Personal Paper :: essays research papers

The Writing Process GENERAL STEPS IN THE WRITING PROCESS 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prewriting and Planning Good planning and preparation are the keys to good writing. a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thinking The first thing that writers should learn about writing is that it starts with thinking. Those who learn to write well know that a good deal of thinking needs to take place before any writing happens. Many people who have trouble writing have trouble because they don't know how to get started. A writer needs to start by thinking about the topic. Usually, in professional life or college, the topic is given, at least in a general way. For example, you may be assigned to write a marketing proposal for next year, or write a position paper on how the new Eurodollar will impact international exchange rates. Start by just thinking about the topic. Let your mind center on it. What do you already know about the topic? What don't you know? What do you need to know? b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gathering Information Begin brainstorming and perhaps jotting down information and ideas. Let your mind flow with the topic. Don't concern yourself with what the information or ideas are; just write down anything related to the topic that occurs to you. If it helps you to make mind maps, use other graphics, or make lists, do so. Brainstorm until you can't think of anything else to jot down. Be as specific as possible with any details. After you've finished brainstorming, look back at the information and ideas you've thought of and written down. Review the material to see if anything else occurs to you. Think about what other information you might need to gather. What else do you need to know? What questions might someone have about your information? Make a note or two about where you think you could find the information you still need. If you need to go to other sources, such as the library or databases, to get information and do some research, then do so. Make copies, mark them up, highlight passages, etc. When you've gathered all the information you think you'll need, stop and check. You need a lot of information and details to work with, of course, but check to see that you have the most basic information: the 5Ws+H. Do you have all the information for your topic regarding who, what, where, when, why, and how? Do you have names and specific details? If you discover you are missing any information or necessary details, go back to your sources and get them.

Economics †product differentiation in monopoly Essay

Monopolies are firms that are the sole or dominant suppliers of a good or service in a given market. And what sets apart monopolies from competitive firms is â€Å"market power†- the ability of a firm to affect the market price. Price discrimination is the business practice of selling the same good at different prices to different customers, even though the cost of production is the same for all customers. Only monopolies can practice price discrimination, because otherwise competition would prevent price discrimination. Price discrimination increases the monopolist’s profits, reduces the consumer surplus and reduces the deadweight loss. (the buyers of the lower-priced product should not be able to resell the product to the higher-priced market. Otherwise, the monopoly will not be able to maintain price differentials. ) The monopolist must be able to identify segments of the market that are willing to pay different prices, and then market its products accordingly. A common technique to achieve this is by making it harder to get the lower prices, since wealthier consumers value their time more than their money. Some ways the monopolistic firms can implement discriminatory pricing are; †¢Linear Approximation Technique or Markup Pricing Technique †¢Personalized Pricing – extracting the maximum amount a customer is willing to pay for the product. †¢Coupons and Rebates – providing coupons to attract more customers or providing personalized discounts. †¢Bulk pricing – offering lower prices when customer buys a huge quantity of the same product. †¢Bundling – joining products or services together in order to sell them as a single combined unit. †¢Block pricing – Charging more for the first set of the product, then less for each additional product bought by the same consumer. †¢Group Pricing- charging different customers different price based on factors such as race, gender, age, abilities etc. and also â€Å"psychographic segmentation†- dividing consumers based on their lifestyle, personality, values, and social class. †¢Charging different prices based on geographic location. Some products may be cheaper to produce in different places and based on the cost of the good sold the monopolistic firm can charge different prices in order to maximize its profits. †¢Placing restrictions or other â€Å"inferior† characteristics on the low-price good or service, so as to make it sufficiently less attractive to the high price segment †¢Establishing a schedule of â€Å"volume discounts† (â€Å"block pricing†) such that only large-volume buyers (who may have more elastic demands) qualify †¢Using a two-part tariff, where the customer pays an up-front fee for the right to buy the product and then pays additional fees for each unit of the product consumed.

4 mat review entwistle Essay

In the book, Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity by David N. Entwistle (2010) the reader is first introduced to the conflict of the integration of psychology and Christianity. The thought is that Christianity is based on faith and psychology is based on truth. As a result, it is the idea that Christianity and psychology may be impossible to coexist. â€Å"The integration of psychology and theology is virtually inevitable due to their mutual interest in understanding the ambiguities and mysteries of human behavior and healing human brokenness.† (Entwistle, 2010, p. 51) Essentially, this statement is a summation of the entire reading. Even though Christianity and psychology are at two opposite ends of the spectrum, the two ideas still carry the ability to be integrated with one another and implemented. Entwistle, explains the integration of psychology and Christianity by first providing a historical overview of scientific and theological communities in order to provide a more in depth understanding of the modern process of integrating psychological thought with Christianity. Entwistle states that the term â€Å"integrated† should also be viewed as a noun because he says, â€Å"If Christ lays claim to all of life, then the work of integration becomes not just feasible, but imperative, as we attempt to understand the essence of unity.† (Entwistle, 2010, p. 16) To continue, Entwistle explains that science and faith have always been conflicting ideas because science is contradictory to theological concepts. Entwistle some what agrees with this idea but based off of a person’s previous assumptions or knowledge about psychology and theology. If a psychologist were to recognize their faith bias when operating in their chosen specialty of psychology, then they could use science as a means of evidence or testament to the auspiciousness of Christ (Entwistle, 2010). As the book goes on, Entwistle introduces five different disciplinary relationships, which include enemies, spies, colonialists, neutral parties, and allies (Entwistle, 2010). Enemies can either be secular or Christian but the common factor is that they agree that there can be no coexistence of faith and science within the field of psychology. Spies are members of the Christian faith who happen to have a background in psychology but are only interested  in the â€Å"benefits of their own religious system† (Entwistle, 2010, p. 182). Spies could also include those who wish to explore the effects of faith on an individual. Colonialists use parts of psychology integrated with their own ideals and beliefs. Neutral parties are indifferent to both secular and theological arguments for the integration of psychology. However, neutral parties are able to maintain