The Day the Mona Lisa Was Stolen

The Day the Mona Lisa Was Stolen On August 21, 1911, Leonardo da Vincis Mona Lisa, today one of the most famous paintings in the world, was stolen right off the wall of the Louvre. It was such an inconceivable crime, that the Mona Lisa wasnt even noticed missing until the following day. Who would steal such a famous painting? Why did they do it? Was the Mona Lisa lost forever? The Discovery Everyone had been talking about the glass panes that museum officials at the Louvre had put in front of several of their most important paintings in October 1910. Museum officials said it was to help protect the paintings, especially because of recent acts of vandalism. The public and the press thought the glass was too reflective and detracted from the images. Some Parisians quipped that perhaps art such as the real Mona Lisa had been stolen, and copies were being passed off to the public. Museum director Thà ©ophile Homolle retorted you might as well pretend that one could steal the towers of the cathedral of Notre Dame. Louis Bà ©roud, a painter, decided to join in the debate by painting a young French girl fixing her hair in the reflection from the pane of glass in front of the Mona Lisa. On Tuesday, August 22, 1911, Bà ©roud walked into the Louvre and went to the Salon Carrà © where the Mona Lisa had been on display for five years. But on the wall where the Mona Lisa used to hang, in between Correggios Mystical Marriage and Titians Allegory of Alfonso dAvalos, sat only four iron pegs. Bà ©roud contacted the section head of the guards, who thought the painting must be at the photographers. A few hours later, Bà ©roud checked back with the section head. It was then discovered the Mona Lisa was not with the photographers. The section chief and other guards did a quick search of the museum- no Mona Lisa. Since museum director Homolle was on vacation, the curator of Egyptian antiquities was contacted. He, in turn, called the Paris police. About 60 investigators were sent over to the Louvre shortly after noon. They closed the museum and slowly let out the visitors. They then continued the search. It was finally determined that it was true- the Mona Lisa had been stolen. The Louvre was closed for an entire week to aid the investigation. When it was reopened, a line of people had come to solemnly stare at the empty space on the wall, where the Mona Lisa had once hung. An anonymous visitor left a bouquet of flowers. Museum director Homolle lost his job. Why Did No One Notice? Later reports would show that the painting was stolen for 26 hours before anyone noticed it.   In retrospect, thats not all that shocking. The Louvre Museum is the largest in the world, covering an area of about 15 acres. Security was weak; reports are that there were only about 150 guards, and incidents of art stolen or damaged inside the museum had happened a few years earlier. In addition, at the time, the Mona Lisa was not all that famous. Although known to be an early 16th-century work of Leonardo da Vinci, only a small but growing circle of art critics and aficionados were aware that it was special. The theft of the painting would change that forever.   The Clues Unfortunately, there wasnt much evidence to go on. The most important discovery was found on the first day of the investigation. About an hour after the 60 investigators began searching the Louvre, they found the controversial plate of glass and Mona Lisas frame lying in a staircase. The frame, an ancient one donated by Countess de Bà ©arn two years prior, had not been damaged. Investigators and others speculated that the thief grabbed the painting off the wall, entered the stairwell, removed the painting from its frame, then somehow left the museum unnoticed. But when did all this take place? Investigators began to interview guards and workers to determine when the Mona Lisa went missing. One worker remembered having seen the painting around 7 oclock on Monday morning (a day before it was discovered missing) but noticed it gone when he walked by the Salon Carrà © an hour later. He had assumed a museum official had moved it. Further research discovered that the usual guard in the Salon Carrà © was home (one of his children had the measles) and his replacement admitted leaving his post for a few minutes around 8 oclock to smoke a cigarette. All of this evidence pointed to the theft occurring somewhere between 7:00 and 8:30 on Monday morning. But on Mondays, the Louvre was closed for cleaning. So, was this an inside job? Approximately 800 people had access to the Salon Carrà © on Monday morning. Wandering throughout the museum were museum officials, guards, workmen, cleaners, and photographers. Interviews with these people brought out very little. One person thought they had seen a stranger hanging out, but he was unable to match the strangers face with photos at the police station. The investigators brought in Alphonse Bertillon, a famous fingerprint expert. He found a thumbprint on the Mona Lisas frame, but he was unable to match it with any in his files. There was a scaffold against one side of the museum that was there to aid the installation of an elevator. This could have given access to a would-be thief to the museum. Besides believing that the thief had to have at least some internal knowledge of the museum, there really wasnt much evidence. So, whodunnit? Who Stole the Painting? Rumors and theories about the identity and motive of the thief spread like wildfire. Some Frenchmen blamed the Germans, believing the theft a ploy to demoralize their country. Some Germans thought it was a ploy by the French to distract from international concerns. The prefect of the police had several theories, quoted in a 1912 story in The New York Times: The thieves- I am inclined to think there were more than one- got away with it all right. So far nothing is known of their identity and whereabouts. I am certain that the motive was not a political one, but maybe it is a case of sabotage, brought about by discontent among the Louvre employees. Possibly, on the other hand, the theft was committed by a maniac. A more serious possibility