Sunday, December 29, 2019

Henrik Ibsen s A Doll s House - 877 Words

In Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, the play focused greatly on the relationships of people, and the marriage ideals of the time. The family of Nora and Torvald Helmer is a very typical family of the time, following all the norms and lifestyles. When Torvald was sick, and was advised by doctors to move to the south of the country, Nora took in her hands the fate of her husband, by getting a loan from an untrustworthy man from her husband’s bank, Krogstad, without telling Torvald. The drama of the play focused on the revealing of the loan’s secret Nora was hiding from Torvald. The family dynamics that is represented in the play demonstrates very poor communication skills between them, and a very ideal of a 19th century relationship. The family dynamics of Nora and Torvald Helmer reveals that all issues arise from a dishonest relationship. In the beginning of the play, Nora was misleading Torvald in regards to her grand spending of money. In addition, Nora beh ind her husband’s back decided to receive a loan that could ruin her family. Lastly, Nora’s dishonesty and carelessness ruined the family and broke them apart. With the play ending in the departure of Nora from her family, it proved to the viewers/ readers of the play that the family dynamics should be based on trust and honesty. Firstly, in the beginning of the play, Nora was misleading Torvald in regards to her grand spending of money. The play started off by an introduction of Torvald and Nora Helmer. Nora comes intoShow MoreRelatedHenrik Ibsen s A Doll House1563 Words   |  7 Pages In the play, A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen, the title itself symbolizes the dependent and degraded role of the wife within traditional marriages. Ibsen portrayed the generous nature root into women by society, as well as the significant action of this nature, and lastly the need for them to find their own voice in a world ruled by men. Ibsen wrote this play in 1879, this is the era where women were obedient to men, tend the children until their husband came home, and stood by the Cult of DomesticityRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1717 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"A Doll, a Partner, and a Change† Social movement of women liberation toward equal rights and independence has been a big subject in human history. It happens not only in Europe but also all over the world. Though making progress, this movement has been advancing slowly and encountered backslashes from time to time. Maybe there is something deeply hidden which the society has not figured out yet, even women themselves. What do women want, freedom or good life? Most of the time, they are notRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1291 Words   |  6 Pages A Doll s House by Henrik Ibsen, is a play that has been written to withstand all time. In this play Ibsen highlights the importance of women’s rights. During the time period of the play these rights were neglected. Ibsen depicts the role of the woman was to stay at home, raise the children and attend to her husband during the 19th century. Nora is the woman in A Doll House who plays is portrayed as a victim. Michael Meyers said of Henrik Ibsen s plays: The common denominator in many of IbsenRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1288 Words   |  6 Pages Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is based in the Victorian society of the 19th century. It assesses the many struggles and hardships that women faced because of marriage â€Å"laws† that were crucial during that time period. The society was male- dominated with no equality. Nora is the protagonist in A Doll’s House and the wife of a man named Torvald. This play is about Nora’s voyage to recognizing her self- determination and independence. She transforms from a traditional, reserved woman to a new, independentRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1298 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"There is beauty in truth, even if it s painful. Those who lie, twist life so that it looks tasty to the lazy, brilliant to the ignorant, and powerful to the weak. But lies only strengthen our defects. They don t teach anything, help anything, fix anything or cure anything. Nor do they develop one s character, one s mind, one s heart or one s soul.† (Josà © N. Harris). Nora Helmer’s choice to lie and deceive is inappropriate and wrong for women to do to her husband during this time period; itRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1037 Words   |  5 PagesHenrik Ibsen s A Doll s House is a work of literature genius. This three-act play involves many literary technics that are undermined by the average reader such as the fact that the plot shows the main characters Torvald and his wife Nora live the perfect life. An ironic paradox based around the fact that Nora and Torvald’s relationship is the complete opposite of perfect. Also, bringing upon a conflict as well, appearance versus reality. These little hidden meanings within stories are what areRead MoreA Doll s House : Henrik Ibsen962 Words   |  4 PagesDrama Analysis A Doll’s House (Henrik Ibsen) And Trifles (Susan Glaspell) In comparing both dramas, the overwhelming aspect of convergence between both is the open discussion of gender identity. Both dramas make similar points about what it means to be a woman. Modern society in both dramas is constructed with men holding power over women. This is seen in Trifles in how men like George Henderson and Mr. Hale are myopic. The premise of the drama is how women worry over trifles, and the dismissiveRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen1421 Words   |  6 PagesIn A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen examines conventional roles of men and women in the nineteenth century. In the play, Nora exemplifies the conventional feminine standard during that period. She seems to be powerless and confines herself through high standard expectations, demonstrating what the role of a women would be as a wife and mother. The protagonist of A Doll’s House is a woman named Nora Helmer. Ibsen shows how Nora’s design of perfect life gradually transforms when her sec ret unravels. InRead MoreA Doll s House By Henrik Ibsen876 Words   |  4 PagesA Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen A Doll’s House takes place in the home of Torvald and Nora Helmer. Through conversation with Nora’s good friend Kristine Linde it is revealed that Mr. Helmer was ill around the same time Nora’s father died. Luckily Nora’s father left her enough money that Torvald and Nora could go on a life saving trip to Italy. But the truth comes out when we find out Nora’s father did not leave her a penny. We find out that Nora got a hold of the money through a loan but she signedRead MoreHenrik Ibsen s A Doll House Essay1501 Words   |  7 PagesHenrik Ibsen’s play â€Å"A Doll House† was set in the Victorian era, a time where women were highly respected. Women in this time period did not work, they had nannies to take care of their children and maids to take care of their homes. Many women had no real responsibilities, they spent their time having tea parties and socializing with their friends. Henrik Ibsen dared to show the realism of the Vict orian era while everyone else would only focus on the romantic aspect. In the play, â€Å"A Doll House†

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Question 1. The Film Beautiful Mind Illustrates The Life

Question 1: The film Beautiful Mind illustrates the life of a bright mathematician by the name of John Nash. He suffers from a severe form of mental illness- paranoid schizophrenia. His mental issues began in early adulthood, affecting his career and personal life. John Nash’s abnormal behavior towards the individuals surrounding him makes others find him as strange and distant. His behavior meets the criteria for abnormal, Nash is suffering from auditory and visual hallucinations and a distorted perception of reality. John Nash believes that Parcher, the US government agent, is relying on his unique decoding ability to help detect the Russian’s messages in order to find the bomb planted by them in the United States. He also believes that†¦show more content†¦Question 3 There were no casual factors of schizophrenia presented in the movie. According to the researchers, schizophrenia is a â€Å"combination of genetics and environmental factors† (Joseph, G. 2016). Gene s are the framework for our bodies. Any changes in the instructions or gene mutations can increase the chances of an individual developing schizophrenia. In addition, family history is proven to increase the chances of getting it as well. Environmental triggers such as viral infections or improper nutrition before birth will greatly increase the chances of developing schizophrenia in early adulthood. It is researched the possibility that using certain drugs such as methamphetamines, LSD or even marijuana can increase the chances of developing schizophrenia. Question 4 John Nash was involuntarily admitted for treatment to a Psychiatric Hospital. His treatment included of insulin coma therapy and electroshock therapy five times a week for ten weeks. In each treatment, he received a high dose of intravenous insulin causing him to go into a coma due to the removal of glucose from his bloodstream. (PBS, 2015). The electroshock therapy was administrated without anesthesia causing him to h ave spontaneous severe seizures. After he was released from the hospital, Nash’s condition improved. He was able to normally function, having his thoughtsShow MoreRelatedA Beautiful Mind Review - Psychological Issues1523 Words   |  7 PagesMovie: A Beautiful Mind Psychological Issue: Schizophrenia 1) Using material from the text (or internet resources), describe your understanding of the disorder portrayed in the film. [This asks you to describe what someone with this disorder might really look like.] In the movie â€Å"A Beautiful Mind† directed by Ron Howard; the disorder that is portrayed by the character John Nash is schizophrenia. This brain disorder alters the normal mechanisms occurring in the brain. The best explanationRead MoreA Beautiful Mind By John Nash997 Words   |  4 Pages A Beautiful Mind Depicts the story of mathematical genius John Nash, and his battle with schizophrenia. When the audience is first introduced to Nash he is working to make a great discovery while attending graduate school. From the beginning, it is clear that Nash puts excessive pressure on himself to achieve this goal. Of course, his hard work eventually lead him to attain his objectives, but the stressful environment it created likely also triggered his schizophrenic tendencies. Although atRead More Sanity: Boundaries of the Mind Essay1493 Words   |  6 Pages Sanity: Boundaries of the Mind nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The mind is a beautiful thing. The boundaries that someone can extend their rationality is different in each and every person. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the balance of sanity and madness is tested. Hamlet’s way of thinking is changed, but in a way that his personality is only a front. By looking at the different events that Hamlet overcame, we can observe the passion for acting that many readers do not come across; knowing the importanceRead MoreFor Colored Girls directed by Tyler Perry Essay1134 Words   |  5 PagesPerry, â€Å"He has taken Ntozake Shange’s 1974 choreopoem ‘For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf’ and both condensed and expanded it into a big-screen extravaganza assessing the black female experience in America† (OConnor 1). ‘For Colored Girls’ is an emotionally charged drama about the struggles facing the modern-day black women finding their voice in America. This master piece with an all-star cast of African-American women will be talked about for years to come. TylerRead MoreAqa Unit 1 Understanding and Producing Non-Fiction Texts June 20111755 Words   |  8 PagesQuestions: 1. What do you learn from Ben Leach’s article about the issues and concerns regarding the building of wind farms? (8 marks) 2. Explain how the headline and picture are effective and how they link to the text. (8 marks) 3. Explain some of the thoughts and feelings Claire Francis has during the storm. (8 marks) 4. Compare the different ways in which language is used for effect in the two texts. Give some examples and analyse the effects. (16 marks) Answers: 1. From Leach’sRead MoreRace Film : The Great And Only Essay10250 Words   |  41 PagesChapter One Race Films as a Genre in American Cinema â€Å"Most people pronounced his last name ‘Mee-show,’ though some who knew him insist it was ‘Mi-shaw.’ The correct pronunciation of his name is only the beginning of the ambiguities and mysteries associated with Oscar Micheaux† Patrick Mulligan—Oscar Micheaux: The Great and Only: The Life of America s First Black Filmmaker From the very beginning of the early stages in American cinema, African Americans had a presence on the silver screen. TheRead MoreJeanette Winterson Boating for Beginners3918 Words   |  16 Pagesfind her own identity in a word of distorted fictions that pass for unquestionable realities. To analyse the demystification of the rewritten history of the Genesis it is interesting to answer this question: How does Boating for Beginners question the way History is written? To answer this question we will firstly analyse fact versus fiction. And finally we will focus on deconstruction in Jeanette Winterson’s novel. To understand how Jeanette Winterson put on stage two groups of people, it isRead MoreNotes for Educating Rita2612 Words   |  11 Pages|In this elective students explore a variety of texts that deal with aspects of growing up or transition into new phases of life and a | |broader world. People encounter different experiences and respond to them individually. These personal experiences may result in growth, | |change or other consequences. Students respond to and compose a range of texts that illustrate different pathways into new experiences. | |They examine the features of texts that shape our knowledge, attitudes and beliefsRead MoreThe Concept of Death in Emily Dickinsons Poetry: An Analysis3177 Words   |  13 Pagesï » ¿Death in Emily Dickinsons Poetry Introduction Emily Dickinsons 19th century anti-sentimental death poetry illustrates the awful struggle she faced with her spirituality and the realities of life, death and despair. Her attitudes were compelled by a perplexity regarding the prospect of Immortality and the afterlife. Dickinson almost appears at times to see in Death the personification of Relief. In other poems, she seems to see Death as something frightening and demanding of ones faith. InRead More Subverting the Conventional: Combining Genre in Kellys Donnie Darko6339 Words   |  26 Pagesguidelines of genre while deciding the film of choice. A reason for seeing a Western is never because the genre has evolved from primarily racist films involving cowboys and Indians to movies that vindicate Indians and work toward demythologizing the old West. Similarly, broad generalizations of genre are constantly used to categorize film. Courtship-Romance Musicals or Rock Operas are often shuffled into the generic class of Musical, whil e the 1930’s films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, examples

