Dance Elements Essay Example for Free

Dance Elements Essay Literal meaning of the word kathak is related to katha, the art of story-telling, â€Å"Katha Kahe So Kathaka Kahave†, which means â€Å"one who tells a story is a story-teller†. According to M. Monier Williams, Katha denotes conversation, story, speech, tale or fable. Katha also means to ‘ sing in praise’, ‘to say or inform something’. Thus, kathakars were originally a caste of story-tellers who were attached to temples in certain parts of Northern India. These kathakars used to go around the countryside narrating the stories of the Epics and other Legends. The modes employed were poetry, music and dance. All these three arts were closely inter-linked. The aim of kathaks was to educate the people in the knowledge of Gods and Mythological Legends. Historically kathak dates back to the Vedic period which are full of descriptions and stories which give us an insight into the mind of those who wrote or composed jthem. Kathak dance is evolved from religious and mythological concepts. In Ramayana period, we can see many glimpses of music and dance. The Ramayana tells the story of an ideal heroic prince Rama of Ayodhya and his devoted wife Sita. This ancient tale has been treasured and retold for countless generation in every Hindu house; they worshipped Rama as the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In Ramayana we find a mention of recitors who were specialised in story-telling. Lava and Kusha, the two brave sons of Rama rendered Ramayana in verses composed by Sage Valmiki. While reciting the stories, they also added the element of acting-Abhinaya. From that time nomadic bards who narrated the Ramayana were known as ‘Kushilavas’. As a matter of fact, the term kushilavas has been associated with dancers and actors. Likewise, many mythological stories were depicted through gestures, postures and abhinaya. The another story of Ramayana which tells us that how Ravana, the king of Lanka worshipped Lord Shiva with song and dance. Also the story of Ravana assaulting Rambha, one of the main Apsaras. According to Kapila Vatsyayan, in Ramayana, the Apsaras are the most important mythological characters who danced and performed both in heaven and earth. There are various other instances like the stories of the grand act of breaking Shiva’s bow in â€Å"Sita Swayamvar†, the evil plotting of Kaikayee, the Banishment of Rama to a fourteen-year exile, Sita’s kidnapping by Ravana and the war that ensued leading to Rama’s victory and Sita’s rescue. Thus, Ramayana is rich in incident and moral concept. We come across many references to perfomances of dances from the Mahabharata. In this period, worship and adoration of Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh started with music and dance. Krishna is the ‘Sutradhara’ (around whom the entire Mahabharata developed) and he was an expert dancer. The Mahabharata depicts episodes of Krishna’s life that how he is adopted and raised by a family of cowherds. The stories of his childhood of stealing butter and milkmaids known as â€Å"MakhanChori†. His dance of his youth with Radha and Braj narees is known as â€Å"Rasa Lila†. His spiritual love dance with Gopis or Milkmaids by the bank of Yamuna river in moonlit night is known as â€Å"MahaRaas†. The story of â€Å"Kaliya Daman† which tells us how Krishna defeated the poisonous snake Kaliya and danced on his hoods. The story of â€Å"Govardhan Dharan† which tells us how krishna picked and hold the Govardhan mountain to protect the people of Vrindavan from heavy rain. Another important episode of Mahabharata is known as â€Å"Vastraharan†, in which Krishna saves the honour of the Pandava Queen Draupadi. The story goes that Dushasana, one of the Kaurava brothers attempted to humilate her by disrobing her. Draupadi called out to Krishna to save her and miraculously, as layer after layer of her saree was pulled, the number of sarees went on increasing. This episode is a popular theme in Kathak dance. Mahabharata also depicts the story of the five Pandava brothers who were unjustly deprived of their kingdom by their cousins, the kauravas, and of the great battle of Kurukshetra that established the victory of the Pandavas after much suffering and bloodshed. The Mahabharata also describes Krishna’s role as the Charioteer of Arjuna during the battle of Kurukshetra, and his conversation on the battlefield constitutes the text of the Bhagavad-Gita, the celebrated philosophical work. Thus, it is clear that by the time of Mahabharata, the arts of music and dance developed sufficient content, form, style to be taught in a systematic order. The training also seems to be elaborate with rules and regulations. Natyashastra is an encyclopedic work having 36 chapters and it deals with various topics such as the first 3 chapters deal with the origin of Natya, construction of theatre, Rangapooja, etc. , 4th and 5th chapters deal with the varieties of Dance. The 6th and 7th deal with Rasa and Bhava. From the 8th chapter of the 15th one, the different poses of Dance are being dealt with. The different aspects of Abhinaya are described in 15 to 22 and from 22nd to 28th describe the costumes elaborately. The chapters from 28th to 34 deal with music and musical instruments and the last two deal with the different characters and costumes. Natyashastra also describes the divine character and dance of the Nataraja, the dancing Lord Shiva who is considered the king of actors and dancers and also the supreme Lord of Dance. The moon which he adorns in his head is the symbol complete control of his senses. The serpents wound around his body is the proof of his complete control over vital life forces. His foot raised high over the wicked demon, a symbol of victory over the ego. This divine art form is performed by Shiva and his wife Goddess Parvati. The Dance performed Lord Shiva is known as â€Å"Tandava†, which depicts his violent nature as the destructor of the Universe. The Dance performed by Goddess Parvati is known as