Butler Lumber Company Case Study Report - 6120 Words

| Corporate Finance Case Study Report â…   | Butler Lumber Company | | | 2010-3-17 | | 陈æ€ ¡ 1091209054 ä ¸ ¥Ã¤ ¼Å¸Ã¦ ´  1091209036 Ã¥ §Å"Ã¥ ¸â€  1091209052 æ•â€"ç ¿â€ 1091209024 Abstract In this report, we study the case of Butler Lumber Company and analyze the financing problem it was facing. First, we give a brief review of the background information of the company. Then we diagnose the business by examining its financial statistics and discover that company was seriously lacking of cash due to the poor operation of working capital and cost control. Free Cash flow is the key concern in our estimation. â€Å"Break-Even Analysis† stressing on the balance of free cash flow is applied in the estimation of the loan amount needed for†¦show more content†¦He also held a $70,000 life insurance policy, payable to his wife. She owned independently a half interest in a house worth about $55,000 | * Illustrative provisions on this kind of notes: 1. Restrictions on additional borrowing would be imposed; 2. Net working capital would have to be maintained at an agreed level; 3. Additional investments in fixed assets could be made only with prior approval of the bank; 4. Limitations would be placed on withdrawals of funds from the business by Butler. 1.3.2 Operating Statements Table 1.2.2 Operating Statements for Years Ending December 31, 1988-1990, and for First Quarter 1991 (thousand of dollars) | | | | | | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991(Q1) | | | | | | Net sales | $1,697 | $2,013 | $2,694 | $718a | Cost of goods sold: | | | | | Beginning inventory | $183 | $239 | $326 | $418 | Purchases | $1,278 | $1,524 | $2,042 | $660 | | $1,461 | $1,763 | $2,368 | $1,078 | Ending inventory | $239 | $326 | $418 | $556 | Total cost of goods sold | $1,222 | $1,437 | $1,950 | $522 | Gross Profit | $475 |Show MoreRelatedCase Study Butler Lumber3374 Words   |  14 PagesCase Study: Capital Budgeting Butler Lumber Company Abstract Butler Lumber Company, a lumber retailer with a rapid growth rate, is faced with the problem of cash flow shortage. In order to support this profitable business, BLC needs a great amount of cash. The loan of $250,000 from Suburban National and a line of credit of up to $465,000 from Northrop National Bank are the two choices provided. After a brief review of the operation and financial conditions of BLC, we first make analysis ofRead MoreFord Motor Vep4377 Words   |  18 PagesCorporate Finance Case Study 1 Butler Lumber Company 王金明 1101289036 æ Å"é› ªÃ¥ · 1101289033 æ Å"金é ¹  1101289039 å‘ ¨ æ  ¨ 1101289040 Abstract In this report, we study the case of Butler Lumber Company and analyze the financing problem it was confronted. In the first part, we give a brief description of the company, including the development process, equity structure, several important financial ratios which shows the basic conditions of the firm. Then we talk about the dilemma the company was facing and giveRead MoreFord Motor Vep4363 Words   |  18 PagesCorporate Finance Case Study 1 Butler Lumber Company 王金明 1101289036 æ Å"é› ªÃ¥ · 1101289033 æ Å"金é ¹  1101289039 å‘ ¨ æ  ¨ 1101289040 Abstract In this report, we study the case of Butler Lumber Company and analyze the financing problem it was confronted. In the first part, we give a brief description of the company, including the development process, equity structure, several important financial ratios which shows the basic conditions of the firm. Then we talk about the dilemma the company was facing and give someRead MoreManagement and Teaching Note19520 Words   |  79 Pagesecch the case for learning case collections update 2007 Quarter 4 Visit the case search section of the ecch website at www.ecch.com to identify relevant cases from the ecch collection and view over 31,000 full text inspection copies. ecch provides a free monthly e-mail update service giving details of new cases from all sources. Visit www.ecch.com to subscribe. Economics, Politics and Business Environment 9-407-049 ALLIANZ AG: BECOMING A EUROPEAN COMPANY Lorsch, JW; Chernak, A HarvardRead MorePropaganda by Edward L Bernays34079 Words   |  137 Pagesheard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. Our invisible governors are, in many cases, unaware of the identity of their fellow members in the inner cabinet. They govern us by their qualities of natural leadership, their ability to supply needed ideas and by their key position in the social structure. Whatever attitude one chooses toRead MoreProject Mgmt296381 Words   |  1186 Pagesdevelopment 7.3.2.1 Earned value system (F.4) 7.3.2.4 E.V., performance status report 7.3.2.2 E.V., forecasts 7.3.2.3 EV., to complete index (EAC) 7.3.2.5 Schedule and cost variance Developing a Project Plan 4.2.2 Planning tools 6.2 Sequence activities [1.2] 6.5.1 Bar and milestone charts 6.5.2 Critical path method (.2) 6.5.2.6 Lead and lag activities [6.2.3] F.3 Project duration Chapter 14 Project closure Closure report 4.5.1.4 Organization processes (.5) [4.5.3 4.6.3.2] 4.6.1 Administrative

Literacy As A Social And Cognitive Process - 1320 Words

Literacy is not simply being able to read and write. There are many different definitions of literacy for instance the NCTE states that Literacy is thought of as a purposeful social and cognitive process. Another definition by the IRA states that Literacy is the ability to read, write, understand, interpret and discuss texts. Empowering Literacy encompasses both of these definitions, but also includes the consideration that Literacy Empowers one to take control of their own life. Empowering Literacy enables one to improve their life or to improve the lives of others. In order to understand Empowering Literacy we need to understand the difference between Empowering Literacy and Domesticating Literacy. Fin explains â€Å"first there is empowering education, which leads to powerful literacy, the kind of literacy that leads to positions of power and authority†. This type of literacy allows the student to take power over his/her learning. He then states â€Å"second, there is domesticating education which leads to functional literacy, literacy that makes a person productive, dependable, but not troublesome†. This type of literacy takes his/her learning power away. Maybe a better way to explain this would be that Empowering Literacy is memorable and serves a specific purpose in a student’s life. Whereas Domesticating Literacy takes place to please someone else and is not purposeful or memorable. Empowering Literacy is multimodal. As Siegel states â€Å"despite the claim thatShow MoreRelatedThe Aging Process Of Aging910 Words   |  4 Pagesand development as a lifelong process†(Novak, 2012), in other words, we as humans are constantly changing, evolving and adapting to the world we live in. Many studies delve into the aging process, physical, mental and emotional to name a few. These studies have been cross-sectional, longitudinal as well as using cohorts to develop conclusions that will enlighten and enhance the aging proces s in society. Researchers have based their studies on the process of aging, the aged and the manyRead MoreHealth Literacy And Its Effect On Health1501 Words   |  7 Pages Literacy is the ability someone has to read and write. Most of us are taught this skill when we are young. Those of us who learn this during childhood seem to forget this is a privilege not everybody has. The people who do not has this advantage are affected in more ways than we think. Especially when it comes to their health, this understanding is known as health literacy. â€Å"Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health informationRead MoreThe Impact Of Visual Literacy On Today s Technology913 Words   |  4 PagesImpact of Visual Literacy in Today’s Technology Why is visual literacy important in today’s technology and how does it affect our day-to-day lifestyle. As we walk about our daily, commute how does visual literacy compare and contrast in our stride. Can we describe how visual literacy reflects as universal language in our lifestyle? What does the impact of visual literacy have on the communication and global understanding of it as well? Visual literacy can portray itself through so many channelsRead MoreSocial And Cultural Factors Have A Significant Influence1680 Words   |  7 Pages Social and cultural factors have a significant influence on the way a child interprets and views language. 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They should beRead MoreThe Mind And Page : Remedial Writers And Cognitive Reductionism By Mike Rose968 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Narrowing the Mind and Page: Remedial Writers and Cognitive Reductionism† by Mike Rose In this article, Rose argues against theories that have long claimed that â€Å"unsuccessful writers think in fundamentally different ways from successful writers† (325). He rejects Watkin’s theory that basic writers are field dependent learners, meaning they have difficulty abstracting information outside of their own experience; instead, Rose argues that basic writers’ responses to written assignments are a reflectionRead MoreEssay about Intercultural Communication 1725 Words   |  7 Pagesinclusive process in how reading and writing are being taught. In this regard, language appeared as one of the most essential aspects of culture and social being. Language is not the only mean which individuals create activities and identities. Also, language is not enough to be recognised in a specific community or group. Person must behave and act in ways considered right among this community or group. This essay ...... Forms of literacy There are variety criteria of literacy that haveRead MorePiaget and Vygotsky1272 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Cognitive development is interpreted as the gradual orderly development of thinking, understanding and reasoning processes from birth to maturity. The aim of primary school is to build the knowledge and the skills children need to have for further cognitive development. Therefore, the constant development of coginition is very important to young children, because it gives them the basic understanding towards themselves and the world. As a result, in order to assist and support children’sRead MoreTheories And Practices Of Teaching And Learning Literacy1339 Words   |  6 Pagesand learning literacy across preschool, elementary, middle and early high school. 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Democracy in the Philippines free essay sample

