Richard III Themes Essays - English People, Richard III Of England

Richard III Themes In the play, Richard the III, by William Shakespeare, the character Richard (Duke of Gloucester) is a very manipulative and deceiving person. Richard acts like this in order to fulfill his dream to become King. And since he is at the bottom of a long, long list to be King, he has a lot of people to deceive. But when he does manipulate people, such as his brothers, Lady Anne, and Buckingham, he does without mercy and conscience. Richard's brothers are one of the first people to be manipulated and he does it by making them think that one is trying to kill the other. From Richard's opening soliloquy from the beginning of the play he tells us: And if King Edward be as true and just As I am subtle, false and treacherous, This day should Clarence closely be mew'd up, About a prophecy, which says that 'G' Of Edward's heirs the murderer shall be.(I,I, ) And this is where King Edward the IV comes up with the assumption that their brother(George Duke Of Clarence) is going to murder him. So King Edward locks George up in the tower after Richard tells him about his false dream. Then Richard works his deceiving mind on George saying, "And whatsoever you will employ me in,/Were it to call King Edward's widow sister,/ I will perform it to enfranchise you." (I,I, ) And what Richard is saying if you want I will kill the King for you so that you can get revenge for this terrible act committed against you. And just like that the two brothers already hate each other. Richard is a very smart and deceptive man. But the real question should be whether he has the intelligence to win the love an affection of a women who has lost her father and husband to the hands of Richard. The funny thing is that Richard does accomplish this feat. Lady Anne, when we meet her in the beginning of Act I, Scene II, has a bitter hatred towards Richard. She even puts several curses on him such as, "If ever he have child, abortive be it,/Prodigious, and untimely brought to light,/Whose ugly and unnatural aspect/May fright the hopeful mother at the view,"(I,II, ). But her attitude soon changes as Richard weaves his web of deceit. Richard makes her believe that the reason why he murdered her husband and father was over her beauty. That he was committing the acts for her sake, "Your beauty was the cause of that effect;/Your beauty: which did haunt me in my sleep/To undertake the death of all the world,/So I might live one hour in your sweet bosom.", that it was her love that he was trying to win and all opposition would perish if they were in his way. And as soon as Richard said those words, Lady Anne starts to question her thoughts and mentality. And that is when it all goes down hill for her and by the end of the scene Lady Anne is wearing Richard's ring. Yet there is still one character that is essential to Richard's plans and that is Buckingham. Buckingham seems like a strong and intelligent man yet he can not comprehend the power behind Richard. For instance, Buckingham is thanking the Queen Margaret for not putting a curse on him but then Richard asked what did she say and Buckingham replies, "Nothing that I respect, my gracious Lord", and in saying that he has just disrespected Queen Margaret. Richard even goes so far in manipulating Buckingham, that Buckingham himself breaks his own curse by going against the Queen Elizabeth in which he said he would never do. He is also becoming Richard's right hand man even though Richard makes it look vice-versa. And just by manipulating these few people, he has turned bother against brother, turned a woman who hated him into his wife, and turned a man who was loyal to everyone to Richard's accomplice. Richard's power of deceit and manipulation is about a thousand times higher than anybody in "Richard the III", by William Shakespeare, which makes for a wild and interesting ride.