â€Å"Lasya†, in which the movements are gentle, graceful, erotic and it is also called the feminine version of Tandava. Therefore, according to Kapila Vatsyayan, Bharata attributes to dancing a divine origin, a literary and religious heritage both in thought and technique and aesthetic secular purpose. It has also been mentioned in Natyashastra, how to interpret the different moods of man accompanied by Bhava, Raga and Tal – all directed to create rasa or emotion in the spectators who are called â€Å"Rasikaas†. From the 7th and 8th century, â€Å"Sangeet† occupied a prominent place in the society. The art of sculptures also made great strides and most of the sculptures depicted various dance poses. Temples were the places of origin whereas the dancers or the priests danced in praise of the Lord enacting various mythological stories. Temples sprang up where the devotees gathered to pray to the Almighty God or hear stories about Him. The Temple connection is well established as can be seen in the art of â€Å"Kathavachakas† who carry on the tradition to this day in the North in the Temple boundaries and in open spaces. With the passage of time, in the medieval period, the Bhakti movement influenced all over India. The vast spiritual empire established by Vaishnavism in the North embraces life in its totality. The fine arts found a fuller expression by the 15th and the 16th centuries A. D. Literature, music, dance, painting and other fine arts flourished with the patronage extended by the temples, priests and devotees. In particular the Rasa Lilas in Braj and the neighbouring areas of Mathura in the North sustained the tradition that centered round Vishnu and his recognization as Krishna. The Bhakti movement inspired a whole new school of poetry, dance and music. Krishna and radha are the presiding deities of Vaishnavism and it was on the basis of Leelas of Krishna that precious and distinctive art heritage of Vaishnavism was built up. Mirabai, Surdas and Tulsidas for e. g. wrote powerful devotional verses on longing and separation, expressing the yearning of the human soul for union with God. They chosen the themes was the love of radha for krishna. Krishna Leela though brought out in high relief by Vaishnavism but it had its origin in the past and it can be traced easily to the periods of Mahabharata and Bhasa. In Braj, the Rasa lila’s developed as a combination of music, dance and narration that was used to enact the Krishna Legends – especially the Radha-Krishna idea and stories of Krishna’s youth with the gopis or milkmaids. Hence, the earliest compositions in kathak were based on the religious and stylised music of North India, notably the Dhrupad, Keertan, Hori, Dhamar, Pad and Bhajan. According to Mohan Khokar, Keertans are similar style to dhrupad, but they may, unlike the latter, also be sung in chorus. Keertan is a spiritual practice belonging to the path of Bhakti (devotion). Keertan more specifically means the chanting of sacred sounds or mantras. The Rasa Lila miracle plays of Braj were formerly staged to the accompaniment of keertan music only. Keertans were meant both for singing and dancing. Whereas Bhajans are strictly devotional songs and are in praise of deities such as Krishna, Shiva, Rama, Ganesha, Durga, etc. The songs are rendered in ragas, but improvised tunes are also freely used. Stories and episodes from scriptures, the teachings of saints and description of Gods have all been the subject of Bhajan. Bhajans of Mirabai, Tulsidas, Surdas, Kabir, the Ashtachhap poets and other composers are a part of kathak repertoire. Some of the Famous Bhajans of Mirabai is the following: â€Å"Baso more nanun mein nandlal, Mor mukut makrakrit kundal, arun tilak diyo bhal, Mohni murat – saavari surat, naina bane bisaal, Adhar sudha – ras murli rajat, ur baijanti maal. Chhudra ghantika kati tat sobhit, nupur sabad rasaal, Mira’ prabhu santan sukhdai, bhagat – bachhal gopal† With the advent of the Mughals, the Hindustani music underwent a drastic change. The stylised music absorbed the Mughal influence in a remarkable manner. The dancers moved from the temple courtyard to the palace dubar and this necessitated changes in presentation as Muslim kings could not enjoy the bhava of Bhakti Rasa. Kathak received encouragement at the hands of Nawabs and Rajas. Whereas formerly it was religious and devotional in mood and temperament, now it turned into a means of entertainment. The forms like Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal evolved and became a part of the Hindustani music. The word â€Å"Thumri† has been derived from a combination of two terms i. e. ‘thumak’ (or the chaal) and ‘rijhana’ (or to please). Thus, together meaning graceful stamping of the foot. Thumri is a verse that has Krishna and Radha or Krishna and Gopi’s as its central theme. It is essentially based on the divine romance portraying both aspects of separation and union. The last Nawab of Oudh, Wajid Ali Shah was an accomplished dancer and musician. He composed thumries in classical style and these were sung by the kathak dancers. His contemporaries and the court musicians like Kadarpiya, Akhtar Piya, Lallan Piya, Sikandar Piya and others contributed to its popularity. Although he was a muslim, he liked the Radha-Krishna themes. He himself presented a dance on the Rasa Lila which he called ‘Rahas’. His famous thumries are the following: â€Å"Babul mora nehar chhuto jaye, Chaar kahar mil, doliya uthave, Apna begana chhuto jaye. † Another Thumri: â€Å"Jab chod chale lucknow nagri, Tab hale ‘ali’ par kya guzri, Mahal mahal mein begum rove, Jab hum guzre duniya guzri. † According to PeterLamarche Manuel, Bindadin Maharaj is regarded as one of the most important figures in the development of Thumri as well as Kathak. The kathak Masters Bindadin and his brother Kalka Prasad composed Thumries that were suitable for kathak dancing. Some of the famous Thumri of Bindadin Maharaj is the following: â€Å"Mohe chhedo na, nand ki suno challa, Badi der bhai, ghar jane de mohe.

