. All other components in the master budget do depend on it in some way. Production budget Its mostly prepared with data from sales budget. Companies that are product oriented usually create production budget that tends to estimate the number of units that ought to be produced in order to meet the sales goals and objectives. The other function of production budget is that it estimates different types of costs involved in production or manufacturing of the said units, inclusive of material and labor costs (Colin, 2005).Any typical organization spends huge amount of money in production than in any other type of expense. For this reason, its vital to create production budget that include all production expenditures so as to estimate the future working capital and future effects on inventory and levels. Production budget is an all-inclusive plan that considers all manufacturing works to be done within the period including the amount expenditures to be incurred on these projects. When creating production budget, it requires individuals involved to be accurate with detailed prod uction estimates .This kind of estimates are typically prepared in combination with the title budgets, which must be finished prior to contracting of other project (Horace, et al., 2007). Before production budget is prepared, the management should always review the production period of budget. The major function of production budget is that it calculates approximately different costs involved in production or manufacturing of products including the cost of materials and labor. When calculating the total production needs, an organization adds anticipated sales to ending inventory and deducts the commencement of inventory from that sum. Total production= (projected sales) + (ending inventory) (starting inventory). Direct materials usage budget Direct material budget refers to analytical plan that shows how much materials would be required in manufacturing or production and the amount of material required to meet the production needs. Its usually prepared after calculation of production needs or requirements. Materials budgeting show the amount of raw material to be purchased in order to accomplish production requirements and the necessary amount to provide adequate inventories. Preparation of this kind of budget constitutes the organizational overall use of material requirements planning (MRP).This organization tool help manage inventories and materials, and ensures the required materials are available in the right quality and quantity and at the required time to meet the production needs of the company. Direct materials budget regularly go along with a schedule of anticipated cash payouts for raw materials and this plan is required for the preparation of the overall cash budget. Expenditures for materials include the cost of purchases of purchases the present budget period. Direct material budget is mostly constructed to determine the amount and cost of any additional materials needed to fulfill the anticipated production levels. Most organizations depicts this in two tables, where the first table shows the number of units to be purchased and the total cost for those purchases while the second table shows a plan of the projected distributions of cash to suppliers of materials. The formula for the computation of materials purchases is given by:- Purchase costs = (Materials Purchase Costs Unit of Materials to Be Purchased) X (Unit Price). Most successful organizations uses the planning and control of a direct-materials budget in order to determine the level of competence in their cargo space, inventory system success and to appraise the capacity of dealers to supply raw materials in the estimates and qualities that are required, and plan material purchases in relation with movement of funds into the organization (Livingstone Leslie, 1994). Direct materials purchase budget Production budget provide necessary information for determining the projected amount of direct materials that ought to be purchased.   Simply by multiplying these amounts with the anticipated costs of purchase price, gives the total costs of materials to be purchased. The major function of direct material purchases budget, is that it provides the essential framework to plan and schedule cash payments for direct materials (Peter McLaney, 1997).This budget also critically reveals the companys planned end of the fiscal year inventory .this value is very important in cost accounting techniques because it a vital component in preparation of the budgeted year ending balance sheet. For effective implementation, the direct purchases budget should be incorporated with the production budget to make sure any level of production is not interrupted during the period of production. This budget tends to estimate the quantity of materials to be purchased in order to promote the budgeted production level and keep desired inventory levels. Direct materials to be purchased are given by:- Materials to be purchased = (materials required for production) + (desired ending materials inventory) (estimated beginning materials inventory) (Horace, et al., 2007). Direct labor budget Definitively, direct labor budget refers to a fixed Schedule for anticipated labor cost. The anticipated labor costs is chiefly reliant on projected volume of production or production budget. The labor needs are dependent on production volume multiplied by direct labor-hours per unit. The derived product is then multiplied by direct labor cost per hour to achieve the exact budgeted direct labor costs. This budget is created from the production budget where direct labor needs are computed to make the management know whether there is sufficient labor time to fulfill the budgeted manufacturing requirements. This advance knowledge helps the management in to develop plans to regulate labor force when adverse situations occur (Livingstone Leslie, 1994). Organizations that fail to budget well always face the risk of having labor shortages or increases in unwarranted times. This kind of unpredictable often leads to inconsistent labor policies that contribute to insecurity, low workers moral e, and low productivity. Direct materials budget is used in an organization to illustrate the amount and cost of direct materials to be purchased. It also provides the foundation for preparation of direct labor cost budget (Colin, 2005).Most organizations give this budget in terms of the number of units and the total costs. Labor hours are displayed using parameters like the type of operation, workers used, and the overall cost