Anishinabee social movment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anishinabee social movment - Essay Example Through military expedition, the British tried to conquer the natives, but they were unsuccessful as the former migrated to various states in Canada. The biggest blow for Ojibway came when America got her independence from England. The new US government put an end to the Indian free movements. They were thus, confined in reservation areas with less hunting and fishing grounds and unlike their predecessors, Americans military force was more brutal and led to a lot of massacres. Through trickery and false accusations of Indian chiefs, Americans tried to contain the natives who they deemed hostile. However, military warfare seemed a futile way of trying to control the Indians as they were natural warriors. They therefore turned on indirect ways of ‘civilizing’ the natives. By the late 1800s, Indian children were accepted in large numbers into American schools. The strategy was to indoctrinate and incorporate American values and culture into the children while at the same time teaching them to abscond their native customs. Therefore, children were forbidden to speak their native language, their long hairs were cut short and their tribal regalia and medicine were openly burned. The ultimate result was children turned against their elders and customs. Indians were therefore forced to relocate to towns after they lost their lands. Currently, the situation is worse. Apart from the fact that Indian culture and history is deliberately ignored in the school system, the portrayal of the natives is shocking and false. The social, economic and political injustices that American Indians faced have been swept under the rug and what is taught in schools is utter nonsense that tries to justify the unjust occupation of Indian land. However, a recent crop of young Indians have begun retracing their roots. They are busy searching for elders who are accustomed to their olden

Learning styles Essay Example for Free

Learning styles Essay Overview 1. What are learning styles? 2. Why learning styles are important? 3. What are the different learning style classifications available? 4. What are the similarities and differences between different learning style classifications? 5. What is/are your learning style/s? 6. What is/are the most appropriate learning method/s for your learning style/s? 1. What are learning styles? ? Learning style is an approach to learning ? It is not how you learn; i. e. not the method of learning ? It is, rather, how you prefer learning; i. e. what are  the broad strategies of learning that you prefer Which of the following two statements illustrates a learning style? I like lectures – this is not a learning style, but a preference for a method I like to gain knowledge by listening to others – this is a learning style; preference for an approach 2. Why learning styles are important? ? Matching learning methods to learning styles ? Developing a learning organisation/network in which students adapt change learn ? Developing individual learning plans ? Self-development for individuals? Assessing suitability for specific training courses ? Training the trainer ? Team building, looking at team strengths weaknesses ? 360 degree appraisal 3. What are the different learning style classifications available? ? There are more than half-a-dozen learning style classifications ? This shows that there is no one-best way to learn ? Rather, based on the individual needs and the personality traits, the approach that one takes to learning differs ? Out of the many learning style classifications, there are two that are commonly used 1. VARK classification 11. Classification based on Kolb’s cycle I. VARK learning styles Visual learner Auditory learner Reading/writing Kinaesthetic learner Action-oriented Thinkers II. Kolb’s learning styles Reflector Theorist Activist Pragmatist 4. What are the similarities and differences between different learning style classifications? ? All classifications aim at a common cause/outcome – so, to this extent, there cannot be major differences ? However, there are differences related to the orientation of learning or the angle through which learning is viewed. VARK – based on the sensory input for learning / how we capture learning Kolb’s – based on the cognition/ how we understand VARK vs Kolb: an approximate comparison Theorists Reflectors Pragmatists Activists 5. What is/are your learning style/s? 1. Go to: http://www. varklearn. com/english/page. asp? p=questionnaire 2. Answer the questionnaire and get a score 3. Interpret the score to find out your dominant learning styles 6. What is/are the most appropriate learning strategies for your learning style/s? 1. Form groups that have similar dominant learning  styles. 2. Individually make a list (in priority order) of your preferred learning methods 3. Compare your list with the others in the group 4. Find out the three most preferred learning methods of the group (in priority order) Summary 1. What are learning styles? Approach to learning 2. Why learning styles are important? To know the best learning method to adopt 3. What are the different learning style classifications available? VARK / Kolb’s 4. What are the similarities and differences between different learning style classifications? VARK – sensory input based; Kolb’s – cognition based 5. What is/are your learning style/s? Usually a combination of learning styles 6. What is/are the most appropriate learning method/s for your learning style/s? Though broadly similar, methods may differ even within the same learning style References †¢ Fleming, N. D. (2001). Teaching and learning styles: VARK strategies. Christchurch , New Zealand : N. D. Fleming. †¢ Kolb, D. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs , NJ : PrenticeHall.

The Indian Triumph of Dionysus Essay -- Art Analysis

While visiting the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, I came across The Indian Triumph of Dionysus. Originating in Rome, it was created by a wealthy follower of Dionysus’s mystery cult in the late second century A.D. This worshiper evidently wanted to construct a sarcophagus in tribute of Dionysus’s accomplishments. Furthermore, Dionysus is surrounded by characters that are within the mystery cult because the creator wants the viewers to know with whom he is associated. With these two things combined, the patron hoped to shed light on a piece of history that they believed to be prominent during his life. The layout of the museum makes it very easy to find works of art from different time periods. Since I have always been fascinated with ancient Greece and Rome, I knew exactly where to start my search. The Indian Triumph of Dionysus is on display directly at the top of the staircase leading up to the second floor. It is surrounded by many other artifacts from ancient Greece and Rome. As your eyes move across the room, catching a glint of gold here and pearly white marble there, it’s very easy to become overwhelmed for a moment. As I reached the top of the stairs, it was evident that the staging of this magnificent piece was carefully planned. The staff of the museum undoubtedly wants this piece seen by each and every visitor. The exhibit itself is well done. If you stand directly in front of The Indian Triumph of Dionysus, everything around you seems to fade away and tunnel vision sets in. As I stood in front of The Indian Triumph of Dionysus, diligently taking notes since phot os are not allowed, I experienced an extreme spiritual connection to the past. I tried to put myself into the shoes of the author. What was his purpose? What d... ...t is also important to notice that every character seems to have wide eyes and dark circles drawn under their eyes. This is perhaps one of the most important aspects because the eyes show the underlying theme of complete inebriation. This in turn, proves the impact that Dionysus had on his followers as well as those who he conquered. Wine brought great power to its creator, and made a lasting impact on history. With these devices of communication, we are able to see that the follower wanted to capture Dionysus’s legacy by creating a sarcophagus of remembrance in his honor. Works Cited â€Å"MFAH Top 100 Highlights #35 - The Indian Triumph of Dionysus† Museum of Fine Arts Houston Online. 06 Apr. 2012. http://www.mfah.org/art/detail/dionysus-indian-triumph/ Unknown. The Indian Triumph of Dionysus. 2nd Century A.D. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas.

Introduction to Culture and Imperialism

Introduction to Culture and Imperialism Edward Said Culture is one of the things that elude an accurate definition. Some of the various well-known definitions are cited by Said in his various works. For instance: â€Å"Culture is the learned, accumulated experience of the communities, and it consists of socially transmitted patterns of behavior. † The final analysis of definition boils down to â€Å"socially transmitted patterns of behavior†, and makes more sense, though like other definitions, it too cannot be taken as exact and conclusive. Said also cites anthropologist Clifford Greety’s definition, An ordered system of meanings and symbols in terms of which social interaction takes place, and social system is the pattern of social interaction itself. † This definition too, has partial relevance to what culture amounts to. Said seems more in agreement with Matthew Arnold who regards culture as, â€Å"each society’s reservoir of the best that has b een known and thought†. Edward Said’s entire professional life was devoted to the teaching of literature. As his critical outlook was influenced by his colonial social background, he could not help looking for imperialistic implications in literature.Imperialism too does not lend itself to a complete conclusive definition, though it is more easily comprehensible than the word culture. For a meaningful discussion, Solomon Modell’s definition of imperialism makes a good promise. He says, â€Å"Imperialism is a policy of extending a country’s power beyond its own borders for the purpose of exploiting other lands and other people by establishing economic, social and political control over them. † Said gives an updated version of Modell’s definition in the following words† Imperialism means the practice, the theory and the attitude of a dominating metropolitan centre that rules a distant territory. † It is obvious that the interaction in imperialism takes place between the dominating and dominated nation. That interaction never develops in friendship, because of distrust and contempt on either side. The dominated nation never accepts the ideology and attitude of dominating nation. The best example is the Indo-Pak Sub-Continent, for instance, about 200 years of British rule could not bring friendship between Indians and British government.Literature not doubt is the mirror of culture. Said deplores the general attitude of the critics and readers who never care to look at the cultural aspects of the works of fiction, like the works of Carlyle, Ruskin or Even Dickens. On the other hand, he admires Conrad’s persistence as he forecasts the unstoppable unrest and misrule of the Latin American republics and singles out North America’s particular way of influencing conditions in a decisive, yet barely visible way. He praised â€Å"The Heart of Darkness† by Conrad.Speaking of the interaction between i mperialistic regime and colonized nation, he conceives culture as a protective enclosure where imperialist should stop to check his politics before he enters the door. â€Å"I found it a challenge not to see culture in this way†, says Edward Said. Since the culture includes ideology and attitudes of a nation, any effort on the part of imperialist to subdue the culture of a nation invokes violent resistances. Palestine, Kashmir and Iraq are apt illustrations of the resistance, which results in blood acts of fighting and terrorism.Education, is the field, through which imperialist finds easiest access to the culture of the subjugated nation. As most of the third world countries are backward in education, imperialists launch so-called programs for educational development, to achieve their goal. British did this by setting up state-governed schools and colleges, the curriculum was designed to produce minor officials in cheap English dress, speaking shaky English. Introduction to culture and imperialism is an accurate appraisal of current world scenario around us. It is a warning for people of the world against imperialistic approach of US.Cold War has made US the sole power, being unprecedented. During the Cold War, US had to contribute for the socio-economic development of the third world countries. Its attitude was soft and plaint. It had to respect the mandate of the UNO. In the case of US aggression, the victim state could invoke the intervention of USSR, which US could afford to ignore. With the engineered fall of USSR, US emerged as the self-appointed lord of the world. Muslim militants groups were created, trained, organized and financed to cause the fall of USSR. These groups were made to believe that it was the war between Islam and communism.Heavy consignments of sophisticated arms were supplied to those warriors. Pakistan also had to pay a heavy price by playing a major part in the downfall of USSR. Islam came to be the next target of the sole Su per Power of the world, as a potential challenge in the years to come. The oil-rich Iraq has already been laid waist in the ruthless hunt of WMDs. Afghanistan that spearheaded the war against communism, is now main target in the hunt of Osama. But the power-drunk Super Power does not bother about justifications for whatever it does, so long as it remains at the top. UNO is also helpless in this regard.US adopted the preemption policy. Even terrorism is the exclusive prorogation of the sole Super Power. The prorogation includes defining nuclear proliferation, and therefore Iran is presently on the hit list, whereas Pakistan likely to be the next target, gets an occasional growl from US administration. During 19th century immense power was concentrated in Britain and France as a result of industrialization. It was unprecedented and more formidable than power of Rome, Baghdad, Spain and Constantinople. In the later years, US also came up with Britain and France and that was peak of Wes t domination.The rise was so fast that rate of acquisition of foreign territory had risen up to 247,000 square miles per year in 1914. During this time, US was forwarded as an empire. After annexation of North American territory, Plans were set afoot through intervention to Philippines, the Caribbean, Central America, the Middle East, Vietnam and Korea. Edward Said clearly labels as Imperialism whatever US is doing around the world. He says, â€Å"The goal of the US policy is to bring a world increasingly subject to the rule of law, and it is the United States, which organizes the peace and defines the law.United States imposes the international interests by setting the ground rules for economic development and military development across the planet. † Edward Said pins his hopes on a gradual development of awareness, culminating in a formidable, well-organized resistance that would eventually force US to think wise before meddling with sovereignty of other states, but this so lution depends upon the numbers of factors which may or may not come together and it may take ages before they come.