This is the moment in the history of society where technology is at its highest point and it continues to move forward. This is also the occasion when democracy in the Philippines faces one of the greatest challenges in its existence after it has been restored several times. A new round of scandal has brought democracy in the Philippines to another challenging point. If democratic revival is possible it can only come from the people themselves, and from the higher power directing it. This paper is to tackle current issues in our government that I consider a tele-novela which remains a box office hit. What I think about the ongoing saga regarding former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos (GMA) efforts to leave the country to get medical treatment abroad and the Aquino administrations efforts to stop her. Not to mention the controversial TRO issued by the Supreme court in connection with the refusal of the DOJ secretary to implement the ruling, and most specially, the infamous ‘electoral sabotage against GMA’. All these current issues affect the democracy of our country. The strength of democracy is measured, not by economic gains, but primarily by the strength of the country’s rule of law and its justice system. The state of innocence until proven guilty is a legal right of every accused in a lawful trial. The trouble of evidence legally obtained and lawfully acceptable in a court of law is therefore on the entity that prosecutes the accused. These facts must show guilt of the accused ‘beyond reasonable doubt. ’ If reasonable doubt continues, the accused must be set free. This is how the court of law thinks and acts, in an ideal world. Sadly, the court of public view seems to sway with the wind. November 15, 2011 is a shameful day for our nation. The court of law is dragged down as substandard to the court of public opinion and this is with the initiation of the government. Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, accused (by the Aquino government and a large part of the population) of involvedness on a number of unlawful/illegal acts, was not allowed by the Aquino government to board an airplane to travel abroad and seek further medical help. This is done after a temporary restraining order (TRO) has been released by the Supreme Court with immediate effectivity. A scandalous public display of an awful wit develops. What Is a Restraining Order? According to Lawyers. com: â€Å"A restraining order is a court order directing someone to follow certain conditions or to not do certain things. Its literally a piece of paper a judge signs stating the terms someone must follow or risk legal consequences. Restraining orders are often used to give legal protection to victims of domestic abuse, harassment, stalking and neighborhood disputes. Temporary restraining orders, another short-term order type, are usually in effect for  less than a month. This order is issued when a victim applies for a restraining order. Its purpose is to give the victim protection until a hearing can be held and a restraining order can be issued. † I noticed a lot of comments blaming the Arroyos. So far, most of the basis forwarded by these same comments relate to things outside of the immediate concerns of the drama at the NAIA. Some question the hurriedness of the Arroyos to buy plane ticket even before the release of the TRO. If the woman is truly in need of urgent medical attention, the rush is but necessary to the need. They have the money. Still, one cannot avoid the growing suspicion that the St. Luke medical team was not able to diagnose precisely all the medical illness of GMA, is I think, reason enough for a family that has the money, to look for the best medical help for their loved one in another country. Based from the Inquirer news report: The Supreme Court on Tuesday, Nov 29, 2011 clarified that it did not suspend the temporary restraining order (TRO) it granted to former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo despite her failure to fully comply with the conditions of the injunctive relief. At a news briefing, court administrator and spokesperson Jose Midas Marquez said the high court en banc issued the clarification amid allegations that the justices had temporarily recalled the TRO. â€Å"The court resolved to clarify that the TRO was not suspended even with the finding that there was no full compliance with the conditions of the TRO,† Marquez said. â€Å"There was †¦ some sort of confusion whether the TRO was in full force and effect pending full compliance of the petitioner, and that is why the court had to make a clarification,† he added. The court’s latest resolution debunked the claim of Associate Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno that majority of the justices moved to suspend the injunctive order during its special session on Nov. 18. The TRO prevented Justice Secretary Leila de Lima from enforcing the travel ban she issued against Arroyo and her husband, Jose Miguel â€Å"Mike† Arroyo. â€Å"There was just a misunderstanding and confusion so the court resolved to clarify. I think that issue should rest for now,† he said. The Supreme Court on Tuesday,11/29, also blocked the move of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to summon the attending physicians of Arroyo in a bid to justify De Lima’s decision to bar her from going abroad. Then who committed a mistake here? Some people questioned how the Arroyos know what ruling is about to be served. That could simply be explained by the real odds of this family having a person in the offices of the Supreme Court to notify them of what decision is forthcoming and use cell phones to pass on such information. It is obvious that the Arroyos do have the funds to pay for expensive plane tickets. GMA still is an elected public official and benefit from the privileges rightfully connected to that office. However, to mean that the judges owe their positions to the Arroyos and are for that reason indebted to give a positive ruling is tearing down one of the three pillars of this government. Without determining the ‘burden of proof’, a lot of people have assumed the position of a judge and marked these justices accountable as charged. In a press conference, Jose Midas Marquez said majority of the magistrates believe that â€Å"it might probably work as an injustice to them of their continued inclusion in the Watch List Order (WLO)†¦Majority is of the thought that the TRO is consistent with the constitutional presumption of innocence. He said, however, that the TRO can be lifted anytime if the high court deems forthcoming arguments sufficient to counter those of the couple. In this case, in my point of view, I dont believe the Arroyos are to blame for the terrible incident in NAIA. The supreme judge of the law of the land has pronounced judgment in favor of allowing th em to travel abroad and such order is to take effect right away. According to the Philippine Constitution: The Supreme Court of the Philippines (Filipino: Kataas-taasang Hukuman ng Pilipinas or Korte Suprema) is the Philippines highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. Therefore, the Department of Justice has no jurisdiction to second guess the Supreme Court unless it responds with the required legal procedures to overturn the order. Unreasonably, the DOJ challenged the very order of the Supreme Court in a manner inappropriate of an agency of the executive branch of the government. Sad to say, I dont like one bit of what the Department of Justice is doing on this case. In another different scenario, GMA is charged with electoral sabotage. Manila Times Published :  Friday, October 21, 2011 A JOINT fact-finding team on Thursday ordered the filing of formal charges for electoral sabotage against former President and now Rep. Gloria Arroyo of Pampanga province and several others in the 2007 polls. In its 81-page Initial Report, the team from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) recommended that eight others be charged for the same unbailable offense—former Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. ; former Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer; former DOJ Secretary Alberto Agra; Michael Abas, former acting Region XII election director; Col. Reuben Basiao, former Region XI chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); former Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. of Maguindanao province; Lintang Bedol, former provincial election supervisor of Maguindanao; and Norie Unas. The report said that Mrs. Arroyo gave â€Å"direct instruction to manipulate the results† of the 2007 race for Senate seats in Maguindanao â€Å"by ordering (Ampatuan Sr. ) to implement a 12-0 result in (Maguindanao) in favor of (Arroyo administration) candidates and to alter or change the results if necessary. The joint probe further recommended expanded investigation of supposed involvement of Mrs. Arroyo’s husband, lawyer Jose Miguel â€Å"Mike† Arroyo, in the poll fraud. De Lima said that the probers headed by Prosecutor General Claro Arellano would convene on Monday to discuss other recommendations made by the DOJ-Comelec panel. In this case, Arroyo was charged primarily based on testimony of former provincial administrator Norie Unas, who claimed he had heard the former president instruct Ampatuan to ensure 12-0 victory of Team Unity in his rovince during an event in the Palace days before the 2007 polls. I believe this accusation is inescapable (if there’s such a word)! The Philippines is now considered a corrupt country and this is one proof of it. The sinners should be punished and there is no exception to this rule. Arroyo failed to submit her answer during the two-hearing preliminary investigation by the joint panel that did not grant her plea to have more ti me to file a counter affidavit. We may say that the lady is heartless and could just be faking it, and is likely to just want to escape prosecution. Yet, as already identified by the same Supreme Court, the executive branch has legal options to bring back the Arroyos to face charges filed against them without creating another incident that would bring us all to great humiliation. I’m definitely sure that democracy is a fundamental way to reassure some freedoms and never doubted its importance to the economic development of societies. I could not think of any other efficient kind of government in a long term process of development. Democracy as defined â€Å"is a government by the people, for the people, and of the people. † Yes, by the people whose absolute right to suffrage has been the accessory or partner in crime of the corrupt officials in pushing through their vested interests and motives. Enormous vote buying and vote shaving and filling become the indicator of most national and local winners whose rise to power was aided by the political alibi to lessen poverty. Eventually, these so – called leaders ruin the essence of democracy of our country.

Oscar Wilde Influence Essays - Operas, Anglo-Irish People

Oscar Wilde Influence One of the most difficult obstacles a playwright has to overcome is finding a way to engage and interest their audience to their piece. Often having to deal with such problems such as boredom, inattentiveness, or just a general lack of interest, playwrights often invent dramatic devices that entice and entertain their audiences. An example of this is the character Lane in Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest." Not only does he portray what the public sentiment is like, he also offers a channel for Wilde to portray the handling of the "lower orders" by the English upper class. Lane, as any good servant should be, is loyal and trustworthy towards his master Algernon. Lane dutifully obliges to his master's requests, and even defends Algernon when he gets in trouble. For example, when discussing with Lady Bracknell the subject of the missing cucumber sandwiches, Lane quickly replies, "There were no cucumbers in the markets this morning,...I went down twice." The reader and the audience are both wise to this ploy. Lane's character also serves a very interesting dramatic function in this piece, in that he serves as a facilitator for Wilde to comment on social perceptions of not only marriage, but of the lower classes as a whole. Before the audience is introduced to Jack, Algernon comments, "Lane's views on marriage seem somewhat lax. Really, if the lower orders don't set us a good example, what on earth is the use of them? They seem, as a class, to have absolutely no sense of moral responsibility." This is a rather bold statement, and it relates to the piece in that it portrays"aristocratic" sentiment towards marriage and society. It also serves a function in portraying that aristocratic sentiment is not always the correct one. The comment shows more that this elitist sentiment is skewed, and out of touch with reality. If it were correct that Lane had no sense of moral responsibility, he probably would not have saved his master from inevitable shame later in the act. While doing this produces some humor in the audience, it is interesting to note that Algernon's perceptions of his servant are so different from how Lane is portrayed in the piece. Lane allows the audience to see how warped high-class perceptions are of society. In the end, Lane is less of a servant to Algernon, and more of a servant to the audience, for he allows them to see things the way they really are in society.