centers involved. Total direct labor cost is given by:- Total direct labor cost = (Expected production) + (direct labor hour per unit) + (direct labor cost per hour) Factory overhead budget In cost accounting, factory overhead budget is referred to as a to-do list of all anticipated manufacturing or production costs apart from for costs related to direct material and labor. Factory overhead include items like indirect material and labor, cost of insurance, rent and rates Factory overhead are usually variable or fixed, or a blend of the two. The major function for this schedule is that it critically analyzes all the anticipated production costs for the specific period of time. Factory overhead budget does not include miscellaneous expenses incurred in marketing and administration. These expenses are considered miscellaneous because they are not involved in the production process. As mentioned earlier, production overhead costs determine the total production factory overhead costs and also determine the manufacturing overhead cost per unit. The overall overhead costs include the costs of materials required to make the finished product, direct labor costs needed to produce one unit and the factory expenses required to create one finished unit. The summation of the three costs gives the manufacturer a rough idea of the cost required to produce one unit or finished product (Horace, et al., 2007). Selling and administration budget Selling and administrative expense budget refers to a schedule of budgeted expenses for other areas rather than manufacturing. In organizations this type of budget consists of assemblage of many and individual budgets that are forwarded by various departments. It provides a detailed plan involving all the companys operating expenses, other than the ones involved in production. The said expenses are required in maximum in order to maintain the sales and organization overall operations for a given period of time (Peter McLaney, 1997). This comprehensive financial plan is analytically used by the management to plan and control the day-to-day running of business affairs and activities. In this budget the organization gives details of the amount of money it projects to spend in support of manufacturing or production and sales efforts to be taken. Selling and administrative expense budget consists of employees salaries and benefits, office supplies and expenses; expenses sustaining admini stration, taxes, and any other professional services (Livingstone Leslie, 1994).Normally, these expenses differ little for changes in the volume of production which fall within the period of budget. As a result, the selling and administrative budget is always a fixed budget. Cash Budget Cash budget is definitively referred to as an evaluation of cash outflows and inflows for an organization for a  given period of time. They are mostly used to appraise the performance of an organization and check whether it has adequate cash to accomplish the overall regular operations of a company. The budget is also used to check whether funds are being used as per laid down guidelines. The cash budget shows the companys liquidity position and shows the capability of an organization to meet it goals and objectives. Even though profits promote liquidity, they do not have a high relationship. This budget assists the management in keeping proper cash balances that relates with needs and objectives of the organization. It also helps the management to plan usage of cash where by it avoids cash fro lying idle and prevents possible funds shortages. most budgets consists of four sections that include receipts section, disbursement section, cash surplus section and finally the financing s ection which gives details of payments and borrowings expected during the budget period (Horace, et al., 2007). A budget properly prepared shows how funds flows in and out of the organizations and indentify any loopholes that may slow organization productivity. The cash budget also determines the organization future ability to pay expenses, loans and as well as debts. Banks and other financial institutions grant loans to organizations that have effective liquidity ratio and proper systematic cash plan. Similarly, organizations that function on a casual basis are able to borrow more funds at unfortunate times (Colin, 2005).Cash budgets are commonly given by:- Budgeted Cash Available = (Beginning Cash Balance) + (Budgeted Cash Collections) Conclusion Therefore, for any organization, Budgeting involves the process of controlling and planning the overall activities of a company. It analytically covers precise details of management, sales, marketing, operations, and finance, and thereby provides the management effective guidelines for future performance. Through the concept of budgeting, the management is also able to verify the most profitable use of its limited resources and also it increases the organization ability to deploy resources effectively. In conclusion, its imperative for any organization to trade effectively and efficiently without proper budgeting skills. Its important for individuals and organizations to build budgets to ensure proper movements of resources. References Adams, R., et al. (2008). Self-review for  higher  education  institutions. Melbourne: Australian Universities Quality Agency. Banham, R. Better Budgets. Journal of Accountancy, vol.2, no.1, 2000, pp.32 55. Colin, D. (2005). Management and Cost Accounting. 4th ed. New York: Thomson Business Press. Horace, R, Charles, E., P., Billie, M, (2007). Accounting Principles and Applications. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. Livingstone, Leslie, J. (1994). The Portable MBA in Finance and Accounting. New York: Wiley. Peter, A., McLaney, E. (1997). Accounting and Finance for Non-Specialists. New York: Prentice Hall. Question Two Budgeting and its functions Introduction Budgeting refers to the process of predicting or forecasting the organization incomes and expenses for a given period of time. Budgeting depicts the entire process of analyzing and planning using a budget. Since budgets are vital tools for management and planning, the process of budgeting generally affects all types of organizations regardless of their size and composition. Many organizations participate in budgeting process with the view of determining the most cost effective and efficient strategies of making profits and intensifying its capital and asset base. I budgeting is vital in an organization in that it provide measurements that help the organization management in planning