Ancient Native American Traditions Essay -- History culture Indians Es

Ancient Native American Traditions The novel "Reservation Blues" does not describe or deal with real Indians. The real Native Americans were forever destroyed by the government the second that they set foot upon the makeshift reservation. That very second saw the perish of all the age-long values and traditions that, before that moment, defined, raised, and watched over every Indian boy and girl, every Indian husband and wife, and every Indian father and mother. The U.S. government easily and nonviolently accomplished what the army has been struggling to do for many years, it wiped out a whole race of people, turning them into a mindless horde that was of concern to no one. The result were people who were hardly more Indian than you or me, people without culture, morals, or traditions; these people were lost. The only thing they had in common was the color of their skin and nothing else. This paper takes a look at ancient Native American traditions such as: unity, storytelling, communication with nature, and pride in their culture and shows how they were all but absent from this particular reservation and the mindsets of its inhabitants.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The greatest thing that Indians shared is unity. Their culture viewed the tribe as a living and breathing thing, needing every member's cooperation and participation in order to survive. Throughout the years, Indians have always relied on each other for help and support, whether hunting, raising children, or defending their territory. In addition, possessions were shared equally between the members, and everything was done for the benefit of the tribe. On the Spokane reservation there is no such concept as unity. People live for their own good, barely tolerating their own kind. Defying their ancestor's traditions, characters such as Victor and Joseph bully others into submission in order to get what they want or just for fun. Michael White Hawk attacks the band members out of jealousy. After the band starts their public performances, the whole town splits into two groups, one supporting the musicians, the other detesting them. There is no unity to be found anywher e. Same thing goes for support. Not many souls believed in them. "Tribal Chairman David WalksAlong was even more pessimistic about the future of Coyote Springs. "Listen, those Skins ain't got a chance in New York City...Coyote Springs is done for. I'm... ... and courageous animal, looked up to by the children, but in the real world it was simply a mean of amusement. The Spokane tribe had hastily forgot one of the most important concepts of Indian heritage, the concept that should have defined them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The only thing on the Spokane reservation that still contained Indian culture and heritage was Big Mom, or the nature. However, no Indian ever remembered, or wished to remember his or her own roots. They knew about Big Mom’s existence, yet they refused to believe in her. It was simpler to live life as they did, without any real purpose or direction. â€Å"There were a million stories about Big Mom. But no matter how many stories were told, Indians still refused to believe in her. Even though she lived on the reservation, some Spokanes still doubted her.†(199) She watched the Indians deny and defy everything that was in their culture, all the traditions and all of the morals, powerless to stop it. The-man-who-was-probably-Lakota saw and understood what was happening, and repeated the same line over and over again, â€Å"The end of the world is near, the end of the world is near.† However, for these Indians the end had already came and gone.

Ken Keseys One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Essay -- Ken Kesey Flew Ov

Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Ken Kesey's use of symbolism in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest transforms the novel and the hospital within the novel a microcosm of society, a battle between the sane and insane, the conformist and the non-conformist. Randle McMurphy's arrival influenced the lives of almost every person, whether patient or employee. Whether or not his motives and actions were moral or good-hearted is difficult to conclude, however. On one hand, he undoubtedly saved the patients from losing their souls, so to speak, to Nurse Ratched and her ward. Without him, they would not have been able to stand up for themselves or grow a sense of self-appreciation and competence. On the other hand, there was a price to pay for these freedoms. McMurphy's and Billy Bibbit's deaths showed just how much control The Big Nurse had on her patients. The role each character plays in this showdown symbolizes the realistic confrontations between the mentally unstable and the rest of society that has been going on for centu ries. Randle Patrick McMurphy is a powerful, intelligent man, a true non-conformist. He comes to the mental institution to avoid the tedious work forced upon him at the prison he was assigned to. His playful, jolly attitude towards the patients surprises them since they have not seen such contention since they came to the ward. It is obvious from the beginning of the novel as to McMurphy?s most superficial motives. He is a con man, constantly making bets with naà ¯ve, mentally ill men. The fact that he never tries to outsmart or cheat them, however, makes him respected and admired by the patients. McMurphy?s tattoo, a poker hand with ace?s and eight?s, the ?dead man?s hand?, symbolizes both his obsession with gambling and his eventual death. Despite his consistent attempts to make a profit, McMurphy?s main concern is the welfare of his new friends in the hospital. He sees how they can no longer think for themselves or demand their civil rights. Even beyond that, he cannot fathom the fact that many of the patients voluntarily checked themselves into the ward, and may leave at any time. McMurphy starts out as somewhat conceited and self-absorbed. As the novel progresses, he becomes a role model for the other patients, showing them how to take control of their own destinies and rebelling against the overwhelming power of the ?Combin... ...ever, Ratched seems to accept it and sets out to beat him. In the end, Ratched does win by giving McMurphy a lobotomy. This perhaps symbolizes the thousands of deaths of men and women rebelling against the system, doing whatever it takes to win their freedom. Nurse Ratched symbolizes several different things. First and foremost, she portrays the control of society over what is normal and acceptable. Any resistance to this order will be ?fixed?, using any means necessary to force him to concede. She also represents the views of the author on women. A consistent theme of misogyny exists throughout the novel. Women are seen as either submissive prostitutes or controlling ogres. Whether it be Chief Bromden?s cutthroat mother, the Big Nurse, or Candy, women are never seen as equals to men or even remotely affable. McMurphy and Nurse Ratched go through a finely crafted and strategic battle of good against evil, man against woman, the individual against society. Although it seems that the individual will never beat society, the sacrifices made by brave people like McMurphy are never forgotten. Works Cited: Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. London: Pan, 1973.

Monarchy vs Democracy Essay

Government’s history may not exactly be known but it is safe to say that government is as old as human society itself. At some point in the past ‘â€Å" as the population grew in a particular area, there was pressure to have a system of laws that the society members had to follow since chaos would reign in a society if there is no governing body to set guidelines to its constituents. Public order and maintenance of security is vital to every society. Larger populations would demand more complex set of rules and as society grows, governments also evolve. In different regions and in certain points of time, different types of government flourished. It should also be mentioned that government is constantly changing as history had shown. Monarchy is a form of government which was very common during ancient and medieval times. Supreme power is bestowed on an individual and it can be absolute or nominal. The ‘head of state’ of a land with this kind of government often holds the title for life or until abdication. The leader, who is called a monarch, is wholly set apart from all other members of the state. The monarch typically makes all the law and decisions (legislative, judicial, and executive). The above is in definite contrast to Democracy. Democracy is a type of government carried out by the nation’s people either, directly or indirectly. A rare subtype is ‘Direct Democracy’ but only feasible to a small area and with a small population. The common way of practicing this type of government is by giving the power to govern to elected representatives. Democracy is based on a principle of equality and freedom. Equality defined in terms where all citizens are all equal before the law. Basically, positions and statuses do not matter; when one breaks the law, he or she is subject to sanctions. Monarchy is different in a way that higher officials – especially the monarch ‘â€Å" are often not restricted by the law since they make the law themselves without further deliberation. All citizens of a democratic nation are promised certain legitimized freedoms and liberties, which are generally protected by a constitution. Monarchy may also give this privilege but it all depends on the preferences and inclinations of the monarch. However, monarchy of the new times is not defined in terms of unlimited political power anymore as it has evolved to a more citizen-friendly government. Now there are constitutional monarchies and this somehow blurred the lines between the principles of democracy and the defining roots of monarchy. The common characteristic of monarchy is that rule is passed on through the next of kin ‘â€Å" ‘Hereditary Rule’. This is in complete contempt to the principles of democracy where people’s choice is the governing code. Summary: 1. Monarchy is a form of government where a state is headed by a monarch while democracy is a government headed by elected representatives. 2. Power and position is passed through heritage and bloodline in Monarchy while democracy principally supports elections (people’s choice). 3. In monarchy, supreme power is given to an individual while in Democracy, the power to govern is directly or indirectly carried out by the people. 4. In Democracy, all is equal before the law while in Monarchy, the monarch is the law.

