MBA Sample Essay - Important Accomplishments

One of my most important accomplishments occurred during my association with a restaurant chain, for which I served as director of real estate. As a relatively new corporation, this business realized that it could only grow by opening more outlets. I played a key role in helping it achieve that critical objective. I was responsible for opening nine additional stores (there were six when I joined the company), which brought company sales from just under $10 million to $27 million by the time I left.It was my assignment to find and lease appropriate sites for our new restaurants. This was a complicated process for a number of reasons. For one, due to construction restrictions and a brisk economy, there were very few buildings available in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. This created a landlords market, with high rents and conditions not generally conducive to restaurant expansion. In this environment, I had to be especially resourceful and aggressive in order to do my job. Then, on ce I found a location that met with top managements approval, I was in charge of negotiating the deal. Such deals are complex because one is negotiating not only with landlords and attorneys but also with space planners, contractors, the city, and the health department. In the case of spaces in regional malls, I often had to work with the in-house architect and construction supervisor, as well as with the owners design review committee. It was necessary to understand and comply with the requirements of all these various entities, although negotiation was always very much a part of the process. In my earlier experience, as a broker with a major real estate firm, I operated from a different position, representing a buyer or a seller. As real estate director for a corporation, I was suddenly an in-house principal, part of a corporate team, and it was essential that I take into account how the details of each deal would affect our business. The restaurant chain is a real estate-driven b usiness, so my work and accomplishments were particularly vital to the companys success during this crucial phase of its development.Another of my most important accomplishments was helping the homeless through my work for a foundation, of which I am a co-founder. This experience was remarkable because it afforded me the privilege of making a positive difference in the lives of others. The foundation achieves its goals in a number of ways. For example, for one local Family Living Center, we brought together builders and developers (who provided their services on a volunteer basis) to upgrade existing facilities, some of which were quite old and decrepit. I coordinated the work of construction teams doing the improvements. I would define the scope of the project and then assist the general contractor in subcontracting the work. I also had to go through the city permit process, which was quite unusual due to the fact that ours was a structure for the homeless.Also, for three consecuti ve years, I was the operations man for a major 10K Race for the Homeless, which I originated and which was designed to raise both money and the publics consciousness of this problem. Each year about six months of planning and work would be required to set up the event, which involved many elements. Among other activities, I had to coordinate all aspects of the race with the city, police, and fire departments, establish the course and have it certified, secure the cooperation of affected neighborhood groups, and set up a complex management structure (to recruit and train volunteers as well as handle a myriad of other details). During the three years I was involved, participation in the event increased threefold and the amount of funds raised increased fourfold.During a recent spring, I was presented with an opportunity to make a big difference in another persons life. At that time there was a six-car pileup on a highway in northern California. Heading north on the freeway just moment s after this accident occurred and when the road was still open, I found my attention riveted to one particular car—crushed like an accordion—that was on fire with its driver still inside. I quickly pulled to the side of the highway, parked my car, jumped out, and ran to the car on fire. Its occupant, a teenage boy, was in a state of shock. I attempted to calm him down and then, with the help of another motorist, I used a crowbar to open the cars door. I extricated the driver from the wreckage and carried him to the side of the road before his car became totally engulfed in flames. The boy suffered a broken leg and hip, but he survived. My act was heralded in the newspapers and recognized by a citation from the highway patrol and the county in which the event occurred, but this hardly equaled the feeling I received from having saved this boys life. Mine was a totally spontaneous and unpremeditated act, but I regard its consequence as one of my greatest accomplishments.

Why Trenches Were Used in World War I

Why Trenches Were Used in World War I During trench warfare, opposing armies conduct battle, at a  relatively close range, from a series of ditches dug into the ground. Trench warfare becomes necessary when two armies face a stalemate, with neither side able to advance and overtake the other. Although trench warfare has been employed since ancient times, it was used on an unprecedented scale on the Western Front during World War I. Why Trench Warfare in WWI? In the early weeks of the First World War (late in the summer of 1914), both German and French commanders anticipated a war that would involve a large amount of troop movement, as each side sought to gain or defend territory. The Germans initially swept through parts of Belgium and northeastern France, gaining territory along the way. During the First Battle of the Marne in September 1914, the Germans were pushed back by Allied forces. They subsequently dug in to avoid losing any more ground. Unable to break through this line of defense, the Allies also began to dig protective trenches. By October 1914, neither army could advance its position, mainly because war was being waged in a very different way than it had been during the 19th century. Forward-moving strategies such as head-on infantry attacks were no longer effective or feasible against modern weaponry such as machine guns and heavy artillery. This inability to move forward created the stalemate. What began as a temporary strategy evolved into one of the main features of the war at the Western Front for the next four years. Construction and Design of Trenches Early trenches were little more than foxholes or ditches, intended to provide a measure of protection during short battles. As the stalemate continued, however, it became obvious that a more elaborate system was needed. The first major trench lines were completed in November 1914. By the end of that year, they stretched 475 miles, starting at the North Sea, running through Belgium and northern France, and ending in the Swiss frontier. Although the specific construction of a trench was determined by the local terrain, most were built according to the same basic design. The front wall of the trench, known as the parapet, was about 10 feet high. Lined with sandbags from top to bottom, the parapet also featured 2 to 3 feet of sandbags stacked above ground level. These provided protection, but also obscured a soldiers view. A ledge, known as the fire-step, was built into the lower part of the ditch and allowed a soldier to step up and see over the top (usually through a peephole between sandbags) when he was ready to fire his weapon. Periscopes and mirrors were also used to see above the sandbags. The rear wall of the trench, known as the parados, was lined with sandbags as well, protecting against a rear assault. Because constant shelling and frequent rainfall could cause the trench walls to collapse, the walls were reinforced with sandbags, logs, and branches. Trench Lines Trenches were dug in a zigzag pattern so that if an enemy entered the trench, he could not fire straight down the line. A typical trench system included a line of three or four trenches: the front line (also called the outpost or the fire line), the support trench, and the reserve trench, all built parallel to one another and anywhere from 100 to 400 yards apart. The main trench lines were connected by communicating trenches, allowing for the movement of messages, supplies, and soldiers and were lined with barbed