and setting of goals and objectives. Effective budgeting assists an organization to forecast future performances and productivity. They make available a feasibility analysis that help an organization create an effective business model; identify required resource and capital requirements. Budgeting at times also helps in finding funding. Budgeting guides an organization to use its scarce resources in a way that exploits the existing business opportunities well. Good budgeting concepts integrate efficient business judgment and help the management to make decisions regarding the overall performance of the company. In budgeting, an organization typically develop long-term and short-term plans that assist in implementation of its policies and even though its expensive and time consuming, it increases awareness of costs and coordination of activities channeled towards achievement of company goals and meet its objective, and to measure up to standards set (Iain, 2003). Functions of budgeting For any individual or organization with the yearning for financial freedom, the most significant thing they can do is to appreciate the fundamental functions of budgeting. Generally without figuring what one owns and spends it would be impossible to make changes in ones spending habits. With the use of adequate budgeting schedule, it acts as a tool that assist individuals and organizations track areas where changes can be done to improve monetary situation. Budgets serve a number of useful purposes that includes planning, coordinating, communicating, motivating, controlling and evaluating (Rubin Irene, 1997). Planning Generally, a budget is a plan for the operations of a company for a given period of time. As a planning tool, budgets are vested with the sole function of determining an organizational programs and objectives .They tend to evaluate available alternatives as a way of achieving its goals and objectives. Planning also involves prioritizing where the most beneficial projects are put forward first and the less beneficial ones follow suit. In all financing activities, budgeting is the core function. Proper budget makes planning easier because it allows people to know which direction the company is following and what business activities it plans to engage in, in the future. Budget planning involves discovering and looking for sources of revenue and expenses, with the intention of meeting personal or organizational goals and objectives (Downes Goodman, 2006). Planning as the primary function of budgeting, it makes sure there is savings after the funds have been allocated for spending. Organ izations that plan and use effective budgeting strategies, they are ensured of successful management of their expenses and savings hence they are able to secure better investments in the future. The major advantages of budget planning are that they put checks and balances at specific points to prevent overspending I future at various levels, also they assist the management of an organization to take account of any unexpected need or requirements for funds. Though beneficial, planning as a function of budgeting has few shortcomings that include, it affects the quality of life and productivity of people and organizations especially in situations where there is excessive emphasis on savings. Also when the budget is planned to rigid, devotion to it tends to become a problem and fulfillment of organizational goals and objectives becomes a problem (Brookson, 2000). Coordinating In order an organization to properly grow and develop, the management needs to know what is happening within the company and have an unambiguous idea of what they expect in the future. Coordination as a component of budgeting has fundamental objectives that are important to the management. The act of Coordination makes budgets from various specific departments to work together with sole function of meeting the organization goals and objectives. The way budget are constructed is very vital including the figures it carries. The entire process of putting budget together involves correction of data regarding the business and the present and future needs of the company (Iain, 2003). Coordination of activities makes different individuals to participate in the making of budget where each of them contributes his or her knowledge to the areas of their expertise. In the process, employees learn from each other and this promotes the concept of teamwork and working together. Diverse units found in the company should coordinate different works they do. Communicating Budgets act as communication tools in that they allow individuals and management of organizations to pass information regarding the goals and objectives of the company. The management is able to promote goal congruence that allows the companys limited resources to be coordinated and channeled to key areas. Budgeting process gives organization opportunities communicate and this allows them to accomplish their goals, and hence gives them chances scrutinize those achievements as well (Rubin Irene, 1997). Communication being a core purpose of budgeting provides information that is significant in the entire business strategic planning. The communication between the management and employees helps establish a mutual understanding that is geared towards achieving the companys goals and objectives. Also different units in the company must communicate with each other during budget making process in order to effectively and efficiently coordinate their plans and efforts. Motivating Effective Budgeting and budgets allow an organization to motivate its workers by involving them in the budget making process. This concept of giving them a chance to make organizational decisions makes them feel valued and appreciated, and they respond by working harder with the sole aim of meeting the goals and objectives they set in the budget. Even if top-down budgeting technique does not realize this objective effectively, participative budgeting can be very encouraging and motivating. Budgeting can be an effective tool in promoting teamwork in places of work though many people and businesses dont realize it. Since the employees know the companys performance and productivity, they tend to channel all their effort in adhering to budgetary policies and work extra harder to make sure the companys goals are met (Sullivan, Arthur Steven, 2003). Controlling Budgetary control involves deliberate actions that are performed analytically with the guidance of a budget plan. Budget control involves the use of budget plan to control expenses