Aboriginal Culture

The Indigenous aboriginal people are one of a kind they mostly reside in Australia both the mainland and the Island Tasmania. The Aboriginals were indigenous to the continent and has resided there since the late sass's. There are over 400 different tribes wealth the Aboriginal culture and they all have deferent dialects, and languages. Communication amongst the Aboriginal people is much different they use terms such as full blood or half caste meaning not of the same biological parents.Mainly they use terms within their specific tribe so that outsiders are not able to butt in on personal business. Terms like â€Å"Aborigine†, and â€Å"Aborigines† are of offense and are terms used in connection to harsh times of enslavement. It is disrespectful to mention a deceased person's name for up to two weeks after death following their cultural guidelines. Time orientation is not of great importance in Aboriginal culture as it is in Western civilization.The Aboriginal people use the position of the sun and he closeness of the season to tell time weather. Personal space is not of great importance either. Men usually address men and then are either invited or ask to address the woman. Social roles are very Important as the Aboriginals lead by elders, Elders lead the community and If Ill the entire village will participate In caring for the elder whether personal related or not. When entering a room it is respectful to address the elder first and then males and lastly females.Religion is based upon little God's. The Aboriginals believe that everything in life is made from the earth such as serpents used to create pathways for the people. Health beliefs are looked upon as any ill person is sick by sin. Their belief is that a person who has a disease is being punished by a God for some kind of sin committed. Health practices are preferred to be done holistically. Due to the fact that they believe everything is from the earth they also believe that the cure shal l come from the earth.Health Issues such as cardiovascular diseases, mental health, diabetes, cancers, and Injuries are mall health concerns within their culture. The dietary preferences for the Aboriginals are not of Importance because they are very poor and almost all foods come from the grubs and bushes. Foods like berries, fish. Nuts, and wild game are main course meals. Both the mainland and the island Tasmania. The Aboriginals were indigenous to the tribes within the Aboriginal culture and they all have different dialects, and address the woman.Social roles are very important as the Aboriginals lead by elders, Elders lead the community and if ill the entire village will participate in caring the earth they also believe that the cure shall come from the earth. Health issues such as cardiovascular diseases, mental health, diabetes, cancers, and injuries are main health concerns within their culture. The dietary preferences for the Aboriginals are not of importance because they a re very poor and almost all foods come from the grubs and bushes.

Only Connect Essays

Only Connect Essays Only Connect Paper Only Connect Paper Essay Topic: Literature The epigraph Only Connect that Forster has given to Howards End is certainly an appropriate one, as the impact of these two words is significant throughout the novel. Forster manages impressively not only to intertwine the lives of the characters, but also integrate the separate divisions of the social spectrum into the world of the novel. Throughout the novel a number of significant connections occur between the various characters. In the portrait of Margaret and Helen Schlegel and in the optimistic ending to the novel, Forster points readers towards a future of harmonious connection between the different elements in the world of the novel. This essay, however will argue that in fact the conflict that is presented in Howards End, outweighs the connections. The protagonist in Howards End who connects with a number of characters is Margaret Schlegel. Margaret is the chief representative of the Schlegel family, which signifies the idealistic, intellectual and cultural aspects of the English upper middle classes. For example, Margaret becomes acquainted with Mrs. Wilcox, a gentle, selfless, loving and strangely omniscient character. In contrast to Margaret, Mrs. Wilcox is clearly not intellectual. Margaret throws a luncheon for the ethereal, selfless Mrs. Wilcox. However, it is clear that Mrs. Wilcox feel uncomfortable amongst the guests. For example, it is made evident that her tastes were simple and her knowledge of culture slight. There was no common topic between Mrs. Wilcox and the guests. Unlike Margaret, Mrs. Wilcox is not interested in Art, Music, Journalism and Literature. Instead, Mrs. Wilcoxs life revolves around her husband and sons. Although Mrs. Wilcox is not a cultured lady, as is Margaret, and despite the failure of the luncheon, they still seem to share spiritual qualities which allow them to connect. This surprising friendship is Forsters attempt to bring the two main families of the novel into a union. He also wishes to bring together the two symbolic ideas that they represent. Mrs. Wilcox is a very different creature from her husband and children, replacing their materialistic hard-headedness with a kind of selfless, loving sensitivity to those around her. The readers recognize that Mrs. Wilcox tends to have an intuitive knowledge of the people around her. Mrs. Wilcox calls this an instinct which may be wrong. As their relationship develops, Mrs. Wilcox attempts to leave her home, Howards End, to Margaret. Although Mrs. Wilcox and Margaret are from different families with contrasting beliefs, they are clearly able to converse well with each other. For example, in Chapter 8 the two characters speak about superstitions. It is apparent that Margaret and Mrs. Wilcox do share some similarities. For instance, Mrs. Wilcox tells her companion about the wych-elm tree in Hertfordshire Margaret tells Mrs. Wilcox that she loves folklore and all festering superstitions. There are obvious parallels between these characters, and this adds to the idea of a future of harmony. Even after the death of Mrs. Wilcox, it seems that her presence still remains within Margaret. A striking incident in which Margaret reveals Mrs. Wilcoxs existence is during her first visit to Howards End. Margaret sees an old woman who was descending, with figure erect and with a face impassive. This woman, Mrs. Avery, mistakes Margaret for being Mrs. Wilcox. Mrs. Avery