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“I had never realized what it means to destroy a healthy, conscious man.” In his essay A Hanging, George Orwell reveals his experience watching a hanging, as an imperial police in Burma. With these experiences, Orwell writes his essay with the purpose to censure capital punishment. Towards the end of the essay, the reader can question the idea of capital punishment and contemplate why or why not one human has the right to take another human’s life. Orwell’s belief that capital punishment is unjustifiable and a crime against humanity is supported through the use of diction, irony, and mood.
Get original essayThroughout his essay, Orwell’s diction reflects his changed attitude on the treatment and death of a prisoner after witnessing a hanging. Orwell begins his essay without showing any signs that he had feelings of disgust towards capital punishment or even questions it before the hanging. Rather, he was “waiting outside the condemned cells…” This reveals to the reader that Orwell was originally involved in the executions and had no issues with them before. However, after realizing the significance of “…the unspeakable wrongness, of cutting a life short,…” Orwell is overcome with a feeling of disgust. His feelings are remarked by the emotionally weighted word choice such as sodden, sickly, condemned, bare and silent. Words like sodden and sickly effectively reflect how Orwell feels since, they can describe the feeling of guilt or wrongness Orwell has after the hanging. The words have a negative connotation which, give the essay a bleak mood and reveal to the audience Orwell’s negative feelings toward capital punishment.
In addition to the emotion laden diction, Orwell uses irony to convey his feelings toward capital punishment. Irony is effectively used by contrasting the attitudes of the warders and the prisoner. When the prisoner is ready to be hanged, “Ram! Ram! Ram! Ram!” is chanted out by the prisoner with a sense that is “not urgent and fearful.” Meanwhile the warders are described as having “changed color” and thinking each to themselves, “oh, kill him quickly, get it over, stop that abominable noise!” This suggests that Orwell is not the only one with feelings of objection and anxiety. The quote describes warders state of mind and draws a difference between them and the prisoner. The quote shows the warders are frantic and keen to get the hanging over with, while on the other hand the prisoner is calm and collected even though he is facing death. Highlights the ironi c situation, of how generally the man who is about to be killed would be fearful and scared, while jailers are generally calmer and don’t care much, however the feelings are reversed for the roles in this situation. Another use of irony is seen after the death of the prisoner. Although the warders have no connection to the prisoner, they understand the wrongness of “destroying a healthy, conscious man”. In a normal unironic situation, the jailers would not realize the wrongness of killing someone after they have done it, especially if they do not know the man however, the situation in Orwell’s essay show that he and the warders have negative feelings to capital punishment. Irony used furthermore when Orwell describes the warders actions and behavior after executing the prisoner. After the death, the prison “seemed quite a homely, jolly scene, after the hanging.” Normally after a death, people are filled with grief, and although the warders did not personally know the prisoner, there would still be a melancholic atmosphere, however the warders seem to be feeling the opposite, as they are “chattering gaily.” This is because the warders are overcome with a feeling of “an enormous relief had come upon [them] now that the job was done.” This reveals that warders are glad that they are finished with the hanging, because they all felt uncomfortable. The actions and descriptions of warders in these ironic situations reveal Orwell’s and possibly the other warders attitudes toward capital punishment.
Furthermore, Orwell sets a depressed mood in his essay to parallel the feelings toward the hanging. The setting is described to be a “A sodden morning of the rains.” Orwell uses imagery to give the reader a sense of the gloomy mood in the prison. This sets a nervous atmosphere for the hanging, which reflects the nervous and sorrowful feelings of most individuals in the prison. Imagery is used throughout the beginning of the essay when the jail yard is described to be having “a sickly light, like yellow tinfoil,” and “desolately thin in the wet air,” or the prisoners are described as staying in “condemned cells, a row of sheds fronted with double bars, like small animal cages.” Orwell does this to immediately give the reader a sense of despair while reading the novel. This successfully helps convey Orwell’s attitudes on capital punishment. Since Orwell writes the essay to purposely be gloomy it shows he was affected by the hanging, and reflects his feelings of disappointment
By using emotionally laden diction and setting a depressed mood, along with irony, Orwell reveals that everyone involved in a hanging is affected, and that as humans, we know it is wrong to kill other humans. Orwell’s belief that capital punishment is unjust and a crime against humanity if effectively shown through his essay A Hanging.
One of the biggest issues facing humanity as we continue into the twenty-first century is the problem of energy. As it is now, humanity is consuming fossil fuels and other resources at an alarming rate. This leads not only to environment destroying pollutants, but also a deficit in these precious resources. Environmentalist and others have tried to solve this problem in many ways including; solar energy, windmills, and watermills. However, why shouldn’t we simply use the vast amount of energy available beneath our very feet? Geothermal energy should be further explored because; our current energy system is failing rapidly, geothermal energy is an efficient form of energy, and it isn’t as environmentally taxing as other methods of obtaining energy.
Get original essayBefore we begin to invest in geothermal energy, we must first understand what it is and how it works. Put simply, geothermal energy is using the heat captured in the earth to meet our needs. This heat was generated when the earth was formed by radioactive decay of minerals, and from solar energy absorbed at the surface of the earth. (BBC) Since then it has been contained under the earth’s crust. Geothermal heating is available anywhere there is continental crust, but greater amounts of energy are available at areas near tectonic plate boundaries where volcanic activity is common.(BBC) Such areas include the Western U.S., the eastern coast of Japan, and most of Iceland.
The easiest and most common way to harvest geothermal energy is with the use of a heat pump. Heat pumps are used to transfer heat both to and from the desired area (building) to the earth. Heat pumps are some sort of device that transfers energy from the “source” to the “sink”. (UCS) The source is always at a cooler temperature than the sink. Heat pumps vary by their type, but most operate through a fairly simple process. To begin with all heat pumps must have an indoor unit (evaporator coil) and an outdoor unit (condenser). In normal system, the pump use a substance called refrigerant to carry the heat from one area to another (outside to inside or vice versa).
One of the greatest benefits of using geothermal heat pumps is you can pick one that specifically fits your needs. The first type of geothermal heating pump is the horizontal closed-loop system. This type of system is usually used for residential homes where there is a lot of available space. (UDE) It is also convenient for horizontal systems if they are implemented in a residence pre-construction, since installation is so tedious. In this system two pipes four and six feet deep are installed in a loopy slinky fashion. (UDE) This allows for more length of pipe to be installed without taking up that much space making it perfect for smaller residential buildings.
The second type of geothermal heat pump is the vertical closed-loop system. These are usually used in large commercial building where there isn’t a lot of land available for horizontal pipes. (UDE) Vertical system heat pumps are often used for schools and community buildings. There system is basically the same as the horizontal system except their pipes go deeper which takes up less room underground horizontally. “This is the most common type of geothermal heat pump system used worldwide.” (UDE)
The third type of geothermal heat pump is the pond/lake closed-loop system. This is the cheapest type of geothermal heating pump due to the water providing easily collected energy. (UDE) However, your property must meet some pretty specific condition in order to use this system. To use this system, the property you want to heat must be within twenty-five yards of a significant body of water such as a pond or lake. (UDE) It is also important to make sure the water source isn’t contaminated with toxins that can corrode the systems piping. If you meet these requirements, then pipes are run underground from the property to the water source and placed at least eight feet under the water. (UDE) This is to prevent freezing of the pipes. Though this geothermal heat system does need fairly specific conditions in order to thrive, its general inexpensiveness makes it one of the more popular geothermal heat systems.
Though many people use one of the above systems, many are now beginning to use a hybrid system utilizing a geothermal heat system along with some other form of heating /cooling. ‘This idea of mixing and matching has become increasingly popular in areas where the cooling needs far outweighs the heating needs of a residence.” (UDE) This system allows a residence to use geothermal to heat their home and another form of energy to cool their home. This plays to the strength of geothermal energy as heating over cooling.