The Magic Tree House Book Series by Mary Pope Osborne

The Magic Tree House Book Series by Mary Pope Osborne The Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne has been popular since the first MTH book for young independent readers, Dinosaurs Before Dark, was published in 1992. By August 2012, there were 48 books in the series for independent readers, 6 to 10 or 11 years old, as well as 26 companion research guides (Magic Tree House Fact Tracker nonfiction books) for some of the books in the series. The Adventures of Jack and Annie All of the books in the series center around the time travel adventures of brother and sister Jack and Annie, who live in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. The two discover a magic tree house in the woods by their house. In books #1 to 28, Jack is 8 years old and Annie is a year younger. Thanks to the book-filled magic tree house whose books have magical properties and whose owner, magical librarian Morgan le Fay provides them with exciting missions, the two have many exciting adventures. Each book focuses on a subject and story designed to pique the interest of young independent readers. The subjects and time periods vary widely, which means that there will most likely be some, or many, of particular interest to your child. The Basics Magic Tree House books #1 to 28 are generally between 65 and 75 pages long and target children 6 to 9. The reading levels are mostly between 2.0 and 2.4. The books are divided into brief chapters, each of which has one or more intriguing illustrations by Sal Murdocca, the illustrator for all of the MTH books. Teachers and parents looking for specific information about a variety of reading level measures for the books, as well as curriculum connections and lessons plans, will find Mary Pope Osbornes Magic Tree House Classroom Adventures Program site a valuable resource. Your children will enjoy the games, activities and fun, all related to books in the series and the subjects they cover, at the Random House Magic Tree House site. While you may want to have your child start with the first book in the series, which introduces Jack and Annie and enables your child to experience time travel via the Magic Tree House for the first time right along with Jack and Annie, its not necessary to read the books in a particular order. A prologue at the beginning of each book provides the necessary background information. However, to provide incentive for kids to keep reading, there is an overarching mission for each four books, but it is still not necessary to read even each of those books in a particular order. To give you an idea of a mission, in books #9 to 12, Jack and Annie have to solve four ancient riddles, one in each of the books, but since each of the books can be read independently, it will be up to young readers (or their teachers) to decide whether or not to read the books in groups of four. The books are available in paperback, library binding, and as audiobooks and eBooks. A full set of books #1 to 28 in the Magic Tree series is also available in paperback. Individual books are also available, as are books in sets of four. Benefits of a Good Series for Young Independent Readers In order for children to learn to be fluent readers, with good comprehension skills, they need to read a lot. When children are relatively new readers, they need to concentrate on decoding each word and comprehending what they are reading without a lot of distractions. It helps if they can find a series they like at a reading level they can comfortably read. Why? Every time they start a new book in the series, they dont have to get used to new main characters, a new story format, a different style of writing or anything else that would distract them from just enjoying the story. Its this enjoyment that will bring them back for more and more stories, which will help them become fluent readers. It also helps a lot to talk about the books with your children. Ask them to tell you about Jack and Annies latest adventure, what it was all about, and what they learned. For kids who prefer nonfiction or who want to know more about the subject of the Magic Tree House book they just read, see if there is a Magic Tree House Fact Tracker nonfiction companion research guide. Book List of Books #1 to 28 in the Magic Tree House Series Note that a CNB (for companion nonfiction book) at the end of each book listing means that there is a Magic Tree House Fact Tracker for that book. Dinosaurs Before Dark, Magic Tree House, Book #1 - CNBThe Knight at Dawn, Magic Tree House, Book Book #2 - CNBMummies in the Morning, Magic Tree House, Book Book #3 - CNBPirates past Noon, Magic Tree House, Book Book #4 - CNBNight of the Ninjas, Magic Tree House, Book #5Afternoon on the Amazon, Magic Tree House, Book #6 - CNBSunset of the Sabertooth, Magic Tree House, Book #7 - CNBMidnight on the Moon, Magic Tree House, Book #8 - CNBDolphins at Daybreak, Magic Tree House, Book #9 - CNBGhost Town at Sundown, Magic Tree House, Book #10Lions at Lunchtime, Magic Tree House, Book #11Polar Bears Past Bedtime, Magic Tree House, Book #12 - CNBVacation Under The Volcano, Magic Tree House, Book #13 - CNBDay of the Dragon King, Magic Tree House, Book #14Viking Ships at Sunrise, Magic Tree House, Book #15Hour of the Olympics, Magic Tree House, Book #16 - CNBTonight on the Titanic, Magic Tree House, Book #17 - CNBBuffalo Before Breakfast, Magic Tree House, Book #18Tigers at Twilight, Magic Tree H ouse, Book #19 Dingoes at Dinnertime, Magic Tree House, Book #20Civil War on Sunday, Magic Tree House, Book #21Revolutionary War on Wednesday, Magic Tree House, Book #22 - CNBTwister on Tuesday, Magic Tree House, Book #23 - CNBEarthquake in the Early Morning, Magic Tree House, Book #24Stage Fright on a Summer Night, Magic Tree House, Book #25Good Morning, Gorillas, Magic Tree House, Book #26Thanksgiving on Thursday, Magic Tree House Book #27 - CNBHigh Tide in Hawaii, Magic Tree House, Book #28 - CNB