stated that Margaret had Mrs. Wilcoxs way of walking. Some readers might find this way of expressing the spiritual connection rather unconvincing. For instance, the incident at Howards End, can be thought to be too supernatural sounding. However, Foster is knowingly and wittily asking the reader to stretch their sympathetic connection with Margaret to the extent that they can feel with her, the presence of Mrs. Wilcox. Forster is seducing the reader into accepting something which is irrational and something that would be rejected by commonsense. In Mrs. Wilcox, there is an acceptance of a Margaret-like mentality as opposed to a Henry-like mentality. This supernatural aura is also presented in Chapter 18. Mrs. Wilcox strayed in and out, ever welcome ghost; surveying the scene, thought Margaret, without one hint of bitterness. This suggests that Mrs. Wilcox approved of Margaret and Henry being together. It portrays the spiritual connection between Margaret and Mrs. Wilcox. The most explicit expression of the theme of only connect occurs at the beginning of chapter 22. This is an essential chapter, as it allows the readers to grasp the concept of only connect: Margaret greeted her lord with peculiar tenderness on the morrow. Mature as he was, she might yet be able to help him to the building of the rainbow bridge that should connect the prose in us with passion. Without it we are meaningless fragments, half monks, half beasts, unconnected arches that have never joined into a man. In this chapter, Margarets task in helping Mr. Wilcox to achieve internal harmony is defined: Only Connect! That was that whole of her sermon. Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted and human love will be seen at its highest. Live in fragments no longer. Only connect, and the beast and monk, robbed of the isolation that is life to either, will die (chapter 22). Margaret has an overall venture throughout the novel to unify the unseen with the seen, and therefore create balance. Yet the greatest challenge to this project comes in the form of her eventual husband, Henry Wilcox. After the death of Mrs. Wilcox, Margaret grows very fond of her husband Henry Wilcox. She wishes to change the male mannerism in his character, of panic and emptiness. Margarets attempt to change Henry can be said to be a noble, heroic aim. Margaret starts to do this when she cultivates Henry. While Margaret never forgot anyone for whom she had once cared; she connected and she hoped that some day Henry might do the same. The well-known critic, FR Leavis rather objects to the plausibility of Margaret and Henrys relationship. I disagree: Forster does attempt to trace the development of Margaret and Henrys courtship. Forster suggests the plausibility of their relationship through the narration about Margarets father. It can be said that Margaret is aware that her fathers characteristics are reflected in Henry. For example, the fact that her father is able to change countries and ideals, relates to Mr. Wilcoxs spontaneous and impulsive qualities. This attracts her enormously to Henry. She admires Henrys male strength and soldier- like quality. It also seems appropriate that Margaret and Henry are both middle-aged, single people. Margaret also sympathises with the fact that Henry is needy without a wife. Her intentions to connect with Henry and make him connect are thus not so poorly motivated as Leavis thinks. However, although we might well sympathise with Margarets aims, it is unlikely that readers of Howards End will feel that Margaret will succeed in changing Henry. Henrys character contrasts enormously with Margarets. He is described as being obtuse, materialistic and money-orientated. The way in which Henry deals with Leonard Bast is definitely contrary to the way in which Margaret deals with him. Henrys association with Leonard conflicts enormously with Margarets beliefs. Henry deals casually with Leonard Bast and does not show any sympathy for him when his employment situation becomes disastrous. It is obvious that Henry does not see a personal connection with Leonard Bast. Henry even forgets who Leonard Bast is, contrary to Margarets aim. Margaret later tries to show Henry that he must forgive Leonard and Helen for their sexual encounter. According to Henry it is wrong to have pre-marital sex. However, he has had extra-marital sex with Jackie Bast, and so if Margaret is willing to forgive him, then surely Margaret feels he should be equally willing to forgive Leonard and Helen. She is suggesting that Henry only utilises one area of his emotions and thought, as he is too arrogant and self-protective to forgive. Henry prefers not to connect, so then he does not have to face the consequences and the reality of his actions. It is a case of ignorance being bliss. While he needed the support from Margaret when he had been exposed, he is unwilling to succour another, and so Margaret is attempting to sever his isolation and halt his detachment from reality. Margaret tells her partner; You shall see the connection if it kills you, Henry! A man who ruins a woman for his pleasure, and casts her off to ruin other men These men are you. You cant recognise them, because you cannot connect. Some readers think that what happens at the end of the novel is that through connecting with Henry, Margaret succeeds in undermining Henrys defences. However, it is rather the indirect influence of Margarets connection of Henry and Charles to the Basts that really brings about Henrys change. Henry eventually must face the discovery that his son, Charles, has caused the death of Leonard Bast, and Charles must serve time in prison. Henry is a broken man, but Margaret undertakes his care. Henry undergoes a breakdown and finally recognises that his values were at fault. His obtuseness and ignorance converts into humbleness and awareness. Henry eventually is reconciled to Helen. She and her illegitimate child join Margaret and Henry at Howards End, where peace and stability are enjoyed. It is here when these connections and reconciliation are imposed to provide a source of hope for harmony in the future. In this ending Forster is clearly trying to portray the possibility of a unified Edwardian England. Forster has earlier prepared for the climactic scene of harmony and connection by his scene of reconciliation between Margaret and Helen, the past sanctifying the present. Foster thus illustrates the restoration of the family unit, and here too attempts to convey an impression of inner-harmony and connection