The Villa of Mysteri essays

The Villa of Mysteri essays ...they heard the crash of falling roofs; an instant more and the mountain-cloud seemed to roll towards them, dark and rapid, like a torrent; at the same time, it cast forth from its bosom a shower of ashes mixed with vast fragments of burning stone! Over the crushing vines- over the desolate streets- over the amphitheatre itself- far and wide- with many a mighty splash in the agitated sea- fell that awful shower... Even though destroyed by Mt. Vesuvius August 24, 79AD, The Villa of Mysteries is full of Pompeian artifacts. The famous mural featuring the cult of Dionysus is amongst this 55room villa. Villa of Mysteries was once flourishing with plant life, bronzed statues, and people working and living in and around the villa. The frescoes in the Villa of Mysteries provide us the opportunity to glimpse something important about the rites of passage for these privileged women of Pompeii. The interior design of the homes or villas were not paintings hanging from nails, but they were painted actually onto the wall. The cult of Dionysus is one of these painted murals founded in the Villa of Mysteries, the frieze is 10 ft high and 56 ft long. The term "mysteries" refers to secret initiation rites of the Classical world. The mural exploits the Initiation rites, which; were originally ceremonies to help individuals grow up. This ceremony was designed to bring women into the marrying stage of life. Occasionally a priest or priestess guided the initiate through the ritual; and at the end of the ceremony the initiate was welcomed into the group with open arms. Villa of Mysteries seem to be aimed at preparing privileged, protected girls for the psychological transition to life as married women. The frescoes in the Villa of Mysteries provide us the opportunity to glimpse something important about the rites of passage for these privileged women of Pompeii. Their bodies seem to be very relaxed, i...

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s essays

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s essays The Black Civil Rights movement in the 1950's and 60's was a political, legal and social struggle of the black Americans to gain full citizenship rights and to achieve racial equality. The black struggle for Civil Rights was very hard. No group in America has or has had more difficulty assimilating into the American Culture. Segregation was started by white American southerners to separate everything between the blacks and the whites. It was also known as the "Jim Crow" system and became common to the southern. Everything possible was separated between the blacks and the whites; schools, toilet, transportation, restaurants were all separated, the blacks were poorly funded compared to the whites (Branch 72). The black people tried to fight discrimination against them whenever possible. The most significant one during the early 50's was the Montgomery Bus Boycott in Alabama led by Martin Luther King. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks was told to give up her seat on a city bus to a white person (Hampton 13). When she refuses, she was arrested which caused protest by the black community. Martin Luther King at that time was president of the Montgomery Improvement Association, which organized the protest. These activities included marches, demonstrations, and boycotts. The violent white response to black direct action eventually forced the federal government to confront the issues of injustice and racism in the South. It made him a national figure for fighting the rights of the Black Americans. Civil rights proved to be the crucial test of the l960s. Leadership came from black political and religious organizations such as the Congress on Racial Equality, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and Martin Luther King's Southern Christian Leadership Council Sit-ins, Freedom Rides, and other forms of nonviolent protest became the weapons to fight segregation. Over 200,000 men and women joined a freedom march all over America to Was...

Corporate reporting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Corporate reporting - Essay Example Accountants use corporate reports to check on the firm’s activities in line with the management’s transparency and accountability. On the other hand, other external users such as banks use corporate reports to establish the firm’s ability to repay loans. Corporate reports indicate the profitability of a firm on a periodic basis. Corporate reports are through three different sources such as the Securities and Exchange Commission, the respective company and other federal regulators (DiPiazzaJr and Eccles, 1997). Benefits of corporate reporting include provision of reliable information, flexibility and accountability. On the other hand, corporate reporting improves accuracy, diversity, corporate governance, ease of communication, transparency and attainment of company targets. Corporate reporting promotes flexibility through the directors’ ability to break down any key financial changes hence making it less complicated to achieve. The corporate report’s accuracy and validity are through an auditors’ letter. Since auditors also use corporate reporting, this improves transparency as well as attainment of a firm’s objectives. Diversity and ease of communication are through the use of IFRS and IABS requires a company to produce different types of reports including equity statement, cash flow and income statements respectively. Additionally, the ease of comparison and its usefulness to different users makes it an efficient tool for communicating Easy jet’s progr ess (Hooghiemstra, 2000). The primary disadvantages of corporate reporting include excessive information hence making it difficult to analyse the information since the information has not been two different users. On the other hand, there is over emphasis on the primary users (investors) instead of focusing on the real company events, as well as other users. In some instances, the information used may have been prepared using out-dated accounting methods hence useless for the business