that indifference by keeping science and Christianity separate (Entwistle, 2010). The allies’ mode is different from neutral parties model because it is against that idea that theology is docile to psychology and that faith is a â€Å"vehicle to express psychological truth and to foster psychological benefits† (Entwistle, 2010, p. 206). The remaining reading is geared towards understanding truth as it relates to the psychological and theological mindset. In order to better understand the integration of psychology and theology and the similarities and differences between the two, Entwistle explains that we can gain a better understanding of human ps yche and consider completing developmental research in order to come up with counseling techniques that will be valuable for future generations. Concrete Response As a young child I remember growing up my parents explained to me that I would have to work hard in order to achieve success. My parents are very successful people with multiple degrees and although I was a stellar student, I wasn’t the least bit interested in school. I would much rather play sports or dance. My mom came to me one day and said, â€Å"I don’t know if you’ll ever be a doctor or lawyer the way we planned but whatever you decide we will be proud.† I was happy and sad at the same time because although she knew that I am intelligent, she didn’t try to press upon me something that her and my father’s plans for my life. However, I didn’t feel like my parents believed that I could become someone great. I must say that my parents have allowed me and continue to allow me to flourish into the person that God designed for me to be. Even though I appreciated my mother for making that clear to me, I still felt as if I had something t o prove to them. I set out to take as many collegiate level classes as possible in high school and even pushed myself to the limit in my undergraduate courses. On top of all of my schoolwork, I pushed myself to commit to extracurricular  activities within my church and school. When I first read Entwistle’s description of the allies’ model, I immediately thought of myself as an ally. Although our goal at the end of the day is to please God, I felt as if I had to please my parents through my education but I would eventually have to follow God’s plan for my life. While I took the time to find myself, I was forgetting about my religion and solely focused on my psychological wellbeing. I definitely had to get to a place where I was able to integrate both my mental health and well being as well as focus on my relationship with Christ. Reflection In the book Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity, the reader is introduced to the understanding and correlation of psychology and theology. The study of psychology is referenced throughout this book many times but one ideal that is not addressed is the answer as to what a Christian should do with the ideals that are presented in this text. As it is well written, this particular text is invaluable to students and professors or those who wish to study the integration of psychology and theology as it relates to academia. On the converse, what about a regular church pastor or missionary who would like to be more well-versed in their counseling strategies or teaching people who to heal and deal with mental health conditions. The book is well written in the fact that any person who is not familiar with psychological or theological terminology can also understand the content of the text. Although the book many questions in relation to the integration of psychology and theol ogy, it is apparent that the author did not mention the definitions of â€Å"nature† versus â€Å"unnatural.† Nature does not exist today because of the fall of man therefore, we as humans today only know the unnatural. This is a part of the reason that we find human beings to be so unnatural in their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Because of sin, there is no more innocence of creation has been destroyed and can only be restored through the blood of Christ. As psychology and theology integrate, humans can be studied in their natural state. Action For a counseling psychologist or anyone who would like to practice professional counseling, one of the most important steps would be to understand the disciplinary models presented in the text. The Christian community may not be knowledgeable how a person would be classified within the five models. The typical Christian would not know whether or not they would be helping or hindering the individual if they were not familiar with the ideals and beliefs that goes along with each particular model. Having a better understanding of each model will allow a psychologist, or even a regular church pastor to understand where they fall within each model and which model will allow them to provide the best care plan for that client. The following step would be to also evaluate scientific models of psychology in order to better understand which model would integrate well with theology and the five disciplinary models. Understanding what each option and/or technique will provide will allow evidence of Christ through science. As a result, disciples will be brought to Christ because then they will believe. Integration of psychology and Christianity (theology) is more than just ideas and techniques, but the integration of the two will provide insight as to how we as humans live our lives before Christ (Entwistle, 2010). References Entwistle, D. N. (2010). Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity: an Introduction to Worldview Issues, Philosophical Foundations, and Models of Integration (2nd ed.). Eugene, OR

2008 enhanced national, regional and international efforts to improve systemic stability in banking The WritePass Journal

How the global financial crisis of 2007/2008 enhanced national, regional and international efforts to improve systemic stability in banking Introduction: How the global financial crisis of 2007/2008 enhanced national, regional and international efforts to improve systemic stability in banking Introduction:Basel  IPillar one  Pillar two:Pillar three:   II.  Why regulate banks:III.  The Financial Crisis: what happened?IV. An evaluation of Basel II as a uniform system of International banking regulation:1. Shortcomings of Basel I1.1. Procyclicality: 1.2. Unfair competition:1.2.1. Compliance Cost1.2.1.1.  Ã‚  Lack of supervisory uniformityV. Conclusion:ReferenceRelated Introduction: The global financial crisis of 2007/2008 has enhanced national, regional and international efforts, to improve the monitoring of systemic stability in banking. It exposed the weaknesses of the current regime the Basel I; thus leading to increase pressure for a tougher uniform regulation in the banking system. This paper briefly discusses the importance of banks and why they should be regulated; and the causes of the financial crisis. It then goes on further to discuss and evaluate in detail Basel II and the weaknesses of such a uniform system of International banking regulation. Basel  I Following criticisms of Basel I and the increasing complex and global nature of bank operations; the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision hereon ‘the Committee’, published Basel II in 2004. Basel II is an international regulatory framework on capital adequacy of internationally active banks. It is an international standard for national regulators to follow when setting standards for minimum capital. For some, Basel II is one of the most successful uniform regulations, at least in the commercial field[1]. It has been signed by 12 countries and the wake of the financial crisis has led emerging markets and countries such as those in the Asian Pacific region to adopt some of its provisions. Despite its popularity amongst some, many banks still preferred to adopt Basel I because of the complex nature and cost of compliance associated with Basel II; which is feared will be transferred to borrowers through higher capital charges.