One reason geothermal energy should be further invested in is the rapidly failing nature of our current energy system. The current staple of our current energy system is the burning of fossil fuels. This leads to many problems that are not only environmental, but practical as well. The most pressing problem associated with the burning of fossil fuels is the vast amount of effect it has on our environment. One such effect is that the release of greenhouse gasses that the burning of fossil fuels causes. As the amount of industry in the world increases so does these companies burning of fossil fuels. (BBC) This has led to the depletion of the ozone layer commonly referred to as “global warming”. These rising temperatures caused by greenhouse gas have had a dramatic effect on many environments throughout the world.
Global warming may not seem like such a big deal, but it has far ranging consequences throughout the world. One example of this is that increased temperatures in the north have mad way for disease carrying insects to migrate north carrying their sickness with them. “Over 64,000 cases of malaria have been reported in Peru this year, almost half in the Amazon region of the country as the disease is carried further north by mosquitoes.” (UCS) Another example global warming’s impact is as the temperature in the oceans warms, it could lead to an increase in hurricanes which are more present in warmer water.
The next example of global warming’s impact is the increased risk in extended droughts in warmer climates. For example “the country of Morocco has experienced more droughts in the past decade than in any previous decade’. (UCS) This shows how global warming has directly led to an increase in droughts in this African country. Yet another example of the possible effects of global warming is an increased chance for wildfires. These wildfires have become more and more common as the earth’s temperature has increased. For example, “in 2007, more than 3,000 fires brought destruction to Southeastern Europe thanks to a long summer that created arid and parched conditions – a situation that would become normal as a consequence of the greenhouse effect.” (UCS) These are some of the lesser known effects of the greenhouse gasses released by the burning of fossil fuel.
The most prominent impact of global warming is the melting of the polar ice caps. As the ice caps continue to melt, it will lead to four separate issues that will demand our attention. Firstly, the melting has led to an increase in sea level at a drastic rate of 2 mm per year. ‘Eventually if all the ice caps melt, the ocean level could rise as much as 230 ft.” (BBC) This could lead to vast amounts of erosion on shorelines throughout the world. The second issue caused by the melting of the polar ice caps is that their mixing into ocean waters will make them less salty. The third issue associated with the melting of the ice caps is that the higher temperatures will lead to changing landscapes and eventually the extinction of several species of animals. (BBC) All the animals that currently live in the Arctic Circle where most ice caps are located would have to rapidly adapt to the changing environment in order to survive. The final issue caused by the melting of the ice caps is that as they start to disappear, it could lead to even more global warming. This is due to the fact that the “white” ice caps reflect the light from the sun significantly lowering the temperature of the earth. (BBC) However, if the ice caps were gone, this sunlight would not be reflected leading to a vast increase in the earth’s temperature which will lead to even more environmental issues. These are the main issues that will be a direct result of the polar ice caps melting as a result of global warming.
Though the environmental effects of the burning of fossil fuels is more widely known, there are also some practical issues with this current system of acquiring energy. To begin with, the prominent use of fossil fuels has severely weakened the economy of the United States. This is due to the fact that the U.S. government imports a vast amount of oil and other fossil fuel products. This causes an imbalance in the import/export balance of our economy. For example, ‘In 2004, almost sixty percent of petroleum products used in the United States were imported from other countries.” (GEA) This problem will only continue to increase as the need for energy increases over time.
Another practical issue of the use of fossil fuels is that they’re not a renewable resource. In contrast to geothermal energy, fossil fuels take an inordinate amount of time to replenish. “It takes about ten million years for a significant amount of oil, petroleum, or coal to develop.” (GEA) Obviously, humanity can’t rely primarily on a resource that has such a long renewal period. To show how long ten million years is, “going back that far from present day, the British Isles were still in the Southern Hemisphere”. (GEA) This example just shows the expansive amount of time it takes fossil fuels to form. These examples show that fossil fuels cannot be an efficient source of energy in a world where an increasing population is continuously demanding more and more energy. Therefore, we must begin researching other more renewable sources of energy.
The next reason we should further invest in geothermal energy is that geothermal energy is a very efficient energy source. One thing that makes geothermal energy so effective, is that it can be collected basically anywhere. This is possible because despite the temperature of the surrounding area, the ground typically stays at a pretty constant temperature. (GEA) Though the ground temperature does very slightly depending on the latitude, the temperature where geothermal energy can no longer be collected is well below any temperature ever collected in the United States. This allows geothermal energy to be collected basically anywhere.
Another reason geothermal energy is so effective is it available for use not only in the winter, but in the summer as well. This is due to the fact that the pumps can not only add heat from the ground into your house during the colder months, but they can also remove heat from your house during the warmer months using the same process. (GEA) The next reason geothermal energy is so effective is it can obtain most of the heat it produces directly from the heat from the ground. About seventy percent of the energy produced by geothermal heat pumps is renewable energy obtained from the ground according to recent studies. (GEA) Yet another reason geothermal energy is more efficient than most forms of energy is that it tends to be less noisy than other methods such as electric heating. 4 out of 5 people who have used geothermal heat pumps claim it is vastly quieter than their previous heating system. (GEA) These are just a few examples that show how efficient an energy source geothermal heating really is.
The third reason geothermal energy is so efficient is it can be used for a variety of things. Geothermal energy can be used in four basic ways. Geothermal energy is primarily used in a direct fashion. “In areas where hot springs or geothermal reservoirs are near the Earth's surface, hot water can be piped in directly to heat homes or office buildings.” (HSW) After the heat is extracted from the water, the water is sent down another pipe back into the Earth. Though this is the most widely used mode of geothermal energy, it isn’t the only mode.
Another way geothermal energy can be used is in the form of geothermal heat pumps. These pumps collect the heat that naturally occurs in the ground and transfer it to a residence. “Fluid circulates through a series of pipes (called a loop) under the ground or beneath the water of a pond or lake and into a building. An electric compressor and heat exchanger pull the heat from the pipes and send it via a duct system throughout the building.” (HSW) One attractive element of this form of geothermal energy is that not only can it be used to heat in the summer, but also in order to cool in the summer. This makes this a very appealing form of geothermal energy.
The next form of geothermal energy is that harnessed for dry steam plants. “Hot steam is piped directly from geothermal reservoirs into generators in the power plant.” (HSW) This is the most “corporal” form of geothermal energy that is currently in use. As our dependence on fossil fuels causes more and more problems, you can expect the use of this form of geothermal energy to increase.
The final way geothermal energy is harnessed is through the use of a binary cycle plant. These plants are commonly used in the production of electricity. “Moderately hot geothermal water is passed through a heat exchanger, where its heat is transferred to a liquid (such as isobutene) that boils at a lower temperature than water. When that fluid is heated it turns to steam, which spins the turbines.” (HSW) This has become a common practice as geothermal energy has become more popular.
The main practical issue associated with geothermal energy is that it isn’t as cost-efficient as other forms of energy. Whether you’re establishing a large geothermal power plant or simply setting up a residential system, geothermal energy is initially significantly more expensive than other forms of energy such as natural gas or electric. (GTA) If you’re establishing a plant you must pay for the development of the site, construction of the power plant, and the hiring of skilled professionals who can operate the plant. (GTA) If you want to set up a residential geothermal energy system, you will need to fund labor and the fitting of long pipes under the ground. (GTA) Also if any problems occur with your system, it is important to repair them quickly in order to prevent ground water contamination.
However, these often pricy initial costs can be recovered within a few years due to the advantages of geothermal heating. For example, “Governments of various countries offer incentives and rebates to residential as well as industries to make use of geothermal energy where it is possible to harness that energy.” (GTA) These rebates can often pay for the setup costs of these systems within a few years of their setup. In addition, studies show that the cost of maintaining a geothermal energy system is significantly less than an energy system operated by the burning of fossil fuels. According the geologist at UCLA, “in a five year span those using an average heating system paid up to 17 more than those who have owned a geothermal heating system for the same five years.” (GTA) This is some of the cost issues associated with geothermal heating.