Friday, December 13, 2019

Inner Journey Cosi Free Essays

William F Buckley quoted â€Å"If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey most of us would never start at all†. This quote relates to journeys, specifically to inner journeys with the intention that many journeys are difficult and if individuals knew how difficult the journey was going to be, then most of us would not even commence the journey. A journey is simply a movement from one place to another. We will write a custom essay sample on Inner Journey Cosi or any similar topic only for you Order Now Physical journeys are gateways to inner journeys, which is a journey of the mind and spirit. Inner journeys take place when an individual experiences events or is involved in relationships that act as a catalyst to gain greater understanding about themselves and the world. Inner journeys can be deliberately initiated, but is usually the result of new circumstances where the individual changes themselves or their perspective of themselves, others or the world. Cosi the play written by Louis Nowra, the poem from the stimulus booklet, The Road Not Taken, written by Robert Frost, the film Coach Carter, directed by Thomas Carter and the song lyrics At Seventeen by Janis Ian are all texts which show an inner journey has taken place where perceptions of an individual, others and the world has changed. In studying this concept of inner journey through these texts, my understanding of individuals, the world and myself has significantly been expanded and developed to a large extent, and I too have experienced an inner journey as my views of myself, individuals and the world has changed. In the play Cosi an inner journey takes place unexpectedly in the protagonist, Lewis. Lewis gets a job with mental patients directing a play and at first is apprehensive about working with mental patients, though Lewis learns to respect the patients and treat them as individuals. Nowra uses a range of techniques such as dialogue, contrast lighting and metaphors to show the inner journey and the change occurring in Lewis. The use of dialogue demonstrates the change in Lewis. Before Lewis began his inner journey he saw political issues more important than love and fidelity, ‘love is not so important nowadays’ Lewis says in Act 1. At the end of the play, Lewis’s priorities, attitudes and values have changed as he realises that politics is not as important as love and fidelity. In Act Two, Lewis says to Lucy about the play ‘its about important things, like love and fidelity’ revealing that his priorities have changed. Lewis’s catalyst to begin his journey was his need for money. He says in Act One ‘I need the money, Lucy’, but by the end of the play he has grown to love the patients, become friends with them and see them as human beings ‘they need me†¦I’m not going to let them down’, Lewis says to Lucy in Act 2. The contrast with Lewis, and Nick and Lucy highlights the change in Lewis, as Nick and Lucy do not change, and do not experience an inner journey as they continue to see the world in terms of politics, and never come to an understanding of the important things like love and fidelity. Some inner journeys do not result in a change, which is the case with the mental patients, though they do gain confidence and come out of their shells. Lighting is another way in which Nowra demonstrates Lewis’s inner journey, and his learning experiences. The play begins in a burnt-out theatre, it is dark, which is a metaphor for Lewis’ lack of awareness, and Lewis is trying to find a light. In the middle of the play, during rehearsals, the lights go out and Lewis and Julie kiss. The lights come back on which suggests a transition has taken place, that Lewis is no longer ‘in the dark’ and is now at similar levels of the patients, as he starts to see them as ‘normal’. The outcome for Lewis is that he gains understanding and learns a lot about himself, others and the world. My knowledge of inner journeys has expanded deeply, as I now know, not all people change extensively as a result of inner journeys, but learning experiences. The poem The Road Not Taken is an extended metaphor for life and the difficult choices we are faced with and must making during out life journey. The metaphor transfers the journey from a physical one. The persona is confronted with the choice of two roads, both fairly similar ‘two roads diverged in a yellow wood’, and must decide which one he wants to travel. This is similar to Lewis’s situation where he has to decide between politics, and true love and fidelity and which is more important. The persona, with ultimately choosing the one that was ‘grassy and wanted wear’ and the ‘ one less travelled by’. He wanted to break away from the norm and experience something new. This road may be more rewarding despite the fact it presents more challenges. The inner journey is depicted through the use of language techniques such as, extended metaphor, first person pronoun, repetition and symbolism. The use of first person pronoun ‘I’ shows that it is a personal journey where choices need to be made. The repetition of ‘I’ in the last stanza highlights the speaker’s solitude and that he is proud of the choice he has made ‘and I-I took the one less travelled by’, also emphasises that we are responsible for our own decisions on our own journey. It helps the audience connect to the poem and inturn reflect on their own inner journey experiences. Frost uses symbolism in the word in the first line of the first stanza in ‘yellow’ of the wood. This symbolises the season autumn and the autumnal time in ones life where time is running out and decisions need to be made, this demonstrates the start of his inner journey. The speaker wants to choose both roads but knows he can only decide on one road to travel, and has regret in ‘Sorry I could not travel both and be one traveller’, this is like many of life decisions. In the end, the persona is satisfied with the decision and the inner journey has transformed him into a unique individual and ‘made all the difference’. In learning about Frost’s poem, it has helped me understand the difficult choices we are faced with making everyday and how we wonder ‘what if’ even after the choice has been made. I have come to an understanding about the world as decisions we make today, have a huge effect on our future and what tomorrow will be like. It is evident that in Coach Carter an inner journey has taken place in the young characters, just like Lewis in Cosi. The film covers the story of Coach Ken Carter, a basketball coach given the job to coach a high-school basketball team, Caucasian and predominantly African American young, troubled and angry boys. Junior, Jason, Cruz, Worm and Kenyon are the only boys that change significantly, as a result of an inner journey. Like the mental patients in Cosi, Coach’s son Damien, who is also part of the team, goes on an inner journey but does not result in a significance change, only learning experiences. The director, Carters uses various techniques including characterisation, contrast, language and dialogue to show the boys inner journey taking place. Coach sets rules and guidelines for the boys to follow with basketball and school and if they do adhere there are consequences. ‘I took this job because I wanted to affect change in a special group of young men’ Coach says. Coach is the boy’s catalyst for their inner journey. Before the boys met Coach they were academically troubled as they were skipping classes as well as basketball practice and therefore losing a majority of their basketball games. Carter successfully uses characterisation of the boys throughout the film to show their alteration. Contrast is used in the language of the boys before and after their journey, to show that the inner journey has taken place to the audience. At the beginning of the film the boys used harsh, vulgar language, ‘nigga’ and ‘dog’. This is contrasted with their language at the end of the film, as they no longer use derogatory language instead, they treat people with respect. This is shown in the language when they refer to Coach as ‘sir’. The boys eventually reach their expected grade point average and win all their basketball games. The boy’s alteration is shown through dialogue with the boys and Coach. At the beginning of the film, Worm rudely asks Coach ‘are you some country church nigga? ’. This dialogue is compared with the dialogue at the end ‘Sir, I just want to say thankyou, you saved my life’, Worm tells Coach. This shows that Worm’s inner journey was a success. Coach tells the boys ‘I came to coach basketball players and they became students, I came to teach boys and they became men’. This dialogue of Coach shows the boy’s transformation from boys to men. The boys had two paths to choose from, like the persona in The Road Not Taken. The boys chose the path that was most difficult, as it would require them to work and study hard in school. Coach said ‘I promise to do everything in my power to get you to college and a better life’, and that’s exactly what he did. At the end of the film, the boys lost their championship, but they ‘achieved something that most people spend their whole lives trying to find, that ever-elusive victory within’. The boys learnt that there is much more in life than winning basketball. Watching this film has helped me to understand that a relationship can act as a catalyst for inner journeys, and can have a significant effect on an individual’s life. At Seventeen, is a song and an example of an inner journey and how inner journeys can change an individual’s perception of things or people. The inner journey in this text is the journey of growing up and seeing life from a different perspective. It is Ian’s reflection of her teenage life at ‘seventeen’, the pains of growing up and what it was like being unattractive and unpopular when ‘names were never called when choosing sides for basketball’. This song was recorded when Ian was twenty-four, by then she was older and wiser. In Ian’s younger years she was not socially accepted and back then to her, it meant everything to be a ‘beauty queen’. Through the use of techniques such as dialogue, first and second person, symbolism and past and present tense, Ian is able to emphasise her inner journey. Ian’s experiences of ‘lacking in the social graces’ and ‘inventing lovers on the phone’ are revealed through dialogue. This technique highlights she was once different and uneducated by the ways of popularity and lived in an unreal world to appear popular to society. Her journey has transformed her into a mature adult and ‘it was long ago and far away’. She has now developed as a person because of her experiences as a teenager. The use of both first and second person lyrics in ‘I learned the truth at seventeen’ and ‘those of us with ravaged faces’ makes the song more personal and shows delve into the personas deepest thoughts, as she recalls them and allows the listener to identify with how she is feeling. It helps the listeners to empathise and connect with the song as many teenagers today are experiencing a similar inner journey of acceptance and adolescence life. Ian has used symbolism in ‘ugly-duckling girls like me’, and the implication here is that she turns into a swan eventually, which symbolises that she grows into a well-accepted human being. This change highlights that an inner journey has occurred as Ian has learnt to accept herself and that there is more to life than looks. The technique of past tense used in ‘called’ and present tense in ‘call’ is used by Ian to reflect and show her perspective changing over time, as she has travels on the inner journey of life. At Seventeen articulates that as you get older you view life differently because of your past experiences and inner journeys. These composers have each explored the concept of inner journey through various techniques to highlight the inner journey taken place. In studying these texts my understanding has been developed has expanded. I have acknowledged that inner journeys are an important part of everybody’s life and this allows individuals to gain greater understanding about themselves, others and the world. How to cite Inner Journey Cosi, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Foundation of Taxation Law Residency and Taxpayers