[2] Though a soft law, it can be argued that Basel II is being adopted by banks not only to encourage international reciprocity, but also because of the benefits it has to offer. It offers an opportunity for banks to improve their sustainability and competitive advantage because it aims at securing financial stability through aligning capital closely with risks.   Unlike Basel I, Basel II achieves this through securing sophisticated approaches to calculating credit and market risks and now operational risks. Others[3] have questioned the practicality of the minimum regulatory capital under Basel II. This is because banks tend to hold more capital due to market forces and national regulation may demand higher capital than Basel II. Whilst the above statement is true, one argues that an international standard of this nature is a necessity justified by the need to prevent systemic risk and to control banks from engaging in excessive risks. Thereby creating market discipline and inherently safeguarding the safety and soundness of the international banking system. Basel II operates on a three pillar approach: Pillar one addresses capital requirements and risks management. Pillar two addresses the supervisory review process. Pillar three addresses market discipline.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pillar one It proposes three compliance methods for minimum capital based on the complexity of the bank. These include the standard approach and the Internal Ratings Based (IRB) approaches. Smaller banks are encouraged to adopt the standard approach and the larger banks the IRB approaches. Under the standard approach, assignment of risk weights are handled by external credit rating agencies, a commendable move as each bank’s risks will be defined more accurately.   Nonetheless, this approach raises concern as it does not eradicate the risk of capital arbitrage nor complacency since it is not subjected to supervision unlike the IRB approach[4]. Moreover, the IRB approaches even though banks worry about compliance cost, is more likely than the standard approach to increase banks safety and soundness; simply because it empowers banks to understand and estimate their potential risks.   Yet, how reliable is this approach? It is too complex and provides a bank with a lot of discretion which may be abused through creating risk models for regulatory purposes (regulatory arbitrage).[5] Nonetheless, this risk appears to have been reduced by pillar two which authorises supervisors to monitor and approve these models. However, it is believed that the IRB approaches could led to inconsistent regulatory application and treatment of risks by banks. A standardised approach on the other hand, eradicates such inconsistencies though it reduces the willingness to enhance risk controls[6]. Despite its weaknesses, pillar one seeks to promote stronger risk management practices amongst the banks, and therefore its main attraction. Although its name depicts it as a mere improvement of Basel I, Basel II does not incorporate a ‘one size fits all’ approach to risk management as that would hardly reflect the true nature of the borrower’s risk[7].   Pillar two: This pillar provides supervisors the power to review bank risk models and provide constructive feedback. It maintains control over bank practices and harmonises supervision. The discretion it offers is critical given the international scope of Basel II in order to fit into national regulations, differing bank practices and unforeseen innovations. Notwithstanding, there is no provision within the pillar for the extent of these supervisory powers or enforcement actions towards poorly managed institutions,[8] making the discretion too wide.   Therefore, not only could such a wide discretion strain the relationship between the banks and supervisors; it could distort consistent regulatory application as supervisors can in effect enforce these standards however they see fit.[9] Consequently, this creates an unbalanced levelled playing field at an international level. Moreover, the Committee appears to have failed to give much thought to effectively linking pillar 1 and 2. Whilst banks ar e encouraged under pillar one to adopt banking strategies, pillar 2 significantly curtails this freedom. It is for these reasons that it is believed to be the weakest pillar of all and unlikely to promote soundness and stability[10]. Pillar three: Pillar three compliments the first two pillars and pays particular focus on enhancing transparency and prudential banking. Banks are required to publicly disclose information such as capital structure and capital adequacy.   As a result, greater bank discipline will be achieved and consequently, economic efficiency. However, it fails to demand the disclosure of essential information in areas relating to credit risks and internal and external ratings by major banks. Additionally, banks may not be willing to disclose information where capital ratios are falling;[11] consequently, this pillar is only a ‘first step towards providing a foundation for market discipline’[12]    II.  Why regulate banks: Basel II cannot be discussed in isolation without reference to banks and the role they play, because banks are the sole reason for the existence of Basel II. Banks are central to the economic activities of every society, what Cohen refers to as the ‘oil that lubricates the wheel of commerce’[13].   Moreover, they are vital source of sustenance of every economy because they provide finances for various commercial purposes as well as access to payment.   Their activities have a huge impact on society and failure could result in dire consequences. In 2007, setbacks brought about by failure of Northern Rock resulted in systemic bank failures and eventually a recession in the United Kingdom (UK) economy. Society has had to bear the burden of sustaining the economy through spending cuts, redundancies, unemployment and increase in prices of goods and services. Additionally, banks are more reluctant to give out loans and people are less willing to spend and leading to a decl ine in economic growth. This partly explains why there are numerous on going debates on banking regulation. Banks have been described differently by different people. For some a bank is inherently a dangerous institution that will generate crises from time to time.[14]   Banks are fragile and one bank failure could spread systemically with devastating results on society[15] and the international banking system as discussed in the previous chapter. Cranston[16] argues that a failure could cause customers in other banks to rush in to withdraw their savings; causing a liquidity crisis. Whilst there may be a real risk of this happening, it is argued that it is not always the case.   Customers of other UK banks, for example, did not rush to withdraw money from their banks because of the failure of Northern Rock. Rather its collapse seemed to have raised public concern and awareness on the fragility and susceptibility of banks to collapsing.   This confirms the perspective that bank failure and fragility does not mean that the financial system is failing but rather that it should be handle d carefully[17]. Additionally, consumer protection is necessary to prevent abuse of power by unscrupulous bankers who may encourage consumers to enter into financial transactions that may be unbeneficial to them. What is more is that, regulations should not only protect customers but also ensure that public confidence in the stability of the financial system is enhanced and protected.[18]These explain why banks need to be regulated so that their activities do no increase systemic risk, spread to other jurisdictions and plunge the economies into financial crisis like the case of 2007/2008. All in all, the underlying reason for regulating banks is to ensure bank soundness and stability both nationally and internationally, and to prevent systemic risks. III.  