with the aim of maximizing accountability. This purpose is mostly connected with line-item budgets. Technically once the budget is created; it acts as a planning tool for the organization operations. Management has power to use up funds within the set budget and to generate revenues within the specified margin of the budget. These Budgets are scrutinized regularly to countercheck variations and to establish whether the company is moving on the right target. If the company performance and productivity does not meet the requirements of the budget, immediate action is always taken to adjust its activities. The general aspect of budgeting allows an organization to control costs and avoid things not budgeted to be done. Proper budgets also give organizations a benchmark from which they evaluate the companys per formance. Control involves monitoring, and involves comparison of different informations to a given standard from where it is used to make corrective actions (Brookson, 2000). Evaluating The aspects of budgetary control are much valued and appreciated in an organization since they help an organization to evaluate and monitor team and organizational performance and provides the management of the organization with a clear idea of the company financial position and makes information and data available on which they base their action. Budgets at times are used as a tool of management, which reward and punish managers and their employees and also they are used as a basis for modifying future plans and budgets (Iain, 2003). One way to evaluate the management and employees performance is by comparing the company budget and the overall actual performance. Though an important concept of business, budgeting can cause massive problems in parts of workers especially in situations where they are not involved, and also where their jobs are dependent on meeting certain organizational goals and objectives established by the budgets. This happens in organizations that concentrate so much on evaluation purposes of budgeting and those organizations that conduct top-down budget process, rather than the bottom -up or participative one. Effective evaluation and monitoring of employees and the management as a whole, improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the company products and services and makes them competitive in the global scene (Rubin Irene, 1997) Conclusion Budgeting always form an integral part in our society. Its ideal concepts require individuals and companies to look ahead and sanctify future goals. Budgeting involves the process of controlling and planning the overall activities of a company. It analytically covers precise details of management, sales, marketing, operations, and finance, and thereby provides the management effective guidelines for future performance. Budgeting depicts the entire process of analyzing and planning using a budget. Since budgets are vital tools for management and planning, the process of budgeting generally affects all types of organizations regardless of their size and composition. Many organizations participate in budgeting process with the view of determining the most cost effective and efficient strategies of making profits and intensifying its capital and asset base. Budgeting is vital in an organization in that it provide measurements that help the organization management in planning and setting of goals and objectives. Through the concept of budgeting, the management is also able to verify the most profitable use of its limited resources and also it increases the organization ability to deploy resources effectively. In conclusion, its imperative for any organization to trade effectively and efficiently without proper budgeting skills (Budgeting is vital in an organization in that it provide measurements, 2009). Its important for individuals and organizations to build budgets to ensure proper movements of resources.

Galileo Church v. Hero Essay -- Religion Philosophy Essays

Galileo Church v. Hero It is a volatile point in history: the intersection of science and religion at the height of the Inquisition; it is a time when the Church reigns and a man, a physicist, must choose life or death, himself or science. Galileo Galilei's legendary dilemma and the circumstances surrounding it are presented in Bertolt Brecht's Galileo from a perspective that is clearly criticizing institutions with such controlà ³in this case, the Catholic churchà ³while reminding us that men are simply men, no matter how heroic their actions appear. These issues are expounded throughout the play; however, Scene 11 has the most significant role in Galileo's development, as it simultaneously reveals the extent of the Church's control and humanizes Galileo in just a few lines. Despite his courage to venture into unexplored realms of science and thought, Galileo is not a hero. He is only a man. Scene 11 is the shortest scene in the play and one of only three scenes in which the title character does not appear. Yet it is here that Galileo is made completely human. In the quest for a hero, one might ignore his almost hedonistic desire for food, thought, and fine wine and the sacrifices that he makes to acquire money. These characteristics of Galileo are revealed early in the play, when he plagiarizes another man's telescope invention in order to get a salary raise from the city (Scenes 1 and 2), and then again in Scene 11 when the Pope says, "He has more enjoyment in him than any other man I ever saw. He loves eating and drinking and thinking. To excess. He indulges in thinking bouts! He cannot say no to an old wine or a new thought" ( Brecht 109). However, one cannot ignore a hero's cowardice in the face of physical pain. I... ... Nobody has planned a part for us beyond this wretched one on a worthless star. There is no meaning in our misery'" (Brecht 84). The people rely on the Church to lead them to a better life in heaven; their faith is all that they know. It is the Pope's duty to preserve the unity that comes from shared faith, and because he is controlled by that which he governs, he cannot refuse to punish Galileo for fear of social collapse. Brecht cleverly uses Scene 11 to plant seeds of thought in the minds of his audience members. Through the controversy of Galileo's life and the circumstances surrounding his session with the Inquisition, Galileo explores both the dangers of institutional control and the folly of elevating men to a heroic status. One will only be disappointed when both prove fallible. Bibliography Brecht, Bertolt. Galileo. New York: Grove Press, 1966.