A Short Summary of the Persian Wars

A Short Summary of the Persian Wars The term Greco-Persian Wars is thought to be less biased against the Persians than the more common name Persian Wars, but most of our information about the wars comes from the winners, the Greek side. Greek historian Peter Green characterizes it as a David and Goliath struggle with David holding out for political and intellectual liberty against the monolithic theocratic Persian war machine. It wasnt just Greeks against Persians, nor were all the Greeks on the Greek side. Conflict began before the usual start date of the Persian Wars; however, for practical purposes, the term Greco-Persian Wars covers the invasions of Greece by two Achaemenid Persian kings from about 492 B.C. to 449/448 B.C. Earlier than the (mostly failed) attempts by the Persian kings Darius and Xerxes to control Greece, Persian King Cambyses had extended the Persian Empire around the Mediterranean coast by absorbing Greek colonies. Some Greek poleis (Thessaly, Boeotia, Thebes, and Macedonia) joined Persia, as did other non-Greeks, including Phoenicia and Egypt, but many Greek poleis, under the leadership of Sparta, especially on land, and under the dominance of Athens, at sea, opposed the Persian forces. Before their invasion of Greece, Persians had been facing revolts within their own territory. During the Persian Wars, revolts within Persian territories continued. When Egypt revolted, the Greeks helped them. Summary Locations:  Various. Especially Greece, Thrace, Macedonia,  Asia MinorDates:  c. 492-449/8 B.C.Winner:  GreeceLoser:  Persia (under kings  Darius  and  Xerxes) When Were the Greco-Persian Wars? The Persian Wars are usually dated 492-449/448 B.C. However, conflict started between the Greek poleis in Ionia and the Persian Empire before 499 B.C. There were two mainland invasions of Greece, in 490 (under King Darius) and 480-479 B.C. (under King Xerxes). The Persian Wars ended with the Peace of Callias of 449, but by this time, and as a result of actions taken in Persian War battles, Athens had developed her own empire. Conflict mounted between the Athenians and the allies of Sparta. This conflict would lead to the Peloponnesian War during which the Persians opened their deep pockets to the Spartans. Medize Thucydides (3.61-67) says the Plataeans were the only Boeotians  who did not Medize. To Medize was to submit to the Persian king as overlord. The Greeks referred to the Persian forces collectively as Medes, not distinguishing Medes from Persians. Likewise, we today dont distinguish among the Greeks (Hellenes), but the Hellenes were not a united force before the Persian invasions. Individual poleis could make their own political decisions. Panhellenism (united Greeks) became important during the Persian Wars. Next, when the barbarian invaded Hellas, they say that they were the only Boeotians who did not Medize; and this is where they most glorify themselves and abuse us. We say that if they did not Medize, it was because the Athenians did not do so either; just as afterwards when the Athenians attacked the Hellenes they, the Plataeans, were again the only Boeotians who Atticized. ~Thucydides Individual Battles During the Persian Wars 1st NaxosSardisEphesusLade2nd NaxosEretriaMarathonThermopylaeArtemisiumSalamisPotideaOlynthusPlataeaMycaleSestusByzantiumEionDoriskosEurymedonProsopitisSalamis and Cyprus End of the War The final battle of the war had led to the death of the Athenian leader Cimon and the defeat of the Persian forces in the area, but it didnt give decisive power in the Aegean to one side or the other. The Persians and Athenians were both tired and after Persian overtures, Pericles sent Callias to the Persian capital of Susa for negotiations. According to Diodorus, the terms gave the Greek poleis in Ionia their autonomy and the Athenians agreed not to campaign against the Persian king. The treaty is known as the Peace of Callias. Historical Sources Herodotus is the principal source on the Persian Wars, from Croesus of Lydias conquest of the Ionian poleis to the fall off Sestus (479 B.C.).Thucydides provides some of the later material. There are also later historical writers, including Ephorus in the 4th century B.C., whose work is lost except for fragments, but was used byDiodorus Siculus, in the 1st century A.D. Supplementing these are Justin (under Augustus) in his Epitome of Pompeius Trogus,Plutarch (2nd century A.D.) Biographies andPausanias (2nd century A.D.) Geography. In addition to historical sources, there is Aeschylus play The Persians. Key Figures Greek MiltiadesThemistoclesEurybiadesLeonidasPausaniasCimonPericles Persian Darius IMardoniusDatisArtaphernesXerxesArtabazusMegabyzus There were later battles between Romans and Persians, and even another war that might be thought of as Greco-Persian, the Byzantine-Sassanid War, in the 6th and early 7th century A.D.

