Biography of Gabriel Garcia Moreno - Gabriel Garcia Moreno Profile

Biography of Gabriel Garcia Moreno - Gabriel Garcia Moreno Profile Gabriel Garcia Moreno, President of Ecuador 1860-1865, 1869-1875: Gabriel Garcà ­a Moreno (1821-1875) was an Ecuadorian lawyer and politician who served as President of Ecuador from 1860 to 1865 and again from 1869 to 1875. In between, he ruled through puppet administrations. He was a staunch conservative and Catholic who believed that Ecuador would only prosper when it had strong and direct ties to the Vatican. He was assassinated in Quito during his second term. Early Life of Gabriel Garcia Moreno: Garcà ­a was born in Guayaquil but moved to Quito at a young age, studying law and theology at Quito’s Central University. By the 1840’s he was making a name for himself as an intelligent, eloquent conservative who railed against the liberalism that was sweeping South America. He almost entered the priesthood, but was talked out of it by his friends. He took a trip to Europe in the late 1840’s, which served to further convince him that Ecuador needed to resist all liberal ideas in order to prosper. He returned to Ecuador in 1850 and attacked the ruling liberals with more invective than ever. Early Political Career: By then, he was a well known speaker and writer for the conservative cause. He was exiled to Europe, but returned and was elected Mayor of Quito and appointed Rector of the Central University. He also served in the senate, where he became the leading conservative in the nation. In 1860, with the help of Independence veteran Juan Josà © Flores, Garcà ­a Moreno seized the presidency. This was ironic, as he had been a supporter of Flores’ political enemy Vicente Rocafuerte. Garcà ­a Moreno quickly pushed through a new constitution in 1861 which legitimized his rule and allowed him to start working on his pro-Catholic agenda. Garcà ­a Moreno’s Unflagging Catholicism: Garcà ­a Moreno believed that only by establishing very close ties to the church and the Vatican would Ecuador progress. Since the collapse of the Spanish colonial system, liberal politicians in Ecuador and elsewhere in South America had severely curtailed church power, taking away land and buildings, making the state responsible for education and in some cases evicting priests. Garcà ­a Moreno set out to reverse all of it: he invited Jesuits to Ecuador, put the church in charge of all education and restored ecclesiastical courts. Naturally, the 1861 constitution declared Roman Catholicism the official state religion. A Step Too Far: Had Garcà ­a Moreno stopped with a few reforms, his legacy may have been different. His religious fervor knew no bounds, however, and he did not stop there. His goal was a near-theocratic state ruled indirectly by the Vatican. He declared that only Roman Catholics were full citizens: everyone else had their rights stripped away. In 1873, he had the congress dedicate the Republic of Ecuador to â€Å"The Sacred Heart of Jesus.† He convinced Congress to send state money to the Vatican. He felt that there was a direct link between civilization and Catholicism and intended to enforce that link in his home nation. Gabriel Garcia Moreno, Dictator of Ecuador: Garcà ­a Moreno was certainly a dictator, although one whose type had been unknown in Latin America before. He severely limited free speech and the press and wrote his constitutions to suit his agenda (and he ignored their restrictions when he wished). Congress was there only to approve his edicts. His staunchest critics left the country. Still, he was atypical in that he felt that he was acting for the best of his people and taking his cues from a higher power. His personal life was austere and he was a great foe of corruption. Accomplishments of President Morenos Administration: Garcà ­a Moreno’s many accomplishments are often overshadowed by his religious fervor. He stabilized the economy by establishing an efficient treasury, introducing a new currency and improving Ecuador’s international credit. Foreign investment was encouraged. He provided good, low cost education by bringing in Jesuits. He modernized agriculture and built roads, including a decent wagon track from Quito to Guayaquil. He also added universities and increased student enrollment in higher education. Foreign Affairs: Garcà ­a Moreno was famous for meddling in the affairs of neighboring nations, with the goal of bringing them back to the church just as he had done with Ecuador. He twice went to war with neighboring Colombia, where President Toms Cipriano de Mosquera had been curtailing church privileges. Both interventions ended in failure. He was outspoken in his support of Austrian transplant Emperor Maximilian of Mexico. Death and Legacy of Gabriel Garcà ­a Moreno: In spite of his accomplishments, the liberals (most of them in exile) loathed Garcà ­a Moreno with a passion. From safety in Colombia, his harshest critic, Juan Montalvo, wrote his famous tract â€Å"The Perpetual Dictatorship† attacking Garcà ­a Moreno. When Garcà ­a Moreno declared that he would not relinquish his office after his term expired in 1875, he began to get serious death threats. Among his enemies were the Freemasons, dedicated to ending any connection between church and state. On August 6, 1875, he was killed by a small group of assassins wielding knives, machetes and revolvers. He died near the Presidential Palace in Quito: a marker can still be seen there. Upon learning the news, Pope Pius IX ordered a mass said in his memory. Garcà ­a Moreno did not have an heir who could match his intelligence, skill and fervent conservative beliefs, and the government of Ecuador fell apart for a while as a series of short-lived dictators took charge. The people of Ecuador didn’t really want to live in a religious theocracy and in the chaotic years that followed Garcà ­a Morenos death all of his favors to the church were taken away once again. When liberal firebrand Eloy Alfaro took office in 1895, he made sure to remove any and all vestiges of Garcà ­a Moreno’s administration. Modern Ecuadorians consider Garcà ­a Moreno a fascinating and important historical figure. The religious man who accepted assassination as martyrdom today continues to be a popular topic for biographers and novelists: the latest literary work on his life is Sà © que vienen a matarme (â€Å"I know they are coming to kill me†) a work that is half-biography and half-fiction written by acclaimed Ecuadorian writer Alicia Yaà ±ez Cossio. Source: Herring, Hubert. A History of Latin America From the Beginnings to the Present. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962.