Health Insurance and Medicare

This presentation involved an interview with Gerry Flanagan. She is an agent with Human where she specializes in Medicare advantage plans. She and I worked together In Florida, Alabama, and Georgia as Insurance agents. She was my supervisor and a good friend. During the Interview, Gerry and discussed the three issues that agents and supervisors face In the industry. Licensing, MedicareMedical regulations, and how the Affordable Care Act would change Medicare. Licensing Is a big Issue, as there Is a lot to do to get a license. First, a person must complete a background check.This requires a fee and a fingerprinting process. Twenty-four pre-licensing courses must be completed. These classes involve life, accident, health, and annuity education. Once these are completed a state exam must be passed in order to hold a license. Many people are not aware of all the requirements involved. Gerry gets to weed out those not meeting the basic elements to be an agent. Medicare has changes that oc cur yearly, agents have a lot of rules they have to follow. Center for MedicareMedicaid Services (CAMS) does a good job of protecting seniors.There are certain ways to handle clients. Agents cannot call them. We use to do a lot of cold calling when we got leads. Everyday seniors could get many calls from agents trying to get them to sign up for their plan. This created a lot of frustration and contusion tort seniors. Some other things that are restricted: we could not buy them lunch to hear our sales-pitch or offer them a gift tort listening. CAMS makes these rules & If you don't follow them, pay a fine or you could lose your license. Basically, Medicare Is a health Insurance plan you pay Into prior to retirement.It has 4 parts A, B, C, ; D. There Is an annual enrollment period, which this year Is 10/15-12/7. Ten thousand Baby Boomers will age In everyday between the years 2012-2031. This Is an amazingly large amount of people to have in the system. Medicaid is an income-based insur ance plan. It can help with fees for all parts of Medicare. There are 4. 6 million seniors that qualify for Medicaid. Of those, there are 3. 7 million seniors that have a disability of some form. All together, there are 8. 3 million seniors that meet the criteria for both Medicare and Medicaid, being dually eligible.The Affordable Care Act will have a big effect Medicare. It will provide an out- of-pocket expense at a cap of $6700. The new Annual Enrollment Period is now 10/1 5-12/07/2012. It gives a reduction of donuts-hole costs. There will be an increase in premiums for seniors with higher incomes. CA will provide more managed care than fee for service in health care services. Advisory boards implemented that will attempt to reduce spending per person. Providers will have an Accountable Care Organization where they agree to be more accountable for over-all Medicare infirmaries w/ their primary care physician.Finally, an insufficient care clause where there Is a 1% reduction In pa yment for excessive admittance of seniors. Most of these parts are to be In effect by 2015. This concluded my Interview with Casey. Being a former agent, I know the importance of being informed about Medicare. Seniors would wait patiently for me as I worked with clients Just to ask a question. I want to briefly go over Medicare ; shed some light. Odds are that you will know someone turning 65 this year. Medicare NAS 4 parts ; D Witt each avian a different function and fees.You must be 65 years old or have a disability. Part A is the hospital care received as inpatient, a skilled nursing facility, hospice, or home care. No fee is required if you paid into the system prior to retirement, if not $AAA month is the fee currently. With Part B, which is the medical part of Medicare, seniors will pay 104. 90 a month with a $147 deductible. You have a deductible for Part A as well per benefit period, which begins when you are admitted and ends when you are discharged 60 day consecutively. Th ese can be many per year as well. For days 1-60, there is a deductible of $1184.For days 61-90, expect a $296 coinsurance per day per benefit period. For day 91 and over, there is a $592 coinsurance per â€Å"lifetime reserve days†. A senior can have 60 over the scan of their lifetime. These 2 parts are known as Original Medicare. It has three key gaps with additional expense: prescription drugs are not covered, Parts A and B have out of pocket costs, and there is no cap on annual out of pocket expenses. Part C is seniors' Medicare Advantage or Media-gap policies. These options are extremely important as Original Medicare can get very expensive.Both of these choices offer the same benefits as Original Medicare but some offer additional benefits like vision and dental and have a cap on out of pocket expense set at $6700 with Medicare Advantage. Media-gap policies are more expensive but have more benefits. They offer that same basic benefits like host, med, but can cover 100% o f costs associated with health care. Prices can start as low as $75 a month. Some of the basic benefits are hospitalizing of Part A coinsurance plus 365 additional days after Medicare benefits ND.The first three pints of blood are covered each year. Hospice is covered through part A coinsurance. Each Media-gap policy has many plans. Plan A-N can be chosen depending on the need and can pay up to 100% of coinsurance & deductibles, 50-75% of fees for SIN, provide coverage for foreign travel. Prices can start at $75 a month. There are many plans to choose from. It pays to do some research. Medicare Part D is prescription drug coverage. Seniors must enroll when they turn 65 years old or will face penalty of $31. 17, plus a premium each month.Monthly premiums are based on a senior's income. The yearly deductible is $320. However, some plans have $0 escapements or deductibles. However, this depends on formula and tier of drug. Part D plans can cover costs in the coverage gap, called the â €Å"Donuts Hole†. So let's talk about the â€Å"Donuts Hole†. All costs do not include a deductible. From $0-$2930 is spent, seniors are in the gap. In there, seniors will receive 52. 5% discount on drugs. This is an out of pocket expense. After seniors spend $4700, they come out of the â€Å"donuts hole†.Then seniors qualify for catastrophic coverage for medicine. They will then pay a small Coplay or coinsurance for remainder of the year for all medication. In summary, do your homework and read all you can to learn about Medicare and the costs associated with it. Start preparing now; it is never too early to start. Try to stay updated each year with all the changes. You can check an agent's license at this website: http://insurance. KY. Gob/Agent/Default. Asps? Manuel=46;Diva_id=2 . All information with this presentation was verified through the Medicare. Gob website.

Why do we continue to destroy our world

Why do we continue to destroy our world? Everyday we take more and more natural resources. A Dutch study found that twenty percent of our cartrips are a mile or less. A Dutch researcher by the name of Linda Steg, Ph.D., reported that the Netherlands are now using twenty five percent more energy than they did fourteen years ago. This all says that we are not conscious of how fast we are damaging the delicate balance we have with Mother Nature. Why do we humans continue to be the only species that destroys and uses our planet and also drains and kills it (Gifford)? One of our most precious resources, our water, becomes more polluted everyday. The Great Lakes, home to one-fifth of the worlds surface fresh water, is so polluted that lake trout can not even reproduce in them. Both Canada and some states rely on the Great Lakes for food. Now some scientists do not even cow what species of bacteria or parasites that they are finding in some fish. This is because international ships come in and bring nonindigenous bacteria and parasites, which have no natural predators, thus upsetting the delicate balance we have with our ecosystem. It is believed that the declining coastal shorelines and wetlands. Many of our water systems have also received pollutants in them form the runoff of herbicides and pesticides, known as agricultural runoff. This agricultural runoff is responsible for around fifty to seventy percent of our surface water pollution( Magnuson). We have polluted our world for centuries. In the nineteenth century they had soda ash factories. Soda ash is an extremely alkali product. You can only imagine what was cone with the ash that they could not use. Then come the twentieth century when we have just about covered around the world with waste: from the Alaskan oil spill to testing nuclear weapons (on small islands, in the desert, under water, and in the

Technetium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements

Technetium Facts - Periodic Table of the Elements Technetium (Masurium)Â   Atomic Number: 43 Symbol: Tc Atomic Weight: 98.9072 Discovery: Carlo Perrier, Emilio Segre 1937 (Italy) found it in a sample of molybdenum that had been bombarded with neutrons; erroneously reported Noddack, Tacke, Berg 1924 as Masurium. Electron Configuration: [Kr] 5s2 4d5 Word Origin: Greek technikos: an art or technetos: artificial; this was the first element made artificially. Isotopes: Twenty-one isotopes of technetium are known, with atomic masses ranging from 90-111. Technetium is one of two elements with Z 83 with no stable isotopes; all of technetiums isotopes are radioactive. (The other element is promethium.) Some isotopes are produced as uranium fission products. Properties: Technetium is a silvery-gray metal that tarnishes slowly in moist air. Common oxidation states are 7, 5, and 4. The chemistry of technetium is similar to that of rhenium. Technetium is a corrosion inhibitor for steel and is an excellent superconductor at 11K and below. Uses: Technetium-99 is used in many medical radioactive isotope tests. Mild carbon steels may be effectively protected by minute quantities of technetium, but this corrosion protection is limited to closed systems because of technetiums radioactivity. Element Classification: Transition Metal Technetium Physical Data Density (g/cc): 11.5 Melting Point (K): 2445 Boiling Point (K): 5150 Appearance: silvery-gray metal Atomic Radius (pm): 136 Covalent Radius (pm): 127 Ionic Radius: 56 (7e) Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 8.5 Specific Heat (20Â °C J/g mol): 0.243 Fusion Heat (kJ/mol): 23.8 Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 585 Pauling Negativity Number: 1.9 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 702.2 Oxidation States: 7 Lattice Structure: Hexagonal Lattice Constant (Ã…): 2.740 Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.604Â   Sources: CRC Handbook of Chemistry Physics (18th Ed.)Crescent Chemical Company (2001)Langes Handbook of Chemistry (1952)Los Alamos National Laboratory (2001)

Nurse Practitioner vs. Registered Nurse What’s the difference

Nurse Practitioner vs. Registered Nurse What’s the difference You’ve probably heard that nursing jobs are hot right now. And it’s true. But even within the general nursing world there are tons of specialties, so it’s important to know who does what before you commit to the career path. There are emergency nurses, pediatric nurses, travel nurses, nursing assistants, etc. You name the health care specialty, there’s probably a specific type of nurse attached. But what about nursing jobs that aren’t as clear? If you’re not yet super-familiar with different kinds of nurses, you may hear â€Å"registered nurse† and â€Å"nurse practitioner† and think that the terms are interchangeable. After all, both types of nurses work with patients to monitor their health and provide direct medical care. Let’s walk through how to tell the difference between these two important nursing careers.Prescribing medicineNurse practitioners have greater flexibility when it comes to prescribing medicine and per forming duties normally handled by physicians. Licensed nurse practitioners are legally able to prescribe medications and have greater flexibility in diagnosing and treating illnesses. Registered nurses cannot prescribe medications and often work under the direction of a physician when it comes to determining patient care and follow-up.Work environmentNurse practitioners often work in more private practice-style settings like community clinics, government agencies, nonprofits, or educational settings. A nurse practitioner may take on more of a physician-style in a clinical setting. Registered nurses typically work in hospitals or surgical clinics. Because of the nature of private clinics vs. the realities of working in a hospital, nurse practitioners often have more standard hours, while registered nurses work a greater variety of shifts.Level of educationRegistered nurses usually need a bachelor’s degree in nursing to get started in the field, but nurse practitioners typical ly hold a master’s degree or higher. This makes nurse practitioner a logical next step for nurses who’ve been in the field for a while and want to take on more of an independent leadership role. But it can also mean additional investment of time and resources in an additional degree, so it’s important to consider whether becoming a nurse practitioner is truly what you want to do.SalaryBecause of the additional education and training for nurse practitioners, salaries tend to be higher for nurse practitioners than registered nurses on average. Per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses make a median annual salary of $68,450 per year, while nurse practitioners take home a median annual salary of $100,910.If you’re thinking about a career in nursing, both nurse practitioner and registered nurse have the potential to be great, fulfilling career options. And if you’re not sure yet which one would better suit your career goals, we have a q uiz for you to help figure out your next steps. Good luck!

Crude oil prices Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Crude oil prices - Research Paper Example Crude futures declined in the recent past on concerns global oversupply is hurriedly  filling oil stocks. Total petroleum output in the year 2015 is expected to go up to 9.35 million barrels every day, slightly more than the 9.3 million barrels daily forecast in the previous period, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said last week in its monthly short-term energy outlook. Independently, oil stocks went up more than anticipated marking the several consecutive week of a higher overall than at any other time for the last 80 years and more. The American commercial crude oil stocks rose by appoxialely4.5 million barrels from the previous week, the EIA said Wednesday. Another reason weighing on oil price is the OPEC. The U.S. oil output could be adversely affected in the years due to low oil prices offered by the OPEC countries. In addition, the lower global oil prices may have affected the marginal barrel output from other sources, such as shale, OPEC said.  The OPEC body controls a significant percentage of the world’s fuel production. As such, any decision they make directly affect the market prices of the commodity. In this case, the petroleum trading block may take actions targeting their competitors. Such actions may include flooding the market with the commodity leading to market forces coming into play and hence price decline. America has been in the frontline in the war against terrorism. As such, the country has formulated various policies aimed at reducing terrorism. Such policies have been affected towards Iran and Tehran for their alleged involvement in nuclear weapon manufacturing. In this case, the two countries are prohibited from placing their products in major global markets. However, USA and the two countries have signed several deals that have seen the reintroduction of petroleum product from two nations. In this case, the total global supplies increase prompting the market forces to push the prices

A critical review of the reading materials Assignment

A critical review of the reading materials - Assignment Example The review credits the rise of the Western type of film to that of a way to reflect on American history. The author of the article hints toward the fact that sometimes a rise in a certain area of movies has a particular motive in terms of influencing society. I had never really thought of it like that but in times where there are different societal issues, it does seem true that within the realm of film, media is another way to influence or inform a whole audience, several theaters or DVDs at a time. It seems as if there is one movie about one type of subject, then a few others pop up to mimic it or have similar story lines all around the same time (especially if a movie has performed exceptionally well at the box office within its initial running). Unforgiven begins with a fast pace cut from opening credits which the author of the article discusses. There is brutality shown in the context of the film and establishes where the movie is to be set. It is apparent through the use of characters such as a cowboy and a whore, guns and a saloon in the initial setting that this will be a Western film and early on establishes that with the films audience. This sets the initial mood of the film rather fast and the descriptiveness the author used to describe the opening scenes is somewhat intense and summarizes the scene of violence. Not only is the setting of the film to be in a small one-horse town but it is noted early on that this is a reflection to the olden days when trains were a useful means of transport. It also indicates that there is some level of civilization or industry as symbolized by the railroad shown in the film. Though a person has to travel to the nearby railroad, this is also symbolic that this is small town that is a little bit off of the regular beaten path but is connected to the rest of the world regardless. The author continues to describe events in the