The final reason we should invest further in geothermal energy is that it simply isn’t as environmentally taxing as other forms of energy we can use. For example, if the closed-looped system of geothermal energy are used the system becomes totally benign. This allows the air pollution normally associated with the production of energy to be completely disregarded. (UCS) However, do to the expensiveness of closed-looped systems they still aren’t that commonly used. Unfortunately due to the costs of closed-loop systems, environmentally damaging open-loop systems are more commonly used. These systems “can generate large amounts of solid wastes as well as noxious fumes.” (UCS) Gasses and other pollution causing material leaks into the water as it leaves the rocks. The large amounts of chemicals released when geothermal fields are tapped for commercial production can be damaging to people living and working nearby.
One way the environmental impact of geothermal energy is reduced is by the use of scrubbers. Scrubbers are metal devices that reduce air emissions. However, “scrubbers produce a watery sludge high in sulfur and vanadium, a heavy metal that can be toxic in high concentrations. This sludge is generally high in silica compounds, chlorides, arsenic, mercury, nickel, and other toxic heavy metals” (UCS) Due to this, those who monitor these heat pumps must carefully monitor the frequency of these toxins in the discharge. “Additional sludge is generated when hydrothermal steam is condensed, causing the dissolved solids to precipitate out.” (UCS) Due to these issues, operators of geothermal heat pumps are often very reluctant to use scrubbers.
The other environmental issue associated with geothermal energy is the issue of land subsidence. This occurs due to the geothermal heat pump removing water from the aquifer in order to provide the needed energy. However, just like the previous issue, land subsidence can be easily prevented by simple means. “Usually the best disposal method is to inject liquid wastes or redissolved solids back into a porous stratum of a geothermal well.” (UCS) By performing this simple task we are able to incredibly lessen and even eliminate the land subsidence caused by geothermal heat pumping. For example, “At Wairakei, New Zealand, where wastes and condensates were injected for many years, the area hasn’t sunk at all since 1958.” (UCS) This shows how land subsidence caused by geothermal energy can be easily diverted by simple means.
One final question mark with geothermal energy is many aren’t aware how much of it is available for our use. “Thousands more megawatts of power than are currently being produced could be developed from already-identified hydrothermal resources.” (GE) This is due to the fact that usable geothermal resources will not be limited to the "shallow" hydrothermal reservoirs that most people think constitutes geothermal energy. In addition, many believe that geothermal energy is restricted to hot underground water sources. However, geothermal energy can be widely collected by deep dry rock that is heated by the magma of the inner earth. “Scientists in the U.S.A., Japan, England, France, Germany and Belgium have experimented with piping water into this deep hot rock to create more hydrothermal resources for use in geothermal power plants.” (GE) This just shows what a valuable and extensive resource geothermal energy really is.
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Get custom essayAs fossil fuels become more and more obsolete, new forms of energy will need to be explored. The frontrunner of the renewable energy source should be geothermal energy. Geothermal energy should be further explored because; our current energy system is failing rapidly, geothermal energy is an efficient form of energy, and it isn’t as environmentally taxing as other methods of obtaining energy.
How is Gerald presented in An Inspector Calls? To start the essay, the character of Gerald Croft is extremely significant, as he is the only perpetrator not to be a part of the Birling household. He is also the character who knew Eva Smith most intimately and has many significant ties to all of the Birling family, the largest of those being with Sheila. Yet he is also significant on a deeper thematic level: he is central to conveying playwright J.B. Priestley's ideas of collective responsibility and acts as one of the harshest examples of the unacceptance of these ideas.
Get original essayAt the beginning of the play, Gerald is introduced as a member of the upper class whose position in society is held by ‘old money’. He almost flirts with Mr. Birling at his engagement dinner, and when Birling puts forward the idea of lower wages and higher prices, in a private conversation with Gerald, Gerald applauded the idea, saying “Hear, hear!”. Here, Priestley is trying to convey how the upper class’ ideals revolve around money. Gerald’s outburst of joy signifies this, as the audience may infer that he is ecstatic to the idea of further business resulting in further prosperity for himself. An audience in 1945 would be appalled by this, after a world war where the middle and lower classes fought together and learned of the working class’ struggle. However, a contemporary audience may be less affected by this, where they are living in a world of billionaires only looking to further increase their own wealth. Gerald’s reaction is also significant as it shows his disregard for Sheila, where Priestley is again highlighting the unfair, capitalistic ideologies of the upper class.
Later on in the play, Gerald reveals an emotive exterior, when he is found to have known Eva Smith. In his recollection of events, he describes Sheila as having “Big, Dark eyes”, conveying his admiration of Eva. The fact that Gerald can remember Eva’s feelings so clearly signifies his feelings towards her, and that he actually cared for Eva Smith. Priestley is trying to sow the audience that the upper class are people with feelings, and although they may be privileged and protected, they can still be sympathized with. This may bring that exact sympathy from the audience, where Gerald has taken a huge social risk in front of the Birlings to have been identified with a member of the working class. This confirms again the true nature of Gerald’s feelings for Eva. However, Priestly is still highlighting the underlying problems with the way that Gerald thinks. He describes Eva’s features, signifying his misogynistic beliefs as he portrays Eva’s physical attributes as the only ones of value to discuss, suggesting Gerald may value not actually value Eva as a human being, due to the objectification she receives from him. Priestley is again highlighting the upper class’ lack of change and development in their ideas.
Toward the end of the play, Priestley uses Gerald to illustrate how the world with such class barriers in place will have a very conservative nature. After discovering that no girl has been taken to the hospital, he says how “Everything’s alright now.” This one line destroys any hope of development and movement forward of the ideas that are held by the upper class. Gerald is clearly relieved, and so the audience can infer that the only worry he ever held was about the potential tarnishing of his reputation. He did not care for Eva. He did not rejoice in her being alive, only to rejoice in the preservation of his position. His own self-centered intentions will disappoint the audience hugely, with an audience in 1945, being angered by his lack of empathy, reminding them of the upper classes often dodging of any fighting during World War 2. Priestly is driving the audience to campaign for social change, illustrating that the upper class are incapable of making any positive change possible, and so the responsibility of the bridging the class gaps lies with the masses. This would motivate an audience from 1945, who had recently been buoyed up by the introduction of the welfare state.
Overall, the role of Gerald in An Inspector Calls is very similar to the role of Sheila Birling, since both characters are included in the story motivate the audience and make them leave the theater with increased acceptance of Priestley's socialist ideals. While Sheila is used as an audience’s surrogate to move the audience through the play, Gerald acts as a negative pressure for the audience to retaliate against, ultimately motivating them further than Sheila. He does so potently yet indirectly: he creates an opponent for the audience to target.
"It is reasonable to argue that the German cinema is a development of German Romanticism, and that modern technique (cinematography) merely lends a visible form to Romantic fancies", Lotte Eisner asserts. Both Romanticism (late 18th-19th Century) and Expressionism (early 20th Century) were reactions to a period of collectivist order and intellectual rigidity. Both were consoling movements that followed suppression of individualism. Romanticism favored feeling over reason, rejecting its predecessor, the Enlightenment ideal of balance and rationalism, offering the hysterical, the fantastical and the supernatural instead. Expressionism, then, was the settling dust that enveloped post-revolution German society, a frustrated desire for change that followed the rupture of World War I, and also a firm backlash to industrialization. If art were a precise representation of society's psyche, F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu (1922) could have been released with Samuel Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (1798) and not appear anachronistic - forgiving the lag in development of the film medium, of course. The film and ballad typified their respective periods, and were both a bursting out from the binds of order and logic. It is this symmetry of the film and ballad, and the embodiment of their periods, that I hope to explore.
Get original essaySpecifically, I will discuss how elements in both Nosferatu and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner are a reflection of the characters' inner states; how the two periods treat nature as a theme; and lastly, how Romantic sentimentality has worked its way into Nosferatu.
