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2 parts Advertisement done with log for the financial review in Sydney and a case study report

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2 parts Advertisement done with log for the financial review in Sydney and a case study report

Abstract

Executive assistants mingle about office duties like typing, scheduling meetings, and taking calls. Their duties require specialized training, as their roles are becoming more sophisticated. This field is expected to grow at a rate of 13% in the next ten years, and more of these jobs will be found in construction, healthcare, and educational institutes. From the BLS reports, the median annual earnings for executive assistants were $43520 as of May 2010. Most employers were colleges, universities, and other academic institutions, with average earnings of $44680.

Becoming an executive assistant one requires to have some educational credentials to succeed in the dynamic business market. Some common courses include typing, computer applications, business law, records and information management, office administration, and business communication.

Introduction

An executive assistant plays a crucial role in an organisation. In the ever changing business environment, it is the executive assistant’s job is to assist the key decision maker to stay focused, effective, and a better leader. The key skills of this position are excellent communication, creativity, and ability to work independently.

Given that the tasks involve being in charge of managing most of the support activities within the administrative sector, that is, ascertaining that ideal operations of the senior management team carries out all the goals of the organisation. Normally this job entails being an office manager or working as a secretary to the managers of a company. Hancock Pty Ltd is a small firm wishing to recruit an office manager, this position has three direct report; the receptionist and two administrative staff.

Critical Skills of Senior Executive Assistants

In the ever changing office environment, the critical skills required of an effective senior executive assistant is communication. How the incumbent interacts with peers and other decision makers is paramount on how ideas exchange across the organisation. Other vital skills are interpersonal effectiveness, project management skills, financial planning abilities, and effective writing skills.

Writing Skills

Effective writing skills are particularly essential for an office manager to put the right words on paper quickly. Therefore, they must be able to communicate more clearly, concisely, and persuasively. Words matter and an effective office assistant must learn, develop, and enhance how to use them. The key areas that require effective principle of writing: successful correspondence, message shaping, writing to the point, avoiding writing traps, diplomacy and politics, refining the writing, and managing minutes in a meeting.

Communication Skills

An outstanding executive assistant should possess soft skills, and abilities to maximise appropriate communication skills for personal and professional potential. The positive traits needed include; self awareness, personal openness, conflict handling, frustration and stress control, assertiveness, and making commitments to development. Appropriate communication skills are key to developing a positive image, giving and receiving feedback, presenting ideas with confidence and clarity. Commitment to personal development is related to making choices and managing personal change, building self esteem and emotional intelligence, developing networks, having creative visioning abilities, and being results oriented. Being assertive implies being able to understand both external and internal sources of conflict, ability to gauge the expectations of others, developing self confidence, and having behaviours and words that count.

Project Management Skills

Project Management skills are a must for executive assistants, they must have the ability and structure to manage short term and long term projects.

The incumbent should act as a central partner interacting with all the departments, checking budgets and schedules. They should be aware of factors that affect projects success or failure, developing and implementing classic ways of managing them, understanding customer needs for effective project initiation, planning, implementation and control. The appropriate office manager should be able to deal with the unexpected, communicate the right things to the right people at the right time. They must also have excellent project closing skills, and must be able to appreciate the importance of communication within a project team. They must be confident and able to accept responsibility for new projects, ability to identify, and apply appropriate tools to effectively manage the processes. Hancock needs people who can stay in control of projects in dynamic business environments, and dealing with unexpected setbacks.

Financial Skills

Basic financial skills are necessary for this position. An understanding of figures that give information on the business is key to better supporting the manager with preparing reports and analyses. The executive assistant must be able to talk the language of finance and accounting, financial statements, financing international business, business plan preparation, and preparing meaningful budgets.

The incumbent should have a basic understanding of how financial tools are applied in planning, measuring, and controlling an organisation’s performance. They must possess a deep awareness of the economic environment and its impact on the company with sound abilities to spot facts and figures that might affect the business. Knowledge of the function and fundamentals of accounting is essential to the construction of the profit and loss accounts, balance sheets, statements of sources and uses of funds, and statements of retained earnings. Understanding the inter-relations between these statements is necessary coupled with the company’s annual financial report.

