Mediterranean Society Under Greek and Roman Influence Essay

As the Greek and Roman empires ascended immensely throughout the western world, new ideas changed the way the Mediterranean Society handled things, which were spread across the globe. â€Å"The rise of the series of city-states of classical Greece began in the ninth century B.C.E. and during the late sixth century B.C.E, Rome’s development as a republic began as Etruscan society declined†(Bentley et al, 2008 p.132, 145). The development of these empires encouraged cultural circulation, blending the culture of the two empires into the land it conquered. As Greece and Rome gained more territory within the Mediterranean society, they began to progress toward a more civilized order of humanity. How were they alike? How were they different? How did†¦show more content†¦Moreover, while the production and transportation of goods was influential to the trading industry, the Romans were able to expand their empire by conquering distant lands. Differences of the Greeks and Romans Despite all their similarities, The Greeks and Romans engaged in substantive culture differences. Their religions derived from a complex set of gods and goddesses, called deities, who were seen as regulating human life. Since the Romans embraced culture from the Greeks, many traditions were the same. However, the Greek and Roman culture, although similar, are very different and appealing. For instance, the Greeks did not acknowledge an all-powerful god; they believe that deities controlled everything that transpired on earth. In other words, the Greeks sought religious cults to explain the forces that shape the world (Bentley et al, 2008 p.143). On the contrary, during the early days of the Romans history, they believed in Greeks philosophy as well. WGBH (2008) has noted, â€Å"that some Roman citizens were open-minded to deities from the ancient Greece†. Nevertheless, after observing the preaching of a new kind of faith called Christianity, voiced by Paul of Tarsus, a Jew from Anatolia, about Jesus of Nazareth, the Romans welcomed this new faith. According to (Bentley et al, 2008), Paul’s teaching was based on...†a sense of spiritual freedom...and spiritual equality of the sexes and that Christianity bestows an assurance of victory to those whoShow MoreRelatedThe Contrast and Comparison Between the Ancient Greeks and Romans1483 Words   |  6 PagesThe ancient Greeks and Roman civilizations both began their histories with the emergence of city states. Both of these civilizations made contributions to the Middle East. The Greeks had made a wild spread of discoveries on several fields. This included astro nomy by Ptolemy, geometry by Euclid, and the philosophy of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius of his Stoic philosophy. Because the Greeks were widely known as a creative and prestigious race, the Romans were influenced by the Iliad (Homer’s legendaryRead MoreRoman Achievements and Contributions1571 Words   |  7 PagesRoman Achievements Jigsaw Background: The period of great cultural achievements for the Roman Empire is referred to as the Pax Romana, or â€Å"Peace of Rome.† Beginning after the Republican Wars in 27 B.C., and lasting to about 180 A.D., this era was marked by general tranquility and unity across the empire. By this time, Rome had overtaken most of the Mediterranean world and had spread its culture. Family Religion The family was the basic unit of Roman society. Under Roman law, the male headRead MoreEssay on Roman â€Å"Res Publica†1007 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Roman â€Å"Res Publica† The first known inhabitants of the Italian Peninsula were the Dorians. They had first invaded the Greek Peninsula circa 1200 B.C. before moving onto the Italian Peninsula around 1000 B.C. About 200 years later, a new civilization arose in Etturia (now Tuscany) that would have a tremendous influence on the Romans. These people were known as the Etruscans. The Etruscans were a military ruling class that exploited the native Italians, making them work the mines and serveRead MoreCause of the Disappearance of the Indus Valley Civilization1675 Words   |  7 Pageswith the Aryans, floods, drought, and/or decline in trade with other societies. Topic 1: On several occasions in class, we discussed the processes of accretion and syncretism. Describe and analyze the cross-cultural influences in a Mediterranean and Indus Valley context. Your essay should provide examples of cultural (remember the components of culture we discussed early in the semester) interchange between different societies and civilizations. Introduction Culture is the complex combinationRead MoreThe Roman Empire Essay2106 Words   |  9 PagesQuestion C: The Roman empire was large and very vast. It encompassed many different cultures that fell under Roman political rule. Romanization or becoming a Roman is described by studying the changes in everyday life to include language and religious practices, and from drinking habits and personal names. The western provinces of the Roman empire had a long and trouble some experience throughout its history. Much of the Britain and Germanic Gaul’s history was destroyed by the Romanization processRead MoreGreek And Roman Civilizations : Greece And Ancient Civilizations1498 Words   |  6 Pages Greek and Roman Civilizations In examining the impact that the ancient world has had on modern Western civilization, the two ancient civilizations which are frequently understood as having had the greatest influence are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. These two civilizations would eventually come to shape much of what would become the modern European culture, politics and society, and by extension, a vast proportion of global culture and society. In examining the trajectory of modern historyRead MoreGreek And Roman Civilizations : Greece And Ancient Civilizations1503 Words   |  7 Pages Greek and Roman Civilizations In examining the impact that the ancient world has had on modern Western civilization, the two ancient civilizations which are frequently understood as having had the greatest influence are Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. These two civilizations would eventually come to shape much of what would become the modern European culture, politics and society, and by extension, a vast proportion of global culture and society. In scrutinizing the trajectory of modern historyRead More Roman and Greek Philosophys Influence on Todays Western Culture780 Words   |  4 Pages Advances in Art, science and politics were made in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. Greek philosophers were among the first in the West to explore nature in a rational way and to make educated guesses about the creation of the world and the universe. This is why Greece is often referred to as the birthplace of Western culture. The ancient Greeks viewed the world in a way that one would today perhaps describe as holistic. Science, philosophy, art and politics were interwoven and combinedRead MoreAncient Roman Dwellings Evolved Architecturally In Time1093 Words   |  5 PagesAncient Roman dwellings evolved architecturally in time from simple huts in the earliest times, to sophisticated and extremely long-lived structures in the later Republic and Imperial Rome following the annexation of the Greek city-states. This is very evident in many Italian and Greek cities where archaeologists have found different occupational levels, with each lower architectural strata being much more ancient (Lavan, Ãâ€"zgenel, Sarantis, 2007). Typically, however, Roman architecture refers toRead MoreItaly : A Long And Rich History1417 Words   |  6 PagesItaly was at first preceded by several non-Italian cultures, including Greeks. The Greeks occupied southern Italy, including areas around Sicily. This remained a wealthy ext ent of land because of the tremendously fertile soil, which then caused the sprout of new cities and civilization. These Greek cities ultimately stood taken over by Roman control. As far as northern city-states, the Etruscans lived in areas influenced by Greek culture. The Etruscans stayed well-known engineers, builders, and traders

African American History Through The Process Of...