The Development of The American Broadway as Theatre and Culture Research Paper

The Development of The American Broadway as Theatre and Culture - Research Paper Example The American Broadway Musical has enjoyed success since its inception, gradually coming to be recognized as a truly American contribution to theatre. Success is measured in terms of the length of its run on Broadway. In fact â€Å"long runs became the norm for a hit show† (Hischak 2004, 449). Plays such as My Fair Lady 1956, Hello Dolly! 1964, Grease 1972 and Cats 1982 have maintained the record for Broadways longest running musicals (Hanschak 2004, 449). However, Phantom of the Opera enjoyed the longest run of over 8,000 performances between 1987 and 1988 (Hischak 2004, 450). Typically when a Broadway musical enjoys immense success directors are inclined to transfer the production to the big screen. This is obviously an economic incentive in the sense that movie producers anticipate making money from a film version of a successful and popular Broadway production. In return, the Broadway Musical producers are entitled to royalties from the box office returns and in most cases a token advance payment against future royalties (Vogel 2001, 520). However, a successful Broadway musical does not automatically guarantee that the subsequent film version will be equally successful. For instance, The Phantom of the Opera, while immensely successful on Broadway was a relative flop in the cinema. It has been argued that the box office failure may be attributed to the fact that the film version came too late, having gone into film production some twenty years after its first theatrical debut. By that time the momentum and popularity had faded somewhat (Broadway n.d.).à ‚  

Training and Development in Food & Beverage Dissertation

Training and Development in Food & Beverage - Dissertation Example In this current business environment, various factors have direct influence over the operations and entire performance of an organisation. The prior reason behind the establishment of any businesses is to sell maximum products and/or services to the customers with the prime intention of earning high revenue. In this regard, it becomes quite crucial and important for the organisations to effectively manage and utilise the various resources in an efficient manner for maintaining the economies of scale in their respective operations. In the current scenario of increasing level of globalisation and business market competition, the organisations tend to effective manage their internal practice and desire to provide exceptional products and/or services in the dynamic business environment. This particular scenario has certainly led the organisations to carry out their different activities in a well and integrated manner with forming as well as preserving well-built contractual relationship amid the workforce. The performance of any business is highly dependent on how efficiently the organisations are involved in producing goods and/or services to satisfy the customers. Thus, placing required number of workforce does not led towards ensuring the succession of the business (Saks, 2010). In relation to the above context, the workforce should remain efficient in terms of their skills and necessary responsibilities that have been assigned to them. In this regard, appropriate and regular training along with development are necessary.

Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religion - Essay Example This creates the essence for various rituals, libations, cultures, behaviors and lifestyle as observed by different religious traditions. It is worth noting, the fact that there is no single religious tradition that can claim to have fully understood this mystery of the origin of life. This has created superstitious values systems and opinions that have eventually seen these traditional religions differ, based on locality, intellectual background and levels as well as on human tribes and races. Religion, as stated by Harvey (2000) is â€Å"any form of belief, about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life†p.89. It is the pulling together of various cultures opinions and viewpoints that relate humanity to the spiritual world. However, any spiritual believe or viewpoint uphold by an individual is remarkably different from religion. This is because religion has the public outlook, where many people subscribe to such a faith. Thus, religion can si mply be said to be a belief and/or a practice. Therefore, religion can be expressed in term of myths. These are kinds of stories explaining why a group subscribes to a certain faith.

Online Discussion 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Online Discussion 2 - Essay Example y part describes the expectation of linguistics learners to have simple languages so that they can easy apply their comprehension in literature (Shemshadsara, 2012). To that effect, the tutors compromise the standards of language proficiency in order to impress the learners. It shows teachers as being selective in developing their teaching programs instead of maintaining the prescribed schedule to develop critical and analytical skills in students (Cameron, 2001). The objective of the article is to first articulate the fact that linguistics is a challenging field of study. Secondly, it aims at developing constructive perception of teachers and students with regards to linguistics in order to develop skills that challenge the community beyond the classroom environment (Fairclough, 1995). This article demonstrates an understanding of the needs of sequential stages of learning, and suggests a low level proficiency requirement for elementary classes. The ultimate aim of the article is to trigger a paradigm shift for both the students and learners about languages by providing solution to the emerging challenges. The article addresses different categories of audience, with a variety of reasons. First, it exposes the attitude with which teachers discharge their duties. It focuses on pointing to teachers their real experiences in teaching with the hope that they can improve on their attitudes. The second target group is students. It focuses on developing a sense of proactive participation of students in the acquisition of linguistics and literature skills. The third target group is that of the authors of various literatures. It recommends the use of simplified languages for the low level literature and linguistics classes to develop relevant skills in a progressive manner. The strengths of the article is evident in its understanding of the linguistics and literature challenges. In the introductory section, Cots (2006) describes the tasks as problematic. Secondly, it

Religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religion - Essay Example This creates the essence for various rituals, libations, cultures, behaviors and lifestyle as observed by different religious traditions. It is worth noting, the fact that there is no single religious tradition that can claim to have fully understood this mystery of the origin of life. This has created superstitious values systems and opinions that have eventually seen these traditional religions differ, based on locality, intellectual background and levels as well as on human tribes and races. Religion, as stated by Harvey (2000) is â€Å"any form of belief, about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life†p.89. It is the pulling together of various cultures opinions and viewpoints that relate humanity to the spiritual world. However, any spiritual believe or viewpoint uphold by an individual is remarkably different from religion. This is because religion has the public outlook, where many people subscribe to such a faith. Thus, religion can si mply be said to be a belief and/or a practice. Therefore, religion can be expressed in term of myths. These are kinds of stories explaining why a group subscribes to a certain faith.

General Questions About Strategic Planning & Marketing Term Paper

General Questions About Strategic Planning & Marketing - Term Paper Example All of these components are absolutely necessary for mission statements because they demonstrate a comprehensive review of why the organization exists and which customer needs it actually aims to address. This further relates to the formulation of organizational goals and objectives while encouraging employees to act in the required direction. Moreover, the components of a mission statement help in analyzing the progress of an organization, the overall efficiency of management and employees and the lifespan of the firm. Q2. Where do organizational missions originate? How do you explain the evolution of organizational missions as the organization grows and matures? What types of changes are likely to take place in the mission statement? Organizational mission statements are originated by the management team that decides the products and services for the organization along with the target market and long term business strategies. Hence it is more appropriate that the CEO or the partners themselves formulate the mission statement as they are the ones who exactly know the reasons behind the firm’s establishment. Although it is highly significant to have a concise and clear mission statement for an organization prior to the beginning of operations but on the other hand it should be noted that mission statements evolve over the period of time. This implies that managers and company heads are extensively required to update the organizational mission statement as the firm grows and matures. Mission statements are highly dynamic in nature since they are needed to be re-affirmed and re-examined over the time. Analysts also suggest maintaining annual check-in with respect to the mission statement (Reder, 2012). Organizations have been developing mission statements since last few decades. This is possibly because of the fact that it facilitates them in defining the core reasons for which the organization exists.

Picassos Background And Life Experiences Essay Example for Free

Picassos Background And Life Experiences Essay Picasso was arguably the most influential artist of the twentieth century. He had some degree of influence in all styles of painting which were used during his time, and was known and respected by almost every art enthusiast on the face of the planet. Pablo Picasso, born Pablo Ruiz Picasso, came into the world on the 25th of October 1881 in the southern Spanish town of Malaga. Pablo was an artist from early in his life he was a child prodigy. He began his career as a classical painter. He painted things such as portraits and landscapes. But this style didnt satisfy Picasso, he was a free man and wanted to express himself and ultimately leave a lasting mark on art, as we know it. Picasso turned his attention to cubes. He invented Cubism a radical art form that used harsh lines and corners to display a picture instead of the usual soft curves. Picasso won a lot of fame for his Cubist paintings, but was criticized for it also. He designed and painted the drop curtain and some giant cubist figures for a ballet in 1917. When the audience saw the huge distorted images on stage, they were angry, they thought the ballet was a joke at their expense. Cubism lived on despite this. Other artists mimicked Picassos Cubism, and it took hold. Picasso had only just begun his one-man art revolution. In the late 1920s, Picasso fixed himself upon an even more revolutionary art form Surrealism. Surrealism emphasized the role of the unconscious mind in creative activity. Surrealists aimed at creating art from dream, visions, and irrational impulses. Their paintings shocked the world particularly Picassos it was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before. He took advantage of this fact and also the fact that he was extremely famous, to make a few political statements, statements that would go down in history. 1936 saw the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Fascist revolutionaries, led by Francisco Franco took hold of Spain and imposed a fascist dictatorship upon the country. Due to poor economic control and disregard for the people on the part of the Fascists, the country went through hell. The unemployment rate was phenomenal. The majority of the population were peasants and lived in appalling conditions. Impoverished gangs scavenged in fields and rubbish heaps for anything they could find. A vast horde of ragged, jobless people  wandered around from town to town. On top of this the Fascists operated as a police state and therefore anyone who opposed it would be executed. This incident sparked the most important time in Picassos life. On April 26 1937, Nazi German bombers flying under orders from General Francisco Franco, laid waste to the town of Guernica, in the Basque part of Spain, killing many innocent civilians. The bombing of Guernica was an extremely cruel example to the rest o f Spain of what would happen if the Republican resistance continued. This action prompted Picasso to paint Guernica; some say his greatest masterpiece ever. It shows the suffering and destruction of the town, as well as Picassos own horror and outrage at what happened. The painting depicts death and carnage on a large scale. A grief stricken mother is holding her dead child, a woman is burning, a severed arm holding a broken spear is lying next to a dead man and a horse, which represents the people, has been speared through the heart and is in agony. The bull stands alone, above everything else. The painting shook not only the art world but also the political world. Guernica is Picassos major political expression of all his paintings. Even though it is a single painting, it did so much. And even though it is painted using expressionism, it is still so powerful and it made people realize what was going on in Spain and struck up sympathy for the Spanish people, and hatred for the fascists. Even though Picasso only aimed to express his own horror, outrage, suffering and sorrow of the Spanish people. By unleashing Guernica on the world, Picasso achieved more than he set out to do. Guernica struck up mixed emotions. The Nazis thought of his work as degenerate art not only did it defy the rules of painting; his artwork was anti-Fascist and therefore anti-Nazi. On the other hand, the British, Americans, French etc. loved his work because it expressed, as nothing else could, the horrors and atrocities of Fascism. When Nazi occupation of Paris came, Picassos work was prohibited from public exhibition. Picasso then took on a new role. He refused to leave Paris while the Nazis were there his fame protected him. But Picassos refusal to co-operate with the Germans also made him, as a person, a symbol of freedom, of the unvanquished spirit After the war however, Picassos work was not  met entirely with open arms. In Paris, those still influenced by Nazi propaganda, violently protested against Picasso. But this wore off and Picasso went down in history as not only one of the greatest artists ever, but also a hero, and a figure of defiance against Fascism. Works Cited Page  ·Pablo Picasso: The Early Years. E-Library Article Preview. http://ask.elibrary.com  ·Picasso and Braque : pioneering cubism : [exhibition] Museum of Modern Art, New York, September 24, 1989-January 16, 1990.  ·The Artist and the Camera : Degas to Picasso, by Kosinski, Dorothy M.