Benefits, salary, and salary packaging options

The aims of salary options is to provide employees access to fringe benefits, support in house payroll staff, tax planning professional advice and information to employees regarding salary packaging to obtain best results from remuneration. Salary packaging varies across agencies, and subject to frequent changes. The tasks, roles, and duties of executive assistants will determine the salary range. Other factors are influence the wage are period, years of work, type of company, level of education of employee, current economic conditions, and work experience.

The cost employment benefits is up to a maximum amount equal to fringe benefit tax free cap of $17000 per annum for public benevolent institutions under Australian taxation law. This amount is based on grossed up taxable value of the benefits given. Therefore, the maximum dollar value of benefits that employees can package without creating a fringe benefit tax liability is $9094 per annum.

Salary Trends

According to National Salary Data, in the USA, the salary ranges from $31710 to $67605 per annum according to March 2012 data. Bonuses range from $194.95 to $7366 per annum. While profit sharing ranges from $507 to $6748 per annum. This makes the total pay to range from $30151 to $68963 per annum. However, these values will vary depending on the factors named above. Senior Executive assistants’ salaries range between $36220 to $78936. Executive Assistants to the CEO range between 31507 and $75228. Executive Secretaries or Administrative Assistants earn between $23498 and $53995. Gender also seems to affect the salary level with females earning more than males. The more educated one is the more the earnings and vice versa, and the pay is commensurate with years of experience.

Conclusion

Executive assistant duties and roles lies between the roles of business executives and clerical employees. As automation is picking up in offices, the more the jobs become complicated and varied. Organisation and flexibility with multitasking abilities will see the job description evolving to somewhat taking up some of the roles handled by executives.

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The number of newborns that pass away before turning one is known as the infant mortality rate. Since New York City’s infant mortality rate is greater than the national rate, more babies there die before becoming one year old than in other regions of the nation. The Bronx has the highest infant death rate, and babies of African American and Hispanic descent have the highest rates as well. Knowledge can be created using this information regarding how to enhance the health of newborns in City of New York. It can be used, for instance, to create specialized interventions that will enhance the health of babies of African Americans and Hispanic descent in the Bronx.

I could also use the information generated from the charts to inform community based RNs and other healthcare staff about the situation of infant mortality in the city and especially among marginalized groups. This would form the basis upon which urgent interventions can be based to help remedy the situation in New York City. The city would also utilize the information I generate to help determine budgetary allocation towards healthcare with the aim of ensuring that Hispanic and African-American communities are allocated more resources to help improve their health standards which in return can significantly help address the issues of infant mortality rates.

The Nursing Career

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The Nursing Career

My childhood dream has always been to help people in my surroundings and positively impact the community in the best possible way. I have always been passionate about healthcare and the idea of restoring health and making people heal both mentally and physically. Two years ago, I lost my elder brother and best friend to cancer three years ago. He was diagnosed with the terminal illness on her fifth birthday, where his doctor determined that the cancer was at stage three. I became my brother’s primary caregiver since my parents had to work to cover the required medical bills and support the family at the same time. He struggled and fought the illness for a very long time, and I did the best I could to support him. Unfortunately, he succumbed to the illness after a long and tireless fight. The experiences I had while taking care of my brother, together with my childhood dream to help others align my purpose and dream career in the medical field.

Nursing is my career job because it creates a platform where I can interact with people, listen to them and find the best solution as far as their overall health and wellbeing are concerned. My passion and personality traits make me confident that I’m meant to serve as a nurse. Most practitioners in the medical field are familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This personality inventory assists individuals align with their dream career in the medical field. This indicator confirmed and cemented my dreams for a nursing career. I discovered that my personality type is Defender, commonly known as ISFJ, which classifies an individual’s personality trait as Introverted, Observant, Feeling, and Judging. According to the Myers Briggs Personality Indicator, individuals under this unique category are warm, responsible, efficient, and most importantly, pay attention to detail in all aspects of their lives. Patients usually come to the hospital in the most vulnerable positions and sometimes cannot explain themselves or how they feel, which is critical before administering any treatment. I will apply my excellent analytical skills to gather as much information as possible about a patient and their illness without straining them. Moreover, my ability to make robust social relationships will make it easy for me to interact with patients, make them feel comfortable and create a safe space where they can express themselves freely. This indicator confirmed and cemented my dreams for a nursing career.