between the characters. The situation of the living circumstances at the end of the novel can be said to present harmony. A harmony is achieved at Howards End, as it is inhabited by Margaret, Henry, Helen and the Bast love child. The Bast child can represent a new connected class, a mixture of bourgeoisie and bohemian upper class. It is the characters aptitude to forgive, and so embrace the other that allows them to connect. This is suggested in the relationships between Margaret and Mrs. Wilcox and Margaret and Helen. However this is a mannerism not possessed by Henry until the end of the novel. This explains the reasons for his narrow-minded treatment of Leonard Bast. Not only do various connections or relationships in Howards End predict a future of harmony, but Forster attempts to convey this impression through the ambience of the novel. The continuity in national life appears clearly in the description of the Dorset Coast at the end of chapter 19. The vision of England as a ship of souls, with all the brave worlds fleet accompanying her towards eternity, is a passage which certainly embodies the ideals of harmony and continuity, untarnished by provinciality or jingoism. Forsters use of tone and visionary language positively creates an atmosphere of peace and harmony. A number of ideas in the book are shaped under a Romantic belief that internal order can occur through love, thus attempting to represent the notion of a reconciliation of opposites, through Romantic tendencies. For example, the Romantic idea of the healing and comforting powers of nature is conveyed through Leonards walk. In chapter fourteen, Leonard tells the Schlegel sisters of his connection with nature. The conversation between Leonard and the sisters is clearly enlightening. The characters are all involved in a situation which interests them. The sisters encourage the conversation with phrases such as Yes, go on. Their curiosity is evident when Margaret asks Yes, but the wood. This ere wood. How did you get out of it? However, the love connection between Margaret and Henry, is not truly believable. For example, nowhere in the book is true love really moulded, but instead love based upon the desire to improve and to belong. This is portrayed through their marriage, which seems to occur out of convenience. It is in fact the conflict between the characters which seem more realistic, thus Margaret and Helen separate through conflicts between the families. Henry Wilcox is disgusted when discovering that Helen has fallen pregnant. He does not wish to have a fallen girl staying at Howards End and he does not deny this to Margaret. Henry informs his son, Charles of the situation. In Chapter 39 Charles immediately consults Tibby Schlegel, Helens younger brother. Tibby admits that it was Leonard Bast who would be the father of Helens baby. The Wilcoxes anger leads to the death of Leonard Bast. This incident indubitably predicts a future of conflict The ending of the novel, Forsters attempt to redeem the possibility of connection, is in fact unbelievable and implausible. The final situation in Howards End presents an unrealistic harmony. Forster has made an ending that is too rushed and too optimistic. Readers will question whether it is truly possible for Helen to live beside Mr. Wilcox. It is because of the Wilcox family that Helens lover is now dead. Her baby will have to be raised as a bastard, because there will be no chance of them getting married. It is unrealistic that Helen would forgive the Wilcox family for allowing what happened to Leonard Bast. Leonard will not be able to be a representative of the Bast family. It is likely that Helen will always hold some sort of abhorrence for the Wilcoxes because of her lovers death. It is almost impossible to see that the Bast child will live contentedly beside the Wilcox family, knowing that they are the reason that he is a bastard. The readers also see no sign of Jacky Bast at the end of the novel. Surely it is not credible that Forster has not included this important figure in the end of his novel? The impression of an incurable gender conflict between Henry and the Schlegel sisters is emphasised all the more in the other characters. In fact, Forster portrays almost all the male characters in his novel negatively. The men are possessive and chauvinistic characters made of panic and emptiness as suggested by Margarets sister Helen. Chapter 25 contains a scene in which the clear conflict between men and women is portrayed. Margaret is determined to go back to the place where the car she was travelling in was thought to have hit a dog. Margaret exclaims Do please stop! I want to go back, please. However, Charles took no notice. The other characters told Margaret that The men are there, The men will see to it. This reaction emphasizes how it was commonly thought that the men should take care of all important business and that the women should merely submit to them and do what they are told. After the demanding way that Charles and Mr. Wilcox act toward the women, the narration includes Ladies sheltering behind men, men sheltering behind servants-the whole systems wrong, and she must challenge it. On page 214, Charles speaks of the incident that occurred. He states Miss. Schlegel had lost her mind, as any woman might. The male dominating character underlines his stereotypical view of women as he speaks of them as being over dramatic and foolish. Despite Forsters optimistic ending, scenes like this strongly suggest that the gender differences in the early twentieth century, are likely to cause a future of conflict and disagreement. Forsters vivid and emphatic presentation of the differences within the families, very much goes against the possibility of harmony. He places a large emphasis on the difficulty in connecting due to the families different backgrounds. For example, the pragmatic Wilcox family are materialistic and very much money-orientated. They represent the solid English work ethic and conventional social morality. They are involved greatly in the business environment. On the other hand, the idealistic Schlegel family are more spiritual and cultured. The upper class family appreciate Edwardian culture such as the Arts and literature and music. The Basts, headed by a lower-middle class insurance clerk are impoverished. Leonard Bast desperately hopes that books will save him from social and economic desolation. Their differences in interests present a huge and eventually immovable obstacle in connecting with each other. Moreover, Forster