Lorex Pharmeceuticals

Overview After reviewing your request, Cougar Consulting performed an analysis to assist Lorex Pharmaceuticals in determining a target fill rate for Linatol. The target fill that we selected is intended to maximize expected contribution during the manufacturing process and was based on information contained in a report given to Cougar Consulting. The analysis that we performed is described in further detail. Current Situation Even though the automatic filling mechanism used for production can be set to a specific target fill, the information we obtained about Linatol suggested inconsistencies in the fill amount during operations.Since revenues and specific variable costs of Linatol are directly affected by fill amounts and contribution is the difference of these costs subtracted from revenue, ultimately, contribution is affected by the inconsistent fill amounts. Once we establish how these revenues and costs are affected by the fill amounts, we need to determine how the filling mecha nism will function when set at a specific target fill. These understandings will give us the information required to figure a target fill that maximizes contribution for Linatol.Revenue Before we established a method to determine how the filling mechanism functioned at a specific target fill, we had to consider how the target fill affected the revenues and the variable costs when calculating contribution. Starting with revenue, we learned from the report that the bottles filled at or above 10 ounces would sell on the commercial market for $186 per case. On the other hand, bottles filled below the advertised 10 ounces would be sold for government use at $148. 80 per case and are referred to as â€Å"seconds. From this information, we created a formula (Figure 1) that calculated the revenue per case as a weighted average. The relationship between revenue and target fill is shown graphically in Attachment 1 Figure 1 Revenue = (% commercial) $186/case + (% seconds) $148. 80/case Costs As previously mentioned, calculating contribution for Linatol consists of subtracting specific variable costs from revenue. The variable costs related to target fill were found in the Projected Operating Profit exhibit provided to Cougar Consulting.The first cost we determined for calculating contribution was the blending direct labor and active ingredients. To use this cost in calculating contribution, we divided the sum of these two costs by the total batch volume. The rounded cost of this calculation equaled $0. 4027 per ounce, and its positive linear relation to the fill amount is graphically shown in Attachment 2. In other words, the cost increases per unit as the fill amount increases per unit.Another cost needed to calculate expected contribution consisted of an additional cost associated from the number of seconds produced by the automatic filling mechanism. This additional cost is a result from the special packaging required by seconds and is figured from dividing the labor rate by the number of cases the laborer can package in an hour. This cost equals $0. 7083 per case and diminishes as the fill amounts increase because a higher target fill results in less seconds produced. This relationship is shown as a graph in Attachment 3.Since the cost associated for all cases is calculated in ounces, this unit was changed to cases by multiplying the cost by 12 bottles per case and a target fill amount in ounces per bottle. The additional cost per case from packaging seconds was figured by multiplying this cost by the probability of seconds created from the filling machine. This calculation will create an additional cost per case based on the number of seconds produced. The formula in Figure 2 was used to calculate costs. Figure 2 Costs = (12 bottles/case*target fill (oz)/bottle*$0. 027/oz) + (% of seconds) $0. 