Lewis’ Babbitt as a Conformist

In 1922 Sinclair Lewis published the book which won the Nobel Prize portraying the very special personage whose surname – Babbitt – became a household word, a symbol of middle–class Philistine. For the first time we meet George Follanbee Babbitt at his bed going to awaken and dreaming of the fairy child. And here, from the very beginning of his novel Lewis gives occasion to an attentive reader to realize that something is wrong with this 46 years old businessman. Babbitt likes to escape from reality which means the reality is not too attractive to him.He is often becoming angry and irritated by everything and everybody – by sullen wife, by impossible children. And then in the course of novel Lewis gradually expose a tragedy of a man who is in deep disbalance with himself. George Babbitt has obtained all required to match precisely the template of social expectation, except entire comfort with it. Distracted by the feeling that there must be more, Babbitt s tarts pushing limits. But he has no choice. He could not help but be what he was.Near the end of the novel, after a brief rebellion which included a furtive, adulterous love affair he sits in the train returning back to Zenith and suddenly realizes that he couldn't escape as he is able to do only things which all could do. He failed to tear himself away from the vicious circle of Philistinism. That is his cardinal problem. It is the typical problem of a middling person who lives own life without passion or satisfaction to his heart's content and going with the stream. However Babbitt is not stripped of imagination, and he knows for sure his own weakness and the dismals.The personality of Babbitt is totally controlled by the force of conformity. It is so dominant that even after Babbitt realizes the stifling nature of the society in which he lives he is powerless to change his fate as a member of conformist society. Pressure to conform lies in all aspects of Babbitt's life. Relations hips, family, social life, and business are all based on his ability to conform to Zenith's preset standards of thought and action. All of his thoughts are those of society, and thoughts that are not of society are ridiculed hence they are frowned upon by him.Babbitt works simply to raise his social status by means of increasing his material worth. He goes about his normal routine praising modern technology, material possessions and social status only as ways to measure the significance of an individual. He belongs to many popular clubs, the purposes of which he does not even completely understand. Why does Babbitt do these things? He does these things to perform for the other members of society. He does everything expected of him even if he does not expect those things of himself.Babbitt does these things in hope of improving his social status. This conformist man is exactly who Sinclair Lewis wanted to show the reader, a man whose life is based on the ideals and standards of other s. The goals set by society are economic and material worth, social standing, and conservative thought. Since Babbitt has achieved, at least in part, these goals he is in a sense fooled into believing he is truly happy. But†¦ Every minute and calorie not needed for plowing, sawing and bolting can be spent playing the cello, gazing at the stars, learning to draw, fishing, making love.If only someone started thinking about it, the future could be full of both material wealth for everyone and more, also for everyone, more of what the materially wealthy George Babbitt knew he lacked when he declared, that never in his life he done a thing which he wanted to do. By his George Babbitt Lewis shows us how we oughtn't to live, he gives us a vivid specimen how dissimulation and sanctimony could ruin a person's own life. The image of Babbitt is unforgettable, and the book is for sure worth the highest praise.