Eulers Totient Theorem

Eulers Totient Theorem Summary   Ã‚   Euler Totient theorem is a generalized form of Fermats Little theory. As such, it solely depends on Fermats Little Theorem as indicated in Eulers study in 1763 and, later in 1883, the theorem was named after him by J. J. Sylvester. According to Sylvester, the theorem is basically about the alteration in similarity. The term Totient was derived from Quotient, hence, the function deals with division, but in a unique way. In this manner, The Eulers Totient function à Ã¢â‚¬   for any integer (n) can be demarcated, as the figure of positive integers is not greater than and co-prime to n. aà Ã¢â‚¬  (n) = 1 (mod n) Based on Leonhard Eulers contributions toward the development of this theorem, the theory was named after him despite the fact that it was a generalization of Fermats Little Theory in which n is identified to be prime. Based on this fact, some scholarly source refers to this theorem as the Fermats-Euler theorem of Eulers generalization. Introduction I first developed an interest in Euler when I was completing a listener crossword; the concealed message read Euler was the master of the crossword. When I first saw the inclusion of the name Euler on the list of prompt words, I had no option but to just go for it. Euler was a famous mathematician in the eighteenth century, who was acknowledged for his contribution in the mathematics discipline, as he was responsible for proving numerous problems and conjectures. Taking the number theory as an example, Euler successively played a vital role in proving the two-square theorem as well as the Fermats little theorem (Griffiths and Peter 81). His contribution also paved the way to proving the four-square theorem. Therefore, in this course project, I am going to focus on his theory, which is not known to many; it is a generalization of Fermats little theorem that is commonly known as Eulers theorem. Theorem Eulers Totient theorem holds that if a and n are coprime positive integers, then since ÃŽÂ ¦n is a Eulers Totient function. Eulers Totient Function Eulers Totient Function (ÃŽÂ ¦n) is the count of positive integers that are less that n and relatively prime to n. For instance, ÃŽÂ ¦10 is 4, since there are four integers, which are less than 10 and are relatively prime to 10: 1, 3, 7, 9. Consequently, ÃŽÂ ¦11 is 10, since there 11 prime numbers which are less than 10 and are relatively prime to 10. The same way, ÃŽÂ ¦6 is 2 as 1 and 5 are relatively prime to 6, but 2, 3, and 4 are not. The following table represents the totients of numbers up to twenty. N ÃŽÂ ¦n 2 1 3 2 4 2 5 4 6 2 7 6 8 4 9 6 10 4 11 10 12 4 13 12 14 6 15 8 16 8 17 16 18 6 19 18 20 8 Some of these examples seek to prove Eulers totient theorem. Let n = 10 and a = 3. In this case, 10 and 3 are co-prime i.e. relatively prime. Using the provided table, it is clear that ÃŽÂ ¦10 = 4. Then this relation can also be represented as follows: 34 = 81 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ 1 (mode 10). Conversely, if n = 15 and a = 2, it is clear that 28 = 256 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ 1 (mod 15). Fermats Little Theory According to Liskov (221), Eulers Totient theorem is a simplification of Fermats little theorem and works with every n that are relatively prime to a. Fermats little theorem only works for a and p that are relatively prime. a p-1 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ 1 (mod p) or a p à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ a (mod p) where p itself is prime. It is, therefore, clear that this equation fits in the Eulers Totient theorem for every prime p, as indicated in ÃŽÂ ¦p, where p is a prime and is given by p-1. Therefore, to prove Eulers theorem, it is vital to first prove Fermats little theorem. Proof to Fermats Little Theorem As earlier indicated, the Fermats little theorem can be expressed as follows: ap à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ a (mod p) taking two numbers: a and p, that are relatively prime, where p is also prime. The set of a {a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5aà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(p-1)a}à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(i) Consider another set of number {1, 2, 3, 4, 5à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.(p-1a)}à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(ii) If one decides to take the modulus for p, each element of the set (i) will be congruent to an item in the second set (ii). Therefore, there will be one on one correspondence between the two sets. This can be proven as lemma 1. Consequently, if one decides to take the product of the first set, that is {a x 2a x 3a x 4a x 5a x à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (p-1)a } as well as the product of the second set as {1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (p-1)}. It is clear that both of these sets are congruent to one another; that is, each element in the first set matches another element in the second set (Liskov 221). Therefore, the two sets can be represented as follows: {a x 2a x 3a x 4a x 5a x à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (p-1)a } à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ {1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (p-1)} (mode p). If one takes out the factor a p-1 from the left-hand side (L.H.S), the resultant equation will be Ap-1 {a x 2a x 3a x 4a x 5a x à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (p-1)a } à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ {1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (p-1)} (mode p). If the same equation is divided by {1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (p-1)} when p is prime, one will obtain a p à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ a (mod p) or a p-1 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ 1 (mod p) It should be clear that each element in the first set should correspond to another element in the second set (elements of the set are congruent). Even though this is not obvious at the first step, it can still be proved through three logical steps as follows: Each element in the first set should be congruent to one element in the second set; this implies that none of the elements will be congruent to 0, as pand a are relatively prime. No two numbers in the first set can be labeled as ba or ca. If this is done, some elements in the first set can be the same as those in the second set. This would imply that two numbers are congruent to each other i.e. ba à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ ca (mod p), which would mean that b à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ c (mod p) which is not true mathematically, since both the element are divergent and less than p. An element in the first set can not be congruent to two numbers in the second set, since a number can only be congruent to numbers that differ by multiple of p. Through these three rules, one can prove Fermats Little Theorem. Proof of Eulers Totient Theorem Since the Fermats little theorem is a special form of Eulers Totient theorem, it follows that the two proofs provided earlier in this exploration are similar, but slight adjustments need to be made to Fermats little theorem to justify Eulers Totient theorem (KrÃÅ'Å’iÃÅ' zÃÅ'Å’ek 97). This can be done by using the equation a ÃŽÂ ¦n à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ 1 (mod n) where the two numbers, a and n, are relatively prime, with the set of figures N, which are relatively prime to n {1, n1. n2à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.n ÃŽÂ ¦n }. This set is likely to have ÃŽÂ ¦n element, which is defined by the number of the relatively prime number to n. In the same way, in the second set aN, each and every element is a product of a as well as an element of N {a, an1, an2, an3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦anÃŽÂ ¦n}. Each element of the set aN must be congruent to another element in the set N (mode n) as noted by the earlier three rules. Therefore, each element of the two sets will be congruent to each other (Giblin 111). In this scenario case, it can be said that: {a x an1 x an2 x an3 x à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. an ÃŽÂ ¦n } à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ {a x   n1 x n2 x n3 x à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.n ÃŽÂ ¦n } (mod n). By factoring out a and aÃŽÂ ¦n from the left-hand side, one can obtain the following equation a ÃŽÂ ¦n {1 x n1 x n2 x n3 x à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.n ÃŽÂ ¦n} à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ {1 x n1 x n2 x n3 x à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.n ÃŽÂ ¦n } (mod n) If this obtained equation is divided by {1 x n1 x n2 x n3 x à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.n ÃŽÂ ¦n } from both sides, all the elements in the two sets will be relatively prime. The obtained equation will be as follows: a ÃŽÂ ¦n à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¡ 1 (mod n) Application of the Eulers Theorem Unlike other Eulers works in the number theory like the proof for the two-square theorem and the four-square theorem, the Eulers totient theorem has real applications across the globe. The Eulers totient theorem and Fermats little theorem are commonly used in decryption and encryption of data, especially in the RSA encryption systems, which protection resolves around big prime numbers (Wardlaw 97). Conclusion In summary, this theorem may not be Eulers most well-designed piece of mathematics; my favorite theorem is the two-square theorem by infinite descent. Despite this, the theorem seems to be a crucial and important piece of work, especially for that time. The number theory is still regarded as the most useful theory in mathematics nowadays. Through this proof, I have had the opportunity to connect some of the work I have earlier done in discrete mathematics as well as sets relation and group options. Indeed, these two options seem to be among the purest sections of mathematics that I have ever studied in mathematics. However, this exploration has enabled me to explore the relationship between Eulers totient theorem and Fermats little theorem. I have also applied knowledge from one discipline to the other which has broadened my view of mathematics. Works Cited Giblin, P J. Primes, and Programming: An Introduction to Number Theory with Computing. Cambridge UP, 1993. Print. Griffiths, H B, and Peter J. Hilton. A Comprehensive Textbook of Classical Mathematics: A Contemporary Interpretation. London: Van Nostrand Reinhold Co, 1970. Print. KrÃÅ'Å’iÃÅ' zÃÅ'Å’ek, M., et al. 17 Lectures on Fermat Numbers: From Number Theory to Geometry. Springer, 2001. Print. Liskov, Moses. Fermats Little Theorem. Encyclopedia of Cryptography and Security, pp. 221-221. Wardlaw, William P. Eulers Theorem for Polynomials. Ft. Belvoir: Defense Technical Information Center, 1990. Print.