A distinct contribution to the Romantic movement was the Gothic romance - the latter a period that depicted mystical adventures of terrified heroes and heroines in the clutches of frightening, mysterious forces, exemplified by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (the forerunner of science-fiction) and Horace Walpole's Castle of Otranto. These motifs, often partnered with horror, were captured in The Ancient Mariner when evil descended upon the Mariner's ship, resulting in graphic devastation: "With throats unslaked, with black lips baked / We could nor laugh nor wail (185-186)". These motifs are repeated in Nosferatu, where Orlok's evil mesmerized Ellen while snuffing out life on his sojourn to meet her. The artistes of both periods looked to represent the personal and subjective; rejecting realism, logic and classical Newtonian cause and effect. This desire to bring out inner states resulted in supernatural motifs and dream-like states - often larger-than-life. The fantastic results from the expression of inner states because of "a 'failed' transformation... [where] the uncanniness with which the displaced and repressed elements irrupt into idyllic worlds and relationships" . It is possible to read the fantastic elements as manifestations of social concerns of their respective times. The surreal motifs function mainly as extensions of the characters' minds in both the film and ballad.
"Coleridge employs supernatural beings not for the gratuitous effects of terror gratia terroris but in order to project symbolically states and moods of the Mariner's inner being." The killing of the Albatross is Coleridge's exercise on morality. The Mariner's moral slip left him under the weight of guilt, prompting him to seek resolution with the help of external forces. These "forces" are really not external since they are projections of his troubled psyche: "Her skin was as white as leprosy / The Nightmare Life-In-Death was she (192-193)... I watch'd the water-snakes / They moved in tracks of shining white (274-275)". The spectral apparitions that followed the ship of doom are reflections of the Mariner's compunctions of conscience. These elements of the ballad project the character's inner state and are not externalities having an effect on the character. We will see this motif repeated in Nosferatu twenty years later.
Hutter escapes from the domesticity of Ellen for economic reasons, plunging into danger under a spell of greed. His reluctance to provide the love Ellen looks for is redundant once Orlok discovers the medallion with the picture of Ellen. Orlok, with his cryptic evil loom, assumes the role of the "provider" Hutter never was. Murnau portrays Hutter as castrated, ineffectual and weak. Orlok, on the other hand, possesses a potent sweeping power that mesmerizes Ellen. We may view Orlok as a latent side of Hutter, an alter-ego of the "man than he never was" but desires to be. This reading of the film is brought to life by the contrast in journeys made by Orlok and Hutter back to Ellen. Orlok is in full control of nature, traveling with ease on a ship and successfully exerting his evil powers over the vessel. Hutter, contrastingly, traverses mountains and streams, both on foot and on horse, which is a far more troublesome option compared to travel by sea. Orlok's comfortable sojourn is Hutter's wishful extension of a potent male alter-ego. Analyzing Orlok's murders through his shadows brings us to draw the same conclusions. Orlok's attempt at murdering Ellen may be an expression of Hutter's repressed desire to kill his wife, but only through his effectual alter-ego. He is frustrated with his obvious inability to provide (his efforts with the flowers were greeted with anti-climactic fashion), and does not seem to love his wife in the traditional romantic way, as we may tell from his desire to leave her, and his uncomfortable rejection of her affection. The fact that only shadows commit the murders, and not Orlok in physical form, represents the suppression of the murderous thoughts, where only a shadow was allowed to escape Hutter's mind. Accepting Orlok as the emboldened and achieving side of Hutter conveniently excludes Orlok's diabolic intentions, which is a quality of Hutter not expected to be expressed. However, Elsaesser clearly explains that "the motif of the Double is indeed quite close structurally to the motif of the creature, emancipating itself from the creator and turning against him... interpretation of the Double, or shadows, [is the] symbolic representation of internal irrational forces at work". Greed is the sin that motivates Hutter's journey. These evil intentions, embodied by Hutter's creation of Orlok, resulted in punishing consequences. Orlok turns against Hutter by winning over the woman Hutter wants so much to please, yet, ironically, never really loves. Knock, the driving force behind Hutter's journey of self-discovery, is in turn under the manipulative spell of Orlok. This way, we are able to trace the source of Knock's intentions back to Hutter's alter-ego, Orlok. We are now able to appreciate Nosferatu as a chaotic intercourse of the internal emotions of one man, much like how the albatross, Life-In-Death, and the wedding guest were tools to probe the dark recesses of the Mariner's psyche.
Besides evincing the mental state of characters, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Nosferatu both thoroughly examine their period's relation to nature. It was only during the Romantic period that walking in the woods was not perilous, but an opportunity to enjoy and ponder awesome views. Europe had become more civilized, safer, and its citizens now felt freer to travel for the simple pleasure of it. Romanticism cultivated a sentimental treatment of all subjects, including nature. The albatross embodied nature in The Ancient Mariner, and like the Romantic society's embrace of nature, brought good fortune to the ship and was welcomed with joy. The killing of the Albatross is the Mariner's sin against nature, and he is duly punished. Countless references to nature throughout the poem are not enough to set it apart as a "Romantic treatment of nature". However, Coleridge uses the sun, moon, sand, sea, including a "hermit in the wood", to express the Mariner's mental states and how they evolve with the natural surroundings: "O happy living things! no tongue/ Their beauty might declare (283-284)". Following a stanza of colorful animal sightings, the Mariner proclaims their beauty and happiness. By his blessing of the nature around him, the Mariner is finally redeemed and the spell begins to break. Coleridge personifies nature with a twist of supernatural, and fuses it with the Mariner's sub-conscious, sealing The Ancient Mariner as a piece acutely reflective of Romanticism's nature motif.
The "nature" motif is not lost in Nosferatu. Murnau explores the interaction between humans and nature. First, he questions the legitimacy for cannibalism. We see Venus fly traps, Knock catching flies, and spiders with their webs of evil. If carnivorous activity is prevalent in the animal and plant kingdom, should we feel Orlok's desire for fellow humans is evil or unjust? Second, the horses' fear of the hyena parallels the trepidity of the villagers to Orlok's omnipresent evil. Lastly, we see Hutter's comfort in the wilderness: first, when he disregarded advice and traveled by night to Orlok's castle, then again, when he journeys home to Ellen. Murnau is generous with footage of Hutter traversing bridges and trails, which represent relief from Hutter's clustered concrete home. It is as if Murnau himself was drawing energy from the outdoors. This agrees with Paul Brian's take on nature in Romanticism: "It is precisely people in urban environments aware of the stark contrast between their daily lives and the existence of the inhabitants of the wild who romanticize nature. "
Like nature, sentimentalism was celebrated in the Romantic period. This is evident in the Ancient Mariner. We do not see the mariner in love or marriage, but, we may still read much from his brief encounters with the Hermit and the Wedding guest. Both friendships find their roots in the romantic belief in human connection and fate. The relationships between the mariner and the Hermit, and between the mariner and the Wedding guest, are not cynical and insincere, but are reassuring and deep. The Hermit senses danger while approaching the mariner's ship, yet decides to push on: "Dear Lord! it hath a fiendish look- / (The Pilot made reply) / I am a-fear'd" - "Push on, push on!" / Said the hermit cheerily. (539-543)". The Hermit eventually saves the mariner from his sinking ship. They share a deeper bond when the Hermit cleanses the mariner of guilt by asking the mariner to tell him the story of the albatross. This is an optimistic and cheerful take on human relationships, typical of the romantic period. Correspondingly, the Wedding Guest initially distrusts the mariner, but is touched by a connection he felt with him, and eventually listens to his story. (He holds him with his glittering eye--/ The Wedding-Guest stood still, / And listens like a three years' child: / The Mariner hath his will, Lines 13-16) Midway through the mariner's tale, he is afraid and becomes weary, yet he stays and eventually walks away a better person: "He went like one that hath been stunn'd, / And is of sense forlorn: / A sadder and a wiser man / He rose the morrow morn (623-26)". These relationships exemplify the sentimental Romantic belief in the goodness of man.
Nosferatu not only maintains the sentimental aspect of the Romantics but updates it to 20th century sensibilities. Romantic fiction had a penchant for tearful wallowing in the longings and disappointments of frustrated protagonists. By the 20th century, however, sentimentalism had been rejected - what the Romantic age prized as moving and beautiful was deemed false, exaggerated and even comical. Nosferatu mocks Romantic love, a notion set during the Romantic age as the foundation of a successful marriage, with the outwardly exuberant, yet, obviously empty, relationship between Hutter and Ellen. The opening sequence between the pair of "loveless lovers" throws a tad of cynicism on the notion of marriage. Then, even more bitingly, Ellen is mesmerized by, and finally offers herself to, Orlok instead. Overwrought expressions of love between Hutter and Ellen, and Hutter's valiant efforts to protect Ellen, bring to life the atypical Romantic sensibilities. Yet, Murnau takes this romantic notion and injects his brand of sardonic humor, reducing the pair merely to anachronistic stage actors ripped out of a Romantic play.