In W. E. B. Du Bois’ book Black Reconstruction, he discusses the various topics of African American history through the process of Reconstruction. Through its rise and fall, he covers different vantage points and opinions attempting to incorporate all relevant ideas and positions. However, through this process, one theme that transcends throughout is his belief in the strict principles of Marxist economic theory. When applying this to the eventual fall of the Reconstruction era, he constricts the viewpoint to only focus to that of what Marxist theory would have to say for it, however, it must be remembered that complex issues deserve equally complex solutions. While Du Bois’ application of Marxist principles is not one-dimensional, his†¦show more content†¦Thus, creating a cycle of economic superiority that led to strict social classes based on race throughout and after the Reconstruction era. Essentially, that is the view of the Marxist theory in economics tha t Du Bois champions repeatedly throughout the book, which involves the relationship between the means of production, the â€Å"Base,† and all other aspects of society, the â€Å"Superstructure.† Marxist economic theory describes and defines the connection between the two stating that the Base influences everything within the Superstructure including politics, religion, and social life. In the case of the Base and the Superstructure, Du Bois believed that the suppression of the black labor force led to increasingly poor economic conditions, which then directly affected their Superstructure. Du Bois furthers his point by declaring that the White aristocrats of the South encouraged and hired poor White workers to not only enforce the exploitation of the Black working class but to also create an increased divide among the two groups for their own economic gain. The premise behind the argument that W. E. B. Du Bois presents is obvious and makes logical sense both because of the situation that African Americans found themselves in and the economic abuse that Southern farmers could benefit greatly from; thus, it would not be feasible to deny the economic connection that contributed to the downfall of Reconstruction through the oppression of the Black labor force.Show MoreRelatedEssay on History From Reconstruction Through Ww11329 Words   |  6 PagesThis survey paper wi ll explore the early events of Reconstruction during and immediately after the Civil War. The topics that will be addressed in this survey paper will be the Thirteenth Amendment, the Freedmens Bureau, the Black Code, the Fourteenth Amendment and finally some political and social achievements of Reconstruction. Reconstruction to African Americans began as a feeling of joy and triumph for their freedom which was taken away quicker than it took to receive but it just wasnt calledRead MoreThe Reconstruction After The Civil War977 Words   |  4 PagesAs a country, America has gone through many political and governmental changes. Leaders have come and gone, all have different goals and objectives for the outcome of America’s future. As history takes its course, most of the most have the same ending of coming to an end to start something new. One such movement was the Reconstruction. Reconstruction was a time period between 1865 and 1877 following the Civil War, during which pe ople of the United States worked to put the country back together againRead MoreReconstruction During The Civil War Essay1676 Words   |  7 PagesReconstruction The United States went through many changes after the Civil War and during the Reconstruction period of 1866-1877. Before Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on December, 1863, by John Wilkes, Lincoln announced the first Reconstruction plan a year before the Civil War had ended and Lincoln offered general amnesty to white southerners who would pledge an oath of loyalty to the government and accept the abolition of slavery. During the summer of 1865, Johnson not long after he took officeRead MoreReconstruction Era1650 Words   |  7 PagesReconstruction 1 The Reconstruction Era Jessica Onken American History Since 1865 Professor Tim Johnston August 2, 2010 Reconstruction 2 The Reconstruction Era The reconstruction era was a difficult time for the African American slaves from 1865 to 1877 because the slaves were freed and there were no jobs for them, had very little or no education, and had very limited opportunity in the south. Reconstruction was one of the most critical periods in American History. The CivilRead MoreRacial Politics : Freedom Road1118 Words   |  5 Pagespolitics very few would agree that Howard fast did a great job of covering the main points of the Reconstruction period and Civil rights movement. The advancement of liberated slaves in the reconstruction period covered in Howard Fast’s Novel, Freedom Road, are more vulnerable over the gains made in civil rights over the course of the past 35 years. In actuality things were much more difficult in the reconstruction period than that of what happened in just the short novel. Also the gains made by minoritiesRead MoreThe Civil War ( 1861-1865 )1154 Words   |  5 Pagesin U.S. history. Tensions bet ween the North and the South reached a critical point in 1860 when the Southern states began to secede from the Union and form the Confederate States of America. The four years that ensued from the Battle of Fort Sumter claimed more than 600,000 lives, marking the Civil War the bloodiest battles in American history. Following the Union’s victory, the seceded states had to be readmitted into the Union through a process called Reconstruction. However, this process was notRead MoreThe Legacy Of The Reconstruction Era1473 Words   |  6 PagesThe reconstruction era was a time that then affected America in positive facets and negative aspects as well, and still affects America today. Thanks to the reconstruction era, there are several implementations that geared the world on the path in which it is today. Had it not been for some of the laws that were set in place African Americans may have not had many of the opportunities that were presented during the reconstruction period, th erefore the years of oppression and cruelty might still beRead MoreReconstruction after the Civil War900 Words   |  4 PagesAfter Reading John Hope Franklin’s  Reconstruction after the Civil War  I have a completely new outlook on reconstruction. Some may say that this book, regardless of its historical contribution on Reconstruction, which it tries to demolish William Dunning’s myth of white supremacy. It is also has a very serious attempt to be fair and objective about a very controversial period when race, politics and ideology played a very different role in Society. It is precisely in Franklin’s abilityRead MoreThe And Invisible Man By Toni Morrison And Ralph Ellison1726 Words   |  7 Pages The Un-American Race Throughout history, the African American race has battled great social injustices. From slavery to freedom, being property to owning property, African Americans have fought their way to be a part of equal justice. For many black individuals, their identity was non-existent, stripped away, leaving them powerless due to white power. Race, class, and economic standing are all social issues that are prominent in both Beloved and Invisible Man. Toni Morrison and Ralph Ellison areRead MoreThe Period Of Reconstruction During The Years Of 1865-18771587 Words   |  7 Pagesperiod of Reconstruction in the years of 1865-1877. During this time period the Civil War was finally over and â€Å"Abraham Lincoln was now making plans for immediate equality for former slaves†. During Presidents Lincoln last speech he talked about â€Å"supporting enfranchisement of freedom†, in which he is basically talking about emancipating all African Americans; while Lincoln supported this idea And rew Johnson opposed it. Andrew Johnson didn’t agree with this way of living with African Americans but there