The Background Analysis And Performance Suggestions

The Background Analysis And Performance Suggestions Luciano Berios Sequenza IXa is a work of increasingly great significance for the clarinet repertoire. In the past few years, numerous international music competitions, including the prestigious Geneva, Munich, and Nielsen competitions, have included the Sequenza in the repertoire for their first rounds. In addition, it has become an integral part of the unaccompanied solo standard clarinet repertoire in the twentieth century, and it provides clarinetists with a wealth of opportunities for exploring new techniques and freedom for musical interpretation. Upon first hearing it, the Sequenza intrigues, but challenges the listener to accept a new musical language. A glance at the score immediately reveals a host of difficulties for the performer, including a variety of rhythmic patterns, dynamic changes, and multiphonics, as well as the physical stamina required over the length of the piece. Apart from the score itself, little information is available about the history and construction of the piece from scholarly sources. This limited literature cannot satisfy the curiosity that the composition inspires.  [1]  Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide a more comprehensive aid to the study and performance of this piece, in order to make approaching the work more feasible and also more attractive to a wider breadth of clarinetists. My examination of the Sequenza will begin by contextualizing the work within the composers life and background, including a consideration of his statements about music and about the Sequenzas in particular. This will be followed by analysis of Sequenza IXa investigating the diverse array of musical elements, including harmonic fields, rhythmic patterns, transformational processes, structure, and multiphonics in the second part. To conclude, I will explore some of the difficulties in performing the piece and offer potential solutions. PART I: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF Sequenza IXa Berio is considered the foremost Italian avant-garde composer of his time, and one of the most influential composers of the twentieth century. He is particularly well known for his modernist approach and his extensive and experimental use of electronic instruments in art music. Born in Oneglia, Italy, he studied music with his father, an organist, before enrolling in music school in Milan.  [2]  In 1950, he married the American singer Cathy Berberian, a soprano who subsequently performed many of his works.  [3]  He traveled to the United States in 1953 to study with Dallapiccola, who he was introduced him to serialism. However, the most important aspect of his trip to the United States was his exposure to electronic music. In 1952, he attended the first public concert of electronic music in the U.S. At New Yorks Museum of Modern Art, the concert featured tape pieces by Otto Luening and Vladimir Ussachevsky.  [4]  After returning to Italy, he co-founded the noted electroni c music center Studio di Fonologia Musicale in Milan in 1955, directing it from 1955 to 1961.  [5]  From 1965 to 1972, he taught at the Julliard School in New York City; during this time, he also held a number of international teaching responsibilities.  [6]  In addition, Berio served as a director of the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique Musique (IRCAM) in Paris. In 1980, he accepted an honorary Doctorate of Music Degree from City University in London. Two years later, he became the Artistic Director of the Orchestra Regionale Toscana and in 1984, Artistic Director of the Maggio Musical Fiorentino.  [7]   Berios musical style may be seen as engaging and an extending of European and Italian classical traditions. His many years of education and his long career demonstrate this, as do the statements he has made about music and his own music in particular. Berio has described music as the constant search for an answer to something that continuously shifts.  [8]  He has further stated that the search for a deep unity, is maybe the most exciting, the most profoundly experimental and the least functional aspect of its presence.  [9]  These descriptive words are useful in understanding what Berio has said about the Sequenzas. The series of fourteen Sequenzas was a long-standing project, spanning 30 years. Each of these pieces is written for a solo instrument, and demonstrates extensive performance techniques. In virtually all of the Sequenzas, these techniques are intended to expand the boundaries of what was playable or singable on the respective instrument. The Sequenza series can be considered a manual of instrumental composing in the twentieth century. The majority of the Sequenzas were commissioned by or composed for a certain performer, and Berio often collaborated closely with these performers to understand the particular abilities and limitations of the instrument.  [10]  For example, one of his most successful Sequenzas is Sequenza III, for female voice, written for and dedicated to Berberian, a pioneer in avant-garde vocal techniques. Sequenza IXa was commissioned and premiered by the French clarinetist Michel Arrignon in 1980. Between 1977 and 1983 Berio worked on a piece entitled Chemins V for clarinet and real-time digital filters,  [11]  but it was never completed. Later, Berio withdrew Chemins V, and titled the extracted clarinet part Sequenza IXa.  [12]   Berio says that, All theSequenzas for solo instruments are intended to set out and melodically develop an essentially harmonic discourse and to suggest, particularly in the case of the monodic instruments, a polyphonic mode of listening  [13]  As he described further in regards to his flute Sequenza: I wanted to establish a way of listening so strongly conditioned as to constantly suggest a latent, implicit counterpoint. The idea was the polyphonic melodies of Bach. An inaccessible ideal, naturally, because what implicitly guided polyphonic listening in a Bach melody was nothing less than the history of baroque musical language, whereas in a nonlinguistic melody like my Sequenza for flute, history provided no protection, and everything had to be planned out explicitly.  [14]   In Sequenza I, various procedures project the concept of polyphony, largely based on Bachs polyphonic melodies. However, Berio soon came to realize the impossibility of achieving this goal, partially because Bachs polyphony was made possible by the universal tonal language of the time. Without the use of Baroque harmonic conventions, Berio relies on another way of implying underlying counterpoint. To achieve this, he explored the idea of a single instrument producing more than one voice. In this way, a monophonic instrument becomes capable of implying not only a dialogue, but also the sounding together of more than one voice. Sequenza IXa, like the flute Sequenza, can be said to use the same nonlinguistic type of melody. The most obvious and literal manner of achieving more than one voice with a monophonic instrument is through multiphonics. Another way to simulate polyphony in a monophonic instrument is to use a type of technique Bach uses in his pieces, compound melody. Following the idea of using two pitch-class collections differently, one melody tends to appear in the same register, whereas the other traverses the range of the instrument in very wide leaps and with great variety.  [15]  Berio developed these two pitch-class collections experimenting with temporal, dynamic, pitch, and morphological dimensions to generates a type of polyphony. These different musical elements are recognizable through the transformational processes, which will discuss later in the paper. In a discussion of the form of Sequenza I, Berio said, The title was meant to underline that the piece was built from a sequence of harmonic fieldsfrom which the other strongly characterized musical functions were derived.  [16]  In the same interview, Berio continued: The temporal, dynamic, pitch and morphological dimensions of the piece are characterized by maximum, medium and minimum levels of tension. The level of maximum tension within the temporal dimension is produced by moments of maximum speed in articulation and moments of maximum duration of sounds, the medium level is always established by a neutral distribution of fairly long notes and fairly rapid articulations, and the minimum level entails silence, or a tendency to silence. The pitch dimension is at its maximum level when notes jump about a wide gamut and establish the tensest intervals, or when they insist on extreme register: The medium and minimum levels follow logically from this. The maximum level of the dynamic dimension is naturally produced by moments of maximum sound energy and maximum dynamic contrast. What I call the morphological dimension is placed, in certain aspects, at the service of the other three and is, as it were, their rhetorical instrument.  [17]   This statement can further be applied to Sequenza IXa for solo clarinet, as it is also an essentially harmonic discourse which is melodically developed by temporal, dynamic, pitch and morphological dimensions  [18]  in order to suggest a polyphonic mode of listening. Analysis of the piece shows that Berios statement does in fact apply and is of use in understanding Sequenza IXa. PART II: ANALYTICAL DISCUSSION Harmonic fields As Berio states, the title Sequenza was meant to underline that the piece was built from a sequence of harmonic fieldsfrom which the other, strongly characterized musical functions were derived.  [19]  In his Berio, David Osmond-Smith observes that the harmonic field can be defined as a temporary emphasis on a single pitch or on a collection of pitches.  [20]  Berio uses both options to establish a harmonic field, similar to the function of chords in tonal music. Thus, when Berio moves from one field to another, it can be said that there is a shift of harmony. Andrea Cremaschi explains that Berio does not use a dodecaphonic series, but rather divides the twelve notes into two separate pitch-class collections: a five-note collection and a seven-note collection. The first collection traverses the instruments range, is used melodically, and is characterized by wide, varied leaps (see Fig. 1a). The seven-note collection, in contrast, tends to appear in the same register and generally appears with less variety (see Fig. 1b).  [21]  As the piece develops, these two distinct pitch-class collections appear in contrast, in alternation, or, in some cases, interlaced with each other. As shown in Figure1, while the two pitch-class collections are distinct, both are characterized by multiple occurrences of the tritone. Figure 1. The five-note (a) and seven-note (b) collections of Sequenza IXa.  [22]   Sequenza IXa moves through a sequence of harmonic fields which are defined by the use of one or more of the following devices among the two contrasting pitch-class collections: 1) the use of the two pitch-class collections in rapid succession; 2) the use of the first pitch of each collection as the beginning and ending note of a phrase; and 3) the use of what Berio calls tense intervals which suggest harmonic tension and resolution.  [23]   The two different pitch collections appear at the beginning of the work. The melody shown in Ex.1 is primarily based on the five-note collection, whose pitches move between three registers with relative freedom. The seven-note collection ornaments the melody, with only two notes from it, F# and D, appearing. These two notes function not only as passing notes, but also as ornamentation, similar to the grace notes in the second and third line. The ascending grace notes at the beginning of line 2 occur in rapid succession. Most of the notes are still based on the five-note collection, except for three notes from the seven-note collection, still F#, D, and now D#. Similar grace- note passages are prevalent throughout the piece. Berio uses this blending of the two pitch-class collections to establish the harmonic field. Example 1. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 1-3. Circles indicate pitches from the seven-note collection used as passing tones. The second device, the repetition of the first note, is illustrated in Ex. 2a, lines 4-8. The rehearsal A section consists of four melodic phrases, each phrase separated by a fermata and silence. The four melodic phrases are based on the seven-note collection, with the seven notes largely fixed in the same register. Now there are only two pitches chosen from the five-note collection, G and Bb. Here, the seven-note collection previously used for ornamentation becomes the principal pitch-class collection, which indicates movement away from the previous harmonic field. The starting tending pitches of the 4 phrases compose out the 1st 4-note motive, G#, F#, D, A. Berio unifies the four phrases here, beginning each subsequent phrase on the next of the first four notes (G#, F#, D, A) of the first phrase. As with the G# in the first phrase, the F#, D, and A serve as the beginning and ending notes of the second, third and fourth phrases, respectively. Example 2a. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 4-8: Circles highlight the repetition of pitches at the beginning and ending of phrases. In addition, the repeated use of a series of several notes drawn from both pitch-class collections in a fixed order establishes a new harmonic field. In Ex. 2b, the first phrase establishes the following sequence of pitches: G#, F#, D, A1, D#1, C#2, G2, C2, A1, Bb2, D. Subsequent phrases rotate these pitches, moving the first note of the previous phrase to the end of the sequence, though not the end of the phrase. That is, the order of the pitches remains fixed, though their relative position in the sequence changes. Thus, the repetition of this note order establishes the harmonic field. Example 2b. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 4-8: Circled pitches reveal the fixed sequence, while boxes indicate discreet phrases. Berio expands the device of repetition as the basis of a harmonic field later in the piece. In Example 3 a brief sequence of pitches from the third line of the work, D1, A1, D#1, C#1, B1 is extracted and subsequently repeated. The appearance of this fragment implies the earlier harmonic field seen in Ex.1, line 3, but the addition of other pitches in addition to its repetition implies movement to a new harmonic field. Example 3. Sequenza IXa, Page 2, Lines 1-3: The circled portions show the repeated pattern from the previous harmonic field. The third way in which Berio establishes a harmonic field is by the use of tense or dissonant intervals. As discussed previously, the piece changes harmonic fields by moving to different pitch-class groups. In Example 4, line 2, the dotted quarter-note G# is the first note of substantial duration in the new harmonic field from the seven-note collection. It is preceded by a leap of a major 7th and followed by a diminished 5th, minor 7th, minor 2nd and minor 7th, in that order. The minor 2nd, between the eighth-note E and the quarter-note F, functions as leading-tone to tonic relationship resolving back to the five-note collection. The sense of harmonic tension and resolution created by these interval relationships thus implies the harmonic field. Each subsequent harmonic field uses the same idea of tension and resolution, thus implying harmonic shift. M7 m7 m7 d5 m2 Example 4. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 1-3: Use of tense or dissonant intervals All of the above methods define the sequence of harmonic fields in Sequenza IXa; therefore, this piece conforms to Berios description of his Sequenzas as a sequence of harmonic fields. Rhythms In Sequenza IXa, there are many places on the score where Berio specifies tempos. At the beginning of the work, the tempo is marked as a quarter note equals sixty. At letter A, it increases to a value of seventy-two. Berio also gives specific durations for the fermatas, placed at the ends of most phrases. Despite these specific tempo markings, the composer places the expressive marking ma sempre un poco instabile (but always a little bit unstable) at the beginning of the score. Perhaps Berio wanted to give the liberty to the performer to vary the tempo within the phrase. In this piece, Berio does not use complex rhythmic techniques, but instead creates a lot of variety using simple rhythms. Although using a limited number of distinct rhythmic figures, Berio rarely repeats the same groupings. Through this rhythmic variety, he creates a feeling of unpredictability. This can be found in Ex.5 and 8. Example 5. Sequenza IXa, Page 8, Lines 1-4: The representative of the rhythmic figures Berio has an extraordinary range of rhythmic arrangements. Below is a list of the four most frequent rhythms used in the piece. There are additional rhythms used in the piece, such as long notes and grace notes, but shown below are the most prominent rhythms. Figure 2. Four rhythms He applies the idea of a rotating sequence, as he did for pitch, to arrange the rhythms in the A section. He uses these four rhythms to create a rhythmic sequence. The following graph reflects the use of the rhythmic sequence (see Fig.3). In the first line of the graph, there are four melodic phrases with each phrase containing all four rhythms (à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" ). As indicated in the second line, each of these rhythms begins and ends a phrase. In addition, the first phrase begins with the sequence of rhythms ( à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  ) . The subsequent phrases rotate the rhythmic sequence by moving the first rhythm of the previous phrase to the end of the sequence, though not the end of the phrase. (see Ex.6) First phrase Second phrase Third phrase Fourth phrase à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  long note à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ long note, rest à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ long note à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å" Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" long note à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" Figure 3. The graph of rhythmic sequence in Sequenza IXa, Page 1. Lines 4-8. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"’ à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"â€Å" à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"  à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"‘ Example 6. Sequenza IXa, Page 1, Lines 4-8: The circled letters indicate the rhythmic sequence Transformational process As Berio discusses a polyphonic mode of listening, the piece set out and ismelodically developed by altering time, dynamic, pitch, and morphology. It uses a transformational process that suggests a polyphonic mode of listening rather than creating actual polyphony. Each of these unique layers develops and presents material in a different way. Even though each layer develops differently, they combine to create a unified whole. This is the way to understand a polyphonic mode of listening, in Berios concept. The first stylistic feature is the tempo at the highest level of intensity, when there are passages with either very rapid articulations or very long notes. Ex. 1, line 1, at the fermata, shows the temporal dimension at a very high level of intensity because of the length of the held note. Ex.7 shows an example of the temporal dimension at a high level of intensity that is transformed from the held note into a passage of ascending and descending, rapid, staccato articulation, which eventually becomes an extended chromatic passage lasting fifteen seconds at letter E. From example 1. Sequenza IXa , Page 1, Line 1. Example 7. Sequenza IXa, Page 3, Lines 3-9: the transformation of the tempo. The transformation of pitch, the second stylistic feature, can be heard in ascending grace-note figures such as at the beginning of line 2 in Ex. 1. The grace- note figures transform at the end of the same line, altered by the removal of the last two notes, which is pitches G1 and B1. This feature is seen again in line 3 of Ex 1, where the pitches are altered to imply a new harmonic field. The transformation of the dynamics, the third stylistic feature, is demonstrated by the staccato grace notes seen in Ex. 8. In the first line, the first staccato grace note is a G# and the next is a D. Both are played piano in the midst of a fortissimo, which interrupts the dynamic level with a very short and quiet note. This feature is used several times in Ex. 8. At the beginning of line 5 in Ex.8, this feature is seen in the p grace notes continuing to interrupt the ff dynamic level. As the piece develops, this feature transforms when the grace notes becomes a mezzo forte interruption of a pianissimo dynamic level. (See Ex.8) Example from Sequenza Ixa, Page 4 line 1-6 Example 8. Sequenza IXa, Page 6, Lines 7 : The transformation of the dynamics The rapid 32nd -note figure in Bb shown in Ex. 8, lines 2-7, appears four times. In the final pages, when Bb recurs, it transforms into a fermata with a specific duration. Although the Bb does not belong to the main harmonic field here, it plays an important role in the final pages. The tritone effect between Bb and the ending E is almost directionless, in a way that seems to recall the opening of piece.  [24]  (see Ex. 9) Example 9. Sequenza IXa, Page 10, Lines 4-8: The tritone effect between Bb and the ending E. The last stylistic feature is morphological tension, which is demonstrated in the multiphonics and microtones within the trills and tremolos of Ex 11, the C1 to C1-multiphonic passage. This relationship of C1to B is explored by a trill from B to C1 two notes. The use of multiphonics and micronotes is especially significant because they create the greatest pitch and morphological tension in the trill. The multiphonic passage shown in Ex 10 is transformed rhythmically and dynamically by becoming more active when it returns. Like the other stylistic techniques, multiphonics and micronotes are transformed by each recurrence. Example 10a from Sequenza IXa, Page 2, Line 3. Example 10b. Sequenza IXa, Page 10, Lines 4-8: The transformation of morphology Structure chart of Sequence IXa Just like most classical works, this piece also includes an exposition, development and ending à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ three major parts. However, the process of this whole piece creates a sequence of harmonic fields by alternating, blending, and transformational processes among the two contrasting pitch-class collections. The chart below clearly shows how Berio uses these pitch-class collections as a motivation throughout the whole piece. Beginningà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢A Two pitch-class collections appear: a five-note collection and a seven-note collection Exposition B Transition Transition C Primarily based on a five-note collection with a wide range, activated rhythm, and big leaps to start transformation and development Development I D Primarily based on a seven-note collection with rapid grace notes gradually transforming to a passage of thirty-second notes E Primarily based on a five-note collection, similar to the C section; Bb appears as a thirty-second note to foreshadow the climax Fà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢G Two pitch-class collections alternating and blending with each other. The rhythm becomes more agitated, to further indicate the climax is coming Transition H Transition, similar to the B section Transition I Primarily based on a seven-note collection. The rhythm figure is similar to the Fà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢G section Development II Jà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢L Multiphonics, two pitch-collections further develop and blend with each other. Transition to next section Transition Mà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Q Cadenza, two pitch-class collections alternating with each other as a preparation for the climax of the piece Development III (Climax of the piece) Rà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢V Climax of the piece, two pitch-class collections present at different ranges, dynamics, and rhythms, which alternate between calm and frenzied phrases Wà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Z Epilogue, ending Ending Figure 3: The structure of Seuquenza IXa Solutions to problems of performing multiphonics Sequenza IXa Clarinetists who use an instrument without an Eb key will have a difficult time performing this piece, since there are some multiphonics that appeared on page 6, lines 4, 5 and 6 (see Ex.11) playable only on a clarinet with an Eb key. For those without the Eb key, there are a few techniques to recreate these multiphonics. One may be the use of the performers voice to sing one of the desired pitches. This solution might change the idea of the solo work, but the notes can be produced and the piece would be complete. Another way is the use of a tube to extend the length of the clarinet, effecting an instrument very similar in pitch to one with an Eb key. With regard to the multiphonic fingering applied to the two-note chords in the section around K, the player could use a low E fingering (without the thumb key in the left hand) plus the throat G# key in the left hand for the first multiphonic at line 6. The low E fingering (without the thumb key in the left hand) plus the throat A key in the left hand for the second multiphonic at line 7. The problems with this solution are, first, the tone of the clarinet will be different; second, the player must quickly insert and remove the tube during the performance, which could be clumsy and awkward; and third, the player would have to use an alternative fingering for the B natural at line 4. However, the most difficult thing is getting the chords to speak reliably à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ this will require practice. A final solution could be the substitution of other multiphonics which are playable on the performers instrument. However, the problem with this alternative is at least one of the pitches must be transposed, resulting in changing the piece somewhat. Example 11. Sequenza IXa, Page 6, Lines 4-6: The fingering for the multiphonics After hearing and seeing several clarinetists perform this piece, it seems that switching to the alternate multiphonics is preferable because this does not interfere with the natural sound quality of the clarinet. On the other hand, Berio specified different fingerings on the music, and he did not provide an alternate version of multiphonics in subsequent editions since the piece was written 20 years ago. Maybe Berio did not consider this a major issue, and wanted to give the clarinetist the freedom to imagine ways of solving the problem.

