Essays on Almost

Hispanic American Diversity

A research carried out in late 2010 shows that more than nine out of ten Hispanics identified themselves as either being from Mexico, Puerto Rican Origin, Cuba or Salvador. Hispanics from Mexico accounted for much of the percentage. Statistics show that they are not less than two thirds of the whole population of Hispanics in America. Puerto-Rican Hispanics ranked as the second largest group consisting of about seven percent of the total population. The third largest group of Hispanics living in the US was the Cuban Hispanics the group that consisted of almost four percent of the total population. Continue reading...

Schumann’s ‘Dichterliebe’ is one of the most important song cycles in the history of music and its sixteen songs are all essentially great works. The final song is a beautiful one called ‘Die alte bosen Lieder’ where the strands of romantic art come together in a beautiful manner. This paper will attempt to argue that the song is an important part of Schumann’s artistic style and that the marriage of words and music is almost perfect.

Structure and meaning of the poem:

‘Die alte bosen Lieder’ by the famed German poet Heinrich Heine, is a dark and brooding poem in a typically melancholic Continue reading...

Country Report: China

- Introduction
Since the time of the early civilizations, China has remained to be permanent actor in the development of practices, traditions, and history throughout the globe. From being traders from the East, the Chinese had been able to keep up with development and be one of the world’s leading actors in politics and economy today. However, while the nation is known for its steady economic development and growing political power, China is also known for its still communist roots and the potential impact it has over its neighboring countries. The international community, especially the United States, is Continue reading...

Introduction

Almost Maine is a wonderful heartfelt play by New York playwright John Cariani about the extraordinary tales of love that take place in the town of Almost, Maine. The assertion of this play is that all of these stories across the town take place at the stroke of 9:00 with the northern lights illuminating the slightly surreal, cold and northern night. John Cariani throws magical realism to the bittersweet love scenes in his play with original, sentimental and ultimately pleasant entertainment. Most of the characters in the play are eccentric, but all of them fit well into the small Continue reading...

Introduction

There have been several wars that have been fought in the world in the last few centuries. The most prominent of these wars have to be the two World Wars which took place in the first half of the 20th Century. The First World War was fought between 1914 and 1918 while the Second World War took place between 1939 and 1945. War is never good for the society and brings about total chaos, destruction and loss of human life and property. It affects those humans who are the war front greatly and generally damages them psychologically. This is Continue reading...

Leonardo da Vinci: Mona Lisa

Da Vinci’s ‘Mona Lisa’ better known as Mona Lisa has captivated the hearts and minds of millions for several hundreds of years since its conception. It is truly a great work of art in that it is basically simple yet its true life approach makes it one of the most desirable paintings ever to grace a collection of great masters.
The comparison painting is the one of Ginevra da Benci which was painted by Leonardo in 1479/80, almost twenty five years before the Mona Lisa. Although it is a relatively early work by Leonardo, some of the stylistic Continue reading...

2012 marked the first time in history that about 60 million cars were manufactured in the course of a single year. An average of 165,000 new cars were produced on a daily basis which is an amazing feat considering that the automobile industry suffered a 9% decline in the year 2009 because of the international financial crisis of 2008. The word “car” in this context deals exclusively with passenger cars, which can be defined as motor vehicles possessing a minimum of four wheels, used for the purpose of transport of passengers. Passenger cars do not have more than Continue reading...

Since the early civilizations, man has desired to establish his dominance to the world and find alternative means to improve living and sustain progress. The struggle to progress had been difficult and marred with conflict and mortalities despite the advent of technology and international politics. However, progress cannot be attained without consequences as several nations are now experiencing cases of extreme poverty and hunger, mortality and inequality even in developed Many proposals have been given by world leaders, especially on the issue of poverty, hunger, and child mortality, but none had been extensive as compared to the United Nations Continue reading...

Introduction

According to the Bureau of statistics dating 2005, the drug arrests have significantly increased. This has been a change seen from the past decades. The number shot from almost half a million people to approximately 2 million in almost 30 years. The enforcements of the drug law has mostly been seen affecting colored communities. This is supported by the number of arrests made between late 90s and the onset of 2000 (Alexander, 2011). It is true to say that the policies as well as the practices that follow arrest are implicitly biased. From a structured perspective, both the Hispanics Continue reading...

Introduction

Northern Africa and Sub Saharan Africa are two of the most politically troubled places on earth. Over the years the region has seen different ethnical or religious groups fighting with each other for political power. These internal fights created a state of panic and chaos in all those North African nations, accounting for the deaths of thousands of people every year. Apart from political problem the region is plagued with a lot of other social and economic problem. In order to get rid of the abject poverty and unemployment, thousands of Africans make attempts to escape to European or Continue reading...