African Americans Status in 1890 Essay

There were many problems that African Americans faced in the 1890’s some of which still exist in today’s society. African Americans have come a long way and earned many rights but still live with the hardships that they had in the 1890’s. The status of African Americans at this time in United States history was not good. Blacks had a very hard time living especially in the south. The problems that blacks dealt with were primarily found in the south where they were not accepted. Segregation became huge across the entire south after the Supreme Court ruled that â€Å"Separate but equal† was legal in the Plessy v. Ferguson case. Everything was separate but it was almost never equal. Whites always had things better than African Americans did. Blacks could not ride in the same train cars as whites. The national government gave blacks the right to vote but southern state governments took away that right through the use of poll taxes and literacy tests. A big problem that blacks faced was trying to stay alive. Many blacks were killed for no reason during this period of time. Jim Crow laws were set up to keep blacks from enjoying the same rights and privileges that whites enjoyed everyday. The Ku Klux Klan was set up by whites who had hatred for blacks. Blacks in the south feared for their lives and their families’ lives everyday. It was certain that African Americans would be confronted by racism each and everyday in the south. Relationships between blacks and whites have greatly improved in the last century but things still are not perfect and it is unlikely that they ever will be. The greatest changes were made during the civil rights movement in the 1950’s and 1960’s when blacks stood up for themselves and gained their rights as American citizens. Laws were finally passed that made literacy tests and poll taxes illegal. Segregation came to an end after Brown v. Board of Education turned over the ruling made in Plessy v. Ferguson. There was no longer â€Å"Separate but equal†, it was now just equal. Although many big steps have been taken to stopping racism and segregation it still exists in our lives today. African Americans still see racism everyday even though they are now doing many things with whites. Blacks and whites have been able to peacefully interact with each other for decades but you still see newspapers talking about segregation and racism. The overall improvement has been very significant. Comparing today’s society to the 1890’s show a lot of good change yet there are still problems in our society with race relations.

Biography of Ernesto Che Guevara, Revolutionary Leader

Biography of Ernesto Che Guevara, Revolutionary Leader Ernesto Guevara de la Serna (June 14, 1928–October 9, 1967) was an Argentine physician and revolutionary who played a key role in the Cuban Revolution. He also served in the government of Cuba after the communist takeover before leaving Cuba to try to stir up rebellions in Africa and South America. He was captured and executed by Bolivian security forces in 1967. Today, he is considered by many to be a symbol of rebellion and idealism, while others see him as a murderer. Fast Facts: Ernesto Guevara de la Serna Known For: Key figure in the Cuban RevolutionAlso Known As: CheBorn: June 14, 1928 in Rosario,  Santa Fe province,  ArgentinaParents: Ernesto Guevara Lynch, Celia de la Serna y LlosaDied: October 9, 1967  in La Higuera,  Vallegrande,  BoliviaEducation: University of Buenos AiresPublished Works: The Motorcycle Diaries, Guerrilla Warfare, The African Dream, The Bolivian DiaryAwards and Honors:  Knight Grand Cross of the  Order of the Southern CrossSpouse(s): Hilda Gadea, Aleida March  Children: Hilda, Aleida, Camilo, Celia, ErnestoNotable Quote: If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine. Early Life Ernesto was born into a middle-class family in Rosario, Argentina. His family was somewhat aristocratic and could trace their lineage to the early days of Argentine settlement. The family moved around a great deal while Ernesto was young. He developed severe asthma early in life; the attacks were so bad that witnesses were occasionally scared for his life. He was determined to overcome his ailment, however, and was very active in his youth, playing rugby, swimming, and doing other physical activities. He also received an excellent education. Medicine In 1947, Ernesto moved to Buenos Aires to care for his elderly grandmother. She died shortly thereafter and he began medical school. Some believe he was driven to study medicine because of his inability to save his grandmother. He was a believer in the idea that a patients state of mind is as important as the medicine he or she is given. He remained very close to his mother and stayed fit through exercise, although his asthma continued to plague him. He decided to take a vacation and put his studies on hold. The Motorcycle Diaries At the end of 1951, Ernesto set off with his good friend Alberto Granado on a trip north through South America. For the first part of the trip, they had a Norton motorcycle, but it was in poor repair and had to be abandoned in Santiago. They traveled through Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela, where they parted ways. Ernesto continued to Miami and returned to Argentina from there. Ernesto kept notes during his trip, which he subsequently made into a book, The Motorcycle Diaries, which was made into an award-winning movie in 2004. The trip showed him the poverty and misery all throughout Latin America and he wanted to do something about it, even if he did not know what. Guatemala Ernesto returned to Argentina in 1953 and finished medical school. He left again almost immediately, however, heading up the