Television Violence :: essays research papers

Television Violence   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Violence in television, is it turning our children into violent, destructive, and hateful toddlers. Yes or no? In today's society television plays such a big role in our everyday lives that it is hard to see if it effects our children's behavior. Television has the potential of being a very constructive learning tool, if used correctly. On the other hand if used in a destructive manner it could, hypothetically, turn our children and future leaders of tomorrow into deadly hate mongers. I believe that television does effect the way people think and behave.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a survey given in 1978 at an unnamed college in Washington D.C., when asked if what was seen on T.V. effected the way they acted ,2% thought it did , 7% didn't know and ,91% didn't think it effected them at all(2). In 1993 a similar survey was given in London by the Broadcasting Standard Council( BSC ). When people were asked if they thought T.V. effected the way people behaved 41% said yes, 4% left without finishing the survey, and 55% said that they didn't think it effected the way people acted(14).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As seen in the survey the problem of television violence is being made more aware to the people of the world. The problem has also grown over the years to a more serious dilemma making the government start to try and solve the problem by initiating laws in which television stations must limit violence on T.V.(6). It is still not enough though the problem must be taken care of promptly before it changes society as a whole. If the problem is not taken care of swiftly then it could effect the future of the world by having violence rampage the streets of our towns.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the past when television was first invented it was a much happier time. people could walk on our streets without having to care if they were going to make it home alive. I'm not trying to say that television is the reason that society today is so dangerously violent, but as violence on television evolved so did the violence on our streets. In the past there were not as many violent T.V. shows if there were even any. Also T.V. was more of a family recreation, most families could only afford one T.V. set so when children watched T.V. they were supervised by their family making violence almost an impossible thing to see if parents were not interested. Today, there are an average of three televisions per household so it is harder for parents to make Television Violence :: essays research papers Television Violence   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Violence in television, is it turning our children into violent, destructive, and hateful toddlers. Yes or no? In today's society television plays such a big role in our everyday lives that it is hard to see if it effects our children's behavior. Television has the potential of being a very constructive learning tool, if used correctly. On the other hand if used in a destructive manner it could, hypothetically, turn our children and future leaders of tomorrow into deadly hate mongers. I believe that television does effect the way people think and behave.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a survey given in 1978 at an unnamed college in Washington D.C., when asked if what was seen on T.V. effected the way they acted ,2% thought it did , 7% didn't know and ,91% didn't think it effected them at all(2). In 1993 a similar survey was given in London by the Broadcasting Standard Council( BSC ). When people were asked if they thought T.V. effected the way people behaved 41% said yes, 4% left without finishing the survey, and 55% said that they didn't think it effected the way people acted(14).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As seen in the survey the problem of television violence is being made more aware to the people of the world. The problem has also grown over the years to a more serious dilemma making the government start to try and solve the problem by initiating laws in which television stations must limit violence on T.V.(6). It is still not enough though the problem must be taken care of promptly before it changes society as a whole. If the problem is not taken care of swiftly then it could effect the future of the world by having violence rampage the streets of our towns.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the past when television was first invented it was a much happier time. people could walk on our streets without having to care if they were going to make it home alive. I'm not trying to say that television is the reason that society today is so dangerously violent, but as violence on television evolved so did the violence on our streets. In the past there were not as many violent T.V. shows if there were even any. Also T.V. was more of a family recreation, most families could only afford one T.V. set so when children watched T.V. they were supervised by their family making violence almost an impossible thing to see if parents were not interested. Today, there are an average of three televisions per household so it is harder for parents to make

World Wide Fund for Nature

There are well over five thousand endangered species on Earth and humans are the cause of it. Many animals are suffering and several hundred are already extinct. Many of the most beautiful creatures are now evanescent. People are also causing the destruction of the environment, which is home to millions of animals worldwide. Through poaching and obliteration of nature, humans have managed to diminish the very place they call home. There are charities such as the World Wide Fund for Nature with the motive to halt and reverse the annihilation of the environment.The international organization World Wide Fund for Nature works on issues regarding conservation, research, and restoration of the environment. The WWF was formed on April 26, 1961, when a small group of passionate individuals had the idea of building a future where humans live in harmony with nature. Their mission was to preserve the planet’s resources, reduce pollution, and conserve the world’s life diversity. Th e WWF’s original name was World Wildlife Fund and was later changed to World Wide Fund for Nature.The panda has become the logo for WWF because it was an endangered species and served as a strong recognizable symbol that was adored by many people in the world for its appealing characteristics. Originally, their aim was to protect the wildlife species and habitat. Today, organization has grown to repopulating several different species worldwide and seeks to didactically educate people on how to have a more ecologically friendly lifestyle.The World Wide Fund for Nature is the world’s leading environmental conservation organization with a global reach of one hundred different countries. They help protect endangered animals and their habitats. The WWF does this by collaborating with businesses, governments, local communities, and other organizations to secure funds and ensure the safety of wildlife. They focus on the underlying causes of environmental deterioration.The ent ire planet depends on organizations such as this, and without it, the nature living on it would continue to be whittled down by apathetic people until it is too late. Humans will soon become their own nemesis, unless they show some solicitude, and be a partisan in restoring the planet. The WWF, with over one million members in the United States and nearly five million worldwide, is one of the most impactful charitable organizations in history. The WWF gives hope to the future of the environment and fixes the problems that previous generations have caused.Because of this organization, the earth’s environment’s status has drastically improved. They are bringing back the serene environment, and shielding the forlorn animals that inhabit it. The World Wide Fund for Nature is a very impactful charitable organization that aids in restoring the planet’s environment and saves the lives of animals that are in need. The international organization World Wide Fund for Natur e works on issues regarding conservation, research, and restoration of the environment.