Why did the New Zealand government offer Warner Brothers incentives to Research Paper

Why did the New Zealand government offer Warner Brothers incentives to film The Hobbit in New Zealand - Research Paper Example The intent was also inclusive of changing the industry and society into a positive atmosphere, specifically with the expectation that the film would grow in popularity. This was combined with the noted changes in statistics of the society, which required alterations to offer more for those who were living in the region. The approach which was taken toward the filming as well as the expected economic stimulation led to the filming being a positive measure for growth in the economy while creating the destination as one that was branded through both landscape and the popularity of the filming. Moving into Economic Growth A main reason why New Zealand allowed Warner Brothers to film â€Å"The Hobbit† in New Zealand was because of the economic growth that was associated with the film. This was specific to the time frame, which is based on a global movement where each location is able to offer a unique element for the globe as a whole. To be a part of this movement is also the need to create a different understanding and highlight of various locations. The belief from the government was that this particular movie would highlight the best aspects of New Zealand, specifically with the nature shots and the elements of fantasy that were attributed to the landscape. This particular concept led to New Zealand opening into the global market and to push into free trade within the economy, specifically because it forced the barriers in the country to be removed. The intent was then partially based on changing global relationships and growth for a different approach to the economy (Gould, 2010). The concept of opening into free trade is one which was specific to the identification of businesses in New Zealand and the current state which they are in. It was believed that the trade unions and the businesses would be positively affected by highlighting the New Zealand territory, specifically because it would bring a sense of trust and popularity to the businesses in the re gion. This was combined with highlighting the advantages of New Zealand. For instance, the region is known as subsidy free in the free trade agreement; however, it has not opened to the global level of commerce in most regions. The highlights of different countries are also creating fair trade which occurs because of what is known as well as where the best deals are within the economy. By showing the main ideologies of New Zealand, those interested in business and other approaches to fair trade were able to investigate into global agreements while recognizing the strengths that were associated with the approach to partnering with a subsidy free region (Weyer, 2005). The approach which was taken with the economy was known to create a high stimulus and to open the free trade agreement to the region. The return was a $363 million amount of cash that went into the economy from tourism, trade with businesses in the region while filming and a high amount of tourism which began to grow aft er the popularity of the film. This was combined with a continuous range of additional economic activity from $119 to $227 million and indirect benefits of $10 million to $34 million. The concept was based on an international competition for the region to be highlighted as a global area for commerce, trade, environment and other concepts that were portrayed in the film. The scheme allowed the film producers to highlight the best of New Zealand, specifically to stimulate the economy and to force in levels of growth by the growing popularity of the region. The figures show that this particular tactic worked to stimulate the New Zealand economy (New Zealand Film Commission, 2011). Social Stimulus The concept of stimulating the economy not only worked