Free Essays on Declaration

Declaration of Independence The King of Britain has committed many injuries and usurpation’s on the 13 Colonies, for he is a prince-whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant. The Declaration of Independence, was written to establish the basis of the revolution that the colonists were planning, and enacting, it expressed the reasons for which the colonists claimed as factors for their wants to be independent. The document was divided into three major parts: the first section contained a statement of principle that discussed the rights of man and the legitimacy of revolution; the second presented a long list of grievances that provided the rationale for rebellion; and the third/last portion of the declaration included the formal announcement of independence. The 1st Section of the Declaration discussed the rights of man and the legitimacy of revolution. The Declaration most significantly declared that â€Å"All men are created equal† and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain rights to enjoy â€Å"life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.† Moreover, the Declaration argues that government must be representative of the people and is limited in power by a recognition of basic political rights. If when a government violates these people’s natural rights, the people have the additional right to hereby â€Å"alter or to abolish that government.† Thereof, the wanting of a â€Å"Democracy† among the 13 colonies. In contrast, the present King of Great Britain has forever elongated a series of usurpation’s that evinces a design to increase absolute despotism by neglecting to attend to the needs of his colonies and to their o so unalienable rights. Evenmore, controversial to the accusations made against the present King were a long list of specific grievances that provided the rationale for rebellion. These grievances were evidence to evince that the colonists rights... Free Essays on Declaration Free Essays on Declaration Declaration of Independence The King of Britain has committed many injuries and usurpation’s on the 13 Colonies, for he is a prince-whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant. The Declaration of Independence, was written to establish the basis of the revolution that the colonists were planning, and enacting, it expressed the reasons for which the colonists claimed as factors for their wants to be independent. The document was divided into three major parts: the first section contained a statement of principle that discussed the rights of man and the legitimacy of revolution; the second presented a long list of grievances that provided the rationale for rebellion; and the third/last portion of the declaration included the formal announcement of independence. The 1st Section of the Declaration discussed the rights of man and the legitimacy of revolution. The Declaration most significantly declared that â€Å"All men are created equal† and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain rights to enjoy â€Å"life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.† Moreover, the Declaration argues that government must be representative of the people and is limited in power by a recognition of basic political rights. If when a government violates these people’s natural rights, the people have the additional right to hereby â€Å"alter or to abolish that government.† Thereof, the wanting of a â€Å"Democracy† among the 13 colonies. In contrast, the present King of Great Britain has forever elongated a series of usurpation’s that evinces a design to increase absolute despotism by neglecting to attend to the needs of his colonies and to their o so unalienable rights. Evenmore, controversial to the accusations made against the present King were a long list of specific grievances that provided the rationale for rebellion. These grievances were evidence to evince that the colonists rights...

French Words with New Meanings in English

French Words with New Meanings in English French Words with New Meanings in English French Words with New Meanings in English By Mark Nichol Thanks to the Norman Conquest, and to the long dominance of France in European culture and politics, almost half the words and phrases in the English lexicon (including that of its American variety) are derived from French. The list below consists of words used in American English that acquired one or more senses distinct from that or those of the French words from which they are descended. After each term, the American English meaning(s) is/are listed, followed in parentheses by the French meaning(s). 1. accoutrement: accompanying items or accessories (a ludicrous costume or tasteless attire) 2. aprà ¨s-ski: socializing after skiing (snow boots) 3. auteur: a film director or other artist who artistically dominates a creative endeavor (an author) 4. au naturel: naked (acting or looking natural, unaltered or unadulterated) 5. bà ªte noire: someone or something avoided or disliked out of fear (someone or something hated) 6. boutique: a shop selling designer or distinctive clothing, or, as an adjective, describing a small, exclusive business (a shop) 7. boutonnià ¨re: a flower placed in a buttonhole (a buttonhole) 8. chef: a professional cook (a boss) 9. claque: a group of admirers (a group of theatergoers paid either to applaud or to criticize a performance) 10. corsage: flowers worn on a woman’s dress or around her wrist (a woman’s chest, and attire covering this area) 11. coup: a forced change of government (a hit) 12. coup de main: surprise attack (give a hand) 13. debut: a first performance by an artist or entertainer (a beginning) 14. dà ©colletage: a low neckline, cleavage (lowering a neckline, or, in agricultural and technical contexts, cutting) 15. en masse: a group or mass moving as one entity (a collection or crowd) 16. entrà ©e: an entrance, or the main course of a meal (an entrance, or appetizers preceding a meal or before the main course) 17. à ©pà ©e: a specific fencing sword (a sword) 18. exposà ©: published material pertaining to a fraud or scandal (a report or talk) 19. hors d’oeuvre: a snack (the first course of a meal) 20. outrà ©: unusual (exaggerated or extravagant, or outraged) 21. prà ©cis: a summary (accurate, precise; also, an abridged textbook) 22. premiere: a first performance or presentation (first) 23. recherchà ©: obscure, pretentious (sophisticated, studied) 24. rendezvous: a clandestine meeting, or a location for an appointed meeting or reunion or a joining of two spacecraft (an appointment, date, or meeting) 25. reprise: a repetition of a piece of music during a performance (an alternate version or cover version, or rebroadcast) 26. rà ©sumà ©: an employment history with a list of qualifications (a summary) 27. risquà ©: sexually provocative (risky) 28. seance: a gathering to communicate with spirits (a meeting or session) 29. touchà ©: acknowledgment of a point made, or of a hit in fencing (emotionally touched) 30. vignette: a brief description or scene (a small picture) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Exquisite AdjectivesRunning Amok or Running Amuck?Practice or Practise?

The cost of shortselling (finance) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The cost of shortselling (finance) - Essay Example procedures are discussed in depth to show that the chances of making a profit through short selling are as high as incurring a loss due to this activity. It all depends on how accurately an operator is able to predict the future market movements of stocks that are sold short. Mutual Funds hold largest number of stocks and are the most active operators in stock market. So, some analysts feel that if the additional costs related exclusively to short selling are added to the average cost of transactions undertaken by Mutual Funds, a correct value of the costs of short selling can be obtained. But the reasons why this approach would never give a true indication of short selling costs have been explained in a cogent manner. Finally, the assignment ends with a strong argument against branding short sellers as precursors of misfortune. â€Å"Short selling† is a very common term in stock exchanges. In simple terms, if a seller sells stocks which are not owned by them, then they are selling it short. This is possible if the seller borrows those stocks from a broker for a limited period and would return those stocks later. In order to do this, the short seller must have an account with the broker. That account could be either cash account or margin account. A cash account requires all transactions to be settled in cash while in a margin account the broker comes forward with finance or securities, as the case may be, to fulfill temporary requirements of the investor. The investor has to; of course, provide collateral securities for all the shares that they borrow. One of the most pertinent costs of short selling is the interest foregone on the securities that are presented as collateral to the broker. A short seller undertakes these transactions because they have a hunch that the price of securities would go down in future. So when they would buy those stocks from open market for returning to the broker they would be able to do so at a lower price than at which they had

Olympics Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Olympics Paper - Essay Example gets and scale of plans for the site and program to ensure that the Olympics site would accommodate the size of expected attendees, as well as their security, personal and professional needs. It is in this regard that this paper is written to present the steps and tasks needed to prepare for the Olympics. The discourse would include personal protection of VIPs, athletes, and the general public, as well as other security concerns, traffic control, and terrorist threats. The Olympic games originated in Olympia, Greece from as early as 10th or 9th century B.C. Due to its scope and enormity of international participants in the event, the level and depth of security measures are always of paramount priority especially of the host country. In previous Olympic events, there were security companies which were named as the official electronic security sponsor for specific Olympic events. This ensures that the security plans, measures and implementing actions could be directly accounted to a specific organization. In the forthcoming games in London on 2012, â€Å"the Government and its partners in security are committed to the safety and security of the London 2012 Olympics, and a funding envelope of  £600 million has been agreed. This will cover strategic options for a range of security measures, including fraud and financial crime prevention and protection, counter-terrorism, identity assurance and personal protection.† (Beard, 2008) Generally, the following steps and tasks are required to prepare for securing the Olympic games: (1) definition of a specific objective - the aim is to ensure safe and secure Olympic Games which everyone can enjoy; (2) identification of the agency in charge of security; (3) planning stage incorporating security programs, layout, officers and budget in the design for the Olympic site to further secure the Olympic Park; the number of officers needed on duty each day should be detailed including the number of specialists such as firearms,