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Get custom essayIn conclusion, both German Romanticism and German Expressionism were rebellions against the stifling of individualistic intellectualism. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Nosferatu, two quintessential pieces of their age, capture the inward-looking quality of both periods, especially choosing to explore the psychological manifestations of characters within the art. Such sentiments also gave rise to a renewed interest in nature, embracing animals and the woods at the same time. Lastly, the outburst of Romantic emotionality left an optimistic slant on human interaction in the Ancient Mariner. However, under 20th Century sensibilities, Murnau captures that Romantic notion with a breath of cynicism instead.
The success of exporting depends heavily on the availability of adequate and functional logistical infrastructure which includes roads, railways and shipping vessels. The natural openness which comes along with an easy access to coastal lines is also very important but as a landlocked country with a sparsely large populated area, Ethiopia usually faces diffi-culties and high costs in importing (Aschenaki, 2004, p. 9). The port of Djibouti, which is about 700km away from the capital Addis-Ababa, handles 95% of Ethiopia’s imports and exports (Cannon & Rossiter, 2018). The movement of goods between the capital and the port of Djibouti relies heavily on road transport (UNIDO, 2016, p. 8).
Get original essayThe greater use of technology regarding customs and clearance can help improve upon effi-ciency in logistic processes. The investment regulations in Ethiopia however, raise costs and limit the entrance of suppliers with modern logistic technology and has resulted in the cor-porate inefficiency of the ESLSE and increase in prices of logistic services. As of 2008, the import rates charged by the ESLSE were about 70% higher than average shipping costs of other freight companies (Kassahun, 2014, p. 171). The processes involved in the clearing of goods also come with high costs and long processing times (World Bank, 2017, p. 6). Pre-senting of documents for clearance alone takes on average 8 days – whereas in Sub-Saharan Africa, it takes only half as long. In total, it takes about 15days to clear goods from the port and costs $1488 without freight and domestic transport costs (Appendix 1). Importers also usually incur extra costs in payment of demurrage fees as the ESLSE only provides a storage grace period of only 8 days from the day cargo is offloaded at the port (World Bank, 2011, p. 442). Domestic transport from the Djibouti-Ethiopia border at Galafi costs about $500 and takes 2 days alone (World Bank, 2018).
The ESLSE calls from ports in Hamburg and Bremen in Germany so GSMEs exporting to Ethiopia have no other choice but to use the ESLSE. The costs and delays involved would make it difficult for the products of GSMEs to be imported at competitive costs since the logistics sector is inefficient and dysfunctional (Gani, 2007, p. 282). The high costs in-curred from the import of products would lead to an increase in their market prices since importers would have to make profits on their sales. The higher prices of the products make them less competitive as customers would preferably resort to other cheaper alternatives on the market, decreasing the market size of GSMEs products.
Even though the greater part of these difficulties would be experienced by the customers or distributors/local partners/agents importing products of GSMEs into Ethiopia, GSMEs ex-porting into Ethiopia become the collateral victims as they would also have to incur some costs in shipping, clearance and transportation. This, however, depends on the incoterms agreed on between exporting and importing parties. For example if GSMEs sell their goods on Delivery Duty Paid (DDP), they would have to bear all costs from their warehouse to the warehouse of their partner/agent in Ethiopia. If the goods are sold on Free Carrier (FCA), only cost until clearance at the leaving port must be bared. In the case where GSMEs export to their own sales offices, they would have to bare all transactional costs since they serve as both the importer and exporter.
Export financing is the process of obtaining short term loans to fulfil an export sale. SMEs which receive large orders particularly need financing to be able to fulfil the shipment of an order. Exporters gain financing from commercial banks and other government bod-ies/programs – however, the successful obtainment of export financing depends on some factors which include the creditworthiness of the exporter and importer. In trading with developing countries for example, exporters might find it difficult to obtain export financ-ing as risks of payments can arise when an importer fails to pay his debt or when exchange control regulations are imposed. These restrictions inhibit the importer from acquiring for-eign exchange which results in payment difficulties (Cavusgil et. al, 2017, p. 222, Root, p. 98, 1994). Given the current foreign exchange restrictions, GSMEs would be presented with difficulties in financing their export sales to Ethiopia since their importing partners are faced with challenges in receiving foreign exchange for trade payments.
Importers are required to apply for an import permit before obtaining a LoC for the total value of the goods before an order can be placed. In some cases, the import permits are not always granted (Lighthizer, 2018, p. 157). Bureaucratic delays here could mean that import permits could take a month or several to be obtained before finally granting the importer the right to import. GSMEs exporting to Ethiopia might miss out on key strategic windows in which they could respond to the market demand as a result of the lateness in order re-ceiving and processing due to the delays present on the path of their importing partners – meaning less sales and therefore less income.
Not all GSMEs exporting into Ethiopia would be negatively affected by government inter-vention however. Importers of machinery that are needed for the finishing and secondary production of raw materials in sectors which the GoE deems important under its GTP II (leather, textiles and agro-processing) find it easier in obtaining foreign currency (Lighthiz-er, 2018, p. 149). GSMEs that manufacture equipment that are necessary for the further production and other value-adding services of the above stated raw materials will have it easier in financing their export sales to Ethiopia with less delays. Also, the cash subsidies or tax breaks provided by the GoE in the textile industry would favour GSMEs - the demand for their products would increase since both local and foreign investors in the textile indus-try have more money at their disposal to spend on machinery which translates into more sales and a bigger market for the GSMEs in that particular sector. Export subsidies in the textile industry would reduce the price of Ethiopian textile exports on the world market, making them cheaper than other alternatives and raising their demand. Ethiopian textile producers would in turn like to take advantage of the high demand and produce more, meaning that machinery might have to be imported in order to make extra production pos-sible, thus increasing the demand for products of GSMEs in the sector.
Local labour regulations play an important role in FDI entry modes. Irrespective of whether a new subsidiary is built from the ground up or another company is acquired, it will have to be staffed in order to begin running operations. Given the regulations regarding the em-ployment of expatriates, GSMEs would be forced to train and use locals in their operations. First of all, training is associated with costs and there is no guarantee that locals would per-form the job as home country nationals would have due to differences in the levels of edu-cation. Differences in working cultures of foreigners and locals could result in conflicts as locals may not understand the values and common working practices of GSMEs. GSMEs also risk losing intellectual property that could be easily dissipated should it come into con-tact with locals as the country is currently experiencing problems in trademark misuse and infringement (Lighthizer, 2018, p. 150). The current foreign exchange regulations also make it difficult to compensate expatriates in top positions with Euros, which would reduce the attractiveness of working in Ethiopia to German nationals especially when the local curren-cy is of less value and remittance of earnings are restricted.
Profit repatriation is the return of foreign earned profits or financial assets back to a foreign firm’s home country and plays a decisive role in whether FDI is actually worth it to the parent company. Firms which are not able to get money out of the country see very little sense in investing there (World Bank, 1997, p. 35). The ability to repatriate profits grants foreign firms the option of choosing where to reinvest profits. In order for profit repatria-tion to be a success, the home country’s earnings must be easily convertible into the foreign currency accepted in the home country of the parent firm. However, given the available currency restrictions of the Ethiopian government, GSMEs would have difficulties in con-verting earned Birrs into Euros since the private and commercial sectors have the least pri-ority in receiving foreign currency, also taking away the option of choosing where to invest, and in turn force them to reinvest in the country. GSMEs that are active in the manufactur-ing/production sector may also not be able to acquire foreign exchange for the purchasing of raw materials which are only available abroad for further production – this however de-pends on the industry in which they are active. As seen from the example under Export, GSMEs that are active in the transformation of natural resources which are important under the GTP II would face less or no difficulties in obtaining foreign exchange for importing raw materials needed for production.