Security Analysis and Portfolio Management †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Security Analysis and Portfolio Management. Answer: Introduction Blackmores Limited is an Australian organization that is directed by a vision of inspiring people to embrace national health. Critical to the discussion is the fact that the organization trades publicly implying her historical prices were obtained from yahoo finance using the symbol ASX BLK. Analogously, historical prices for a benchmarking the market standard in Australia was obtained from the same site suing the symbol ASX200. It is notable that the historical prices were collected in order to examine the organizations stock performance, market capitalization, debt and equity mix with an aim of deciding whether investing in the organizations stock would be a wise decision. It is important to note that the study used different techniques and tools for analysis. For instance, Microsoft Excel was used to evaluate the stocks performance using regression analysis. The same toll was used to for overpricing or underpricing of the stock in question by plotting a security market line. Further, the price to earnings ratio was used to check if it is an appropriate time to invest in the stock. In addition, the debt to equity ratio was obtained and used to identify the financial policy implemented by Blackmores Limited. Above all, it is prudent to invest in the companys stocks because the stock price for the organization is underpriced. After collecting the data from the mentioned source, the data was inserted in Microsoft Excel for analysis. It is important to note that monthly lag was chosen before downloading the two sets of datum from yahoo fianc. As a result, the monthly return for every month was calculated using the formula , where the subscript indicates the lag. A scatter plot of BKL against ASX200 was plotted and a trend line was fitted to obtain the regression equation from the data. The results are depicted in figure 1 below. From the graph, it is evident that the stock performed well because the trend line is slopping upwards. Additionally, the for the stock is 0.3963, which implies that the stocks volatility was 61 percent less than the markets volatility in the last five years. It is notable that that for the organization in question was less than one implying much of the price fluctuations were brought about by unsystematic risk. Simply put, the price fluctuations of the stock were a direct result of investment decisions made by the management of Blackmores Limited. The scatter plot in figure 2 below further highlights that the mentioned idea because the stock was performing better than the ASX 200 had performed up to the first quarter of the fourth year. As Waemustafa, and Sukri, (2016) argue, organizations that plot above the market standard are said to be performing well. Ang (2015) argues that the total stockholders equity and the price of one share are the only requirements for calculating the market capitalization. In a different publication, Bali, Engle, R and Murray (2016) argue that the market capitalization could be calculated using the following formula. . Consequently, the total stockholders equity was obtained from Blackmores financial report for the year ending December 31st 2016 (Blackmores, 2016). The total stockholders equity was obtained as 173,643.00. The price of one share was collected from the closing price of the stock on December 31 2016, which was 102.50. Therefore, the market capitalization for Blackmores limited as of December 31 2016 was $ 17,798,407.50. The Capital Asset Pricing Model was used to identify whether Blackmores stocks are overpriced or underpriced. Critical to the discussion is the fact that several variables were calculated prior to determining whether the stocks are overpriced or underpriced. Specifically, the expected return from the stock, the risk free rate, the beta of the stock, and the return of the market were calculated. For instance, Musharbash, and Linnertova (2016) argue that the expected return is calculated using the formula: . Consequently, the expected return for Blackmores stock was calculated by taking the closing price of the stock minus the opening price of the stock. The result was then divided by the opening price and multiplied by one hundred. The expected market return was calculated using a similar procedure: only that the historical opening and closing prices for ASX200 were used. The result from the calculation was established as 39.06%. Mungikar and Muralidhar, K.S. (2014) argue that the risk free rate of return should be calculated using: . Where is the risk free rate, is the expected return of the stock, b is the beta of the stock, and is the expected return of the market. The formula was then used to calculate the risk free rate of return using values of beta, expected return of the stock and market that were obtained above. The risk free market return was found to be 7.03%. A security market line was then plotted by assuming that the expected return is 7.03% when eta is zero and 39.06% when beta is 1%. The security market line is depicted in figure 3 below. According to Damodaran (2012), a stock is said to be overpriced if the beta is above the security market line and underpriced if the stocks beta is below the security market line. The beta for the stock in question is -0.0163, which is below the security market line. Therefore, the analysis reveals that the stock is underpriced. A time series analysis is required in order to forecast the future price of the stock. This could be done using an appropriate statistical software such as R. The data will be uploaded in R and checked for the seasonal effect using the command . The trend will also be checked using the command (Hyndman, and Athanasopoulos, 2014). The cyclic and trend component will then be removed by taking the natural logarithm of the returns and using it for the proceeding analysis. From the scatter plot in figure 2 above it is evident that the data is non-stationary because the mean and variance is not constant over time (Carmona, 2014). Therefore, the data will