wire. The space between the enemy lines was known as No Mans Land. The space varied but averaged about 250 yards. Some trenches contained dugouts below the level of the trench floor, often as deep as 20 or 30 feet. Most of these underground rooms were little more than crude cellars, but some, especially those farther back from the front, offered more conveniences, such as beds, furniture,  and stoves. The German dugouts were generally more sophisticated; one such dugout captured in the Somme Valley in 1916 was found to have toilets, electricity, ventilation, and even wallpaper. Daily Routine in the Trenches Routines varied among the different regions, nationalities, and individual platoons, but the groups shared many similarities. Soldiers were regularly rotated through a basic sequence: fighting in the front line, followed by a period in the reserve or support line, then later, a brief rest period. (Those in reserve might be called upon to help the front line if needed.) Once the cycle was completed, it would begin anew. Among the men in the front line, sentry duty was assigned in rotations of two to three hours. Each morning and evening, just before dawn and dusk, the troops participated in a stand-to, during which men (on both sides) climbed up on the fire-step with rifle and bayonet at the ready. The stand-to served as preparation for a possible attack from the enemy at a time of day- dawn or dusk- when most of these attacks were likeliest to occur. Following the stand-to, officers conducted an inspection of the men and their equipment. Breakfast was then served, at which time both sides (almost universally along the front) adopted a brief truce. Most offensive maneuvers (aside from artillery shelling and sniping) were carried out in the dark when soldiers were able to climb out of the trenches clandestinely to conduct surveillance and carry out raids. The relative quiet of the daylight hours allowed men to discharge their assigned duties during the day. Maintaining the trenches required constant work: repair of shell-damaged walls, removal of standing water, the creation of new latrines, and the movement of supplies, among other vital jobs. Those spared from performing daily maintenance duties included specialists, such as stretcher-bearers, snipers, and machine-gunners. During brief rest periods, soldiers were free to nap, read, or write letters home, before being assigned to another task. Misery in the Mud Life in the trenches was nightmarish, aside from the usual rigors of combat. Forces of nature posed as great a threat as the opposing army. Heavy rainfall flooded trenches and created impassable, muddy conditions. The mud not only made it difficult to get from one place to another; it also had other, more dire consequences. Many times, soldiers became trapped in the thick, deep mud; unable to extricate themselves, they often drowned. The pervading precipitation created other difficulties. Trench walls collapsed, rifles jammed, and soldiers fell victim to the much-dreaded trench foot. Similar to frostbite, trench foot developed as a result of men being forced to stand in water for several hours, even days, without a chance to remove wet boots and socks. In extreme cases, gangrene would develop and a soldiers toes, or even his entire foot, would have to be amputated. Unfortunately, heavy rains were not sufficient to wash away the filth and foul odor of human waste and decaying corpses. Not only did these unsanitary conditions contribute to the spread of disease, they also attracted an enemy despised by both sides- the lowly rat. Multitudes of rats shared the trenches with soldiers and, even more horrifying, they fed upon the remains of the dead. Soldiers shot them out of disgust and frustration, but the rats continued to multiply and thrived for the duration of the war. Other vermin that plagued the troops included head and body lice, mites and scabies, and massive swarms of flies. As terrible as the sights and smells were for the men to endure, the deafening noises that surrounded them during heavy shelling were terrifying. Amid a heavy barrage, dozens of shells per minute might land in the trench, causing ear-splitting (and deadly) explosions. Few men could remain calm under such circumstances; many suffered emotional breakdowns. Night Patrols and Raids Patrols and raids took place at night, under cover of darkness. For patrols, small groups of men crawled out of the trenches and inched their way into No Mans Land. Moving forward on elbows and knees toward the German trenches and cutting their way through the dense barbed wire on their way. Once the men reached the other side, their goal was to get close enough to gather information by eavesdropping or to detect activity in advance of an attack. Raiding parties were much larger than patrols, encompassing about 30 soldiers. They, too, made their way to the German trenches, but their role was more confrontational. Members of the raiding parties armed themselves with rifles, knives, and hand grenades. Smaller teams took on portions of the enemy trench, tossing in grenades, and killing any survivors with a rifle or bayonet. They also examined the bodies of dead German soldiers, searching for documents and evidence of name and rank. Snipers, in addition to firing from the trenches, also operated from No Mans Land. They crept out at dawn, heavily camouflaged, to find cover before daylight. Adopting a trick from the Germans, British snipers hid inside O.P. trees (observation posts). These dummy trees, constructed by army engineers, protected the snipers, allowing them to fire at unsuspecting enemy soldiers. Despite these strategies, the nature of trench warfare made it almost impossible for either army to overtake the other. Attacking infantry was slowed down by the barbed wire and bombed-out terrain of No Mans Land, making the element of surprise unlikely. Later in the war, the Allies did succeed in breaking through German lines using the newly-invented tank. Poison Gas Attacks In April 1915, the Germans unleashed an especially sinister new weapon at Ypres in northwestern Belgium: poison gas. Hundreds of French soldiers, overcome by deadly chlorine gas, fell to the ground, choking, convulsing, and gasping for air. Victims died a slow, horrible death as their lungs filled with fluid. The Allies began producing gas masks to protect their men from the deadly vapor, while at the same time adding poison gas to their arsenal of weapons. By 1917, the box respirator became standard issue, but that did not keep either side from the continued use of chlorine gas and the equally-deadly mustard gas. The latter caused an even more prolonged death, taking up to five weeks to kill its victims. Yet poison gas, as devastating as its effects were, did not prove to be a decisive factor in the war because of its unpredictable nature (it relied upon wind conditions) and the development of effective gas masks. Shell Shock Given the overwhelming conditions imposed by trench warfare, it is not surprising that hundreds of thousands of men fell victim to shell shock. Early in the war, the term referred to what was believed to be the result of an actual physical injury to the nervous system, brought about by exposure to constant shelling. Symptoms ranged from physical abnormalities (tics and tremors, impaired vision and hearing, and paralysis) to emotional manifestations (panic, anxiety, insomnia, and a near-catatonic state.) When shell shock was later determined to be a psychological response to emotional trauma, men received little sympathy and were often accused of cowardice. Some shell-shocked soldiers who had fled their posts were even labeled deserters and were summarily shot by a firing squad. By the end of the war, however, as cases of shell shock soared and came to include officers as well as enlisted men, the British military built several military hospitals devoted to caring for these men. The Legacy of Trench Warfare Due in part to the Allies use of tanks in the last year of the war, the stalemate was finally broken. By the time the armistice was signed on November 11, 1918, an estimated 8.5 million men (on all fronts) had lost their lives in the so-called war to end all wars. Yet many survivors who returned home would never be the same, whether their wounds were physical or emotional. By the end of World War I, trench warfare had become the very symbol of futility; thus, it has been a tactic intentionally avoided by modern-day military strategists in favor of movement, surveillance, and airpower.