Wide Sargasso Sea Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wide Sargasso Sea - Research Paper Example Her families, creoles, were in their own race because they could not identify with any of the races in Jamaica that were determined by financial muscles. They are forced to flee their home in Coulibri as a result of the attack by the freed slaves who were avenging on the family, this became apparent because Mr. Mason, stepfather, declined Annette’s pleas to move from that place, she is married to Rochester, an Englishman who had accepted to marry her because of his greedy to get her wealthy, her ordeal with Rochester nearly leads to her being mad and referred to as Marionetta and Bertha by Rochester (Drake 199). Rochester, the man who is married by Antoinette, is unnamed in the book but his identity comes clear when we take into consideration the hero in Jane Eyre (Harris 191). His coming to Jamaica is influenced by Mr. Mason and Antoinette’s half brother and the whole situation led to a hasty marriage between the two. He sees the whole wedding as a trick considering th e way it was hurriedly done and this is cemented by Daniel’s letter to him informing him of the Cosway family background that is tainted with instances of madness. He could not even thing of quitting the marriage union because he really needed Antoinette’s fortune to rescue himself from being ruined and dependency on the brother. The issue of deception leads him to unleashing cruelty on his wife and this contributes to her mental breakdown while in England. Antoinette seems to be happy and fully fulfilled because of the romantic environment created by Rochester who consummates with her simply to satisfy his sexual desire and not as a result of love. The landscape in Granbois where they had gone for their honeymoon is very beautiful and relaxing according to Antoinette. It created a considerable distance from the people who hated her. After a considerable number of days at Granbois, even Rochester begins to appreciate the place and even forgetting her marriage to Antoin ette as a misgiving because the weather was nice and he spent time in the bathing pool (Raiskin 256). Most of the time Antoinette could join him in the pool and they both watch the sun go down from the afternoon till evening. This happiness and enjoyment is brought about by a conducive and humble environment that is welcoming away from the hustle and bustle of life. Rochester notices two different sides of Antoinette that are very distant, and they depend on the time of the day; at night, she could wear a melancholy and somber mood considering how unhappy her past was. She sees Rochester as her own source of happiness away from the doomed past. During the day, she could converse and smile with him openly away from her fateful past. These instances shows that during the day she could view the nice sceneries of Granbois that are complemented by the presence of her husband and she becomes psychologically settled and happy, the opposite is experienced during the night she is forced to c ome into contact with the harsh reality of her dreadful past and this brings her sadness (Stein 130). Rochester’s inability to offer his wife Antoinette security and his general reaction to the nature of Caribbean exposes his feelings for the place which have a long lasting impact on the wife. The beauty and the natural sceneries in the place do not make any impression on him although he acknowledges that the place is really beautiful, he describes it as an untouched, wild, with an alien place that has a disturbing secret loveliness (Stein 131).Rochester does not want to accept the uniqueness in the landscapes of the Caribbean, he opts to despise them instead. He came to hate the rivers, the mountains, and the rain in that place

The History of Toyota Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The History of Toyota Corporation - Essay Example   Accordingly, the reporters averred that â€Å"safety analysts found an estimated 2000 cases in which owners of Toyota cars including Camry, Prius, and Lexus, reported that their cars surged without warning up to speeds of 100 miles per hour† (Ross, et.al., 2009, par. 2). As a result, there have been congressional hearings scheduled to investigate the complaints and the cases focusing on the safety problems posed by Toyota cars in the US. In this regard, this essay aims to evaluate whether or not Toyota was treated fairly in those hearings. When evaluating the congressional hearings, there are diverse sides that must be considered, to wit: Toyota’s explanation, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), testimonies from safety research institutes and other automotive authorities, the victims of the runaway cars, and the public. Toyota’s defense through James Lentz, president, and COO of Toyota US revealed in his testimony that â€Å"no proble ms exist with the electric throttle control system in our vehicles. Rather, floor mats and sticky accelerators are to blame" (Farber, 2010, par. 7). Two testimonies, however, blamed the accidents on the electrical malfunction with testimonial reports and personal testing and analysis. The side of the NHTSA is being criticized due to previous agency investigators subsequently being employed by Toyota. Any investigation on the sudden acceleration accidents could have been influenced and biased due to connections with Toyota. However, the hearings found â€Å"no violation for these two employees† (Schone & Rhee, 2010, 3). The victims have filed legal cases against Toyota for having sustained injuries with deaths to family members. Also at risk are the public who could be victims of these kinds of car accidents.