be differenced the appropriate number of times to obtain an ARIMA model of the form ARIMA(p,d,q). Using the forecast library, it will be possible to make the prediction using the command where BLK is the differenced data set and h is the number of months forecasted (Cao, Li, and Wang, 2016). From the scatter plot in figure 2 above, it is evident that the trend for the stock is rapidly declining. Further, Damodaran (2012) reveals that the price to earnings ratio could be used to identify an appropriate time for investing in a stock. Specifically, the author argues that stocks from organizations with price to earnings ratios that are below 10 should be purchased while those that are above 20 should not be purchased. The price to earnings ratio for the organization is present on yahoo finance and is 23.58 implying it is an inappropriate time to invest in the stock. Babu (2012) reveals that the debt to equity ratio is an important ratio that could be used to identify the debt to equity financing. The same notion is shared by Damodaran (2012) who also mentions that the ratio could be calculated using the formula. The formula was used to calculate the debt to equity ratio, which was established to be 0.41657903. According to Gupta (2016), the ratio indicates that investors finance most of the assets and activities in the organization. Specifically, the ratio implies that at least 66.6 percent of the organizations financing is from investors. It is important to note that the organization uses different types of debt and equity. For instance, the organization uses equity such as retained earnings, common stock, and treasury stocks. Additionally, the company uses debt financing such as debentures and loans. Apparently, the organization uses both debt and equity to finance her activities. Critical to the discussion is the fact that the organization embraces a long-term financing policy because of the debt to equity ratio, the type of debts, and equity present in the companys books of accounts. According to Anuar, and Chin (2016), an organization is said to be embracing a long-term financial policy if it uses debentures, retained earnings, loans from financial institutions, and common stocks. As mentioned earlier, the organization uses the mentioned sources of debt and equity, which implies that Blackmores Limited is embracing a long-term financing policy. Critical to the discussion is the fact that close to thirty percent of Blackmores Limited activities are financed by debt implying the organization is free from risks such as bankruptcy, and loss of future financing ability. The long-term financing policy embraced by the organization in question implies that the organization has advantages as well as disadvantages. According to Nwude, Itiri, Agbadua, and Udeh (2016), the financial policy used by the organization increases the tax for Blackmores Limited because maximizing on debt reduces that tax paid by an organization (Blackmores Limited uses limited debt). In a different study, Modugu (2013) reveals that the organization enjoys the flexibility of borrowing in future for minimizing on debt financing. Analogously, Mwangi, Makau, and Kosimbei (2014) reveal that the policy frees the organization from agency costs. Regardless, the same financial policy is associated with negative effects such as a careless management. As evidenced, Nwude, et al., (2016) reveal that debt financing is responsible for keeping the management on its toes because a careless management could lead to bankruptcy. Apparently, Blackmores limited is a healthy organization implying it is prudent to invest in the organizations stocks given a capital of $10,000. To begin with, the organization is financially healthy because it has a very low debt to equity ratio. Simply put, the organization is nowhere near solvency, which implies the organization will continue to exist in the long-term. Additionally, the financing policy implemented by the organization implies that it could still borrow from lenders if the market underperforms. Critical to the discussion is the fact that such an investment should be made with a long-term perception in mind because the scatter plot in figure 2 above indicates that the prices for the stock are declining. This owes to the fact that the price for the stock could continue to decline in the near future, but will eventually rise in the long-term. Why should the stock price for the organization under discussion rise in the long-term? Evidence from the security market line in figure 3 above indicates that the stock price is underpriced. According to Acqua, Etro, Teti, and Murri (2014), underpriced stocks are known to increase in price when the market realizes that the stock is underpriced. Critical to the discussion is the fact that the price should rise until its saturation when the stock will be overpriced. Therefore, it is prudent to buy stocks for the organization in question despite the indicator of the price to earnings ratio. Conclusion In conclusion, this paper evaluates the historical prices for Blackmores Limited and recommends that it is prudent invest in the organizations stock. Vital to the debate is the truth that a regression analysis was used to examine the stocks historical performance, which indicates that the tock performed well in the past. Regardless, the price for the stock has been declining recently but the trend is expected to change. This owes to the truth that the organizations management is risk averse and has used a financing strategy that ascertains Blackmores limited remains a healthy organization financially. Additionally, the share value for the stock in question is underpriced, which implies that the price is likely to rise in future. Therefore, it is advisable to invest in Blackmores limited stocks. References Acqua, D. A., Etro, L. L., Teti. E., and Murri, M. (2014). IPO Underpricing and Aftermarket Performance in Italy. International Journal of Finance and Banking, 1(5): 30-45. Ang, C. S. (2015).Analyzing financial data and implementing financial models using R. Cham: Springer, 2015 Anuar, H., and Chin, O. (2016). The Development of Debt to Equity Ratio in Capital Structure Model: A case of micro franchising. Procedia Economics and Finance 35: 274 280. doi: 10.1016/S2212-5671(16)00034-4 Babu, G. R. (2012).Financial management. New Delhi: Concept Pub. Co. Bali, T. G., Engle, R. F., and Murray, S. (2016).Empirical asset pricing: The cross section of stock returns. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley Sons, Blackmores Limited. (2016). Financial Report for the Half-Year Ended 31 December 2016. Retrieved from https://www.blackmores.com.au/about-us/investor-centre/annual-and-half-year-reports Gupta, A. (2016). Capital Structure Practices- Industry Wise Analysis of Companies. The International Journal of Business Management, 4(2): 14-20. Hyndman, R. J., and Athanasopoulos, G. (2014). Forecasting: Principles and Practice. Heathmont, Vic: OTexts Cao, H., Li, J., and Wang, R. (2016). Trends and Applications in Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining. Auckland, New Zealand: Springer Carmona, R. (2014). Statistical Analysis of Financial Data in R. (Statistical analysis of financial data in R.) New York, NY: Springer Damodaran, A. (2012). Investment Valuation: Tools and Techniques for Determining the Value of Any Asset, University Edition. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley Sons. Iqbal, J. M., and Shah, Z. S. (2012). Determinants of Systematic Risk. The Journal of Commerce, 4(1): 47-56. Retrieved from https://joc.hcc.edu.pk/articlepdf/joc201260_47_56.pdf Kevin, S. (2015). Security Analysis and Portfolio Management. Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited. Modugu, P. K. (2013). Capital Structure Decision: An Overview. Journal of Finance and Bank Management, 1(1):14-27. Retrieved from https://jfbmnet.com/journals/jfbm/Vol_1_No_1_June_2013/2.pdf Mungikar, V., and Muralidhar, K.S. (2014). Application of the dividend discount model to Infosys. Asian Journal of Management Research, 4(3): 509-515. Retrieved from https://www.ipublishing.co.in/ajmrvol1no1/volfour/EIJMRS4041.pdf Musharbash, B., and Linnertova, D. (2016). Capital Asset Pricing Model versus Arbitrage Pricing Theory. Masaryk University Retrieved from https://is.muni.cz/th/440125/esf_m/ThesisFinalDraft.pdf Mwangi, W. L., Makau, S. M., Kosimbei, G. (2014). Relationship between Capital Structure and Performance of Nonfinancial Companies Listed In the Nairobi Securities Exchange, Kenya. Global Journal of Contemporary Research in Accounting, Auditing and Business Ethics, 1(2): 72-90. Nwude, E. C., Itiri, O. I., Agbadua, O, B., and Udeh, N. S. (2016). The Impact of Debt Structure on Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence from Nigerian Quoted Firms. Asian Economic and Financial Review, 6(11): 647-660. Retrieved from https://www.aessweb.com/pdf-files/AEFR-2016-6(11)-647-660.pdf Scott, P. (2016). Accounting for Business. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Waemustafa, W., and Sukri, S. (2016). Systematic and Unsystematic Risk Determinants of Liquidity Risk between Islamic and Conventional Banks. International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, 6(4), 1321-1327. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309358671_Systematic_and_Unsystematic_Risk_Determinants_of_Liquidity_Risk_Between_Islamic_and_Conventional_Banks

Persian Society in Movies

Introduction Persian movies have helped reflect the situation in Iran. The political climate has played a central role in the movies. During the old days, freedom was curtailed in Iraq with several movies banned or censored. This is not strange in the Islamic countries where cultural fundamentalism is entrenched in the society. Moreover, western ideologies are subject to criticism.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Persian Society in Movies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through religious bodies, movies were opposed as they revealed the nature of the political, social, and economic situation in Iran. Successive regimes have been suppressing human rights in the name of national security and the Sharia law. The influence of the regimes and the religious bodies exists today as famous movies have failed to depict the real situation in the country. Directors, opposing the standards set by the regimes, have been j ailed, or their movies censored. This paper will explain how Persian movies reflect the issues in the society. Discussion The Persian culture has been depicted in many movies. Most of these movies have enjoyed success despite the censorship that exists in the country. Films that succeed in the western countries and globally, lack a true reflection of the real political, social, and economic situation in Iran. In white balloon, the people of Iran are shown to face trouble like individuals in other countries. Moreover, these people have families and troubles similar to other countries. From the movie, the culture of Persia has philosophic and poetic sophistication. White balloon possesses a concrete, up-close, and complex view of the hardships faced by the Iranian minorities. Recent movies also reveal the impact of American occupation of Iraq. The Kurds freeing Iraq enter Iran voice vehement feelings concerning Saddam Hussein, the infamous dictator. Generally, most of the Iranian movi es depict a struggling society. Iran struggles to reconcile political choices with cultural traditions, thorny realities, and vaunted ideals. The movies are vital with this regard as they give a nuanced and rich view of challenges prevalent in Iran (Alizadeh, 2005). How the Society Was Treated In Old Days Prior to 1950’s, entertainment in the Persian society was limited to musicals and melodramas. Although the society enjoyed a commercial industry with a film festival because of releasing a high number of movies annually, the movies were devoid of social critique. Movies with negative connotations were banned or censored. In the 1960’s change permeated in the Persian society and the entertainment industry.Advertising Looking for term paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The cow is among the movies that brought modernist literature to the fore. The traveler depicted the cultural consciousness o f Persians. Nonetheless, the political landscape of this country changed with anti-Shah protesters supporting Ayatollah Khomeini, opposing themes in the movies. Traditionalists accused movies of being agents of cultural imperialism by the west. Subsequently, a cinema hall was set ablaze by the militants leading to the demise of 400 people (Cardullo, 2004). The Iranian revolution in late 1970’s changed the political climate, and this was reflected in the movies. Fundamentalism was entrenched in this society and the entertainment industry focused on cultural dominance. Authorities were wary of the development because cultural fundamentalism was a platform for anti-western sentiments. The Persian society of the aforementioned era was opposed to western ideologies. Religious conservatism demanded that the media was supposed to focus on the real issues affecting the society not western culture swamped with moral ills. Censorship for social dissent and political criticism reveals t hat Iranian citizens were oppressed by the regime. Iranian leaders adopted the Sharia law that curtailed certain rights and freedoms. The movies directed in this era could only focus on the positive issues of the society or risk censorship (Cardullo, 2004). Modern Movies Persian movies have been used to reveal the real life situation in Iran in various eras. The most important periods focused in the movies are the revolution era and the post revolution era. The lives of people in Iran are scrutinized in the movies. Similar to other Islamic countries in various parts of the world, the country is under the leadership of successive regimes. This leadership if characterized by control of the media. These regimes determine how individuals carry out their activities. Although freedom is not denied in the country, there are laws that limit human rights. The current political system in Iran is based on 1979 constitution that caters for equal economic opportunities for citizens (Moruzzi, 200 1). The Separation is a 2011 movie depicting the contemporary social situation in Iran. As opposed to the cultural fundamentalism depicted in the old movies, the separation illuminates a modern Iranian society that has embraced modernity. Divorce is no longer a major issue as shown in the movies. Razieh is a young woman who decides to apply for a banking job without consulting her husband. Such a move may have been opposed vehemently in the traditional Persian society whereby women had no priorities and had to comply with the decisions made by their husbands.