western Andes and traveling through Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia before reaching Central America. He eventually settled for a while in Guatemala, at the time experimenting with significant land reform under President Jacobo Arbenz. It was about this time that he acquired his nickname Che, an Argentine expression meaning (more or less) hey there. When the CIA overthrew Arbenz, Che tried to join a brigade and fight, but it was over too quickly. Che took refuge in the Argentine Embassy before securing safe passage to Mexico. Mexico and Fidel In Mexico, Che met and befriended Raà ºl Castro, one of the leaders in the assault on the Moncada Barracks in Cuba in 1953. Raà ºl soon introduced his new friend to his brother Fidel, leader of the 26th of July movement which sought to remove Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista from power. Che had been looking for a way to strike a blow against the imperialism of the United States that he had seen firsthand in Guatemala and elsewhere in Latin America; he eagerly signed on for the revolution, and Fidel was delighted to have a doctor. At this time, Che also became close friends with fellow revolutionary Camilo Cienfuegos. Transition to Cuba Che was one of 82 men who piled onto the yacht Granma in November 1956. The Granma, designed for only 12 passengers and loaded with supplies, gas, and weapons, barely made it to Cuba, arriving on December 2. Che and the others made for the mountains but were tracked down and attacked by security forces. Fewer than 20 of the original Granma soldiers made it into the mountains; the two Castros, Che, and Camilo were among them. Che had been wounded, shot during the skirmish. In the mountains, they settled in for a long guerrilla war, attacking government posts, releasing propaganda, and attracting new recruits. Che in the Revolution Che was an important player in the  Cuban Revolution, perhaps second only to Fidel Castro himself. Che was clever, dedicated, determined, and tough, though his asthma was a constant torture for him. He was promoted to  comandante  and given his own command. He saw to their training himself and indoctrinated his soldiers with communist beliefs. He was organized and demanded discipline and hard work from his men. He occasionally allowed foreign journalists to visit his camps and write about the revolution. Ches column was very active, participating in several engagements with the Cuban army in 1957 and 1958. Batistas Offensive In the summer of 1958, Batista sent large forces of soldiers into the mountains, seeking to round up and destroy the rebels once and for all. This strategy was a huge mistake and backfired badly. The rebels knew the mountains well and ran circles around the army. Many of the soldiers, demoralized, deserted or even switched sides. At the end of 1958, Castro decided it was time for the knockout punch. He sent three columns, one of which was Ches, into the heart of the country. Santa Clara Che was assigned to capture the strategic city of Santa Clara. On paper, it looked like suicide. There were some 2,500 federal troops there, with tanks and fortifications. Che himself only had roughly 300 ragged men, poorly armed and hungry. Morale was low among the Cuban soldiers, however, and the populace of Santa Clara mostly supported the rebels. Che arrived on December 28 and the fighting began. By December 31, the rebels controlled the police headquarters and the city but not the fortified barracks. The soldiers inside refused to fight or come out, and when Batista heard of Ches victory he decided the time had come to leave.  Santa Clara was the largest single battle of the Cuban Revolution  and the last straw for Batista. After the Revolution Che and the other rebels rode into Havana in triumph and began setting up a new government. Che, who had ordered the execution of several traitors during his days in the mountains, was assigned (along with Raà ºl) to round up, bring to trial, and execute former Batista officials. Che organized hundreds of trials of Batista cronies, most of them in the army or police forces. Most of these trials ended in a conviction and execution. The international community was outraged, but Che didnt care: he was a true believer in the Revolution and in communism. He felt that an example needed to be made of those who had supported tyranny. Government Posts As one of the few men truly trusted by  Fidel Castro, Che was kept very busy in post-Revolution Cuba. He was made the head of the Ministry of Industry and head of the Cuban Bank. Che was restless, however, and he took long trips abroad as a sort of ambassador of the revolution to improve Cubas international standing. During Ches time in governmental office, he oversaw the conversion of much of Cubas economy to communism. He was instrumental in cultivating the relationship between the  Soviet Union  and Cuba and had played a part in trying to bring Soviet missiles to Cuba. This, of course, was a major factor in the  Cuban Missile Crisis. Chà © the Revolutionary In 1965, Che decided he was not meant to be a government worker, even one in a high post. His calling was revolution, and he would go and spread it around the world. He disappeared from public life (leading to incorrect rumors about a strained relationship with Fidel) and began plans for bringing about revolutions in other nations. The communists believed that Africa was the weak link in the western capitalist/imperialist stranglehold on the world, so Che decided to head to the Congo to support a revolution there led by Laurent Dà ©sirà © Kabila. Congo When Che had left, Fidel read a letter to all of Cuba in which Che declared his intention to spread revolution, fighting imperialism wherever he could