An Eye for Eye Makes the Whole World Blind Essays

An Eye for Eye Makes the Whole World Blind Essays An Eye for Eye Makes the Whole World Blind Paper An Eye for Eye Makes the Whole World Blind Paper An eye for an eye revenge, believing doing something back to someone who has wronged you in some way as the way forward e. g if someone kicks you, its only fair you kick them back. If a country bombs you, you bomb them back. If a religion kills some of your people, you kill them back. If someone takes your eye, you take theirs Makes the whole world blind this is the important bit of the statement. You are left blind because you are so consumed in hatred and revenge for someone who has wronged you, you cannot SEE the only way out is to forgive/break away/etc so you are just left in a constant circle (as someone has to see there is no way forward, thats the play on words, no can SEE that, as they are BLINDED ) thats the metaphorical explanation for it B)An eye for an eye refers to vengence, and its reference is loosely taken from the Bible, you take my eye, Ill take your eye, you take my tooth, you get the picture. While people use this as justification for vengence, scripture teaches vengence is Mine referring to the Lord, but thats another question. When Ghandi said this he was living in a very vengeful, hate filled troubled time and he was trying to focus people in a different direction. One of the ways he did that was to point out the irony of the mentality that thinks first of vengence and not of forgiveness. If every body gets even, after a while there wont be any one. If we all take an eye for every eye we lose, pretty soon we cant see at all. Vengence makes losers of us all †¦. 2. First the meaning means if you think about it an eye for an eye in itself is a meaning for revenge. The last part Makes the whole world blind just helps elaborate that as revenge is so constant and happens so much it makes the world blind.

Work of Art Titles

Work of Art Titles Work of Art Titles Work of Art Titles By Maeve Maddox When a freelance magazine writer asked me how the title of a sculpture should be written, I went to The Chicago Manual of Style to find out if it should be italicized, enclosed in quotation marks, or left plain. Here is the advice I found and passed on to the writer: Titles of paintings, drawings, photographs, statues, and other works of art are italicized, whether the titles are original, added by someone other than the artist, or translated. The names of works of antiquity (whose creators are often unknown) are usually set in roman. Though major works of art are generally italicized, some massive works of sculpture are regarded primarily as monuments and therefore not italicized. According to this advice, one should italicize Kindred Spirits (oil painting), Shore Lunch (non-monumental sculpture), and Rose and Driftwood (Ansel Adams photo), but leave the Venus de Milo (work of antiquity) and the Statue of Liberty (monumental) in roman type. After the fact, I checked to see what The AP Stylebook has to say about italicizing titles. The AP editors are against it: italics: AP does not italicize words in news stories. According to AP guidelines, the titles of just about everything are enclosed by quotation marks: book titles, computer game titles, movie titles, opera titles, play titles, poem titles, song titles, television program titles, and works of art. Exceptions are the Bible and books that are â€Å"primarily catalogs of reference material.† I decided to explore a few publications, American and British, to see how they do it. Two (both British) write the titles without italics or quotation marks. Four (all American) enclose the titles in quotation marks. Only one (also American) italicizes art titles, including works from antiquity. Here are seven of the examples I gathered: The Telegraph (British) I can hardly bear to look at a horrible little painting of a cloyingly sweet faced little girl entitled The Strawberry Girl, where the paint texture and layers of discoloured varnish were flattened during an early re-lining resulting in the ruin we see today The Independent (British) His giant sculptures, many of them human figures, include Yellow, a man ripping open his own chest and spilling out Lego innards (11,014 pieces make up the work), and a blue swimmer, as well as interpretations of masterpieces including the Mona Lisa The New York Times (American) The show includes works on loan as well as some of the gallerys recent acquisitions that have not been on view before, such as Frantisek Kupkas Organization of Graphic Motifs and Yves Tanguys The Look of Amber. The Sacramento Bee (American) Immediately you are struck by the rich and evocative figurative abstraction â€Å"Martyr With a Red Arm.† Boston Globe (American) Works like â€Å"Patina,† from 1975, and â€Å"Clavichord,† from 2002, feel like classic Ihara. The New Yorker (American) The sixth lot, â€Å"The Little White House,† a 1919 landscape by Willard Metcalf, sold for just over a million dollars. The Smithsonian Magazine (American) The  Venus de Milo  is the most famous sculpture and, after the  Mona Lisa, the most famous work of art in the world. Best advice: Consult the style guide of the publication for which the article is intended. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowDifference between "Pressing" and "Ironing"How often is "bimonthly"?

Mcdonald- chose one branch in london Coursework

Mcdonald- chose one branch in london - Coursework Example The huge advertisements and promotions of the fast food restaurants are the major factors that raised the fast food market. Through fast food people can gain many competitive advantages which are suitable for existing economic condition (Bagwell & Doff, 2009). The Following Table Shows the Ranking of McDonald’s with respect to Market Share in the UK Source: (Government of Canada Publications, 2011). In this context, the Oxford Street branch, situated in London of McDonald’s will be analysed for the study. Demand Factors of Fast food in London This segment describes the nature of fast food demand and relative factors that influence the demand of fast food products in London. The fast food market is monopoly in nature. The demand for fast food is not completely elastic. Any restaurant can increase the cost of fast food products without diminishing the demand to zero. There is a certain demand curve for each fast food restaurants. A restaurant can sell more products by min imizing their products cost or sell less by increasing the cost of the products. However, no restaurant can make excess profit because there are substitute products in other restaurants (Baker, 2001). 0 In the above graph, the demand curve of fast food products is D1 and it is downward sloping because as the price of fast food products increase, the quantity i.e. sales decreases. The shift in demand is shown as D2 curve when the demand for fast food products will increase. London’s Oxford Street is known as the most famous and developed area in the city. People who reside in Oxford Street are quite modern including those who have comparatively lower income than others. There and many professionals and students there who have busy lifestyles and many people even perform two jobs. Thus, they are busy in their jobs for considerable amount of time of a day. Thus, many households have limited time to prepare foods for day and/or night. Therefore, the people have less cooking tende ncy and is of the belief that eating fast food is comparatively better value for money. Table Showing Frequency of Consuming Food of People in the UK Source: (Bagwell & Doff, 2009). From the above table, it can be seen that young people of age group between 15–24 years prefer to eat in fast food restaurants. They are the largest portion of fast food customers. Men are most frequent customers of fast food restaurants compared to woman. There is inverse relationship with consuming fast food and age because as the age increases the preference of eating fast food decreases. The following chart shows the spending on fast food products in London in the year 2006. Chart Showing Spending on fast Food in London Source: (Bagwell & Doff, 2009). The above chart depicts that majority of customers spent minimum ?3 on fast food at Oxford Street branch. Young school students have a high demand for fast food. It has been found that young students spend average ?1.01 and 74 pence on fast food while going to school and coming back from school. In the year 2007, ?82 was spent per person for fast food. There are various reasons for high demand of fast food. The factors which influence the demand of fast food products are speed of delivery, taste, inexpensiveness and availability. Besides, there are other factors such as convenience, scarcity of time and comfort which drive

Managing Creativity and Changes in Organizations Essay

Managing Creativity and Changes in Organizations - Essay Example The management of intellectual capital will require skills that nurture creativity and innovation in the workforce rather than compliance as in the past.† The case of Apple Incorporated is sheer evidence that hierarchical management structures will be less evident in the future. Instead, nurturing creativity and innovation in the workforce will be a must rather than doing a requirement of compliance for hierarchical management. What Apple exactly did is a depiction of innovation, a significant change that opens the door for the more innovative business approach in the future. Apple Incorporated has primarily dealt more with specialization, leading to the progress of its product offerings in terms of technological advancement. However, what is clear in its case is the ability to promote creativity and innovation concerning the skills of the manpower to develop something new. At Apple Incorporated, it does not matter who the boss is, for as long as everybody has something new inn ovative to offer that is in line with the firm’s vision to go for a change and lead in the industry. Aside from the fact that Apple has been producing new innovative products in the market and has become the leader in its industry due to this approach, it has also successfully made an innovation in its business model, and together these have called for effective management of skills prior to creativity and innovation. In other words, the company’s business culture is more of a deviation from the traditional business model.  