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Persian Society in Movies specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This movie shows the gains achieved by women in Islamic countries. From the movies, Iran is depicted as a country with powerful and influential religious institutions. These institutions determine the law and entrench traditions, which may not be in line with the requirements of human rights. Mosques are frequented as worship centers and played an instrumental role in the revolution that occurred in Iran (Moruzzi, 2001). Before the revolution elucidated in the contemporary movies, Iran was entirely preservative of its traditions. These traditions were followed and respected by all individuals. Similar to a number of Islamic countries, Iran had regarded some behaviors taboos. Religion, power, and sexuality were sources of emotive debates. Religious and political leaders ensured that individuals committing crimes in connection with the aforementioned institutions were heavily punished. The forms of punishments meted on these individuals ranged from execution, imprisonment, to ex-communication. Religious matters remain sacred and not subjects of debate in social domains (Moruzzi, 2001). The effects of Islamic Leadership on the Persian society The Shia regime in Iraq had a brutal, extravagant, and oppressive legacy. This legacy is synonymous wi th ravaging economic challenges witnessed in the early 1990’s. The oppressive regime has been elucidated in movies. Because of the oppression, demonstrations were staged in 1971 to protest about the economy’s worsening conditions. Queer economic policies and mismanagement of resources in Iran led to increase in inflation. The oil boom did not benefit the nationals because foreigners assumed control of oil reservoirs (Pak-Shiraz, 2011). On one hand, the rich are the political elites and the families of the leaders, who lead extravagant lives oblivious of the ramifications on the economy and the lives of the other citizens. On the other hand, a large proportion of the population wallows in poverty. According to Pak-Shiraz, (2011), about a million individuals in this country live in extreme poverty in total contrast to the political elite. The riches accumulated by the leader during the time of the revolution were sources of discontent among the Iranian populace. These se ntiments could not be revealed in the movies because the regime was against movies that depicted leaders in a negative way. The political situation in Iran worsened as factions emerged to ameliorate the economic conditions. These factions were met with strong resistance by the regime with leaders becoming victims of political assassinations. Even in modern Iran, mass unrests are dealt with ruthlessly. The genesis of the revolution emanated from the death of leaders such as Mostafa. This activist was killed in 1977 after which demonstrations erupted.Advertising Looking for term paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After the revolution, Khomeini became the supreme leader. The Shah regime fled the country after recognizing the failure of their policies. Despite measures to quell the demonstrations, people continued to demonstrate without fear. Khomeini started with constitutional amendments to remove outdated laws. The leader ensured that a new constitution was available by the end of the year. In the new constitution, there were policies meant to improve the economy (Pak-Shiraz, 2011). Although most of Iranians oppose westernization, the revolution era depicted the sentiments in an unprecedented scale. Iranian authorities assumed control of the American embassy and chased all employees. Saddam Hussein, the former Iraqi dictator took advantage of a weak Iran state and extended the country’s borders. Iran became insecure and western nations withdrew their cooperation. The western nations may have helped the country defend its boundaries. The war between Iran and Iraq led to the demise of a million Iranians. Islam was transformed into a strong political movement. Similarly, in the contemporary world, Islam has been politicized (Cardullo, 2004). Following the revolution, the judicial and social systems in Iran underwent changes. Women were discriminated in the previous regimes but the revolution enabled them to be at the forefront of politics in Iran. Family rights were also guaranteed under the legislation. Other rights not observed in the previous regimes were property ownership, girl education, the right to receive a fair remuneration in the workplace, and payment during the maternity leave. The women who had been denied their rights under the excuse of the Sharia law embraced the aforementioned achievement. In the previous years, women were not supposed to complain and husbands were authorized to punish them (Cardullo, 2012). There are concerns that the laws formulated to cater for the rights of women in Iran have not been implemented. The fundamentalism in this s ociety has affected the progress of women emancipation. Cardullo (2012) reveals that there is no improvement on the issue of women rights because women are still subjects of discrimination and abuse. Moreover, the contribution of the women is much lower than the contribution of their male counterparts. Insecurity in Iran compels women to shy away from public places because of potential attacks by assailants. Nevertheless, Iranian women benefit from the income of the husband. This safeguards their economic position if they are divorced. This property is not given to the wife if still married but only after the divorce, process has been completed. Several movies have been directed to illuminate the predicament of the Iranian woman. The previous films depicted women as inferior beings but the contemporary film industry in Iran is trying to reverse the situation. Changes in the Iranian society have led to the emergence of female movie directors. Rackshan Bani-Etemad is a revered actor, screenwriter, and film director. Bani-Etemed started acting at 17 years. The Apple was her first film. This film depicted the plight of the woman and her position in the modern Iranian society. The marriage system in the country has not changed and women are at a disadvantage on matters concerning divorce. The