find it. Despite Ches revolutionary credentials and idealism, the Congo venture was a total fiasco. Kabila proved unreliable, Che and the other Cubans failed to duplicate the conditions of the Cuban Revolution, and a massive mercenary force led by South African Mad Mike Hoare was sent to root them out. Che wanted to remain and die fighting as a martyr, but his Cuban companions convinced him to escape. All in all, Che was in Congo for about nine months and he considered it one of his greatest failures. Bolivia Back in Cuba, Che wanted to try again for another communist revolution, this time in Argentina. Fidel and the others convinced him that he was more likely to succeed in Bolivia. Che went to Bolivia in 1966. From the start, this effort was also a fiasco. Che and the 50 or so Cubans who accompanied him were supposed to get support from clandestine communists in Bolivia, but they proved unreliable and possibly were the ones who betrayed him. He was also up against the CIA, which was in Bolivia training Bolivian officers in counterinsurgency techniques. It wasnt long before the CIA knew Che was in the country and began monitoring his communications. The End Che and his ragged band scored some early victories against the Bolivian army in mid-1967. In August, his men were caught by surprise and one-third of his force was wiped out in a firefight; by October, he was down to only about 20 men and had little in the way of food or supplies. By now, the Bolivian government had posted a $4,000 reward for information leading to Che. That was a lot of money in those days in rural Bolivia. By the first week of October, Bolivian security forces were closing in on Che and his rebels. Death On October 7, Che and his men stopped to rest in the Yuro ravine. Local peasants alerted the army, who moved in. A firefight broke out, killing some rebels, and Che himself was injured in the leg. On October 8, he was captured alive, allegedly shouting out to his captors I am Che Guevara and worth more to you alive than dead. The army and CIA officers interrogated him that night, but he did not have much information to give out. With his capture, the rebel movement he headed was essentially over. On October 9, the order was given, and Che was executed, shot by Sergeant Mario Tern of the Bolivian Army. Legacy Che Guevara had a huge impact on his world, not only as a major player in the Cuban Revolution but also afterward, when he tried to export the revolution to other nations. He achieved the martyrdom that he so desired, and in doing so he became a larger-than-life figure. Che is one of the most controversial figures of the 20th century. Many revere him, especially in Cuba, where his face is on the 3-peso note and every day schoolchildren vow to be like Che as part of a daily chant. Around the world, people wear t-shirts with his image on them, usually portraying a famous photo taken of Che in Cuba by photographer Alberto Korda (more than one person has noted the irony of hundreds of capitalists making money selling a famous image of a communist). His fans believe that he stood for freedom from imperialism, idealism, and a love for the common man and that he died for his beliefs. Many despise Che, however. They see him as a murderer for his time presiding over the execution of Batista supporters, criticize him as the representative of a failed communist ideology and deplore his handling of the Cuban economy. Around the world, people love or hate Che Guevara. Either way, they will not soon forget him. Sources Castaà ±eda, Jorge C.  Compaà ±ero: the Life and Death of Che Guevara. New York: Vintage Books, 1997.Coltman, Leycester.  The Real Fidel Castro.  New Haven and London: the Yale University Press, 2003.Sabsay, Fernando.  Protagonistas de Amà ©rica Latina, Vol. 2.  Buenos Aires: Editorial El Ateneo, 2006.

art reflection Essay

art reflection Essay art reflection Essay My assignment was to get five sketches of an animal of my choice from a magazine onto my sketch book. Then after that I had to get the sketches and show them to Mrs. Premo to get her approval. Once she gave me the okay she gave me tracing paper and I traced the sketches into a collage. After we have done that we go to the light tables to trace once more onto the final project paper. Then we go over that with pen and add the details to the final product. I ended up with at least three of our sketches on the final product in pen with shading and value and perception. Some new knowledge that I learned before starting the project was how to properly use a pen when shading. Mrs. Premo showed us how to use stippling, hatching, and cross hatching. That really helped me during my project because otherwise I would have not known how to shade. One way I planned my project was by drawing sketches in my sketch book and then I chose which drawing I would continue drawing. The media that I used wa s pen because that’s what our unit was about. I use many rough drafts before begging because if not then I would have most likely messed up on the hatching that I did. The first thing that I did to make this project was to first get five sketches of an animal from a magazine onto my sketch book. Then after that I had to get the sketches and show them to Mrs. Premo to get her approval. Once she gave her okay she gave me tracing paper and I traced the sketches into a collage. After I got done with that we go to the light tables to trace once more onto the final project paper. Then we go over that with pen and add the details to the final product. One part of the assignment that was hard was to choose an animal to draw because there was so many but that wasn’t the biggest problem it was trying to get the fur right because I did a cheetah. One thing I would change