Pearl Harbor and September Attacks Essay Example for Free

Pearl Harbor and September Attacks Essay The Pearl Harbor and the September 11 attack are two events that changed the United States to a great deal. December 7th 1941 and September 11th 2001 are two dark days that will never be forgotten in the history of the United States. They are the two major attacks against the United States that have occurred in history. Although the intentions of the enemy in both cases were to tear the United States apart, the responses by the administration have resulted into the opposite. Although many innocent lives were lost in both attacks, it is important to note that the attacks left the people of America more united and more prepared for future attacks. However, the most important issue that has come into the picture as a result of the two attacks is the effectiveness of the United States intelligence. Immediately after the infamous 9/11 attack, many commentators linked the attack to the Pearl Harbor attack. There have been arguments that there are similarities in intelligence failures when the two attacks are compared. Commentators have claimed that just as the United States was not prepared for the Pearl Harbor attack in the Second World War, it failed to defend itself against attack by terrorists leading to the infamous September 11 attack (Griffin, 2004). It is not a surprise that the two events are similar in many ways. They were both surprise attacks which had far reaching national and international implications in relation to the United States intelligence community. This is despite the fact that the happening of the two events took place over half a century apart. However, the actors in the surprise attack, the motives, sequence of events and the consequences of the two attacks are different. In both attacks, the United States intelligent community has been accused of ignoring signs prior to the attack that could have been essential in protecting the Americans against the attacks. Despite there being visible warning signs, the intelligence has maintained that the two events were unanticipated. There is no doubt that before the Pearl Harbor attack, the relationship between Japan and the United States had gone sour. President Roosevelt’s administration had placed embargos against Japan and had supported China against the Japanese. The economic sanctions had affected the Japanese economy and they had no option but to destroy the American fleets. The Japanese intention was to seize American lands in the Far East which would force Roosevelt’s administration to negotiate a settlement. Although the American administration recognized the magnitude of the crisis with the Asian power, they did not anticipate any danger of attack until it was too late. The intelligence made a wrong assumption that the Japanese did not have military ability or economic power to attack the United States. Unfortunately, the Japanese proved them wrong by attacking Pearl Harbor and shattered the United States plans in the pacific (Borch, 2003). In the September 11 attack, the warning signs were even clearer. There were various studies that had concluded that the war against terrorism by the United States towards the end of the 20th century made it clear that it was certain the United States would have a major terrorist attack. In the 1990s, the United States was involved in war against terrorist groups such as al Qaeda and retaliation was not unexpected. The 1995 and 1996 attacks in Riyadh and Dhahran respectively and the august 1998 attacks on American embassies in East Africa by the al Qaeda were clear signs that the continental America would certainly suffer terrorists attack. The American response to the attack by bombing suspected al Qaeda bases in Afghanistan and Sudan should have also been carried out with necessary caution. Moreover, the al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had declared his commitment to launching an attack against the Americans in 1998 while Bush’s administration had published the political agendas of Taliban in Afghanistan, its alliance with al Qaeda and their terror campaign against the United States in 1999 (Tobias Foxman, 2003). When the intelligence pertaining to the attacks is considered, technological advancement comes into the picture. In both incidences of attack, the technology used by the enemy surprised the United States intelligence community. The enemies in both attacks maximized the use of technology against the Americans to the surprise of the intelligence. The technological surprise in this case is the manner in which the enemy used a hardware that made it difficult or impossible for quick counter attack by the efficient United States military. In this case, the United States intelligent community was beaten in their own game. In the Pearl Harbor attack, the Japanese efficiently demonstrated the full abilities of aerial attacks by integrating new aviation in their military attack. They were able to contract the torpedo that could operate in the shallow waters very efficiently. Although aviation technology was not a secret in the Second World War, the Americans were surprised by the ability of the Japanese to incorporate the technology so efficiently and perfect their military powers. This made it impossible for the US’s intelligence to estimate the magnitude of the threat by the Japanese because they were unaware of their technological abilities (Borch, 2003). Similarly, although the use of passenger plane for suicidal missions was not a new phenomenon, the September 11 terrorist attack also achieved technological surprise. It is interesting to note how the al Qaeda utilized modern technology and globalization of the world to plan and execute their attack. They were able to easily launch their attack without the use of conventional hardware and expertise that could have been used for intercontinental attack. The al Qaeda had operatives in all parts of the world including the United States with well established communication networks to the surprise of the US intelligence. They used the internet, satellite telephones and international money transfer in the United States and other parts of the world without attracting any attention (Griffin, 2004). There is no doubt therefore, technology played an important role in the Pearl Harbor and September 11 attack. However, there are two surprising aspects of technology use in the two attacks. First, the technology used in the Pearl Harbor as well as the September 11 attack was not new or a secret. The technology was actually well known if not used by the United States security systems prior to the attack. Secondly, the United States had been the greatest beneficiary of technological advancement in the 20th century and had the leading experts in the development and harnessing technological development. However, they were unaware of the desperation of their enemies which prompted creativity. Thus they underestimated the capability and determinations of the enemy to circumvent their technological superiority and launch a technological surprise (Hulnick, 2004). It is also surprising to note how the enemy exploited the structural vulnerability of the United States defense and intelligence to launch their attack. The confusion between the US Army and the US Navy created by the war warning to the military in Hawaii from Washington prior to Pearl Harbor attack exposed the vulnerability of the United States military intelligence giving the enemy a room for surprise attack. The army concentrated on guarding the aircrafts and ammunitions against possibility of sabotage while the navy thought that the alert had prompted vigilance in air patrols by the army. While the army was guarding the aircrafts and ammunitions, they thought that the naval intelligence was monitoring the Japanese fleets. The army did not realize that the US Navy had lost track of the enemy leading to the surprise attack. The structural vulnerability was evident when the army and the navy operating on Oahu did to clear the air on the responsibility of each group. Even if both the Naval and Army officials cooperated to guard the island, there were no efficient structures to disseminate the intelligence information collected to the respective commanders. Although there is no evidence of the Japanese knowledge on the structural weaknesses of the United States military, there is no doubt that the structural and organizational vulnerability is an important lesson from the Pearl Harbor attack (Borch, 2003). Though at a different level, the organization weaknesses in the United States intelligent service and security systems prior to the September 11 attack may have increased the vulnerability of the United States, the military had a unified command outside the United States such as in the gulf war, but that was not the case in the continental America. The department of defense and the CIA concentrated on external threat while the FBI focused on crimes within the United States. The terrorists could have realized the structural weakness in the intelligence service. Moreover, security in the international airports all over the United States was under the responsibility of the airport management and airline companies who hired private security firms. In other words, other than concentrating on the structural and organizational solutions to the current problems, the United States intelligence concentrated on technological solutions which possibly resulted into the two attacks (Hufschmid, 2002). There is no doubt that the September 11 terrorist attack and the Pearl Harbor attack had numerous effects on the United States intelligence and society. More importantly, the two events changed the United States interests in the world affairs. The isolationism policies of the United States were abandoned after the Pearl Harbor attacks while the Bush administration took punitive measures against terrorists. Although after every attack, there was an improvement in the United States intelligence, it is important to put in proper mechanisms that would not result into a repeat of yesteryears mistakes. The US intelligence should be aware of the desperation of their enemies irrespective of their economic and military abilities. This will enable the integration of the intelligent community in the United States into an effective organizational structure that aid collaboration. This will go a long way in eliminating the mentality of technological solutions to the security threats facing the continental America and the world.