divorced woman cannot be remarried. Furthermore, a woman cannot have a sexual partner apart from the husband. Extramarital sexual affairs are stable grounds for divorce. In contrast, men are allowed by the law to have as many partners as possible. This cannot form a stable ground for divorce. The women’s duty is to gratify the needs of their husbands and bear children. The inability to meet the aforementioned needs forms a solid ground for a divorce to take place. The Iranian society has a controversial form of marriage known as the sighel. This is a short marriage and a contract between the man and the woman. The woman stays with the man for sexual gratification and he r family gets financial support in return. In this arrangement, the woman gets economic benefits and is not looked down on for agreeing to the arrangement. Moreover, this form of marriage enables women to avoid a permanent marriage, which has laws and bounds similar to a prison (Cardullo, 2012). The film industry in Iran over relies on foreign directors. This feat has been a source of criticism from the viewers in Iraq and abroad. These viewers have attacked the films for being apolitical and failing to make explicit criticism of the regime in Iran and its abuse of human rights. The White Balloon has received the tag of being sentimental and failing to articulate the social situation in the country. However, Cardullo (2012) reveals that movies cannot always take a political stand. This movie succeeds in bringing to light the plight of cultural minorities in Iran. The director fails to use political connotations because censorship is still rife in Iran. Through domestic regulations, directors cannot focus on the political causes of issues afflicting the Iranian society. A number of directors have been arrested for reflecting the Iranian society in a negative way (Cardullo, 2012). Conclusion To conclude, the various facets of the Persian society have been scrutinized through movies. Nevertheless, politics and religion play a huge role in determining the themes in these movies. From the old days, cultural fundamentalism was entrenched in this society, which vehemently opposed the western ideologies. Because of resentment from the militants, movie houses were burned and several movies censored. In Iran, the leaders oppose any criticism through brutal crackdown. During the demonstrations that occurred in the revolution era, several people were killed by the regime. The influence of politics and religion in the media is illuminated by the lack of political and religious themes. Directors of movies with political and religious themes have been jailed. This is because the political leaders know that negative depiction of the leaders in the movies can cause protests and demonstrations. References Alizadeh, H. (2005). A Persian Odyssey on Your Small Screen. Fellowship, 71(1), 15-15. Cardullo, B. (2004). In Search of Cinema:Writings on International Film Art. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s Press. Cardullo, B. (2012). World Directors and Their Films:Essays on African, Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern Cinema. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. Moruzzi, N. C. (2001). Women in Iran: Notes on film and from the field. Feminist Studies, 27(1), 189-100. Pak-Shiraz, N. (2011). Shi’i Islam in Iranian Cinema:Religion and Spirituality in Film. New York: I.B.Tauris. This term paper on Persian Society in Movies was written and submitted by user Temperance L. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Conversion of Biblical Measurements

Conversion of Biblical Measurements One of comedian Bill Cosbys most hilarious routines features a conversation between God and Noah about building an ark. After getting detailed instructions, a puzzled Noah asks God: Whats a cubit? and God responds that He doesnt know either. Too bad they couldnt get help from archaeologists on how to count their cubits today. Learn the Modern Terms for Biblical Measurements Cubits, fingers, palms, spans, baths, homers, ephahs, and seahs are among ancient forms of biblical measurements. Thanks to decades of archaeological digs, scholars have been able to determine the approximate size of most of these measurements according to contemporary standards. Measure Noahs Ark in Cubits For example, in Genesis 6:14-15, God tells Noah to build the ark 300 cubits long, 30 cubits high and 50 cubits wide. By comparing various ancient artifacts, a cubit has been found to equal about 18 inches, according to National Geographics atlas, The Biblical World. So lets do the math: 300 X 18 5,400 inches, which amounts to 450 feet or a little more than 137 meters in length30 X 18 540 inches, or 37.5 feet or just under 11.5 meters in height50 X 18 900 inches, or 75 feet or slightly less than 23 meters So by converting biblical measurements, we end up with an ark thats 540 feet long, 37.5 feet high and 75 feet wide. Whether thats large enough to carry two of each species is a question for theologians, science fiction writers, or physicists who specialize in quantum state mechanics. Use Body Parts for Biblical Measurements As ancient civilizations progressed to the need for keeping account of things, people used parts of the body as the quickest and easiest way to measure something. After sizing up artifacts according to both ancient and contemporary measurements, theyve discovered that: A finger equals about three-quarters of an inch (roughly the width of an adult human finger)A palm equals about 3 inches or the size across a human handA span equals about 9 inches, or the width of an extended thumb and four fingers Calculate More Difficult, Biblical Measurements for Volume Length, width, and height have been calculated by scholars with some common agreement, but measures of the volume have eluded accuracy for some time. For example, in an essay titled Bible Weights, Measures, and Monetary Values, Tom Edwards writes about how many estimates exist for a dry measure known as a homer: For instance, a Homers liquid capacity (though normally seen as a dry measure) has been estimated at these various amounts: 120 gallons (calculated from footnote in New Jerusalem Bible); 90 gallons (Halley; I.S.B.E.); 84 gallons (Dummelow, One Volume Bible Commentary); 75 gallons (Unger, old edit.); 58.1 gallons (Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible); and about 45 gallons (Harpers Bible Dictionary). And we need to also realize that weights, measurements, and monetary values often varied from one place to the next, and from one time period to another. Ezekiel 45:11 describes an ephah as being one-tenth of a homer. But is that one-tenth of 120 gallons, or 90 or 84 or 75 or ...? In some translations of Genesis 18: 1-11, when three angels come to visit, Abraham instructs Sarah to make bread using three seahs of flour, which Edwards describes as one-third of an ephah, or 6.66 dry quarts. How to Use Ancient Pottery to Measure Volume Ancient pottery offers the best clues for archaeologists to determine