The Intolerable Acts (1774) in the American Revolution

The Intolerable Acts (1774) in the American Revolution The Intolerable Acts were passed in spring 1774, and helped cause the American Revolution (1775-1783). Background In the years after the French and Indian War, Parliament attempted to levy taxes, such as the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts, on the colonies to aid in covering the cost of maintaining the empire. On May 10, 1773, Parliament passed the Tea Act with the goal of aiding the struggling British East India Company. Prior to the passage of the law, the company had been required to sell its tea through London where it was taxed and duties assessed. Under the new legislation, the company would be permitted to sell tea directly to the colonies without the additional cost. As a result, tea prices in America would be reduced, with only the Townshend tea duty assessed. During this period, the colonies, angered by the taxes levied by the Townshend Acts, had been systematically boycotting British goods and claiming taxation without representation. Aware that the Tea Act was an attempt by Parliament to break the boycott, groups such as the Sons of Liberty, spoke out against it. Across the colonies, British tea was boycotted and attempts were made to produce tea locally. In Boston, the situation climaxed in late November 1773, when three ships carrying East India Company tea arrived in the port. Rallying the populace, the members of the Sons of Liberty dressed as Native Americans and boarded the ships on the night of December 16. Carefully avoiding damaging other property, the raiders tossed 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. A direct affront to British authority, the Boston Tea Party forced Parliament to take action against the colonies. In retribution for this affront to royal authority, the Prime Minister, Lord North, began passing a series of five laws, dubbed the Coercive or Intolerable Acts, the following spring to punish the Americans. The Boston Port Act Passed on March 30, 1774, the Boston Port Act was a direct action against the city for the previous Novembers tea party. The legislation dictated that the port of Boston was closed to all shipping until full restitution was made to the East India Company and the King for the lost tea and taxes. Also included in the act was the stipulation that the colonys seat of government should be moved to Salem and Marblehead made a port of entry. Loudly protesting, many Bostonians, including Loyalists, argued that the act punished the entire city rather than the few who were responsible for the tea party. As supplies in the city dwindled, other colonies began sending relief to the blockaded city. Massachusetts Government Act Enacted on May 20, 1774, the Massachusetts Government Act was designed to increase royal control over the colonys administration. Abrogating the colonys charter, the act stipulated that its executive council would no longer be democratically elected and its members would instead be appointed by the king. Also, many colonial offices that were previously elected officials would henceforth be appointed by the royal governor. Across the colony, only one town meeting was permitted a year unless approved by the governor. Following General Thomas Gages use of the act to dissolve the provincial assembly in October 1774, Patriots in the colony formed the Massachusetts Provincial Congress which effectively controlled all of Massachusetts outside of Boston. Administration of Justice Act Passed the same day as the previous act, the Administration of Justice Act stated that royal officials could request a change of venue to another colony or Great Britain if charged with criminal acts in fulfilling their duties. While the act allowed travel expenses to be paid to witnesses, few colonists could afford to leave work to testify at a trial. Many in the colonies felt it was unnecessary as British soldiers had received a fair trial after the Boston Massacre. Dubbed the Murder Act by some, it was felt that it allowed royal officials to act with impunity and then escape justice. Quartering Act A revision of the 1765 Quartering Act, which was largely ignored by colonial assemblies, the 1774 Quartering Act expanded the types of buildings in which soldiers could be billeted and removed the requirement that they be provided with provisions. Contrary to popular belief, it did not permit the housing of soldiers in private homes. Typically, soldiers were first to be placed in existing barracks and public houses, but thereafter could be housed in inns, victualing houses, empty building, barns, and other unoccupied structures. Quebec Act Though it did not have a direct effect on the thirteen colonies, the Quebec Act was considered part of the Intolerable Acts by the American colonists. Intended to ensure the loyalty of the kings Canadian subjects, the act greatly enlarged Quebecs borders and allowed the free practice of the Catholic faith. Among the land transferred to Quebec was much of the Ohio Country, which had been promised to several colonies through their charters and to which many had already laid claim. In addition to angering land speculators, others were fearful about the spread of Catholicism in American. Intolerable Acts - Colonial Reaction In passing the acts, Lord North had hoped to detach and isolate the radical element in Massachusetts from the rest of the colonies while also asserting the power of Parliament over the colonial assemblies. The harshness of the acts worked to prevent this outcome as many in the colonies rallied to Massachusetts’s aid. Seeing their charters and rights under threat, colonial leaders formed committees of correspondence to discuss the repercussions of the Intolerable Acts. These led to the convening of the First Continental Congress at Philadelphia on September 5. Meeting at Carpenters Hall, delegates debated various courses for bringing pressure against Parliament as well as whether they should draft a statement of rights and liberties for the colonies. Creating the Continental Association, the congress called for a boycott of all British goods. If the Intolerable Acts were not repealed within a year, the colonies agreed to halt exports to Britain as well as support Massachusetts if it was attacked. Rather than exact punishment, Norths legislation worked to pull the colonies together and pushed them down the road towards war.