is that  La Gioconda  was stolen by someone who plans to make a monetary profit by blackmailing the Government. Other theories blamed a Louvre worker, who stole the painting in order to reveal how bad the Louvre was protecting these treasures. Still, others believed the whole thing was done as a joke and that the painting would be returned anonymously shortly. On September 7, 1911, 17 days after the theft, the French arrested the French poet and playwright Guillaume Apollinaire. Five days later, he was released. Though Apollinaire was a friend of Gà ©ry Pià ©ret, someone who had been stealing artifacts right under the guards noses for quite a while, there was no evidence that Apollinaire had any knowledge or had in any way participated in the theft of the  Mona Lisa. Though the public was restless and the investigators were searching, the  Mona Lisa  did not show up. Weeks went by. Months went by. Then years went by. The latest theory was that the painting had been accidentally destroyed during a cleaning and the museum was using the idea of a theft as a cover-up. Two years went by with no word about the real  Mona Lisa. And then the thief made contact. The Robber Makes Contact In the fall of 1913, two years after the  Mona Lisa  was stolen, a well-known antique dealer in Florence, Italy named Alfredo Geri innocently placed an ad in several Italian newspapers which stated that he was a buyer at good prices of art objects of every sort.   Soon after he placed the ad, Geri received a letter dated Nov. 29, 1913, that stated the writer was in possession of the stolen  Mona Lisa. The letter had a post office box in Paris as a return address and had been signed only as Leonardo. Though Geri thought he was dealing with someone who had a copy rather than the real  Mona Lisa, he contacted Commendatore Giovanni Poggi, museum director of Florences Uffizi museum. Together, they decided that Geri would write a letter in return saying that he would need to see the painting before he could offer a price. Another letter came almost immediately asking Geri to go to Paris to see the painting. Geri replied, stating that he could not go to Paris, but, instead, arranged for Leonardo to meet him in Milan on Dec. 22. On December 10, 1913, an Italian man with a mustache appeared at Geris sales office in Florence. After waiting for other customers to leave, the stranger told Geri that he was Leonardo Vincenzo and that he had the  Mona Lisa  back in his hotel room. Leonardo stated that he wanted a half million lire for the painting. Leonardo explained that he had stolen the painting in order to restore to Italy what had been stolen from it by Napoleon. Thus, Leonardo made the stipulation that the  Mona Lisa  was to be hung at the Uffizi and never given back to France. With some quick, clear thinking, Geri agreed to the price but said the director of the Uffizi would want to see the painting before agreeing to hang it in the museum. Leonardo then suggested they meet in his hotel room the next day. Upon his leaving, Geri contacted the police and the Uffizi. The Return of the Painting The following day, Geri and the Uffizi museum director Poggi appeared at Leonardos hotel room. Leonardo pulled out a wooden trunk, which contained a pair of underwear, some old shoes, and a shirt. Beneath that Leonardo removed a false bottom- and there lay the  Mona Lisa. Geri and the museum director noticed and recognized the Louvre seal on the back of the painting. This was obviously the real  Mona Lisa. The museum director said that he would need to compare the painting with other works by Leonardo da Vinci. They then walked out with the painting. The Caper Leonardo Vincenzo, whose real name was Vincenzo Peruggia, was arrested. Peruggia, born in Italy, had worked in Paris at the Louvre in 1908. He and two accomplices, the brothers Vincent and Michele Lancelotti, had entered the museum on Sunday and hid in a storeroom. The next day, while the museum was closed, the men dressed in workmans smocks came out of the storeroom, removed the protective glass and the frame. The Lancelotti brothers left by a staircase, dumping the frame and glass in the staircase, and, still known by many of the guards, Peruggia grabbed the  Mona Lisa- painted on a white polar panel measuring 38x21 inches- and simply walked out of the museums front door with the  Mona Lisa  under his painters smock. Peruggia hadnt had a plan to dispose of the painting; his only goal, so he said, was to return it to Italy: but he may well have done it for the money. The hue and cry over the loss made the painting far more famous than before, and it was now far too dangerous to try to sell too quickly. The public went wild at the news of finding the  Mona Lisa. The painting was displayed at the Uffizi and throughout Italy before it was returned to France on Dec. 30, 1913. After Effects The men were tried and found guilty in a tribunal in 1914. Peruggia received a one year sentence, which was later reduced to seven months and he went home to Italy: there was a war in the works and a resolved art theft was no longer newsworthy. The Mona Lisa became world-famous: her face is one of the most recognizable in the world today, printed on mugs, bags, and t-shirts around the globe. Sources and Further Reading McLeave, Hugh. Rogues in the Gallery: The Modern Plague of Art Thefts. Raleigh, NC: Boson Books, 2003.  McMullen, Roy. Mona Lisa: The Picture and the Myth. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1975.Nagesh, Ashitha. Mona Lisa is moving: What does it take to keep her safe? BBC News, 16 July 2019.  Scotti, R.A. The Lost Mona Lisa: The Extraordinary True Story of the Greatest Art Theft in History. New York: Bantam, 2009.  - Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of the Mona Lisa. New York: Random House, 2010.  The Theft That Made The Mona Lisa A Masterpiece. National Public Radio, July 30, 2011.  Three more held in Mona Lisa theft; French Police Seize Two Men and a Woman on Perugias Information. The New York Times, Dec. 22, 1913. 3.  Zug, James. Stolen: How the Mona Lisa Became the World’s Most Famous Painting. Smithsonian.com, June 15, 2011.