The American Airlines and US Airways Merger

The American Airlines and US Airways Merger Mergers and acquisitions correspond to the definitive changes for businesses. In the contemporary business environment, they are increasingly being adopted to enhance competition through increased performances. Similar organizations merge hence their long-term survival in the competitive environment (Weston, 2014). Typically, mergers and acquisitions result in organizational economic development. The companies involved grow their market share and capacity thus expanding on investment portfolios to facilitate risk reduction. They smooth the progress of entering new markets, adding up to shareholders value and offer better economies of scale. At this perspective view, nearly all publicly traded companies have experienced a major acquisition at some point in the United States, so did the American Airlines and US Airways in 9th December 2013. Both companies operate under the same radar of airspace business. The American Airlines and US Airways merged to form American Airlines Group, Inc. as a publicly traded airline holding company based in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. The target company was American Airlines. American Airlines maintained 72% of the company while US Airways took the rest 28%. The majority of the shares were distributed to US Airways shareholders and American Airlines previous creditors. This merge upshot the largest airline globally with 336 locations in 56 nations worldwide, over 6,700 daily flights, more than 100,000 employees and an operating revenue of $40billion. As yet, American Airlines Group, targets to take the delivery of over 600 new aircrafts including a minimum of 500 narrow-bodied and 90 wide-body international flights (American Airlines News, n.d.) Examine the circumstances that resulted in the merger or acquisition for the selected company. Speculate on two (2) reasons why the resulting decision to merge or to acquire / be acquired was made. Circumstances that resulted in the merger of American Airways and US Airways The foremost circumstances which lead to America Airlines and US Airways merger from an abstract point of view sets from the financial problems. US Airways was an American Airlines creditor according to a bankruptcy court filing stated under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It had already undergone through more than a decade of losses and retrenchments. The management team had considered a stand-alone restructuring plan before. It also revealed that American Airlines looked forward to merging with another airline and US Airways presented the potential fit. Secondly, both companies had similar operations. These incidents gave rise to possible workable and potential merger action which materialised in the end as they both agreed to a merger. Reasons that resulted to the merger The first reason as to why the resulting decision to merge was made was the fact that the merger would create a book balance by absorbing out the bankruptcy court filing after appropriate paybacks and other payments. Henceforth, the merged company would operate in financial freedom achieved for the long-term outcome. Operating together with the pooled cost of capital would lower operational costs and realize increased returns than if the two companies functioned separately (Weston, 2014). It would be cheaper for both American Airlines and US Airways to internally invest and eye for expansion of its businesses and operations. Acquiring new aircrafts and other related assets would be cheaper because of the united bargain purchase. Secondly, American Airlines and US Airways would result in a horizontal merger that would form a strong pillar to achieve a competitive edge in the global scale. This would lead to achieving additional value in airline operations and business on the international market. The projected synergy value, would direct the combined companies to forms that could yield higher revenues, lower expenses and the overall cost of capital (Cooper, 2014). The merger and acquisition of the companies would give the merged parties an edge over their rivals in terms of business opportunities. After the merge, they would exploit the emerging trends in the market together. This would also assist in gap filling of the partys weakness and upbringing of significant strength paramount for dominance in the airline industry. These reasons moved American Airlines and US Airways to make the decision to merge. Assess the significant positive (or negative) effects of the merger or acquisition. Provide at least two (2) examples of those effects now that the merger or acquisition has been completed. Effects of the merger Completion of the American Airlines and US Airways contributed to a number of significant positive effects. The major key benefit was power consolidation and control over the market. This facilitated the entry into new markets and larger shares in the existing market. It improved economies of scale which corresponded to acquisition of more assets in the form of aircrafts (Cooper, 2014). Sharing taxes increased monetary leverage making them utilize much of its benefits by saving costs (Ulijn, 2013). As a result, the combined airline company offered more convenient schedule to travel plans with access to more destinations around the world. Their combined fleet continued penetration to operate more routes with the largest fleets of airbuses throughout the world connecting more people and promoting diversification