Political and Economic Integration Processes in The Gulf Cooperation Essay

Political and Economic Integration Processes in The Gulf Cooperation Council - Essay Example The GCC Organizational structure looks like the EU structure with a Supreme Council made up of members from all countries in the GCC. From first appearances one might see a top down structure in the design. However, the top is shared by heads of the member states (based on the monarchic or emirate government). This makes the top divisional in its structure. The actual executive of the council is not by rank and size but rather rotated in alphabetical order of the member's names. Yet, despite the inherited leadership, it is somewhat democratic in its implementation: meetings of the supreme council are only valid if attended by at least two-thirds of the members. Under the Supreme Council there are several organizations designed as functional structure but arranged as matrix rather than a top down structure. Firstly, there is a Consultative Commission, formed of equal amounts of members from each state - its purpose is to study matters assigned by the Supreme Council. Along with that - there is the Commission for the Settlement of Disputes. Again, under the Supreme Council but is designed to allow for contingency factors and only used as needed. A Ministerial Council formed from the Ministers of Foreign Affairs - the head over this segment is the current head of the supreme council. This organization is in charge of policies, recommendations, and oversees other existing actions in all fields of specialty. Any ministerial subcommittee must first resolve and then refer the rulings to the Ministerial Council, who in turn, along with their recommendations on the rulings give to the Supreme Council for final approval. These rulings and recommendations must also be voted by two-thirds of the members to be counted as official. The Ministerial Council meets... This essay aims to identify long-term perspectives of the Gulf Cooperation Council as an integral regional union and also define development trends of its members countries. The GCC Organizational structure looks like the EU structure with a Supreme Council made up of members from all countries in the GCC. Globalization can be defined as a global networking that has welded together previously disparate and isolated communities on this planet into mutual dependence and unity of ‘one world. The opposite would be a more skeptic and Marxist indicated definition, like perspective that globalization is what the Third World have for centuries called colonization. One might even interpret globalism as a less offensive term for imperialism, not well received by developing countries with aspirations of their own international successes. Globalization is typically defined as a shift from localized human societies (including financial, political and religious systems) to linking distant communities of people and levels of industry, expanding them across regions and continents. Globalization can reduce the deficiencies of third world countries with technological advances and with equal allocation of resources. The completion of the Free Trade Agreement, started so long ago, would be a stronger indication of liberalization in the GCC. The willingness to team up with the European Union, a non-US entity, might just be a considered strategy to strengthen their unwillingness to embrace globalization.

Accounting Ethics Breach Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Accounting Ethics Breach - Research Paper Example As the essay declares  the Enron scandal was revealed in October 2001, and it resulted in the bankruptcy of Enron Corporation, an energy company based in Huston, Texas, United States. Enron failure became the largest bankruptcy reorganization in the US history at that time, and it was the biggest audit failure. The merging of Huston Natural Gas and InterNorth led to the formation of Enron in 1985. Several years later the company hired Jeffrey Skilling as the president and COO of Enron, and he created special purpose entities through the use of accounting loopholes to hide huge amount of debts from failed projects. Skilling, with the help of Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow and other executives misled the firm’s board of directors and audit committee, and continued to follow high risk accounting practices.  This discussion stresses that the company shareholders filed a $40 billion lawsuit against Enron. Subsequently the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) decla red an investigation. Although Enron’s competitor Dynegy had offered to take over the company at a cheap price, the deal failed. As a result, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection under the Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.  Skilling often verbally attacked individuals who pointed out issues with Enron’s accounting practices. However, those industry analysis reports questioning the high stock prices of Enron made company shareholders doubtful about Enron’s profitability.

Analysis of the Personality Traits of Steve Jobs Essay Example for Free

Analysis of the Personality Traits of Steve Jobs Essay Steve Jobs is arguably one of the most successful CEOs of our times. In his time at Apple and Pixar he has redefined business across the Computing, Music and Mobile communications industries. In spite of being a college dropout he has gone on to become a technology and a business icon. His ability to achieve extraordinary success against tremendous odds makes him an extremely interesting personality to study. Following are his key personality traits. 1)Charismatic Charisma refers to the ability of a person to be able to mesmerise and hold the attention of others. Steve Jobs has charisma in ample abundance. His talks at the annual Macworld Expo have an attendance akin to that of a rock concert. People from all over the world flock in to listen to him for hours together as he delivers his famed talks on technology, innovation and Apple products. 2)Ingenious Ingenious is a rare personality trait that enables an individual to be clever, original and innovative. Prior to the launch of the iPod, the entire industry was looking at desktop publishing and the internet as new sources of revenue. Steve Jobs however was among the few who realised that there was latent demand in the MP3 player segment. He followed up on his insight by launching an iPod which had extremely innovative functions and a unique design. The product captured the attention of the world and along with his other innovation iTunes went on to change the way the world listens to music. Quite clearly he is an ingenious person. 3)Persistent Persistence is the ability of a person to stick to his convictions in spite of huge obstacles. With regard to this an early manager of his had commented that Steve never takes â€Å"no† for an answer For him â€Å"no† is only a comma and never a full stop. He will keep coming back till his objective is achieved. Years later his persistence was in ample display as he stubbornly stood his ground against internal opposition to his unconventional plan to turnaround Apple. 4)Unempathetic Empathy is the ability of an individual to understand Steve Jobs is known for pushing his employees to extreme limits. He is known for firing his employees often in an erratic fashion. This shows that he is unempathetic to people around him.