Irrespective of whether GSMEs acquire already existing local companies or build up their own subsidiary, the regulations that are present in the local business environment would serve as barriers and could present GSMEs with costs and delays that may arise from the bureaucratic and administrative procedures. It takes for example, on average 33 days to register/start a business, excluding the time required to gather information about needed documents and inquire about processes. In other Sub-Saharan nations, it takes 24 days (Appendix 2). GSMEs that acquire local companies would be free from the bureaucracy and administrative procedures at this stage but will have to deal with other complications later on that may arise in registering property and paying taxes (World Bank, 2018). As foreign organisations operating in Ethiopia, GSMEs need to interact with host-country in-stitutions including the government and the bureaucracy of its institutions (Johnson, 2004, p.5). These complicated and bureaucratic administrative procedures provide government officials with the opportunity to bend or break rules and regulations (Johnson, 2004, p. 5) and create an environment for corruption to induce the payment of bribes for personal gains. Given that Ethiopia ranked 107th out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perfor-mance Index (CPI) , it can be said that Ethiopia is quite corrupt and GSMEs might have to pay bribe in order to obtain certain documents needed for conducting business as they may face risks of being oppressed by officials if they do not adhere to their request by facing even longer and costly procedures. Bureaucratic corruption also brings about uncertainty which in turn further increases costs of doing business as the payment of bribes is no con-firmation that the services needed would be granted (Johnson, 2004, p. 5).
Given the above detailed effects on the market entry modes, how could these effects be managed by GSMEs? Traditional methods of managing government intervention suggest the complete avoidance of countries with government intervention. However, GSMEs can-not simply ignore countries like Ethiopia because they possess multitude of emerging fields along with new activities and are closely located to Europe making them prime sources of growth (Khalil, 2017, p. 4). Some scholars like (Jimenez et al, 2014) also argue that gov-ernment intervention does not necessarily deter investment. Firms can manage government intervention and turn it into opportunities (Holburn & Zelner, 2010).
GSMEs which are keen on investing in Ethiopia could create Joint Ventures with local partners. With Joint Ventures, GSMEs would enjoy the advantages that come with work-ing with local partners who fully understand the local business environment with the ability to navigate through complex business administrative procedures. Local partners possess knowledge of local language and culture and may have useful connections with the host-country government. This could be important as government might not uniformly intervene. Local partners would be able to identify any loopholes in the intervention methods and take advantage of them. By creating joint ventures, GSMEs could also gain immediate ac-cess to the already established distribution systems and customers of their local partners. Caution must be taken here however - GSMEs should only enter into joint ventures which local partners which they fully trust. Innovative ideas, trademarks and patents are at risks of being imitated by local partners who might end the joint venture and start up their own businesses, eventually creating competition to GSMEs.
Cooperative exporting could also reduce the severe costs incurred as a result of the monop-oly of the ESLSE by teaming up with other SMEs for the joint exporting and promotion of their products. The costs of export would then be spread among all members making it easy to overcome financial strains. They could also partner with larger companies exporting into Ethiopia with an already established distribution network and pay commission for the use of services.
Problems of repatriation could be solved by buying products in Ethiopia and exporting them to Germany for sale. In this case, a good example might be buying Ethiopian coffee, as it is one of the most traded good between Germany and Ethiopia, and exporting it to Germany where it could be sold to realize royalty earnings.
This paper discusses ways by which German SMEs could be affected by the trade interven-tion methods of the Ethiopian government depending on the market entry mode used. This however, does not mean that they would only be affected in the above stated areas. Due to the limited scope of this paper, not all government intervention methods were discussed. Besides, exact information could not be found on all intervention methods used by the GoE. The results from the paper and suggestions have limited applicability and may be country specific. It is also important to note that GSMEs may experience intervention dif-ferently, even in Ethiopia, as governments do not intervene uniformly especially in differ-ent industries as seen by the example of the textile industry.
German SMEs planning to invest in Ethiopia should inform themselves beforehand on the trade environment in the country in order to select the most appropriate entry modes with-out causing much adverse effects on their operations.
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Get custom essayLooking forward, it would be quite interesting to see how the far the current projects under the GTP II help improve on the investment environment in the country. The country also recently opened up investment and selling of minority rights in sectors including telecom-munication, air and sea transport etc. which were only reserved for government and local participation, to foreign and private investors. This would definitely boost efficiency and reduce costs and delays associated with international trade for example, as foreign inves-tors will be equipped with technology to bring efficiency to these industries. By finally settling its 20 year dispute with Eritrea, the country can regain access to the ports of Adulis and Zeyila, which might take off the strain and heavy dependency on the port in Djibouti for example and reduce costs involved in importing and exporting.
Women living in Elizabethan times, although more liberated than medieval women, were still expected to do their husband's will and obey at all times. In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Queen Gertrude begins the play acting as a typical Elizabethan woman. She sits beside her new husband, Claudius, and reiterates each statement he makes. Further into the play, persuaded by Hamlet, Gertrude begins to question her quick remarriage. As she finally learns the truth of Claudius's betrayal, she breaks free from his hold and warns Hamlet of the poisoned cup. Shakespeare's character Gertrude shows emotional growth, from her dependency on Claudius, to questioning her actions, to her betrayal of Claudius in a futile attempt to save her son, Hamlet.
Get original essayGertrude begins the play supporting Claudius and backing up his every word. As the deceased King's widow, she possesses more authority than Claudius, but she chooses not to exercise that authority. As the newly crowned Claudius first speaks to Hamlet, he begins by praising him, but then reprimands him for mourning the King's death for too long. "'Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet... 'Tis unmanly grief" (1.2.90-98). After Claudius's lengthy speech that advises Hamlet to remain in Elsinore, Gertrude adds her thoughts paralleling Claudius's statements. "Let not they mother lose her prayers, Hamlet. / I pray thee, stay with us" (1.2.122-123). Gertrude's actions in the court scene nearly mirror Claudius's. "Gertrude's speech, therefore, functions as a wife's reinforcement and skillful reshaping of her husband's orders" (Dash 115). Although the Queen rightfully owns all authority in Elsinore, and could do as she pleases, her character acts weakly dependant on her new King and husband. "At the play's opening, she adopts the more dependant role, believing she can juggle her several functions. Only as the tragedy progresses, does she discover the impossibility of that assumption and move toward a clearer definition of who she is" (Dash 111-112).
As the play moves forward, Gertrude's character and sense of self grows. In the closet scene with Hamlet, the Queen learns of Claudius's treachery. Prior to telling his mother the truth, Hamlet verbally attacks her for her quick remarriage with Claudius: "O shame, where is thy blush?" (3.4.91). Unable to take her son's criticism and seeing the error of her ways, Gertrude responds with: "O Hamlet, speak no more!/ Thou turn'st my eyes into my very soul," (3.4.99-100). The Queen's actions show her conscience growing. As Gertrude learns that her new husband tricked her, she begins to formulate her own opinions (Wright 43). Gertrude no longer acts under her husband's influence. At the conclusion of the closet scene, Hamlet tells her that Claudius may be to blame for his father's death and enlightens her to his plan, telling her of his pretended insanity and offering Gertrude a choice. Conflicting loyalties between her new husband and her son create a difficult dilemma for Gertrude: "O Hamlet, thou has cleft my heart in twain!" (3.4.177). Hamlet asks his mother not to tell Claudius the information she has just learned. A natural response for dependant Gertrude would be to run to her husband and tell him what she has learned; however, the Queen's personality has changed. Gertrude makes a choice to stand by her son and does not tell Claudius the truth. "The scene marks the beginning of Gertrude's uncertainty about Claudius. For the first time, she realizes that she must choose between husband and son" (Dash 123). Gertrude's actions show more confidence and independence. Although she still shows allegiance to her husband, signs of breaking away become evident.