Intriguing Use of Plot in William Faulkners A Rose for Emily Essay

Intriguing Use of Plot in William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily The plotline of standard narratives would most aptly be diagramed as a triangle, with the rising action on one side, the falling action on the other side, and the climax marking the angle at the apex. The diagram of the plotline of William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," however, would look like a simple line with a positive slope. The story's chronology is abandoned in favor of a simpler and more effective geometry. Faulkner discards the method of unfolding events in the order of their occurrence. Instead, he raises tension in the reader and creates a climate of curiosity through revealing events in ascending order of intrigue. The beginning of Faulkner's story is the end for Miss Emily. Faulkner presents images of the townspeople dutifully attending the funeral of this fallen fixture. As soon as the reader becomes acclimated to this setting, however, Faulkner subtly takes the reader back in time: "Miss Emily had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town, dating from that day in 1894 when Colonel Satoris, the mayor, [. . .] remitted her taxes" (Faulkner 75). Faulkner inserts exposition into the middle of what was a section of falling action. Rather than returning the reader to the scene of Miss Emily's funeral, Faulkner trudges forward from 1894, bringing the reader up to date on the issue of Miss Emily's taxes. While explaining the exemption from taxes in Jefferson that Miss Emily enjoyed, Faulkner craftily incorporates the fact that Miss Emily "ceased giving china-painting lessons eight or ten years earlier" (76). Miss Emily is now dead, having refused to pay her taxes and having retired from her china-painting t... ...horrifying truth of Miss Emily's murder of Homer Barron for the final section of the story, and introducing Emily's necrophilia in the story's closing sentence, speaks volumes about Faulkner's abilities in his craft. He has successfully arranged the events of a disturbed woman's life to present them in order of interest and excitement rather than in traditional chronological order. This use of plot enables Faulkner to write a great ghost story, because a ghost story needs to end on this kind of high note. Faulkner creates a plot line that resembles the upper line of a crescendo, a graph of emotional tension that starts at the lowest of points and travels steadily upward to the highest of human horrors. Works Cited Faulkner, William. "A Rose for Emily." The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Comp. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002. 75-81.

Product Liability Theories of Recovery and Defenses

Product Liability Theories of Recovery and Defense In my opinion Wood would most likely win the law suit against either the peanut or the jar manufacturer on the basis of strict liability or negligence, which allows a person injured by an unreasonably dangerous product to recover damages from the manufacturer or seller of the product even in the absence of a contract or negligent conduct on the part of the manufacturer or seller (Bagley, 2013).Therefore, Wood should recover damages even if the seller exercised all possible care in the manufacture and sale of the product, because the defect in the product is the basis for liability (Bagley, 2013). Negligence claims could also be used in the attempt of recovery for damages, because there should have been practices put in place to ensure product safety. Negligence is considered any conduct that involves an unreasonably great risk of causing injury to another person or damage to property that requires all people to take appropriate care in any given situation (Bagley, 2013).Although it may not have been an intentional act of negligence the manufacturer had a duty to make sure that the products that they produce are safe for consumer use. The manufacturer should have taken reasonable measures to conduct product safety tests to determine the safety of the product before distributing it. I feel that extra precautions and tests should be done to ensure safety when manufacturing any products that will be used in food production or storage to make sure that there are no product defects.There are defenses that the manufacturers can use, which include showing that there is no basis for the claim based on product liability, the use of comparative negligence and liability, and unforeseeability of intentional injury using state of the art defense or preemption defense (Bagley, 2013). The state of the art defense shields a manufacturer from liability for a defective design if no safer product design is generally recognized as being possible (Bagley, 2013).The defense can state that there is no basis for the claim using state of the art defense, because the defendant should have been more cautious when closing the jar and should have used the same methods as he had used previously each time he had closed the jar, which could have prevented his injury on the basis that the safest design was used. Comparative negligence is also known as comparative fault, which can reduce the plaintiff ‘s damages depending on the degree to which his or her own negligence contributed to the injury (Bagley, 2013).Preemption defense is used in cases of product liability, because there are certain federal laws and regulations that set minimum safety standards are held to preempt state-law product liability claims, therefore this defense is used as an attempt to eliminate the possibility of state-law product liability claims in any sphere governed by federal safety law and regulation (Bagley, 2013).Ultimately it is the res ponsibility of the manufacturer, because manufactures are held strictly liable for its defective products regardless of how remote the manufacturer is from the final user of the product even when the distributor makes final inspections, corrections, and adjustments of the product (Bagley, 2013). Reference Bagley, C. (2013). Managers and the Legal Environment: Strategies for the 21st (7th ed). South-Western. Retrieved from http://digitalbookshelf. southuniversity. edu/books/9781285404837/id.