A nurse is a licensed medical professional who has completed the generalized and primary nursing education and is authorized to practice nursing in their respective regions by their appropriate regularity board. Nurses advocate for good health and patient outcomes by helping patients and their families cope with illnesses (Kirkland-Kyhn et al., 2020). They operate under one charge nurse in their respective healthcare facilities who gives directives and assign departmental duties. Nurses use the electronic health record (EHR) systems to record and store patient data to construct patient charts comprising observations, treatment, and patient outcomes. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2020), employment opportunities for nurses are expected to increase by 9% in 2030 (The Occupational Outlook Handbook 2020). This statistic is slightly above the average of ordinary occupations in the labor market. Additionally, midwives and nurses make up the largest proportion of workers in the healthcare industry on a global scale. Approximately 194,500 openings are announced for registered nurses annually. In 2020 alone, the number of nurses absorbed into the workforce was 3,080,100 people. Research shows that the job openings for nursing rise at a steady rate because of the need to replace working nurses who exit the workforce as retirees, pursue other personal ambitions or transfer to other lucrative occupations in the market. The Occupational Outlook Handbook (2020) claims that the median pay for registered and licensed nurses in 2020 is $75,333 annually, translating to approximately $36.22 per hour (The Occupational Outlook Handbook 2020). The figures above imply that the nursing career is lucrative and worth the hard work and efforts it demands before receiving the nursing license.

Despite being lucrative, nursing is a demanding career requiring full attention, sacrifice, patience, and commitment. For this reason, I will have to conform my lifestyle to suit my profession as I try to balance my personal life with work life. I intend to get married in my thirties and get one child. This span will give me enough time to focus on my studies, both degree and master’s, and at the same time not strain financially. Having a family is challenging because it requires time and resources. Additionally, two parents’ one-child lifestyle requires approximately $5,028 every month, translating to $60,336 every year to secure modest and adequate living standards (Career Coach, 2021). I should therefore allocate my funds to various needs in my life appropriately to give the best outcome and prevent me from straining financially. The payment plan will allow me to secure a good housing plan, pay my expenses, cater to my family, and buy enough food every year without experiencing a shortage. Since the total expenditure amounts to $60336 annually, I get an extra $14,997 from my annual income to allocate to other aspects like a family vacation, savings, trust fund for my child, and charity works.

Nursing as a career is intriguing because a certified nurse can be posted or transferred anywhere in the country. In most cases, nurses tend to work in their hometown regions, feel a sense of belonging, and make the desired positive impact through their practice. In my case, the expected annual salary for a nurse is enough to sustain my lifestyle in my hometown, Houston. If I moved to a city like New York, expenses and utilities would be different, thus changing the extra money margin. Living in New York with a family of three would require me to spend approximately $7,283 monthly. I would have to spend $2251 in housing, $3690 on food annually, $2935 as healthcare costs, and $1702 on fitness and entertainment. These expenses amount to approximately $87,408, including rent for the whole year. From the statistics, it is clear that it is more expensive to live in New York than in Houston (Smith, 2017). Considering the net salary in nursing, New York would not fit my lifestyle because it would strain me financially. I would struggle to make ends meet if I lived in New York. Another city I would love to work in is Atlanta, Georgia. Living in this city is cheaper than in New York by 24.49%. The average cost of living amounts to $3,678 without rent every year. Food expenses are $2000, transportation is $1800, entertainment and leisure would be $1020, while utilities would be $3018 annually. I would have to incur a total cost of $68136 to sustain myself in Atlanta. The cost is lower than Ney York but slightly higher than living in Huston. My salary would sustain me in Atlanta still because the expenses are lower than the estimated net income, which is $75,333. I would also get extra funds to save, go on a vacation with my family and participate in charity work.

The healthcare line of duty has a lot of programs and movements that help promote good health, mental wellbeing, and standards of living in the community. Therefore, it makes it easier for me to volunteer and participate in charity work. Part of being a nurse involves engaging people with generosity and enthusiasm. I love being part of movements that lookout for people’s health without necessarily making profits out of it. I particularly envied three main programs in Huston that have managed to touch so many lives and impact the community. They include the MD Anderson Cancer Center On-Site Volunteers, Memorial Hermann Health Volunteers, and the project CURE Houston Distribution Center (Halcomb et al., 2018). These volunteer programs capture my attention because they align with my passion for helping people in my community, teaching them how to adopt healthy lifestyles, improve healthcare services and motivate them to be the best version of themselves. Additionally, I’ve always wanted to create awareness about cancer following my brother’s death. These programs will facilitate these goals and help me reach as many people as possible.