In recent news, reports of motorcycle or car accidents have been attributed to the driver’s use of their phones for texting. Investigators have constantly stressed in their reports that many drivers nowadays are distracted from their driving because they often have their phone on their other hand, cutting their concentration in half. The driver would have to double check if he had typed the correct letters before he could send the message to his recipient, affecting his peripheral vision of the road. While the authorities and government officials actively campaigned for the reduction of accidents related to texting Continue reading...

“How I Met Your Mother” is an American sitcom that has proven to be a breath of fresh air amongst television viewers. The airs on CBS but reruns of the show are available on online streaming sites such as Netflix and Amazon. Currently in its 9th season, How I Met Your Mother has been met with critical acclaim and has managed to draw millions of viewers every week it is on air. The how airs on Monday in the United states at 8.pm E.T on the CBS network. The show main characters are a group of friends named Ted, Continue reading...

Introduction

Boston Police strike is one of the most talked about strikes in the history of USA because it failed to produce the desired results. In 1919, Boston police rank and file went out on a full-throttle strike for wage increase, less working hours and better working conditions. During the strike, Boston witnessed several nights of lawlessness. Many houses were looted during the first two days of the strike by hooligans and robbers. This strike was not beneficial for the labor movement in USA. In fact, it took several decades before police officers were again allowed to organize. On the Continue reading...

Introduction

Background
Established in 1941 as a small family-owned business, Coach morphed into a fashion brand over time, providing superior quality fashion goods of modern and classic style. It started operating its own exclusive retail stores in 1980 (Coach Inc., 2014). The Coach brand was sold to Sarah Lee in 1985, and since then, the company has undergone a rapid expansion. The product portfolio of Coach included luggage, briefcases and other fashion accessories, apart from its original men’s and women’s leather bags. Until 2000, Coach mainly operated its stores in the USA before starting to expand into international Continue reading...

Introduction

Cyberpunk is a form of science fiction that emerged in the latter half of the 20th Century. This genre of science fiction involves the envisioning of a near future that is characterized by scientific advancement in the form of cybernetics an information technology. This advancement is however coupled with societal order breakdown where chaos and anarchy reigns. Many of the cyberpunk narratives revolve around conflicts between technological experts like hackers or even conflicts between technological mega-corporations. A lot of cyberpunk plots are set in dystopian societies marked by massive cultural rot as well as the use of advanced technology Continue reading...

The live music piece I attended took place in a music hall. It was brightly lit, and of ample size, with a stage that allotted for more than what was necessary for the small amount of players, ranging from brass to woodwind instruments. The audience was quiet and respectful, though it appeared that they shared the same responses as I did, ranging from contemplative to irritated, throughout the piece. The audience, as well as myself, were dressed in casually formal attire, as if we were attending a school recital or a semi-fancy restaurant. They did not seem generally enthused Continue reading...

Executive Summary

Company A and company B have very similar as well as very different financial statements. Both the companies are showing positive sales growth. While company A seems to be growing at a very high pace, company B is growing at a steady but slow pace. However, even upon growing at a higher pace company A’s profit has declined due to not being able to manage the input cost for production appropriately (cost of goods sold). On the other hand company B is also feeling the impact of the increasing input cost but it has managed it better than Continue reading...

There are many facets of Europe that many foreigners find endearing and appealing: the rich culture, history, tradition, food and unchartered or undiscovered opportunities. While most find Europe the best place to travel and explore, many foreigners find the region to be filled with countless job opportunities that can help them financially and begin a new life. Although host countries, such as the members of the European Union, are open to migrants due to their contributions in their society; the high influx of migrants both illegal and legal is slightly alarming especially in the current financial crisis in the Continue reading...

Introduction:

Mary Conde’s book ‘I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem’ uses the Salem Witchcraft Trials as a background for the political implications of a post slavery scenario where the political implications are great. There are also some ironies which can be observed since the Puritans who ended up as abolitionists entertained the worst excesses as regards cleansing and purifying the nation of witches and Conde plays on that notion with subtle irony. The sense of catastrophe is also imminently felt especially in the analogous dynamics of the novel. Tituba is imbued with fantastic and wild notions of witchcraft which Continue reading...

The Global Financial Crisis (‘GFC’) had a very dramatic impact on the domestic economies of a number of global nations, in a plethora of ways, typically replicating the fiscal and financial health of such nations. United Arab Emirates (UAE) was one such nation that had a serious impact of the GFC and since then the myriad challenges posed by the capital markets has been an interesting area of focus for the Middle East. UAE is one of the oil rich economies of the Middle East. During the initial and developing years of the last century UAE discovered new abundance Continue reading...