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 25

Sometimes you wake up from a dream. Sometimes you wake up in a dream. And sometimes, every once in a while, you wake up in someone else's dream. â€Å"If he wanted to carry me off and make me his love slave, I'd do it, so long as I got advance copies of his books.† My first words spoken to Seth as I passionately discussed his work. Seth's initial impression of me. Head held high, hair tossed over my shoulder. A flippant remark always at the ready. Grace under fire. A cool social confidence introverted Seth could never muster but envied. How can she do that? Never miss a beat? Later, my rambling explanation of the five-page rule, a goofy habit he found infinitely endearing. Someone else who appreciated literature, viewing it like fine wine. Smart and deep. And beautiful. Yes, beautiful. I saw myself now as Seth had seen me that night: the short skirt, the racy purple top, brilliant as a bird's plumage. Like some exotic creature, hopelessly out of place in the bookstore's dreary landscape. All of this was in Seth, the past of his growing feelings for me mingling with the present, and I drank everything up. Not just beautiful. Sexy. Sensual. A goddess made flesh whose every move hinted at passion to come. The dress strap slipping off my shoulder. Faint beads of perspiration on my cleavage. Standing in his kitchen, clad only in that ridiculous Black Sabbath shirt. No underwear on under that. Wonder what it'd be like to wake up with her next to me, messy and untamed. It all spilled into me. More and more. He would watch me at the bookstore. Loved watching me interact with customers. Loved that I seemed to know something about everything. The witty dialogue he pondered for his characters coming to my lips without hesitation. Amazing. Never met anyone who talks like that in real life. My bartering with the used book store owner. A charisma that drew in shy, quiet Seth, made me glow in his eyes. Made him feel more confident. Still his feelings rushed through me. I had never felt anything like it. Certainly I had felt attraction and fondness in my victims, but never such love, not directed at me. Seth thought I was sexy, yes. Desired me. But that raw lust juxtaposed with something softer too. Something sweeter. Kayla sitting on my lap, small blond head against my chest as I braided her hair. A brief shifting of the image as he momentarily considered his own daughter on my lap. Fierce and witty on one hand, gentle and vulnerable on the other. My inebriated state at his condo. A swell of protectiveness as he led me to bed, watching me hours after I'd gone to sleep. He thought no less of me for the weakness, for my lapse of control and judgment. It was a letting down of my walls for him, a sign of imperfection that made him love me more. Further and further I drank, my desperate and weakened state unable to stop. â€Å"Why doesn't she date?† Seth asked Cody. Cody? Yes, there he was, in the back of Seth's mind. A memory. Cody secretly giving Seth swing lessons, neither of them telling me, instead making up vague excuses for why they always had to be â€Å"somewhere.† Seth, trying so hard to make his feet obey so he could dance with me and be closer to me. â€Å"She's afraid,† the vampire replied. â€Å"She thinks love causes pain.† Love causes pain. Yes, Seth loved me. Not the crush I'd imagined. Not a superficial attraction I thought I'd dissuaded. It was more, so much more. I embodied everything in a woman he could ever imagine: humor, beauty, intelligence, kindness, strength, charisma, sexuality, compassion†¦ His soul seemed to have recognized mine, drawn uncontrollably toward me. He loved me with a depth of feeling I could not even begin to tap into, though believe me, I tried. I wanted it. I wanted to feel it all, to suck up that burning within him. To consume it. Set myself on fire with it. Georgina! Somewhere far away, someone called to me, but I was too into Seth. Too into absorbing that strength within him, that strength fused with his feelings for me. Feelings brought on, amplified even, by kissing. Lips soft and eager. Hungry. Demanding. Georgina! I wanted to become one with Seth. I needed to. I needed him to fill me up†¦ physically, mentally, spiritually. There was something there†¦ something concealed inside him I couldn't quite reach, hovering in the background. A tantalizing piece of knowledge I should have long since recognized. You are my life. I needed to get in farther, reach out for more. Find out what was hiding from me. That kiss was my lifeline, my connection with something bigger than myself, something I had been aching for all my life but never known. I couldn't stop. Couldn't stop kissing Seth. Couldn't stop. Couldn't – â€Å"Georgina! Let go!† Rough hands tore me away from Seth, like flesh ripping from my own body. I cried out in agony at the broken connection, fighting the hands that pulled me and held me. I clawed at my captor, needing to find out the secret lurking beyond that kiss, yearning for the completeness of that union with Seth – Seth. My hands dropped, and I blinked, bringing the world back into focus. Reality. I was no longer inside Seth's head; I was still in my apartment. A feeling of solidness settled in me, and I didn't have to look down to know my body had stopped its shifting, my form snapping back to a short, slim woman with honeyed brown hair. The girl I had been long ago was buried within me once more, never to come out if I could help it. Seth's life force now filled me to overflowing. â€Å"Georgina,† murmured Hugh behind me, letting his hands ease up on my arms. â€Å"Christ, you scared me.† Looking across the room, I saw Carter, bedraggled as usual, leaning over Seth's body. â€Å"Oh God – † I sprang up and moved to them, kneeling beside the angel. Seth lay on the floor, skin pale and clammy. â€Å"Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Is he†¦ ?† â€Å"He's alive,† Carter told me. â€Å"Barely.† Stroking Seth's cheek, feeling the fine golden-red haze of his near-beard, I felt tears brimming in my eyes. His breathing came shallow and jagged. â€Å"I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to take so much†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You did what you had to do. You were in bad shape, could have died.† â€Å"And now Seth might†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Carter shook his head. â€Å"No. He won't. He'll need recovery time, but he'll pull through.† I drew my hand back, half-afraid my touch might harm Seth more. Glancing around, I became aware of the disheveled state of my apartment. It looked worse than Jerome's. Smashed china and glass. Broken tables. Overturned chairs and couch. The unstable bookshelf in pieces at last. From the kitchen, Aubrey hunkered down under the kitchen table, wondering what was going on. I wondered myself. The nephilim were nowhere in sight. What had happened? Had I really missed it all? The epic, divine battle of the century, and I had missed it for a kiss? Admittedly, a really good kiss, but still†¦ â€Å"Where is†¦ everyone else?† â€Å"Jerome's off doing, uh, damage control with your neighbors.† â€Å"That doesn't sound good.† â€Å"Standard practice. Supernatural battles aren't exactly quiet, you know. He'll do a little mind erasing, make sure no authorities get notified.† I swallowed, afraid to ask my next question. â€Å"What about†¦ what about the nephilim ?† Carter studied me, gray eyes holding me long and hard. â€Å"I know, I know,† I said at last, looking down, unable to return that gaze. â€Å"There's no ten years and parole, right? You destroyed them.† â€Å"We destroyed†¦ one of them.† I looked up sharply. â€Å"What? What about the other one?† â€Å"He got away.† He.My looming tears slipped out now; I could not control them. For you, I'll walk away. â€Å"How?† Carter laid a hand on Seth's forehead as though taking vital stats and then turned back to me. â€Å"It all happened really fast. He masked and went invisible in the confusion, while we were taking on the other one. And honestly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The angel looked at my closed front door, then at Hugh and me. â€Å"What?† I whispered. â€Å"I'm not†¦ I'm not entirely convinced Jerome didn't let him get away. He wasn't expecting two. I wasn't either, though I should have, in retrospect. After killing the first one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Carter shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. Hard to say what happened. â€Å" â€Å"Then he'll be back,† I realized, fear and relief blending weirdly in me over the thought of Roman's escape. â€Å"He'll be back†¦ and he won't be happy with me.