Romeo And Juliet 11 - :: essays research papers

Why Romeo and Juliet was so popular in Shakespeare’s time and why even today it is still so popular? William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, England to Mary Arden and John Shakespeare. He was the third of eight children. He went to a local grammar school, where his studies included Latin and Greek (Debnam). At the age of eighteen he married Anne Hathaway who was eight years older than he. Their marriage was hurried because Anne was already pregnant (The Tragedies, 16). Shakespeare was the father of three children, two daughters and one son, Hamnet. At this time, Shakespeare was twenty-one, and the way he supported his family is unknown. In August of 1596, Hamnet died at the age of eleven (Shakespeare’s History). Stories say that Shakespeare began his career by holding horses outside the theaters. More reliable information indicates that he acted in plays, many of his own. From acting Shakespeare progressed to writing plays both for the theater and for court performances (The Tragedies, 17). Shakespeare didn’t attend college, so in order to broaden his education, he studied the ways of a gentleman and read widely. He looked to Cambridge-educated playwright Christopher Marlowe, as a mentor. Marlowe was the same age as Shakespeare, but who preceded him in skillfully combining drama with poetry. In many plays throughout his career, Shakespeare paid tribute to Marlowe, though ultimately he eclipsed Marlowe as a dramatist (The Tragedies, 17). Shakespeare is the greatest playwright the world has ever known. The thirty-seven plays he wrote more than 400 years ago are the most popular on Earth. They are performed more often than those of any other playwright. He also wrote sonnets, a kind of poem. Writing sonnets was thought to be much more important than writing plays in Shakespeare’s day (Debnam). By the time Shakespeare turned thirty years old, he was an established actor and playwright in London. At the age of thirty-three, he had not only written the early poems and the early plays, but in the last three or four years half-a-dozen masterpieces: "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," "Romeo and Juliet," Richard II.," "King John," "The Merchant of Venice," "The Two Parts of Henry IV" (Shakespeare The Man, 382). When he was thirty-five, Shakespeare was a member of the syndicate responsible for building the first Globe theater, in Southwark, in 1599 (General Into). From then on, Shakespeare was completely involved in the theater: He wrote for the company, acted in the plays, shared in the profits, and eventually became one of the owners of the Globe theater (The Tragedies, 19).