70833/case Statistical Survey Before we could determine a target fill to use for calculating maximum expected contribution, we needed to determine the probability of seconds produced by the automatic filling machine at different target fills. The best method we had to determine this probability came from the sample results provided in the Filling-Line Test performed by Lorex. These test results were found in Exhibit 2 from the provided report and allowed us to determine the probability of seconds produced at any target fill.Assuming these samples were chosen truly at random and each sample was independent from one another, the sample data was analyzed and found to be very evenly distributed meaning the fill amounts precisely varied above and below the mean and median of the data set. In fact, the sample fill amounts were so evenly distributed that we could use a statistical method to determine the probability of seconds produce by the mechanism set at a specific target fill amount. For example, with a target fill amount set at 10. 2 ounces, the method used figures that 10. 6% of the bottles will be filled less than 10 ounces, and the rest will be filled at volume suitable for commercial retail. Based on this statistical method, we created a graph (Attachment 4) to show the probability of seconds produced as the target fill amount increased. Calculating Contribution Since we found a method to determine the probability of seconds that will be produced based on the target fill amount, we can determine a target fill that maximizes expected contribution per case because we have formulas for revenue and costs based on the expected production of seconds.The completed formula is shown below as Figure 3. Figure 3 Contribution = (% commercial) $186/case + (% seconds) $148. 80/case – (12 bottles/case*target fill (oz)/bottle*$0. 4027/oz) + (% of seconds) $0. 70833/case Results The contribution formula in Figure 3 was used to determine the target fill that maximized contribution based on the probability of seconds produced. A chart was created below as Figure 4 using the formula to figure contribution at different target fills.The target fill that created the highest contribution value per case is the target fill the mechanism should be set at to maximize contribution. Attachment 5 shows the relationship between contribution per case and the target fill graphically. The graph and chart both demonstrates that the target fill should be set at 10. 4 ounces to maximize contribution. Figure 4 Target Fill (oz)Probability of Seconds Probability of CommercialContribution Per Case 912. 0523E-10$104. 60 9. 10. 999999999. 2754E-09$104. 12 9. 20. 999999712. 8665E-07$103. 63 9. 30. 999993936. 0716E-06$103. 5 9. 40. 999911588. 8417E-05$102. 67 9. 50. 999110970. 00088903$102. 22 9. 60. 993790330. 00620967$101. 93 9. 70. 969603640. 03039636$102. 37 9. 80. 894350230. 10564977$104. 74 9. 90. 734014470. 26598553$110. 33 100. 50. 5$118. 72 10. 10. 265985530. 73401447$127. 11 10. 20. 105649770. 89435023$132. 70 10. 30. 030396360. 96960364$135. 07 10. 40. 006209670. 99379033$135. 51 10. 50. 000889030. 99911097$13 5. 22 10. 68. 8417E-050. 99991158$134. 77 10. 76. 0716E-060. 99999393$134. 29 10. 82. 8665E-070. 99999971$133. 81 10. 99. 2754E-090. 99999999$133. 33 112. 0523E-101$132. 84Closing The results of this analysis were based on the data results from the Filling-Line Test and only apply if the filling mechanism performs consistent with these results. To ensure the filling mechanism is performing consistently with the data used for this analysis, we recommend that Lorex performs a frequent Filling-Line Test. If the data from a more recent test varies from the data used in this analysis, we also recommend that Lorex requests another analysis to be performed by Cougar Consulting to determine a new target fill that maximizes contribution for Linatol.