How the Three Types of Conjunctions Connect Ideas

How the Three Types of Conjunctions Connect Ideas How the Three Types of Conjunctions Connect Ideas How the Three Types of Conjunctions Connect Ideas By Mark Nichol This post defines and discusses the three types of conjunctions (words or phrases that serve as a bridge linking two words, phrases, clauses, or sentences): coordinating, correlative, and subordinating conjunctions. Coordinating Conjunctions Coordinating conjunctions, also called coordinators, join words, clauses, or sentences of equal importance. The most common coordinating conjunctions, frequently listed in the following order to reflect the use of the mnemonic FANBOYS, include for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. Others are neither, only, and â€Å"no more,† as well as several British English conjunctive phrases that combine one of the six conjunctions besides nor with that one (such as â€Å"and nor†). Examples of the ten listed conjunctions in use, accompanied by a description of their functions, follow: I walked, for I was in need of exercise. (rationale) I walked, and I ran. (addition) I neither walked nor ran. (alternative without contrast) I walked, but I ran, too. (contrast or exception) I (either) walked, or I ran. (alternative with contrast) I walked, yet I ran, too. (contrast or exception) I walked slowly, so I ran to catch up. (consequence) I don’t walk; neither do I run. (addition) I don’t walk; no more do I run. (addition) I would walk, only I run. (contrast) Note that the distinction between nor and or, which are generally accompanied, respectively, by neither and either (although the latter is parenthesized in the pertinent example because it is optional), is that with neither/nor, the choices do not affect each other, whereas with either/or, one choice cancels the other out. But and yet are virtually interchangeable, while the three addition conjunctions, and, neither, and â€Å"no more,† are listed in order of formality, with â€Å"no more† generally restricted to ritualistic or poetic usage. Only is used in the sense of â€Å"That [one idea] would be true if this [another idea] were not.† Correlative Conjunctions Correlative conjunctions include, among others, the following word or phrase pairs, which function to compare two pairs of words or phrases in a sentence that have equal weight; each is followed by an example: as much/as: Vacations like that can be a pain as much as they are a pleasure. as/as: This party is as dull as I expected it to be. both/and: Both the car and the truck are new. either/or: Either go now, or wait until later. just as/so: Just as you enjoy going to the theater, I like watching movies. neither/nor: Neither my father or my mother was born here. no sooner/than: No sooner had she read the letter than he arrived. not/but: It is not me but her who is to blame. not only/but also: I am not only tired but also angry. rather/than: I would rather play tennis than golf today. the/the: The more you read about it, the greater a problem it seems to be. whether/orv We couldn’t tell whether the baby is a boy or a girl. Some sentences incorporating correlative conjunctions are easier to construct than others. Those involving either/or and neither/nor, and â€Å"not only†/â€Å"but also,† are often erroneously composed because the first word or phrase is incorrectly situated in the syntax of the sentence. Note, for example, that in the following sentence, the placement of â€Å"either be able to† suggests that â€Å"carry on† will have a counterpoint later in the sentence: â€Å"Smith should either be able to carry on investing via his equity plan or by using the tax shelter within the new savings account.† However, the counterpoints, separated by or, the second of the two correlative conjunctions, are â€Å"his equity plan† and â€Å"using the tax shelter,† so either should immediately precede the first of the two choices, just as or immediately precedes the second choice: â€Å"Smith should be able to carry on investing either via his equity plan or by using the tax shelter within the new savings account.† Likewise, in â€Å"People did not only see him as a great athlete but also as a great man,† the suggestion is that people did two things in relation to the subject, including seeing him and something else. However, the intended meaning is that they saw him in two contexts, so â€Å"not only,† like â€Å"but also,† applies to saw and should therefore follow it, while â€Å"not only† immediately precedes â€Å"as a great athlete,† just as â€Å"but also† immediately precedes â€Å"as a great man†: â€Å"People saw him not only as a great athlete but also as a great man.† Subordinating Conjunctions Subordinating conjunctions, which join independent clauses and dependent clauses, or introduce adverbial clauses, include, among others, the following words and phrases: after although as â€Å"as far as† as if â€Å"as long as† â€Å"as soon as† â€Å"as though† because before â€Å"even if† â€Å"even though† â€Å"every time† if â€Å"in order that† once â€Å"provided that† â€Å"rather than† since so â€Å"so that† than though unless until when whenever where whereas wherever while why An adverbial clause is the beginning of a sentence such as â€Å"After searching the desk, I checked the file cabinet.† The same sentence can be inverted so that the subordinating conjunction links the independent clause â€Å"I checked the file cabinet† and the dependent clause â€Å"searching the desk.† Filling a similar role are conjunctions technically known as complementizers, such as that and whether, which turn a clause into a sentence’s subject or object. Examples include that in â€Å"John said that she was going to be here† (although that as a complementizer is generally optional) and whether in â€Å"I don’t know whether I can attend.† (Here, as in many but not all usages, if is interchangeable with whether.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Whimsical WordsProbable vs. Possible15 Names and Descriptions of Effects