of global businesses and multicultural. For instance, it is already operates 336 destinations in more than 50 countries in the world. Currently, the combined company employs ov er 100,000 people across the globe (Cooper, 2003). Merging the two airlines resulted in the formation of a strong union of a well organised customer service than before. The union undertook to oversee systematic arrangement in cases of bankruptcy hence giving workers more power to negotiate and maintain their wages. It lifted off workers suffering during the past years. Upon completion of the merger, it provided better benefits and compensation for the combined airlines employees. In addition, employees are significantly benefiting from being part of a leading international company with stronger financial foundation and competitive platform for greater long-term career opportunities as well as more employment opportunities. However, the merging of the two companies had some negative effects as well. Their combination composes them to behave like a monopoly because of operating in the similar industry. Monopoly meant less competition and higher prices. Setting high flight prices due to lack of competition hurts the travellers and other service consumers. This lead to frequent lawsuits from the opposing bodies, this is disruptive to the thriving business (Cooper, 2003). The merge of American Airlines and US Airways implied a combination of similar operational functions together with over capability. Most of the US Airways employees faced frictions by the internal competition and had to be retrenched hence the company ended up losing some of their skilled workers. Labor difficulties continued because of the bankruptcy which resulted in frozen pension and reduced benefits. For instance, the Labour Law still follows up in determination of fair terms. Examine the organizational structure that has resulted from the merger or acquisition. Analyze the major differences between the resulting company and the original two (2) organizations. New Organisational Structure Consequence to the Merger The organisational structure consequence to the merger involved positional shift amongst the personell. Doug Parker, the pre-existing head of the US Airways became the C.E.O of the merged company while Tom Horton became the outgoing. He became the chairman of the new companys board of directors. Derek DeCross maintained his role as the vice president of the global sales for the new American Airlines. President Scott Kirby held the same role at the new American Airlines. The rest of the organisational structure was a blend of positions that retained the most competitive human resource (Cooper, 2003). Difference between the resulting Company and the Original Ones There is a remarkable difference between the original company and the merger. This is attributed to the consideration that American Airlines was known to be traditional in terms of business promotion and conduct while US Airways was known to be less formal and transparent. The resulting new American Airline is a strong blend of their difference in culture, formality and transparency. American Airlines served 277 destinations while US Airways served 193 destinations. The new American Airline combined this number to form several more destinations connecting the world. The resulting company, therefore, formed a more stable structure that comprised of a bigger operational group than the original companies (Ulijn, 2013). Initially the original companies operated domestically but their alliance gives them power to function internationally paving way to global dominance. Determine whether or not the human resources management practices of the company were modified to reflect the outcome of the merger or acquisition. If no changes were necessary, speculate on the reasons why they were not. Provide a rationale for your response. Modification of Human Resource Management Practices The human resource management practices of the company made adjustments to reflect on the outcome because this area proved a big challenge prior to the merger. Profit-sharing and performance incentives, direct compensation, retirement options and benefits packages were all upgraded and updated. They consolidated much of their training at the primary hub and at the new headquarters so as to provide the most comprehensive hands-on skills necessary for the processes of the merger. This went down to drive supervisors and managers at both airlines tasked with ensuring that employees focused on their jobs during the drawn-out airline merger. The initial combined leadership team was made to consist of US airways employees, but the split became more levelled in the managing and supervisory ranks (Cooper, 2003). The Human Resource department was rearranged such that it had US Airways on the communications side. More so, the US Airways had already snagged Chris Kelly Singley away from Delta; the best communication corporation group, to be the managing director of communication, very vital tool in the merger procedure. Chris was planned to technically work for US Airways where she would play a very important role in joining the American Airlines US Airways communications departments to support the new airline. From Kelly, the team was broken down to serve the airport functions geographically where the hub Vice Presidents would remain unchanged on the organisational chart. Regional carriers leaders were fetched from American while one cargo boss took over the similar position. Hector Adler