does not deal with people across the whole social spectrum in his novel. If only connect is going to be associated with England, then it is unfair to make a prediction of the future of England upon reading Howards End. Forster does not look upon the whole of England. He avoids looking at people of great wealth such as aristocrats and upper class, and although he includes Leonard Bast, he does not look at the vast numbers of the working class people at all. When reading Howards End, readers are aware of the conflicts and connections between the families. Through many relationships within the novel, people are able to connect and share interests. They are also able to share ideas and beliefs with one another. However, apart from these, too many disagreements occur. These broad fault-lines between groups of people are very evident in the novel, and Forster does little to persuade us they can be healed. They are crystallised in the situation between Henry and Margaret. It is clear that Henry is afraid of emotion. His motto is concentrate, while Margarets is only connect. This difference in attitudes creates an irreconcilable tension in the novel. They are very different people who represent extremely different ideas. The difference between concentrating and only connecting is the difference between Margaret and Henry; it is the difference between the Schlegels and the Wilcoxes, and the primary conflict in Howards End. Through this argument, it can be concluded that the sense of conflict outweighs the attempt to present the Schlegels, Wilcoxes and Basts as connected. Forster is very much similar to the way that Margaret thinks. Forster tends to be biased towards Margarets ideas and beliefs. It can be said that Forster and Margaret share the same aphorism; Only Connect. Although Margaret encourages connection, the hope for harmony seems doubtful. The attempted connections prove unsuccessful. Most significantly, the connection between Leonard Bast and the Schlegels, finally results in his death and Forsters contrived and sketchy harmonious conclusion cannot rescue the argument. Rather what is stressed is the divided nature of Edwardian England and a future of conflict. Bibliography utm.edu/~lalexand/brnovel/forster.html musicandmeaning.com/forster/

How to Get a Copy of Your High School Diploma 2 Scenarios

How to Get a Copy of Your High School Diploma 2 Scenarios SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you need a copy of your high school diploma and are wondering how to get it? Perhaps you need your diploma for a job or college, but you can’t find your original copy. High school diplomas can be required for a variety of reasons, and it’s important to have a copy of yours on hand. This guide will go over each step you need to follow in order to get a copy of your high school diploma, whether you graduated recently or years ago. Why Do You Need a Copy of Your High School Diploma? Simply put, a high school diploma provides proof that you completed high school and (hopefully!) have all the knowledge and skills that go along with that accomplishment. A diploma shows which school you graduated from, when you graduated, and may also include awards or honors you received. Many places may be interested in seeing a copy of your high school diploma in order to make sure you have knowledge and skills needed to do certain jobs or continue your education. Some colleges and technical schools require you to submit a high school diploma copy before you enroll in order to make sure that you meet the school’s education requirements. Most colleges only require your high school transcript, but some may also want to see a copy of your diploma as well. Each individual college decides what to require in their application, but online schools are often more likely to require a copy of your diploma since they won't meet you in person and want to make sure you are qualified to enroll in their school. Certain jobs may also require you to submit a copy of your high school diploma when you apply to make sure you completed the education you said you did and have certain skills or knowledge needed for the job. Also, sometimes you may simply want your high school diploma for your own personal use, or because your mom wants to hang it on the wall. How to Get a Copy of Your High School Diploma Most high school graduates receive a copy of their high school diploma shortly after graduation; however, for whatever reason, you may not have gotten a copy, or you may have misplaced it. Below are two scenarios; follow the guidelines for the one that best describes your situation in order to learn how to request and receive a copy of your high school diploma. Scenario 1: You Know Your High School’s Contact Information If you have contact information for your high school (this includes an e-mail address, phone number, or physical address), then you're in luck because it should not be too difficult for you to get a copy of your diploma. First, contact your school, tell them that you are trying to get a copy of your high school diploma, and ask them how you can do that. If you aren’t sure which person you should speak to, contact the school’s main office, and they should be able to direct you from there. Once you contact your school, the process for getting a copy of your diploma is usually pretty straightforward. You may have to prove your identity by sending a copy of your ID or telling them information such as your date of birth or social security number. You may also have to pay a small fee (typically a few dollars) for a copy of your diploma to be sent to you. If you know your school's contact information, getting a copy of your diploma could be just a phone call away. Scenario 2: You Can’t Contact Your School or Your School Closed Down Your school likely has multiple methods of contact, including a school website, e-mail address, phone number, and physical address. However, sometimes you simply can’t get in contact with your school and have to try another method of getting your diploma. This may also be the case if your high school has closed down. Typically, the best thing to do in this case is to contact your former school district or the education department for the state where your high school is or was located. If you attended a public high school, contact the district office for the district your school used to belong to. Search "school district [your school’s district number] [state you live in]" to find your district’s contact information. This should bring up