Question: Describe about the Foundation of Taxation Law for Residency and Taxpayers. Answer: 1. Issue By considering the given situation and the facts regarding English resident Fred who has arrived in Australia with his wife to discharge his professional obligation, the pivotal aim is to opine on the underlying tax residency status for him by considering the relevant statutes. Rule For the determination of tax residency of individual taxpayers, TR 98/17 prescribes the following four residency tests to be used on an annual basis by the taxpayers (Nethercott, Richardson Devos, 2016) Domicile Test This is used only for residents of Australia since one of the pre-conditions is that the given taxpayer under assessment should have Australian domicile. Additionally, the location of permanent residence for the taxpayer should not lie outside Australia (Barkoczy, 2015). Superannuation Test This is used only for tax residency determination of Australian government employees who tend to serve abroad. The essential condition that needs to be met is contribution to select superannuation scheme (Coleman, 2011). 183 day Test This is used only by foreign resident currently in Australia. Two conditions need to be satisfied as listed below (CCH, 2014). A stay period of minimum 183 days in Australia for the taxpayer. Taxpayers willingness to settle in Australia going ahead. Resides Test The following factors are considered pivotal for determination of tax residency of foreign residents (Gilders et. al., 2015). Nature of ties in the professional and personal field that the taxpayer maintains in Australia. Extent of visits to the country of origin along with the underlying intent and duration. Extent of significance of the purpose with which taxpayer has come to Australia. Application In case of Fred, owing to his foreign domicile and employment with England based employer, domicile test and superannuation test are ruled out. Thus, the remaining tests need to be performed for Fred. 183 day test The condition regarding minimum stay period of 183 seems to be adhered to by Fred owing to 11 month stay. However, the intention to settle in Australia seems lacking as Fred has refrained from making any investment in fixed asset in Australia and continues to hold the home in England. Thus, due to the latter condition not met, the test is failed. Resides Test- The test is passed considering the following factors. Employment of 11 months which is still expected to continue further is a significant purpose to visit Australia. Fred has not gone to England even once during the 11 month period and also his behaviour during stay in Australia is not different from that exhibited in England. Conclusion Based on the above arguments, it is apparent that Fred manages to satisfy a residency test and hence is Australian tax resident. 2. Californian Copper Syndicate Ltd v Harris (Surveyor of Taxes) (1904) 5 TC 159 The Californian Company acquired a land containing a copper mine but could not commence the mining operation on the land as they were short in the working capital. The investors knew about the fact that they would not be left with the requisite fund, after spending such a huge amount for acquiring the mine before making the decision to buy land. Company sold the mine to other competitor mining company and received shares in that company as compensation. The saleable value of the acquired shares was high and the derived profit was much higher than the amount they used for acquiring of the mine. The company made claims that it was only shifting of one asset with another and thus, they would not be liable for income tax on the received gains (Sadiq et. al., 2016). The tax commissioner pronounced that the gains from the shares would be assessable for taxation. Company appealed in the court against the verdict of the tax commissioner. The court believed that the gains from the liquidation of the companys ownership would be assessable for taxation as profit intent was present before the purchase of land and mining use was never intended. Hence, the transaction was of isolated nature with the profit intention on the part of the investors (Deutsch et. al., 2016). Scottish Australian Mining Co Ltd v FC of T (1950) 81 CLR 188 The Scottish Mining Company bought a mine with the focus of coal mining. The company constantly mined the land and the process was continued for multiple years stretching into decades. It was observed that the coal content in the land was exponentially decreasing and after some time the land could not be mined further. Therefore, the mining operation was closed on the land and it was of no use to conduct any other business activity due to amorphous structure. Company liquidated the mine, after undertaking several requisite development actions like roads, plots, parks, school, and hospital and water supply and so on. Considerable profit was received by the investors from the mine land liquidation. The matter landed into court, where it was advocated that the company performed the central work i.e. coal mining for years and when the land was of no use then only, the investors liquidated the land. It was also stated on behalf of the investors that the land development was not with the i ntent of maximizing the profit. The activities were requisite to convert the amorphous land into residential place. Hence, it was just realisation of the asset in the most effective manner possible. The court accepted the claim of the company and announced that the profit would not be assessable as it was realisation of the asset (Jade, 2016). FCT v Whitfords Beach Pty Ltd (1982) 150 CLR A beach front land was purchased by the given company, which was used for drying of the fishing shacks and other fishing related equipment. The owners decided to alter the fishing business and finally liquidated the shares of the company to three companies. The basic functions of the companies were land development and land trading for higher profit. These companies wanted a beachfront land property and thus, bought the fishing company with the main focus of deriving the profits from the beach front land. Companies modified the old article of association of the company. Plethora of land development activities were started on the land and finally, the newly constructed plots were sold and caused sizable profits. The court opined that the companies acquired the fishing company especially for the beach front land so that the beach side land could be developed and then liquidated for higher gains, same had been introduced in the article of association of the company. Therefore, these bus iness actions of the taxpayers caused the tax accessibility on the received proceeds under the ordinary income scheme of ITAA, 1936 (CCh, 2016a). Statham Anor v FC of T 89 ATC 4070 A piece of deceased estate farm land was given to Statham Anor, which was originally used for agriculture. A small cattle firm was started by the taxpayer on this land. However, during its initial stage the business became abortive and caused reasonable loss to the taxpayers. They were also facing financial struggles and required funds to support even their living expense. They did not have enough funds to commence any other business on the land and thus, subdivided the farmland into smaller plots and without advertising, liquidated the plots to prospective buyers. The taxpayers articulated that the monetary issues forced them to sell the farm land and thus, the gains should not be assessable for tax. The court agreed with the request made and passed the judgement that the land liquidation resulted due to the failure of the business and due to the shortage of funds to sustain the livelihood. There were neither the land development activities nor the business action on the part of th e taxpayers. Therefore, the gins would be termed as capital receipts and not assessable for income tax (CCh, 2016b). Casimaty v FC of T 97 ATC 5135 The taxpayer received a part of farm land from his father for conducting the farming business. He undertook sizable loan from the bank basically for dual purpose, for fencing around the land and to start the farming. The production from the farming was not much, due to drought in the same year and caused insignificant income to the taxpayer. The taxpayers had taken sizable loan at high interest rate, which was increasing debt related liabilities on him. High financial debt and low income from the farming caused high stress and weakened the health of the taxpayer. In order to resolve the issues, he decided to liquidate the land. Since, he did not want to liquidate the whole farm land and took more loans to make subdivision on the land. A huge block of the land was sold and the earned gains were consumed to repay the loan amount. Moreover, the remaining block of the land was used for farming by the taxpayer. The honourable court passed the verdict that the liquidation of the portion of the land would be categorised under realisation of the capital asset as there was no profit intention of the taxpayer behind the sale. Additionally, the taxpayer continued his traditional farming occupation on the remaining block of the land. Therefore, the gains would be considered as capital income and non-assessable for income tax (CCh, 2016c). Moana Sand Pty Ltd v FC of T 88 ATC 4897 The given company purchased sand mine to carry the sand mining business. The essential work permits were also acquired from the municipal corporations by the company. After some time of steady mining, the sand reserves were finished and further sand mining could not be performed. Hence, the company decided to sell off the mine land. In regards to maximize the sale revenue, several value enhancement actions were carried on the land like plots, roads, parks, hospitals, water supply, churches, sewerage plant unit and other requisite service were installed. These developed plots were sold to premium buyers and derived reasonably high revenues. Company made various claims that the land was of no use and thus utilized by selling (Coleman, 2011). The court overruled the claims of the company and believed that the property was acquired for sand extraction not for land business. However, company invested a sizable amount just to develop the land. The instalment of the services on the land was conducted so that higher revenues could be generated. Therefore, the revenues from sale would be assessable for the income tax (Barkoczy, 2015). Crow v FC of T 88 ATC 4620 Any repetitive course of business action would cause ordinary income that would be chargeable for income tax in the accordance of the Income Tax Assessment Act, 1936. The taxpayer Crow had performed the same action as he acquired a five block land from borrowed amount and commenced the farming for very limited time and then started development actions on the bought land. Fifty one sub-blocks were formed from this five block land and sold to retail customers. This activity was continued for many years as new land was bought and then sold to buyers at higher price after carrying some development activities. The central business strategy of the taxpayer was to buy the land, make subdivision and finally sell to buyers. The commissioner stated that the business motive of the taxpayer would be considered for tax accessibility. The taxpayer claimed that he sold the land in regards to repay the loaned amount. The matter was taken to court, where court rejected the claims and passed the verdi ct that the repetitive action of land trading and division was clear sign of carrying the land trading business. Hence, the proceeds from the sale would be assessable for income tax (CCh, 2016d). McCurry Anor v FC of T 98 ATC 4487 The taxpayers acquired a land parcel, which already had few old unstructured buildings. Three townhouses were constructed on the purchased land by availing borrowed funds. Advertisement was also made for the sale of the townhouse. Irrespective of this advertisement, the townhouses could not be sold. They decided to keep the townhouses for the time being and sold when they would receive the expected amount. Moreover, one townhouse was used for personal residence by the taxpayers. After a year, the townhouses were sold as per their expected profits. It was cited on behalf of the taxpayers that the gains should not be considered under the outlines of the ordinary income of income tax. The honourable court passed the decision that the arguments of the taxpayers were not valid. Since, their intention was to derive higher gains, and with the same, they constructed new townhouses. Additionally, they conducted advertisement to sell the townhouses. They kept the townhouses for a year so that higher returns could be achieved. These systematic business actions would lead to tax liability on the taxpayers (CCh, 2016e). References Barkoczy,S 2015,Foundation of Taxation Law 2015,7th eds., CCH Publications, North Ryde CCh 2016a, FC of T v Whit fords Beach Pty Ltd (1982) 150 CLR, Available online from https://www.iknow.cch.com.au/document/atagUio549860sl16841994/federal-commissioner-of-taxation-v-whitfords-beach-pty-ltd-high-court-of-australia-17-march-1982 (Accessed on September 18, 2016) CCh 2016b, Statham Anor v FC of T 89 ATC 4070, Available online from https://www.iknow.cch.com.au/document/atagUio544343sl16788832/statham-anor-v-federal-commissioner-of-taxation-federal-court-of-australia-full-court-23-december-1988 (Accessed on September 18, 2016) CCh 2016c, Casimaty v FC of T 97 ATC 5135, Available online from https://www.iknow.cch.com.au/document/atagUio539843sl16716249/casimaty-v-fc-of-t-federal-court-of-australia-10-december-1997 (Accessed on September 18, 2016) CCh 2016d, Crow v FC of T 88 ATC 4620, Available online from https://www.iknow.cch.com.au/document/atagUio545564sl16800674/crow-v-federal-commissioner-of-taxation-federal-court-of-australia-17-august-1988 (Accessed on September 18, 2016) CCh 2016e, McCurry Anor v FC of T 98 ATC 4487, Available online from https://www.iknow.cch.com.au/document/atagUio539084sl16707683/mccurry-anor-v-fc-of-t-federal-court-of-australia-15-may-1998 (Accessed on September 18, 2016) CCH 2014, Australian Master Tax Guide 2014, 52nd eds., Wolters Kluwer, Sydney Coleman, C 2011, Australian Tax Analysis, 4th eds., Thomson Reuters (Professional) Australia, Sydney Deutsch, R, Freizer, M, Fullerton, I, Hanley, P, Snape, T 2016, Australian tax handbook 9th eds., Thomson Reuters, Pymont Gilders, F, Taylor, J, Walpole, M, Burton, M. Ciro, T 2015, Understanding taxation law 2015, 7th eds., LexisNexis/Butterworths Jade 2016, Scottish Australian Mining Co Ltd v FC of T (1950) 81 CLR 188, Available online from https://jade.io/j/?a=outlineid=64663 (Accessed on September 18, 2016) Nethercott, L, Richardson, G Devos, K 2016, Australian Taxation Study Manual 2016, 4th ed., Oxford University Press, Sydney, Sadiq, K, Coleman, C, Hanegbi, R, Jogarajan, S, Krever, R, Obst, W, and Ting, A 2016,Principles of Taxation Law 2016,8th edn, Thomson Reuters, Pymont