Research and critical evaluation on the M&M (Modigliani and Miller) Essay

Research and critical evaluation on the M&M (Modigliani and Miller) models and the production of a report - Essay Example The paper presents the elementary propositions of the Miller-Modigliani approach and after presenting their models, put forward a categorical analysis and criticism with respect to optimization for shareholders’ returns in the context of arbitrage scenario (Chandra, 2002, pp.411-412, 417-418). Financial Decision Making in Achievement of Specified Business Objectives Financial Decision Making The financial decisions taken by a business firm to meet financial objectives must also fulfill the goals of specified business objectives. Finance is considered to be the lifeblood of a business concern. Hence management of the financial resources for an organization must be conducted in a manner as to satisfy the organizational goals. The gamut of financial decisions focus on key activities like planning, organizing, directing the capital requirements and the usages of the funds incorporated in a business organization. These financial activities must be pursued in order to meet key finan cial objectives like achieving a strong rate of return on the amount of capital invested. The business must target at achieving such levels of profits as would not only help in meeting the amount of investments made but also for helping the business to accumulate funds for the future. However, organizations must not only focus on achieving huge profits to augment the capital value of the stakeholders but must generate a holistic view in bettering the economic position of the firm (Joseph, 2005, pp.170-172).. The short term financial needs of a firm center on acquiring of short-term business assets in meeting the short-term liabilities of the concern. This aspect is known as the management of working capital, which is conducted to take care of the current solvent position of the concern (Chandra, 2002, pp.4-5). Maximizing Shareholder Value Most business organizations render importance to the issue of augmenting the value of the owners and shareholders of a business firm. The value of the owners or shareholders of a business firm reflects on the market value of the total amount of stock possessed by such. Market value of the stocks refers to the price quotes of such while being traded in stock exchanges. Wealth of the shareholders is maximized by the business organization through the augmentation of the present value of some future returns expected by the owners. Future returns depend on the accrual of dividends or of future sale proceeds of company stocks. The present value of such future income is calculated based on a specific rate of discount accounted on receiving cash dividends in the future period (Moyer, McGuigan, & Kretlow, 2008, p.5). Financial Strategy A business organization to perform effectively must formulate an adequate financial strategy to satisfy the business goals. An effective financial strategy drawn by any concern revolves around accomplishing two specific business needs. Firstly it endeavors to cite the sectors from which the firm can dra w in adequate amount of funds to meet its business needs. Secondly, it sets guidelines for the proper management of such funds within the organization to generate an efficient financial structure. The business organization must also look forward in maximizing the return on the investments made and in minimizing the rate of risks adhered to it (Bender & Ward, 2008, pp.4-6). The