Content analysis Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Content analysis - Dissertation Example The systematic element means the proper procedures should be followed in selecting a data sample that provides an equal opportunity for each item of the wider content to be included in the analysis. Simultaneously, each item under consideration should be treated the same. Meanwhile, the objective description means that future researchers should be able to utilize the outcomes of the research easily in their study. Finally, the quantitative requirement means the researcher should take great care in his/her reporting to facilitate further usage of his/her analysis, interpretation and findings (Wimmer & Dominick, 1983). Content analysis is associated with the core content that, as explained by Patterson (1984), refers to what is written or said, but not to what is stated between the lines. Thus, the conceptual structure for the content analysis should incorporate the following elements: 1. Data as provided to the researcher 2. Data context 3. The knowledge of the researcher constructs h is/her perception , 4. The objective of the content analysis 5. Interpretation of the data as the prime intellectual task 6. Validity considered as the significant evaluation factor (Krippendorff, 1980). Keeping this under consideration, the structure of this investigation will serve analytical, methodological and perspective purposes. In order to acquire the perspective to support conceptualisation, it important to present the framework of the practical content analysis for the two selected leading Saudi newspapers, Alriyadh and Alyoum, during the events that occurred in Bahrain between February 14 and March 16, 2011. The framework of this study is analytical in that it aids the critical evaluation of the findings of the content analysis as acquired through the researcher’s interpretation. Furthermore, the framework of this study is also methodological, as it controls the development and the systematic improvement of the content analysis method employed in this study and dis cussed later. Consideration of the definitions, the requirements of the content analysis and the framework presented above provided an effective method of evaluating the content of Alriyadh and Alyoum, and provided reliability and validity to this study. The evidence, in accordance with the framework, for the application of the interpretation of the content analysis is provided with the help of data sampling, categories of the research and their measurement. This is discussed later in this chapter. For interpreting the inferences and tasks of the Krippendorff model accurately, it is important to consider the context of the data available. Therefore, the objective here is what the researcher wants to investigate (Krippendorff, 1980). For instance, in this study, an uncertain objective might be the political handling of the issue in Bahrain by the Saudi Arabian government, or more specifically, the relationship between the Saudi Arabian government and the Bahrain and Saudi pressâ€⠀particularly Alriyadh and Alyoum—at the time of the Bahrain protests. 1.2. Data Sampling The data sample for the content analysis of the printed press in Saudi Arabia has been extracted from the two leading daily newspapers, Alriyadh and Alyoum. These have been selected because of their large circulation and geographical dissemination. Alriyadh is distributed in the capital city of Riyadh, which is also the political hub of the

Literature review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Literature review - Essay Example In this regard, this book has discussed and analyzed different perspectives of learning that can be implemented in the organizations. One of the major breakthroughs has been the systems thinking that has given a number of opportunities to the organizations to increase their capacity and performance in the marketplace, which has been discussed in this book in a simple manner. The author has been able to introduce and integrate the basic components of systems thinking in this book, which has played a vital and crucial role in the significant performance of an organization. In addition, different principles of indifferences, dimensional analysis, and systems theory with relation to the systems thinking have been included in this abovementioned book. A working concept of systems theory has been developed and discussed in this book. Different methodologies related to the systems thinking have been dealt in this book, which has provided a detailed analysis of the topic to the readers. Different characteristics of socio-cultural systems have also been evaluated in this book. Topics related to the human resource, as well as, organizational development have been showcased in this book. Different practices and theories related to the organizational performance have been displayed by the author. In specific, systems thinking has been given due consideration in this course, as it has been one of the most effective measures for the continued and sustained growth of an organization. The term of systems have been incorporated with the existence of organizations in this book. The author has tried to explain the relationship of organizational performance with the characteristic of a system, which can be very beneficial for an organization. Performance based on the objectives can be facilitated by the provision of instructions based on the systems thinking. Management and Systems thinking have been analyzed and compared

Provide support to manage pain and discomfort Essay Example for Free

Provide support to manage pain and discomfort Essay Agreed ways are a set of rules, regulations, policies and procedures set out by the company which are kept in the office and are always available to be accessed. Care plans, policies and procedures always have to be followed and necessary precautions have to be taken. Before using any kind of methods to manage pain, the resident/service user needs to be assessed has every kind of pain relief can be potentially harmful. Care plans are made individually for a specific person. Care plans are made to bring comfort and support It’s important to be aware of communication, both verbal and non-verbal. It’s important to always communicate slowly and clearly so that the resident can understand you. Always try to empathize with your resident, (empathize to see from their point. I would ask on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest, and 1 being the lowest, how the pain feels, by communicating you can find out their pain level then inform the Nurse who will then check to see if medication can be administered. Read more: Essay on Provide Support to Manage Pain and Discomfort If a resident cannot communicate verbally I would monitor their body language, i.e. face expressions, i.e. holding their hand, leg or limbs, this could be their way of expressing pain or by checking their turn charts, they might of been in the same position for a long time, i.e. on the left side for some time so by repositioning the resident your relieving them from discomfort and pain. I may be quiet difficult to express and communicate their pain i.e. said once but unclearly, you ask them to repeat themselves, they become angry and shout. Try to listen closely and clearly, it can be very difficult to concentrate energy to communicate, so any communication should be given 100% of your attention. All residents have different ways of communicating and different ways of understanding. All residents have different pain and discomfort levels. It’s important that we understand they are not being difficult or  awkward, just every resident has different types and ways of comfort and relief. Remember pain medication can cause anger and frustration verbally be aggressive cause confusion lack of concentration not able to make clear choices or decisions pain medication could also have an effect on their behaviour make them sleepy Always consider and respect a resident’s culture and religion. It’s very important to remember person centred care = care is designed around the individual not individual around the care. Remember the purpose is to bring pain free, comfort, dignity and peace to your resident.