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Sudeep Annem Essays - Literature, Characters In Hamlet, Arts

Sudeep Annem Mrs. Burch AP English Literature 29 November 2017 "To Be or not to Be" Explication The soliloquy that I have decided to examine is the most famous in Hamlet, and perhaps the most famous soliloquy that Shakespeare ever wrote. The "too be, or not to be" soliloquy differs from his first two soliloquies . Hamlet exhibits more reason than the emphatic passionate displays the readers are used to witnessing. Hamlet is now unable to take action and is simply waiting to "catch the conscience of the king." While he bides his time, he invokes a philosophical argument about the pros and cons of existence, and if individuals have the right to end their own lives. Renowned researchers like the Shakespearian scholar Harold Jenkins believe that the significant purpose of this soliloquy is specifically to address this debate. Jenkins states that " Hamlet's first two major soliloquies, his third and most famous speech seems to be governed by reason and not frenzied emotion. Unable to do little but wait for completion of his plan to "catch the conscience of the king ", Hamlet sparks an internal philosophical debate on the advantages and disadvantages of existence, and whether it is one's right to end his or her own life . Personally, I gleaned from this passage that Hamlet seems to be considering prospects of death, and Shakespeare furthers the archetypes of death, revenge and purpose that he has created throughout the course of the drama. It also displays Hamlet as a confused man. Hamlet is not very self-confident and this is shown through the inner turmoil he faces and how he displays insanity in order to cope with his struggles. The speech occurs because it symbolizes a shift in the story. Hamlet's careful planning for revenge is about to come to a climax, and this soliloquy serves to show how Hamlet remains uncertain within his mind while also insinuating the decisiveness that he has in committing the act regardless of how it affects him mentally. Hamlet goes on to discuss what may happen once one leaves this earth. He demonstrates his fear of "what dreams may com" (3, 1, 74) and his "dread of something after death" (3, 1, 86). In the soliloquy, Hamlet states "Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing them" (3, 1, 70-74). Here he demonstrates his struggles with death vs. life and whether death was a suitable option to avoid suffering. This suffering has plagued Hamlet since his dear father has died, and it has been eluded too that the madness he displays is either what has truly afflicted him or a mask of emotions for his guilt. Hamlet shows that he believe life is synonymous with suffering. He compares the "whips and scorn of times, Th'oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, The pangs of disprized love" (3, 1, 70-72) to all of the horrors and pain he has witnessed through his tragic life. Shakespeare reinforces the idea of how mentally exhausting Hamlet's ordeal has been. Death would be a respite from all of the conflict and confusing decisions he has had to make. Thus, by having Hamlet discuss the morality of these options the readers clearly see the desperation that Hamlet feels and this allows the readers to form connections with the power of these statements and Hamlet's predicament . If Hamlet chose to end his life, he would be freed from his obligations to avenge his father, freed from the guilt of plotting against his uncle, and free to avoid witnessing the immoral acts of Claudius and his mother Gertrude. However, the depiction of Hamlet as a tragic hero archetype becomes enriched as a result of this soliloquy as well because although he has such a tantalizing opportunity for relief and lack of responsibility, Hamlet demonstrates perseverance and determination by refusing to succumb to the depravity of his mind. The imagery of angels and freedom refer to the relaxation and peace that Hamlet could find if he so chose and the tone shift from the animated insanity th at Hamlet usually displays to his calm and analytical