a phone number and e-mail address for the district. You can also search for your school district at the National Center for Education Statistics website. From there, you can contact the district and tell them you are trying to get a copy of your high school diploma. The district will still have student records for each high school that belonged to it, and they should be able to get you a copy of your diploma. If you can’t find your school’s district, the district no longer exists, or you went to a private high school, contact your state’s Department of Education. The Department of Education will have records for current and past high schools, and they should be able to put you in contact with someone who can help you get your diploma. Be ready to give them your name, the name of your high school, the town your school is or was located in, and the year you graduated. If you attended a private high school, you can also search for its records and contact information on the National Center for Education Statistics page for private schools. After you enter some information about your school, such as its name and location, the site should be able to retrieve contact information you can use. They may provide ways of contacting your school directly or give contact information for a place that stores student records. The majority of college applicants are high school seniors, and most of the college application advice out there is aimed at them. But what do you do if you don't fall into this narrow category? Our eBook on how to prepare for and apply to college as a nontraditional student will walk you through everything you need to know, from the coursework you should have under your belt to how to get letters of recommendation when you're not a high school senior. Does the Diploma Need to Be Sealed? Occasionally, a school or employer will request that you send them a sealed copy of your diploma. What this means is that the diploma will be placed inside a sealed envelope that is usually stamped or otherwise marked with your school’s stamp or seal. If you need to send a sealed copy, don’t open the envelope you get the diploma in before you send it! If you do, the diploma will no longer be considered sealed and may not fulfill the school's or employer’s requirements. The diploma itself will look exactly the same whether it’s sealed or unsealed. Sealing the diploma is a way for the recipient to know that it is genuine and wasn’t tampered with. Places that require a sealed diploma are usually trying to be extra sure that the diplomas applicants are sending them are legitimate. If you are required to send a sealed diploma, be sure to mention this when you order your copy. This is usually not a problem for your school to do, although they may be a small additional fee for sealing the diploma. If you need to get a sealed copy of your diploma, it may be a good idea to request a regular copy of your diploma as well so that you have a copy you can keep for yourself. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. What If You Can't Get Your Diploma? What if you’ve tried all the above steps but still can’t get a copy of your diploma? The most likely reason you can’t get your diploma is because you were unable to contact your high school. Before proceeding with this section, make sure you have tried all methods of contact: searching for your school online, asking former classmates if they know how to contact the school, or even stopping by the school itself if you’re nearby and it is still open. If you absolutely cannot get a copy of your diploma and need one to apply to a job or school, you should talk directly to a person involved in the hiring or admissions process to figure out what your options are. One possibility is to substitute your high school transcript for your diploma. If you have a copy of your transcript or are able to get one, it may be able to serve as a replacement for your diploma. This is especially true if it’s the final version of your transcript, created after you graduated because it will list every high school class you took and will often contain a note that you graduated. The process of getting your high school transcript is similar to the process of getting a copy of your diploma, and we’ve created a step-by-step guide for you to follow to get your transcript. Some schools, particularly if you graduated a while ago, may not give duplicate copies of your diploma and will instead send you a copy of your final high school transcript. In general, this should be fine, but you may want to verify with the school or employer you are sending it to in order to make sure that works for them. If you can’t get a copy of either your diploma or high school transcript, there are a couple of possible solutions. You could ask one of your former teachers to write a letter stating when you graduated, you could submit relevant coursework you completed, or you could submit standardized test scores in place of a diploma. Some places are very strict with their requirements while others are more flexible, so some of these options may not always work. Ask about the school or employer's policies before you try one of these substitutions. In any case, what you should definitely not do is try to make or buy a fake high school diploma. Not only is this illegal, but you will almost certainly be fired or expelled if it’s discovered that you fabricated documents. The best thing to do if you can't get a copy of your diploma is to explain the situation to the person requesting your diploma and ask what advice they have. Summary A high school diploma is proof that you graduated from high school, and you may need to provide a copy of it in order to apply to certain jobs or schools. The easiest way to get your diploma is to contact your former high school and ask them what the process for this is. They should be able to direct you to the next steps. If you can’t contact the school itself, try contacting the school district or Department of Education for your state. They will likely be able to give you contact information or have the records themselves. If you have tried to get a copy of your high school diploma without success, talk to a person at the workplace or school you are applying to and see if they have any suggestions, such as substituting your transcript or relevant coursework for your diploma. What's Next? Want to know more about high school transcripts? Our guide explains what transcripts are, what information they include, and why they can be one of the most important parts of your college or job applications! Wondering where to go to college? We have a step-by-step guide that will help you choose the best college for you. Not sure how to apply to college? We've broken down each step of the college application process for you to make sure you create your strongest application and maximize your chances of being accepted. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