The Perseverance of Odysseus Essay -- The Odyssey, by Homer

In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus goes through many trials while trying to return home from the Trojan War. On his voyage home, he must visit the Land of the Dead, evade the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis and when he does arrive home, participate in a tricky reunion with his wife, Penelope. All of these examples show that Odysseus has extreme determination and perseverance. Perseverance is an excellent quality that few possess which can spark achievement. In the â€Å"Land of the Dead†, Odysseus has to make a complicated potion to bring out the profit Teiresias. While waiting for Teiresias to come, he has to hold back the ghosts of the dead. While holding them back, he sees his dead mother. Odysseus did not know she was dead, and grieved, but still held her off to accomplish his obligations. While in the land of the dead, he sees his fallen shipmate, Elpenor. Elpenor tells him that he must backtrack back to Aeaea Island to bury his body and give him an honorable funeral. Odysseus promises to do this and he later does. The strength that he has to hold back ... The Perseverance of Odysseus Essay -- The Odyssey, by Homer In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus goes through many trials while trying to return home from the Trojan War. On his voyage home, he must visit the Land of the Dead, evade the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis and when he does arrive home, participate in a tricky reunion with his wife, Penelope. All of these examples show that Odysseus has extreme determination and perseverance. Perseverance is an excellent quality that few possess which can spark achievement. In the â€Å"Land of the Dead†, Odysseus has to make a complicated potion to bring out the profit Teiresias. While waiting for Teiresias to come, he has to hold back the ghosts of the dead. While holding them back, he sees his dead mother. Odysseus did not know she was dead, and grieved, but still held her off to accomplish his obligations. While in the land of the dead, he sees his fallen shipmate, Elpenor. Elpenor tells him that he must backtrack back to Aeaea Island to bury his body and give him an honorable funeral. Odysseus promises to do this and he later does. The strength that he has to hold back ...

The Role And Functions Of New Zealand Government Essay -- essays resea

The New Zealand Government has made significant changes to the economy throughout the last 15 years. The operation and organisation of business activity in New Zealand has been affected by this changing economy. All aspects of the New Zealand Government have been altered. The reason for this change was to improve the performance by being more efficient. The key reforms are privatisation and corporatisation of State Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and restructuring government agencies. The most significant change was the election of the Labour Party in 1984, which ended the Muldoon Administration. At this time, New Zealand was in a rut because of poor economic management by the previous Government. Unemployment was high in 1983 and still climbing, real GDP was only 1.15 between 1976 and 1984, and international debt was at 41% of GDP in 1984. The United Kingdom (the major New Zealand export market) had join the European Union in 1973, and since had to endorse a quota where they could only import a certain number on overseas products. Under the National Government, New Zealand was close to self-sufficiency because the government refused to import products from overseas. The public were to losers in this situation as there were a limited number of products offered for sale, and they were also quite expensive too. This called for some desperate transformation. When the Labour Party was elected under David Lange, they immediately changed the sectors that they thought needed urgent attention. They were Capital Markets, Financial, Industry, and International Trade. Other reforms occurred in 1985 (Monetary), 1986 (Tax and Corporatisation), 1988 (Privatisation), 1989 (Public Expenditure), 1990 (Labour Market), and 1991 (Resource Management and Social Services). In fact all state sectors underwent some sort of alteration at some stage. The period from 1984 – 1994 was dubbed â€Å"a period of radical change.† These reforms occurred simultaneously and some are still being refined now. From 1995 onwards there was a second period of â€Å"slower paced evolutionary† activity. (1999, OECD Government Reform) The key idea in the reform process was to â€Å"roll back the state† – in other words focus more on what a government should do which is, governing the people. Defining a government’s core business can be difficult because in every country it is different, even in New Zealand. It is also d... ... the long run. Bibliography Bollard, Allan, Lattimore, and Silverstone (1996). Chapter one in A Study of Economic Reform: The Case of New Zealand. Elsevier Science Publications. Boston, J et al, (1996) Public Management: The New Zealand Model. Chapter three: The Framework of Government and the Evolution of the Public Sector. Oxford University Press. Clarke. L (March 2000) Face The Nation. Television New Zealand Ltd. New Zealand Employment Relations Service (October 2000). â€Å"The Employment Relations Act 2000 and Good Faith† Pamphlet of the NZ Department of Labour. New Zealand Country Paper (1999). Government Reform: Of Roles and Functions of Government and Public Administration. OECD New Zealand Employment Relations Law (2000) Overview [Online] Available: <a href="http://www.executive.govt.nz/era/erl_over.htm">http://www.executive.govt.nz/era/erl_over.htm [2001, April 29] Palmer, G. and Palmer, M. (1997) Bridled Power: New Zealand Government Under MMP. Chapter one: The Changing System of New Zealand Government. Auckland: Oxford University Press. TV3 (March 2000) 3 News, Television 3 and 4 Network Services Ltd. TVNZ (March 2000). One News. Television New Zealand Ltd.