Kohls Corporation and Dillards Inc Essay

Kohl’s Corporation was organized in 1988 and is a Wisconsin corporation. The company operates family-oriented department stores that sell moderately priced apparel, footwear and accessories for women, men and children; soft home products such as sheets and pillows; and housewares. Stores generally carry a consistent merchandise assortment with some differences attributable to regional preferences. As of February 2, 2008, the company operated 929 stores in 47 states. (Source: Company 2007 Form 10-K) Originally founded in 1938 by William T. Dillard, Dillard’s, Inc., now operates 326 stores in 29 states. The company’s store base is diversified, with the character and culture of the community served determining the size of facility and, to a  large extent, the merchandise mix. In general, stores offer a wide selection of merchandise including fashion apparel for women, men and children, accessories, cosmetics, home furnishings and other consumer goods. Most stores are located in suburban shopping malls but customers may also purchase merchandise online. (Source: Company 2007 Form 10-K) Learning Objectives †¢ Read and compare financial statements for two companies in the same industry. †¢ Consider how different strategic choices lead to different financial statement relationships. †¢ Perform an analysis of financial information using common-size balance sheets and income statements, ratios, and other techniques. †¢ Critically evaluate two companies based on financial information. †¢ Evaluate a financial analysis to form investment recommendations. Refer to the 2007 financial statements and notes of Kohl’s Corporation and Dillard’s, Inc. Analysis a. Describe the industry in which these two companies operate and assess the competitive environment. What current economic factors affect the companies’ operations? Who are the main competitors in this industry? What threats do the companies face? What opportunities? How are the two companies similar? How are they different? b. Consider the income statements of both companies. Are there any unusual or nonrecurring items that need to be considered in your analysis? That is, are the earnings of high quality? Are the earnings persistent? c. Prepare common-sized income statements and balance sheets for each company for fiscal 2007 and 2006. To common size the income statement, divide each item by net sales. To common size the balance sheet, divide each item by total assets. A company’s financial performance can be analyzed in many ways. Return on equity (ROE) is a widelyused measure of financial performance that compares the profit the company made during the period (net income) to the resources invested and reinvested in the company by shareholders (stockholders’ equity). The DuPont model systematically breaks ROE into components. One form of the DuPont model is: Stockholders’ equity is reported on the balance sheet and excludes any reported minority interest or non-controlling interest. Note that once the common terms cancel in the second equation (the DuPont model), the right-hand side of the ROE equation collapses down to the first equation: Net income divided by the firm’s Stockholders’ equity. Reading from left to right in the second equation, the first right-hand side ratio represents the fraction of pretax earnings that the shareholders keep. One minus that ratio is the average tax rate so the ratio decreases as the tax rate goes up. The second ratio represents the fraction of EBIT (i.e., operating profit) that the firm keeps after financing costs so the ratio decreases as the net cost of debt increases. The third ratio represents operating return on sales or the operating profit earned on each unit of revenue. The fourth term is  the asset turnover ratio, a measure of overall efficiency in asset use. The product of the third and fourth terms is operating return on assets. The final ratio captures the leverage of the firm—a measure of how the firm has paid for its assets. The ratio increases as the firm takes on more debt (that is, for a fixed level of equity, more assets must mean more debt). Note that the final term is equal to 1 + (Average total liabilities / Average stockholders’ equity). Normally, analysis of the financial statements begins with operating return on sales and asset turnover (thus, operating return on assets). Then it turns to leverage (liquidity and solvency) and the cost of leverage. Finally, a review of the tax burden is conducted. The ROE analysis can be followed up with an analysis of the company’s cash flows. d. Compute return on equity (ROE) for both companies for fiscal 2007 and 2006. Calculate the five components of ROE and verify that their product equals ROE. Remember to use average total assets and average stockholders’ equity in your ratio calculations. e. Refer to the common-sized income statement you prepared in part c and your ROE decomposition from part d. Assess the companies’ asset efficiency. Which firm is more efficient in its use of assets? Consider efficiency in terms of total asset turnover, receivables turnover (and average collection period), inventory turnover (and average holding period), payables turnover (and average time to payment), cash conversion cycle (i.e., receivables days + inventory days – payables days), and fixed asset turnover. g. Assess the companies’ liquidity and solvency. Are the companies likely to meet their debts as they come due? Consider ratios such as the current ratio, the quick ratio, and the debt-equity ratio. Also consider interest costs and the times interest earned ratio. Is there any â€Å"off-balance-sheet† financing that will constrain future cash flow? You should explicitly consider operating leases at both companies. Assume that the discount rate implicit in the capital leases is the appropriate discount rate for capitalizing the operating leases. Further, assume that the lease payments due in 2013 and beyond will be paid evenly over 20 years for Kohl’s and paid entirely in 2013 for Dillard’s. h. Assess the cash flow of each company. Are cash flows from operations a source or a use of cash? How are operations and investments being financed? What differences do you note? i. As a potential investor, would you be interested in seeking additional information about either of these companies? What sort of information would you want? Would you invest in either company?