The law of international commerce is subject to increasing Essay

The law of international commerce is subject to increasing harmonization - Essay Example One can trace the establishment of trade fairs, from the Frankfurt Book Fair to the Antwerp Cloth Fair, to the 1200’s to 1400’s, at which time producers and buyers would meet on a regular basis to exchange goods for currency or promissory notes. This safe passage was ensured by the increasing influence of kings and rulers, who were able to tame warring factions and create a system of tolls, laws and enforcement which did not exist during the Dark Ages. Although it was expensive to take a trade route (the Rhine, for example, had over 40 toll stations), the benefit of security outweighed the cost for those who had high-value goods and ready markets in other areas. Trade posed some specific problems which required harmonisation relatively early on. A couple of examples will suffice to explain how these problems arose, and how they were solved. If a trader, for example, were to go to the Frankfurt Book Fair in the Spring of 1450, he might want to find books for his patrons and residents of his home area (say, Tuscany and the de Medici’s). The trader, fearing the dangers of robbery on the roads, or perhaps just lacking the resources, does not take gold with him on the long, arduous journey from Tuscany to Frankfurt. Rather, he brings along letters of introduction from his patrons. In some cases, if the trader was rich enough or well-known, he could trade ‘on his reputation.’ In either case, when he arrived at the Book Fair, he brought documents with him. If our Tuscan trader visits a stall of, say, a Stuttgart bookmaker and decides to buy a few of his books, the bookmaker would like to be paid. Since the trader didn’t have gold or silver with him, he offered to pay the bookmaker with a promissory note. This method of payment led to a series of questions: (1) how do I (the Stuttgart bookmaker) know that this person is who he says he is? And (2) what

Heritage Tourism UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Heritage Tourism UK - Essay Example The heritage tourism’s main product issues include knowledge management and transfer, The danger of over-supply, Geographical concentration, Product standardization, competition, Dead, Changes in education, Forgotten and ignored themes, Soft heritage and hard heritage, The medium in relation to the message, Quality and customer satisfaction, Commercialization or conservation, Changing nature of the market, competition. The need for partnerships, popular culture and heritage, and Making the past relevant to the present and future (Sethi, P. 1999:213).The small tourism enterprises highly depend on knowledge manipulation (Nagle, G. 2002:128). A good number of willing clients will not visit the various heritage tourism sites unless they have information of its existence. The product role of marketing in tourism is to make the potential clients aware of the services that the company is offering. The product for tourism may include a bus tour, a hotel stay, a cruise and many others. The management, therefore, has a huge responsibility of making sure that the information gets to their clients. They attain this by creating awareness campaigns to lure the potential clients. They create awareness either through mass media or internet. However, the as the small-scale tourism enterprises venture into creating awareness, there is an alarm on oversupply which might lead to congestion of the sites (Timothy, 2011:214). The UK is rich in heritage, and the wide variety of its heritage attractions proves it. As time goes on, the mode in which heritage is presented to the visitors is becoming ever more predictable. A tourist could for example, walk into a museum and correctly predict what to expect. This has highly affected the small tourism enterprises as it reduces the number of potential clients. Quality and customer satisfaction are important in management in all industries. The quality of the services that the enterprises render to their clients plays a very big role in improving the industry (Graham,

Research Project Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Project - Research Paper Example They varied from tribe to tribe because of variation in design and materials used. The moccasins were mainly of two types; hard soled and soft soled moccasins. The moccasins were also decorated differently depending on the tribe that made them. A deep study of historical development of American dressing provides not only a colorful, but also a charming adventure into the past. To fully appreciate as well as enjoy this experience, some information about the dressing codes in addition to primitive life of people that resided in America will be expounded. Emphasis will be placed on the contributions of each people to the historical dressing in America. In addressing this, the paper will provide information on the contributions of the Indians to the development of American dress. Some Indian costumes will be used in providing information about the variety of design and materials. Thus, it worth noting and giving the Indian arts the recognition they deserve (Howell, 2010). For instance, it is evident that the history of American clothing cannot be complete without speaking of the Indian feather headdresses and moccasins. Feather mantles like the one worn by Tascalusa, chief of the Mobile tribe in early 1540, were made by Native Americans. These garments were also referred to as matchcoats, a word derived from Algonkian word, matshigode that meant cloak or mantle (Condra, 2013). Feather matchcoats used to be worn by both women and men during warm weather as a sign of social status. The matchcoats were made by â€Å"weaving feathers into a fiber net† (Condra, 2013, p.3). Turkey, swan, as well as duck feathers, could be used in making the mantle. In some areas, people weaved the heads of mallard ducks into the mantles. The mantles that were made from these materials were not only lightweight, but also warm and very beautiful (Condra, 2013). In relation to this, leaders of the Southern Indians wore distinctive feather headdresses like crowns