was tasked to run the in-flight group at the new American Airline just as was the case back at US Airways. It was arranged that from US Airways, David Seymour would lead the maintenance group while someone fr om American Airlines would take care of base maintenance (Cooper, 2003). The rest of the unmentioned human resource team such as engineering and finance remained in their positions so as to enhance their responsibilities in the combined company. Rational for modification Modification of the human management practices had to be factored in to provide an organised platform for workflow and a better transition for the employees who had to leave work. The combined company needed the best practices for human resource functions as they are a fragile component of merger and acquisitions. Strategic decisions had to be centralised to one company. These practices were changed to reflect on the promotion fairness during working under a complex merger. Without the modifications in the practices, employees benefits for the combined company would be difficult to handle. References American Airlines News. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2015, from http://hub.aa.com/en/nr/pressrelease/american-airlines-us-airways-merger Cooper, C. (2003). Advances in mergers and acquisitions. Vol. 2. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science. Ulijn, J. (2010). Strategic Alliances, Mergers and Acquistions: The influence of cluture on successful cooperation. Cheltenham, UK [u.a.: Elgar. Weston, J. (2001). Mergers and Acquistions. Blacklick :: McGraw-Hill Companies, The.

K12 Education Program : A Solution or Problem to the Philippines

K-12 is the new Education Program in the Philippines that started last year, 2012. The K to 12 Program covers Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (six years of primary education, four years of Junior High School, and two years of Senior High School [SHS]) to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.In my point of view, I take a stand that K-12 will provide a better Education Program to the Philippines and for the young generation. Why did I think so? First of all, based on the studies provided by the Department of Education, there are more tendencies of a high school student that drops out or changes course in the middle of their tertiary education which causes more trouble for both the parents and their child (children) and the fact that they are just too young to pressure themselves on what they really want to become or what they want to be doing in the near future. Thus, concluding that giving them more time to prepare and to evaluate their skills will be more convenient and beneficial for both the parent and the child (children).Second, since two years has been added to the basic education here in the Philippines, it simply means that there are more curriculums that have been added or will be added to the curriculum. And hopingly, these curriculums will help the young generation to find or narrow their decisions in what course they would like to take in their tertiary education.Based on my research (through the help of technology), I have been able to figure out that the added two years will be the years when students will be able to choose subjects between three tracks: Academic; Technical-Vocational-Livelihood; and Sports and Arts. The Academic track includes three strands: Business, Accountancy, Management (BAM); Humanities, Education, Social Sciences (HESS); and Science, Technology, Engine ering, Mathematics (STEM).These tracks can encourage and aid students to pick courses (subjects) that will help the young generation to select the best courses that will compliment their talents, skills and abilities. Thus making their college life (tertiary education) easier and making it more enjoyable.But a solution also comes with a problem. The main problem is that even though there are already plans that are being implemented, there are also problems that remains unsolved or are still being unsolved. (i.e., the study curriculums for each grade (year), the lack of school facilities that comes in handy for subjects like biology, chemistry and physics, computer laboratories, books appropriate for each grade (year) and so much more).If the Philippines’ education systems before already lacked solutions to the problems stated above, then these problems will be on a much larger number. If there are already such problems like lack of books to public school, thus saying, more bo oks will be needed because of the K-12 implementation.To solve listed problems, the government must be able to conduct projects and calculate expenses accurately for them to be able to provide for the students’ needs. If they do so, the new education program will improve the lacked in the former education program. To cite an example, if the lack of rooms will be provided, it will produce greater result. Stating, if public schools are to be provided with more rooms, then it will be easier for the teachers to teach students with a maximum number of 40-50 students which leads to a more interactional and controlled environment that will help students focus on the subject matter.Therefore, if the government will just learn to manage and budget the Philippines’ monetary fund properly, then direct a large amount of money for the department of education, they could equate that money and divide equally to provide equal shares of solutions to problems. And to extend what the bud get could do more with a greater quantity and quality.