Write a critical comparison of two pieces of research Essay Example for Free

Write a critical comparison of two pieces of research Essay Rationale When choosing the two pieces of research to compare, I sought a topic that interested and was of relevance to me. According to Hammersley and Scarth (1993) the function of educational research is to inform policy-makers and practitioners and consequently to improve education (p.216). Subsequently the aim of this essay is not only to draw a critical comparison between the two pieces of research, but also to inform me, as a student teacher, on the findings of the role of teachers beliefs of gender in mathematics and so advise my future practice. In my last SE placement I found myself teaching a mixed year class of which boys made up two thirds of the pupils, this highlighted to me some of the gender issues that can manifest themselves in the primary classroom, I had previously not had experience of. The school had a policy on gender, which contained strategies for raising the achievement and interest of boys in lessons, particularly in literacy. When observing the male teacher conducting literacy and history lessons I found that many of the texts were tailored to the boys interests, such as information texts on robots or science fiction. In other classes I observed taught by female teachers, I did not see the use of any resources specifically targeted at boys. I found that because the class contained more boys than girls and had a male teacher, much of the talk and topics had a male theme. However, I did find that the boys were strongly motivated and that many of them responded in a very positive manner to a male role model, which can often be lacking at primary level. It was clear when I took over the teaching of the class I found it more difficult to develop a rapport with the boys than I had in my previous SE placement where the class teacher had been female. There has been research conducted on the effect of the gender of a teacher particularly in mathematics, but there are no conclusions to support my observations. Most teachers indicated that their gender does not necessarily influence their treatment of their own students, or the way that either male or female students related to them. There has been also been research conducted to examine the affect of teacher gender on pupils achievement in mathematics. Li (2001) quotes Sahas (1993) conclusions that whether a teacher is male or female does make a difference for student achievement, students with male teachers had better achievement in mathematics than those with female teachers (p.66). The experience within this class illustrated to me the distinction of boys and girls in primary education and how they respond to different stimuli, whether that be teachers, work, resources etc. As a mathematics specialist the fact that the topic investigates teachers gender-related beliefs within that subject is of particular interest to me. I have not had any experience of working with teachers who hold different beliefs about girls and boys achievement, but I have never held a discussion with a teacher about what they attribute their pupils success in mathematics to. The research papers provide an insight into teachers attributions and whether these are differentiated by gender. Any implications raised by the outcomes of this research will inform my future practice. Historical Context of Topic Over the last 25 years, there has been a variety of studies conducted to examine teachers beliefs about, or attributions of, causation of their students achievement successes and failures. Research conducted by Clark and Peterson (1986) found that a teachers causal attributions are important because perceptions of why his/her students succeed or fail in achievement situations has an impact on the teachers expectancies for students future achievement success. They also concluded that the sex of a student has not been shown to be a major factor affecting teachers attributions. However Fenema et al (1990) stated that a close reading of the literature shows that most studies dealing directly with teacher attributions have not included gender as a variable (p.57). There are some studies to show that researchers hold different beliefs about appropriate learning experiences for boys and girls. Stage et al (1985) reported that teachers do not have lower expectations for girls performance in mathematics than they do for boys performance, however teachers have been found to provide more encouragement for boys then for girls to learn mathematics. In 1998, the Scottish Executive for Education produced a Primary Schools Support Pack, which details gender issues in raising attainment. The document states that research evidence in attainment shows that in mathematics: boys have generally more positive, or sometimes more polarised, attitudes; boys have more confidence, are less dependent on teachers explanations, and devise their own methods and short cuts to solutions; girls tend to underestimate their abilities and are easily discouraged. Research carried out by Gorard et al (2001) on the patterns of differential attainment of boys and girls at school showed that in mathematics, girls have a small achievement gap over boys at level 2, but at level 3 to A levels, boys hold a small achievement gap over girls, which increases over time. Context According to Hammersley Scarth (1993) it is important to understand the context in which a report is produced (p.217). Fenema et al carried out their research in the United States of America in 1990. The subjects were 38 female 1st grade teachers from 24 elementary schools. Tiedemann carried out his research 10 years later in 2000 in a North German city. The subjects were 52 3rd and 4th grade teachers of which 5 were male. It is not clear from the research papers how they both chose their samples. However, it seems likely that both used a form of cluster sampling. Denscomb (1998) states that the logic behind cluster sampling is that, in reality it is possible to get a good sample by focussing on naturally occurring clusters of the particular area the researcher wishes to study and schools are a good example of a naturally occurring cluster. (p.14). Cluster sampling comes under the heading of probability sampling which is based on the idea that people or events that are chosen are done so because the researcher has an idea that these will be a representative cross-section of people in the population being studied. Denscomb (1998) adds that cluster sampling can save a great deal of time that would have been spent travelling to various research sites throughout the land. However, he states that one must remember the aim is to achieve a representative cluster and this could be obtained through random or stratified sampling (p.13). Fenema et al (1990) chose to study only female teachers; this may be because this is an accurate representation of the population, if there were little or no male 1st grade teachers. If they had particularly chosen to research female teachers attributions and beliefs this would have been stated somewhere in the research paper. Tiedemann however, had 5 male teachers within his sample of 52. It could be presumed that if a stratified approach was used, male teachers therefore, represent approximately 10% of teachers in the population he studied. Denscomb (1998) acknowledges that random sampling is likely to provide a representative cross-section of the whole, however he adds that stratified sampling has a significant advantage over random sampling in that the researcher can assert some control over the selection of the sample in order to assure that key people or factors are covered by it and are representative of how they are in the wider population (p.13). Purpose Fenema et al (1990) states that research had not investigated whether or not teachers hold different beliefs about girls, boys and mathematics. Therefore their study aimed to identify successful and unsuccessful mathematics students and the accuracy of their identification; teachers attributions of the causes of successes and failures of girls and boys and teachers beliefs about the characteristics of their best girl and boy mathematics students (p.56). They did not hypothesise about what they expected to find, but outlined a set of questions they wanted to answer. Tiedemann (2000) research title is very similar to that of Fenema et als (1990) and he quotes Fenema et als (1990) research in his review of the literature. His aim is not to re-test their findings, but to test for perceptual bias in teacher beliefs about gender in their teaching of mathematics at elementary schools (p.194). Tiedemann (2000) believes that it is still difficult to draw any conclusions with confidence. He is however working 10 years later and uses research conducted after Fenema et als (1990) to make a hypothesis of what he expects to find in relation to teachers attributions and beliefs. Bell (1999) identifies that it is useful to make statements about relations between variables as it provides a guide to the researcher as to how the original idea may be tested and they can attempt to find out whether it is so among the subjects in the sample (p.25). Cohen Manion (1994) agree that hypotheses and concepts play a crucial part in the scientific method, also known as positivism, defined as all genuine knowledge is based on sense experience and can only be advanced by means of observation or experiment. Positivism, however, has been challenged from many quarters (p.11), Cohen Manion (1994) quote Kierkegaards (1974) theory of existentialism saying that people should be freed from objectivity and having to discover general laws to explain human behaviour, but instead consider ones own relationship to the focus of the enquiry, which is the capacity for subjectivity (p.23). Tiedemann (2000) states an underlying assumption of his study, that there is no difference in gender achievements or teacher beliefs in mathematics. Cohen Manion (1994) criticise embarking on a study having pre-interpreted the world to be researched as the assumptions of the researcher can influence upon the results (p.25). Methods Both Fenema et al (1990) and Tiedemann (2000) used questionnaires to gather data. Fenema et al (1990) used two types of questionnaires, one being a structured individual interview the other a non-direct questionnaire, in their research. Denscomb (1998) states that a structured interview, which involves tight control over the format of the questions and answers, is similar to a questionnaire that is administered face to face. He adds that structured interviews lend themselves to the collection of quantitative data, which was the type of data Fenema et al (1990) did gather. There are issues to consider when deciding to conduct a questionnaire directly. Denscomb (1998) states that research shows when questioning people face-to-face informants respond differently depending on how they perceive the person asking the questions. In particular the informants answer may be tailored to match what they feel fits in with what the researcher expects from them or to what they perceive to be the researchers point of view (p.116). As already stated the researchers assumptions of the study can affect the outcome. For example in Fenema et als (1990) structured interview the teachers might not readily admit that the pupils lack of success is due to them not providing the support for the child even if it is their belief. In the case of Tiedemann (2000) his underlying assumption that there is no difference in gender achievements or teacher beliefs in mathematics could be perceived by the informant who modifies their response to this expectation. Cohen Manion (1994) cite Kitwoods (1977) critique of direct contact questionnaires; he states that there is a trade off between reliability and validity. If the researcher develops an atmosphere where the respondent feels at ease the more likely they are to disclose true information which is necessary to the validity, however reliability is enhanced by rationalisation, but when the interviewer becomes rational and calculating the less likely the situation will contain a human element and the more calculated the response is likely to be (p.282). Denscomb (1998) reflects on both types stating that questionnaires, which are conducted without direct contact, remove the impact of face-to-face interaction (p.88). Cohen Manion acknowledge the bias that can impact upon direct interaction, but it allows for greater depth than is the case with other methods of data collection (p.272). By Fenema et al (1990) using both types of questionnaires, they have experienced the advantages of both. Tiedemann (2000) used only the non-direct contact and therefore his study as Cohen Manion (1994) stated could lack greater depth and a human element. Fenema et al (1990) and Tiedemann (2000) employed similar styles of questionnaires to collect data about teachers attributions. Both used a non-direct questionnaire, which contained statements about the pupils that the teachers had to estimate on a scale. Fenema et als (1990) sex-role stereotype questionnaire was an adaptation of another researchers method of data collection. The 20 descriptors, concerning characteristics of the teachers best mathematics pupils, contained 2 opposing statements, the teachers responded from high agreement to the right phrase to high agreement with the left phrase. The structured interview and questionnaire used by Fenema et al (1990) and the questionnaire used by Tiedemann (2000) all contained closed questions where the answers are restricted to options supplied on the questionnaire. Denscomb (1998) acknowledges both the advantages and disadvantages of closed questions. He states that the structure of such a questionnaire provides the researcher with information which is of the same length and that can be easily compared, quantified and analysed. In the case of both research papers where the results were of a statistical nature, it would seem closed questions were the most suitable to use. Denscombe (1998) notes the disadvantages saying there is less scope for respondents to supply answers which reflect the exact facts of true feelings of a topic and as a result of this the respondents may become frustrated by not being able to express their views fully in a way that accounts for any sophistication, intricacy or even inconsistencies in their views (p.101). Fenema et als (1990) questionnaire overcomes some of the limitations of closed questions by allowing teachers to rank their agreement with the phrases from 1 to 5, enabling them to strongly agree with one phrase by marking 1 or 5, or to indicate a modification by marking 2, 3 or 4. Tiedemanns (2000) questionnaire similarly is structured to allow teachers to respond on a three-point scale of true, not true and partly true. However Bell (1999) cautions against the use of ambiguous words such a partly true, which may mean something different to each respondent (p.121). In Fenema et als (1990) attribution interview each teacher chose their 4 most successful mathematic students and 4 most un-successful students to attribute the cause of their success or failure. The paper does not state the criteria for how the students were classified as most or least successful, this information however is crucial to understand the teachers beliefs of what constitutes success or failure in mathematics, which is central to the research question. Tiedemann (2000) however states the criteria of a successful or failing mathematics student. He chose three bands of performance level that the students would fall into, 2 from the upper level, 2 from medial and 2 from the lower performance level. These bands were derived from performance grades attributed to the children in a similar way children in the UK are levelled from performance in QCA or SATs tests. One of Fenema et als (1990) objectives however was to discover how accurate the teachers were in selecting their most and least successful students. This was done by testing all 314 girls and 368 boys taught by the teachers and matching the results to the accuracy of the teachers choices. Therefore, it was important that the teachers chose the students as it gave a greater insight into whether they were able to identify their most and least successful students. However, it is important to note that there will always be the issue of whether the test results of the students are wholly valid. The test questions were read to the students by a trained tester. This immediately puts visual learners or children with poor memory at a disadvantage. According to Felder Silverman (2002) visual learners remember best what they see pictures, diagrams, flow charts, time lines, films, and demonstrations, verbal learners however get more out of words, spoken or written and therefore could have an advantage in this form of spoken test. Dyslexic students may also be put at a disadvantage from this style of test. These children, who are often able mathematicians, according to the British Dyslexia Association (2002) tend need more time when completing mathematical activities due to contributing factors such as poorer short-term memory and slower writing speeds. They can also have problems with auditory processing. Fenema et als (1990) test had a time limit, again putting some children at a disadvantage. Results Fenema et als (1990) and Tiedemanns (2000) results opposed each other in two particular aspects. Fenema et al (1990) concluded that in both the most and least able categories, teachers attributed girls success and failure to effort considerably more so than for boys. Tiedemann (2000) however found that teachers thought that girls profited less from additional effort than boys and had to exert relatively more effort to achieve the level of actual performance in mathematics. Under the category of ability, both research papers contrasted each other in their findings. Tiedemann (2000) states that teachers attributed failure in girls more to low ability, whereas Fenema et al (1990) found that boys success was attributed more to ability than girls success. When analysing the results obtained by both parties one must take into account the differences in their research methods and contexts. The researchers did not study children of the same age, in fact the children in Fenema et als (1990) research were 3 to 4 years younger than in Tiedemanns (2000). The research was conducted in differing countries and Fenema et als (1990) sample size (pupils) was double that of Tiedemanns (2000). Denscomb (1998) reflects on issues when using a sample of 300 or less (Tiedemanns (2000) being 312). He states that extra attention needs to be paid to the issue of how representative the sample is and caution is needed about the extent to which generalisations can be made on the basis of the research findings (p.24). Does this mean therefore that Tiedemanns results are less viable than Fenema et als (1990) due to his sample size? This would have to be investigated in relation to how representative his sample was. Fenema et al (1990) may have a larger sample but there is no information on how representative it is. Denscombe (1998) also states the smaller the sample the simpler the analysis should be, in the sense that the data should be subjected to fewer subdivisions (p.24). Tiedemann however divides his questionnaire in 6 categories containing 21 items; according to Denscomb (1998) this can dilute results (p.24). The issues of bias and validity in terms of Fenema et als (1990) interview should also be taken into account. As previously discussed these issues can affect results and more information on how the interview was conducted is needed before an analysis of its reliability can be conducted. To close, it is difficult to draw clear and unequivocal conclusions from both these sets of research, although Fenema et als (1990) study follows more of the advice for gaining reliable results, such as more than one method of data collection and a large enough sample size. Bell (1999) states that in the analysis, interpretation and presentation of data, care has to be taken not to claim more for results than is warranted. Li (2001) states that when studying all the literature, including both the research papers analysed here, on gender-related beliefs in teachers, the results are inconclusive. Bibliography Bell , J. (1999) Doing Your Research Project Bucks: OUP Cohen, L. Manion, L. (1994) Research Methods in Education London: Routledge Denscomb, M. (1998) The Good Research Guide Maidenhead: OUP Li, Q. (2001) Teachers beliefs and gender difference in mathematics: a review Educational Research Vol. 41 No. 1 pp. 63-76 The British Dyslexia Association (2002) Mathematics and Dyslexia http://www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk/main/information/education/e07maths 01/06/03 Tiedemann, J. (2000) Gender-Related Beliefs of Teachers in Elementary School Mathematics Educational Studies in Mathematics Vol. 43 pp. 191-207 Felder, R. M. Silverman, L. K. (2002) Learning Styles and Strategies http://www.ncsu.edu/felder-public/ILSdir/styles.htm 01/06/03 Fenema, E. Peterson, P. L. Carpenter, T. P. Lubinski, C. A. (1990) Teachers Attributions and Beliefs About Girls, Boys and Mathematics Educational Studies in Mathematics Vol. 21 pp. 55-69 Gorard, S. Rees, G. Salisbury, J. (2001) Investigating the Patterns of Differential Attainment of Boys and Girls at School Oxford Review of Education, Vol. 27 No. 3 pp. 411-428 Hammersley, M. Scarth, J. (1993) Beware of wise men bearing gifts: a case study in the misuse of educational research in Gomm, R. Woods, P. (ed) Educational Research in Action London: Chapman Ltd