Aig Case Solution

[pic] LEADERSHIP AT AIG: DOES STYLE MATTER? Case Overview This case deals with executive leadership styles. In particular, this case deals with American International Group, the world’s insurance company, and its CEO Maurice â€Å"Hank† Greenberg. Greenberg, an autocratic leader, was recently deposed by his board of directors after problems emerged regarding possible earning manipulation. It describes his leadership style, reasons his two sons (former employees) left the company, and Martin Sullivan, Greenberg’s successor. Like his former boss, Sullivan micromanages the organization, but is well liked by employees. Teaching Objectives ) To show students the impact of autocratic leadership style on employees. 2) To distinguish between micro and participative management in an organization. 3) To introduce the concept of leadership succession and its effects on organizations. Purpose This case presents various leadership styles used by CEOs. It suggests that executi ves who uses a more participative leadership style are more likely to create an effective employee workplace. Relationship to Part 4 The relationship of this case to part 4: leadership and its styles, possible motivation of employees through style, the encouragement of team work and communication.This case can draw on various theories in all four chapters of Part 4. Questions Question 1. AIG Chairman and CEO Maurice â€Å"Hank† Greenberg was considered an autocratic leader and a micromanager by many employees; yet the company grew dramatically during his reign as CEO. Does leadership style matter as long as the company performs well and shareholders are satisfied with their return on investment? Answer Leadership does matter. A company may perform well, and shareholders may be satisfied with their return on investment, but on another level this style of leadership may do irreparable hard to employee effectiveness and morale.Eventually autocratic leadership will take it toll o n the organization and its ability to operate effectively. Question 2. AIG’s new CEO Sullivan has been labeled a micromanager, but with a more pleasant personality. Can he, as a micromanager, develop a more participative leadership style? How? Answer It may be very difficult for a manager/leader to change his management and leadership style. There is indeed a time and place for autocratic leadership (e. g. , when time is limited), but we know that participative leadership often produces better results.While it is often difficult for executives (managers) to let go and delegate more to underlings, AIG’s new CEO Sullivan can learn to develop a more participative leadership style. He must begin to create more teams, motivate more employees to participate in corporate activities, and communicate more effective. In part, his micromanagement style may be a result of following Greenberg’s lead. As Sullivan becomes more comfortable in his new role, he should be able to delegate more effectively, especially if he is to deal with more strategic corporate issues. Leadership is a very important aspect that is prominent in our professional life.If a team is led by an effective good leader, the team is more likely to perform well as per the expectations of the project. On the other hand, if the leader is a person who just issues orders and commands the tasks to be done, the team is demotivated and does tend to perform less than they actually can. If you are a working professional, you might have got an idea about the types of leadership styles and techniques. The working and managing style of a leader plays a very important part in making the leadership role effective. There are various managers who adopt different leadership styles and methods for employee and process management.Each leadership style has its own methods, behavior, effects, and aspects. Participative leadership is a very significant leadership style that is most beneficial to employees, managers alike. What is Participative Leadership Style? As the name suggests, this leadership style relates to a method of having things done by involving team members in goals setting and decision making. Since there is an involvement of team members and employees in being a part of the management, this is by far the most useful management style in the business world.Though there is employee participation, the leader is handed over the responsibility of taking the final decision. In this corporate leadership style, the manager works with the team and not over the team, which is why he can determine even the minutest errors of the processes that have to be executed. Advantages of Participative Leadership Style There are many apparent and proven advantages of the participative leadership practice. A very important advantage is that employees and team members are motivated to work, because they realize that the management is ready to consider their suggestions and viewpoints.And if t here is such employee motivation, the team members happen to work more effectively than expected. This eventually has a good effect on the company's revenue. Secondly, since the manager becomes like a team member and takes part in the decision-making process, it has a good impact on teamwork. Thirdly, as more than one minds are working on goal setting and decision making, there is an all-round analysis of the possibilities of failures. Therefore, the manager can majorly rule out any errors and possibilities of failures in the project.You can say that there is a broader assessment of the situation which is to be worked upon. The result of participative leadership can also be effective decisions suggested by experts in the respective field. In this kind of business leadership, the manager does not only involve team members, but can also take guidance from his peers. One of the most suitable participative leadership examples can be when a manager divides project work in his team member s including himself, discusses the project requirements and expectations with the team leader and other members, and then they work on it collectively.Participative leadership surely increases employee satisfaction, reduces the workload of managers, and creates better teamwork; with all this eventually contributing to good worLeadership is a very important aspect that is prominent in our professional life. If a team is led by an effective good leader, the team is more likely to perform well as per the expectations of the project. On the other hand, if the leader is a person who just issues orders and commands the tasks to be done, the team is demotivated and does tend to perform less than they actually can.If you are a working professional, you might have got an idea about the types of leadership styles and techniques. The working and managing style of a leader plays a very important part in making the leadership role effective. There are various managers who adopt different leaders hip styles and methods for employee and process management. Each leadership style has its own methods, behavior, effects, and aspects. Participative leadership is a very significant leadership style that is most beneficial to employees, managers alike. What is Participative Leadership Style?As the name suggests, this leadership style relates to a method of having things done by involving team members in goals setting and decision making. Since there is an involvement of team members and employees in being a part of the management, this is by far the most useful management style in the business world. Though there is employee participation, the leader is handed over the responsibility of taking the final decision. In this corporate leadership style, the manager works with the team and not over the team, which is why he can determine even the minutest errors of the processes that have to be executed.Advantages of Participative Leadership Style There are many apparent and proven advant ages of the participative leadership practice. A very important advantage is that employees and team members are motivated to work, because they realize that the management is ready to consider their suggestions and viewpoints. And if there is such employee motivation, the team members happen to work more effectively than expected. This eventually has a good effect on the company's revenue. Secondly, since the manager becomes like a team member and takes part in the decision-making process, it has a good impact on teamwork.Thirdly, as more than one minds are working on goal setting and decision making, there is an all-round analysis of the possibilities of failures. Therefore, the manager can majorly rule out any errors and possibilities of failures in the project. You can say that there is a broader assessment of the situation which is to be worked upon. The result of participative leadership can also be effective decisions suggested by experts in the respective field. In this kind of business leadership, the manager does not only involve team members, but can also take guidance from his peers.One of the most suitable participative leadership examples can be when a manager divides project work in his team members including himself, discusses the project requirements and expectations with the team leader and other members, and then they work on it collectively. Participative leadership surely increases employee satisfaction, reduces the workload of managers, and creates better teamwork; with all this eventually contributing to good wor Question 3. Greenberg named his son Evan as the heir apparent. Yet, Greenberg never set a departure date.Should a good leader set a date for departure once a successor is named? Why? Why not? Answer Most of the time succession in organizations creates a host of problems. On the one hand, incumbent CEOs are less than willing to give up the power and prestige that accompany their position. On the other hand, the successor (heir ap parent) may be eager to assume the top position. If the successor has to wait too long for the top leadership position, he may decide to seek out a top level position in another company, and the company may lose a unique opportunity for a smooth leadership transition.CEOs should set a deadline for their departure so that all stakeholders are informed which can facilitate a change in leadership. LEADERSHIP AT AIG: Does Style Matter Question 1: AIG Chairman and CEO Maurice â€Å"Hank† Greenberg was consider an autocraticleader and micromanager by many employee, yet the company grew dramaticallyduring his reign as CEO. Does leadership style matter as long as the company  performs well and shareholders are satisfied with their return on investment?Leader is a person who led people towards to the common goal. In the process of managing anorganization, I believe leadership style is the one of important factor in deciding the performanceof the company. Leader’s style of lea dership changes according to the situation of the company. Based on managerial grid concept by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton, there are five style of  leadership that combine different degrees of concern for production and concern for people andthis five styles of leadership is shown in figure 1 below.In the case study, CEO Maurice â€Å"Hank†was more concern of production compare to the concern for people and of course, this kind of  leadership will produce good performance. That is why Maurice â€Å"Hank† able to bring thecompany from midlevel insurance company becomes the international company and give thesatisfaction towards the shareholders. However, to sustain the company at the same level,Maurice â€Å"Hank† kinds of leadership will causes the performance of the company to be declined  because lack of concern for people will affect the workers performance and this result would notsatisfy the shareholders.The workers in AIG will become less motivated due the pressure given  by the management practice by Maurice â€Å"Hank†. This style of leadership by Maurice â€Å"Hank† fallunder style of leadership â€Å"produce or perish† as shown in figure 1. As conclusion, the style of  leadership is the key player in determine the successful of a company. Question 2: AIG’s new CEO Sullivan has been labeled a micromanager, but with a more  pleasant personality. Can he as a micromanager, develop more participativeleadership style?How? Participative leadership style is defined as  leader  who involves his subordinatesin the process of   making decision such as setting goal, solving  problemand others, but retains the final  decision making  authority. By referring the case study, CEO Sullivan can develop more participative style leadership by segregating the works to his subordinates in order to enabling his subordinate to  play their role in the organizations and indirectly developing the trust between himself with his subordinate.This action will enable the workers especially his subordinate to create a feeling of  self-belonging towards the company. Once the trust is there, he should implement groupdiscussion or brainstorming before making any decision but while conducting the groupdiscussion, he should be the person who get all the buy-in from the group members. In the groupdiscussion, he should use his authority in deciding the decision and this kind of ways in making decision helps his subordinate to accept and thus implement the action with full enthusiasm.Besides that, he should often communicate with his workers through out the three layer of  management such as having chitchat with the workers during teatime in order to understand the needs of workers in the company and thus raise his level of concern towards people. As he developing his understanding towards his workers, he can easily delegate the works that suit the workers best and as the result, company p erformance increases and building the security towards the investor and the people in the company especially shareholders. Question 3:Greenberg named his son Evan as the heir apparent. Yet Greenberg never set adeparture date. Should a good leader set a date for departure? When should hename a successor? Every thing that starts must have an end. Leaders also have his own starts and ends in hisera of leadership. For my point of view, a good leader should set a date for his departure. This is  because a leader knows better his own limitation and capabilities. A leader should alsounderstand his abilities and weakness in managing the organization as the time passes by.I  believe that every leader would like to leave his position without tarnishing his reputation andintegrity. However, it is not wise action to take if he announced his name of successor long  before his departure date for the position. This is because the successor required a time for him toadapt with the changes in role and the leader himself required time to hand over and coaching hisnew successor to take over his positions but how long is the duration for the this process, it alldepends on the successor himself.Normally, a leader had already started to look for hissuccessor long before he announced his departure date. This is because to identify a good leader  does not happen in a single day. It will consume so much time and effort for leader to be bornand as been mention by Richard Arvey, a human resources and industrial relations professor inthe Carlson School of Management, â€Å"While environmental influences determine many of our  leadership behaviors and the roles we obtain, our genes still exert a sizable influence over  whether we will become leaders. That is why, I do believe that leadership is both inherited andacquired. As conclusion, a good leader always think three steps ahead, that’s why it is importantfor a good leader to prepare for his succession plan American International Group From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search â€Å"AIG† redirects here. For other uses, see AIG (disambiguation). |American International Group, Inc. |[pic] | |Type |Public | |Traded as |NYSE:  AIG | | |S&P 500 Component | |Industry |Insurance, Financial services | |Founded |Shanghai, China (1919)[1] | |Founder(s) |Cornelius Vander Starr | |Headquarters |American International Building, New York City, | | |New York, United States | |Area served |Worldwide | |Key people |Bob Benmosche | | |(President & CEO) | | |Robert Miller (Chairman)[2] | |Products |Insurance annuities, mutual funds | |Revenue |[pic]US$ 77. 