Conflicts of Interest in Auditing and Consulting

Conflicts of Interest in Auditing and Consulting Conflicts of interest: how can the provision of consulting and advisory services be consistent with the requirements of auditor independence? One of the key issues identified as a cause of the Enron scandal is that the company managed to provide misleading financial information to investors and analysts over a period of several years, indicating around $100 billion of annual revenues. However, once the accurate numbers emerged showing the state of the company’s balance sheet, lenders withdrew their funding; the SEC increased the pressure on the company; and the company went bankrupt in less than two months. Sloan et al (2002) argue that the only way to avoid such incidents happening is to discourage companies from producing dishonest numbers, whilst making auditors afraid of certifying anything which could be seen as misleading. In general, the principle of auditor independence should mean that auditors are vigorous and unrelenting in their verification of accounting data. However, in the case of Enron, the auditors: Arthur Andersen, were signing off significant amounts of accounting data from their own consulting arm, who were providing Enron with consulting and advisory services. As such, there was likely physical evidence that Arthur Andersen’s auditors ignored several material accounting violations caused by both Enron and Arthur Andersen’s consultants. Unfortunately, it is difficult to prove this evidence given that all documents related to Enron were shredded by the auditors as soon as the scandal came to light, making it difficult to be certain around the extent of the complicity or the conflicts caused by Arthur Andersen providing Enron with substantial amounts of consulting services, at the same time as signing off company accounts which were later found to be almost completely inaccurate (Sloan et al, 2002). As a result of this, the legislation governing publicly listed companies in the United States was rapidly tightened through the Sarbanes-Oxley, or SOX, Act; which was intended to boost investor confidence. This legislation was based on the argument that a stock market is formed from a collection of share issuing firms; individual and institutional investors; and a body of accountants, lawyers and analysts. As such, the SOX Act was intended to ensure that each of these groups regained their own confidence in the system, and also confidence in each other. As such, the Act focused on promoting transparency and understandable data from the viewpoint of the final users of accounting data, rather that the provider (Kalafut, 2003). The main method by which SOX attempts to minimise and avoid conflicts of interest within the firm is by requiring corporations to establish corporate auditing committees; which are responsible for dealing with the auditors. This is because, previously, if auditors had any queries around the content of the financial statements, they had to seek out the management personnel responsible for generating the data. This meant that the managers could potentially shape the auditor’s interpretation of the information, particularly if the auditing company were also providing consulting or advisory services as occurred at Enron. In such an instance, the advisory staff may well themselves have exerted influence over their own auditors to ensure that the information was treated in a way that is favourable to the consultants, and not in a way that provided a true representation of the actual situation and data. The audit committee is supposed to avoid this by ensuring that the auditors only communicate with the committee members, who are all independent from the management of the firm, and hence can look at any advisory services provided by the auditor with an independent and critical eye (Lansing and Grgunch, 2004). As a result, the act also recommends that one of the audit committee members should be a financial expert with a good knowledge of accounting principles and financial statements from a firm or firms in similar industries. This allows the committee to accurately discern the true nature of any financial instruments, such as the off balance sheet financing and other special purpose entities used by Enron to cover up its financial difficulties. This will also be vital if an auditing firm is providing significant non auditing services, as they may well use their auditing experience to advise their client on how best to structure their business to present it more favourably from an a ccounting point of view. Financial experts on the audit committee will have similar experience, and hence will be able to help the auditors make a fair assessment of the true nature of any creative accounting. The other main part of the SOX Act which is designed to minimise any conflicts between the provision of consulting services and advisory services is that the penalties for being caught have been increased dramatically. In particular, the Act has increased the penalties which any CEOs and CFOs found guilty of violating any provisions of the Act would face. As part of this, CEOs and CFOs now have to sign off on the audited accounts and other statements that their companies file with the SEC, and will thus be held responsible if they certify statements which contain any false or misleading information. CEOs and CFOs who do so could face fines of up to $5,000,000 and potentially imprisonment for up to 20 years. As such, this places a significant responsibility on CEOs and CFOs, who are typically the board members responsible for appointing auditors and any advisory services, to ensure that there is no conflict of interest between the auditing and advisory services provided. With all this regulation, one would expect that the disadvantages of auditors providing their audit clients with other services would be so great that many companies would not even consider it. However, it is important to note that there are some benefits which can be obtained within the current legal and regulatory framework. For one, Marks (2007) argues that auditors’ in depth knowledge of their clients’ and comparable firms’ accounts can allow them to advise firms on their governance processes, efficiency and other aspects of their financial performance and how to improve them. In addition, audit firms will be better able to advise firms how to legally avoid as much tax as possible, whilst