The Civilized and Self-Cultured Black Man Essay -- Narrative Life Fred

The Civilized and Self-Cultured Black Man In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself, Frederick Douglass faces the problem of detailing his transformation from slave to man in a manner which is acceptable to both his audience and his own authorial purpose. Douglass must walk the thin line between being powerful and being threatening to his white audience. He attempts to avoid becoming a threat by appropriating the image of a self-made man, as defined in William E. Channing's essay entitled "Self-Culture." Douglass constructs his manhood in terms of civilization, a tactic later employed by Ida B. Wells in her anti-lynching campaign. Although physical strength and the escape from civilization into the wilderness was an equally popular construction of manhood at the time, Douglass follows Channing's belief that true manhood is achieved through knowledge, the mastery of letters and cultivation of manners. This conception of masculinity centers around moral uprightness and self-control a s a means of suppressing passions and desires, the latter being something that most of Douglass' masters lacked. If civilization indicates manhood, then the brutal masters described in Narrative are not men at all. This reversal makes Douglass, the slave turned self-cultured man, a representation of true manhood. According to Channing, every man has the potential to be a great man. Through self-culture, and the resulting moral and intellectual growth, men can expand and live up their potentials, becoming ideal men. Channing understands moral sense as the suppression of passions and desires that are inherent in human nature, but are not good for soul. When a man looks into himself, he discovers...d... ... image of this civilized man is reinforced by Douglass' narrative voice which takes on the Harvard style tone, that sounds much like Channing's voice in "Self-Culture." This tactic may have been to support his use of Channing's ideas, but it also gave Douglass the unique position of speaking in the same style as his audience. This would perhaps be unexpected by his white Northern audience, but nevertheless reinforces Douglass' civility. By taking popular conceptions of civilization, self-control and literacy, and applying them to himself, Douglass invents in himself the representation of true manhood. Works Cited: Channing, William E. The Works of William E. Channing. Boston: American Unitarian Association, 1875. Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written By Himself. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc., 1968.