A Guide on Search Engines :: Technology Computers Internet Essays

A Guide on Search Engines Hello and welcome. My name is Jane, and I'm reporting to you live from Hollywood. I am sporting a lovely plum-colored sequence dress compliments of Bergdorf, and the jewelry I am seen wearing are from Tiffany & Co. Well ladies and gentlemen, enough about my lovely attire. The moment we've all been waiting for has come. Finally, movie critics from around the United States have gathered to criticize or glorify the upcoming movie, Search Engines. With the success this movie is supposed to receive, sequels are already being talked about. These types of movies cost millions of dollars every year to produce and maintain. As of today, the movie has generated millions of dollars through sponsored advertisements, and the owners of the production companies hope to sell even more ads in the upcoming months. Business in this type of industry is high. Every time you blink, another person is sending in their scripts to the production company, hoping their script gets chosen for review. There was some bribery reported earlier in the week, as top companies pushed their scripts ahead of the average person by paying the reviewers. This brings us back to the time when actual hard copies of encyclopedias competed to be the number one best seller. Since these encyclopedia space taker-uppers are being replaced by the coming of age search engines, competition for the highest grossing movie is becoming dangerously fierce. So much foul play occurs when scripts and company domination are at stake ladies and gentlemen. Today I'm going to interview some of the biggest names in the WWW, or whole wide world. Here with me today is Golden-Globe winner Ask Jeeves. Jeeves can always be picked out of a crowd because he always wears such early 90s clothing attire, including a bow tie and high waters. As you may or may not know, Ask Jeeves won his award through his portrayal of a money-hungry CEO of a top advertising company. He is rated by movie critics as one the top 5 actors in the entire world. His role in Search Engines seems to be unlike any he has ever done before. This is so uncharacteristic of Ask Jeeves because he is so versatile and diverse, seemingly able to conquer and answer to any challenge set before him.

A “Janner” in the “smoke” Essay

As I step out of the carriage at Paddington station I feel a sensation that I feel every time I come back to this stunning and enchanting city that I love so much. The red telephone boxes, black taxis and the marvellous architecture. This visit I’m staying in one of the many travel inns in London, this one is situated the other side of the tower bridge which is a bit different to the kind of hotel that I normally stay in when I’m visiting London but this is no normal visit. This visit I am going to be a tourist and experience London from a different viewpoint. Now I have to find a taxi and drop off my bags. The taxi driver finds the hotel effortlessly and I am soon at reception checking in. My room is large and airy, decorated in standard â€Å"travel inn† style. I drop my bags and go down to the bar to find my friends, as tonight we are visiting the very popular Maxwell’s restaurant in Covent Garden. Well all I can say for the meal is superb! Burgers and chips may not sound very nice but they’ve ruined its greasy reputation. Now back in my hotel room I’m making my self a coffee from the mini bar and am running myself a pleasantly hot bath which I will lay in for a couple of hours. Today is Saturday and I will be visiting the famous Oxford Street with its many shops. The first one on my Itinerary will be Hamly’s toyshop, which I think is incredible and great for children of all ages! Also on this magnificent street is the Warner bros. Shop and Selfridges. Later on in the day I will stroll through St. James Park, which links on to Buckingham palace, any trip to London, shouldn’t be without this relaxing experience. Tremendous. Fantastic. In St. James Park the squirrels have become so used to humans that one came and ate out of my hand! I was astonished. Tonight I’m planning on staying in, ordering a pizza and watching the television, in order to re charge my batteries ready for another strenuous day. Its 7:00am and I’ve just been woken up by some couple next door having a row and I can’t get back to sleep so I’m going to set out earlier than expected go on a tour bus round main London. I’m on the tour bus now and its great. There are more people than I’d thought on the tour but most of them are foreigners. So far we’ve passed St. Paul’s Cathedral, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar square and many more magical and momentous tourist attractions. Next I will be visiting Covent Garden to do a spot of light shopping and watch the performers. Having a hot chocolate and a bun at a small coffee shop in Covent Garden and watching a street performer on a BMX doing flatland tricks that I didn’t think were possible. The one thing that I have noticed that all these performers have in common is that all use juggling in there shows whether they do it on bikes, with chain saws or other hazardous objects. In these 2 days I have already spent à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½120 on presents for other people! Toys, Clothes or food if I’ve seen it I’ve brought it. Tonight I’m having dinner in the oddly shaped building across the road from my hotel, which every time I walk pass I smell the most stunning smells ever. Spices and herbs, sweet smells of the elegant deserts and everyone who comes out, comes out smiling. Today is the day that I have been most looking forward to. Today I’m going to Madame Tussauds. The creepy looking figures look like they are alive. But first I have to wait in the long queue of anxious and restless people. There is a sign in front which says,† 2 HOURS FROM HERE†, which sounds ridiculous. Madame Tussauds. What can say it was worth the wait, which only came to an hour in the end. It smelt strange and the rooms were hot and sticky inside. Some Japanese tourist asked me to take their picture as they stood next to the Queen and prince Philip. But I fancy having mine taken with Madonna. You could spend all day here but unfortunately I don’t have that much time left. I’ve been lucky enough to secure some tickets to watch Chelsea F.C play at home so it is off to the station to catch the train to Stamford Bridge before catching the late train home to Plymouth. What will I remember most about this different trip to London? As a tourist I see how fast the city moves, how dusty, how sticky and how lonely city can be when you are on your own!