Muslim Women Essay

The more and more I study about Muslim Women and the obstacles they face, I become angered. In writing this paper, I’ve found that there is no substantial evidence in any Muslim or Islamic writings that states that women should be treated as slaves or insubordinates. Women are to be respected, protected, and loved; no matter what religion or color they may be. So, my paper will focus on these three things, but the lack of it. What is the definition of respect? Respect is a positive feeling of esteem or deference for a person or other entity. When you respect a person, you will show it through actions and deeds; without any conjuring. I’ve noticed that Muslim women aren’t respected too well within their own religion. The Sharia Law is the moral code and religious law of Islam which deals with many topics such as prayer, fasting, diet, sexual intercourse, hygiene, etc. It is considered the infallible law of God; there is no human interpretation. The two sources of this law are the Quran and Mohammed; the last source is part of the human interpretation that many state the Quran doesn’t possess. According to the Sharia, women aren’t equal to men unless it is in religious duties such as prayer, fasting, and making hajj. Contrary to what most Muslim men believe, a woman is not created for the purpose of a Muslim man. Rather, they are both created for each other. They are to help, support, and cleave to one another through their life and Islamic religion. Some Muslim men have taken the Quran and made it to be a falsity to their perception and added to it. This addition has caused many Muslim women to be disrespected and abused. Many Islamic religions are filled with much domestic violence. Take Bibi Aisha’s case, her husband was part of the Taliban and she never had a chance to see him. During his time away, her in-laws beat her, tortured her, and made her sleep with the livestock. The abuse became too much, so Bibi ran away, but her father returned her back to her in-laws. Due to her disappearance, her husband returned and he proceeded to torture her in front of the community by removing her ear and nose. She was left in the desert to bleed to death. She ran to her uncle’s house and he turned her away, but her father-in-law took her to the Americans (military) where they tended to her wounds and protected her. You can find her picture on my blog for this class. When I see her, I see a woman of strength and perseverance. It’s said to say, but this incident which brought her much pain, seems to have blessed her. It is because of the mutilation of her face that she is free and in a better place. It is well known within the Islamic culture that domestic abuse is hardly unique. Many Muslim women deal with this atrocity daily, due to the thoughts of Muslim men. Most Muslim males believe that Muslim women are slaves or property. Most husbands believe its right to beat their wives and treat her with disdain. An often-quoted verse in the Quran says a husband may chastise a disobedient wife, but this is open to several interpretations. What is the definition of protection and love? Protection is to cover or shield from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction and love is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. I can’t say that I see these actions practiced within the Muslim culture. If anything, Muslim women are caused to feel scared, unsafe, unprotected, and abused. The most common form of abuse is emotional and mental abuse. This can include verbal threats, intimidation, neglect, extreme jealousy and possessiveness. The worse of the two is the mental abuse which causes severe psychological harm. It destroys her self-esteem, self-worth, and causes many to have nervous breakdowns and become suicidal. Some of the factors that make Muslim men abusive Muslim women are: 1. Economic hardship, political oppression experienced outside the U.S., problems with the children, or an inferiority complex. 2. Some Muslim men accept the idea that it’s normal for a man to hit his wife and that she is no more than a piece of his property. 3. It’s generational; habits are picked up after watching their own fathers abuse their mothers. 4. Some abuse their wives because they want them to be more â€Å"modern† and less Islamic. SO they have their wives remove their hijab (Islamic dress), while others turn to abuse in order to keep their wives traditional; which is the exact opposite of the former. In a marriage, the Quran is very clear on procedures in discipline for Islamic wives. First, there’s peaceful discussion between the two about the problem and resolutions. If this doesn’t work, the next step is for the husband to be more stern and focused. If the disobedience persists from the wife, the husband will leave the bed which is a form of punishment for not only the wife, but also the husband. If that doesn’t work, then other family members will become involved and try to help in resolving the issues and being fair to both parties. This is not totally true because the Muslim religion is male dominated and gender-controlled. The males within the family will be the first and last to define choices of resolution. Remember, Muslim women really don’t have rights. Whether it’s within their family, job, mosque, or society. There is no balance when it comes to gender or to resolving life’s issues in the Muslim culture. During this whole process, Muslim women keep quiet due to feelings of depression and hopelessness. They began to feel like no one will help them and they are constantly aware of their co-dependence to their husbands. Financial independence is something that is always in the forefront of their minds, but it’s always tainted by the images of control in the Muslim culture. So, they make a decision to stay in bondage to keep their homes, children, and the love of their husbands; the latter is questionable. Some Muslim women see