Jazz Concert Review

Concert Evaluation Guidelines: MUS 2014: General guidelines to writing the paper. AFTER THE CONCERT Write your paper as soon as possible after the concert while the experience is fresh in your mind. What you include in you Concert Review will depend largely on the concert you attend. FORMAT Typed: double-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman, one inch margins Title page: Concert title, performers (do not list performers in larger ensembles), date of concert, course number and section, your name, and date. Length: No more than three pages. Assemble: All concert reports must be stapled, with the concert program stapled behind your paper.Your name should be on each page, and also on the program. Programs: Attendance at a live performance is required; streaming concerts are not acceptable for this assignment. The concert program must be turned in with your paper; papers submitted without programs will not be accepted. Printed PDF programs and Xerox copies will also not be accepted. Be advise d that a well-attended performance may run out of programs; be sure to arrive early to get a program. STYLE Write your paper in the first person. This is about your concert experience and your reactions. Avoid jargon, slang, and wordiness.Points will be deducted for grammatical and spelling errors. CONTENT What do you include in your paper? The most important goal of the concert-going experience is to enjoy the music. If you are busy taking notes and trying to remember everything that you hear, then you are not listening and reflecting. There is not time to analyze the music in great detail in the context of a concert. The primary goals are to listen, enjoy, reflect, and to later articulate your impressions using musical terminology to the best of your ability through the writing of your Concert Review.What to include: Your paper should follow a standard format including an introductory paragraph, body (one paragraph on each work), conclusions, and a closing paragraph. Introduction: Include name of ensemble(s) and/or soloists performing and the genre of music being performed (eg. Swing, Latin, BeBop, etc.. ). Body: Dedicate one paragraph to each work of music. In each paragraph give the name of the piece, composer, and performer(s) (if different from one to the next). For concerts with several shorter works, these paragraphs will be brief. You MUST attend the entire performance. For concerts with several works, a minimum of 4 works is required) †¢ If possible, include historical context. Include the time period. Were there musical characteristics from that time period that you were able to recognize? Did the piece sound like other pieces in that time period that you heard in class? †¢ Most importantly, include your overall impressions of each piece. Did you like or dislike the work? What was it that you liked or disliked? Using musical terminology articulate to the best of your ability what you liked. †¢ Can you relate the piece to anything you have listened to in class? Had you heard the piece before?Conclusions/Closing Paragraph: †¢ Did you enjoy one piece of music more than others? If so, why? †¢ Have you been to a concert of this type before? †¢ How does attending a live concert influence your listening? †¢ What did you think of the quality of the performance? †¢ Given the opportunity, would you go to another concert of this type? Things to Avoid: †¢ Do not give a â€Å"play by play† of the pieces. â€Å"First the piano†¦ † â€Å"Next the Saxophones†¦ † then the percussion†¦. † †¢ Do not take unnecessary space with long lists of instruments, and performers. †¢ Avoid overused words like upbeat, smooth, entertaining, and cool. Avoid redundancies. For example, if an entire concert of music is from the Swing era, this does not need to be stated in each paragraph. †¢ Do not call a piece of music a â€Å"song† unless it has words an d someone was singing. †¢ Do not use additional sources without citing them. THE UNIVERSITY WRITING CENTER The University Writing Center is located on the bottom level of the Belk Library and Information Commons, in Room 008. Consultants will work with you one-on-one and provide assistance with style, organization, content, grammar, and documentation. For more information, visit www. writingcenter. appstate. du; or call 262-3144 to make an appointment. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY As a community of learners atAppalachian State University, we must create an atmosphere of honesty, fairness, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the trust and respect of each other. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty detracts from the value of anAppalachian degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any form and will oppose any instance of academic dishonesty. This course will follow the provisions of the Academic Integrity Code, which can be found on the Office of Student Conduct Web Site: Jazz Concert Review Mus1104 Concert Review A Night of Jazz with the University Jazz Bands The concert I chose to attend was the University Jazz Bands’ Student Ensemble Concert on Wednesday, March 6, 2013. The concert featured two ensembles, both the Virginia Tech Jazz Ensemble and the Jazz Lab Band. At this concert, I was both a perceptive listener due to my knowledge of music and music performance, and a casual listener enjoying my friends performing a great concert. I enjoy my nature of listening because I can appreciate the music on many different levels, and get much more out of the performances than the casual listener.The concert was entirely jazz music, performing hits by Tommy Wolf, Duke Ellington, Mike Tomaro, and on. The ensembles varied in exact composition, but both contained: alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones; trumpets and trombones; drums, bass, piano, and guitar. A performer of every instrument had a solo and one point or another in the various songs, which provided not only a g reat chance to hear individual musician’s talents, but also a great opportunity to hear how the instrument itself can be used in jazz improvisation and how styles vary from instrument to instrument due to the nature of