Sunday, November 24, 2019

How to Melt Aluminum Cans at Home

How to Melt Aluminum Cans at Home Aluminum is a common and useful metal, known for its corrosion resistance, malleability, and for being lightweight. Its safe enough to be used around food and in contact with skin. Its much easier to recycle this metal than it is to purify it from ores. You can melt old aluminum cans to get molten aluminum. Pour the metal into a suitable mold to make jewelry, cookware, ornaments, sculptures, or for another metalworking project. Its a great introduction to home recycling. Key Takeaways: Melt Aluminum Cans Aluminum is an abundant and versatile metal that is easily recycled.The melting point of aluminum is low enough that it can be melted with a hand-held torch. However, the project goes more quickly using a furnace or kiln.Recycled aluminum can be used to make sculptures, containers, and jewelry. Materials for Melting Aluminum Cans Melting cans is not complicated, but its an adult-only project because high temperatures are involved. Youll want to work in a clean, well-ventilated area. Its not necessary to clean the cans before melting them since organic matter (plastic coating, leftover soda, etc.) will burn off during the process. Aluminum cansSmall furnace of the electric kiln (or another heat source that reaches the appropriate temperature, such as a propane torch)Steel crucible (or other metal with a melting point much higher than aluminum, yet lower than your furnace- could be a sturdy stainless steel bowl or a cast iron skillet)Heat-resistant glovesMetal tongsMolds into which youll pour the aluminum (steel, iron, etc.- be creative) Melting the Aluminum The first step youll want to take is to crush the cans so that you can load as many as possible into the crucible. Youll get about 1 pound of aluminum for every 40 cans. Load your cans into the container youre using as a crucible and place the crucible inside the kiln. Close the lid.Fire up the kiln or furnace to 1220 °F. This is the melting point of aluminum (660.32  °C, 1220.58  °F), but below the melting point of steel. The aluminum will melt almost immediately once it reaches this temperature. Allow half a minute or so at this temperature to assure the aluminum is molten.Put on safety glasses and heat-resistant gloves. You should be wearing a long-sleeve shirt, long pants, and covered toe shoes when working with extremely hot (or cold) materials.Open the kiln. Use tongs to slowly and carefully remove the crucible. Do not place your hand inside the kiln! Its a good idea to line the path from the kiln to the mold with a metal pan or foil, to aid in clean-up of spills.Pour the liquid aluminum into the mold. It will take about 15 minutes for the aluminum to solidify on its own. If desired, you can place the mold in a bucket of cold water after a few minutes. If you do this, use caution, since steam will be produced. There may be some leftover material in your crucible. You can knock the dregs out of the crucible by slapping it upside down onto a hard surface, such as concrete. You can use the same process to knock the aluminum out of the molds. If you have trouble, change the temperature of the mold. The aluminum and mold (which is a different meta) will have a different coefficient of expansion, which you can use to your advantage when freeing one metal from another.Remember to turn off your kiln or furnace when youre done. Recycling doesnt make much sense if youre wasting energy, right? Did You Know? Re-melting aluminum to recycle it is far less expensive and uses less energy than producing new aluminum from the electrolysis of aluminum oxide (Al2O3). Recycling uses about 5% of the energy needed to make the metal from its raw ore. About 36% of aluminum in the United States comes from recycled metal. Brazil leads the world in aluminum recycling. The country recycles 98.2% of its aluminum cans. Sources Morris, J. (2005). Comparative LCAs for curbside recycling versus either landfilling or incineration with energy recovery.  The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 10(4), 273–284.Oskamp, S. (1995). Resource conservation and recycling: Behavior and policy. Journal of Social Issues. 51 (4): 157–177. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4560.1995.tb01353.xSchlesinger, Mark (2006). Aluminum Recycling. CRC Press. p. 248. ISBN 978-0-8493-9662-5.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Jacksonian Character Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Jacksonian Character - Essay Example strengths and weaknesses, offer my own opinions about the article and endeavor to show how the article relates to the materials discussed in Class 1301. Pessen says foreign visitors to America such as Tocqueville, Charles Dickens, Harriet Martineau, Frances Trollope and others viewed Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States (1829-37), as a child of the frontier, democrat, egalitarian, entrepreneurial, speculative profit seeker, conservative, conformist, violent, materialist and chaste republican. They thought these traits and values epitomized American society. While some of these visitors had such nice things to say about Americans as handsome, gentle, pleasant, trusting, and self-less (p. 30), most of them had a rather negative perception of Americans. To them, Americans were dull, cold and cruel (p. 11); violent, selfish, and thin-skinned (p. 12); and clever but shallow (p. 15). Americans were dirty, unrefined, drunkard and speculative (pp. 18-22); egalitarian, moral from outside but prudish (p. 23-24); and anti-tradition, apathetic to intellectual accomplishments, and disinterested in principles (pp. 27-31). Pe ssen agrees with the visitors that a Jacksonian American, â€Å"possibly† a materialist, entertained bigotry supplemented by cruelty and cupidity, vanity and boastfulness; he was blissfully unaware of any complex situation, disinterested in principles (p. 31). However, Pessen does not agree that a Jacksonin American was a child of the frontier, an inner-directed conformist, and a chaste republican looking longingly to the past (p. 30). Pessen’s article has three remarkable strengths. First, by presenting a whole array of views of contemporary European visitors, Pessen helps us understand American society from their perspective and experiences. Secondly, he also offers his own views so the readers have a different viewpoint to draw informed and objective conclusions. Thirdly, the article written in journalistic style makes an

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Project Management Degree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Project Management Degree - Essay Example 13. How was this value decided on Don't know 14. Was there a risk manager or team specifically assigned within your organisation to deal with risk Y / N 15. If yes, please describe more fully I think there is someone who is in charge about these things but I really don't know who 16. Was probabilistic planning used within the project Y / N what is that 17. If yes, please elaborate 18. Does your organisation undertake formal risk management training Y / N 19. If yes, please describe 20. Approximately what is the budget for this kind of training per year Don't know 21. Did any issues occur in the project Y / N I guess so 22. If yes, please specify 23. How would you rate the performance of the project Please tick all boxes that apply Thank you for you participation 2 All details will remain confidential In completing the questions, please refer to the most recent project that you have been involved in. Name: Age: Job Title: Name of Organisation: Position: How long have you been in this position What was the budget for the project What was the main objective/product/benefit of the project 24. Did your organisation use a methodology to guide the project Y / N 25. If yes, what methodology (PRINCE2, DSDM etc.) was used Please specify I am not really sure what specifically, but I think they do use something 26. Have you ever undergone formal project management training Y / N 27. If yes please give details _________________________________________ 28. What is the approximate annual budget per person for this (if available) I really don't know 29. Is risk management a part of your project methodology Y / N 30. Was there a standard risk... I would say the company is not too much into strategies, it just try its best to handle difficult situations, try to learn from its mistakes, remember the lessons taken from the blunders that have occurred and try its best not to repeat the same mistakes in future endeavors. Was the project a success Who do you think was responsible for its success (or failure) Most of our undertakings are relatively successful, yes there had been a lot of problems, so many things taking place one after the other which really gave us problems but thankfully we were able to surpass everything and proof to that is until now the company continues to exist. As to who is responsible, I guess, all of us are responsible to the success or failure of the things we do. (4) Some of our projects were conceived based on very good concepts except that because most of the people in the company are ill-equpped to handle the issues that take place, most of the times the good ideas vanish. (4) Yes, management conceptualises well its activities as much as it can, but we all know that problems always arise however good is the conceptualisation and the planning in

Monday, November 18, 2019

Nursing theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Nursing theory - Essay Example Nightingale’s environment metaparadigm is informed by the aforementioned tenets. The focus here is the link between the environment and health. Nightingale argues that the environment informs nursing practices in one way or another. For instance, unsanitary conditions pose health risks and vice versa. The ventilation, light, warmth, effluvia, and noise tenets can be altered to influence the outcome of nursing practices. Johnson’s metaparadigm is informed by social bonds, dependency, ingestion, elimination, procreation and gratification, aggression, and achievement tenets (Walker & Avant, 2011). The application of these tenets is broad and wide in relation to the nursing practice. Their integration into the nursing practice influence health completeness under the health context metaparadigm. Finally, Watson’s tenets include altruistic value system, faith and hope, trust, sensitivity, feelings, solution to problems, teaching and learning, addressing human needs, countering phenomenological forces, and enhancing an environment that is supportive (Walker & Avant, 2011). Tenets related to Watson are spread across the four aforementioned metaparadigms that inform nursing

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Monetary And Fiscal Policy Of Iceland