Case Review

CASE: THO YOW PEW & ANOR V CHUA KOOI HEAN MATERIAL FACT: The plaintiffs in this case were the elder and younger brother of Dr. Tho Yow Cheong (the deceased) who died testate on 5 December 1996. They were the executors and trustees of the will executed by the deceased which dated on 20 October 1995. On 16 June 1997, the plaintiffs applied to the High Court of Kuala Lumpur by way of petition for a grant of probate of the said will.The defendant who was the wife of the deceased however then entered a caveat with the Registry on 10 July 1997 in order to prevent the grant of probate to the plaintiffs without the defendant being given notice. On 21 October 1997, the plaintiffs commenced this probate action against the defendant praying to the court to decree probate of the said will in solemn form of law. The defendant then counterclaim seeking a declaration that the said will is null and void and prayed that she be grated letters of administration to the estate of the said deceased.ISSUES : 1. Whether deceased had requisite testamentary capacity to execute will 2. Whether suspicion satisfactory discharged by the party propounding the will 3. Whether the will valid 4. Whether probate should be granted HELD: Plaintiffs claim dismissed with cost and defendant’s counterclaim allowed with cost REASON FOR JUDGMENT: 1. The burden of proving the deceased had the requisite testamentary capacity laid with the parties propounding the will, which were the plaintiffs in this instance. 2.The deceased suffered from nose cancer and was heavily dependent on a steroid drug called â€Å"dexamethasone† to obtain relief from its resultant pains and discomfort. â€Å"Dexamethasone† used long term can give rise to several physical and psychiatric side effects. There is also doubt that the deceased who experienced weakness of his limbs and muscles with reduced motor function could have typed the will in question. 3. The plaintiffs did not impress as having done what the y did for the welfare and interest of the deceased.On the other hand, the defendant impressed as being a truthful witness. Her evidence was accepted as being the true version of the events that transpired. It was evident that the plaintiffs had not satisfactorily discharged the suspicion raised. RATIO DECIDENDI 1. Dr Shanmuganathan v. Periasamy Sithambaram Pillai [1997] 2 CLJ 153 * it was emphasised that where there are suspicious circumstances lurking behind the execution of the will, the onus is on the party propounding the will, to remove, by way of explanations such suspicious circumstances. . Foo Fio Na v. Hospital Assunta & Anor [1999] 8 CLJ 184 * †¦ I am of the view that a doctor could not give any opinion what more an expert opinion as to the injury of any person without seeing and examining that person and also in the present case without seeing the x-rays of that person. 3. Tyrrell v. Painton [1894] P 151 * The rule in Barry v. Butlin 2 Moo PC 480, Fulton v. Andrew LR 7 HL 448 and Brown v.Fisher 63 LT 456, is not, in my opinion, confined to the single case in which a will is prepared by or on the instructions of the person taking large benefits under it, but extends to all cases in which circumstances exist which excite the suspicion of the Court; and wherever such circumstances exist and whatever their nature may be, it is for those who propound the will to remove such suspicions, and to prove affirmatively that the testator knew and approved of the contents of the document, and it is only where this is done that the onus is thrown on these who oppose the will to prove fraud or undue influence, or whatever else they rely on to displace the case made for proving the will. 4. Udham Singh v. Indar Kaur [1971] 2 MLJ 263 * It is trite law that the burden of proving that the deceased had the requisite testamentary capacity whilst executing the will lies with the party propounding the will. COMMENT: In this case, the burden to prove at the time of exe cuting the will the deceased was in sound mind, memory and understanding position lies with the plaintiffs since they are the one who propounding the will. However the laintiffs failed to prove that the deceased was in that capability to execute the will. This is because there was evidence that the deceased was suffering from the side effects of the drugs taken by him in order to cure the pain that he suffered. The deceased was found euphoric, had muscle weakness and suffered from psychiatric effect of the drug, thus it is impossible for the deceased to type the will. In addition, the deceased also suffered â€Å"hemiparesis† which according to the expert, the strength of the deceased body was less which mean he can only write slowly and not type. A perusal of the will shows that it was type and the plaintiffs failed to prove who actually prepared the will.The suspicion raised in this case was not satisfactorily discharged by the plaintiffs when they failed to give all the ne eded prove such as whether the will was read to the deceased. The deceased was right handed and suffered â€Å"hemiparesis† which unable him to type the will. The love of the deceased to the defendant also cannot be denied by the conversation of the deceased with her daughter however the psychiatric problem that he suffered as the side effect of the drug taken had made him to show the contravention. The statements given by the witnesses of the plaintiffs also doubtful, thus it is concluded that the will was invalid and the probate should not be granted.

“What Do Someone’s Eyes Indicate About His or Her Personality?

â€Å"What do someone's eyes indicate about his or her personality? † Personality consists of a wide variety of attributes and traits; therefore I do not believe that a personality can be determined merely by looking at someone’s eyes. However, there is a component of body language, which is a manifestation of your inner feelings†¦ Most everyone knows the fact that personality can also be learned. For example, a person who learns to be shy due to experience, customs, culture may exhibit a downward gaze. A confident person may exhibit a straight-forward look and be more reassured. The bottom line is that eye contact could reveal a person's personality, moods, emotions, farther reactions. Etc. Most people make eye contact in some way, I've never had much of an issue with it nor used it to make judgments about people unless one is either so shy or maladaptive that they cannot look someone in the eye or face to face and divert their eyes away, upward or downward while speaking which sends out a warning signal about a personality issue, and I'm not speaking about cultural differences of showing respect by keeping the eyes somewhat lowered. The ones I speak of cannot speak directly to you. But have you ever encountered those with lazy eye or wandering eye where their eyes go in opposite directions and they cannot help it? They are looking at you but their eyes wander off and it’s a disability they cannot help. Some people have an evil eye, have you noticed? When they are trying to scam you or pull something over on you? What about laughing eyes? When there is so much joy inside a person it just exudes from their eyes. Eyes are very expressive. You cannot mistake sad eyes and know someone is suffering but trying to put on a good front. Darting eyes are nervous eyes, suspicious eyes, why is this person checking everything out? And have you seem the look in the eyes of a person who temporarily spaces out and you know they have left the scene is gone? These are a few things that I see when I look into someone eyes. I guess the question is left to the eye of the beholder. Can you tell what someone's eyes indicate about his or her personality? Word Count385| |

A streetcar named desire by Tenessee Williams.

A streetcar named desire by Tenessee Williams. Tennessee Williams was once quoted as saying "Symbols arenothing but the natural speech of drama...the purestlanguage of plays" (Adler 30). This is clearly evident in "A Streetcar Named Desire", one of Williams's many plays. In analyzing the main character of the story, BlancheDuBois, it is crucial to use both the literal text as wellas the symbols of the story to get a complete and thoroughunderstanding of her.Before one can understand Blanche's character, one mustunderstand the reason why she moves to New Orleans andjoins her sister, Stella, and brother-in-law, Stanley. Byanalyzing the symbolism in the first scene, one canunderstand what prompted Blanche to move. Her appearance inthe first scene "suggests a moth" (Williams 96). Inliterature a moth represents the soul, so it is possible tosee her entire voyage as the journey of her soul (QuirinoCropped screenshot of Vivien Leigh from the traile...63). Later in the same scene she describes her voyage:"They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and thentransfer to one called Cemeteries and ride six blocks andget off at Elysian Fields" (Quirino 63). Taken literallythis does not seam to add much to the story; however, ifone investigate Blanche's past one, can truly understandwhat this quotation symbolizes. Blanche left her home tojoin her sister, because her life was a miserable wreck inher former place of residence. She admits, at one point inthe story, that "after the death of Allan (her husband)intimacies with strangers was all I seemed able to fill myempty heart with" (Williams, 178). She had sexual relationswith anyone who would agree to it. This is the first stepin her voyage-"Desire". She said that she was forced intothis situation because death was immanent and...