† â€Å"I don't think that'll be a problem,† the angel observed. Gently, he lifted Seth up and walked to my overturned couch. A moment later, it flipped over untouched, righting itself. Carter laid Seth on it and continued speaking. â€Å"He took a real beating – the other nephilim. A really bad beating. I can't believe he had the power left to hide himself from us; I still keep expecting to feel him again any minute. If he's smart, he's running as fast and far from us as he can right now, getting out of our range – out of any immortal's range – so he can drop his shields and rest.† â€Å"Then what?† asked Hugh. â€Å"He's in bad shape. It'll take him a long time to recover. When he does, he knows he doesn't have the backup to return here again.† â€Å"He could still take on me,† I noted, shivering as I remembered Roman's wrath toward me at the end. It was hard to believe we'd been wrapped in each other's arms, caught in the throes of passion, less than twenty-four hours ago. â€Å"He could take you on,† agreed Carter. â€Å"But he can't take me on. Or Jerome. He certainly can't take both of us on. That was what decided it, in the end. They didn't expect that. Us teamed together. It'll give him pause to just come bursting back here, even if you alone pose no threat.† I didn't find that reassuring in the least. I thought of Roman, passionate and rebellious, always eager to make a point against the system. That personality type lent itself well to revenge. I had tricked him, made love to him, and then betrayed him, resulting in the annihilation of his plans – and his sister. Thank God for my sister. She's the only one I have, the only mainstay in my life. He might pause, as Carter had suggested, but not for long. Of that, I was certain. â€Å"He'll be back,† I whispered, more to myself. â€Å"Someday he'll be back.† Carter gave me a steady look. â€Å"Then we will deal with him then.† My front door opened, and Jerome entered. He looked neat and prim, hardly like he'd just been in an apocalyptic battle with his own offspring. â€Å"Housekeeping all done?† asked Carter. â€Å"Yes.† The demon's eyes darted over to Seth. â€Å"He's alive?† â€Å"Yes.† Angel and demon locked eyes then, and a tense moment of palpable silence hung between them. â€Å"How fortuitously unexpected,† Jerome murmured at last. â€Å"I could have sworn he was dead. Well. Miracles happen every day. I suppose we'll have to wipe him now.† I stood up. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"Nice to have you back with us again, Georgie. You look lovely, by the way.† I glared at him, angry at his joke, knowing it was Seth's energy giving me the succubus glamour now. â€Å"What do you mean you have to ‘wipe' him?† â€Å"What do you think? We can't let him walk away after everything he's seen. I'll diminish a little of his affection for you while I'm at it; he's a liability to you.† â€Å"What? No. You can't do that.† Jerome sighed, putting on the look of one who suffered long and hard. â€Å"Georgina, do you have any idea what he was just exposed to? He has to be wiped. We can't let him know about us.† â€Å"How much of me will you take from him?† Pieces of Seth's memories – my memories, now – glittered in my head like jewels. â€Å"Enough so that he forgets he has any more than a passing knowledge of you. You've been even more negligent with your job than usual these last few weeks.† I hardly thought that was Seth's fault; Roman had helped too. â€Å"Both of you will function much better if he finds some mortal woman to obsess on instead.† Don't you want to stand out in some way? Carter's taunting question from what seemed like an eternity ago whispered in my head. â€Å"You don't have to do this. You don't have to take me out with the rest.† â€Å"If I'm already in there, I might as well clear you too. There's no way he can just go on as usual after being exposed to denizens of the divine realms. Even you have to agree with that.† â€Å"Some mortals know about us,† I argued. â€Å"Like Erik. Erik knows, and he keeps it to himself.† In fact, I realized suddenly, Erik had kept Helena's secret to himself as well. He had figured it out after working with her over the years but had never revealed the full truth, only doling out small clues for me. â€Å"Erik is a special case. He has a gift. An ordinary mortal like this one couldn't handle it.† Jerome walked over to my couch, looking at Seth dispassionately. â€Å"It's better this way.† â€Å"No. Please,† I cried, running over to Jerome and pulling his sleeve. â€Å"Please don't.† The archdemon turned to me, dark eyes cold and shocked that I would dare grab hold of him like that. I knew then, cringing under that gaze, that something in our fond, indulgent relationship had changed forever – something small, but important nonetheless. I didn't know what had done it. Maybe it had been Seth. Maybe it had been Roman. Maybe it had been something else altogether. All I knew was that it had happened. â€Å"Please,† I begged, ignoring how desperate I must sound. â€Å"Please don't. Don't take me from him†¦ out of his head like that. I'll do anything you want. Anything.† I brushed a hand over my eyes, attempting to look calm and in control, knowing I was failing. One eyebrow shifted ever so slightly on Jerome's face, the only hint that I had piqued his interest. The term â€Å"deal with the devil† had not arisen lightly; few demons could resist a bargain. â€Å"What could you possibly offer me? The sex thing only worked on my son, so don't even think about trying it now.† â€Å"Yes,† I agreed, voice growing stronger as I plunged forward. â€Å"It worked on him. It works on all sorts of men. I'm good, Jerome. Better than you know. Why do you think I'm the only succubus in this city? It's because I'm one of the best. Before I hit this funk†¦ this, I don't know, whatever mood I've been in for a while now, I could have any man I wanted. And not just simply for their strength and life force. I could manipulate them. Make them do anything I asked, talk them into acts of sin they never would have dreamed of before meeting me. And they would do it. They'd do it, and they'd like doing it.† â€Å"Go on.† I took a deep breath. â€Å"You're tired of the ‘all lowlifes, all the time,' right? Me being negligent? Well, I can change that. I can raise your stock higher than you've ever dreamed. I've done it before. All you have to do is let Seth go. Let him keep his memories intact. All of them.† Jerome studied me a moment, mind working. â€Å"All the ‘stock' in the world won't do me any good if he runs around blathering about what he's seen.† â€Å"Then we'll see if he can handle it first. When he recovers and wakes up, we'll talk to him. If he doesn't look like he'll be able to cope with it all†¦ well, then you can erase his memories.† â€Å"Who will make the call if he can cope or not?† I hesitated, not wanting that decision in the demon's hands. â€Å"Carter will. Carter can tell if someone's telling the truth.† I looked at the angel. â€Å"You'll know if it's okay, right? Okay for him to know†¦ about us?† Carter gave me an odd look, one I could not interpret. â€Å"Yes,† he finally admitted. â€Å"What about your end?† asked Jerome. â€Å"Will you hold it up – even if Carter decides he's unsafe?† That was harsh. I had a feeling Jerome wouldn't negotiate on this one, but I was willing to risk it, so confident did I feel about Seth's capacity to process immortal activity. I opened my mouth, about to agree, when I caught Hugh shaking his head at me out of the corner of my eye. Frowning, he tapped his watch, mouthing something I couldn't understand at first. Then, it clicked. Time. I had listened to the imp talk about his job enough to know the rules of negotiation: never make an open-ended deal with a demon. â€Å"If Seth keeps his memories, I'll walk the succubus straight and narrow for a century. If they have to be erased anyway, then I'll still do it for†¦ a third of that.† â€Å"Half,† countered Jerome. â€Å"We aren't mortal. Even a century is nothing on the face of eternity.† â€Å"Half,† I agreed dully, â€Å"but no more than survival dictates. I'm not going to do this every day, if that's what you're thinking. I'll only get fixes as I need them, but they'll be strong ones. Very strong – loaded with sin. With men of good caliber, that'll be†¦ oh, every four to six weeks.† â€Å"I want better than that. Extra credit. Every couple of weeks, whether you need it or not.† I closed my eyes, unable to fight anymore. â€Å"Every couple of weeks.† â€Å"Very well,† said Jerome, a warning note in his voice. â€Å"But you will be held to this agreement unless I choose to terminate it for some reason. Not you. There will be no wiggling out for you.† â€Å"I know. I know, and I accept.† â€Å"Shake then.† He extended his hand to me. Not hesitating, I took it, and power crackled briefly around us. The demon smiled thinly. â€Å"We have a deal.†