The Monetary And Fiscal Policy Of Iceland The country of Iceland is the smallest economy within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with a gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007 of about $11.8billion. The Icelandic economy has been based on marine and energy resources. More recently, Iceland has developed a very strong services sector, which accounts for two-thirds of the economic output. Since the start of the decade i.e. from 2000, Iceland has experienced particularly strong growth in its financial services sector. Trade accounts for a large share of Icelands GDP, with imports accounting for 46% in value and exports accounting for 35% in value of goods and services of GDP. Icelands main export item was fish and other marine products until the year 2006, when Iceland began to capitalize on its abundant thermal energy resources to produce and export aluminum. A combination of economic factors over the early to mid-2000s led to Icelands current economic and banking distress. In particular, access to easy credit, a boom in domestic construction that fueled rapid economic growth and a broad deregulation of Icelands financial sector spurred the banks to expand rapidly abroad and eventually played a role in the eventual financial collapse. Iceland benefited from favorable global financial conditions that reduced the cost of credit and a sweeping liberalization of its domestic financial sector that spurred rapid growth and encouraged Icelands banks to spread quickly throughout Europe. The 2008-2009 Icelandic financial crisis was a major ongoing economic crisis in Iceland that involved the collapse of all three of the countrys major banks (Kaupthing, Landsbanki, Glitnir) following their difficulties in refinancing their short-term debt and a run on deposits in the United Kingdom. Relative to the size of its economy, Icelands banking collapse was the largest suffered by any country in economic history of the world. This was the main reason why Iceland had to suffer so much in the crisis. Commenting on the need for emergency measures, Prime Minister Geir Haarde said on 6 October 2008, There [was] a very real danger that the Icelandic economy, in the worst case, could be sucked with the banks into the whirlpool and the result could have been national bankruptcy. He also stated that the actions taken by the government had ensured that the Icelandic state would not actually go bankrupt. At the end of the second quarter 2008, Icelands external debt was 9.553 trillion Icelandic krà ³nur (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬50 billion), more than 80% of which was held by the banking sector. This value compares with Icelands 2007 gross domestic product of 1.293 trillion krà ³nur (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬8.5 billion). The assets of the three banks taken under the control of the FME totaled 14.437 trillion krà ³nur at the end of the second quarter 2008. MONETARY POLICY Monetary policy is the process a the government, central bank, or monetary authority of a country uses to control (i) the supply of money, (ii) availability of money, and (iii) cost of money or rate of interest to attain a set of objectives oriented towards the growth and stability of the economy. Monetary theory therefore provides insight into how to craft optimal monetary policy. Monetary policy is contrasted with fiscal policy, which refers to government borrowing, spending and taxation. During the financial crisis, Icelands monetary policy credibility had been very seriously damaged. Unsatisfactory inflation outcomes had already undermined the credibility of the monetary framework, even before the financial crisis started and, consequently, inflation expectations were poorly anchored. Icelandic economists had said that due to the huge impact of the crisis, rebuilding the credibility was likely to take time, and also maintaining it might be very difficult. However, after the crisis, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) had voted to lower the Central Bank interest rates by 0.5 %. By supporting the interest rate cut, it lead to the appreciation of the krona in trade weighted terms. As in the ISLM Model, a decrease in the interest rates leads to an increase in the money supply. Therefore, this has lead to an expansionary monetary policy, as the interest rates were lowered, and also the MPC supported or voted for lower interest rates. MONETARY POLICY GRAPH The above graph shows the shift in the LM towards right, which has lead to an expansion in the LM curve. Since the MPC voted for a lower interest rates , the money supply was increased. Therefore, the LM curve shifts from LM1 to LM2, leading to an expansionary of the monetary policy. FISCAL POLICY In economics, fiscal policy can be defined as the use of government expenditure and revenue collection to influence the economy. Fiscal policy refers to the overall effect of the budget outcome on economic activity. There are three possible stances of fiscal policy: Neutral stance, which implies a balanced budget where, govt. spending = Tax Revenue Expansionary stance, increase in the govt. spending and reduction in tax revenue Contractionary stance, decrease in the govt. spending and increase in tax revenue During the financial crisis, there was an increased government debt. Due to the recession and rising debt servicing costs, the public deficit was projected to be above 10% of GDP in 2009, adding to the public debt burden. As a result, a considerable fiscal consolidation was therefore needed to put public finances back on a sustainable path and to pave the road for a successful euro-area entry. It was also important to reduce the deficit vigorously in the coming years, so that the country can reach the goal of balance. In order to eliminate the deficit, the government of Iceland had the option of tax increases as well as spending cuts, it then decided to opt for the former as they were easier to introduce immediately. The starting point for the tax increases would have been to reverse tax cuts implemented over the boom years, but Iceland could no longer afford. This would involve the increase in the personal income tax and also lift the reduced rate of VAT (Value Added Tax). This planned fiscal consolidation, would involve measures which would help to contain the expenditures. FISCAL POLICY GRAPH The above graph, shows the shift in the IS curve towards left, which leads to the contraction of the IS curve. Since the govt. decided to reduce their expenditure and increase the taxation, in order to consolidate the fiscal policy, the IS has moved towards left, leading to an contractionary fiscal policy. INFLATION In economics, inflation can be defined as the rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time. When the price level rises, then each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, annual inflation is also erosion in the purchasing power of money a loss of real value in the internal medium of exchange and unit of account in the economy. The effects of inflation on an economy are manifold and can have both simultaneously positive and negative impacts. Since Iceland, comes from a small domestic market, the banks in Iceland have financed their expansion from getting loans on the inter-bank lending market and, more recently, by getting deposits from outside Iceland (which are also a form of external debt). Large amount of debt was also taken by the households, which was equivalent to 213% of the disposable income, causing inflation in the country. Due to the practice of the Central Bank of Iceland issuing loans (liquidity)to the different banks on the basis of uncovered bonds which are newly issued and printing money on demand, this lead to inflation being exacerbated. Due to the financial crisis, the country of Iceland suffered inflation. On 25th of March 2008, popular website, Bloomberg.com that Iceland had raised its rates to 15% by raising its repo rate by a huge 1.25% in one day. The website also reported that the country was facing an inflation rate of about 7%. However, the Central Bank of Iceland had a goal of maintaining the inflation rate of about 2.5%. Also the Icelandic currency, krona has declined against the euro, from about 100 ISK per euro at the beginning of the year (2008), to its nadir of 125 on March 19 2008. Due to the interest rate hike it had the effect of moving it to about 116 from about 122. In August 2006, the country of Iceland made news when it had increased its interest rate to 13.5%. At that time, the krona was very strong against the euro. Iceland made news previously in August, 2006 when it increased its interest rate to 13.5%. The krona was then trading at a stronger at 90 to one euro. Some main factors why Iceland incurred inflation was mainly due to, the value of krona depreciated, secondly the prices of various commodities kept on soaring, and lastly, there was uncertain effect on wage agreements on labour costs. Since the financial crisis brought a huge change in the development of the economies in the world, as well as making many banks go bankrupt, the Icelandic debt is now over 320 billion krona, which is roughly about $4 billion US dollars. This figure is huge; as one can say considering that its about a quarter of their GDP. INFLATION GRAPH Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2010 6.60 7.30 8.50 2009 18.60 17.58 15.19 11.89 11.63 12.18 11.32 10.90 10.81 9.71 8.63 7.50 2008 5.77 6.79 8.72 11.76 12.32 12.74 13.55 14.54 14.02 15.89 17.15 18.13 2007 6.89 7.41 5.87 5.29 4.67 4.01 3.76 3.45 4.18 4.47 5.19 5.86 The above graph shows Icelandic inflation rate over the past 3 years. In the graph, one can make out how the inflation rate climbed up consistently in the year 2008, whereas in the year 2009, the inflation rates kept on falling except in the month of June where it increased, but since then it had kept on decreasing. In the year 2008, the reason why inflation rate climbed up consistently, was because of the krona which had been depreciating, where as in the year 2009, the inflation rates kept on falling as the property prices fell, which resulted in the fall of prices. UNEMPLOYMENT Unemployment can be defined as people who do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the past four weeks, and are currently available for work. Also, people who were temporarily laid off and are waiting to be called back to that job are counted as unemployed. Some types of unemployment are listed below: Structural Unemployment. Frictional Unemployment. Cyclical Unemployment. Since the financial crisis, lead to large percentage of unemployment all over the world, Iceland was also one of them which had a quite high rate of unemployment. Unemployment in Iceland increased tree times more by the end of November 2008. There were more than 7000 registered jobseekers (about 4% of the workforce) in November compared to just 2136 at the end of August 2008. The debt repayment had become more costly as household debt (80%) and 13% denominated in foreign currencies had become indexed. The impact of the crisis was such that since October 2008, 14% of the total workforce had experienced reductions in pay, whereas around 7% of the workforce had their working hours reduced. According to IFL (Icelandic Federation of Labour) president Gylfi Arnbjà ¶rnsson, the above figures were lower than expected More than 85% of the workforce who were currently registered as unemployed in the country, stated that they had become unemployed or lost their jobs in October after that, due to the economic collapse. In December 2008, the unemployed figures which were registered in Iceland was 4.8 per cent, or around 7,902 people an increase of some 45 percent in November, according to the figures from the Directorate of Labour. These unemployment figures were the highest, Iceland had recorded since January 1997. In the same month i.e. December in the year 2007, unemployment rate partly was 0.8 percent, or 1.357 people. The Directorate of Labour had estimated that the figure will rise to 6.4-6.9 percent by the end of January 2009. Among those unemployed, the rate of unemployment among young people had increased the fastest, with the number of registered 16 to 24 year olds jumping from 1,408 to 2,069 in the month to the end of December 2008. This age group accounts for 23 percent of the entire jobless total. UNEMPLOYMENT GRAPHS GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is defined in economics as a basic measure of a countrys overall economic output. It is the market value of all final goods and services made within the borders of a country in a year. It is often positively correlated with the standard of living, though its use as a stand-in for measuring the standard of living has come under increasing criticism and many countries are actively exploring alternative measures to GDP for that purpose. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) can be determined in three ways, all of which should in principle give the same result. They are the product (or output) approach, the income approach, and the expenditure approach. Prior to the 2008-2010 crises, the economy of Iceland had achieved high growth, also had a low rate of unemployment, and a remarkably even distribution of income all over the country. The economy depended heavily on the fishing industry which is the main source of their income, which provides 70% of export earnings and employs 10% of the work force. Icelands economy had been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the last decade, with new developments in software production, biotechnology, and tourism. During the global financial crisis, the crisis-stricken Icelandic economys GDP shrank by a record 6.5% in 2009, despite having a decent growth of 1% in 2008 and massive growth of 6% in 2007. The decrease in the gross domestic product (GDP) by 6.5% was a record in the national accounts of Iceland. There was a sharp decline in GDP in last year (2009) as the domestic expenditure plunged by 20.1%, then the household consumption also fell to 14.6% due to unemployment and government consumption dwindled by 3%. Also, Icelands fixed capital formation dropped by 49.9%. These were the reasons why the gross domestic product (GDP) fell by a huge margin, in the year 2009. After the crisis, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Iceland managed to expand at an annual rate of 3.30 percent in the last quarter i.e. in the year 2009. Iceland Gross Domestic Product is now worth 17 billion dollars or 0.03% of the world economy, according to the World Bank. Icelands Scandinavian-type social-market economy combines a capitalist structure and free-market principles with an extensive welfare system, including generous housing subsidies. GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP) GRAPH Year Mar Jun Sep Dec Average 2009 -5.10 -0.40 -7.20 3.30 -2.35 2008 2.90 -6.00 1.80 3.20 0.48 2007 2.10 0.80 5.10 -1.00 1.75 The above graph, describes the changes in the gross domestic product (GDP) of Iceland over the past 3 years. During the years 2007 2008, Iceland recorded a growth in the GDP, which helped in boosting the Icelandic economy. However, most of the year in 2009, it recorded a huge decline of 6.5%, except in the last quarter i.e. in the month of December where it a recorded a positive GDP. The main reasons why the GDP declined in the year 2009 was because the household consumption, the government consumption, as well the domestic expenditure rate had fallen massively, resulting in a negative GDP for the most part of the year. CURRENCY In economics, the term currency can refer either to a particular currency, which comprises the physical aspects of a nations money supply. The other part of a nations money supply consists of money deposited in banks (sometimes called deposit money), ownership of which can be transferred by means of cheques or other forms of money transfer such as credit and debit cards Due to the effects of the financial crisis, there was In October 2008, the effects of the 2007/08 global financial crisis brought about a collapse of the Icelandic banking sector. The value of the Icelandic krà ³na plummeted, and on 7 October 2008 the Icelandic Central Bank attempted to peg the it at 131 against the euro.[4] This peg was abandoned the next day.[5] The krà ³na later fell to 340 against the euro before trade in the currency was suspended[6] (by comparison, the rate at the start of 2008 was about 90 krà ³nur to the euro[7]). After a period of tentative, very low-volume international trading in the krà ³na, activity had been expected to pick up again throughout November 2008, albeit still with low liquidity, as Iceland secured an IMF loan.[8] However as of January 2009 the krona was still not being traded regularly, with the ECB reference rate being set only intermittently, the last time on December 3, 2008 at 290 ISK per euro.[9] The Icelandic krona similarly fell in value against the US dollar, from ca. 50 to 80 per dollar to about 110-115 per dollar; by mid-November 2008 it had continued its slide to ca. 135 to the dollar. As of April 2, 2009, the value hovered around 119 per US dollar.[10] Previously high costs for foreign tourists thereby dropped, which Icelands tourism industry hopes to exploit.[11] INTERNATIONAL TRADE The economy of Iceland is small and subject to high volatility. Iceland has a mixed economy with high levels of free trade and government intervention. Iceland has a free market economy with relatively low taxes compared with other OECD countries. However, government consumption is less than in other Nordic countries. Icelands trade policy is pursued along three main tracks: multilateral trade liberalisation through the WTO, regional liberalisation through the European Economic Area (EEA) with its EFTA/EEA partners and the European Union and finally, bilateral free trade agreements in cooperation with its EFTA partners Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Icelands international treaties have strengthened foreign trade. The EEA Agreement covers the free movement of goods, persons, capital and services. Membership in the EEA in 1994 and the Uruguay Round agreement brought greater market access for Icelands exports, capital, labor, and goods and services, especially seafood products. Agriculture is heavily subsidized and protected by the government, with some tariffs ranging as high as 700 percent. Iceland is a part of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The WTO was established on the 1st of January 1995. It is an organization designed to supervise and liberalize international trade. Since the early 1990s, Iceland and its other partners in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland have established an extensive network of contractual free trade relations in Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean region and with countries in other parts of the world. The WTO deals with controlling of trade between participating countries; it provides a framework for negotiating trade agreements. The country has signed a large number of multilateral and bilateral agreements. Iceland is furthermore strongly committed to the Doha Development Agenda and a fair and equitable outcome that will benefit the entire membership. Iceland support s the Doha Development Agenda Global Trust Fund, which is intended to assist developing countries in taking advantage of the opportunities created by increased trade liberalization. Iceland exports 40% of fish and fish products, 40% of aluminum and alloys and animal products. The main imports are machinery and equipment, petroleum products, foodstuffs and textiles and Cement. Icelands primary import partner is Germany, with 12.6%, followed by the United States, Norway, and Denmark. Currently, the largest trading partner countries are Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries. The fishing industry is one of the most important industries. It provides 70% of export income and employs 6.0% of the workforce; therefore, the state of the economy remains sensitive to world prices for fish products.  [i]  The diversity of Icelands exports has, however, increased significantly in recent years, due to structural reforms and privatisation of state owned entities in finance a nd other sectors. Exports of manufactured products have been growing rapidly. Services now account for 36% of total export revenues while in 1990 the share was 26%. Icelands ratio of services to total trade is one of the highest among OECD countries. It is the Governments stated objective to provide Icelandic agriculture with a realistic opportunity to adapt to changes in its operating environment, to the benefit of farmers and consumers alike. The growth of international trade had been affected in the 1930s by the existence of tariffs and other barriers to international trade. To avoid such problems an agreement, the general Agreement of Trade and Tariffs, was concluded between 44 countries which included Iceland. Iceland joined GATT in 1968. GATT stated that an international agreement should be created which required a binding code of conduct for international trade; its main objective was the liberalization of world trade. Its principle was that there would be mutual benefits if international trade took place on the basis of non-discrimination and should be gradually reduced through negotiations. The liberalization for international trade gave Iceland confidence in their trade. During the period 2003-07, Iceland developed from a nation best known for its fishing industry into a country providing sophisticated financial services, but was consequently hit particularly hard by the 2008 global financial crisis, which extended into 2009.  [ii]   Self-protection and self-preservation have characterized Icelands foreign trade policy since its independence from Denmark. While Iceland is a highly developed country, until the 20th century, it was among the poorest countries in Western Europe. However, strong economic growth has led Iceland to be ranked first in the United Nations Human Development Index report for 2007/2008.  [iii]   TARIFF Iceland enjoys some of the strongest economic freedoms among all countries However; Iceland is very isolationist as regards to the import of farm products and licenses as well as state monopolies of imports (undergoing a dismantling). Some plant products such as potatoes and flowers are subject to seasonal limitations. Iceland implements high tariffs on agricultural products in order to protect the domestic agricultural sector. Tariffs on certain varieties of vegetables, e.g. tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers are significantly higher during the growing season to protect domestic greenhouse producers. Meat and dairy products, and potatoes are also protected by substantial duties. Animal feed can carry tariffs up to 55%. Over 90% of imports are not subject to import restrictions or duties other than the same value-added tax applied to domestically produced goods. Special excise taxes are levied on sugar and some sugar products, potatoes, and motor vehicles. Agricultural products remain the most heavily taxed. In March 1970, Iceland acquired full membership in EFTA. On 28 February 1973, Iceland ratified a trade agreement with the European Community (later named the European Union) leading to the elimination of tariffs on industrial goods. A law authorizing the establishment of free trade zones went into effect in 1992. Icelands trade regime underwent considerable liberalization in the 1990s with accession to the European Economic Area (EEA) in 1993, and the Uruguay Round in 1994. Current duty rates generally range from 0% to 30% ad valorem and the average weighted tariff is 3.6%. Some goods enter duty-free, such as meat, fish, and dairy products. Icelands average MFN applied tariff is 5.9%. A high percentage of tariff lines (70%) benefit from duty free treatment. The average MFN applied tariff rate for agricultural products is 18.3% (WTO definition) compared with 2.5% for other goods.  [iv]   Iceland offers preferential tariffs on imports from 37 WTO Members under several free-trade agreements. Regional liberalization has advanced the most within the framework of the European Economic Area (EEA); nonetheless, the average tariff on products from EEA partners is still 3.2%, reflecting the exclusion of several agricultural products from duty-free treatment. A new Customs Law came into force on 1 January 2006 (Act No. 88/2005). According to the authorities, customs clearance for all importation aspects is computerized; electronic data interchange (EDI) covers 98% of the declarations of import and export firms. Customs clearance using EDI takes a matter of minutes, or a few hours if processed manually.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