playing/performing them.There were nine songs performed at the concert, each with their own unique melody and form, but all following the jazz standards. The first song, â€Å"Rosewood,† was written by Woody Shaw and was performed by the Jazz Lab Band. The song features a fast presto tempo, fast with engineering and a driving bass line. A quarter of the way through the song, there’s a great trumpet solo blaring over a more subdued standard jazz riff, which goes straight into a tenor saxophone solo. The saxophone solo developed nicely upon the trumpet solo, both incorporating the first melody with some minor improvisations.The song had three themes, which were played in an ABACA pattern. The song was generally polyphonic, with one soloist or instru ment group playing a melody (theme) while the other instruments provided harmonies. The contrast between the trumpet section’s unity and the saxophones’ varying parts added depth to the song. The second song was â€Å"Dat Dere† was written by Bobby Timmons but arranged by Mark Taylor. In contrast to â€Å"Rosewood,† this song features a main theme that recurs throughout, with episodes throughout which develop upon the theme before it is repeated in its original form again.It featured a trombone solo which was unique to hear for me, because most pieces I’ve heard feature saxophone and trumpets but never a trombone. â€Å"Dat Dere† also features the typical saxophone and trumpet solos, however those follow the trombone. The tempo is more relaxed than that of â€Å"Rosewood† and is just below an allegro. However, the energy and enthusiasm of the musicians made it lively even though it wasn’t fast-paced. The third piece, Sammy Nest ico’s â€Å"Basie, Straight Ahead† also had a unique solo: the piano.The pianist had been switching between piano and keyboard for the first two songs, and in â€Å"Basie, Straight Ahead† finally got his time to shine. The piece emphasizes syncopation like none other, with the melody being one syncopated measure after another. There was great conversation between the saxophones and the trumpets, firing back and forth at each other with their music. The tempo was similar to that of â€Å"Dat Dere†. Towards the end, the drums really emphasize the syncopation by playing on the beat so that you can clearly hear that everyone else is off the beat.The next song the Jazz Lab Band played was â€Å"C-Jam Blues† by Duke Ellington, a classic jazz piece featuring a distinctive motif that is played over and over again. The theme is then developed upon by a few soloists, taking a simple two measure phrase and turning it into great ditty. The trumpet players make great use of Harmon Wah-wah mutes, keeping in the style of the original song by the Duke. Definitely the most laid back piece with regards to tempo, â€Å"C-Jam Blues† is definitely more bluesy than jazz.After the blues, the Band went into Tommy Wolf’s â€Å"Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most† which ended up morphing into â€Å"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy† by Josef Zawinul. It opens with a beautiful slow piano solo which is quickly followed by a beautifully flowing saxophone solo. Definitely a song of polyphony to start, the saxophone soloist keeps going while the rest of the band accompanies quietly in the background. As soon as the solo is over though, the song quickly sped up and the background temporarily took over the melody, before the solo began some great improvisation upon the main theme.After the saxophonist, the drummer takes over for some great rhythmic variations. After a brief intermission, the Jazz Ensemble performed four pieces, which were al l more lively, energetic, and engaging than the first half. It was the Jazz Ensemble’s performance that I would recommend to friends, because it was much more enjoyable to watch and listen to than the Jazz Lab Band. Whether it was because of their bigger numbers or just a difference in personality of the performers, they were so much more energetic.The Ensemble’s first piece was â€Å"Max† by John Clayton, which gradually adds instruments in and gives a lot of attention to the saxophones by giving most of the melody and theme to them, unless it is being played by everyone. The trumpets break out their Harmon mutes again, which really does add a great layer of depth to the piece. The tempo was more casual than the other pieces which was a great way to relax into the second half. The next piece was â€Å"Lambeau Leap† by Fred Sturm, which quickly crescendos before a duet between the keyboardist and a trumpeter.Following them was a great guitar solo which wa s quite enjoyable, due to how great jazz guitar sounds. The theme was recurring, with an ABABA pattern throughout, with the B theme being improvisations upon the theme by soloists. The second to last piece was â€Å"Ice Castles† by Marvin Hamlisch, which was an incredible piece and was rich in melody and harmonies. Originally intended to be performed by a trumpet player Dave Detwiler, it was performed instead by the director Jason Crafton due to Mr. Detwiler getting stuck in Washington, D.C. from weather. The trumpet solos throughout the piece are quite smooth and beautiful, giving the piece a nice calm blues feeling. The piece is almost a concerto due to the nature of the trumpet solo. However, it was a great example of polyphony as the ensemble built underneath him, gradually growing in the number of people playing and in dynamic level, all the while accompanying the main trumpet’s theme. The final piece of the concert was â€Å"Minuano†, which is an intriguin g and difficult piece by Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays.Starting with a swirling almost klezmer melody. The song is led by a saxophone soloist until a trombone player takes over and leads the group. A theme and variation of sorts, the main melody is constantly developed upon by various instrumental parts, the tempo changing as they go, starting from a relaxed andante and quickly working their way up. The trumpets’ final use of the Harmon mute was quite enjoyable; a personal favorite of mine. All in all, it was a great concert, with much to talk about! It gave me a new appreciation for jazz music.