Accidentally Fueling a Diesel With Gasoline

Accidentally Fueling a Diesel With Gasoline To keep people from accidentally  fueling up a diesel engine with gasoline,  most diesel fuel pumps are distinguished by green markings and green fueling nozzle handles. In addition, the inside of a diesel vehicle fuel door has a â€Å"Diesel Fuel Only† label. But what happens if you inadvertently fill your diesel car or pickup with gasoline? Whether you’re new to  diesel ownership or might have both diesel and gasoline powered vehicles in your own personal fleet, it can be oh-so-easy to accidentally misfuel your diesel tank with gasoline. Filling a  fuel tank  is such an ordinary and mundane task, that just a moment’s inattention (did you really need to read that text message?) can cause you to grab the wrong nozzle and pump away. Bad enough if you realize the mistake right away and can get the car towed to a car dealership or independent repair shop to have the tank drained- a $500-$1,000 expensive nuisance. But what if you don’t even realize the mistake and end up driving away with a tank full of gasoline? Chances are you won’t get very far, perhaps just a mile or so. That’s when the diesel in the fuel line gives way to the fresh batch of gasoline on the way from the tank, and the engine starts to run â€Å"funny.† Of course, it all depends on how much diesel remained in the tank before the gasoline was added, and how new and sophisticated the diesel engine is. How Much Gas Does It Take to Harm a Diesel Engine In a 2007 or newer  Ã¢â‚¬Å"clean diesel† engine, any amount of gasoline will probably damage the sensitive emissions control components (DPF,  OxyCat, and  SCR) and system. In older engines with much less sophisticated emissions systems, a lightly diluted (say 90 percent diesel/10 percent gasoline) mix would likely pass through with little or no detriment. It might simply cause reduced engine power, perhaps a bit more noise, and possibly a sharp warning from the emissions sensors that detect something other than pure diesel exhaust. It’s a high concentration of gasoline that spells real trouble. Whether a modern clean common rail diesel (CRD) or an old indirect injection unit, burning straight gasoline or highly diluted diesel fuel will almost certainly result in catastrophic damage to the mighty  diesel engine. Dos and Don’ts If you are fortunate enough to discover you were pumping gasoline rather than diesel before driving away, here are the dos and don’ts. DO NOT  start the engine, even just to move the car from the pumps.DO NOT  turn the ignition on, even just to unlock the steering wheel. This could activate an electric fuel pump and feed tainted fuel into the engine injectors.  DO  tell the station attendant you cannot move the car and pay for the fuel dispensed.DO  call your roadside service provider and request a tow to either the vehicle’s brand dealership or an independent repair shop.DO  have the fuel tank drained and receive confirmation that the contaminated fuel was limited to the fuel tank. If you don’t notice the  mis-fueling error until the car has been driven, stop as soon as it is safe and call your roadside service provider to request a tow. Unfortunately, the price to repair the damage will be very expensive and this is a situation that  will not  be covered by your automaker’s warranty. What Gas Does to a Diesel The problem is multifaceted. It is a function of the completely different burn characteristics of the fuels (volatile and explosive gasoline versus high flash point diesel fuel), and the peculiarities of engine design in regards to how fuel is ignited (spark ignition  versus  compression ignition). Gasoline is formulated to resist auto-ignition in a spark engine (depending on the octane), so this fuel introduced into a diesel engine either won’t ignite or will more likely ignite at the wrong time causing severe  detonation- literally a shock wave throughout your cylinder. Though diesel engine  reciprocating components- pistons, wrist pins, and connecting rods- are built to withstand enormous explosive force, the shock wave effects of uncontrolled detonation can easily destroy them. If by chance major engine damage is avoided, there are other serious consequences. Diesel fuel itself acts as a lubricant  for the fuel pump and delivery system as well as the  valve train. Running thin, low viscosity gasoline through a diesel fuel system would starve it for lubrication and cause those sensitive components to rub together, eventually destroying them. Additionally, the entire fuel system will have been affected. That means the fuel pump, fuel filter, and  fuel injectors will likely need replacement. In the worst-case scenario, it might be cheaper to just replace the engine and components. Good News for Newer Diesel Vehicles Gasoline vehicle fuel filler openings were made smaller in diameter beginning in the early 1980s. This was in response to the mandatory use of unleaded fuel to protect  catalytic converters  and the negative effects of lead to human health. That’s why the smaller diameter gas filler nozzle fits into the larger filler opening of diesel cars. Then in 2009, BMW launched its clean  diesels  in the U.S. with a â€Å"mis-fueling protection device,† essentially a gas cap replacement with a diameter specific to diesel nozzles, as standard equipment. Audi followed in 2011 with a similar device, and beginning with 2013 vehicles, Volkswagen redesigned its fuel fillers to accept only diesel fuel. Today, nearly every diesel vehicle- car or pickup- will only accept diesel fuel. What Diesel Fuel Does to a Gasoline Engine Fortunately, this one is almost impossible (notice we said almost) to ignore, since the larger diesel filler nuzzle won’t fit in a narrow gasoline filler neck. But if you do manage to get diesel fuel in your gasoline tank, the engine will probably not even start, and if it does, it’ll run terribly and probably smoke like a chimney. Engine damage will most likely be minimal to none, but a thorough and expensive fuel system flush will certainly be in order. This article was edited and updated by Larry E. Hall

Family law Scenario analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Family law Scenario analysis - Essay Example Family law Task 1 - Using relevant statutory provisions and case law, analyse scenario 1: Assess the legal validity of any possible claim against Gail’s estate and applying legal provisions, illustrate how her estate would be disposed of. Task 2 - Using relevant statutory provisions and case law, analyse scenario 2: Identify any possible claimants on Peggy’s estate under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 and assess the likelihood of success each claimant would have in receiving a payment from the estate. Task 3 - In relation to the two scenarios, critically comment upon the ability of the law to interfere with a testator/testatrix’s last wishes. Task 1 In order to check the legal validity of any claim against the estate of Gail, it would be necessary to refer primarily to the will that Gail prepared. In terms of the will’s validity, no doubts can exist. In accordance with the s9 of the Wills Act 1837 ‘no will shall be valid unless it is in writing and signed by the testator or by some other person in his presence and by his direction’. The will of Gail is signed by her; the text of the will contains the phrase ‘Signed by the said Testator,†¦, in the presence of us’, a phrase that verifies the fact that the will was signed before the witnesses, so no doubt in regard to the will’s validity exists. In other words, the will of Gail is valid being aligned with the relevant provisions of the law, as described above. At the next level, the text of the will should be reviewed for judging whether Gail assets would be distributed in accordance with the will, or whether her estate will fall under intestacy. In other words, it should be made clear whether the will has been revoked or not. Gail prepared the will in December 2010. At that time, Gail had already taken a divorce from Brian, as assumed by the fact that when Martin proposed to her, the processes of the divorce were over. It should be mentioned that after the divorce, Gail bought a house the value of which has been estimated to ?225,000. Also, in July 2010, Gail had inherited a sum of ?150,000 from her father. In other words, the value of Gail’s estate, i.e. the inherited assets, can be estimated to ?375,000. In terms of the will’s validity, the following issues should be mentioned: in accordance with the UK law, a will is automatically revoked if a marriage takes place (s 18(1) of Wills Act 1837). This means that the will of Gail could be possibly considered as revoked. The section 18(3) of the 1837 Act notes that the will may not be revoked after the marriage in case that the testator has made clear within the will that he is going to marry to a particular person and that he wishes that the will remains effective after the marriage. Gail added such term within her will, without, however, specifying the person that she was going to be married. In this context, her will should be considered as revoked. As a result, those who were entitled under the will would receive nothing, with reference particularly to Gail’s best friend, Claire Peacock, but also Blanche Tilsley. The gifts which were, in accordance with the will, would be given to the above persons, will be incorporated in Gail’s estate and will be distributed using the intestacy rules and the right of the surviving spouse. As for David and Sharah, who were also mentioned in the will, they will not inherit the rest of Gail’s esta te, but they will share, along with Nicholas, the remaining part of the estate of ?62,500, after deducting the right of the surviving spouse, as described below. At this point it should be mentioned that Sharah would not inherit since she dies in the car accident, along with Gail; however, Sharah has a daughter, Bethany, who would inherit as the grand daughter of Gail. Under these terms, the estate of Gail would be distributed among the beneficiaries, using the Administration of Estates Act 1925, as containing the rules related to the surviving spouse rights, and the Law Reform (Succession Act) 1995, which includes the

Moral Obligation by Bentham Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Moral Obligation by Bentham - Essay Example According to Bentham, "Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as determine what we shall do." (Moore, "Moral and Political Philosophy", p. 282). How a person perceives such obligations to be accepted or rejected, depends upon the conditions it describes make it fair to adopt the stance or not. Moral obligations can be referred to those errands, which one considers to be an essential instance of personality to be adopted. It depends upon as to what extent one feels him socially responsible to be answerable to those instances. These instances show the extent of how much a person is humanistic in behaviour and shows that the conditions of rational power satisfy this constraint: that it is fair to hold people morally responsible if they possess the rational power to grasp and apply moral reasons, and to control their behavior by the light of those reasons. As far as my opinion is concerned I believe every individual in this society has a right to live and let live and not only live but live happily and contentedly which can only possible if one is aware as how to justify morality whatever be the circumstances, this morality teaches us as to how to least expect from the society and giving the society the best we possess in moral notions. When it comes to 'expectations', episodes of guilt, resentment, and indignation are the outcomes of our justifications. Once this interpretation of the reactive emotions is in place, we can draw on it to account for the stance of holding people morally responsible. That stance is characterized by the responses of blame and moral sanction; to understand the stance, we therefore need an interpretation of blame and morals. We should consider those facts that we believe society expects from us, rather than what we expect from society. Only in this case we would be able to fulfil our moral obligation toward s society, our country and above all, ourselves. Â  Euthanasia - Is it immoral to allow Euthanasia to a patient "Euthanasia is the deliberate production of the death of a human being on the grounds that in his situation it is considered that it is better that he should be dead than that he should continue to live". (Wilkinson, 1990, p. 10) Many thinkers and philosophers believe that Euthanasia is immoral. According to Rachels, "thinkers oppose killing patients in any circumstances whatever. However, they think it is all right, in some special circumstances, to allow patients to die by withholding treatment". If we view 'Euthanasia' in the light of philosophical rationalizations, we would come to know what Epicurus has tried to explain, "death is nothing to us. For all good and evil consists in sensation, but death is deprivation of sensation. And therefore a right understanding that death is nothing to us makes the mortality of life enjoyable, not because it adds to it an infinite span of time, but because it takes away the craving for immortality". (Moore, "Moral and Political Philosophy", p . 291) As said by Epictetus, "Some things are under our control, while others are not under our control". (Moore, "Moral and Political Philosophy", p. 293)

Southwest Airlines - External Environment Analysis Essay - 1

Southwest Airlines - External Environment Analysis - Essay Example This paper will look at the Five Force Model affecting the degree of competition as developed by Michael Porter and discuss the effect of each factor on the airline industry. We will also conduct a PEST analysis for Southwest Airlines as part of the airline industry. The Porter Five-Force Model Michael Porter put forth his Five Force Model in his groundbreaking work ‘Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors’ back in 1980. In the decades that followed, he has further explored the global business arena in terms of competition, the value chain, the competitive advantage of nations and even how to create and sustain superior performance in business. Porter maintains that the five forces that affect the level of competition among firms in an industry are (1) barriers to entry and exit; (2) threat of substitutes; (3) bargaining power of buyers; (4) power of suppliers and (5) existing rivalry between firms. In the same work, Porter has also anal yzed industries as falling into one of the following five groups: (a) Fragmented; (b) Emerging; (c) Mature; (d) Declining and (e) Global (Porter, 1980). In fact, Porter’s analysis serves as a good theoretical tool to supplement a firm’s PEST analysis, which we shall now conduct for the airline industry in general and Southwest Airlines in particular. Sources-barriers to entry and exit: The high cost of entry and exit in the airline industry globally include investment in equipment, infrastructure, buildings and facilities, an experienced workforce and aircraft maintenance and inspection, insurance, safety and security features. The high cost of aircraft and fuel is also affecting airline sustainability and the bottom line (Southwest website, 2012). Sources-threat of substitutes: Alternative choices for air passengers would include fast trains, buses, automobiles and even ferry services. However, nothing beats the convenience of an airplane. Terrorist threats, luggage r estrictions and safety and security checks can also scare passenger away (Porter, 1980). Sources-bargaining power of buyers: With the Passenger Protection Act in place to safeguard customers against price hikes, and insurance, safety and security measures that must be maintained at all times, and discount prices that are eagerly picked up by bargaining customers, this puts the buyers in the driving seat on many counts (David, 2011). Club memberships and frequent flyer miles may be offered to regular passengers to help retain their loyalty, and there are often possibilities of an upgrade to a higher class if seating is available.   Sources-power of suppliers: McDonnell Douglas and Airbus Industries are two of the most well-recognized aircraft manufacturing firms having a global recognition and reputation. Both of these firms take most of the world’s orders but there are also a number of smaller firms that make smaller and lighter aircraft for other purposes.