the abuse as a fact of life and learn to live with it. So, what does the abuse and control have to do with Women’s Studies? Well, throughout the class we focused on many different types of situations that involved women; whether good or bad. The control and abuse that is present in the Muslim culture reminds of gender prejudice and gender discrimination. Both are one in the same, but speak of different influences. Gender prejudice is a belief that women are the weaker of the sexes emotionally and physically and must be protected from the world outside. I know that males are expected to be the providers and to dominate the decision making in the home, but there sh ould still be some form of balance. Balance is needed in everything; whether it’s life, work, or play. We all need to have a sense of structure or rules, but there must be a state of adjustment. In reviewing gender discrimination, you will find prejudicial treatment based upon groups or individuals due to their gender or sex; there is no protection factor involved. Gender discrimination can affect both men and women, but women are usually at the receiving end, since most cultures in the world are patriarchal and male-dominated. This isn’t a far cry for religions because mostly all religions are male-dominated. You will find women aren’t seen as being equal to men within the scope of religion. It is partly due to how man has interpreted their religious readings or scriptures, and twisted it to be a form of evil and disdain. Yes, there are places within scripture that speak of women being unclean due to their monthly or being untouchable after childbirth. But is it because the woman is evil, or is it a form of protection for her and anyone that she may come into contact with? All in all, I see the Islamic religion as being so gender biased that it causes me to become angered. This religion seems to prevent Muslim women from nurturing their true identity and blossoming into women of self-worth and self-esteem. Hiding one’s face can make a person feel unworthy and disconnected. It’s a joy to feel positive about yourself and who you are. Being able to feel good about your looks and your body can be very uplifting to the psyche and soul. What puts a damper on that? Having a father, brother, husband, or any male to make you feel that your very essence is despicable and dirty. Hopefully, in the 21st century, things will change and get better. Until then, it’s up to us to become more aware of the many differences of cultures and religions. These differences could cause or society to become cold, unloving, and aloof. I don’t believe our world should be this way. If anything, love should prevail and the worship of a power stronger than you should cause you to love everyone even the more. Bibliography Roald, Anne S. (2001). Women in Islam: The Western Experience. Routledge. Suad Joseph, Afsaneh Najmabadi, ed. Encyclopedia of Women & Islamic Cultures. Brill Academic Publishers. â€Å"Women and Violence.† Welcome to the United Nations: It’s Your World. United Nations Department of Public Information, Feb. 1996. Web. 07 Dec. 2011 â€Å"American Muslim Women Unveil, and Explain Why: NPR.† NPR: National Public Radio. 19 Oct. 2011. Muslim Clerics on the Religious Rulings Regarding Wife-Beating. Jihad Watch. 15 Nov. 2011.

Blaine Kitchenware Inc. Essay

To review Blaine Kitchenware Inc.’s (BKI) current debt, equity and leverage levels with respect to the highly advisable repurchase of 14 million shares of stock at $18.50 per share and the related, necessary financing. BKI is currently highly over-liquid and under-levered. The firm can anticipate elevated tax rates due to the lack of debt held. BKI has also experienced falling earnings per share (EPS) due to the over issuing of stock. Similarly the large quantity of outstanding shares of stock has led to below average returns to shareholders and a return on equity (ROE) below the competitors’ ROEs. BKI can offset these downward trends by increasing leverage—i.e. increasing debt—and reversing the dilutive acquisitions. BKI is highly recommended to obtain a 25 year loan of $50 million at 6.75% with which to repurchase 14 million of its outstanding shares of stock at the price of $18.50 per share, $2.25 above current stock price. Balance Sheet Impact As shown below, under the appendix, the pro forma balance sheet demonstrates forecasted values if BKI continues without action to increase leverage and decrease outstanding stock. BKI can expect to have $ 510,624,920.99 in stockholders’ equity and $ 96,011,793.33 in cash and cash equivalents on which BKI will be liable at a 40% tax rate, significantly higher than previous fiscal years. Based on trends from 2004-2006, BKI can predict increases in current asset accounts and marginal decreases in fixed asset accounts. Without the pursuit of repurchase and increased debt, BKI’s current liabilities accounts will also experience marginal increases while other liabilities and deferred taxes decrease and long term debt remains at zero. Furthermore, before the repurchase of stock, BKI’s equity accounts may continue to increase. Applying the repurchase strategy to calculated three year trends, BKI’s forecasted balance sheet accounts have significantly lower cash and cash equivalent account, increased market securities, accounts receivables, inventory, and other current assets accounts. Fixed assets are expected to decrease based on three year trends while current liabilities increase. The repurchase will require financing which will be attained through a 25 year fixed rate loan of 50 million. At the end of the first year term, BKI will have long term debt of 50 million minus first year principal component of $819,345.59 equaling $ 49,180,654.41. Other liabilities and deferred taxes however, may decrease marginally. In addition, with the repurchase of 14 million shares, stockholders’ equity is expected to decrease to $ 251,624,920.99 