Merger, Acquisition, and International Strategies Essay

* For the corporation that has acquired another company, merged with another company, or been acquired by another company, evaluate the strategy that led to the merger or acquisition to determine whether or not this merger or acquisition was a wise choice. Justify your opinion. Coca-Cola Company history originated in 1886 when the â€Å"curiosity of an Atlanta pharmacist, Dr. John S. Pemberton, led him to create a distinctive tasting soft drink that could be sold at soda fountains† (Coca Cola History, 2013, para. 1). He generated flavored syrup, took it to his neighborhood pharmacy, â€Å"where it was mixed with carbonated water and deemed â€Å"excellent† by those who sampled it† (Coca Cola History, 2013, para. 1). Dr. Pemberton’s partner and bookkeeper, Frank M. Robinson, is credited with â€Å"naming the beverage â€Å"CocaCola† as well as designing the trademarked, distinct script, still used today† (Coca Cola History, 2013, para. 1). The Coca-Cola Company is not just an average beverage company. The Company owns/licenses and markets in excess of 500 nonalcoholic beverage products, mostly sparkling beverages but also a assortment of still beverages, for instance; â€Å"waters, boosted waters (for example, Oasis, Powerade and Vitamin Water), juices and juice drinks (for example, Minute Maid and Five Alive), ready-to-drink teas and coffees, and energy and sports drinks† (Coca Cola History, 2013, para. 5). Coca Cola most popular nonalcoholic sparkling beverage brands are Coca-Cola, Diet Coke, Sprite, Fanta, Dr. Pepper and Schweppes which they market worldwide. Coca Cola Company has a market capitalization of â€Å"$177.48 billion and is the largest company in the Food and Beverage sector† (Coca Cola Company, 2013, para.1). Whether you’re out shopping, working in the office or the gym, ZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water delivers the natural replenishment you require to renew. As of November, 2013 â⠂¬Å"Coca-Cola Company and ZICO Beverages LLC announced that Coca Cola has acquired the outstanding ownership stake in ZICO† (Coca Cola Acquires, 2013, para. 1). The merger will unlock more â€Å"capability for ZICO including marketing, selling,  manufacturing, innovation and distribution opportunities† (Coca Cola Acquires, 2013, para. 1). Not only will this merger benefit ZICO, but the Coca Cola Company will gain a top position in one of the fastest rising beverage categories in the world. This final move concludes the relationship that began in 2009 when Coca-Cola’s Venturing and Emerging Brands (VEB) business unit first invested in ZICO. In 2012, the Coca Cola Company acquired a bulk stake in the brand. And earlier this year, ZICO took its home on the unique red Coca-Cola trucks to be circulated throughout the U.S. and Canada. When Coca Cola initially invested in ZICO, they did so because they saw it as a â€Å"burgeoning premium brand with the potential to be significant leader in a high growth category† (Coca Cola Acquires, 2013, para. 4). Over the past 4 year, Coca Cola has observed the coconut water industry spea r revenue impressively and gain household penetration. ZICO itself solidified its place as one of the primary brands in the coconut water industry. With this acquisition, Coca Cola plans to modernize all characteristics of the consumer experience and intensify both rate and delivery to place ZICO at the top and continue even more growth within the company. * For the corporation that has not been involved in any mergers or acquisitions, identify one (1) company that would be a profitable candidate for the corporation to acquire or merger with and explain why this company would be a profitable target. Grocery shopping is more difficult and complex than ever before. Today’s customers are more health mindful than customers of the past. Customers are more prone to buy specialty foods over the old-style foods their parents bought. Customers across the country have access to everything from bizarre products to exclusive delivery services. Specialty grocery stores have grown in attractiveness to customers, but the main issue is that often specialty stores have restricted locations which in turn limits their reach to customers. Whole Food’s Market and Trader Joe’s are two specialty grocery stores who have increased locations to the hundreds while adhering to an unforeseen market standing for formerly untargeted market segment. Trader Joe’s operates over 340 stores in 9 states were they â€Å"buy direct from suppliers whenever possible, bargain hard to get the best prices and then pass the savings on to the customer† (Trader Joe’s, 2013, para. 4). Whole Food’s Market is the â€Å"world’s leader in natural and organic foods, with more than 360 stores in North America and the United  Kingdom† (Whole Food, 2013, para 2). Trader Joe’s and Whole Food’s Market have managed to take original ideas and spread them throughout the nation to many different customers. Although they differ not only in the technique in which they decide to bring products to their customers but also in term of inventory management and supply chain organization. These tw o companies have become so successful in my opinion, not by what they differ in but what they have most in common, which is their commitment to their loyal customers, employees and undeniable quality in their products they sell. Through their loyalty to their customers and employees in addition to their irreplaceable value proportion, both companies have effectively succeeded to upturn the grocery industry and have forced outdated grocery stores and its customers to reexamine their descriptions of what institutes a positive customer experience. The merger of Trader Joe’s and Whole Food’s Market would be lucrative to both companies since Whole Food’s Market is now international, they can allow Trader Joe’s access to an international market. Whereas Trader Joe’s offers unbelievable quality, but has a poor assortment of products, Whole Food’s Market will help offer both a great assortment as well as excellence of products. * For the corporation that operates internationally, briefly evaluate its international business-level strategy and international corporate-level strategy and make recommendations for improvement. Most customers have high hopes when buying a good or a service. As a general rule, it seems that most customers want to pay a low price for products with rather highly distinguished features. Because of these customers’ expectations, a number of firms, like Coca Cola, â€Å"actively engage in primary value chain activities and support functions that allow a firm to simultaneously purse low cost and differentiation† (Hitt, 2013, pg. 120), which is also called integrated cost leadership/differentiation strategy. The reason Coca Cola uses this strategy is to efficiently create their products with some differentiated features. Efficient production is the â€Å"source of maintain low costs whole differentiation is the source of creating unique value† (Hitt, 2013, pg. 120). Coca Cola has successfully integrated cost leadership/differentiation strategy which has allowed them to adapt quickly to today’s new technologies and to the rapid changes in today’s society/cultures around the globe. The ultimate goals of Coca-Cola’s business strategy is to â€Å"rise volume, develop their share of world-wide  non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverag e sales, maximize the long-term cash flows and create economic-value-added by improving economic profit† (Coca Cola Acquires, 2013, para 8). Corporate-level strategy â€Å"specifies actions a firm takes to gain a competitive advantage by selecting and managing a group of different businesses competing in different product markets† (Hitt, 2013, pg. 164). Coca Cola Company has long been committed to the product development strategy in which case they do everything they can to become the best in their industry. They have moved into different geographic market such a Japan, United Kingdom, ect., Coca Cola have acquired competitors such as ZICO as discussed above, and also they have bought bottle suppliers to help grow the company even more. With all of these moves that Coca Cola have made over the years, this has allowed them to penetrate existing markets with new products due to their high brand awareness. You can’t go hardly anywhere these days without seeing a Coca Cola product of some sort being advertised or sold. This strategy capitalizes Coca Cola’s favorable trademark reputation, â€Å"Open Happiness.† Coca Cola has developed great business and corporate level strategies but there is always room for improvement. We are living in a social media world and I would suggest that Coca Cola take full advantage of this new world of communicating with their customers. So many people communicate through social media and find new products through social media that developed a marketing strategy evolving social media will ultimately be a win-win strategy for any company. * For the corporation that does not operate internationally, propose one business-level strategy and one corporate-level strategy and make recommendations for improvement. A differential strategy is an â€Å"integrated set of actions taken to produce goods or services (at a acceptable cost) that customers perceive as being different in a way that is important to them† (Hitt, 2013, pg. 115). I would suggest this differential strategy to Trader Joe’s because they currently are offering unique quality, private labels and outstanding pricing that other traditional grocery stores are not offer. To have success with the differentiation strategy, Trade Joe’s must consistently upgrade differentiated features that their customers value and/or create new valuable features with any significant cost increases to the customers. To  do so, Trade Joe’s needs to constantly update and change their product lines. This means that the products that are not saleing get rid of them quickly. Look into the new developed and increasing fades that customers are looking into. And because differentiated products satisfies customers’ unique needs, Trader Joe’s will be able to charge premium prices which allows them to out price their competitors and earn above average returns. A multidomestic strategy is an â€Å"international strategy in which the strategic and operating decisions are decentralized to the strategic business unit in individual countries and regions for the purpose of allowing each unit the opportunity to tailor products to the local market† (Hitt, 2013, pg. 235). I recommend a multidomestic international corporate level strategy for Trader Joes because this strategy is used with companies that have high local responsiveness but have low global integration. This strategy should maximize Trader Joe’s competitive response to the idiosyncratic requirements of each market it is in. The multidomestic strategy is most appropriate for use â€Å"when the differences between the markets a company serves and the customers in them are significant† (Hitt, 2013, pg. 235). Reference Coca Cola History. Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://www.worldofcoca-cola.com/coca-cola-facts/coca-cola-history/ Coca-Cola acquires ZICO, Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://m.newhope360.com/mergers-amp-acquisitions/coca-cola-acquires-zico Hitt, M.A., Ireland R., D., & Hoskisson, R.E. (2013). Strategic Management: Concepts and cases: Competiveness and globalization (10th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Trader Joe’s Our Story, Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://www.traderjoes.com/about/our-story.asp Whole Food’s Market, Company Info, Retrieved November 29, 2013, from http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/company-info