avoiding anything which could be considered tax evasion. This is particularly important in the modern business world, where the removal of exchange controls and trade barriers makes tax avoidance more possible than ever before, but also provides significant potential for com panies to fall foul of one or more of the tax regimes in which they operate (Sikka and Hampton, 2005). This helps to explain why many auditing firms also have large tax practices, as well as advisory services. In contrast, the only real disadvantage of a company providing both audit and other services is the potential for regulatory violations and conflicts of interest. Of these, the potential regulatory violations were immediately seized on by the US Congress following the Enron scandal, as it emerged that Enron paid Arthur Andersen $25 million in auditing fees, but a further $23 million in fees for other consulting work. However, it was the potential for conflicts of interest which emerged as the strongest disadvantage, with many corporate boards worrying that continuing to buy consulting services and auditing services from the same firms would damage investor confidence, and lead to a drop in share prices (Kahn, 2002). As a result, of the Big Four accounting firms currently in the market: Deloitte, Ernst and Young, PWC and KPMG; PWC stopped providing consulting services to audit clients; Ernst and Young sold it consulting business and KPMG and Deloitte both divested of their consulting businesses throughout 2001 and 2002 (Kahn, 2002). This meant that none of the Big Four auditors, which together audited around 90% of the major companies in the US and UK, provided any substantial consulting services following the Enron scandal, although they did continue to provide tax and some transactions advisory services. However, by 2003 Deloitte had reversed its decision, and brought the consulting business back into the overall business, which then comprised auditing, tax accounting, corporate finance and consulting. This decision was taken in spite of industry concern around conflicts of interest and the provisions of the SOX Act, in the belief that Deloitte could provide its clients with the advantages of i ntegrated professional and accounting services, whilst avoiding any of the potential regulatory concerns (Bryan-Low, 2003). Indeed, five years after the Enron scandal, Accountancy (2006) reported that the majority of accountancy firms, particularly the Big Four firms, have begun offering a wider range of services, and that the boundaries between these services are blurred, with inconsistent levels of disclosure. For example, PWC details specific revenues for audit, accounting and tax; however it also includes ‘advisory services’ in its revenues as an umbrella term for consultancy, corporate finance, and corporate recovery services. Also, whilst KPMG details separate categories including corporate finance, forensic accounting, transaction services and risk advisory services, the ‘risk advisory’ services are effectively the same as the consulting work offered by other accounting firms (Accountancy, 2006). This indicates that, even if the regulatory conflicts can be completely resolved, it will be difficult for shareholders to assess the true nature of their auditor’s revenue s, and hence the potential for any damaging conflicts of interest. Unfortunately, future steps to address any issues as a result of this are likely to be hampered by the fact that SOX is already proving a significant regulatory burden to publicly listed companies in the United States. In addition, Fisher and Quick (2004) claim that the true problem is not the conflict between auditing and other services, but the fact that the Big Four accounting firms are so dominant, auditing all of the FTSE 100 companies in the UK. With there being no true competition to the Big Four amongst their main clients, the market has come to resemble and oligopoly, and with many senior accountants at clients coming from the Big Four firms, there is a danger that former accountants working in senior management may simply favour their alumni firms when choosing auditors. Whilst this should be mitigated by the presence of the audit committee, minimising the impact of this ‘old boys’ network’ amongst the major accounting firms would go a long way towards r educing any potential conflicts of interest, and increasing the scrutiny given to the provision of additional services, particularly amongst the Big Four. In conclusion, and as the Enron scandal demonstrated, whenever an auditor of a publicly listed company also obtains significant revenues from providing their client with additional services, there is always the potential for a conflict of interest. In Enron’s case, this led to Arthur Andersen covering up significant losses which ultimately caused Enron to go bankrupt. The SOX Act should help to reduce this, by enforcing the use of an audit committee to prevent such conflicts, and increasing the pressure on executives to ensure that accounting data is fair. However, most of the major accounting firms continue to provide these services, hence the potential for conflict of interest remains. Possibly the only way to avoid this would be to attempt to break up the dominance of the Big Four, and create a more competitive market where the top firms have a wider choice of auditors, and hence can hold these auditors to higher standards of quality and transparency. References Accountancy (2006) Blurred boundaries. Accountancy; Vol. 137, Issue 1355, p. 35. Bryan-Low, C. (2003) Deloitte Chief Wrestles to Get Consultants Back in Firm. Wall Street Journal Eastern Edition; Vol. 242, Issue 33, p. C1-C7. Fisher, L. and Quick, C. (2004) The Big Four old boys club. Accountancy; Vol. 133, Issue 1327, p. 29. Kahn, J. (2002) Deloitte restates its case. Fortune; Vol. 145, Issue 9, p. 64-69. Kalafut, P. C. (2003) Communicate Value to Boost Investor Confidence. Financial Executive; Vol. 19, Issue 5, p. 28-29. Lansing, P. and Grgunch, C. (2004) The Sarbanes-Oxley Act: New Securities Disclosure Requirements in the United States. International Journal of Management; Vol. 21, Issue 3, p. 292-299. Marks, N. (2007) Internal Audits of Governance. Internal Auditor; Vol. 64, Issue 6, p. 31-32. Sikka, P. and Hampton, M. P. (2005) The role of accountancy firms in tax avoidance: Some evidence and issues. Accounting Forum; Vol. 29, Issue 3, p. 325-343. Sloan, A. Isikoff, M. Hosenball, M. and Thomas, R. (2002) The Enron Effect. Newsweek; Vol. 139, Issue 4, p. 34.