How to Write a Synthesis Essay :: Synthesis Essay

1. What is a synthesis? A synthesis is a written discussion incorporating support from several sources of differing views. This type of assignment requires that you examine a variety of sources and identify their relationship to your thesis. 2. Synthesis is used in: Analysis papers to examine related theories. For example a comparison between the theories of evolution or who shot JFK. Research papers to incorporate multiple sources. For example looking at economic and social effects of proposed legislation. Argument papers to compare differing views and support a coherent claim. For example, is Turn it in a violation of student’s rights? One side may argue that the company steals students’ papers while others claim that students agree to have their work archived. Business reports to examine differing ideas and blend into a coherent plan. For example, what are some of the plans to improve Toledo’s waterfront to attract more visitors and increase business opportunities? 3. Tips for an effective synthesis essay: Establish your purpose to shape the way you want to argue and form your thesis. The thesis is the main claim or idea of your essay. Select your sources and become familiar with them so that you can discuss them in relationship to your thesis and supporting argument(s). If you simply quote sources without evaluating them then the sources will control your paper and your audience will may misinterpret the information. Develop an organizational plan. Arrange more than just one source per point; multiple sources will increase your credibility. Look at how sources may agree or disagree with one another and evaluate which source has better logic or more credibility. Evaluate or interpret each source, then show the relationship between the sources and your thesis. Document each source; note the author and page number as well as listing the source on the Works Cited page to avoid plagiarism.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

The training requirements for Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAS)