To be a nurse is challenging because it requires a lot of patience and understanding. The process of becoming a nurse is quite long, time-consuming, and sometimes exhausting. The entry-level for nursing is a bachelor’s degree in nursing. One can attain this qualification through two distinct paths. An individual can go through college and attain a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. To be accepted into a college for the nursing course, I will have to work extra hard and dedicate my time and resources in high school to attain and maintain a good GPA. I will also have to show commitment and passion by being responsible, focusing on my studies in college, and attaining the required GPA to qualify me as a nurse when I graduate.

I wanted to be a nurse more than ever, especially after my brother’s death. I felt like I owed it to him, and he would be proud of me for pursuing my dream job. I would confidently say that my dream profession is to become a certified and licensed nurse. Nursing takes approximately five years to graduate and become recognized as a licensed nurse. Pursuing this career would mean I reach my dream job at twenty-five. Nursing gives me a sense of purpose and contentment. I’m willing to do whatever it takes and make the sacrifices to reach my desired goal. Nothing will make my life more fulfilling than finally becoming a nurse, interacting with patients, sharing ideas with other medical practitioners, and gradually helping the community become better.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. (2020) Occupational Outlook Handbook, Registered Nurses. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm (visited February 13, 2022).

Career Coach, Houston Community College. (2020). Career coach: Nurse. Retrieved from https://hccs.emsicc.com/search/careers?radius=&region=Houston-The%20Woodlands-Sugar%20Land,%20TX&q=nursingHalcomb, E., Smyth, E., & McInnes, S. (2018). Job satisfaction and career intentions of registered nurses in primary health care: an integrative review. BMC family practice, 19(1), 136. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-018-0819-1Kirkland-Kyhn, Holly PhD, CNE-BC, CWCN, FNP-BC, GNP-BC. (2020); Teleten, Oleg MS, RN, CWCN Professional practice and nursing peer review, Nursing Management (Springhouse): May 2018 – Volume 49 – Issue 5 – p 15-17 Doi: 10.1097/01.NUMA.0000532334. 21572.c0

Smith, L. (2017). Nursing: What can I expect if I choose this profession? Retrieved 6 March 2022, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/147142

Agriculture, which dates back 12,000 years, has resulted in such a societal shift that it has been called the “neolithic revolution.” Since their creation, traditional hunters and human lives have been followed, choosing permanent dwellings and stable food sources. Cities and cultures have sprung up as a result of agriculture. The world’s population has grown from about five million citizens 10,000 years ago to more than seven billion today, as crops and livestock continue to be developed to satisfy demand.

There was no one catalyst or combination of causes that prompted people to begin farming in various parts of the world. Climate change, for example, was thought to have introduced seasonal conditions in the Near East towards the close of the last ice age, favoring annual crops such as wild cereals. Another cause, such as the spread of bacterial strains on natural food supplies in East Asia, may have compelled citizens to look for homegrown alternatives. Planting has sown fresh seeds, regardless of the reasons for their distinct origin.

Religion has played an essential role in the history of humans in many civilizations. There are many reasons why religions have played such a prominent position in forming a society’s identity; possibly the most remarkable reason is that belief in a divine or theological being adds meaning and significance to certain earthly people. This trend has been especially evident among persecuted groups. People who have been victimized have a deep desire to uphold their religious beliefs because their faith provides them with hope and a reason to survive amid horrible oppression. This is evident in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. Both three of these cultures have faced different modes of tyranny at some point in their histories, and some historians have cited the Party’s religious solid belief as one of the primary reasons for its survival.

Constructivism is a subfield of epistemology, which is concerned with how we learn knowledge. The fundamental theory of constructivist philosophy is that scientific significance, particularly in human contexts such as families, is traditionally unknowable. This philosophy is shared by social constructivism, which contends that we understand absolute, trustworthy, and natural objects. Our minds are socially modeled on human concepts by societies and language patterns. When we accept “fact” or “facts,” we are urged to consider whether our theories correspond to the way things were, that is, the Connection between our internal and external environments, and whether and how they reflect a specific privileged cultural internalization or externality.