Accounting for Uncollectible Accounts Essays

Accounting for Uncollectible Accounts Essays Accounting for Uncollectible Accounts Essay Accounting for Uncollectible Accounts Essay For the exclusive use of X. LIU CASE: A-165 DATE: 09/00 (REVD. 05/07) SEARS: ACCOUNTING FOR UNCOLLECTIBLE ACCOUNTS Sarah Simons picked up the 1999 Annual Report for Sears, Roebuck and Co. , which had Just been delivered to her office. As an analyst for a major brokerage, she was responsible for providing investment advice regarding companies in the retail industry, including Sears. She looked over the income statement, noting that net income grew by 39 percent over the previous year, despite a slight decrease in revenues (see Exhibit 1). Before long, however, she turned her attention to the Companys credit card receivables and allowance for uncollectible accounts (see Exhibit 2). In recent years, Sears had suffered heavy write-offs from uncollectible credit card accounts, as well as an expensive scandal caused by illegal collections procedures. These problems had depressed Sears stock price substantially from its peak in mid-1998. Had Sears overcome their credit card problems? BACKGROUND Sears, Roebuck and Co. as founded in 1886 as a retail mail-order business and grew rapidly by providing a wide range of products to people in rural areas who did not have access to large, well-stocked stores. The Company began to diversify into financial services in 1931, when it established Allstate Insurance Company. This diversification continued in the 1980s, as it acquired Dean Witter Reynolds and Coldwell Banker, and launched the Discover card. By 1990, however, Sears was struggling and the investment community was critical of its business strategy, which was derisively characterized as socks and stocks. Shareholder discontent drove the Company to a massive restructuring to refocus on its retailing roots. According to former CEO Edward Brennan, 1992 was a disastrous year in which the Company lost 3. 9 billion, of which $3. 1 billion was a charge related to the restructuring. By 1995, Sears had divested its financial services businesses and largely restructured its merchandising operations. The transformation of Sears was largely credited to Arthur Martinez, the former chairman of Saks Fifth Avenue, who Joined the Company in 1992 as head of the merchandising group. His actions were swift and decisive. He immediately closed the unprofitable Sears Catalog, shut 113 Research Associate David Hoyt prepared this case under the supervision of Professor Karen K. Nelson as the basis for class iscussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright 2000 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, email the Case Writing Office at: [emailprotected] tanford. edu or write: Case Writing Office, Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5015. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any torm or by any means lectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the permission of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. This document is authorized for use only by XUEYONG LIU i n Financial Accounting taught by Yonca Ertimur from August 2013 to October 2013. Sears, Roebuck and Co. A-165 unprofitable stores, cut 50,000 Jobs, and launched a five year, $4 billion capital investment program to renovate and update the stores. In 1993, he initiated an intensive marketing campaign, Come See the Softer Side of Sears, which was a hugely successful move to call attention to changes in the apparel division and ttract women to the stores. Sears made a remarkable turnaround. From its massive 1992 loss, it recovered to post net income of $1. 8 billion in 1995. Martinez was named Sears CEO in 1995 and was also recognized as Financial Worlds CEO of the year. The stock price responded accordingly, increasing more than seven-fold from 1991 to mid-1997. 1 By the late 1990s, however, problems had surfaced and the financial press had become critical. They questioned whether some components of the Martinez turnaround had backfired, most notably his strategy related to the Sears proprietary credit card, the sears card. THE SEARS CARD AND CREDIT CARD RECEIVABLES Prior to 1993, the only charge card that Sears accepted was the Sears Card. In order to attract new customers and prop up sagging store sales, Sears began accepting other major charge cards in 1993. While this helped improve sales, Sears lost the opportunity to collect interest on purchases made with other cards. To avoid a drop in profits from its own credit operations, Sears aggressively marketed the Sears Card, mailing out pre-approved card offers, hawking the card at tables positioned at store entrances and paying incentives to sales clerks for opening new accounts. Between 1993 and 1996, Sears issued 24 million new credit card accounts. In his Letter to Shareholders in the 1996 Annual Report, Martinez commented on the importance of the credit card program, stating that the Sears Card is one of the most important ways we form an alliance with our 50 million customer households. The availability of credit is critical to the ability of moderate-income families to finance the purchases they require. Despite rising delinquencies in the industry, we have a very strong and profitable credit portfolio. However, the new Sears Card users were not necessarily he best credit risks. Sears marketing of their credit card tended to attract customers that had trouble paying their bills. Those that could get cheaper credit elsewhere used bank cards with low teaser rates and incentives. These factors, combined with an increase in delinquencies and average balances, were cause for concern (see Exhibit 3). By late 1997, the average Sears Card balance was more than three times that carried by J. C. Penny Co. cardholders and delinquencies exceeded the industry average by two percentage points. Sears drive to issue more cards, and the lax credit policies that were needed to ncrease cardholders at such a rapid rate, eventually caught up with them. Uncollectible receivables and charge-offs started rising in 1995. The Company responded by increasing the interest rate toa hefty 21 percent while at the same time lowering the minimum required monthly payment. This let cardholders continue to ring up purchases on their Sears Cards and also increased interest revenue on outstanding credit balances. To offset the impact of delinquencies, Sears raised late fees and other charges. However the quality of their credit card receivables was still questionable, as by 1997 Sears was a creditor in about one-third f U. S. personal bankruptcies. This case was prepared using public documents, including Sears Annual Reports and a variety of news accounts, including: Debra Sparks, Arthur Martinez: Financial Worlds CEO of the Year, Financial World, March 25, 1996; John McCormick, The Sorry Side of Sears, Newsweek, February 22, 1999; Joseph Cahill, The Softer Side: Searss Credit Business May Have Helped Hide Larger Retailing Woes, Wall Street Journal, July 6, 1999. Neither Sears nor any current or former employee participated document is authorized for use only by XUEYONG LIU in Financial Accounting taught y Yonca Ertimur from This in preparing this case. The problems went further, however. In January 1997, it was discovered that Sears had illegally coerced payments from cardholders who had sought bankruptcy protection. This resulted in a criminal conviction as well as restitution payments to 187,000 customers. In the end, the scandal cost Sears $475 million in fines, refunds, interest, and legal fees, which the Company charged against income in 1997. ACCOUNTING FOR UNCOLLECTIBLE ACCOUNTS Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) require that accounts receivable be ecognized in the balance sheet at net realizable value†that is, at the amount the company can reasonably expect to collect from its credit customers. Moreover, Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 5 (SEAS 5) requires that an estimated loss from a contingency, such as uncollectible receivables, be accrued by a charge to income if two conditions are met: (1) it is probable that a loss has been incurred; and (2) the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. According to their Annual Reports, Sears reported credit card receivables net of an allowance for uncollectible accounts. The allowance was based on impaired accounts, historical charge-off patterns, and management Judgments. Until late 1998, uncollectible accounts were generally charged off automatically when the customers past due balance was eight times the scheduled minimum monthly payment, except that accounts could be charged off sooner in the event of customer bankruptcy. In 1998, Sears began phasing in a new system in which accounts were charged off automatically when the customer fails to make a required payment in each of the eight billing cycles following a missed payment. In the fourth quarter of 1998, 12 ercent of accounts were converted to this system, with the balance being converted in the first and second quarters of 1999. This new system was intended to help Sears better manage its collection efforts by identifying delinquent accounts earlier and enabling better c ontrol of uncollectible expenses. It also had the affect of charging off balances earlier than under the previous system. ARE THE PROBLEMS IN THE PAST? As she read the Letter to Shareholders in the 1999 Annual Report, Sarah noticed Martinezs comments regarding credit: In our credit business, we worked tirelessly to trengthen our portfolio quality, reduce our losses, and improve our collection processes. Sarah knew that the credit business was important to the overall performance of Sears (see Exhibit 4) and that the Companys stock price had been affected by credit-related issues (see Exhibit 5). Had Sears truly put its problems behind it? Was the allowance for uncollectible accounts adequate? What should she say to the investment community? EXHIBITS Consolidated Financial Statements Analysis of Allowance for Uncollectible Accounts Key Credit Portfolio Information Summary Segment Data Stock Performance This document is authorized for use only by XUEYONG LIU in Financial Accounting taught by Yonca Ertimur from August 2013 to October 2013. Exhibit 1 Income Statement (in millions) 1995 1996 1998 1999 Revenues Merchandise sales and services Credit revenues Total revenues Expenses Cost of sales, buying and occupancy Selling and administrative Provision for uncollectible accounts Other Total costs and expenses Operating income Other income, net Income tax provision Net Income $31 ,133 $33,752 $36,649 $36,957 $36,728 3,702 4,313 4,925 4,618 4,343 34835 38,064 41 ,574 41 ,575 41 ,071 23,160 7,428 589 1,953 33,130 1,705 703 1,801 24889 8,059 971 2,062 35,981 2083 834 $1,271 26,985 8,394 1,532 2,669 39,580 1 ,994 106 912 $1,188 27,444 27,212 8,384 8,418 1 ,287 871 2605 2,157 39,720 38,658 1 ,855 2413 (41) (56) 766 $1,048 $1,453 1997 Balance Sheet (in millions) Assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 606 $ 660 Credit card receivables Allowance for uncollectible accounts (819) (801) Net credit card receivables 20,106 1903 Other current assets 5,729 8,484 Property and equipment, net Other assets Total Assets $ 358 20,956 (1,113) 19,84 3 10,042 495 $ 729 18,946 18,793 (974) (760) 17,972 18,033 10804 9,905 5,077 5878 6,414 6,380 6,450 1,612 1 ,842 043 2,024 1,837 $33,130 $36,167 $38,700 $37,675 $36,954 Liabilities Current liabilities Long-term liabilities Total liabilities Shareholders equity $14,607 $14,950 $15,790 $14,222 $13,701 14,138 16,272 17,048 17,387 16,414 28,745 31 ,222 32,838 31 ,609 30,1 1 5 4,385 4,945 5,862 6,066 6839 Total Liabilities and Equity Source: Sears, Roebuck and Co. s Annual Reports. Exhibit 2 Allowance, beginning of year Net credit losses Allowance, end of year $ 808 578 $ 819 989 $ 801 1 ,220 $1,113 1 ,426 $ 974 $974 1,085 $ 760 Source: Sears, Roebuck Co. s Annual Reports. Exhibit 3 56. 6% 4. % 5. 8% 55. 1% 2. 3% 51 1. 1% 47. % 1. 8% Sears Card sales as a % ot sales Comparable store sales growth (%) Merrill Lynch Broadline Retailers Index of comparable store sales growth (%) 2. 0% 3. 8% 5. 2% Average account balance ($) $ 914 $977 $1,058 $1,076 $1,121 Delinquency rates (%) 4. 16% 5. 40% 7. 00% 6. 82% 7. 58% Net credit charge-offs to average credit card receivables 2. 77% 5. 02% 6. 23% 7. 54% 6. 03% Sources: Sears, Roebuck and Co. s Annual Reports; Merrill Lynch Broadline Retailers Index for 1999 from Merrill Lynch Industry Report Retailing-Broadlines, January 6, 2000. Exhibit 4 Operating Income Retail Services Credit International