Ethical Issues Walmart Paper

There are several factors that account for the changes in the way business is conducted today. Factors such as increased global competition, economic conditions, technology, electronic commerce, workforce diversity, and ethics have all play a significant role in how business is conducted. How a company conducts itself as a business and a corporate citizen is critical to its success. Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world; however they are not exempt to acting ethically. In December 2008, Wal-Mart settled 63 laws suits that spans over several years across 42 states accuses Wal-Mart of cheating workers on pay. The settlement cost Wal-Mart $352 million. Based on comments made by Wal-Mart attorneys and spokespeople, it was clear that the company realized that they acted unethically. This paper will provide a brief overview of the ethical issues violated; outline the impact the issues has had on the parties involved and society as a whole; identify the cause or contributing factors to the issue; and finally propose a plan that outlines revised ethical standards and communication methods to prevent the issues from reoccurring. Overview of Ethical Issue. Wal-Mart as a company acted very unethically in this situation. They hired managers to supervise the other employees and not to take advantage of them. The managers were also the one’s acting irresponsible and unethically. Changing the time cards, making the employees work off the clock, is not something that should be done at all. When the managers altered the time cards, they were thinking about now and not the consequences they were going to have to pay. The managers were only thinking about the now and maybe not what the company wanted them to do but they did a selfish act and it hurt the company. The managers possibly could have done this to get more work out of the employees for less money. The article says the employees were forced to work off the clock this is just not ethical in any sense. Maybe the managers had a quota they had to meet and if they met it they would get a bonus. The company has put so much stress on the managers to do the right thing that now it has become an unethical practice. The theory that comes in to play is the goal based theory the managers and the company were only orried about the outcome. Now the company has to worry about all the people coming together and suing the company for lost wages. The impact that this could have on society is that fact that the company may lose the integrity and trust from the public. The company stock may drop so therefore the people that own stock will lose some money. What has happened in the company not only will affect the employees but will affect the business because when society gets word of the things that we re done, the shopping will stop. Prices might even go up so the consumer will have to purchase less and that will always hurt any business when you stifle how much the customer can buy. The theory that comes to mind would be the goal ethical theory because it seems like the managers or the company was only looking out for the outcomes of the business. This type of concern is so unethical because it affects so many other people. This time the employees were affected and the company acted improperly. Ethical Change, Deficiency, and Conflict. Wal-Mart was accused of forcing some hundreds to thousands of current and former workers to work off the clock and exhibiting poor wage practices which resulted in multiple lawsuits in both the federal and state courts. Wal-Mart was accused numerous and various illegal acts of wage practices. The allegations included forcing employees to work unpaid off the clock, erasing hours from time cards, and preventing workers from taking lunch and other breaks that were promised by the company or guaranteed by state laws (Greenhouse & Rosenbloom, 2008). Wal-Mart leadership definitely dropped the ball when attempting to manage within the wage compliance and standardized state laws. Management had the obligation to maintain compliance with all employment and fairness laws and they failed tremendously. If Wal-Mart’s management had responded to these allegations prior to the lawsuits, they could have definitely saved the company millions and their reputation as cheaters. It was their duty to know how the daily operations of each store were being performed and managed. All companies have defined standard operating procedures and a code of ethics and in these cases it was evident that neither was enforced. Their failure of standardized consistency in policies and procedures and lack of management skills were the two major obstacles that caused the company to be plagued with a bad reputation among employees and the public. Management recognized and accepted the responsibility for their mistakes in judgment, and unethical behavior but, as a result of lawsuits. Lessons learned, not so sure, regardless their unethical acts drew major consequences. With the continued embarrassment over these allegations and lawsuits Wal-Mart made the most ethical decision to settle the claims of proposed allegations. Wal-Mart officials have made continuous statements pleading that these illegal and unethical acts took place many years ago and they have made strong strides in reducing wage violations and following the state wage compliance laws and agree to more future improvements. These improvements include such actions as implementing standard of ensuring an employee takes the designated breaks and programming the cash registers to identify when an employee is off the clock. They are making a conscious effort to clean up the wrongs of the past. However, any way you look at it, they were cheating the employees in order to gain company profits. Lawsuits and illegal allegations continue to be a nuisance for the Wal-Mart Corporation, with pending cases alleging sex harassment and forcing employees to miss meals. Again, these are acts from the past but it still outlines the existence of the major inconsistencies with Wal-Mart’s management and their responsibility and ability to maintain a fair and healthy working environment. Future Resolution Wal-Mart has not completely settled the dispute over employee hours worked without compensation. Wal-Mart has tried to make things right with the workers, as well as trying to clean up its image with the public by setting the 63 lawsuits. It will take more than $352 million dollars to make sure this problem does not resurface (Greenhouse & Rosenbloom, 2008). Another incident such as this one could be detrimental to the very existence of Wal-Mart. One solution to the problem would be to unionize Wal-Mart. There are pros and cons to being unionized. Under the protection of a union, Wal-Mart workers will be protected from unethical practices such as uncompensated working hours, sexual harassment, as well as the right to fair pay. Being part of a union would also mean that workers would have the right to health care. In January of 2006 Wal-Mart reported that their health care only incorporated 43% of their employees (Wake-up Wal-Mart, 2005). Wal-Mart does not want to become unionized because it would make the company slightly inflexible. The company would have to adhere to the rules and regulations of the union. One major problem discovered by other companies that became unionized was that workers were less motivated to work for the company and put forth 100% of their efforts. The treat of being fired also went away because under the union rules, in order to terminate an employee for a decline in performance is now regulated under union contract (Free Republic, 2003). Regardless of Wal-Mart’s opposition to become part of a union or not, the company will have to step up efforts to ensure ethical practices are being followed. A set of consequences should be put into action for those managers who violate and infringe upon those rules. Conclusion It is not clear from the article what policies Wal-Mart had in place at the time of the unethical behavior, however the company claims that â€Å"the allegations are not representative of the company we are today† (Greenhouse-Rosenbloom, 2008). The unethical behavior may have been a factor in the company’s highly regarded financial performance. The accusations and these settled cases will serve as precedence for future cases that involve Human Resource and the use of Corporate Resource issues.