some of these biblical volume capacities, according to Edwards and other sources. Pottery labeled bath (that was dug up in Tell Beit Mirsim in Jordan) has been found to hold about 5 gallons, comparable to similar containers of the Greco-Roman era with capacities of 5.68 gallons. Since Ezekiel 45:11 equates the bath (liquid measure) with the ephah (dry measure), the best estimate for this volume would be about 5.8 gallons (22 liters). Ergo, a homer equals roughly 58 gallons. So according to these measures, if Sarah mixed up three seahs of flour, she used nearly 5 gallons of flour to make bread for Abrahams three angelic visitors. There must have been plenty of leftovers to feed their family unless angels have literally bottomless appetites. Sources on Biblical Measurements The Biblical World: An Illustrated Atlas (National Geographic 2007).Biblical Weights, Measures, and Monetary Values, by Tom Edwards, Spirit Restoration.com, spiritrestoration.org/Church/Research%20History%20and%20Great%20Links/Biblical%20Weights%20Measure%20and%20Monetary%20System.htm Bible Passages Genesis 6:14-15 Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Ezekiel 45:11 The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure, the bath containing one-tenth of a homer, and the ephah one-tenth of a homer; the homer shall be the standard measure. Source The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha, New Revised Standard Version (Oxford University Press). New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Internal Audit Deparment Background description about TJX Company Essay

Internal Audit Deparment Background description about TJX Company - Essay Example Similarly, the audit department is involved in making optimal recommendations on the improvements that should be established to the senior management and audit committee. The audit director of TJX reports to John Caban in updating him on the auditing process and plans that need to be implemented (TJX.com, 2). John Caban is supposed to report to the CFO of TJX company who is known as Scott Goldenburg. In addition, Caban is responsible of approving the audit plan prepared by the audit department. Similarly, the chief audit chief is responsible of updating the audit department of the organization through the quarterly reports during the regular meetings held in the organization (TJX.com, 1). One of the aspects that have enabled the auditing department of TJX organization to expand significantly in the past is the close relationship it has developed with the management. The management of the organization usually requests the audit department to undertake special auditing apart from the r outine audits to measure the compliance level of the organization. This has enabled the department to comply with the established accounting regulations, financial and operational audits. Consequently, the objective of the TJX auditing department is to conduct accounting audits that are independent and designed to test compliance to the procedures and policies. In addition, the department goal is to ensure the control standards and securities are complied in the financial reporting of the various transactions encountered in the organization. Similarly, the auditing department helps the management of the company in meeting the internal control objectives of the organization. Owing to the numerous objectives and responsibilities that the audit department of TJX is expected to meet, a number of operation scope have been established to ensure the audit department improves the financial reporting of the organization. One of the capacities the auditing department is supposed to undertake is to review the integrity and reliability of the operational and financial information provided. In addition, the department is supposed to review the various means that can classify, report, and measure the financial and operational information provided by the various departments. Another scope of the department is evaluating the systems that have been established in ensuring that plans, laws, policies, regulation and procedure compliance that can affect the operation of the organization. Similarly, the auditing committee of the organization undertakes a review on the various means that can secure vital organization assets like computer data and investigating if the data is in existence. Furthermore, the department evaluates the efficiency, security and control of the IT system investment to ensure it enables the organization to comply with the established procedures. In addition, the auditing department reviews and appraises the efficiency and economy in the utilization of the av ailable resources. Moreover, the department evaluates the certainty of the financial results in determining they are consistent with the founded goals and objectives. Accordingly, the auditing department of TJX Company has been able to ensure the financial and accounting reporting complies with the founded regulations, laws and policies. Audit Staff Description The auditing

Enhancing the efficacy of fresh produce washing operations Essay

Enhancing the efficacy of fresh produce washing operations - Essay Example The KKT allows for the actual translation of the research findings into pragmatic applications and commercial possibilities (OMAFRA 2010). Moreover, KTT facilitates a real life platform to the researchers so as to enable them to test the viability of their findings in the light of the real life problems and issues (OMAFRA 2010). One other salient aspect of KTT is that it helps in the identification of the possible commercial applications of a research finding, thereby making way for a rapid commercialization and actual application of the research findings (OMAFRA 2010). In a way KTT effectively bridges the gap between the scientific research and practical application, thereby accelerating the transfer of the research generated knowledge into commercially viable products and services. This paper intends to furnish a KTT plan for a research project to be presented to the University of Guelph, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Food Science. The research title is Enhancing the Efficacy of Fresh Produce Washing Operations. In the last few years the fresh produce washing industry has witnessed an immense growth. It has been estimated that the fresh cut industry produces approximately 6 million bags of salad daily (Bowen et al. 2006, Doyle et al. 2008). The per capita consumption of the fresh cut vegetables has increased by 30 percent in the period 1991 to 2006 (Doyle et al. 2008; Warriner et al. 2009). This translates into an average market growth of 1.7 percent per annum (Doyle et al. 2008; Warriner et al. 2009). However, this impressive growth of the processed fresh produce to a great extent has been eclipsed by a rising incidence of the food borne illnesses associated with the fresh cut produce (Bowen et al. 2006). No wonder, the fresh cut produce is a viable source of disease causing pathogens. In fact more cases of food borne illnesses have been