from $488,363,000.00 in 2006. Income Statement Impact Three year trends suggest BKI will have increased revenue, increased cost of goods sold, thus elevated gross profits, rising selling, general, and administrative costs, and decreased depreciation and amortization expenses. Overall, trends indicate earnings before interest and taxes may be higher than 2006 EBIT. Without the stock repurchase strategy, BKI may experience tax expense of $ 34,922,882.71 as opposed to tax expense amounting to $ 29,355,346.62 (calculated using 2007 federal income tax brackets as shown under appendix below) if BKI undergoes the stock repurchase strategy. Without undergoing the stock repurchase plan, BKI will have no interest expense and net income of $ 52,384,324.06. BKI will have dividend expense of $29,230,740.00. By undergoing the stock repurchase, BKI will earn net income of $54,576,860.15 which takes into account the interest expense of $3,375,000.00 associated with the loan to finance the stock repurchase. Impact on financial ratios Operating performance impact ROE: BKI’s return on equity ratio currently below average and below competitors’ will continue to drop based on the firm’s performance trends in the last three years to a 10% level. The anticipated ROE with the stock repurchase plan is 22%, third highest ROE, and while not quite above the industry average, sufficiently above the industry median. EPS: Earnings per share is expected to increase to $1.21 with the stock repurchase plan while if the plan is forgone, BKI can anticipate earning a mere $0.89 per share outstanding. An EPS of $0.89 is lower than the firm’s historical EPS and unappealing to future investors. Leverage: Leverage will increase overall after the stock repurchase and withdrawal of the $50 million bank loan. As shown below, debt ratio increases with the addition of the long term debt which drives up total liabilities with respect to total assets. Long term debt to total capitalization increases as well as debt to equity since BKI will have a long term debt significantly higher than its stockholders’ equity suggesting long term debt is used for permanent financing. Interest Coverage: After the stock repurchase, BKI can cover its interest expense over 20 times with the operating profit earned based on the times interest earned ratio. Expected Cost of Financial Distress BKI may have concerns with financial distress and guaranteeing that all operational costs are covered when leverage is increased. The cost of financial distress for BKI is determined by subtracting the BKI’s weighted cost of debt, 5.22% from the the rate of interest paid by firms that are not in financial distress in the same industry, based on Moody’s AAA rating is 5.88%. This results in a 0.66% cost of financial distress or $100,452,019.96 after the stock repurchase and $ 67,992,788.05 before the stock repurchase.

E-government and E-business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

E-government and E-business - Essay Example That doesn't, of course mean that all the organizations have adopted the e-business models. But beneath the surface, a lot has happened. Computers have been playing much more major role than sheer word processing or computational devices. Today, many managers look at it as an effective communication tool. With the advent of the Internet, the clerks in the companies exchange e-mails with remote suppliers, ordering goods via electronic catalogues and tracking those orders through the whole procurement cycle (Feng Li, 2006). The essential features of e-business are: Scholars generally view e-business and e-government as two phenomena that are quite similar in nature, yet occur independently to one another. Apparently, the two are generally studied separately, though using a common background concerning research methods. Research has also begun suggest that e-business and e-government are related, and therefore should to be studied together. These aspects become much more important and helpful during winds of economic change as they help in improving the economy of the country. As a matter of fact, partnerships between public and private entities have in many instances become key instruments in enabling the development of the region capable of sustaining the local economy by stimulating innovation and fostering greater efficiency within industry. They have also played instrumental roles in eliminating the various ills plaguing the region like the unemployment.Historically, it was in Chile that a real e-governance initiative was taken up in 1972 when IT services were unheard of in those days and were very limited in business. They used IT techniques not just to make paperless offices but also to perform government work efficiently. (Roland, 2003) It is a well-known fact that the advent of e-governance has helped in bridging the gap between the Governments and the public. In the developed nations wherein almost everyone has access to the Internet at very nominal rates, this has been declared a huge success. While certain privileged sections of the society get to avail e-governance and get closer to the government, the threat of the under-privileged, uneducated people distancing themselves from the government cannot be ruled out. However, the major challenge lies in implementing this in the underdeveloped and the developing areas where few people have access to the Internet and major portion of them do not know how to access the Internet. A possible solution for this problem, which can be conceived, is setting up of centers specifically for people to enable performing transactions with the Government with little or no effort. Trained people must be allowed to run these centers, under the supervision of the Government. (J.Sathy anarayana, 2004) Hence, we can sum up the properties of e-governance as follows Integrates the networks of all the government depts., thus, giving the user a platform