Introduction

Ever since the end of World War II in 1948, there have been eleven recessions in the United States. Although the unemployment rate in the U.S. fell to the lowest 4.6% in November 1997, but ever since then, there have been secular increases in the country’s unemployment rates. Over the years, a variety of methods have been employed by the federal government, such as federal spending and tax cuts, to raise the employment rate and turn around recessions. Since the beginning of the U.S. economic structure, unemployment has been a problem throughout the country, even though the United Continue reading...

Netherlands Immigration

The historical background of a country plays an integral role in shaping the government’s activities in a country and the culture of the people. Netherlands as a country is not an exception in respect to this phenomenon. In fact, Netherlands is acknowledged in history as the first country to have a parliament through an election process. Apart from being associated with other affiliations, Netherlands is one of the founding member states of the European Union, World Trade Organization and the NATO. The headquarters of various Organizations such as Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and international courts such as the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the International Criminal Court. This implies that the foundation of Netherlands has a strong association with justice and democracy, owing to the fact that the country hosts various international organizations that are primarily concerned with justice matters. In addition, the capital of Netherlands is referred to as the world’s “legal capital”. Continue reading...

Introduction

Djibouti is a small country, situated in the horn of Africa. Djibouti city is the capital of Djibouti. Irrespective of its size, the nation is one of very talented and ambitious nations. The nation is surrounded by several nations and almost all of them are indulged in various kinds of disputes or warlike situations but Djibouti is unaffected by these disputes and remains in a very peaceful and stable state of affairs. This paper intends to discuss the Djibouti and several other related aspects.

Geography

The nation is surrounded by Eretria in the north and Somalia in the southwest while Continue reading...

How are artists able to reach the intellect, emotions and imaginations of their viewers?  The act of creating art enriches the life of the artist. The aesthetic inherent in their work, or their underlying philosophy, or their desire to communicate concept, or portray a narrative is what is transmitted to the viewer. Describe how certain artists do this. Introduction:
Artists are important members of society since their primary aim is to reach the soul of the viewer. Perhaps the most important aspect of an artist’s skills is that he/she is able to communicate certain ideas and the intellect Continue reading...

Introduction

The contact between the European and Indigenous people led to many points of conflict and clashes. The indigenous people for this are the Indians in America. The conflict of the Indian cultural and religious beliefs with the Christianity and European cultures made it almost impossible for the existence of the two groups of people without conflicts. The Hindu religion clashed with the Christianity leading to conflicts and differences between the Europeans and Indians in America (Tompkins 8-10). The differences in cultural background between the Europeans and the indigenous people led to many grounds of conflicts. The attitudes and perceptions Continue reading...

Background

Zara is a Spanish apparel retailer brand based in Arteixo, Galicia. Founded by Rosalia Mera and Amancio Ortega in 1975, Zara is the biggest chain store of the world’s largest apparel retailer group, Inditex (Hansen 2012). Currently, the company operates in 73 countries and has more than 1,800 outlets (Hansen 2012). Zara is known as “fashion imitator” among other players of the industry. Zara has posted revenue of more than €8.0 billion in 2012. The main countries of operation for Zara include Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom, Portugal, China and Japan. The company operates Zara Continue reading...

New Orleans has been known for the revamping nature in the academic system. The charter system is being embraced at an alarming rate. The former is considered as a lab where advancements related to technology could be tested before their presentation into public schools. Presently, forty-two states support charters as an option for customary schools, and enlistment has been realized, especially in urban areas. In New Orleans, forty-four of the city's students go to charter schools. These schools are freely financed, but monitored by foundations outside the public educational realm. Such include organizations, non-profit associations, colleges, and bunches of Continue reading...

Industrial Pollution Effects on Global Warming

Introduction
Changing climate is also changing our economies, health and communities in almost every part of the world. The fast and rapid industrialization in the past increased the need of thermal power plants and other industries run by fossil fuels. They contributed in atmospheric changes drastically by emitting different pollutants including Co2, CO, SOx and NOx. They have not only threatened the environment by global warming but also give rise to acid rains. These acid rains destroyed forests that are the major sink of greenhouse gases especially carbon dioxide (Held & Soden, 2006). The variety of chemical emission including refrigerants Continue reading...

Executive Summary

The UK energy market is privatized. It is dominated by the “Big Six” players (Pym 2013). British Gas is the largest energy supplier in the UK energy market. The rate at which electricity is distributed across the UK is almost same for all the players. There is no product or price differentiation in the market, and hence, the probability of customers switching between service providers is minimal or almost none (National Grid, 2014). This makes the market less competitive. The players offering better products and better services receive no added advantage over others. British Gas has a robust supply Continue reading...

Introduction

This report contains the results of regression analysis for four variables captured in the Springdale community shopping survey. The analysis established that there was significant linear relationship between attitude towards Springdale and ease of return/exchange of goods. However, there was no significant linear relationship between the attitude towards Springdale and a lot of bargain price. On the other hand, it was found that there was significant linear relationship between attitude towards West Mall and a lot of bargain sales. On the contrary, there was no significant linear relationship between attitude towards West Mall and ease of return/exchange of goods.
Continue reading...