Social Views and Writing Style Essay Example

Social Views and Writing Style Essay Example Social Views and Writing Style Essay Social Views and Writing Style Essay Although he was highly critical of the post-independence Congress party establishment, he was more sympathetic to the right-wing Hindu nationalist movement in India. He refused to criticise the destruction of mosques: â€Å"Muslims do not have the slightest right to complain about the desecration of one mosque in Ayodhya. From 1000 AD every temple from Kathiawar to Bihar, from the Himalayas to the Vindhyas has been sacked and ruined. Not one temple was left standing all over northern India. They escaped destruction only where Muslim power did not gain access to them for reasons such as dense forests. Otherwise, it was a continuous spell of vandalism. No nation with any self-respect will forgive this. What happened in Ayodhya would not have happened had the Muslims acknowledged this historical argument even once. [2] He was also deeply distressed by what he saw as the deep hypocrisy in Bengali social life and in particular those that resulted from class and caste distinctions. His historical research revealed to him that the rigid Victorianesque morality of middle class Bengali women was a socially enforced construct, that had less to do with religion, choice and judgment, but more to do with upbringing, social acceptance and intergenerational transference of values. His prose was highly influenced by Sanskrit and the older version of the Bengali language, the Shadhubhasha ( ). He had little respect for the proletarian language, Choltibhasha ( ) or Cholitobhasha ( ), which he regarded as being common in taste and scope. He avoided the use of words and expressions originating from Arabic, Urdu and Persian that are very common in modern Bengali (though not as common as in Hindi). [edit]