Environmental Problems in Africa Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Environmental Problems in Africa - Article Example Africa, specifically the Sub- Saharan states are enriched with natural resources of many kinds, yet it cannot overcome the poverty which its residents have been living in for centuries. According to the World Summit on sustainable Development (WSSD) in Africa in 2002 as mentioned in an article posted www.articlebase.com on 27 October, 2006, Africa is currently facing lack of fresh water, barren lands, deforestation, which has led to extinction of different species of birds and animals. The trade of oil through sea has resulted in water-pollution. Similarly the waste from industries is disposed off in water, which has ruined the life of different species of fish and marine-life. Trees cut to light fire for cooking and other purposes have led to deforestation. Poverty generates pollution which in turn generates poverty. This constant cycle has come into being as a result of development of factories and industries all over the world which has opened employment opportunities for those working in rural areas. Because of more and more mobility and networking among the people, there has been an increase in the need of all sorts of vehicles which consume oil to function. Oil is the basic source of income for many countries. But in the course of exploration of oil, much harm is caused to the environment. Though USA has taken some initiatives to eradicate poverty from Africa. It was mentioned in the same article as mentioned before that USA had planned to grant 4.5 billion $ to Africa over the course of next three years to launch an anti-HIV program and improve access to fresh and clean water for the Africans. These days, everybody is worried about the consequences of the destroyed natural environment which has caused a fundamental change in the social environment. Increase in pollution has made human beings take some steps to protect themselves against the evils of pollution. This has resulted in increased use of face-masks, bottled water

Management theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management theories - Essay Example With new management theory so readily available, it seems that few if any of the historical theories meet our expectations today. However, in choosing one the choice here would be the Administrative Principles. This approach, at least made an attempt to focus on the total organization and today we know that each entity in an organization is important to the whole and how those entities function together is extremely important. In this particular theory, Henri Fayol (1841-1925) was the developer of the theory. There were fourteen general principles that were put into place as a part of this principle. There are truly some good things and some bad things here.(provenmodels, 2010). Division of labor: This is a method of achieving maximum efficiency through the use of specialized labor rather than just splitting people up by the technical activities they do. This is, in some ways, how a hospital works today and many other major businesses too. The division of labor is usually split up by specialty. For example, the business office, the admissions, the coders etc. Establishment of Authority: Here the true ability to make a decision and carry it out is available to the manager. Today, we call it one kind of power or another but even today, there are organizations that are unable to release this authority even to their top managers. As one reads these points, it is realized that they are all important today and we think of them as a part of one or more of the theories we study today. When the pros are thought of, one of the things that leaps out at the reader immediately is the stability of jobs. In today's world there are beginning to be short numbers of staff in many specialty fields. It is also known that training and retraining staff are very expensive (Jick, & Perpirl,, 2003). With that known, retention of staff becomes extremely important, as important today at it was then. The other pros are that unity of command remains important today as well as unity of direction. Today, we understand that it is important to assure that employees other than senior management staff are a part of strategic planning, for example. The cons are that this is a step back of course from what we know today and though the fourteen points are useful, it all seems somewhat complicated to use and they are somewhat vague in spots a nd seem a little confusing. The theory that is most

Critically compare and contrast the accounting methods, structure and Essay

Critically compare and contrast the accounting methods, structure and regulation of Greece with the UK. Include a detailed and critical analysis of both current - Essay Example Effective control systems are usually situation specific and tailored to the management of each organisation. The exercise of managerial choice and the interdependence of accounting systems and the environment are acknowledged". (Rayburn and Rayburn (1991, p. 57) U.K. follows common law whereas Greece follows codified law falling under British Commonwealth and continental Europe respectively. "Greek law is based on codified Roman law with the judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts. Judicial independence is guaranteed under the constitution" (Greece Profile) Many countries' accounting practices are influenced by their respective income taxation rules ignoring any other broader objectives. (Nobes 1983, Purcel & Scott 1986) In the case of Government bureauracrats setting the accounting standards, they are unequivocal in fixed formats. ".Bureaucracies are more likely to want certainty to make assessment of taxes, adherence to regulatory rules, etc., easier to specify and enforce" (Robinson, Chris, Venieris, george 1996) Greek accounting is guided by its Corporate Law 2190/1920, accounting standards stipulated by the Ministry of National Economy, the interpretations issued by the National Accounting Standards Board (ESYL) and the Greek General Chart of Accounts approved by Presidential Decree 1123/80. In UK, the Companies Act 1985 as amended for EU Directives.lays down the stipulation for accounting methods. As per the Act, there should be disclosures that accounts are as per the standards of the Accounting Standards Board and urgent issues task force. Cash flow reporting in Greece Cash flow reporting as per IAS 7 became mandatory in 2002 for Greek listed companies which should submit the Cash Flow Statement (CFS) to HCMC though not required to be published as in the case of balance sheet and income statement. A recent study found that while non-listed firms do not voluntarily report CFS, the listed firms also do not comply with the mandatory requirement and make the CFS publicly available." The results indicate that Greek companies have cash flow problems but not profitability problems. The publication of a CFS may reveal that many listed companies in Greece are not as robust as the balance sheet and the income statement potentially indicates. Thus, the main conclusion of the paper is that publication of the CFS in Greece should become mandatory. The HCMC has made significant attempts to enforce corporate governance principles for listed companies in Greece. These principles implicitly highlight the desire of the regulatory authorities that investors receive adequate and relevant information. Could it be, however, that investors get relevant information when they do not have the essential inputs required to value a company"(Kousenidis V, Negakis L, Floropoulos) This practice of providing information on sources and application of funds was

Are Wars Good for the Economy?