Faith as a social framework critics contends that modern religious categories are based on ideas that arose in European history. In its initial Christian context, religion is used to identify a distinct feature of new societies (Asad, 1993: 37-43). Belief creates what it is supposed to describe. Linguists, theologians, missionary societies, imperial authorities, and nascent social sciences were among the early practitioners of comparative religion, which arose from philology. Theological conclusions would not be excluded from the concept if the definition shifted from religious distinction to a more secularized definition (Niebuhr). As a result, an ostensibly neutral party continues to apply principles from its Christian past in an informal manner. This relentless Christian determination towards religion is perhaps most visible in the continued emphasis on confidence as the central trait of religion.

Cushman wrote his book “The Cry of Stone” at one stage (the title refers to Luke 19:40, where he says that even though all individuals were mute, the stones would be witnesses to him). He went on to work for the good of the Plymouth Colony for many years until his death, perhaps from sickness, in 1625 CE (Cushman 78-165). Thomas Cushman (11608-1691 CE) married one of the Mayflower passengers’ daughters and rose to prominence in the colony. Mourt’s Connection became an English best-seller, inspiring other colonists to establish their territories. In contrast, Cushman’s patent for Plymouth Colony and the agreement he signed with the colonists guaranteed their longevity by regular supply ships. On the other hand, Cushman is often forgotten since he was not on the Mayflower in 1620 CE for its landmark crossing, but the famous voyage – and all that followed – would not have happened if it hadn’t been for him.

Work cited

Cushman, Philip. “Why the self is empty: Toward a historically situated psychology.” American psychologist 45.5 (1990): 599.

Niebuhr, Reinhold. Does civilization need religion?: a study in the social resources and limitations of religion in modern life. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2010.

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The Nest

Renowned playwright Theresa Rebeck once again did an outstanding job in her latest play ‘The Nest’ shown at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. The cast of the play was aptly chosen, and they embodied their characters perfectly. The props for the play also give the audience an authentic feel, starting from the intricately designed bar that is the centre of the action in the play. The cast also dressed appropriately for their parts when they get to ‘The Nest’ after a day at work, ready to exchange opinions on a wide variety of topics. Rebeck managed to tackle many important issues in society without making the play sound like a debate. I would rate ‘The Nest’ as one of the best playas I have watched in a long time.

The first thing that captured my attention was the revolving stage that helped the audience see the play from all angles. I had never seen such a stage, and for many members of the audience, it was also quite captivating. The bar itself was also quite a piece of work. It was intricately designed, and it was clear that a lot of time and work went into it. This was as it should be because it was the focal point of the story. Nick wanted to sell the bar and the mirror behind the bar, which is what caught the attention of the appraiser in the first place. The liquor bottles also add authenticity to the bar; it shows that the customers come to ‘The Nest’ for a drink and also conversations. The customers of the bar have been regulars for a long time; hence, they knew each other very well.

The cast of the play was terrific to say in the very least. Barry, Margo and Patrick were the most frequent customers of the bar for years. Played by Brian Coats, Carly Street and Brian Dykstra respectively, the characters keep the audience entertained. For me, Coats was the most entertaining actor of all, mainly due to his relatable humour. He gave the aura that he has seen it all and therefore he is qualified to air his thoughts and opinions to all the bar-goers such as the couple on their first date. Business at ‘The Nest’ was fast-waning with people preferring other hip and more advertised bars, but the few cast members stayed loyal to the bar and got together to discuss different topics in life.

The female characters in the play also gave me many points to reflect on. For example, Lila kept explaining that ‘The Nest’ was her property because it had been in her family for years, yet her husband was trying to sell it. Other topics discussed by the women include men’s anger and their lack of affection, the glass ceiling set for women in their careers, the tendency of men to pander to women’s beauty and also the way men lectured women. Given that the playwright is a woman, the play gave her the chance to give the female perspective on such issues. For female members of the audience, many of them could be able to relate to the topics, or at least understand where the women were coming from.

In conclusion, ‘The Nest’ is one of my favourite plays of all time. What might have been disconcerting for me was the adult content, but the play is only limited to adult audiences. Rebeck managed to execute a well thought-out script and keep audiences wholly engrossed from the first to the last. The cast took to their roles almost effortlessly and watching the play felt like a real-life event rather than a theatrical production.