Pablo Picasso’s, ‘The Three Musicians’ was painted in 1921, and is renowned as one of his greatest works. Here we observe the classic combination of colour and line, where the musicians are lounging about in characteristically jaunty poses with not much care for the world. Picasso uses boisterous colours with blue and yellow particularly prominent and demonstrative.
The three figures also contain diverse aspects which are immediately noticeable. The musician playing the guitar (which is coloured yellow) is almost obscured by the one playing the flute. The accordion player who is situated at the back is almost dressed Continue reading...

Organization

Plot Synopsis
The man who was almost a man is a short story written by Richard Wright. Wright is an African American novelist and portrays the lives of black Americans and their experiences. The story is of an African American seventeen year old Dave who desires to own a gun which is will earn him the respect he deserves as a man and is no longer a child. He does procure a gun from a local store and happens to possess a pistol finally (Brandt). The problem arises when he accidentally shoots a mule, jenny that is owned by Continue reading...

Introduction

Senegal is a western African country located 14 degree north of the equator and 17 degree west of the meridian. Senegal owes its name to the Senegal River flowing across the east and north borders of the country. The capital of the country is Dakar. As it was a French colony for a long time the official language of the country is French. Apart from that Wolof, Fula and Serer are the most spoken languages in the country. Senegal has a population of around 12 million. The GDP of the country is $26 billion with a per capita income Continue reading...

Introduction

Apple is the largest company of USA in terms of market capitalization. It is one of the most respected brands across the world. Apple started its operation in Cupertino, California in 1974. In the first few decades of its operation it mainly concentrated on selling high end computing systems. During 1990s, Apple started selling Mac PCs which became very popular in the market. Since then Apple has launched one product after another in the market and almost all of them have gone on to become very successful in the market place. Even a company as high as the stature Continue reading...

SOC313: Social Implications of Medical Issues

Introduction
Hypertension contributes to a number of diseases. As per studies about 26% people of the world totaling about 1 billion in number are afflicted with hypertension (Kearney et. al). Since a large segment of the world population is expected to grow older by 2025, hypertension is likely to increase in the world within next 15 years. In the US, currently a recorded number of 73 million people are suffering from hypertension. Hypertension is regarded as the silent killer because people suffering from it do not show any external symptoms. Hypertension hardens arteries resulting in the higher risk for Continue reading...

Apple vs. Samsung: A Financial Perspective.
Apple vs. Samsung: A Financial Analysis.

Introduction

Apple Computer was established by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976 in Cupertino, California. In its early days it was primarily a personal computer manufacturer, producing and selling Macintosh and Power Mach’s. During late 90s it went through a huge financial stress as a company and under the leadership of Steve Jobs rebounded as an innovative company. It returned to the market in a grand way with the launch of its iPhone, IPad, iPod and iTunes portfolio. Apple has market revenue of $156 billion (2012) Continue reading...

World Changing Accomplishments

Introduction
As the world grows and matures, it is evident that a lot of discoveries have been made and most of them have had a great impact on mankind. Most of the accomplishments have been brought about as a result of science and in most cases it is clear that science has been able to change the human way of life both negatively and positively. Discovery of things such as atomic bombs has made some people develop certain claims like science is harmful to human life thus forgetting all the good discoveries that it has also brought. In this Continue reading...

Financial ratios are used to evaluate the company's financial performance in the market. This helps in identifying the key financial areas in the organization. The ratios are also used to compare the company performance with that of its competitors. This helps management in developing strategies for improving the organization financial position over that of their competitors. The intent of this paper is to analyze the financial ratios of Google and Yahoo companies, and a comparison is made with the whole industry. The analysis of the ratio between the two companies is done for a period of five years starting Continue reading...

Introduction

Great Depression has been an unforgettable historical event that led the people of America to experience a big hole of nightmarish misery and poverty. It has been one of the most significant economic events that highlights the 20th century, as foretold by Graham, J. R. Banks had been closed, stock markets had been crashed that later inflicted the significant loss of people’s savings and money—their primary way of survival. From a single, big blow in the economy, a wide-range of variables were greatly affected, leading to a massive recession of economy that later arose into depression throughout Continue reading...

Mc Donald’s has definitely emerged as one of the major food giants in Hong Kong, and the success matters a lot, considering the fact that the food culture and traditional eating habits in China were very different a few decades ago and therefore it was quite hard to imagine a company like Mc Donald’s becoming successful with its extremely westernized menu. In actual fact, the hypothesis developed by Mc Donald’s marketing would have been quite different from the actual consumer response which is received, and although in the land of Dim-Sums and Manchurians it would have Continue reading...