A History of the Palace of Versailles, the Jewel of the Sun King

A History of the Palace of Versailles, the Jewel of the Sun King Beginning as a humble hunting lodge, the Palace of Versailles grew to encompass the permanent residence of the French monarchy and the seat of political power in France. The royal family was forcibly removed from the palace at the onset of the French Revolution, though subsequent political leaders, including Napoleon and the Bourbon kings, spent time in the palace before it was transformed into a public museum.   Key Takeaways The Palace of Versailles was originally constructed in 1624 as a simple, two-story hunting lodge. King Louis XIV, the Sun King, spent nearly 50 years expanding the palace, and in1682, he moved both the royal residence and French seat of government to Versailles. The French central government remained in Versailles until the beginning of the French Revolution, when Marie-Antoinette and King Louis XVI were forced from the estate. In 1837, the estate was refurbished and inaugurated as a museum. Today, more than 10 million people visit the Palace of Versailles annually.   Though the main function of the contemporary Palace of Versailles is as a museum, it also plays host to important political and social events throughout the year, including presidential addresses, state dinners, and concerts.   A Royal Hunting Lodge (1624 -1643) In 1624, King Louis XIII ordered the construction of a simple, two-story hunting lodge in dense woodlands about 12 miles outside of Paris. By 1634, the simple lodge had been replaced by a more regal stone and brick chateau, though it still maintained its purpose as a hunting lodge until King Louis XIV took the throne. Versailles and the Sun King (1643-1715) Louis XIII died in 1643, leaving the monarchy in the hands of the four-year-old Louis XIV. When he came of age, Louis began work on the family hunting lodge, ordered the addition of kitchens, stables, gardens, and residential apartments. By 1677, Louis XIV had begun to lay the foundation for a more permanent move, and in 1682, he transferred both the royal residence and the French government to Versailles. King Louis XIV, pictured here arriving at Versailles, commissioned most of the expansion on Versailles during his 72-year reign. adoc-photos / Getty Images  Ã‚   By removing government from Paris, Louis XIV solidified his omnipotent power as a monarch. From this point forward, all gatherings of nobility, courtiers, and government officials happened under the watchful eye of the Sun King in his Palace of Versailles. King Louis XIV’s 72-year reign, the longest of any European monarch, afforded him the ability to spend more than 50 years adding to and renovating the chateau at Versailles, where he died at the age of 76. Below are the elements of the Palace of Versailles that were added during the reign of King Louis XIV. The King’s Apartments (1701) Built as the private residence for the king within the Palace of Versailles, the kings apartments featured gold and marble detailing as well as Greek and Roman artwork intended to represent the king’s divinity. In 1701, King Louis XIV moved his bedchamber to the centermost point of the royal apartments, making his room the focal point of the palace. He died in this room in 1715. King Louis XIV moved his bedchamber, making it the focal point of the palace both inside and out. Pictured here is the outside of the king’s bedchamber, flanked by two wings of the Palace of Versailles. Jacques Morell / Getty Images   The Queen’s Apartments (1682) The first queen to reside in these apartments was Maria Theresa, wife of King Louis XIV, but she died in 1683 soon after arriving in Versailles. The apartments were later dramatically altered first by King Louis XIV, who annexed several rooms in the palace to create his royal bedchamber, and later by Marie-Antoinette. The Hall of Mirrors (1684) The Hall of Mirrors is the central gallery of the Palace of Versailles, named for 17 ornate arches fitted with 21 mirrors each. These mirrors reflect the 17 arched windows that look out onto the dramatic gardens of Versailles. The Hall of Mirrors represents the enormous wealth of the French monarchy, as mirrors were among the most expensive belongings during the 17th century. The hall was originally constructed of two lateral enclosed wings, linked by an open-air terrace, in the style of an Italian baroque villa. However, the temperamental French climate made the terrace impractical, so it was swiftly replaced by the enclosed Hall of Mirrors. The Hall of Mirrors, Versailles.   Jacques Morell / Getty Images The Royal Stables (1682) The royal stables are two symmetrical structures built directly across from the palace, indicating the importance of horses at the time. The great stables housed the horses used by the king, the royal family, and the military, while the small stables housed coach horses and the coaches themselves. The Grand and Small Stables, named for purpose rather than size, are visible on the left and right sides of this illustration.   Hulton Deutsch / Getty Images   The King’s State Apartments (1682) The King’s State Apartments were rooms used for ceremonial purposes and social gatherings. Though they were all built in the Italian baroque style, each bears the name of a different Greek god or goddess: Hercules, Venus, Diana, Mars, Mercury, and Apollo. The only exception is the Hall of Plenty, where visitors could find refreshments. The final room to be added to these apartments, the Hercules Room, served as a religious chapel until 1710, when the Royal Chapel was added.   The Royal Chapel (1710) The final structure of the Palace of Versailles commissioned by Louis XIV was the Royal Chapel. Biblical illustrations and statues line the walls, drawing the worshipers’ eyes toward the altar, which features a relief depicting the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Biblical illustrations and statues line the walls of the chapel, guiding worshipers’ eyes to the altar.   Print Collector/ Getty Images   The Grand Trianon (1687) The Grand Trianon was built as a summer residence where the royal family could take refuge from the ever-expanding court at Versailles. The Grand Trianon is only a single story to emphasize the connection with the gardens.   Hans Wild / Getty Images   The Gardens of Versailles (1661) The Gardens of Versailles include a promenade that faces east to west, following the path of the sun in honor of the Sun King. A network of paths open to pavilions, fountains, statues, and an orangery. Because the expansive gardens could be overwhelming, Louis XIV would often lead tours of the area, showing courtiers and friends where to stop and what to admire. The gardens of Versailles encompass nearly 2,000 acres and feature fountains, pavilions, statues, and an orangery.   Imagno / Getty Images   Continued Construction and Governance in Versailles After King Louis XIV’s death in 1715, the seat of government in Versailles was abandoned in favor of Paris, though King Louis XV reestablished it in the 1720s. Versailles remained the center of government until the French Revolution.   View of the Chateau of Versailles seen from the Place d’armes in 1722† by Pierre-Denis Martin. Adoc-photos / Getty Images  Ã‚   Louis XV (1715-1774) King Louis XV, great-grandson of Louis XIV, assumed the French throne at the age of five. Known as commonly as Louis the Beloved, the king was a strong proponent of Enlightenment ideas, including science and the arts. The additions he made to the Palace of Versailles reflect these interests.    