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Introduction

The Museum of Fine Arts in Houston is currently having different exhibitions ongoing where most are to end in august and September. Among the current exhibitions are paintings, sculptures and photographs with different themes and agendas. One of the current exhibitions are Vincent van Gogh: His Life in Art where the museum showcases various paintings done by him on various occasions including travelling. Vincent Van Gough is a famous Dutch artist who did paintings in the 19th century. He was passionate about his work and in less than two decades, Van Gough had done over 2100 paintings whereby there were over 850 oil paintings mounted on canvas. It is believed that in his last two years of his life he managed to do over fifty paintings. The Van Gough survey opened on March 10th and it is expected to end on July 27th. The painting of interest that the paper is going to discuss is “Vincent van Gogh, In the Café: Agostina Segatori in Le Tambourin, January–March 1887, oil on canvas, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation).” (https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/vincent-van-gogh-his-life-in-art). There are both physical features and deeper meaning that the paining tries to describe.

In the painting, Van Gough used Agostina Segatori as his model. She was a famous model to various artists including Edward Mamet, Jean Baptiste among other artists. The venue of the portrait is said to be her restaurant where exhibitions were made. According to sources her café was a meeting point for various artists including Van Gough. Since her cafe was a meeting point for various artists, she allowed them to display their work in the Café just in case someone decided to purchase them.  Agostina accepted paintings and other forms of art as payment for meals and drinks in case the artists went short of money. Van Gough was not an exception.

Physical Features of the Painting

The painting shows a woman at a café seated holding a cigarette with his arms on the table. The woman appears to be a middle age adult in her thirty’s. There is a glass of beer on a saucer and there is one empty saucer on the table. The woman is wearing a brown coat, one cannot clearly tell whether she is wearing a dress or a skirt but from the look of things it appears to be dark green in color. On the far right we can see two table chairs next to the wall. The woman is seated on a round table and there are three round traditional seats of the time of around mid-19th century. On one of the seats there is what appears to be a broom, (one cannot tell exactly what it is). On the wall just next to where the lady is seated there is what appears to be some pictures on the wall (https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/vincent-van-gogh-his-life-in-art).

According to MFAH museum the painting that is on exhibition has dimensions of 55.5 cm x 47 cm (https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/vincent-van-gogh-his-life-in-art). It is an oil on canvas type of painting. An oil painting is paint made up of ground up pigments suspended in a binding medium of oil. The painting has most of the parts in dull colors whereby the wall has different shades of green, grey and blue. Red and white is scarce on the wall. The lady’s face has a bright color and she has a red hair on. We cannot tell whether this is the exact color or Van Gough used it so as to enhance the theme or make the hair visible.

History of the Painting

It is believed that Van Gough drew the painting of the lady who goes by the name Agostina Segatori while in the café owned by the woman. The painting was drawn in January at Le Tambourin café, but the complete work was in March, thus we can say he took three months to complete her painting. Van Gough had requested the Agostina to allow him display his paintings in her café then later requested her to pause for him to draw. Agostina is believed to have had an affair with Van Gough back in 1880s at the time when she was running the Le Tambourin restaurant. Van Gough in that month had an exhibition in the café where he was going to sell his Japanese collection. At the background of the painting we can see Japanese prints thus it is believed that he did the painting during that time.

The restaurant was a meeting point for various Pakistan artists thus Van Gough decided to do an exhibition of his paintings in the café. We happen to understand that the artists exchanged paintings and bus tickets for his meals. During the exhibition, less of his paintings were bought and in July the same year, he termed the project as a failure. The above painting of interest is one of the paintings among the two paintings of Agostina Segatori drawn by Van Gough during his exhibition (Leinbach, pg. 19). One can say it was in exchange of the favor granted by the lady for him to do his business in the restaurant.

As for now we expect the oil painting to be dry since they take approximately sixty years for the pigments to completely dry. The painting is 132 years old. Despite the age, the painting looks clear enough to display the theme intended by Van Gough which will be discussed later in the paper.

Rhetorical Analysis of the Painting by Van Gough.