301 billion (2010)[3] | |Operating income |[pic]US$ 17. 936 billion (2010)[3] | |Net income |[pic]US$ 7. 786 billion (2010)[3] | |Total assets |[pic]US$ 683. 443 billion (2010)[3] | |Total equity |[pic]US$ 113. 239 billion (2010)[3] | |Employees |96,000 (2010)[3] | |Website |AIG. com | American International Group, Inc. NYSE:  AIG) or AIG is an American multinational insurance corporation. Its corporate headquarters is located in the American International Building in New York City. The British headquarters office is on Fenchurch Street in London, continental Europe operations are based in La Defense, Paris, and its Asian headquarters office is in Hong Kong. According to the 2011 Forbes Global 2000 list, AIG was the 29th-largest public company in the world. [4][5] It was listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average from April 8, 2004 to September 22, 2008. AIG suffered from a liquidity crisis when its credit ratings were downgraded below â€Å"AA† levels in September 2008.The United States Federal Reserve Bank on September 16, 2008 created an $85  billion credit facility to enable the company to meet increased collateral obligations consequent to the credit rating downgrade, in exchange for the issuance of a stock warrant to the Federal Reserve Bank for 79. 9% of the equity of AIG. The Federal Re serve Bank and the United States Treasury by May 2009 had increased the potential financial support to AIG, with the support of an investment of as much as $70  billion, a $60  billion credit line and $52. 5  billion to buy mortgage-based assets owned or guaranteed by AIG, increasing the total amount available to as much as $182. 5  billion. [6][7] AIG subsequently sold a number of its subsidiaries and other assets to pay down loans received, and continues to seek buyers of its assets. Contents | |  [hide]   | |1 History | |2 Business | |2. 1 Holdings | |2. 2 Auto insurance | |2. 3 Travel Insurance | |3 Financial crisis | |3. 1 Chronology of September 2008 liquidity crisis | |3. 2 Federal Reserve bailout | |3. Additional bailouts of 2008 | |3. 4 Counterparty controversy | |3. 5 Post-bailout expenditures | |3. 6 Settlement of credit default swaps | |3. 7 Sales of assets | |3. 8 Record losses | |3. 2009 employee bonus payments | |3. 10 Manchester United Sponsorshi p | |3. 11 Share buyback | |4 Litigation | |4. 1 Accounting fraud claims | |5 Corporate governance | |5. Board of directors | |6 See also | |7 Notes | |8 References and further reading | |9 External links | [edit] History [pic] [pic] The American International Building in Lower Manhattan. AIG history dates back to 1919, when Cornelius Vander Starr established an insurance agency in Shanghai, China.Starr was the first Westerner in Shanghai to sell insurance to the Chinese, which he continued to do until AIG left China in early 1949—as Mao Zedong led the advance of the Communist People's Liberation Army on Shanghai. [8][9] Starr then moved the company headquarters to its current home in New York City. [10] The company went on to expand, often through subsidiaries, into other markets, including other parts of Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. [11] In 1962, Starr gave management of the company's lagging U. S. holdings to Maurice R. â€Å"Hank† Greenberg , who shifted its focus from personal insurance to high-margin corporate coverage. Greenberg focused on selling insurance through independent brokers rather than agents to eliminate agent salaries.Using brokers, AIG could price insurance according to its potential return even if it suffered decreased sales of certain products for great lengths of time with very little extra expense. In 1968, Starr named Greenberg his successor. The company went public in 1969. [12] Beginning in 2005, AIG became embroiled in a series of fraud investigations conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, U. S. Justice Department, and New York State Attorney General's Office. Greenberg was ousted amid an accounting scandal in February 2005; he is still fighting civil charges being pursued by New York state. [13][14][15] The New York Attorney General's investigation led to a $1.   billion fine for AIG and criminal charges for some of its executives. [16] Greenberg was succeeded as CEO by Martin J. Sullivan, who had begun his career at AIG as a clerk in its London office in 1970. [17] On June 15, 2008, after disclosure of financial losses and subsequent to a falling stock price, Sullivan resigned and was replaced by Robert B. Willumstad, Chairman of the AIG Board of Directors since 2006. Willumstad was forced by the US government to step down and was replaced by Edward M. Liddy on September 17, 2008. [18] AIG's board of directors named Robert Benmosche CEO on August 3, 2009 to replace Mr. Liddy, who earlier in the year announced his retirement. [19] [edit] Business [edit] HoldingsFurther information: Holdings of American International Group In the United States, AIG is the largest underwriter of commercial and industrial insurance, and AIG acquired American General Life Insurance in August 2001. [20] [edit] Auto insurance AIG sold auto insurance policies through its subsidiary unit, AIG Direct (aka aigdirect. com). The policies they offered included insurance for private au tomobiles, motorcycles, recreational vehicles and commercial vehicles. AIG purchased the remaining 39% that it did not own of online auto insurance specialist 21st Century Insurance in 2007 for $749  million. [21] With the failure of the parent company and the continuing recession in late 2008, AIG rebranded its insurance unit to 21st Century Insurance. 22][23] In April 2009 it was announced that AIG was selling the 21st Century Insurance subsidiary to Farmers Insurance Group for $1. 9  billion. [24] [edit] Travel Insurance Main article: AIG Travel Guard AIG sells travelers insurance internationally through Travel Guard, headquartered in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. [edit] Financial crisis Further information: Subprime mortgage crisis,  Financial crisis of 2007–2010,  and  Liquidity crisis of September 2008 [edit] Chronology of September 2008 liquidity crisis On September 16, 2008, AIG suffered a liquidity crisis following the downgrade of its credit rating. Industry p ractice permits firms with the highest credit ratings to enter swaps without depositing collateral with their trading counter-parties.When its credit rating was downgraded, the company was required to post additional collateral with its trading counter-parties, and this led to an AIG liquidity crisis. AIG's London unit sold credit protection in the form of credit default swaps (CDSs) on collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) that had by that time declined in value. [25] The United States Federal Reserve Bank announced the creation of a secured credit facility of up to US$85  billion, to prevent the company's collapse by enabling AIG to meet its obligations to deliver additional collateral to its credit default swap trading partners. The credit facility provided a structure to loan as much as US$85  billion, secured by the stock n AIG-owned subsidiaries, in exchange for warrants for a 79. 9% equity stake, and the right to suspend dividends to previously issued common and preferre d stock. [17][26][27] AIG announced the same day that its board accepted the terms of the Federal Reserve Bank's rescue package and secured credit facility. [28] This was the largest government bailout of a private company in U. S. history, though smaller than the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac a week earlier. [29][30] AIG's share prices had fallen over 95% to just $1. 25 by September 16, 2008, from a 52-week high of $70. 13. [citation needed] The company reported over $13. 2  billion in losses in the first six months of the year. 31][32] The AIG Financial Products division headed by Joseph Cassano, in London, had entered into credit default swaps to insure $441  billion worth of securities originally rated AAA. Of those securities, $57. 8  billion were structured debt securities backed by subprime loans. [33] CNN named Cassano as one of the â€Å"Ten Most Wanted: Culprits† of the 2008 financial collapse in the United States. [34] As Lehman Brothers (the largest bankruptcy in U. S. history at that time) suffered a catastrophic decline in share price, investors began comparing the types of securities held by AIG and Lehman, and found that AIG had valued its Alt-A and sub-prime mortgage-backed securities at 1. 7 to 2 times the values used by Lehman which weakened investors' confidence in AIG. 31] On September 14, 2008, AIG announced it was considering selling its aircraft leasing division, International Lease Finance Corporation, to raise cash. [31] The Federal Reserve hired Morgan Stanley to determine if there are systemic risks to a financial failure of AIG, and asked private entities to supply short-term bridge loans to the company. In the meantime, New York regulators allowed AIG to borrow $20  billion from its subsidiaries. [35][36] At the stock market's opening on September 16, 2008, AIG's stock dropped 60 percent. [37] The Federal Reserve continued to meet that day with major Wall Street investment firms, hoping to broker a deal for a non-governmental $75  billion line of credit to the company. 38] Rating agencies Moody's and Standard and Poor downgraded AIG's credit ratings on concerns over likely continuing losses on mortgage-backed securities. The credit rating downgrade forced the company to deliver collateral of over $10  billion to certain creditors and CDS counter-parties. [39] The New York Times later reported that talks on Wall Street had broken down and AIG may file for bankruptcy protection on Wednesday, September 17. [40] Just before the bailout by the US Federal Reserve, AIG former CEO Maurice (Hank) Greenberg sent an impassioned letter to AIG CEO Robert B. Willumstad offering his assistance in any way possible, ccing the Board of Directors. His offer was rebuffed. [41] [edit] Federal Reserve bailoutOn the evening of September 16, 2008, the Federal Reserve Bank's Board of Governors announced that the Federal Reserve Bank of New York had been authorized to create a 24-month credit-liquidity faci lity from which AIG could draw up to $85  billion. The loan was collateralized by the assets of AIG, including its non-regulated subsidiaries and the stock of â€Å"substantially all† of its regulated subsidiaries, and with an interest rate of 850 basis points over the three-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) (i. e. , LIBOR plus 8. 5%). In exchange for the credit facility, the U. S. government received warrants for a 79. 9 percent equity stake in AIG, with the right to suspend the payment of dividends to AIG common and preferred shareholders. [17][27] The credit facility was created under the auspices of Section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act. 27][42][43] AIG's board of directors announced approval of the loan transaction in a press release the same day. The announcement did not comment on the issuance of a warrant for 79. 9% of AIG's equity, but the AIG 8-K filing of September 18, 2008, reporting the transaction to the Securities and Exchange Commission stated t hat a warrant for 79. 9% of AIG shares had been issued to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. [17][28][44] AIG drew down US$ 28  billion of the credit-liquidity facility on September 17, 2008. [45] On September 22, 2008, AIG was removed from the Dow Jones Industrial Average. [46] An additional $37. 8  billion credit facility was established in October.As of October 24, AIG had drawn a total of $90. 3  billion from the emergency loan, of a total $122. 8  billion. [47] Maurice Greenberg, former CEO of AIG, on September 17, 2008, characterized the bailout as a nationalization of AIG. He also stated that he was bewildered by the situation and was at a loss over how the entire situation got out of control as it did. [48] On September 17, 2008, Federal Reserve Board chair Ben Bernanke asked Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson join him, to call on members of Congress, to describe the need for a congressionally authorized bailout of the nation's banking system. Weeks later, Congress approved the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.Bernanke said to Paulson on September 17, â€Å"We can’t keep doing this. Both because we at the Fed don’t have the necessary resources and for reasons of democratic legitimacy, it's important that the Congress come in and take control of the situation. â€Å"[49] [edit] Additional bailouts of 2008 From mid September till early November, AIG's credit-default spreads were steadily rising, implying the company was heading for default. [50][51] On November 10, 2008, the U. S. Treasury announced it would purchase $40  billion in newly issued AIG senior preferred stock, under the authority of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act's Troubled Asset Relief Program. 52][53][54] The FRBNY announced that it would modify the September 16 secured credit facility; the Treasury investment would permit a reduction in its size from $85  billion to $60  billion, and that the FRBNY would extend the life of the facility from three to five years, and change the interest rate from 8. 5% plus the three-month London interbank offered rate (LIBOR) for the total credit facility, to 3% plus LIBOR for funds drawn down, and 0. 75% plus LIBOR for funds not drawn, and that AIG would create two off- balance-sheet Limited Liability Companies (LLC) to hold AIG assets: one to act as an AIG Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Facility and the second to act as an AIG Collateralized Debt Obligations Facility. [52][54]Federal officials said the $40  billion investment would ultimately permit the government to reduce the total exposure to AIG to $112  billion from $152  billion. 52] On December 15, 2008, the Thomas More Law Center filed suit to challenge the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, alleging that it unconstitutionally promotes Islamic law (Sharia) and religion. The lawsuit was filed because AIG provides Takaful Insurance Plans, which, according to the company, avoid investments a nd transactions that are†un-Islamic†. [55][56] As of January 2012, TARP had about $50 billion invested in AIG according to one report. Break even for the government was figured at $28. 73 a share v. then-current share price of about $25. [57] [edit] Counterparty controversy AIG was required to post additional collateral with many creditors and ounter-parties, touching off controversy when over $100  billion was paid out to major global financial institutions that had previously received TARP money. While this money was legally owed to the banks by AIG (under agreements made via credit default swaps purchased from AIG by the institutions), a number of Congressmen and media members expressed outrage that taxpayer money was going to these banks through AIG. [58] In January, 2010, a document known as â€Å"Schedule A – List of Derivative Transactions† was released to the public, against the wishes of the New York Fed. It listed many of the insurance deals tha t AIG had with various other parties, such as Goldman Sachs, Societe Generale, Deutsche Bank, and Merrill Lynch. 59][60] Had AIG been allowed to fail in a controlled manner through bankruptcy, bondholders and derivative counterparties (major banks) would have suffered significant losses, limiting the amount of taxpayer funds directly used. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke argued: â€Å"If a federal agency had [appropriate authority] on September 16, [2008], they could have been used to put AIG into conservatorship or receivership, unwind it slowly, protect policyholders, and impose haircuts on creditors and counterparties as appropriate. That outcome would have been far preferable to the situation we find ourselves in now. â€Å"[61] [edit] Post-bailout expenditures The week following the September bailout, AIG employees and distributors participated in a California retreat which cost $444,000 and featured spa treatments, banquets, and golf outings. 