Yoshino Paper

Yoshino Paper Yoshino Paper Bryan Johnston 9/13/12 Intensive College Composition 1 So what does race really mean? Most people just think that ones race is determined by the color of their skin or how they look. This is not the case; the way a person acts determines their race as well. It is very hard to put a finger on what Yoshino thinks â€Å"race† really is. He was taught at a young age to assimilate into the American society. He was told to be proud of his Japanese heritage, but to act completely American in America and completely Japanese in Japan(Yoshino 300). This is sad but true; society doesn’t mesh too well with things out of the norm. Everyone and everything is forced to assimilate to what society proclaims is â€Å"acceptable† in this day and age. On the contrary racism is like a mirror. For example in the U.S the majority is white and the Asians are considered a minority, but in Japan the whites are the minority. They are forced to assimilate to their culture. In America, Asians are stereotyped as v ery smart. On the opposite end in Asia, whites are considered to be less intelligent(Yoshino 303). Yoshino talks about how different hairstyles are associated with certain races, especially in the Rogers vs. American case. In the 1980’s American Airlines said that none of their workers were permitted to wear their hair in braids. Rogers found this highly racist, and brought the company to court. She did not end up winning this case, but American had no logical defense as to why braids were

Kentucky Vital Records - Marriage, Death Births

Kentucky Vital Records - Marriage, Death Births Learn how and where to obtain birth, marriage, and death certificates and records in Kentucky, including the dates for which Kentucky vital records are available, where they are located, and links to online Kentucky vital records databases. Kentucky Vital Records: Kentucky Department for Public HealthOffice of Vital Statistics275 East Main Street - IE-AFrankfort, KY 40621Phone: (502) 564-4212Fax: (502) 227-0032 What You Need to Know:Personal check or money order should be made payable to Kentucky State Treasurer. Call or visit the Web site to verify current fees. All requests MUST include the signature and a photocopy of a valid photo ID of the individual requesting the record. Web site: Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics Kentucky Birth Records Dates: From 1911 (statewide); selected counties from 1852 Cost of copy: $10.00 Comments: Access to birth records in Kentucky is not restricted by law.  With your request, include as much as you can of the following: the name on the birth record being requested, date of birth, place of birth (city or county), fathers full name, (last, first, middle), mothers full name, including her maiden name, your relationship to the person whose certificate is being requested, your daytime telephone number with area code, your handwritten signature and complete return mailing address.Application for Kentucky Birth Certificate * The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives has birth records for the cities of Louisville, Lexington, Covington and Newport, which enacted records collection ordinances before 1911. KDLA also has selected birth records (statewide coverage) covering the years 1852-1862, 1874-1879 and 1891-1910. Consult their website for a list of available birth records by county. Online:Kentucky Vital Records: 1852–1914 is a collection of free, digitized microfilm images on FamilySearch; includes birth records from the 1908–1910 range for many KY countiesKentucky Birth Records, 1847–1911 includes indexes and images (requires subscription to Ancestry.com) Kentucky Death Records Dates: From 1911 (statewide); selected counties from 1852 Cost of copy: $6.00 Comments: Access to death records in Kentucky is not restricted by law.  With your request, include as much as you can of the following: the name on the death record being requested, date of death, place of death (city or county), your relationship to the person whose certificate is being requested, your purpose for needing the copy, your daytime telephone number with area code, your handwritten signature and complete return mailing address. For deaths occurring from 1900 to 1917, the city and/or county of death is required in order to locate the record.Application for Kentucky Death Certificate * The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives has death records for the cities of Louisville, Lexington, Covington and Newport, which enacted records collection ordinances before 1911. KDLA also has selected death records (statewide coverage) covering the years 1852-1862, 1874-1879 and 1891-1910. Consult their Web site for a list of available death records by county. Online:Kentucky Death Index 1911-1992 (free)Kentucky Death Certificates and Records 1852-1953 including digitized Kentucky death certificates from 1911-1953 (requires subscription to Ancestry.com) Kentucky Marriage Records Dates: From June 1958 (statewide), but many go back to early 1800s Cost of Copy: $6.00 Comments:  The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics does not have records of marriages prior to 1958. Copies of marriage certificates prior to June 1958 may be obtained from the county clerk in the county where the license was issued. Send your request to the Clerk of Court in the county where the marriage license was issued.Application for Kentucky Marriage Certificate Online:Kentucky Marriage Index 1973-1993 (free)    Kentucky Divorce Records Dates: Varies by county Cost of copy: Varies Comments: The Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics does not have records of divorces prior to 1958. Records of divorce proceedings prior to June 1958 are available from the clerk of the circuit court that granted the decree. Online:Kentucky Divorce Index 1973-1993 (free) More US Vital Records - Choose a State

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The Causes of World War One and Two - Essay Example He then maintained a non-aggression and cordial relationship pact with Russian. However, Kaiser Wilhelm 11, his successor, dismissed him in 1890. Kaiser Wilhelm 11 could not renew the pact arguing that it was logically inconsistent with Germany’s commitments to Austria Hungary. The Russian foreign affairs ministry maintained friendly relations with Germany. However, the Russian military insisted that a new alliance with France was more important for Russia’s national security. Consequently, the Tsar military aid opened direct talks between the French and Russian generals of staffs. Despite the reservations of professional diplomats, the generals persuaded Tsar Nicholas 11 and the French cabinet to sign the pact. The secret military convention was signed in 1892 and later ratified in 1894. There was the crow memorandum of 1907. This treaty gave rise to the Anglo-Germany antagonism. Influential career diplomat Sir Eyre Crowe spearheaded this treaty in 1907. This was brought about by the fact that Great Britain considered France as the most serious threat to its African and Asian interests. However, under a strong fear of Germany in 1904, the British concluded the â€Å"entente cordiale† with France. This was a friendly resolution of differences in Africa. The British inspired this resolution after they stood firmly beside France against Germany in the first Morocco crisis. Germany had protested forcefully against the creation of a French protectorate in Morocco. In the memorandum, Crowe sought to persuade the British foreign secretary, Sir Edward Grey, to conclude a similar agreement with Russia. This led to† Anglo Russian entente† of 1907 that paved way for diplomatic cooperation and joint military planning between France, Russia, and Great Britain. Crowe considered Germany as the greatest peace threat in Europe. There were four major diplomatic crises in Europe from 1905 to 1913.

Business Statistics SPSS Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Statistics SPSS - Research Paper Example The progress of a university is determined by the HR department who provide a favorable professional environment for collecting information and giving tangle consideration of information gathered. According to Pausits, 2015, the quality of academia and management depends on the quality of HR department and functions. In our case study, the HR department considered collecting data about the number of employees and students while benchmarking their annual pay rise because this is the only two main ends that are involved in circulation of finance in the University holding the universities' infrastructural development constant. The reason for benchmarking the pay rise comparing with 25 other universities is to have an overview of several aspects such as progress and performance of the institutions. The main need for HR department of benchmarking this information is to determine if the size of the university regarding student enrolment and the number of staffs (employees) influence the an nual pay raise. By comparing at 25 universities pay rise, we can be able to carry out data analysis and determine in the universities with the highest number of enrollment (large) have the highest pay rise comparing the universities with a low enrolment (small) rate which has the least pay rise. Since of a large number of the information provided, we are going to determine the mean (average) pay rise depending on the size of the universities (Small, Medium, and large). The hypothesis will be formulating, suitable data analysis technique and recommendation will be made according to the results of the analysis.