The Financial Crisis: what happened? Similarly, Basel II cannot be discussed without a mention of the financial crisis, because, due to the crisis, the debate on Basel II and its role in the financial crisis has been intense. The recent financial crisis, â€Å"arguably the greatest crisis in the history of financial capitalism†[19]   has raised a lot of political and academic debate on its causes including the following: Inadequate regulatory framework and supervision[20] Macro-economic imbalances and housing policies in the United States (US)[21] Poor risk management[22] The financial crisis has undoubtedly revealed inadequacies with current banking regulations. The international framework at the time, Basel II[23], was not adequately designed to prevent or deal with the global financial meltdown. However, should not be completely responsible for the collapse of the banking system. Many of the factors that led to the crisis were in place long before the establishment of Basel II[24]. Nevertheless, one would have expected Basel II to be designed to curb these known practices, inherently preventing or mitigating the crisis. It was inadequate and focused a lot on capital requirements with no guidance for liquidity management, an issue that is now to be addressed by Basel III[25]. For example, the Northern Rock crisis was not as a result of inadequate capital but a lack of a strong asset base[26]. Furthermore, at a domestic level, the UK’s banking regulation operated on a less invasive, less strict basis for fear of forcing out lucrative International banks to other countries.[27]This system may have worked for years, but it failed when it was most needed.   The Financial Services Authority (FSA) failed to ensure adequate supervision of banking system, inherently failing to prevent the crisis or mitigate its effects[28]. This is evident in the fact that it: ‘focused excessively on risks at the level of the individual firm, rather than the aggregate picture, as well as placing an over-emphasis on conduct-of-business regulation rather than its prudential responsibilities’.[29] The FSA failed to take over Northern Rock during early stages; this is partly why the Special Resolution Regime[30] was introduced to give it powers of early intervention. Nonetheless, given the nature of the regulations in place and the global nature of the financial crisis it is doubtful that the FSA could have prevented systemic risks. In addition, to the origin of the crisis from the sub-prime markets in the US, the US economy was consuming more than it was producing as reflected in its large deficit.[31] Besides, there has been plenty of talk in the media about bankers being the cause of the crisis; with bankers such as Sir Fred Godwin at the forefront of the firing squad.[32] These bankers were recklessly engaged in affordable credit facilities and excessive remuneration. Financial innovation led to the creation of complex products and excessive risk taking by the banks that lacked adequate capital to safeguard against failures. However, the pitfalls in the banking system should not rest solely with bankers and the regulators but also with the consumers.[33] Consumers’ insatiable desire for high living standards and the economic growth of previous years also contributed to the recklessness and complacency of bankers.   Whilst consumerism has been great for social growth, its negative impact on the econo my cannot be underestimated and should be partly blamed for the financial crisis[34]. IV. An evaluation of Basel II as a uniform system of International banking regulation: With an understanding of the origin and the aim of Basel II, this section will now closely examine and asses Basel II as a uniform system on international banking. Basel II meets the requirements of a uniform regulation through providing rigorous and detailed guidance on capital requirements applicable to all banks. It takes into consideration differences in bank sizes and operations. Moreover, its three compliance methods for capital requirements respectively apply uniformly to all banks depending on their size.   Therefore, this reassures member countries and non-member countries that banks within their country and other countries are sufficiently safe and sound financially; and unlikely to create systemic risk or worsen an international financial crisis[35]. Hence, such reassurance helps to prevent banks from being perceived by the international community as dangerous, unattractive or left isolated in the international financial sphere. Moreover, its menu of approaches to capital requirements such as the standard approach is suitable for both developed and developing countries as well as small and large banks. Basel II reduces regulatory burden by ensuring that banks operating in more than one country comply with only one and similar financial regulation. If for example, a bank like HSBC with global operations has to comply with different banking and financial regulations in different countries, it might experience confusion due to the regulatory differences, which might lead to waste of valuable time and increase compliance cost which could be reinvested into other profitable areas. The result may be that, banks may refrain from international operations because the costs may outweigh the benefits. If this occurs, it could have dire consequences for some economies. Additionally, Basel II creates a level playing field where single set of rules and a standard level of supervision are uniformly applicable to all banks.   For example, its capital requirements ensure that all banks hold a minimum regulatory capital and as such domestic banks cannot have lower capital rates in comparison to foreign banks. Implying that, domestic banks cannot hold less capital whilst investing the other into profitable ventures which may in turn increase their market share, thereby enhancing their competitiveness at the expense of foreign banks. Consequently, Basel II eliminates legal barriers and barriers to fair competition and by so doing, promoting efficiency, uniformity and prudential international banking[36]. Whilst Basel II has the ability to act as an instrument of fairness and uniformity in International banking, nevertheless, it has a number of shortcomings including procyclicality and unfair competition which will be discussed further below. 1. Shortcomings of Basel I 1.1. Procyclicality: As a uniform system of International banking, Basel II can create pro-cyclicality and disproportionate capital requirements which can lead to huge consequences on macroeconomics. It does not promote consistency throughout an economic cycle, an important component of banking stability. Under Basel II during a boom, banks will appear better capitalised, more likely to lend and make risky investment. However, when the value of assets starts dropping; these banks will appear to be below the minimum capital requirements. For example, the IRB approach is too sensitive to macroeconomic variations and will enhance pro-cyclicality unlike the standard approach which is designed with focus on the credit worthiness of the borrower throughout the economic cycle[37]. Ratings are updated annually under IRB approaches, therefore, during a recession a high risk borrower will reflect a higher probability of default, leading to higher capital charges. This over reliance on risk sensitivity distorts reg ulatory capital when banks are in need of it. The larger risk weights and strict regulatory capital requirements could lead to banks refusing to lend money during a recession and excessive lending during a boom. This could also have a significant impact on developing countries who may suffer a reduction in international lending or a significant increase in their borrowing cost; as they will be reflected as high risk borrowers with a high probability of default.   Nevertheless, some argue that this will not be the case since banks price using economic not regulatory capital[38]. Supporters of Basel II argue that allowing banks to have their own risk model reduces the effect on pro-cyclicality.[39] Additionally, it is not entirely clear that Basel II will aggravate procyclicality because pillar one requires banks to stress-test their credit portfolios and rate borrowers according to their ability to pay back with a recession in mind. Additionally, pillar two requires supervisors to take into account procyclicality during the review process where the bank fails to do so.