62][63] It was reported that the trip was a reward for top-performing life-insurance agents planned before the bailout. [64] Less than 24 hours after the news of the party was first reported by the media, it was reported that the Federal Reserve had agreed to give AIG an additional loan of up to $37. 8  billion. [65] AP reported on October 17 that AIG executives spent $86,000 on a previously scheduled English hunting trip. News of the lavish spending came just days after AIG received an additional $37. 8  billion loan from the Federal Reserve, on top of a previous $85  billion emergency loan granted the month before. Regarding the hunting trip, the company responded, â€Å"We regret that this event was not canceled. [66] An October 30, 2008 article from CNBC reported that AIG had already drawn upon $90  billion of the $123  billion allocated for loans. [67] On November 10, 2008, just a few days before renegotiating another bailout with the US Government for $40  billion, ABC News reported that AIG spent $34 3,000 on a trip to a lavish resort in Phoenix, Arizona. [68] [edit] Settlement of credit default swaps On October 22, 2008, those creditors of Lehman Brothers who bought credit default swaps to hedge them against Lehman bankruptcy settled those accounts. The net payments were $5. 2  billion[69] even though initial estimates of the amount of the settlement were between $100  billion and $400  billion. 70] By December 2008, AIG had paid at least $18. 7  billion to various financial institutions, including Goldman Sachs and Societe Generale to retire obligations related to credit default swaps (CDS). As much as $53. 5  billion related to swap payouts are part of the bailout. [71] On March 15, 2009, under mounting pressure from Congress and after consultation with the Federal Reserve, AIG disclosed a list of major recipients of collateral postings and payments under credit default swaps, guaranteed investment agreements, and securities lending agreements. [72] Below is data fr om one of the charts AIG released, representing only a portion of the total payouts, over a period of a few months. AIG collateral postings to credit default swap counterparties, from the period September 16, 2008 to | |December 31, 2008[73] | |Counterparty |US $ posted |Counterparty |US $ posted | |Societe Generale |$4,100,000,000 |Deutsche Bank |$2,600,000,000 | |Goldman Sachs |$2,500,000,000 |Merrill Lynch |$1,800,000,000 | |Calyon |$1,100,000,000 |Barclays |$900,000,000 | |UBS |$800,000,000 |DZ Bank |$700,000,000 | |Wachovia |$700,000,000 |Rabobank |$500,000,000 | |KFW |$500,000,000 |JPMorgan |$400,000,000 | |Banco Santander |$300,000,000 |Danske Bank |$200,000,000 | |Reconstruction Finance |$200,000,000 |HSBC Bank |$200,000,000 | |Corporation[74] | | | |Morgan Stanley |$200,000,000 |Bank of America |$200,000,000 | |Bank of Montreal |$200,000,000 |Royal Bank of Scotland |$200,000,000 | |Other (unknown) |$4,100,000,000 | | | [edit] Sales of assets AIG since September 2008 has ma rketed its assets to pay off its government loans. A global decline in the valuation of insurance businesses, and the weakening financial condition of potential bidders, has challenged its efforts. If the U. S. government decides to continue to protect the company from falling into bankruptcy, it may have to take the assets itself in exchange for the loans, or offer further direct financial support. 75] As of September 6, 2009, The Wall Street Journal reported that Pacific Century Group had agreed to pay $500  million for a part of American International Group's asset management business, and that they also expected to pay an additional $200  million to AIG in carried interest and other payments linked to future performance of the business. [76] Also in 2009, AIG sold its operations in Colombia to Ecuador's Banco del Pichincha. On March 1, 2010, insurance company Prudential confirmed that it was in advanced negotiations to buy the Asian operations of AIG. [77] Prudential was to buy the pan-Asian life insurance company, American International Assurance (AIA), for approximately $35. 5  billion. 78] On June 1, 2010 the deal failed because AIG would not accept the $30. 5  billion after Prudential lowered the amount by $5  billion from the originally planned $35. 5  billion after Prudential shareholder discontent. [79] AIG agreed on March 8, 2010, to sell its American Life Insurance Co. unit (ALICO) to MetLife Inc. for $15. 5  billion in cash and stock by November 1, 2010. Alico has annuities, life and health insurance operations in Japan, Middle East (including Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan), Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. AIG said it will sell Alico for $6. 8  billion in cash and the remainder in MetLife equity.The deal leaves AIG as the second-largest shareholder of MetLife, with a stake of more than 20% in the company. On March 29, 2010, Bloomberg L. P. reported that after almost three months of delays, AIG had com pleted the $500  million sale of a portion of its asset management business, branded PineBridge Investments, to the Asia-based Pacific Century Group. [80] On September 30, 2010, AIG announced an agreement to sell two of its life insurance companies in Japan, AIG Star and AIG Edison, to Prudential Financial for $4. 2  billion in cash and $600  million in the assumption of third party debt to help repay some of the money owed to the U. S. government. 81] On November 1, 2010, AIG announced it had raised $36. 71  billion from the sale of ALICO and an initial public offering for AIA. The company will use the proceeds Federal Reserve Bank of New York credit facility and make payments on other interests owned by the government. [82] On September 2, 2011, AIG filed with the SEC to spin off their aircraft leasing firm, International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), in an initial public offering. [83] [edit] Record losses On March 2, 2009, AIG reported a fourth quarter loss of $61. 7 bn (? 43bn) and revenue of ? $23. 7bn ( 16. 2bn) for the final three months of 2008. This was the largest quarterly loss in corporate history at that time. 84] The announcement of the loss had an impact on morning trading in Europe and Asia, with the FTSE100, DAX and Nikkei all suffering sharp falls. In the US the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell to below 7000 points, a twelve-year low. [85][86] The news of the loss came the day after the U. S. Treasury Department had confirmed that AIG was to get an additional $30  billion in aid, on top of the $150  billion it has already received. [87] The Treasury Department suggested that the potential losses to the US and global economy would be ‘extremely high' if it were to collapse[88] and has suggested that if in future there is no improvement, it will invest more money into the company, as it is unwilling to allow it to fail. 89] The firm's position as not just a domestic insurer, but also one for small businesses and many list ed firms, has prompted US officials to suggest its demise could be ‘disastrous' and the Federal Reserve said that AIG posed a ‘systemic risk' to the global economy. [84] The fourth quarter result meant the company made a $99. 29  billion loss for the whole of 2008,[88] with five consecutive quarters of losses costing the company well over $100  billion. [89] In a testimony before the Senate Budget Committee on March 3, 2009, the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke stated that â€Å"AIG exploited a huge gap in the regulatory system,† †¦ and â€Å"to nobody's surprise, made irresponsible bets and took huge losses†. [90] [edit] 2009 employee bonus paymentsMain article: AIG bonus payments controversy In March 2009, AIG announced that they were paying $165  million in executive bonuses. Total bonuses for the financial unit could reach $450  million and bonuses for the entire company could reach $1. 2  billion. [91] President Barack Obama, who vo ted for the AIG bailout as a Senator[92] responded to the planned payments by saying â€Å"[I]t's hard to understand how derivative traders at AIG warranted any bonuses, much less $165  million in extra pay. How do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat? † and â€Å"In the last six months, AIG has received substantial sums from the U. S. Treasury.I’ve asked Secretary Geithner to use that leverage and pursue every legal avenue to block these bonuses and make the American taxpayers whole. â€Å"[93] [pic] [pic] Protester outside 60 Wall Street Deutsche Bank's US main office in the wake of the bonus controversy is interviewed by news media. Politicians on both sides of the Congressional aisle reacted with outrage to the planned bonuses. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said â€Å"I would suggest the first thing that would make me feel a little bit better toward them if they'd follow the Japanese example and come before the Americ an people and take that deep bow and say, I'm sorry, and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide. [94] Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York) accused AIG of â€Å"Alice in Wonderland business practices† and said â€Å"It boggles the mind. † He has threatened to tax the bonuses at up to 100%. [95] Senator Richard Shelby (R-Alabama) said â€Å"These people brought this on themselves. Now you're rewarding failure. A lot of these people should be fired, not awarded bonuses. This is horrible. It's outrageous. â€Å"[96] Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) echoed his comments, saying â€Å"This is an outrage. â€Å"[97] Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana) said â€Å"This is ridiculous. † and AIG executives â€Å"need to understand that the only reason they even have a job is because of the taxpayers. â€Å"[98] Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) said â€Å"I've had it. and â€Å"The fact that they continue to do it while we pour in billions of doll ars is indefensible. â€Å"[99] Representative Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts), Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said paying these bonuses would be â€Å"rewarding incompetence†[98] and â€Å"These people may have a right to their bonuses. They don't have a right to their jobs forever. â€Å"[96] Representative Mark Kirk (R-Illinois) said â€Å"AIG should not be on welfare from Uncle Sam, and yet paying bonuses and transferring a considerable amount of taxpayer funds to entities overseas. â€Å"[99] Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said â€Å"It makes me angry. I slammed the phone more than a few times on discussing AIG. [96] Lawrence Summers, Director of the National Economic Council, said â€Å"The easy thing would be to just say, you know, ‘Off with their heads,’ and violate the contracts, but you have to think about the consequences of breaking contracts for the overall system of law. †[100] Austan Goolsbee, of the Council of Economic Advisers said â€Å"I don't know why they would follow a policy that's really not sensible, is obviously going to ignite the ire of millions of people. † and â€Å"You worry about that backlash. â€Å"[101] Political commentators and journalists expressed an equally bipartisan outrage. [94][102][103][104][104][105][106][107][108][109][110] On March 24, 2009, The New York Times printed the resignation letter of Jake DeSantis, executive vice president of AIG's financial products unit, to Edward M. Liddy, the chief executive of AIG.DeSantis stated he had nothing to do with the credit default swaps, he lost much of his life savings in the form of deferred compensation invested in the capital of AIG Financial Products; he had agreed to work for an annual salary of $1 out of a sense of duty, that he was assured many times the bonuses would be paid in March 2009, and that he believed he and others were let down by Liddy's lack of support. He also stated he was going to donate his bonus to those suffering from the global economic downturn. [111] It was reported that Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Con) (who first denied, then admitted to amending the legislation to allow the AIG bonuses), received $160,000 from employees of AIG. [112][113][114][115] A memo issued in 2006 by Joseph Cassano, AIGFinancial Products chief executive, urged AIG employees to donate to Dodd, saying that as â€Å"next in line to become chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee†¦ Senator Dodd will now have the opportunity to set the committee's agenda on issues critical to the financial services industry. â€Å"[116] [edit] Manchester United Sponsorship AIG was the principal sponsor of English football club Manchester United from 2006–2010, and as part of the sponsorship deal, its logo was prominently displayed on the front of the club's jerseys and other merchandise. The AIG deal was announced by Manchester United chief executive David G ill on April 6, 2006, for a British shirt sponsorship record ? 56. 5  million, to be paid over four years (? 14. 1  million a year).The deal became the most valuable sponsorship deal in the world in September 2006, after the renegotiation and subsequent degrading of the ? 15  million-a-year deal Italian team Juventus had with oil firm Tamoil. During AIG's sponsorship, Manchester United enjoyed one of its most successful periods in history, winning the Premier League three consecutive years, two Football League Cups, and the UEFA Champions League. [citation needed] On January 21, 2009, it was announced that AIG would not be renewing its sponsorship of the club at the end of the deal in May 2010. It is not clear, however, whether or not AIG's agreement to run MU Finance will continue.American risk consulting firm Aon Corporation was named the club's new principal sponsor on June 3, 2009, with its sponsorship of the club taking effect from the beginning of the 2010–11 seas on. The terms of the deal were not revealed, but it has been reported to be worth approximately ? 80  million over four years. [citation needed] [edit] Share buyback Due to the Q3 2011 net loss widened, so on November 3, 2011 the AIG shares has plunged 49 percent year to date. The insurer's board has approved the share buyback of as much as $1 billion. [117] [edit] Litigation |[pic] |This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable | | |sources.Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2008) | In November 2004, AIG reached a US$126  million settlement with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department partly resolving a number of regulatory matters, but the company must still cooperate with investigators continuing to probe the sale of a non-traditional insurance product. [118] On June 11, 2008, three stockholders, collectively owning 4% of the outstanding stock of AIG, delivered a letter to the Board of Directors of AIG seeking to oust CEO Martin Sullivan and make certain other management and Board of Directors changes.This letter was the latest volley in what the Wall Street Journal deemed a â€Å"public spat† between the Company's Board and management, on the one hand, and its key stockholders, and former CEO Maurice â€Å"Hank† Greenberg on the other hand. [119] Death Bet Circa 2010 the WSJ reported that a family sued AIG for alleged complicity in a ‘stranger-originated life insurance' scheme, whereby AIG managers allegedly welcomed people without an insurable interest to take out life insurance policies against others. The case involved JB Carlson and Germaine Tomlinson, and was one of many similar lawsuits in the US at the time. [120] [edit] Accounting fraud claimsOn October 14, 2004 the New York State Office of Attorney General Eliot Spitzer announced that it had commenced a civil action against Marsh & McLennan Companies for steering clients to preferred insurers with whom the company maintained lucrative payoff agreements, and for soliciting rigged bids for insurance contracts from the insurers. The Attorney General announced in a release that two AIG executives pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection with this illegal course of conduct. In early May 2005, AIG restated its financial position and issued a reduction in book value of USD $2. 7  billion, a 3. 3 percent reduction in net worth. On February 9, 2006, AIG and the New York State Attorney General's office agreed to a settlement in which AIG would pay a fine of $1. 6  billion. [121] [edit] Corporate governance [edit] Board of directors