God of Small Things Quotes Essay Example for Free

God of Small Things Quotes Essay Extended metaphor: â€Å"Perhaps Ammu, Estha and she were the worst transgressors. But it wasnt just them. They all broke the rules. They all crossed into forbidden territory. They all crossed into forbidden territory. They all tampered with the laws that lay down who should be loved and how. And how much. The laws that make grandmothers grandmothers, uncles uncles, mothers mothers, cousins cousins, jam jam, and jelly jelly. Rahel and Estha live in a society with very rigid class lines. â€Å"Commonly held view that a married daughter had no position in her parent’s home. As for a divorced daughter – according to Baby Kochamma, she had no position anywhere at all. And for a divorced daughter from a love marriage, well, words could not describe Baby Kochamma’s outrage†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Chacko told the twins that, though he hated to admit it, they were all Anglophiles. They were a family of Anglophiles. Pointed in the wrong direction, trapped outside their own history and unable to retrace their steps because their footprints had been swept away† The concept of Anglophilia is a big one in this book, from the way everyone fawns over Sophie Mol, to Chackos cocky attitude about his Oxford degree, to the whole familys obsession with The Sound of Music. But its pretty clear that the thing they love also holds them down. When Chacko says their footprints have been swept away, he is making a reference to the way members of the Untouchable caste have to sweep away their footprints so that people of higher classes dont pollute themselves by walking in them. Even though by Indian standards their family is of a relatively high social status, they are of a low social status in relation to the British. Pappachi would not allow Paravans into the house. Nobody would. They were not allowed to touch anything that Touchables touched. Caste Hindus and Caste Christians. Mammachi told Estha and Rahel that she could remember a time, in her girlhood, when Paravans were expected to crawl backwards with a broom, sweeping away their footprints so that Brahmins or Syrian Christians would not defile themselves by accidentally stepping into a Paravans footprint. In Mammachis time, Paravans, like other Untouchables, were not allowed to walk on public roads, not allowed to cover their upper bodies, not allowed to carry umbrellas. They had to put their hands over their mouths when they spoke, to divert their polluted breath away from those whom they addressed. (2.270) This quote speaks volumes about the experience of the Untouchables, and it helps us appreciate the kinds of deeply ingrained attitudes that drive so much of the prejudice and hate we see in the novel. Then [Baby Kochamma] shuddered her schoolgirl shudder. That was when she said: How could she stand the smell? Havent you noticed? They have a particular smell, these Paravans. (13.129) Like Mammachi, Baby Kochamma has a heap of prejudices against other social classes, and these prejudices run deep. By disparaging Velutha out loud and saying that his smell must have been intolerable, she tries to show just how high class she is. Mammachis rage at the old one-eyed Paravan standing in the rain, drunk, dribbling and covered in mud was re-directed into a cold contempt for her daughter and what she had done. She thought of her naked, coupling in the mud with a man who was nothing but a filthy coolie. She imagined it in vivid detail: a Paravans coarse black hand on her daughters breast. His mouth on hers. His black hips jerking between her parted legs. The sound of their breathing. His particular Paravan smell. Like animals, Mammachi thought and nearly vomited. (13.131) Again, we see just how deeply Mammachis prejudices run. She doesnt see Ammu and Veluthas relationship as love between two people, as it might look to us. As far as she is concerned, it is as low as two animals going at it in the mud. The idea of a coolie (lower-class laborer) having sex with her daughter is so repulsive to Mammachi that it almost makes her puke. Still, to say that it all began when Sophie Mol came to Ayemenem is only one way of looking at it. Equally, it could be argued that it actually began thousands of years ago. Long before the Marxists came. Before the British took Malabar, before the Dutch Ascendancy, before Vasco da Gama arrived, before the Zamorins conquest of Calicut. Before three purple-robed Syrian bishops murdered by the Portuguese were found floating in the sea, with coiled sea serpents riding on their chests and oysters knotted in their tangled beards. It could be argued that it began long before Christianity arrived in a boat and seeped into Kerala like tea from a bag. That it really began in the days when the Love Laws were made. The laws that lay down who should be loved, and how. And how much. (1.207-210) This quote is full of what might seem like obscure references, but what its basically doing is pushing us to think about what caused everything to fall apart for Estha and Rahel. Did everything come crashing down because Sophie Mol came to Ayemenem? Or do the events of the novel happen as a result of decisions, actions, and rules that were made thousands of years before any of our characters were even born? Do things happen for a reason, because theyre part of this huge plan, or do they just happen because the world is fickle like that? [Estha] knew that if Ammu found out about what he had done with the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man, shed love him less as well. Very much less. He felt the shaming churning heaving turning sickness in his stomach. (4.245) We can be pretty sure that if Ammu ever found out that Estha was molested, she wouldnt be upset with him. Shed be unbelievably angry at the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man, but she would never actually blame Estha. Yet, in Esthas mind, what happened to him is his fault, and he carries it around as his shame Ammu touched her daughter gently. On her shoulder. And her touch meant Shhhh.Rahel looked around her and saw she was in a Play. But she had only a small part. She was just the landscape. A flower perhaps. Or a tree. A face in the crowd. A Townspeople. (8.48-50) This moment turns the way Rahel understands her role at home upside-down. All of a sudden, things are totally different than they usually are. Rahels realization that theyre in a play shows us that everyone here is playing a part to some extent – they arent being themselves. Sophie Mols arrival topples over Rahels reality; she goes from being one of the leads to being the nobody in the background. Now, all these years later, Rahel has a memory of waking up one night giggling at Esthas funny dream. She has other memories too that she has no right to have. She remembers, for instance (though she hadnt been there), what the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man did to Estha in Abhilash Talkies. She remembers the taste of the tomato sandwiches – Esthas sandwiches, that Estha ate – on the Madras Mail to Madras. (1.10-12) Rahels ability to remember things that happened to Estha and not her tells us a lot about their joint identity and how profoundly she understands him.