[40] Therefore, the procyclical effects of Basel II cannot be fully justified given the mechanisms in place under pillar one and two. Moreover, a certain degree of procyclicality is inevitable and appropriate if a bank’s capital is to be closely aligned to its risks for prudential purposes[41].Albeit this, Basel II is bad economics in its attempt to use market prices to predict market failures. It is procyclical, something a uniform regulation should avoid and that may explain why the Ba sel III aims to reduce procyclicality by demanding that banks hold a countercyclical capital buffer of 0% 2.5% by January 2019[42]. 1.2. Unfair competition: Enhancing uniformity and competitive equality is one of the main aims of Basel II. However, it is often difficult to draft rules that will take into account institutional and legal differences and yet apply similarly to all. However, Basel II in its attempt to move away from the ‘one size fits all’ approach may create a breeding ground for unfair competition because there are winners and losers. As it stands, larger banks are favoured because as a result of the nature and complexity of their operations they are more likely to qualify for the IRB model. Hence, they will enjoy a 2% 3% reduction in capital which may be invested in other profitable ventures. For example, in the EU, Basel II is applicable to all banks irrespective of their size or geographical location. This might give larger banks an unfair competitive advantage as the anticipation of lower regulatory requirements can cause them to manipulate risk portfolios and take on excessive risks. This may occur at th e expense of financial stability and smaller banks; that through the standard approach may have the quality of their portfolio worsen[43], causing them to lose market shares. Additionally, because of the wide supervisory powers under pillar two, supervision amongst countries may not be uniform and this may place other countries in a better competitive position than others. For example, countries that are stringent in the application of Basel II rules may be at a competitive disadvantage than countries that do not[44] because their banks may have more capital to invest in other areas. Moreover, Basel II does not apply to non-deposit taking lenders but who nonetheless compete in the financial market. Accordingly, they are placed in a better position, since they comply with lower capital rates than banks that have to comply with Basel II. 1.2.1. Compliance Cost The cost of introducing such a uniform system of regulation such as Basel II may be very high, placing an unnecessary burden on some. For example, the lack in uniformity of capital requirements may have a significant impact on emerging economies and markets as the risk management systems will be costly to introduce. Therefore, the balance of the cost and benefits for introducing and implementing it may be disproportionate.[45] On the other hand, more advanced and developed markets and economies are placed at an advantage. Largely because, aside from the benefit enjoyed by larger banks, the more developed economies and countries are more likely to be equipped and well-resourced to effectively supervise their banks.[46] Consequently, they are in a better position to enjoy the benefits of Basel II than the emerging economies or developing countries. Additionally, where these emerging economies and developing countries fail to implement Basel II they could become unattractive. Nonetheles s, these countries can start by introducing the less complex standard approach and then progress as the economies grows. 1.2.1.1.  Ã‚  Lack of supervisory uniformity As a uniform system the effective implementation Basel II is dependent on voluntary cooperation, yet the discretion and independence of supervisory powers and abilities under pillar 2 are too wide. This could create conflict where the home and host countries follow different schemes of regulations, for example a host country may impose in the place of the IRB approaches the standardised approach for a bank that follows the IRB in its home country in order to avoid lower capital requirements and competitive advantage over domestic banks. Additionally, Basel II formalises the role of external credit rating agencies in assessing bank risks. Whilst they play an important role, their record especially in the recent Asian crisis, raises concern because they are not regulated like the IRB models. The absence of a standard of ratings could lead to capital arbitrage caused by banks shopping for favourable ratings. Hence, encouraging unfair competition amongst agencies as well as intensifying procyclicality of bank lending[47]. This lack of uniformity in the regulation of rating standards and supervision could raise serious concerns in achieving its aim of soundness and stability. An organisation responsible for regulating these rating agencies should be created to ensure that they adhere to the same level of supervision as the IRB models.[48]   This issue is now being tackled by Basel III by requiring the registration and supervision of credit agencies[49]. V. Conclusion: It is without a doubt that Basel II has contributed to prudential banking both at an international and national level; through its three pillars on better risk management, greater transparency and greater supervision. Through its pillars, Basel II offers many great opportunities for banks such as the ability to improve sustainability and competitiveness through closely aligning their risks with capital. It also reduces regulatory burden and to some extent creates a level playing field as it seeks to ensure that the same rules are applicable to all banks. A uniform international banking regulation is greatly desirable and needed as a result of the increasing global operations of banks and constant development in the financial sector. Regardless, Basel II does not fulfill the requirements of a uniform system. Its three pillars although developed with a great vision in mind, fail to make it a desirable piece of uniform regulation. Basel II as a uniform system of banking regulation focuses a lot on capital requirements, ignoring other important areas of banking such as liquidity management. As a result, it failed to prevent or mitigate the financial crisis and its effects. A harmonising international standard that seeks to achieve consistency yet is highly flexible such as Basel II is more than likely to fail. Basel II is over detailed, complex and vague as such relies a great deal on domestic supervisors for effective implementation, which will in effect fail to achieve consistency and uniformity, hence its main weakness. Whilst an international banking regulation is needed, Basel I is highly flawed, hence the reason for the new Basel II Accord. Reference [1] R Bollen, ‘The International financial system and future global regulation’ JIBLR (2008) 23(9), 462 quoting from Felson and Bilali, ‘The role of the bank’ (2004) http://login.westlaw.co.uk/maf/wluk/app/document?src=rlsrguid=ia744c0970000012fd01158ecc34d593cdocguid=I53D96EE057A211DDA3BBFE4B3DB72F6Bhitguid=I53D96EE057A211DDA3BBFE4B3DB72F6Bspos=8epos=8td=15crumb-action=appendcontext=37resolvein=true accessed 21st April 2011 [2] FJ Carden de Carvalho, Basel II:   A critical assessment (March 2005) 1-4 ie.ufrj.br/eventos/seminarios/pesquisa/basel_ii_a_critical_assessment.pdf accessed 26th April 2011 [3] DK Tarullo, ‘Banking on Basel: The future of International Financial Regulation (1st edn, The Peterson Institute For International Economics, 2008) 141-143 [4] D Coskun, ‘Credit-rating agencies in the Basel II framework: Why the standardised approach is inadequate for regulatory capital purposes’ (2010 )JIBLR 157-169, 164 http://login.westlaw.co.uk/maf/wluk/app/document?src=rlsrguid=ia744d05f0000012fd08ca524199ce1a6docguid=IB858F4F230AC11DF9C83BB18AACF6BDBhitguid=IB858F4F230AC11DF9C83BB18AACF6BDBspos=1epos=1td=1crumb-action=appendcontext=6resolvein=true accessed 21st April 2011 [5]D K Tarullo, ‘Banking on Basel: The future of International Financial Regulation (1st edn, The Peterson Institute For International Economics, 2008) 170 [6] A A Jobst, ‘Regulation of Operational risks under the new Basel Capital Accord critical Issues’, (2007) JIBLR 