Gertrude's breaking away from Claudius occurs during the last scenes of the play. After the closet scene with Hamlet, Gertrude is aware of Claudius's treachery. In the duel scene, Gertrude shows her allegiance to Hamlet by offering her handkerchief to him to wipe his brow. After this show of support, Gertrude drinks to Hamlet's good fortune. It is when Claudius says, "Gertrude, do not drink," and she replies, "I will, my Lord, I pray you pardon me" (5.2.317-318) that the Queen proclaims her independence from him. The cup she drinks from contains poison placed there by Claudius. In her dying breath, Gertrude calls out to warn her son of her husband's plot: "No, no, the drink, the drink! O, my dear Hamlet!/ The drink, the drink! I am poisoned" (5.2.340-341). The Queen's last words show her transformation from dependence on Claudius to independence and free thinking. She no longer follows Claudius, who allowed her to drink the poison, but betrays him and warns Hamlet.
Gertrude's change throughout the play shows her liberation from her husband and her progression to a free-thinking woman. Gertrude's opening scene portrays her sitting alongside her husband and standing behind every word he says. Her loyalty to Claudius disappears and slowly switches to Hamlet as she learns of her husband's wrongdoing. The play ends with Gertrude betraying her husband and attempting to save her son from him. Hamlet portrays Gertrude's gradual switch from a dependant woman to a liberated queen; unfortunately the change arrives too late - with her death.
Silence is a valuable constituent of the game of life. Silence is the key that has the potential to open doors. It can free us of confusion. Silence empowers us to think things through and come up with solutions because it is only in silence we can listen well. We can listen to the deepest wisdom of our soul.In the absence of silence, we tend to get overtaken by the mind and the body, and emotions. The clutter prevents us from listening to our psyche and soul.
Get original essayTo listen to our psyche, our soul, our divinity, we need to establish a strong relationship with silence, without it we might remain unaware of many things. When we live on the surface, the noise is overpowering.It may be interesting to carry out a small experiment with our life. When people go to a secluded place free of distractions and when they sit in silence and observes them, they find that, in that silence, they are beginning to get to know themselves.
The ambience of quiet engenders the exercise of looking within. The life we have designed and created, the life most of us live, is an outer life. This outer life is a very beautiful world; we have created it with our consciousness. However, the inner world is even better, more powerful, stronger, greater and bigger. As it is said, “whatever exists in the universe outside also exists inside you.” The whole universe, and maybe more, exists inside us. With our limited mental, vital and physical capacities we are able to become a little bit aware of the outer world, but by bringing alive our inner world we can know much more. We wish for possible happiness and success and it’s the inner world that has the capacity to open many more possibilities for us.
Right now, we enjoy travelling. This is a possibility, we take decisions on the basis of the possibilities of a peaceful, joyful, harmonious, healthy, mindful and clear life, without any kind of insecurity or fear, pain, sufferings, worries. That is the desire, the aspiration every one of us nurtures. If we are searching for those possibilities in the outer world it is not possible, because the outer world has different kinds of possibilities also. It can give every comfort we ask for, but with every comfort, there comes some discomfort too. With any outer joy, pain will also be there. With any outer happiness, unhappiness would come too. Anything that comes from the outer world, comes with its opposite in tow.
Right now, we experience life as it’s limited to the physical existence because we experience life only through our five senses. Sense organs can only experience that which is physical. They cannot experience anything beyond that. Now let’s try to take some time off every day to be silent, even if for five or 10 minutes. Let us feel it, experience it, and observe it. That can be a moment when you are with you, when you available to yourself. When you are in silence you are living in the present, which we don’t do very often.
Silence does not mean absence of speech. Silence is an inner state. Something will automatically change in your state, in your nature, and silence will establish itself. Even if you are in a catastrophe, no one can destroy your silence; no one can take the inner quiet away from you. Once silence starts helping you, helping your evolution, then you may get more out of life.Silence is a state of consciousness. Silence is not an effort. If you are making an effort to be silent you are making more noise. Silence is an effortless effort. It will be born spontaneously with our understanding. Silence is the birthplace of our soul.
Tesla Motors is an American automotive and energy storage company that designs, manufactures, and sells electric cars. Tesla is changing the way that people as well as other car manufacturing companies see the future of transportation. In a world with such high demand for alternatives to fossil fuel emissions, Tesla discovered an opportunity, and took advantage of it. The company makes fully run electric luxury sports cars. There are great positive externalities that come with the creation of Tesla, however there are also some negatives. Where are these cars being made? What is going to happen to the batteries when the car is disposed of? Is the consumption of electric energy really that clean? Or are the fossil fuel emissions being displaced to the electricity producers? What kind of infrastructure is going to be needed when society has a high capacity of electric cars that need to be charged?
Get original essayThe Neo-liberal paradigm is the worldview that suggests society utilizes globalization and technology to progress our economy as well as society. This paradigm thrives off of capitalism, as it is the driving force to progress and globalization. It is also capitalism, as discussed in my other paper, which creates large disparity between the rich and the poor, the developed and undeveloped nations. I argued that the Neo-Liberal paradigm needs to be forgotten and a new system designed. People need to change the way we think in systems, and create a grass-root movement of sustainability in personal lives. This way, we will be able to implement a system from the bottom-up. Tesla, however, is proving my idea wrong. Tesla, through innovation and technology, has created demand through capitalism for environmentally friendly cars (I will argue if the product is actually environmentally friendly/sustainable later). At this point, the capitalistic mental model has created incentive for many people to want their product. The most amazing thing is that Tesla allocates around $0 towards ads. They rely on consumer trust and popularity through awards and recognition. The notion that the Neo-Liberal paradigm is destructive might be a little too extreme. The current paradigm is slowly sparking a movement and could be the beginning to a capitalistic system that actually provides benefits back to the people and environment. Granted, we have allowed climate change to get to a dangerous level, but now that technology is being concentrated into creating sustainable and environmentally friendly products, it could paint a pretty picture of a sustainable future.
Technology will be the biggest player in advancing human capabilities towards sustainability. Although we may not need to change the entire system, technology will still be needed in order to adjust the current path we are on. Fossil fuel emissions are undoubtedly causing climate change. Without any adjustment, we will face an existential crisis. The technology that Tesla has created and implemented could be the start of a sustainable technology. Technology can create a new system once applied in society and gradually changing goals towards sustainability. Although motives behind the movement will vary (capitalism will be the driver, not sustainable goals) sustainability will be a positive externality from it. It does not matter why or how we achieve sustainability, it just matters that we do.
What do we need to control in order to achieve sustainability: the economy or society? Originally, I had believed that societal control and change would influence how people go about their lives, changing the economy with it. However, with Tesla creating a demand for their product, I see the economy being the influencer of society and the environment. People tend to want a product because it is good looking, a good product, or even because it is trendy. Some people may want a Tesla because of the idea of sustainability and they want to do their fair share in cutting emissions and climate change. More likely than not, most Tesla owners wanted the car simply because it is a symbol of wealth. It is capitalism that drives these trends, not sustainable goals or motives. Again, as long as sustainability is achieved, the motives are irrelevant. Society will follow economic trends, meaning that the economy holds a key value in creating a sustainable world.
Is Tesla the be-all end-all solution to sustainability? Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors, believes that his technology will create a world of sustainable transportation. This could very well be true, however there are issues that need to be confronted first. The largest concern I have with Tesla being a sustainable solution is the large amount of electricity used to fuel the car. The energy industry still mostly relies on natural gas and coal fueled power plants; both of these being extremely high contributors of emissions effecting climate change. With the increase usage of Tesla’s product comes a displacement of natural gas emissions from cars to power plants. There are no major studies (that I could find) that proved that electric consumption for the Tesla lowers emission footprints for owners compared to a gas-fueled car owner. As technology progresses, and renewable energy is more efficient and popularly used, this will seize to be an issue. Perhaps this causes an even bigger reason to push for renewable energy sources being implemented in our country. However, at the moment, Tesla cannot be a reliable tool towards sustainability due to its’ large electric consumption. A quick note that was mentioned above, there could also be a large issue with the electric car industry as a whole because of the disposal of batteries. These batteries contain chemicals that are extremely harmful to the environment, and down the road (no pun intended) there could be a large repercussion with pollution.