Intention of Life Interest

Intention of Life Interest 1. (a) The life interest of Parwinder which on the surface appears to be a vested, immediate and limited interest is coupled with a remainder interest for their daughters. In this instance, there is a problem with certainty of intention. Although technical words are not necessary,[1] problems arise when precatory words such as ‘in full confidence’ and ‘will respect’ are used in this provision. The wording of this provision is very similar to the wording of another provision featuring in Comiskey[2] which stated â€Å"in full confidence that †¦ at her death she will devise it†¦Ã¢â‚¬  between nieces as â€Å"she might see fit.† Therefore, following this judgment it is likely that the courts would construe from her words an intention to leave her estate to her husband with a gift over of the remaining property to be shared between her daughters according to his will and otherwise equally. However, if the court decides that intention cannot be derived from this provision, Parwinder will take the property beneficially and there is a resulting trust.[3] In this instance Parwinder will be appointed trustee of the estate thus, he can be compelled to carry out the trust. Should Parwinder become unable to allocate shares to his daughters the court will operate as trustee and distribute the estate if all certainties are found to be valid. If Parwinder is held to be a trustee, he must carry out the distribution of the estate as a trust is obligatory. Therefore, he must make a provision in his will allocating the distribution of the estate or else he must create an express trust making sure he includes valid certainties and follows the beneficiary principle inter vivos. This provision may also constitute a trust in conjunction with a power of appointment. According to Hanbury Martin, when a husband gives his estate to his â€Å"widow for her life, and after her death to their children† but allows the wife to decide the shares for each child it is a valid power to â€Å"appoint using her absolute discretion with a gift in default of equal shares â€Å"[4] Therefore, a special power exists whereby Parwinder must distribute the estate to a specified group of appointees[5] however, he is under no obligation to carry out his duty or even consider it as an obligation.[6] (b) Firstly, this provision may fail for lack of certainty of subject matter in that the size of each beneficial interest is not expressly declared.[7] However, the court may determine that the settlor has provided an effective method of determining the size of the gift therefore; the court will apply its assumption in order to prevent the gift from failing.[8] Should the courts be unable to determine any certainty of size of the beneficial interest the provision will become a resulting trust for the settlor’s estate. Assuming the share size may be determined by some means, it would appear that  £200,000 has been made over into a trust held by the trustees of the estate. However, the obligation to distribute the money to the first 100 applicants must be clarified as a discretionary trust or a power of appointment. According to Hanbury Martin it appears that the trustees who hold a trust for the benefit of â€Å"such members of a class of beneficiaries as the trustees shall in their absolute discretion select†[9], are in fact the trustees of a discretionary trust. The first requirement would then be to ascertain if there is certainty of objects using the test encouraged by the House of Lords, the Given Postulant Test.[10] The test requires the trustees to ask â€Å"Can it be said with certainty that any given individual is or is not a member of the class?†[11] Using this test it is valid to say that any postulant who has written in response to the advertisement in the Oxford Gazette and who have made a moral claim for a share will have to be considered a member of the class of beneficiaries. A slight problem arises if in response to the advertisement the following day 100+ letters are received making it impossible for the trustees to determine who the first 100 beneficiaries are as is clearly requested in the provision. This would result in administrative unworkability and the trust would become void and revert back to the settlor’s estate. (c) The wording of the provision would be construed to impose a fiduciary duty on the trustees and thus, produce an express trust. This is due to all certainties being very explicit and straightforward. Although Charles is in a coma and unlikely to recover, the trustees are still bound under the terms of the trust to distribute property to Charles according to the declaration of trust. Overall, the trustees are under a general duty to act even-handedly and â€Å"maintain equality between the beneficiaries†[12] especially in the context of successive interests. The trustees still maintain the legal title