The King’s and Queen’s Private Apartments (1738) Allowing for more privacy and comfort, the King’s and Queen’s Private Apartments were truncated versions of the original royal apartments, featuring low ceilings and undecorated walls. The Royal Opera (1770) The Royal Opera is constructed in an ovular shape, ensuring that all in attendance can see the stage. Additionally, the wooden structure gives the acoustics a soft but clearly audible violin-like sound. The Royal Opera is the largest surviving court opera house. The wooden elements in the Royal Opera give the acoustics a violin-like sound.   Paul Almasy / Getty Images   Petite Trianon (1768) Petite trianon was commissioned by Louis XV for his mistress, Madame de Pompadour, who did not live to see it completed. It was later gifted by Louis XVI to Marie-Antoinette.  Ã‚   The Petite Trianon, gifted to Marie-Antoinette by Louis XVI. Hans Wild / Getty Images   Louis XVI (1774-1789) Louis XVI ascended to the throne after the death of his grandfather in 1774, though the new king had little interest in governance. Patronage to Versailles by courtiers dropped off quickly, fueling the flames of the budding revolution. In 1789, Marie-Antoinette was in the Petite Trianon when she learned of the mob storming Versailles. Both Marie-Antoinette and King Louis XVI were removed from Versailles and guillotined in the subsequent years. Marie-Antoinette altered the appearance of the queen’s apartments several times during her reign. Most notably, she ordered the construction of a rustic village, The Hamlet of Versailles, complete with a functioning farm and Norman-style cottages. Marie-Antoinette’s Hamlet featured Norman-style cottages, including one for her exclusive use.   Heritage Images / Getty Images Versailles During and After the French Revolution (1789 -1870) After King Louis XVI was guillotined, the Palace of Versailles was forgotten for almost a decade. Most of the furniture was either stolen or sold at auction, though many of the paintings were preserved and brought to the Louvre. In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte was coronated as the first emperor of France, and he immediately began the process of moving the government back to Versailles. His time at Versailles was short, however. After his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, Napoleon was removed from power. After Napoleon, Versailles was relatively forgotten. It wasn’t until the Revolution of 1830 and the July Monarchy that Versailles received significant attention. Louis-Philippe commissioned the creation of a museum at Versailles to unite the people of France. On his order, the prince’s apartments were destroyed, replaced by portrait galleries. Below are the additions made by Louis-Philippe to the Palace of Versailles. The Gallery of Great Battles (1837) A portrait gallery made from the demolition of some of the royal apartments, the Gallery of Great Battles features 30 paintings that depict centuries of military success in France, beginning with Clovis and ending with Napoleon. It is considered to be the most important addition by Louis-Philippe to the Palace of Versailles. The Gallery of Great Battles documents France’s military success from Clovis to Napoleon.   Archive Photos/ Getty Images   The Crusades Rooms (1837) The Crusades Rooms were created with the sole intention of appeasing the nobility of France. Paintings depicting France’s involvement in the Crusades, including the arrival of troops in Constantinople, hang from the walls, and the entrance is marked by the Rhodes Door, a 16th century cedar gift from Sultan Mahmud II of the Ottoman Empire. The Coronation Room (1833) The famous painting â€Å"The Coronation of Napoleon,† which hangs in the Louvre, inspired the Coronation Room. Napoleon never spent much time at Versailles, but much of the museum is dedicated to Napoleonic art, owing to Louis-Philippe’s nostalgia for the Napoleonic era.    The Congress Chamber (1876) The Congress Chamber was constructed to house the new National Assembly and Congress, a reminder of the governmental power once held at Versailles. In a contemporary context, it is used for addresses by the president and to adopt amendments to the constitution. Yves Forestier / Getty Images  Ã‚   Contemporary Versailles   Renovations in the 20th century by Pierre de Nolhac and Gerald Van der Kemp sought to revive the estate. They dismantled many of the galleries established by Louis-Philippe, rebuilding the royal apartments in their place, and used historical records to design and decorate the estate in the styles of the monarchs who had once resided there. As one of the most frequented attractions in the world, millions of tourists come to the Palace of Versailles annually to see the 120 galleries, 120 residential rooms, and nearly 2,000 acres of gardens. Over the centuries, much of the art and furniture that was stolen or auctioned off has been returned to the palace. Versailles today is used to house symbolic meetings of Congress, state dinners, concerts, and other political and social gatherings.   Sources   Berger, Robert W.  Versailles: The Chateau of Louis XIV. The Pennsylvania State University Press, 1985.Cronin, Vincent.  Louis XIV. The Harvill Press, 1990.Frey, Linda, and Marsha Frey.  The French Revolution. Greenwood Press, 2004.Kemp Gerald van der., and Daniel Meyer.  Versailles: Strolling through the Royal Estate. Editions DArt Lys, 1990.Kisluk-Grosheide, Danielle O., and Bertrand Rondot.  Visitors to Versailles: from Louis XIV to the French Revolution. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2018.Lewis, Paul. â€Å"Gerald Van Der Kemp, 89, Versailles Restorer.†Ã‚  The New York Times, The New York Times, 15 Jan. 2002.Mitford, Nancy.  The Sun King: Louis XIV at Versailles. New York Review Books, 2012.â€Å"The Estate.†Ã‚  Palace of Versailles, Chateau De Versailles, 21 Sept. 2018.  The Oxford Handbook of the French Revolution. Oxford University Press, 2015.

Comparison of emerging technology Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparison of emerging technology - Thesis Example In client-side data storage, there are a lot of risks involved. First of all, client side data storage is triggered by web application and this data storage is user specific. This implies that most caching mechanisms are not treated as client side storage. In client side data storage, the storage space is limited by the browser and most of the time it impacts generic data rather than user specific data. In cloud computing, data is stored on multiple virtual servers generally hosted by different third parties. It is not stored on dedicated servers. In cloud computing, hosting companies operate with large data center and people who want to host their data buy storage capacity from these companies. There are no storage capacity constraints in this. Mainframes have many different types of data stored in them. These can be in the form of flat files, relational databases, non relational databases and specialized file systems. These are just a chosen few examples of the different ways in which data are stored on mainframes. Each of these data types require different methods for data access as a result of which highly specialized skills are needed for developing methods. In personal computers, data access from memory has gradually evolved over the years. Initially semi-conductor memory was used. This memory is on an integrated circuit or chip. It is referred to as random access memory or RAM and allows data to be accessed randomly. Dynamic random access memory or DRAM is a very common type of random access memory for most personal computers. Static random access memory or SRAM does not have to be refreshed. Data access revolves around the client-server model on client/server computer architecture. Data access varies according to different organizations. Users accessing banking services from their computer use web browser client to send request to web server at a bank. In this the program forwards the request to a database client program which in turn sends a