John Henry Newmans Definition of a Gentleman

John Henry Newman's 'Definition of a Gentleman' A leader in the Oxford Movement and a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church, John Henry Newman  (1801-1890) was a prolific writer and one of the most talented rhetoricians in 19th-century Britain. He served as the first rector of the Catholic University of Ireland (now University College Dublin) and was beatified by the Catholic Church in September 2010. In The Idea of a University, originally delivered as a series of lectures in 1852, Newman provides a compelling definition and defense of a liberal arts education, arguing that the primary purpose of a university is to develop the mind, not dispense information. From Discourse VIII of that work comes A Definition of a Gentleman, a superb example of character writing.  Note Cardinal Newmans reliance on parallel structures  in this extended definition in particular his use of paired constructions  and tricolons. A Definition of a Gentleman [I]t is almost a definition of a gentleman to say he is one who never inflicts pain. This description is both refined and, as far as it goes, accurate. He is mainly occupied in merely removing the obstacles which hinder the free and unembarrassed action of those about him, and he concurs with their movements rather than takes the initiative himself. His benefits may be considered as parallel to what are called comforts or conveniences in arrangements of a personal nature: like an easy chair or a good fire, which do their part in dispelling cold and fatigue, though nature provides both means of rest and animal heat without them. The true gentleman in like manner carefully avoids whatever may cause a jar or a jolt in the minds of those with whom he is cast;all clashing of opinion, or collision of feeling, all restraint, or suspicion, or gloom, or resentment; his great concern being to make everyone at their ease and at home. He has his eyes on all his company; he is tender towards the bashful, gentle towards the distant, and merciful towards the absurd; he can recollect to whom he is speaking; he guards against unseasonable allusions, or topics which may irritate; he is seldom prominent in conversation, and never wearisome. He makes light of favours while he does them, and seems to be receiving when he is conferring. He never speaks of himself except when compelled, never defends himself by a mere retort, he has no ears for slander or gossip, is scrupulous in imputing motives to those who interfere with him, and interprets everything for the best. He is never mean or little in his disputes, never takes unfair advantage, never mistakes personalities or sharp sayings for arguments, or insinuates evil which he dare not say out. From a long-sighted prudence, he observes the maxim of the ancient sage, that we should ever conduct ourselves towards our enemy as if he were one day to be our friend. He has too much good sense to be affronted at insults, he is too well employed to remember injuries, and too indolent to bear malice. He is patient, forbearing, and resigned, on philosophical principles; he submits to pain, because it is inevitable, to bereavement, because it is irreparable, and to death, because it is his destiny. If he engages in controversy of any kind, his disciplined intellect preserves him from the blundering discourtesy of better, perhaps, but less educated minds; who, like blunt weapons, tear and hack instead of cutting clean, who mistake the point in argument, waste their strength on trifles, misconceive their adversary, and leave the question more involved than they find it. He may be right or wrong in his opinion, but he is too clear-headed to be unjust; he is as simple as he is forcible, and as brief as he is decisive. Nowhere shall we find greater candour, consideration, indulgence: he throws himself into the minds of his opponents, he accounts for their mistakes. He knows the weakness of human reason as well as its strength, its province and its limits. If he be an unbeliever, he will be too profound and large-minded to ridicule religion or to act against it; he is too wise to be a dogmatist or fanatic in his infidelity. He respects piety and devotion; he even supports institutions as venerable, beautiful, or useful, to which he does not assent; he honours the ministers of religion, and it contents him to decline its mysteries without assailing or denouncing them. He is a friend of religious toleration, and that, not only because his philosophy has taught him to look on all forms of faith with an impartial eye, but also from the gentleness and effeminacy of feeling, which is the attendant on civilization. Not that he may not hold a religion too, in his own way, even when he is not a Christian. In that case, his religion is one of imagination and sentiment; it is the embodiment of those ideas of the sublime, majestic, and beautiful, without which there can be no large philosophy. Sometimes he acknowledges the being of God, sometimes he invests an unknown principle or quality with the attributes of perfection. And this deduction of his reason, or creation of his fancy, he makes the occasion of such excellent thoughts, and the starting-point of so varied and systematic a teaching, that he even seems like a disciple of Christianity itself. From the very accuracy and steadiness of his logical powers, he is able to see what sentiments are consistent in those who hold any religious doctrine at all, and he appears to others to feel and to hold a whole circle of theological truths, which exist in his mind no otherwise than as a number of deductions.

Megans law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Megans law - Research Paper Example here are also cases in which it is applied permanently, so that whenever the individual moves, they have to notify local police and law enforcement that they have done so. Failing to register or update in this manner is considered to be a felony under Megan’s Act. This law was put into action after the murder of Megan Kanka, a young child. After this child was murdered by a sexual predator who was living nearby (the parents professed to have no idea), her parents circulated a petition that gained almost 500,000 signatures (Megan’s, 2010). The law was passed, and New Jersey, Kanka’s home state, was the first state to enact Megan’s Law. Overall, Megans Law provides two information services that are made available to the public: notification of sex offender registration, and notification of the community. As noted above, â€Å"The details of what is provided as part of sex offender registration and how community notification is handled vary from state to state, and in some states the required registration information and community notification protocols have changed many times since Megans Law was passed† (Megan’s, 2010). Many people support Megan’s Law because it appears to be a no-nonsense, zero-tolerance, tough-on-crime policy. They also feel more at ease when they know that sexual offenders have to register with local authorities, so that the community can have more information. From the total harm perspective, Megan’s Law can be supported from the position that it decreases the total harm to society by making vital information about child sexual predators available to parents and families. Community notification and involvement is seen as positive in most media and scholarly presentations of the law, and generally, the law-abiding public can be seen to increase in their information access and comfort level, due to the law. However, there are also possible dark sides to Megan’s Law. That some states use the law to notify about not just

Demand and Supply & Perfect Competition Assignment

Demand and Supply & Perfect Competition - Assignment Example The food vending business in Amsterdam is on the rise and is an example of a perfect competitive industry. Several food vendors are under the same roof selling a variety of products ranging from Mumbai street food to hot dogs that are sold in pretzel buns. The idea of the owner of the food vending stalls was to involve original ideas of Amsterdam locals without including common franchisers such as KFC and McDonalds in the industry. It is reported that the food vending hall had only been open for two weeks and buyers had been flocking into it without restriction. The food vending industry in Amsterdam is an almost perfect competition industry. In the article, food vending industry is vast and has diverse products that are supplied every morning to be produced under cheap and affordable circumstances. One of the factors that make street food vending industry a perfect competitive market is the ease in entry into the field. As explained by Draper (1996), most street food vending businesses require small scale operations, use of traditional food processing methods and low capital costs to start. Secondly, there are no set restrictions in order to start selling in the market. As explained by the owner of the food mall, the only restrain was set for food chains such as MacDonald’s but local food vendors were accepted. This restriction denotes that the food vending industry in the food hall was not purely a perfect competitive market. Thirdly, products sold by food vendors are standardised and homogeneous. The sandwiches, soups, hams, burgers, vegetables and other street foods that are sold in the food hall are foods that are known and standard. Therefore, the food products sold from the fresh produce received every morning are standardized and this makes the food vending industry in Amsterdam perfect competition market. The price of the goods cannot be changed by the seller but depend on the availability of