22(5) 264 http://login.westlaw.co.uk/maf/wluk/app/document?src=rlsrguid=ia744d05f0000012fd0b2f898199ce260docguid=I25B9EA20E3D211DBB19ABA1496637E01hitguid=I25B9EA20E3D211DBB19ABA1496637E01spos=10epos=10td=24crumb-action=appendcontext=36resolvein=true accessed 21st April 2011 [7] G LIND, ‘Basel II – the new framework for bank capital’   Economic Review 2, 2005, 23 riksbank.com/upload/Dokument_riksbank/Kat_publicerat/Artiklar_PV/Lind.pdf accessed 16th April 2011 [8] D Vanhoose, ‘Market Discipline and Supervisory Discretion in Banking: Reinforcing or Conflicting Pillars Banking’ (Networks Financial Institute, Indiana State University) 2007 WP 06,26 networksfinancialinstitute.org/Lists/Publication%20Library/Attachments/56/2007-WP-06_VanHoose.pdf accessed 15th April 2011 [9] F J Cardim de Carvalho ‘Basel II:   A critical assessment’,(March 2005) 19 [10] D Vanhoose, ‘Market Discipline and Supervisory Discretion in Banking: Reinforcing or Conflicting Pillars Banking’ (Networks Financial Institute, Indiana State University) 2007 WP 06, 25 networksfinancialinstitute.org/Lists/Publication%20Library/Attachments/56/2007-WP-06_VanHoose.pdf accessed 26th April 2011 [11] D K Tarullo, ‘Banking on Basel: The future of International Financial Regulation (1st edn, The Peterson Institute For International Economics, 2008) 178 [12] D Vanhoose, ‘Market Discipline and Supervisory Discretion in Banking: Reinforcing or Conflicting Pillars Banking’ (Networks Financial Institute, Indiana State University) 2007 WP 06, 24-25 [13] BJ Cohen, ‘In Whose Interest? International Banking and American Foreign Policy’ (New Haven, CN: Yale University Press 1986) cited in O JACOBSOHN, ‘Impact of Basel II on the South African banking system’ (2004) Magister Commercii in Business Management Rand Afrikaans University, 72 http://ujdigispace.uj.ac.za:8080/dspace/bitstream/10210/273/1/Dissertation7.pdf accessed 1st May 2011 [14]House of Commons Treasury Committee, ‘Banking Crisis: regulation and supervision’, 2008-09 available at parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmtreasy/767/767.pdf accessed 15th April 2011 [15] This is commonly referred to as systemic risk. [16] R Cranston, Principles of Banking Law (2nd edn OUP 2002)   66-67 [17]MJB Hall and GG Kaufman, ‘International Banking Regulation’ (2002), 8 www.luc.edu/faculty//InternationalBankingRegulation7-12-02.doc accessed 15th May [18] This is also objective 2   of regulators laid down in s.4 of the Banking Act 2009 [19] A Peel, ‘The Turner Review’ (2009) 33 CSR 9, 70,1 lexisnexis.com/uk/legal/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=truerisb=21_T11911683585format=GNBFULLsort=PUBLISHED-DATE,D,H,$PSEUDOLOSK,A,HstartDocNo=1resultsUrlKey=29_T11911683589cisb=22_T11911683588treeMax=truetreeWidth=0csi=280148docNo=1 accessed 15th April 2011 [20]   C Chambers, ‘The Reforms: A Political Safe Haven or Political Suicide – is the Labour bubble bursting?’ (2011) JFRC 19(1), 2 http://login.westlaw.co.uk/maf/wluk/app/document?src=rlsrguid=ia744c0970000012fcff20386f488fee9docguid=I6213C8F246DF11E0A6ECC01597E875E2hitguid=I6213C8F246DF11E0A6ECC01597E875E2spos=2epos=2td=15crumb-action=appendcontext=17resolvein=true accessed 15th April 2011; Deputy K Ekholm, ‘Some lessons from the financial crisis for monetary policy’ (4th December 2009) bis.org/review/r091214c.pdf accessed 15th April 2011 [21] F J Cardim de Carvalho ‘Basel II:   A critical assessment’,(March 2005) 19 ie.ufrj.br/eventos/seminarios/pesquisa/basel_ii_a_critical_assessment.pdf accessed 26th April 2011 [22] IH-Y Chiu, ‘Legislation, regulatory and governance reforms in financial regulation: reflections on the global financial crisis’ Editorial, Comp Law,(2010) 31(6), 165 http://login.westlaw.co.uk/maf/wluk/app/document?src=rlsrguid=ia744cc630000012fcfffcb546e891311docguid=IECBD4B406ACE11DFB49F99FD3B90BEF9hitguid=IECBD4B406ACE11DFB49F99FD3B90BEF9spos=15epos=15td=262crumb-action=appendcontext=30resolvein=true accessed 17th April 2011 [23] Basel II: The International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards A Revised Framework, 2004 [24] E Fournier, ‘How Basel Should Change’ 28 IFLR 16 (2008-2010), 20 http://login.westlaw.co.uk/maf/wluk/app/document?src=rlsrguid=ia744c09a0000012ffaeb98dabae8321bdocguid=I57126030E6A411DDB056C665510274F9hitguid=I57126030E6A411DDB056C665510274F9spos=1epos=1td=1crumb-action=appendcontext=7resolvein=true accessed 21st April 2011 [25] International Regulatory Framework for Banks, 2010 [26] R Bollen, ‘The International financial system and future global regulation’ JIBLR (2008) 23(9), 470 http://login.westlaw.co.uk/maf/wluk/app/document?src=rlsrguid=ia744c0970000012fd01158ecc34d593cdocguid=I53D96EE057A211DDA3BBFE4B3DB72F6Bhitguid=I53D96EE057A211DDA3BBFE4B3DB72F6Bspos=8epos=8td=15crumb-action=appendcontext=37resolvein=true accessed 21st April 2011 [27] Economics online ‘Banking regulation’ economicsonline.co.uk/Business_economics/Banking+regulation.html accessed 15th April 2011 [28] ‘Bank regulation failed – Lords Committee’ (moneyfacts 2nd June 2009) http://moneyfacts.co.uk/news/economy/bank-regulation-failed-lords-committee/ accessed 16th April 2011 [29]   DK Tarullo, ‘Banking on Basel: The future of International Financial Regulation (1st edn, The Peterson Institute For International Economics, 2008) 141-143 [30] Introduced the Banking Act 2009 [31] F J Cardim de Carvalho ‘Basel II:   A critical assessment’,(March 2005) 19 ie.ufrj.br/eventos/seminarios/pesquisa/basel_ii_a_critical_assessment.pdf accessed 26th April 2011 [32] The Times Online, ‘Bankers to blame for the economic â€Å"mess† ‘   (The Sunday Times 28th   February 2008) http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article5820951.ece accessed 16th April 2011 [33] ‘Causes and costs of a global financial crisis’ (The Sunday Times 2nd October 2008) timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article4862921.ece accessed 16th April 2011 [34] F J Cardim de Carvalho ‘Basel II:   A critical assessment’,(March 2005) 19 ie.ufrj.br/eventos/seminarios/pesquisa/basel_ii_a_critical_assessment.pdf accessed 26th April 2011 [35] D K Tarullo, ‘Banking on Basel: The future of International Financial Regulation (1st edn, The Peterson Institute For International Economics, 2008) 178 [36] E Ferran, K Alexander, ‘Can soft law bodies be effective? The special case of the European Systemic Risk Board’ (2010) ELRev 35(6),   761 http://login.westlaw.co.uk/maf/wluk/app/document?src=rlsrguid=ia744d05e0000012fd0dd7691146455a0docguid=I1E797CE008C611E0A451F66F817AC0EEhitguid=I1E797CE008C611E0A451F66F817AC0EEspos=1epos=1td=4crumb-action=appendcontext=9resolvein=true accessed 26th April 2011 [37] D K Tarullo, ‘Banking on Basel: The future of International Financial Regulation (1st edn, The Peterson Institute For International Economics, 2008),178 [38] O JACOBSOHN, ‘Impact of Basel II on the South African banking system’ (2004) Magister Commercii in Business Management Rand Afrikaans University, 72 http://ujdigispace.uj.ac.za:8080/dspace/bitstream/10210/273/1/Dissertation7.pdf accessed 1st May 2011 [39] J Vinals ‘Procyclicality of the Financial System and Regulation’ Speech at the conference on Managing Procyclicality of the Financial System, Hong Kong, (22nd November 2004) bankofspain.org/webbde/es/secciones/prensa/intervenpub/archivo/vinals/relaci221104.pdf accessed 20th April 2011 [40] International Monetary Fund, ‘Will Basel II help prevent crisis or worsen them?’ Finance Development (June 2008), 30 imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2008/06/pdf/saurina.pdf accessed 1st May 2011 [41] International Monetary Fund, ‘Will Basel II help prevent crisis or worsen them?’ Finance Development (June 2008) 31 imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2008/06/pdf/saurina.pdf [42] The Basel III Accord basel-iii-accord.com/ accessed 6th May 2011 [43] E Feess and U Hege, ‘The Basel II Accord: Internal Ratings Approach and Bank Differentiation’, CFS Working Paper no 2004/25, 27 ifk-cfs.de/fileadmin/downloads/publications/wp/04_25.pdf accessed 5th May 2011 [44]   F Roger Jnr, ‘Basel II: discussion of complex issues’. BIS Review 08/2003 bis.org/review/r030623a.pdf accessed 5th May 2011 [45] O JACOBSOHN, ‘Impact of Basel II on the South African banking system’ (2004) Magister Commercii in Business Management Rand Afrikaans University, 73 http://ujdigispace.uj.ac.za:8080/dspace/bitstream/10210/273/1/Dissertation7.pdf accessed 30th April 2011 [46] R Lall, ‘Why Basel II failed and why Basel III is doomed’, (October 2009),GEG Working Paper 2009/52, 10 globaleconomicgovernance.org/wp-content/uploads/GEG-Working-paper-Ranjit-Lall.pdf accessed 21st 2011 [47] D Coskun, ‘Credit-rating agencies in the Basel II framework: Why the standardised approach is inadequate for regulatory capital purposes’ (2010 )JIBLR 157-169 [48]E Fournier, ‘How Basel Should Change’, 28 IFLR 16 2009-2010, 17 [49] J Kollewe and G Wearden ‘Basel III: the main points’ (guardian.co.uk 13th September 2010) guardian.co.uk/business/2010/sep/13/basel-iii-the-main-points accessed 21st 2011