The other issue that I find troubling is that Tesla’s are only owned by a very, very micro fraction of our country. Not only are there around 125,000 cars in the world, but also many average citizens cannot afford to purchase the car. The Model S and X are well over $100,000. The brand new Model 3 is ranging in the $30,000 range, meaning that hopefully, soon enough, the average car owner will be able to afford the car. Price needs to come further down in order for implementation on a large-scale to occur. Otherwise, sustainability is impossible.
Finally, society has a major issue with the Bystander effect. The Bystander effect, essentially, is the phenomena when individuals do not offer any means of help to a victim when other people are present. This tends to be because they think other people will do what they should have done. At first, the idea of the Bystander effect and Tesla seems like a stretch. However, when people see that others are cutting into reversing climate change by driving a Tesla and attempting to live sustainable lives, they feel that they can slack a bit, because the person living sustainably will cover them too. Also, there may be relation to the tragedy of the commons theory, that people will take advantage of shared resources in a rational, self-interested way. If they see that some people are living sustainably, they may live anti-sustainably because they feel that they can take a little from the sustainably living person. This issue is why, I personally, believe that sustainability is further away than we think. Although the system may not need to change entirely, people need to think differently and stop acting solely in self-interest (obviously this is very impractical). Once self-interest is out of the equation and society is on the same page, we may be able to step forward in creating a sustainable society. Is Tesla Motors a major stepping-stone to achieving sustainability? Absolutely. Are they the be-all end-all solution? Not even close. We need to continue the innovation and progress that Tesla has showed we can achieve and create better technology to help construct a sustainable future.
This presentation will focus on the debate topic: most immigrants come to the United States just to get on welfare. With more than 40 million residents born in a different country, the United States has more immigrants than any other country and that number is only growing.
Get original essayWhy do immigrants come to the United States and whether they should have a right to public assistance and welfare here is not a new topic of debate. More recently, the Trump Administration’s public charge rule calls for rejecting potential immigrants who are deemed likely to use public welfare programs, which include: Supplemental Security Income; Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); any federal, state, local, or tribal cash benefit programs for income maintenance; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Section 8 Housing Assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher Program or Project-Based Rental Assistance; and Medicaid.
Arguments regarding why immigrants come to the United States center around rates of welfare recipients within immigrant communities and welfare magnets or welfare clustering. Because California has more immigrants than any other state and is considered to be the most welfare-generous, it is also at the center of this debate. Data can be manipulated to support both sides of the argument around immigrants coming to the United States to get on welfare.
Federal and state policies restrict what programs social workers’ clients can receive. Practitioners must understand the applicable federal and state policies to effectively advocate for their clients and provide them with relevant assistance. Furthermore, restricted access to public benefits is likely to increase dependence on private welfare. It is important that social workers serving with private agencies and non-profits understand the challenges that their clients face.
This study used data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) to study the difference in rates of participation in welfare between immigrants and native-born Americans. Borjas used CPS data pertaining to the poverty rate and the rate of participation in public assistance programs. Childhood poverty is a determinant of lower educational achievement, behavioral problems, and lower economic earnings as an adult.
Generally, childhood poverty continues into adulthood and subsequently the potential dependence on public assistance. Participation in public assistance as a child has long-term consequences. Notably, exposure to public assistance as a child can foster a culture of dependency into adulthood. This study found that national-origin groups that had high rates of program participation as children are also the national-origin groups from which young adults have the highest rates of poverty and program participation.
Immigrant children have significantly higher rates of poverty and, subsequently, participate in welfare programs at higher rates than their native-born peers. Nearly half of immigrant children live in households that receive some form of public assistance, while only one-third of their native-born peers live in households that receive assistance.
In general, foreign-born children have the highest rate of poverty, but children born in the United States to immigrant parents have the highest rate of participation in welfare programs. In 2009, 51.5 percent of United States-born children to immigrant parents participated in public welfare, while 38.6 percent of foreign-born children participated in public welfare.
The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), which was enacted in 1996, established more restrictive rules for determining the eligibility of foreign-born people for nearly all types of public assistance, including TANF and Medicaid. Under PRWORA, states were given the option to use their own funding to offer TANF and Medicaid to some immigrants.
The most welfare-generous state or state that has high availability of state-funded safety net programs is California. California is considered, by some, to be a welfare magnet for immigrants. The geographic clustering of welfare recipients in California is much more significant for immigrants beginning in the 1990s than before. The difference in the percentage of foreign-born residents living in the United States and California increased in the 1990s.
The New Partnership Audit Rules under The Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2015The Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) of 2015 was signed into law in November 2015. This new law marks a major change in how the IRS will approach a partnership audit moving forward. This law applies to tax returns filed for partnership tax years beginning in 2018. And repeals the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA) that up until December 31, 2017 governed partnership administrative procedures. The BBA sets up a new, centralized system for the audit, adjustment, assessment, and collection of partnership-related taxes.
Get original essayPartnership Level Assessment - Pursuant to the BBA, partnership adjustments will generally be assessed and collected at the partnership level. This represents a major change from current practice that conflicts with the general flow through treatment that has historically been accorded to partnerships. Generally, the IRS will be able to assess any additional tax resulting from an audit against the partnership itself. This will eliminate the need to proceed against individual partners. The assessment will be made against the partnership the year the audit concludes, and payment will be made from the partnership assets that year. That means those who are partners the year the audit concludes will bear the economic impact of the assessment – not those who were partners the year under audit. This potentially problematic situation in fact can be addressed in either the partnership/LLC agreement or in a purchase agreement for an acquired interest.
Partnership Representative - Every partnership will have to appoint a partnership representative who will have exclusive authority to represent the partnership before the IRS and to make every decision relating to certain elections, audits, and settlements with the IRS.
Under the new audit rules, a "partnership representative" replaces the role of the Tax Matters Partner (TMP) under the previous rules ; who has complete authority to act on behalf of the partnership (and therefore effectively the partners) when dealing with the IRS. This authority includes the ability to bind the partnership and the partners with respect to audits and other proceedings including settlement authority and decisions on procedural issues such as extending the statute of limitations and whether to proceed to litigation.
Importantly, there is no legal obligation under the IRS rules for the partnership representative to keep partners updated on the status of the audit. Or even to notify the partners of the audit. Lastly, unlike a TMP, the partnership representative does not even need to be a partner of the partnership. If a partnership does not designate a partnership representative the IRS “may select any person as the partnership representative.”
The BBA rules will generally apply to all partnerships. But partnerships that satisfy certain requirements and have 100 or fewer qualifying partners will have the option to elect out of the new rules. If they make an election out, the partnership and its partners will be allowed to have audits performed at the individual partner level.
Smaller partnerships (generally less than 100 partners) are eligible to elect out of the new rules. Only if it meets certain other requirements only if each of its partners is either an:
It is important to realize that if the partnership has a partner that is a partnership or an LLC treated as a partnership, this election out is not available. Also, this requirement precludes any partnership with a partner that is a trust from making the election. Eliminating the availability of this election for many partnerships, since it is common to have partners that are grantor trusts. Disregarded entities and any persons that hold an interest in the partnership on behalf of another person are also ineligible partners.
Other elections are available. Whereby the partnership can choose to issue adjusted information returns to its partners; showing their share of the audit adjustment, instead of having the partnership pay the tax liability or an election to have all of the partners agree to make amended return filings.
Each of these elections are subject to complex rules and require analysis by a competent tax advisor.
The new partnership audit rules under the BBA intended to raise significant revenue. Estimates project them to raise almost $10 billion in tax revenues over the next 10 years. This is a definite sign that more partnership and LLC audits are on the way. This makes it even more imperative that operating agreements and partnership agreements have language addressing the relevant issues. And that each partner understands the impact of this new partnership audit arrangement.
Partnership or LLC agreements sets the terms for many important aspects of this type of business arrangement. Partners will likely need to make changes to partnership or LLC agreements, partnership and LLC owners should review agreements now. And begin discussing crucial issues such as:
These are just some of the issues the partnership will need to address in response to the BBA’s new partnership audit rules with respect to governance and changes to partnership or LLC agreements. Accordingly, we recommend a consultation with a trusted tax advisor.