Autism is a developmental disorder of the brain

Autism is a developmental disorder of the brain What is Autism? Autism is a developmental disorder of the brain. People with autism have problems communicating or interacting socially with society. They also may have unusual patterns of behavior, interests and activities. There are five kinds of autism, which is why doctors use the term autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The three main types of autism include: Classic autism, Aspergers syndrome, Nonspecific pervasive developmental disorder (PDD-NOS) A group of children who dont quite fit the criteria for the other types. There are also two rare autism disorders: Rett syndrome a neurodevelopment disorder that affects mostly girls; it includes problems with movement and speech, along with autistic features. Childhood disintegrative disorder a severe type in which the child loses more physical, language and social skills than in classic autism. Autism used to be the term used for anyone with that particular condition. Today, there are several different sub categories for different levels of disability or function. No two children diagnosed will be the same, but there will be many things that they do have in common. With some high functioning autistics most people may not even be aware that they have autism, while others need assistance in almost any part of life, and they are obviously living a very different life than other children. More is being discovered about each of these different autism types as time goes on (Evans). Aspergers Disorder is a type of autism that you hear more and more about. These children are often misdiagnosed at first, and are thought to have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or perhaps Attention Deficit Disorder. These children are very unskilled with social interactions and have problems with communicating. They have repetitive motions, and are fixated on patterns of all types. They can have above average language skills, though they dont use them well in social situations. They are often clumsy, as motor skills are under developed. Those with Aspergers are thought to have a talent that they focus on almost exclusively, and are considered to be highly intelligent. Recent findings indicate that Albert Einstein may have had this condition (Evans). Kanners Syndrome is a particular type of autism that was named after Dr. Kanner. He described and studied it in the 1930s and into the 1940s. This is the well-known type of this condition that is very common. Those with Kanners have very limited emotional connection with anyone, and they are very into their own little world. They want everything to be the same all of the time, and this includes routine (sometimes down to the exact minute) clothing, food, and television shows or movies. They can be deeply affected by noises, bright lights and smells. They are generally considered to be low functioning, but how well their mind works is largely unknown because of extremely poor social and communication skills (Evans). Pervasive Developmental DisorderNot Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) is used to describe children who have most of the same symptoms as classic autism. They will need the same interventions and help that autistic children require. The differences between PDD-NOS and autism are minor and usually only obvious to researchers and doctors (Evans). Retts Syndrome is a rare and relatively little-known type of autism, and it seems to only happen in girls. This branch of autism was first described by Dr. Rett. These patients often have problems with muscle atrophy, and tend to do repetitive hand motions. They are almost always mentally retarded to some degree. These girls are very low functioning and will need care for most of their lives. This particular type of autism has been diagnosed since the sixties, but in the late 1990s a gene that might cause this condition was found (Evans). Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is also rare and something that strikes children who appear to have normal development from birth. Usually between two and four years of age this changes. These children begin to regress, and often do not potty train. They will lose the will and the ability to interact with other children, and will lose an interest in playing. They will also have problem with the motor skills that were something they at one time had mastered. They will stop talking, or their communication skills will regress to some degree (Evans). Signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are typically first seen in toddlers before the age of three, but only half of the children with it are diagnosed before kindergarten. Rett syndrome is caused by a mutation on a gene, while the cause of the other types of autism remain unknown. Some studies suggest that other forms of autism may be inherited (genetic), while other evidence points to infection or the effects of an environmental toxin (poison). Some doctors believe autism may result from a brain injury or brain abnormality that occurred during development in the womb or in early infancy. Others have reported evidence that the disorder is a result of abnormal levels of chemicals called neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, which send messages between cells in the brain and nerves. ASD affects about 2 to 6 out of 1,000 children, from all racial, ethnic and social backgrounds. It is three to four times more common in boys than in girls, with Rett syndrome being the exce ption (Wiki). Some of the diagnostic tests performed to see whether a child is autistic or not are: Behavioral assessments. Various guidelines and questionnaires are used to help a doctor determine the specific type of developmental delay a child has. These include: Medical history. During the medical history interview, a doctor asks general questions about a childs development, such as whether a child shows parents things by pointing to objects. Young children with autism often point to items they want, but do not point to show parents an item and then check to see if parents are looking at the item being pointed out. Diagnostic guidelines for autism. The American Association of Childhood and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) has established guidelines for diagnosing autism.2 The criteria are designed so a doctor can assess a childs behavior relating to core symptoms of autism. The criteria are designed for children age 3 and older. Other behavioral questionnaires. Additional diagnostic tests focus on children younger than age 3. Clinical observations. A doctor may want to observe the developmentally delayed child in different situations. The parents may be asked to interpret whether certain behaviors are usual for the child in those circumstances. Developmental and intelligence tests. The AACAP also recommends that tests be given to evaluate whether a childs developmental delays affect his or her ability to think and make decisions (WebMD). Some parents believe that the MMR vaccine (an immunization shot against measles, mumps, and rubella) children receive may cause autism. This theory was based on two facts. First, the incidence of autism has increased steadily since around the same time the MMR vaccine was introduced. Second, children with the regressive form of autism (a type of autism that develops after a period of normal development) tend to start to show symptoms around the time the MMR vaccine is given. Several major studies have found no connection between the vaccine and autism. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention report that there is no proven link between autism and the MMR vaccine, or any other vaccine. Some doctors believe the increased incidence in autism is due to newer definitions of autism. The term autism now includes a wider spectrum of children. For example, a child who is diagnosed with high-functioning autism today may have been thought to simply be odd or strange 30 years ago (Oasis). An early, intensive, appropriate treatment program will greatly improve the outlook for most young children with autism. Most programs will build on the interests of the child in a highly structured schedule of constructive activities. Visual aids are often helpful. Treatment is most successful when it is geared toward the childs particular needs. An experienced specialist or team should design the program for the individual child. A variety of therapies are available, including: applied behavior analysis (ABA), medications, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language therapy. Sensory integration and vision therapy are also common, but there is little research supporting their effectiveness. The best treatment plan may use a combination of techniques (Oasis). Autism remains a challenging condition for children and their families, but the outlook today is much better than it was a generation ago. At that time, most people with autism were placed in institutions. Today, with the right therapy, many of the symptoms of autism can be improved, though most people will have some symptoms throughout their lives. Most people with autism are able to live with their families or in the community. The outlook depends on the severity of the autism and the level of therapy the person receives.

Freedom :: essays research papers fc

Freedom? Kate Chopin's The Awakening is a story of Edna Pontellier, wife and mother. It is a novel about the choices one will makes to protect one's personal freedom. The story is based on a time in history when women did just what they were expected to do. They were expected to be good daughters, good wives, and good mothers. A woman was expected to move from the protection of her father's roof to the protection of her husband. Edna, our protagonist, doesn’t fit this mold. She searches to find her place in a constraining society, one that doesn’t allow for a woman to have freedom. Personal freedom is freedom from the confines of society, oneself, and finally freedom within one’s soul. As the book begins, Edna is a married woman who seems vaguely satisfied with her life, and cannot find true happiness. She is bound by the confines of a loveless marriage, unfulfilled, unhappy, and locked away like a caged bird. During her summer at Grand Isle she is confronted with herself in her truest nature, and she is swept away by passion and love for someone she cannot have, Robert Lebrun. She begins to realize that she can play roles other than wife and mother. We watch as she struggles to determine how to act on the things she is feeling, the eternal conflict she is dealing with. She wants to understand her need for personal freedom, a freedom that questions conventional demands of both men and women. We watch in the novel as Edna finds her freedom initially in the ocean. In the beginning she does not know how to swim, but she learns and through this learning feels what it is like to have freedom. In the water she is not captive and held down by the world around her. She sees she is capable of doing this on her own, that she is strong and powerful and independent. Edna’s self-discovery awakens her, and she is able to greet her own soul, a soul filled with passion, sexuality, and strength. The images of nature, which serve as a symbol for freedom of the soul, are brought about when Edna speaks of growing up on a Mississippi plantation where life was simple, blissful, and peaceful. Edna remembers life when she was young, engulfed in nature and freedom, â€Å"The hot wind beating in my face made me think-without any connection that I can trace-of a summer day in Kentucky, of a meadow that seemed as big as the ocean to the very little girl walking through the grass, which was higher than her waist.