Free Essays on Isolation in Stone Boy

â€Å"Isolation in Stone Boy† Isolation is a major theme in â€Å"Stone Boy† by Gina Berriault, especially with Arnold emotionally and physically, and his family, and society. After Arnold killed his brother a lot changed for him and his family. Physically and emotionally, Arnold would isolate himself from his family and also society. Also both his family and society would isolate themselves from Arnold. After the death of Eugene isolation came into play with all of the characters in the story. Arnold physically isolated himself from his family and society. For example, Arnold physically isolated himself from his family when he went into the loft. â€Å"Arnold went into the barn, down along the foddering passage past the cows waiting to be milked, and climbed into the loftâ€Å" (Berriault 3). Arnold also physically isolated himself when he got in the back seat, when he, his father, and his uncle were leaving the Sheriff station. â€Å"Arnold went first through the hallway, hearing behind him the heels of his father and Uncle Andy striking the floor boards. He went down the steps ahead of them and climbed into the back seat of the car† (Berriault 6). He also physically isolated himself when he was sitting in the rocking chair with his arms folded and eyes lowered. Arnold isolated himself in the rocking chair because â€Å"if he stayed he thought, as he always stayed and listened when visitors came, they would see that he was only Arnold and not the person t he Sheriff thought he was. He sat with his arms crossed and his hands tucked into his armpits and did not lift his eyes† (Berriault 7). Arnold physically isolated himself at the end of the story when he went to get the calf. He thought â€Å"if he went for the calf he’d be away from the farm all morning† (Berriault 9). Arnold would physically isolate him self by going somewhere to be alone, or doing things physically to try to keep him from his family and society. Arnold emotiona... Free Essays on Isolation in Stone Boy Free Essays on Isolation in Stone Boy â€Å"Isolation in Stone Boy† Isolation is a major theme in â€Å"Stone Boy† by Gina Berriault, especially with Arnold emotionally and physically, and his family, and society. After Arnold killed his brother a lot changed for him and his family. Physically and emotionally, Arnold would isolate himself from his family and also society. Also both his family and society would isolate themselves from Arnold. After the death of Eugene isolation came into play with all of the characters in the story. Arnold physically isolated himself from his family and society. For example, Arnold physically isolated himself from his family when he went into the loft. â€Å"Arnold went into the barn, down along the foddering passage past the cows waiting to be milked, and climbed into the loftâ€Å" (Berriault 3). Arnold also physically isolated himself when he got in the back seat, when he, his father, and his uncle were leaving the Sheriff station. â€Å"Arnold went first through the hallway, hearing behind him the heels of his father and Uncle Andy striking the floor boards. He went down the steps ahead of them and climbed into the back seat of the car† (Berriault 6). He also physically isolated himself when he was sitting in the rocking chair with his arms folded and eyes lowered. Arnold isolated himself in the rocking chair because â€Å"if he stayed he thought, as he always stayed and listened when visitors came, they would see that he was only Arnold and not the person t he Sheriff thought he was. He sat with his arms crossed and his hands tucked into his armpits and did not lift his eyes† (Berriault 7). Arnold physically isolated himself at the end of the story when he went to get the calf. He thought â€Å"if he went for the calf he’d be away from the farm all morning† (Berriault 9). Arnold would physically isolate him self by going somewhere to be alone, or doing things physically to try to keep him from his family and society. Arnold emotiona...

Overview of Toltec Gods and Religion

Overview of Toltec Gods and Religion The Ancient Toltec civilization dominated Central Mexico during the post-classic period, from approximately 900-1150 A.D. from their home in the city of Tollan (Tula). They had a rich religious life and the apogee of their civilization is marked by the spread of the cult of Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent. Toltec society was dominated by warrior cults and they practiced human sacrifice as a means of gaining favor with their gods. The Toltec Civilization The Toltecs were a major Mesoamerican culture who rose to prominence after the fall of Teotihuacn in approximately 750 A.D. Even before Teotihuacan fell, Chichimec tribes in central Mexico and the remnants of the mighty Teotihuacan civilization had begun coalescing into the city of Tula. There they founded a powerful civilization which would eventually extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific through networks of trade, vassal states, and war. Their influence reached as far as the Yucatan Peninsula, where the descendants of the ancient Maya civilization emulated Tula art and religion. The Toltecs were a warlike society ruled by priest-kings. By 1150, their civilization went into decline and Tula was eventually destroyed and abandoned. The Mexica (Aztec) culture considered ancient Tollan (Tula) the high point of civilization and claimed to be descendants of the mighty Toltec kings. Religious Life at Tula Toltec society was highly militaristic, with religion playing an equal or secondary role to the military. In this, it was similar to the later Aztec culture. Still, religion was extremely important to the Toltecs. The kings and rulers of the Toltecs often served as priests of Tlaloc as well, erasing the line between civil and religious rule. Most of the buildings in the center of Tula had religious functions. The Sacred Precinct of Tula Religion and gods were important to the Toltecs. Their mighty city of Tula is dominated by the sacred precinct, a compound of pyramids, temples, ball courts, and other structures around an airy plaza. Pyramid C: The largest pyramid at Tula, Pyramid C has not been completely excavated and was extensively looted even before the Spanish arrived. It shares certain characteristics with the Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacan, including its east-west orientation. It was once covered with relief panels like Pyramid B, but most of these were looted or destroyed. The little evidence that remains suggests that Pyramid C might have been dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. Pyramid B: located at a right angle across the plaza from the larger Pyramid C, Pyramid B is home to the four tall warrior statues for which the site of Tula is so famous. Four smaller pillars contain relief sculptures of gods and Toltec kings. A carving on the temple is thought by some archaeologists to represent Quetzalcoatl in his aspect as Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, the warlike god of the morning star. Archaeologist Robert Cobean believes that Pyramid B was a private religious sanctuary for the ruling dynasty. The Ball Courts: There are at least three Ball courts at Tula. Two of them are strategically located: Ballcourt One is