Question 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Question 2 - Essay Example It is the interest which the insured stands to lose if the risk attaches. The risk that is therefore attached to every passenger in a public means of transport is varied to some extent (Soule, 1917 p. 210). The liability of Eastern Express’s insurance company on each of the individuals in this situation will depend on the interest that the train insured. Invariably, there are two or more parties who are always involved in an accident that occurs by a public means of transport. In this case, it is the train at fault. The insurance undertakes to pay compensation to the parties aggrieved by the accident on behalf of the driver or the company that insured the train. The insurance that such means of transport usually take among other things, provides insurance cover in respect of loss or damage that is suffered through damage of property or the death of the injury to any person resulting from an intentional or negligent act or omission by the operator or agents or servants of the o perator of the train in connection with the provisions of public passengers and transport services. Fred Fred has become permanently blind and his camera equipment, which he was transporting with him, was destroyed. While it is true that the eye sight of a film maker is essential to his job, this cannot be used as a basis to claim, future or anticipated loss of income. Fred had not yet made a deal with the television company, and it would therefore be had to calculate how much his income would have been. However, the insurance company will have to compensate him for the injuries that he has from the accident and the damage on his equipment. Albert Albert was 85 years old and suffering from terminal cancer. Even though Albert was already old and terminally ill, it would be evident that it was the accident that caused his death. However, given his age and his disease, the compensation would not be as much as for an individual who is still considered productive. His estate can only cla im compensation for the death that was caused by the accident. His age and state of health does not rule out the possibility and right to be compensated. Lydia Physically, she was unhurt but suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which stopped her working for a year, after which time she was only able to work part-time shop-assistant. However, Lydia has not been able to work as a result of her condition and would therefore require that her loss of income should be taken into consideration. If she settled her claim before the effects of her condition, she would not be in a position to renegotiate. Her circumstances are very unique and as such there would be several things to be considered, including her ability to continue with the job that she was doing before the accident. She also has a right to claim for emotional stress and the depression that her condition has impacted on her life. Cynthia Cynthia, a doctor in the next carriage, was also killed. She is at the prime of her age and has a good job. If it is proved that she is the breadwinner of her family, it would be paramount to compensate her estate relative the loss that the family has suffered. Moreover, she has a dependant, a daughter who is 15 years old whose circumstances have to be taken to consideration. As to the

Small Business Review Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Small Business Review - Case Study Example Whilst this may seem like a relatively simple task to orchestrate, it is actually a difficult task considering that most SMEs are family owned businesses (Bowman-Upton 1991). Lassini (2005) found that family businesses are unlikely to survive after the third generation with only 30% of these businesses successfully handing over leadership to the second generation and 12% handing over to the third generation. Lassini (2005) also found that nearly 2-3% of family businesses progress to permanent development, compared with approximately 97% that either close down or are sold. There are a variety of reasons for these statistics, some of which include the fact that some of these businesses are started by immigrant populations. As their children get older, they can lose interest in the family business and develop a preference for integrating with other members of society by attending university, or moving into mainstream employment. Some of the businesses may not be owned by immigrant populations but the younger generation are constantly under pressure to take on employment offers in the more seemingly attractive areas of technology, media and other more glamor ous occupations which offer bigger pay packets and benefits. This demonstrates the importance of manageme... These organisations tend to have personalised management which results in the identification of the business with the owner/founder; they have a small market share which means they cannot dictate the price and have to rely on the numbers of goods sold; they occupy a niche market with heavy reliance on customer loyalty; and they also find it difficult to raise the finance to grow (Bartol and Martin 1998). Whilst SMEs have favourable characteristics which include having a dependable culture and strong commitment, their nature leaves them vulnerable to succession issues and dilemmas, and is often the main reason why they find it difficult to survive throughout generations. For example, the Hilton hotel chain was founded during the Great Depression in the US and it is currently in its second generation; however, the succession into the third generation does not seem clear as there is no apparent heir to the hotel chain. Traditional management succession models cannot be easily applied to SMEs because they are more relevant to larger corporations. For instance, traditional methods include employee motivation and rewards through promotions, higher salaries and incentives (Mullins 1999). However this can only work in an organisation a tall hierarchy and more layers of management which are lacking in SMEs. This paper shall analyse the issue of succession in a SME and consider future options for the business. The Business Case Study Stop N' Shop Supermarket has been chosen as the SME for analysis for this paper. This business has been selected based on the definition of an SME which stipulates that it has at least one employee and no more than 50 employees in order for it to be included in this paper. This business is family owned