of the cars and Charles and the Oxford Motor Museum enjoy merely an equitable and beneficial interest. Therefore, it is possible for the Trustees to maintain the legal title to the cars and give the entire collection of cars to the Museum on trust as they will not automatically acquire the legal title to the cars. Should Charles die his equitable interest in one of the cars will succeed him and become part of his estate, however, if he were to recover he would still have an equitable interest in one of the cars which he could then take advantage of. Once he or a beneficiary of his estate has chosen a car the legal title of the car will be transferred to them through the appropriate procedure and the trustee’s duty to Charles will be fulfilled and the trust will end. The trustees will then hold the remaining cars on trust for the Museum. The final option available to the trustees is to make an application to the Court for Directions. As Charles is still living, he has an earnest claim on one of the vintage cars; therefore, if the trustees apply to the Court for direction and follow any subsequent directions of the court they will be protected.[13] This process has come into effect to allow difficulties in administration of the trust to be heard by the Court and alleviate the â€Å"risk of making decisions upon a false premise.†[14] 2. One of the main problems in the current law surrounding interests in the family home is in regards to the sometimes archaic nature of the law in respect to the more level field that man and woman now work and support themselves through their careers. Pettitt vPettitt[15] made clear that a women housework, childcare and contributions towards expenses do not equate to contribution towards the purchase price therefore, unless the wife demands the house to be conveyed to the spouses jointly, she may find she has no interest in the house upon dissolution of her marriage, however, the right to invoke discretionary powers of the court to distribute the property is still an option she has upon divorce. The main problem with the current law today is the lack of statutory power a court has when dealing with cohabiting couples who share a family home. Couples may often live together for years and have children and mutually contribute to the house via renovation, expenses and upkeep, however, often times the house is registered to one of the individuals only. However, a non-legal co-owner may have an equitable interest resulting in a constructive trust even where a direct financial contribution has not been made.[16] A constructive trust is another solution to this problem whereby the courts will consider contributions made to the mortgage payment by each party, refurbishment the house as this contributed to the maintenance and essential upkeep. This remedy comes into effect if one party has â€Å"acted to his detriment† in reliance on the assurance that he held a beneficial interest.[17] Lastly, and in most cases preferable is the remedy of proprietary estoppel or when the Courts â€Å"protect the expectations of the non-owner and may award the non-owner as much as a full ownership interest in the land if justice demands†[18]. The essential elements of proprietary estoppel exist where the legal owner of the property has encouraged a third party to believe that he has or will in the future obtain rights in respect of the property and the third party has acted in reliance of this assurance to his detriment.[19] This is the most just remedy available as it will consider mere oral declarations such as â€Å"the house is as much yours as mine† or â€Å"we share everything 50-50† as an assurance and the non-legal owner is likely to be granted an equitable interest in the property upon dissolution of the family home based on the amount of contribution made over the years of communal living. BIBLIOGRAPHY PEARCE, R AND STEVENS, J. (2002) The Law of Trusts and Equitable Obligations 3rd Edition London: LexisNexis Butterworth’s Tolley. PENNER, J.E. (2001) Mozley and Whitley’s Law Dictionary 12th Edition London: Butterworths. MARTIN, J.E. (2001) Hanbury Martin Modern Equity 16th Edition London: Sweet Maxwell Ltd. Footnotes [1] Paul v Constance [1977] 1 W.L.R. 527 [2] Comiskey v Bowring-Hanbury [1905] A.C. 84 [3] Watson v. Holland [1985] 1 All E.R. 290. [4] Martin (2001) page 173. [5] Re Gestetner [1953] Ch. 672. [6] Martin (2001) page 174 [7] Boyce v Boyce (1849) 16 Sim 476. [8] Re Golay [1965] 1 W.L.R. 969 [9] Martin (2001) page 175. [10] Re Gulbenkien’s Settlements [1970] AC 508 [11] Ibid per Lord Wilberforce [1971] AC 424 at pages 454-6. [12] Martin (2001) page 553. [13] Re Londonderry’s Settlement [1965] Ch. 918. [14] Martin (2001) page 550. [15] [1970] AC 777. [16] Lloyds Bank v Rossett [1991] 1 AC 107. [17] Ibid at page 536. [18] Penner (2001), page 281. [19] Gillies v Keogh [1989] 2 NZLR 327 at page 346 per Richardson J.