aligned to Pyramid B on the other side of the main plaza, and the larger Ballcourt Two makes up the western edge of the sacred precinct. The Mesoamerican ball game had important symbolic and religious meaning for the Toltecs and other ancient Mesoamerican cultures. Other Religious Structures in the Sacred Precinct: In addition to the pyramids and ball courts, there are other structures in Tula which had religious significance. The so-called Burned Palace, once thought to be where the royal family lived, is now believed to have served a more religious purpose. The Palace of Quetzalcoatl, situated between the two major pyramids, was also once thought to be residential but is now believed to have been a temple of sorts, possibly for the royal family. There is a small altar in the middle of the main plaza as well as the remains of a tzompantli, or skull rack for the heads of sacrificial victims. The Toltecs and Human Sacrifice Ample evidence at Tula shows that the Toltecs were dedicated practitioners of human sacrifice. On the western side of the main plaza, there is a tzompantli, or skull rack. It is not far from Ballcourt Two (which is probably not a coincidence). The heads and skulls of sacrificed victims were placed here for display. It is one of the earliest known tzompantlis, and probably the one that the Aztecs would later model theirs upon. Inside the Burned Palace, three Chac Mool statues were found: these reclining figures hold bowls where human hearts were placed. Pieces of another Chac Mool were found near Pyramid C, and historians believe that a Chac Mool statue probably was placed on top of the small altar in the center of the main plaza. There are depictions at Tula of several cuauhxicalli, or large eagle vessels which were used to hold human sacrifices. The historical record agrees with the archaeology: post-conquest sources recounting Aztec legends of Tollan claim that Ce Atl Topiltzà ­n, the legendary founder of Tula, was forced to leave because the followers of Tezcatlipoca wanted him to increase the number of human sacrifices. The Gods of the Toltecs The ancient Toltec civilization had many gods, chief among them Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Tlaloc. Quetzalcoatl was the most important of these, and representations of his abound at Tula. During the apogee of the Toltec civilization, the cult of Quetzalcoatl spread throughout Mesoamerica. It even reached as far as the ancestral lands of the Maya, where similarities between Tula and Chichen Itza include the majestic Temple to Kukulcn, the Maya word for Quetzalcoatl. At major sites contemporary with Tula, such as El Tajin and Xochicalco, there are important temples dedicated to the Feathered Serpent. The mythical founder of the Toltec civilization, Ce Atl Topiltzà ­n Quetzalcoatl, may have been a real person who was later deified into Quetzalcoatl. Tlaloc, the rain god, was worshiped at Teotihuacan. As the successors of the great Teotihuacan culture, it is no surprise that the Toltecs venerated Tlaloc as well. A warrior statue dressed in Tlaloc garb was discovered at Tula, indicating the probable presence of a Tlaloc warrior cult there. Tezcatlipoca, the Smoking Mirror, was considered a sort of brother god to Quetzalcoatl, and some surviving legends from the Toltec culture include both of them. There is only one representation of Tezcatlipoca at Tula, on one of the columns atop Pyramid B, but the site was heavily looted even before the arrival of the Spanish and other carvings and images may have been carried off long ago. There are depictions of other gods at Tula, including Xochiquetzal and Centeotl, but their worship was clearly less widespread than that of Tlaloc, Quetzalcoatl, and Tezcatlipoca. New Age Toltec Beliefs Some practitioners of New Age Spiritualism have adopted the term Toltec to refer to their beliefs. Chief among them is the writer Miguel Angel Ruiz, whose 1997 book has sold millions of copies. Very loosely stated, this new Toltec spiritual belief system focuses on the self and ones relationship to things one cannot change. This modern spirituality has little or nothing to do with religion from the ancient Toltec civilization and should not be confused with it. Sources Charles River Editors. The History and Culture of the Toltec. Lexington: Charles River Editors, 2014. Cobean, Robert H., Elizabeth Jimà ©nez Garcà ­a and Alba Guadalupe Mastache. Tula. Mexico: Fondo de Cultura Economica, 2012. Coe, Michael D, and Rex Koontz. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008 Davies, Nigel. The Toltecs: Until the Fall of Tula. Norman: the University of Oklahoma Press, 1987. Gamboa Cabezas, Luis Manuel. El Palacio Quemado, Tula: Seis Decadas de Investigaciones. Arqueologia Mexicana XV-85 (May-June 2007). 43-47

Kathryn Bigelow Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kathryn Bigelow - Movie Review Example The first film, titled â€Å"The Loveless†, was directed in 1982 proved to be a debutorial success few others have achieved in their careers. Further along her career, she continued to produce box office hits. She directed and produced blockbusters including ‘Blue Steel’, of 1989, ‘Hurt Locker’ 2008, and her most recent movie, which she produced and directed, ‘Zero Dark Thirty†, 2012. All three movies will be discussed within this paper. Sean Redmond and Deborah Jermyn in the book â€Å"The Cinema of Kathryn Bigelow Hollywood Transgressor† have mentioned that Kathryn Bigelow is an auteur, meaning she has a distinct style, which reflects in her movies. Despite the fact that some critics claim that Bigelow does not have a distinct style owing to the fact that she has produced and directed a wide range of movies. They claim that Bigelow’s expertise lies in the fact that she refuses to be categorized. However, even so, this is true about Bigelow’s movies that they are mostly feminist, supporting the women strength. For instance, in the movie Blue Steel, released in 1989, the main character is a female. Played by James Lee Curtis, the character of Megan Turner is that of a rookie cop, who kills a criminal on her first night on duty. Things don’t go as smooth after that since she gets suspended by her superiors because of lack of evidence in her favor, and is accused of murder. Later in the movi e, when she gets her badge back for a spcial case, she bravely struggles, and at last successfully brings the criminal, her own ex-boyfriend, Eugene Hunt (Ron Silver) to justice, with a lot of hard work. In this film, Bigelow shows Megan as a very strong female, a very determinant police officer, reflecting Bigelow’s own feminist views. Megan’s character defies the ordinary and takes assertive decisions that go against the traditional view of femininity. Being a strong supporter of female independence, Bigelow’s personal views do indeed come out in the movie Blue Steel. This depiction of strong females and a reversal of gender roles is not merely a coincidence restricted to Blue Steel. Kathryn Bigelow’s latest movie, Zero Dark Thirty hit the box office in 2012. Turning out to be an amazing hit, the movie not only became very popular, but also served to reflect the Feminist views of its Producer/Director – Kathryn Bigelow, to a great extent. Zero Dark Thirty is a brilliantly directed fictionalized account about the search for Osama bin Laden, that started since the fateful attack of 9/11 on the World Trade Center in New York – an event that c hanged the lives of many. The movie revolves around the very same incident. Although the film is about three Central intelligence agency officers working together, the director Bigelow only shows one character very closely, who is Maya (Jessica Chastain), a female. Putting the female character in the lead role speaks of Bigelow’s determinacy to see women in a league apart and above that of men. In the film, Maya helps carry out cruel and violent interrogations of detainees – in a manner unlike that of a lady. She is a very strong and powerful character. According to Kathryn Bigelow’s own words, â€Å"the Film is obviously about a woman†. These words were spoken in a speech that has been hailed by critics as one of an overtly feminist view,