1) Discuss the training requirements for Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTAS).Higher level teaching assistants (HLTAS) have a variety of training requirements to adhere to for example numerical and literacy skills up to NVQ level 2 which ensures that they are able and confident in what they are teaching. HLTAS should also have a broad knowledge of learning strategies from independent to group within the curriculum to allow a pupil to fulfil their potential. HLTAS should also have a solid knowledge of the curriculum along with skills in curriculum development and delivery this is to allow HLTAS to be able to teach to a high standard and be aware of what a pupil needs to do to get them to move up a sub level or level in different subjects.In addition to this most HLTAS are required to have experience with the children that they are assigned to work with whether this be young children teenagers, special needs or gifted and talented. It is also recommended that HLTAS have a sound kno wledge of ICT to allow this to be implanted across the curriculum and in order to adhere to certain procedures within the school such as using behaviour programmes online or for cross curriculum to be implanted. Policies and procedures are also required for HLTAS to be aware of and able to draw upon when and if needed, also to allow HLTAS to know the policies the school has on safeguarding, bullying and many others.HLTAS should also be confident in regulations and laws surrounding the area in which they are working with whether this be the every child matters act or the children in care act for LAC children. HLTAS should be able to discuss development stages form birth to teenager including speech and language stages. HLTAS should also be confident administering assessments as well as marking them with the correct levels which is why HLTAS need a sound knowledge of the curriculum so that they are able to do this. HLTAS should also have good organisation skills in order to keep the c lass running smoothly and that all procedures are followed.HLTAS should have good self-evaluation skills in order to look at their teaching critically in order to reflect on it and improve. Furthermore HLTAS should have good team work skills so that they can share planning teaching and evaluating themselves and other within the team also for support within the school environment.2) What are the National Occupational Standards (NOS)? What purpose do they serve?The National Occupational Standards (NOS) are performance standards that specify what skills and knowledge a HLTA should have in order to perform in their role. NOS provide a valuable resource to schools that use them to assist in the creation of job descriptions and roles and responsibilities, as well as underpinning training, progression and supporting development needs of staff. They were developed by representatives and different employers in a variety of sectors within education. HLTAS can target the use of the national oc cupational standards in a variety of ways from supporting and assisting with the development of frameworks used for the organisation, promoting and supporting equal opportunities to ensuring confidentiality but to name a few.Other National occupational standards are applicable to HLTAS from roles outside of education for example self-assessment for competence and opportunities for professional development and improvement of skills all of these help staff and HLTAS be able to perform their role to a correct standard and increase their competency within their role. HLTAS can use the National Occupational Standards to Measure their performance, knowledge and understanding against a nationally agreed checklist. Which in turn helps them to see where they need to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding in a variety of different areas, furthermore to help HLTAS decide what skills, knowledge and understanding they will need to progress in their career and for contentious professio nal development.The HLTA role is at the centre of the national occupational standards for supporting teaching and learning, with the standards reflecting the larger scope of responsibilities that the role now holds. Many standards are relevant to my job role with tasks beyond the level one job description, such as, working with children who have special educational needs, implementing IEP’S and Behaviour plans being undertaken along with a new amount of paperwork such as annual reviews for statemented children and the uptake of APP and target framework for example despite the task and descriptor ‘Monitor pupil’s responses to learning activities and accurately record achievement/progress as directed and Provide detailed and regular feedback to teachers on pupils achievement, progress, problems etc.’ (Veronica, W :2003) being on a level  2/3 job description it is usually undertaken by many level 1 teaching assistants.3) How do Higher Level Teaching Assista nts support children in schools?HLTAS support children in a variety of ways in the school community, for example a Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTAS) assess the needs of a child which can be done from the HLTA performing assessments to administering test. HLTAS also should serve as a good role model for children which in turn help to support and encourage relationships between children and their personal and educational environments. HLTAS should also help children and teachers set high expectations for children to boost performance and self-esteem. Supporting and developing systems of rewards and consequences which should help a child learn right from wrong. HLTAS should get to know the child/children they are working with and support them in their learning environment whether it be IEPs, behaviour support to literacy and numerical support. HLTAS also support in planning

Friday, November 8, 2019

First Crusade Art and Architecture

First Crusade Art and Architecture Introduction The First Crusade which took place between 1096 and 1099 was an expedition of western Christian military personnel to reclaim their holy lands that had been taken by Muslims after conquering Levant. It commenced in 1095 when Pope Urban called people in response to an appeal that had been made by Byzantine Emperor (Gabrieli 41).Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on First Crusade Art and Architecture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He had requested the Western people to assist him in fighting the Turks who were propelling invasions. From this initial goal, there arose another goal of recapturing Jerusalem from the hands of Islam which became the main goal. This essay will focus on First Crusade art and architecture. The Genesis of the First Crusade Following the conquest of England by the Normans, England and France became even stronger as compared to the time of Charlemagne. Their kings and queens started laying strategies of conquering the Mediterranean and improving the Roman Empire. They were particularly interested in capturing Jerusalem which was referred to as the city of Jesus Christ (Hillenbrand 54). The city was under the rule of Islamic Fatimids but Normans wanted to take it from them. In 1095 AD, a famous speech was given by Pope Urban at Clermont, Southern France. In his speech, he made a clarion call for people to get armed and move on to reclaim Jerusalem from the Fatimids. People ranging from small children to adults unanimously agreed hearkened to the call and they all wanted to go and fight. The enthusiasm was so high that a number of groups started their journey to Jerusalem way before the main group was constituted. They were strongly convicted that once they were in Jerusalem, God would destroy the doors of Jerusalem hence there was no need for them to have weapons or to get involved in any fight. Some of the people in the groups did not even bother to car ry money for themselves. On the way, majority discovered that the journey was not as easy as they had expected and most of them died before they got to their destination. One group deemed the journey to Jerusalem to go and fight the Fatimids as an impossible mission hence they decided to stop In Germany where they started fighting the Jews. Many Jews were robbed of their property by the crusaders and killed for the simple reason that they were not Christians Styles of Art during First Crusade During the period of the First Crusade, different styles of art were produced by the Crusaders. During this period, there are two artistic appearances that were most popular. The first one is Romanesque while the other one is Gothic.Advertising Looking for critical writing on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The military Crusaders were not actively involved in matters concerning art and most of their artistic impressions wer e destroyed after the collapse of their kingdoms hence very few survive today. One of the most sterling art styles associated with the Crusaders is the Crusader castles which were admired for their beauty. They came up with Byzantine methods of fortifying their cities with castles which were the largest ever witnessed. There was a great artistic influence of the Crusaders from the places they captured towards the end of 11th century. Byzantine Art and the Islamic Art were the most popular art styles found in Crusader states although there were other forms of indigenous art. The indigenous forms of art were incorporated with the other forms of art that the Crusaders acquired from Europe. Crusader art just like the historical background of the Crusader kingdoms is categorized into two or three periods. The first period was during the first crusade which led to the bloody recapture of Jerusalem and other Northern states. Art and Architecture during the First Crusade In the Byzantine Em pire, art and architecture started developing as early as the fifth century. First Crusade architecture is characterized by many square based domes, spires, round arches and mosaics which were made of glass. The art and architecture designs started in Constantinople and spread in the Christian world until Constantinople was taken by Turks. The most outstanding art during the First Crusade is the dome which was used in covering plans for tombs and churches with square and polygon shapes. The placing of a large number of domes in one building is contrasted with Romanesque design which basically involved use of vaulted roofs. There is no clear separation between Byzantine Art and Early Christian art. Byzantine Concrete and Brickwork Initially, construction using bricks was used by the Romans but it was adopted by the Byzantines in the First Crusade. The mixture of concrete and brickwork was finished first before being allowed to settle then slabs of marble were added. This use of indep endent component parts is a style of architecture that was used by the Byzantines. Brickwork was in addition used for decorating external caprices and internal decoration where it covered mosaic and marble decorations. The Byzantines used a lot of effort in preparing bricks which were used in military and home architecture (Gabrieli 366).The normal bricks made by Byzantines during the First Crusade were similar to those of Romans with similar dimensions and size. The general application of bricks made it necessary for great care to be exercised during the preparation of mortar which comprised of sand and lime.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on First Crusade Art and Architecture specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The decorations in external facades were determined by the patterns of facing bricks. The arrangement of the bricks was not always horizontal but at times it took the form of meander frets. The Byzant ines also tried to beautify the exterior parts of bricks that were rough by applying stone bands and other arches used in decoration. The walls of the buildings were covered with sheets of marble in the inside mixed with domes. Domes The dome which was mostly used traditionally in the East turned to be an important architecture component among the Byzantines in the First Crusade. This was a combination of construction of domes and the classical columnar art. Different types of domes were put on square compartments in the form of pendetives as opposed to their use in Roman Architecture where they were only used in circular or structures with the shape of a polygon. Domes were mostly constructed using bricks or light stones like pumice. It is believed that domes among the Byzantines were constructed in the absence of centering or support by using enormous flat bricks. In the lower part of the domes is where windows were placed. The Byzantine churches during the First Crusade were char acterized by small domes surrounding a central big dome. This made the vaults and domes clearly seen from the external hence the Byzantine style of art has an exterior which is very close to the interior. Early Christian art influences Early Christian art is said to have emerged owing to the importance that was attached to images in the culture of Romans. As Christianity continued to get new members, many Christians new the importance of images from their past cultural inclinations hence they were willing to continue with their culture. For example, the Romans changed some of their cultural activities such as cremation to inhumation. As a result, Romans started having tombs carved from marble to bury their dead. Those who converted to Christianity wanted the same for their people hence this became a great influence of early Christian art. Geological factors are also said to have had an indirect influence on early Christian art and architecture. The remains of Roman buildings were a source of materials for early Christian architecture (Madden 25).This had a great influence on both the construction and the decorative aspects. Columns and various features of architecture were converted into the emergent Basilican churches. Another influence of early Christian art is the religious history. Christianity was the inspiring force behind some of the greatest architectural constructions. The purpose of churches for Christians was to have a place to shelter after making prayers. This led to various places being adopted for worship. Consequently, there was disappearance of pagan temples before churches started being constructed.Advertising Looking for critical writing on art? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion The First Crusade is one of the most remarkable historical events which have remained in record for the longest period of time. The Crusaders succeeded in capturing Jerusalem together with other cities located near the Mediterranean coast. They made settlements in their new land and became kings of Jerusalem. This made the First Crusade a big success for the Europeans and a failure for the Fatimids. Apart from the success of the Crusades, art and architecture are important aspects of the First Crusade. This period was characterized by architectural designs such as domes concrete, brickwork and sculptures. Gabrieli, Francesco. Arab historians of the Crusades. California: University of California Press, 1984.Print Hillenbrand, Carole. The Crusades: Islamic perspectives. New York: Routledge, 2000.Print Madden, Thomas. The new concise history of the Crusades. Oxford: Rowman Littlefield, 2005.Print