Are Wars Good for the Economy? Mr. PRAKHAR MAHESHWARI Are Wars Good For Economy? INTRODUCTION â€Å"War, n: A time-tested political tactic guaranteed to raise a president’s popularity rating by at least 30 points. It is especially useful during election years and economic downturns.† Chaz Bufe, American Anarchist Author Wars. Invasions. Fights. The reason for these and the final consequence of these is economy. Communities, kingdoms and countries have been fighting countless wars and invading other countries and kingdoms in search for wealth and money. The Mughals and the English came to India having knowledge that the country was full of gold and had massive wealth. Americans declared war on Iraq in search of the precious oil. Even particular individuals fight with their own kin and family for property, wealth and money. But is destruction of life and property the only thing which happens before, after even during a war? This project deals with precisely that. The project focuses on the economic development and/or economic destruction of USA during world wars. However, the project isn’t strictly focused on only US. Countries like Britain, France and Germany needed to be given a special mention in such kind of a topic. Wars make or break a country. And it is an integral question that we must ask ourselves: Are wars really good for economy? ECONOMY AND WORLD WARS There are several reasons to enter a war. Although economic reasons are the most important, patriotism, loyalty and friendship towards a nation and the belief of â€Å"helping the needy and the right out† not only decides if a nation should enter a war but also decides which side that country would join. World War 1 The United States entered the war very late. They were participants for approximately an year and a half – from April 1917 to November 1918.[1] This little participation in terms of days was very different from the point of view of contribution. The number of Americans serving the Army was more than a staggering four million. Not only did they provide men to the fighting nations, they also equipped them with great supply of raw materials and weapons and ammunition.[2] Before the war, the American economy was in a bad shape. However, the buying of U.S. weaponry and goods for war by the fighting Europeans and when the U.S. itself joined the conflict, the economy boomed.[3] Hugh Rockoff writes that if the United States had not converted the opportunity of making and delivering goods and weapons to the European Allies, it would have been next to impossible for the country to enter and win the war.[4] The massive production of such goods, which were added only after looking at the demands made by the European countries, ensured easy entrance of the United States.[5] Also, the goods were made in such a way that the country itself would need it if it enters the war.[6] The Americans had actually realized that the spoils of the war, if they won, would be huge and the profits were not ignorable. Hugh Rockoff also observes that â€Å"Entry into the war in 1917 unleashed massive U.S. federal spending which shifted national production from civilian to war goods. Between 1914 and 1918, some 3 million people were added to the military and half a million to the government.†[7] Infact, the impact of such employment was that the rate of unemployment came down from 7.9 percent to 1.4 percent.[8] This was not only due to the addition of men in the armies but also because labours and workers were required in large numbers to new manufacturing jobs like manufacturing guns, war infrastructure and developing technology.[9] U.S. exports to the European countries, due to this war in 1917, shot up to almost three times the year 1913’s exports. While U.S. exported goods worth $1.5 billion dollars in 1913, the sales were in excess of $4 billion dollars in 1917.[10] Now let us assume that the United States had got nothing to do with the war. It was a neutral country and was not supplying any goods to any European country. Also, let us assume that the raw material used to produce these exports for the European countries were only able to manufacture about half as much value when such goods were transported to other countries which were not at war.[11] Based on these assumptions, if we calculate the value in output in the year 1917, the loss would come out to be a bit more than $2 billion dollars per year.[12] In 1917, this was worth 3.7 percent the U.S GNP and about 6.3 percent of the total U.S. cost of war.[13] Rockoff estimates â€Å"the total cost of World War I to the United States at approximately $32 billion, or 52 percent of gross national product at the time. He breaks down the financing of the U.S. war effort as follows: 22 percent in taxes, 58 percent through borrowings from the public, and 20 percent in money creation. The War Revenue Act of 1917 taxed excess profits profits exceeding an amount determined by the rate of return on capital in a base period by some 20 to 60 percent, and the tax rate on income starting at $50,000 rose from 1.5 percent in 1913-15 to more than 18 percent in 1918. Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary William Gibbs McAdoo crisscrossed the country peddling war bonds, even enlisting the help of Hollywood stars and Boy Scouts. The prevalence of patriotic themes created social pressure to purchase the Liberty bonds (and, after the armistice, the Victory bonds), but in practice the new bondholders did not make a tangible personal sacrifice in buying war bonds, sin ce the yields on these debt instruments were comparable to those on standard municipal bonds at the time. As can be seen, patriotic motives were not sufficient to alter market prices of assets during the war.†[14] Due to this war, various infrastructural projects were taken up and developed like Railroad, fuel and granaries. Since men had to go to war, the women took up the initiative of working in companies, etc. This ensured the economic freedom of women and more and more women started working. It is often said that the one’s gain is another’s loss. Wars are no different. Where one country’s, the United States’, economy was going through a positive transformation, the economies of the European powers were humbled. Even though the Allies won the war, the major participants, the British and the French, suffered massive losses. Saints have said that â€Å"Everything that shines is not gold.† They may have â€Å"won† the war, but economically, they had been fooled by this shine. However, the losses were restricted mainly to the battle fields. Overall, even the British economy (in terms of GDP) grew by around 14-15% during the four to five years of the world war. However, the country lost its men fighting for the country.[15] As discussed earlier, war also involves patriotism and many civilians hence started saving and investing in wars rather than the normal consumption. These investments were used majorly for ammunitions. The Government’s share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose from 8% to 38% in these five years.[16] The story of the Germans, the losers of the war, was however very different. Not only they had to give huge taxes and compensation, there economy was brought to the knees. Germany, just like any other country, had to borrow money from various banks, the axis powers and even its citizens. When the Germans lost, they had to pay back even these creditors. The Germans were left in huge debts and their economy was destroyed. And the main cause of their destruction was the Treaty of Versailles. Supposed to be a peace treaty, many people claim it to be an important reason of the Second World War. This treaty literally forced the Germans to pay huge compensations – a total sum of  £6.6 billion.[17] This amount was way beyond the financial capacities of the Germans. Economy doesn’t only mean the money or financial capacity. It also means the territorial extend of the country. After all, even territories are the properties of a country. After the First World War, Germany had to give up large chunks of its territories to the Allied Forces. â€Å"The Versailles treaty deprived Germany of around 13.5% of its 1914 territory (some seven million people) and all of its overseas possessions. Alsace-Lorraine was returned to France, and Belgium was enlarged in the east with the addition of the formerly German border areas of Eupen and Malmedy. Among other territorial re-arrangements, an area of East Prussia was handed over to Lithuania, and the Sudetenland to Czechoslovakia. The German army was limited to a maximum of 100,000 men, and a ban placed upon the use of heavy artillery, gas, tanks and aircraft. The German navy was similarly restricted to shipping under 10,000 tons, with a ban on submarines.†[18] The other financial and economical clauses of the treaty are dealt with in Article 248 to 312 with certain Annexes. Hence where some countries were enjoying the spoils of war, the other countries had to pay heavy compensations and reparations. World War 2 World War 2 was no different when the reasons for the war are given a thought. The world had seen one of the greatest economic tragedies ever in the form of the Great Depression of 1929, just 6 years before the start of the Second World War. There was chaos on the streets as people lost on jobs and the unemployment rate was on an all time high, crossing the 25% mark. The companies were going bankrupt, economy was in a disaster and depression, as the name phenomenon suggests, was spread across the world. It was evident that another war was on its way. With the rise of Adolf Hitler and economic woes of Germany after accepting the Treaty of Versailles, Germans had to wage wars, once again with the Allied Powers. The U.S., like the previous war, joined this one later, approximately by 2 years. The country, however, like before, started producing and manufacturing wartime goods for the â€Å"worst case scenario†. When the United States got involved in the Second World War, the demand for labor shot up. To fight a war, country needs weapons and for that the country needs manufacturing facilities and labor in huge numbers. The national employment suddenly fell to a minimal 10% in just a few months of the declaration of war by the country from its 1940 level.[19] The country was at war and weapons and infrastructure need to be built up with a rapid speed. Even fortification of borders and military bases abroad was equally important.[20] All these factors coupled with the fact that weapons and military equipments, vehicles and other wartime instruments needed to be transported and mobilized ensured vast labor requirement.[21] The Employers wanted to fill the vacancies as fast as possible so as to meet the production demand. This however, brought in vacancies in other non-war areas. These positions were then filled by women and non white people. They had been excluded from a long time from such industries which payed highly and involved high skills. Hence war meant employment for the whole country.[22] War doesn’t only bring profits. It brings massive destruction to life and property. Britain gave us the Industrial Revolution, and the very same industries, which were the pride of the Great Britain, were left nothing more to rumble. The damage that these facilities incurred, not only in Britain but also in other European countries, was much more than what they had incurred in the previous wars.[23] Where the damages incurred by France were approximately thrice of their total annual income, Britain suffered heavy losses in the form of damages to residential houses.[24] About 30% of the homes in Britain were destroyed by Germans in the Second World War, first by the aerial blitz and then by bombs and rockets.[25] The Germans, losing the war again, had their country divided into West and East Germany. While West was influenced by the capitalist USA, the East was the communist USSR. The economic woes for Britain and France were not limited to their own countries. They had to let go many important colonies as they had exhausted their money and resources and had none left for their militaries in these areas. India gained its independence as the growing revolts and violence in the country left Britain shocked. Britain had no more resources to deal with these violent outbursts and had to leave the country, just like they had to leave many other territories. USSR and US strengthened their economies during cold war, but USSR, after the recession of 1970, could not recover like the US and had to surrender in the cold war. It has been seen by historians that whenever countries have not gone to war or had no threat of being attacked, their economy have not grown or grown but with a very low percentage. But the wars, apart from developing or destroying economies, affect common man too. Inflation and rise in taxes are the two main effects. These are however short term. â€Å"Increasing taxes reduces consumer spending, which does not help the economy improve at all. Suppose we decrease government spending on social programs. Firstly weve lost the benefits those social programs provide. The recipients of those programs will now have less money to spend on other items, so the economy will decline as a whole. Increasing the debt means that well either have to decrease spending or increase taxes in the future; its a way to delay the inevitable. Plus theres all those interest payments in the meantime.†[26] Lack of wars The European countries in the western side of the continent have very little or no threat of being overtaken by another country in the present times. The politicians and ministers are therefore not criticized for not developing the economy faster. Infact, when these ministers lose their office, they are â€Å"garlanded† with income boosts from counseling and consultation as well as speaking fees. If not these, then they retire to an amazing and dreamy holiday spot.[27] This however is not true for the countries that face constant danger from their neighbors or other countries. An example would be that of China and Japan. The Japanese face great pressure, both territorial and geographical from the Chinese.[28] This is true for India and Pakistan. India today is the largest importer of ammunitions as she faces constant and grave danger from its parted neighbors, Pakistan. Hence where countries like India face constant danger from almost all its neighboring countries, they are the highest importers of ammunitions and weapons and countries like Switzerland, which are considered to be one of the most peaceful countries, hardly import any weapons.[29] US spend approximately $650 billion dollars in ammunitions.[30] This is what wars can do. They can make a country develop its resources and infrastructure. CONCLUSION As we can see, wars have the ability to develop an economy. In this project we dealt with three types of outcomes of a war. And each type had its representative. In the first type of outcome, the country wins. They win and enjoy a good deal of compensation. There economy grows by leaps and bounds, the rate of unemployment declines, infrastructure develops and the spoils of war compensate the losses they suffer. An example of this is the United States. While they joined late in the world wars, they had a great say and impact on the war. They had already developed their weapons and ammunitions and had gone to war with preparation. The second type of outcome is one in which although the country wins the war, they are badly hurt as far as economy is concerned. Their industries are destroyed, territories left damaged and even the spoils of war are not enough for their recovery. Britain and France are good examples of these. They â€Å"won† the Second World War but ended up losing m ore than what they won. They exhausted all their resources and their colonies gained independence. The third type of outcome is one in which the country loses; Germany being the example. Germany lost both its wars and had to pay damages which the obviously couldn’t. Infact, they had to ask for loans from the same countries they had to pay the damages. But leaving aside these so called boosters of economy, can any war, battle or fight justify the loss of human life? How can we as humans put a value to a person’s life? Economy may get boosted but for a short while. The damage to life, however, is a very very long one. In conclusion, I would like to say that war, like alcohol, is an addiction. Initially it tastes good, you think that all the worries are now away. But it’s not long before the person indulging himself in such addiction realizes that the pleasure was momentary, what he faces now is scars for life, which no money or economy can remove. [1] Price Fishback, U.S. Economy in World War I (eh.net 2010) http://eh.net/encyclopedia/u-s-economy-in-world-war-i/> accessed 28 June 2014. [2] Price Fishback, U.S. Economy in World War I (eh.net 2010) http://eh.net/encyclopedia/u-s-economy-in-world-war-i/> accessed 28 June 2014. [3] Carlos Lozada, The Economics of World War I (nber.org 2014) http://www.nber.org/digest/jan05/w10580.html> accessed 29 June 2014. [4] Ibid. [5] Ibid. [6] Ibid. [7] Ibid. [8] Ibid. [9] Carlos Lozada, The Economics of World War I (nber.org 2014) http://www.nber.org/digest/jan05/w10580.html> accessed 29 June 2014. [10] Price Fishback, U.S. Economy in World War I (eh.net 2010) http://eh.net/encyclopedia/u-s-economy-in-world-war-i/> accessed 28 June 2014. [11] Ibid. [12] Price Fishback, U.S. Economy in World War I (eh.net 2010) http://eh.net/encyclopedia/u-s-economy-in-world-war-i/> accessed 28 June 2014. [13] Ibid. [14] Carlos Lozada, The Economics of World War I (nber.org 2014) http://www.nber.org/digest/jan05/w10580.html> accessed 29 June 2014. [15] Niall Ferguson, The Pity of War: Explaining World War I (1st, Basic Books, 1988) 249. [16] Ibid. [17] London Jewish Cultural Centre, Economic effects of the Treaty of Versailles (theholocaustexplained.org 2009) http://www.theholocaustexplained.org/ks4/the-nazi-rise-to-power/the-german-economy-c-1919-29/economic-effects-of-the-treaty-of-versailles/> accessed 29 June 2014. [18] Michael Duffy, Treaty of Versailles, 28 June 1919 (firstworldwar.com 2009) http://www.firstworldwar.com/source/versailles.htm> accessed 29 June 2014. [19] David Siminoff and Deb Tennen, World War II: Home Front (shmoop.com 2009) http://www.shmoop.com/wwii-home-front/economy.html> accessed 29 June 2014 [20] Ibid. [21] Ibid. [22] Ibid. [23] Dr. Susmit Kumar, Consequences of World Wars I and II (susmitkumar.net 2010) http://www.susmitkumar.net/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=66:consequenses-of-world-wars-i-and-iiItemid=38> accessed 29 June 2014. [24] Ibid. [25] Dr. Susmit Kumar, Consequences of World Wars I and II (susmitkumar.net 2010) http://www.susmitkumar.net/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=66:consequenses-of-world-wars-i-and-iiItemid=38> accessed 29 June 2014. [26] Jodi Beggs, Are Wars Good for the Economy? (about.com 2014) http://economics.about.com/cs/issues/l/aa032003c.htm> accessed 29 June 2014. [27] Tyler Cowen, The Lack of Major Wars May Be Hurting Economic Growth (nytimes.com 2014) http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/14/upshot/the-lack-of-major-wars-may-be-hurting-economic-growth.html?_r=0> accessed 29 June 2014. [28] Ibid. [29] The 15 countries with the highest military expenditure in 2013 (table). Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (2011). [30] Ibid. Georgia OKeeffe | Artist Biography Georgia OKeeffe | Artist Biography Georgia OKeeffe Georgia O’Keeffe is one of many famous American painters. Her paintings of flowers, skulls, horns, and pelvises against a colorful New Mexico background are what made her known to the art world (Zophy 448). There are so many interesting facts about Georgia O’Keeffe, which include her education and teaching, her major works and where they are, the honors she has received, and her charcoal drawings. Georgia and her siblings attended the Number Five District school house. This school was called the Town Hall School. Georgia once stated, â€Å"My memories of childhood are quite pleasant, although I hated school. I left the local school when I was twelve, and was sent to a convent school in Madison, Wisconsin. It was the one year I ever really learned anything,† (Robinson 24). While Georgia attended the Sacred Heart School, she was in the advanced section of her class. â€Å"At the convent in Madison, I don’t even remember wanting to do anything I shouldn’t,† she said (31). In 1902, she was sent to the big public high school in Milwaukee. She didn’t pay much attention to the academics and did not like the art teacher either. In the art room of the high school, she realized that the world through which she walked was a never ending source for her work. Since the age of ten, she knew that painting would be her life long profession (Zophy 448). Georgia first taught at the Chatham Episcopal Institute in Williamsburg, Virginia. The six weeks at Chatham showed Georgia how to continue her art, live in the country and be able to live off her artworks. It showed her a life she might make for herself after all (Robinson, 79). Georgia was offered a teaching position at the University of Virginia. When she wrote to a friend in Texas to get a reference, her friend told her about an opening in Amarillo. She immediately took the position in Amarillo. â€Å"I was very excited about going to Texas, where Billy the Kid had been,† (Robinson, 86). â€Å"Later she went to West Texas State Normal College in the Texas panhandle. Her teaching methods were unofficial. Georgia was head of her own department. She taught the students the methods of design, drawing, costume design, interior decoration, and the teaching of drawing† (Robinson, 159). â€Å"One of Georgia’s many famous paintings is the Jack-In-The-Pulpit series. This series is a powerful celebration of the strong thrust of spring and of the dark secret tower enfolded in green. Due to the natural design of the Jack, the paintings have been viewed as sexual. Georgia did not like her paintings to be put into that category† (Robinson, 354). Another series of Georgia’s paintings is the â€Å"Corn† series. â€Å"She got the inspiration to paint this series while living with Albert, her husband, in the country. She loved working in her garden which is where the vision came to her. The design of the young plants while she was looking down onto them made an exciting and stirring statement to her† (Robinson, 269). The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum opened on July 17, 1997 in Santa Fe, New Mexico and was built for the purpose of preserving and presenting the life work of one of America’s famous artists, this museum now houses a permanent collecton of O’Keeffe’s art (â€Å"Georgia†). O’Keeffe Museum’s Director, Peter H. Hassrick, added, â€Å"O’Keeffe’s life and work are central to the Santa Fe mix. When people visit Santa Fe, they think of Georgia O’Keeffe, and an institution devoted to her artistic accomplishments, located in the region that inspired much of her work, is long overdue.† (â€Å"Georgia†). â€Å"There are more than eighty paintings, watercolors, drawings, pastels, and sculptures in the collection. One of the centerpieces of the collection is â€Å"Jimson Weed†, a large-scale flower painting, one of her favorite flowers, created in 1982. She liked to make more than one version of her paintings† (â€Å"Georgia†). â€Å" The museum’s long-range plans include the building of a study center on the museum grounds providing scholars, students, and the general public with reference materials on the life and art of Georgia O’Keeffe and her fellow artists† (Robinson, 423) â€Å"Another place that Georgia’s paintings can be seen is at the National Gallery of Art. â€Å"Secretary of Treasury, Andrew W. Mellon, first wrote of his interest in creating a national art museum in Washington, D.C. in the year of 1928. Later in 1937, Congress passed legislation to build the National Gallery of Art as an independent agency within the Smithsonian Institution. Four years later, the National Gallery of Art was dedicated by President Roosevelt in the evening of the seventeenth of March which was attended by over 8,000 guests† (â€Å"National†). â€Å"The mission of the National Gallery of Art is to serve the United States of America in a national role by preserving, collecting, exhibiting, and fostering the understanding of works of art, at the highest possible museum and scholarly standard,† (â€Å"Mission†). â€Å"The 291st Gallery in New York was the first gallery to recognize her talent. There were few galleries in New York that showed American art because each artist had their own special style† (â€Å"Younger†). It soon closed shortly after its opening in 1917 (â€Å"Younger†). Georgia had received many great honors throughout her life. Here are some of them: in 1935 she was recognized for excellence in her field by the New York League of Business and Professional Women. â€Å"Later, in May of 1938, she received her first honorary degree, a doctorate of fine arts, from the college of William and Mary, in Williamsburg† (Robinson 423). In 1939, she was chosen as one of the twelve most outstanding women of the past fifty years. â€Å"Her painting, Sunset-Long Island, was picked to represent New York at the World’s Fair† (Ahsby, 432). â€Å"In 1942, she was given a second honorary degree, this one from the University of Wisconsin. In 1946, Georgia received an honor from the Women’s National Press Club, as one of ten women who had reached distinction in their fields† (Ashby, 451). Thirty-one years later, on January 10, 1977, Georgia was given the Medal of Freedom, which is America’s highest civilian award and was awarded to her by president Gerald Ford (â€Å"The Award†). Georgia recieved another award from a President in April of 1985. This one was the National Medal of Arts, given to her by President Ronald Reagan. This is the highest award given to artists and art supporters by the United States Government. â€Å"With this medal, the President recognizes the extent of creative expression of America’s artists. This is a lifetime achievement award.† (â€Å"The Award†) Georgia was given this medal one year before her death (â€Å"National†). â€Å"In 1962, the American Academy of Arts and Letters elected her into membership. That same year she was honored with the Bandeis University Creative Arts Award. In 1966, she became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences† (Robinson 507). â€Å"Georgia O’Keeffe also did many charcoal drawings. Her very first charcoal drawing was titled the â€Å"Special No. 15,† a very early drawing of the Palo Duro Canyon in Texas. It sends a remarkable and significant sense of place. Then eighteen years later in 1934, she drew â€Å"Special No. 40.† She wrote, â€Å"This is from the sea – a shell – and paintings followed. Maybe not as good as this drawing.† Also in this group of Georgia’s drawings is a rare charcoal drawing of her friend, the African American painter Beauford Delaney from the 1940’s. In 1959, she made a charcoal drawing of a riverbed in a desert, which was inspired by sketches she made during one of her first airplane rides† (â€Å"Philidelphia†). â€Å"Another one, â€Å"Banana Flower No. 1,† was chosen by Albert to be shown in his gallery. Because of her high standards when drawing flowers, some people thought there was some hidden meaning in them† (â€Å"American†). â€Å"She also drew â€Å"Maybe a Kiss† in 1916, another of a series, because of a boyfriend who left â€Å"(Robinson 133). In 1934, she drew the â€Å"Eagle Claw and Bean Necklace (Robinson, 406). â€Å"All of Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings and drawings had a reason to be drawn. The first reason is because she loved nature.† Many times, she said, â€Å"You know how you walk along a country road and notice a little tuft of grass, and the next time you pass that way you stop to see how it is getting along and how much it has grown?† (Robinson 233). Many of Georgia’s visions came from nature, she would tell people this by saying, â€Å"When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for a moment,† (Robinson, 33). She would walk through the pines and hear â€Å"singing woods,† (Robinson, 118). â€Å"On the prairie she noticed how dried bones and skulls had a beauty of their own. She liked the color, strength, and shapes of these.† (Robinson, 119) â€Å"Another reason for her charcoal drawings is because of her emotions. In the nineteenth century, and in earlier decades of the twentieth century, art critics enjoyed the sentimental and long discussions of the emotional qualities in the paintings they saw: sadness, tenderness, passion, rage – all four were great feelings to be kept in print† (Robinson, 178). â€Å"It seemed she did most of her charcoal drawings when she was sad or lonely† (Ashby, 133). She once told a friend that art was a force that passed through the soul (Robinson, 28). Summing up her life, Georgia moved to Abiquiu, New Mexico permanently after her husband died in 1946. She had visited there many times before and fell in love with the place. She rented a ranch and stayed there six months out of the year (Ashby 204). â€Å"Her style was known as modernism. Some of her most innovative works were in watercolors, pastel, and charcoal† (â€Å"O’Keeffe†). By the year of 1984, she was blind (Robinson 249). â€Å"She spent the rest of her life with a nurse. She died on March 6, 1986 at a hospital in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She was ninety-nine years old. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered into the â€Å"windy landscape† near her house at Ghost Ranch† ( Robinson, 550). This paper has some of the many interesting facts about Georgia O’Keeffe, including: her education and teaching, her major works and where they are, all of the honors she has received, and her charcoal drawings. Georgia O’Keeffe had a ve ry interesting life, this term paper only touched on part of it. Works Cited â€Å"American.† Arkansas Art Center. 2000. 20 Feb 2008. . Ashby, Ruth, and Deborah Gore Ohrn. â€Å"Georgia O’Keeffe.† Herstory: Women Who Changed the World. New York: Penguin Books, 1995: 202-204. â€Å"The Award.† Presidential Medal of Freedom. 2007. 20 Feb 2008. . â€Å"Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.† Traditional Fine Arts Online, Inc. 1997. 22 Feb 2008. . â€Å"Mission Statement.† National Gallery of Art. 2008. 21 Feb 2008. . â€Å"National Gallery of Art.† National Gallery of Art. 2008. 19 Feb 2008. . â€Å"The National Medal of Arts.† National Endowment for the Arts. 22 Feb 2008. . â€Å"O’Keeffe on Paper.† Traditional Fine Arts Online, Inc. 1996-2001. 22 Feb 2008. . Robinson, Roxana. Georgia O’Keeffe: A Life. New York: Harper Row, 1989: 24-550. â€Å"Special.† Philadelphia Museum of Art. 1996-1999. 20 Feb 2008. . â€Å"Younger American Artists.† National Gallery of Art. 2008. 21 Feb 2008. . Zophy, Angela Howard, and Frances M. Kavenik. â€Å"Georgia O’Keeffe.† Handbook of American Women’s History. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data, 1990: 448. Bradford Assay: Standard Quantitative Method Determination Bradford Assay: Standard Quantitative Method Determination The Bradford assay is a standard quantitative method for the determination of protein concentrations. Bradford reagent used in the assay contains Coomassie Blue which produces a characteristic blue colour upon binding to proteins in solution (Bradford, Anal. Biochem. 72: 248, 1976).. Using a spectrophotometer the absorbance of the coloured product can be determined. Analysis of multiple samples may involve the use of a microtitre plate so that samples can be replicated and more reliable results obtained. The use of microtitre plates also automates the process so results are produced very quickly. Samples are pipetted into multi-well plates and the absorbance values measured using a multi-well microtitre plate reader equipped with a 595 nm filter. Part 1 Calibration Data for the Bradford Assay A calibration curve for the Bradford assay in the range 0.2- 1.0 mg/ml was obtained using three replicates for each concentration, using a microtitre plate. These data are shown in Figure 1 below. Linear Regression Analysis was performed and the equation of the line of best fit, y=mx +c, was produced (where y represents absorbance, x is the concentration of protein, m is the slope of the line of best fit and c is the intercept of the line on the y-axis). Q1. Describe the relationship between protein concentration and absorbance for the Bradford assay calibration curve. Q2. What is meant by a line of best fit? Q3. Comment on the value of R2 Using the values of the equation of the line of best fit, the absorbance value for each standard was used to calculate the actual concentration of protein in each replicate. The mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation ((mean/SD)x100%) were calculated and are presented in Table 1 below: Comment on the reproducibility of the assay in the range 0.2 to 1.0mg/ml of protein. Part 2 Investigation of the effects of detergents on the absorbance of a set concentration of protein, using the Bradford Assay. Background You are part of a research team that is looking at the different proteins involved in a cell signalling pathway which leads to the increased synthesis of a specific protein, P. One technique used in this work involves the use of cells kept under tissue culture conditions. These cells are treated with inhibitors, after which they are broken open by solubilisation of their membranes (cell lysis) and the soluble cell contents taken up into solution. Before analysis of the solution for levels of P, the total protein content of each lysate has to be determined. One of the reagents in the buffer solution that can be used to solubilise the cell membranes is a detergent. Detergents can cause interference in a protein assay. In an investigation using the Bradford assay, two detergents at different concentrations were exposed to a set concentration of protein (0.5mg/ml). These are sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and Triton X. The absorbance values were converted into protein concentrations using the equation of the line of best fit from the calibration curve and the data subjected to statistical analysis (One Way ANOVA). Mean data are compared in Tables 2 and 3, and Figures 2 and 3.

Comparing My Last Duchess, La Belle Dame Sans Merci and A Woman to Her

Differing Views of Male-female Relationships in Three Poems In the three poems we experience three different views of how male-female relationships should take place. In ‘My Last Duchess’ we experience the view that the male should have the main role in relationships, in ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ we hear of a relationship where the woman is in total control of the man and has all the power. Finally in ‘A Woman to Her Lover’ we read that both men and women should have an equal amount of power and no one should be dominant. In ‘My Last Duchess’ the thoughts of a very possessive and arrogant Duke of Ferrara are shared. He expected his wife to behave in a very conservative manner and wanted her to treat others as inferior. The Duke shows his position of power in the poem by referring to her as; ‘My Last Duchess’. The Duke uses the possessive pronoun ‘My’ which shows that the Duke doesn’t want anyone else to enjoy his wife’s company and he wants her all to himself. This shows that he has power over his wife as he refers to her as a belonging; it also shows that he is arrogant as well as dominant. Furthermore, we can see that the word ‘last’ implies that the Duke had previous wives; it also suggests that she is his duchess no more and so something must have happened to her. As a result of this we get the impression that the Duke simply marries then divorces, or kills, his wife just to receive her dowry, and to get more money. Also, we can see that when the Duke refers to the picture of his wife, he immediately names the well known artist that painted it; â€Å"I call that piece a wonder †¦ ‘Frà   Pandolf’†. Here we see that the Duke shows off the fact that his painting was created by a famous artist, he may ... ...her main type of imagery used is sensual imagery ‘Full beautiful’, ‘sweet moan’, here, Keats allows the reader to build up a picture of the woman which helps the reader to visualise why the knight can be controlled by her. In conclusion, we can see that wherever one individual in the relationship has had more power, whether it has been the man or woman, the relationship has ended in a sad state of affairs. In each poem the relationships are completely different, Browning’s poem views women as being inferior to men, Walsh’s poem views women and men as being equal and Keats views women as being faery’s, having supernatural powers and dominating the man. The main inference among the three poems is that the role of the sexes within a relationship can change, depending upon the characters in the relationships and the amount of power each person does posses.