Van Gough did his best to attract the audience to view the image. The author painted this picture in a manner that emphasizes focus on the woman who happens to be drinking and smoking at the same time. Also, the painting of Agostina’s body seems to be clear compare to all the other objects in the room. This was to emphasize that he painting was all about her and nothing else. Overall, the shot of this image is strategic, and it plays on the audience’s belief that this particular location is scenic; hence a majority of the people would love to visit the museum and view it physically after seeing it on the website. The use of organization of information in this picture contributes to pathos as this image sparks interest and desire among the audience to visit this MFAH (Leinbach, pg. 23). Also, the way in which this picture was painted adds to ethos as it proves that the author not only takes paints images, but he is also strategic about the angles and paints to use in order to display the lighting and other features at the moment he did paint. Therefore, this picture is persuasive as sparks the audience’s interest.

It is clear that Van Gough painted Agostina while he was so close to her. This is so because, her image is larger compared to other objects and due to the closeness =, some features such as legs and the floor where she is being not seen. We can see the floor far away where the chairs are. This proves that the author wanted to make the woman appear larger, thus dominant and emphasize it is all about her and not the restaurant nor the Japanese prints on the walls.

Despite the painting concentrating mainly on Agostina, the artists failed to include the fact that there could be people in the restaurant. At least he could have some sketches of one or two people to show that it is a café where the exhibitions were done. We can see the lady with a beer on the table, perhaps there is somebody who did serve her (Meissner, pg. 278). The restaurant does not look like a busy one since there are some basic features like the ones mentioned above which are excluded.

Generally, Van Gough did a very quality painting that highlighted his character as an impressionist. He gave an impression about Agostina as a sad person. We get to see the theme of loneliness in the whole painting. Everything is dull that is why he uses dull colors and we can tell that it is at night when the lady was painted (Sabbeth, pg. 32). The dull colors reduce the lighting in the room where the art was developed. If he would have used dull colors and a sad picture of Agostina, then there would be a lot of irony in the painting. Bright colors such as white, luminous green, red sky blue and so on are used to lighten up the mood of the audience and the models in the piece of art. Black, dark grey, jungle green and similar darker shades are used to create a dull mood for both the audience and the art itself. Thus he utilized these feature to create mood.

Interpretation of the painting

Van Gough paints a white lady who is decently dressed. She is a coat and a long dress that hides her legs and most part of her arms. However, we see a lonely lady who is drinking alone. When one is drinking it is a culture that he or she must have a company (Sabbeth, pg. 31). There are two empty seats around her. Perhaps it was Agostina’s culture to be a loner. On the upper note, maybe he painted the image adhering to the model alone so that his theme and impressions of the painting would come out clearly. Maybe if he included all the features in the restaurant, he would have a confusing image.

In the painting we see a lady who seems sad. Van Gough was keen enough to pain the eyes and the whole face with correct contours which brought out the sad face of Agostina. To enhance the fact that she might be going through a moment of sadness, Van Gough includes in the painting a cigarette, beer and two saucepans. From the look of things, it is evident that Agostina is on her second beer because of the one empty saucepan (Meissner, pg. 278). She cannot be smoking and drinking at the same time, that is why one is justified to judge the sad face.

Also in the painting, the Agostina is properly dressed implying in the 19th century when the painting was drawn people had begun to dress well and civilization was at peak. Clothing businesses are depicted in the picture to have grown and coffee selling business was progressing well in the Turkish coffee house because of the many people in the painting. It shows an era where beer was a common thing which was taken by the ladies. The era is that of civilization since currently, beer is taken is similar glasses and there exists sauce pans in the 21st century.

The painting is used to showcase the culture of Italian women during the 1880s. We can see from Agostina that they were decently dressed that is they covered most parts of their bodies. Agostina is having a fashionable outfit that existed during those days. We see her parasol lying on the stool and her hat is held up in position with pins, indeed she was an outgoing woman who would dress up to give a good image to his clients in the Cafe she managed. However, drinking was not an exception to them, just like the 20th and 21st century, women went drinking at night like the men did (Leinbach, pg. 22). We are told that the restaurant is called Tambourine perhaps the owner decides to embrace the name by using tambourine tops on chairs and tables. This is clearly evident from the environment at which Agostina is seated. We can conclude that this was a cultural restaurant that is why most of the furniture were from a specific Italian culture.

Conclusion

Through this image, various individuals in his audiences can conclude diverse opinions on this image; thus their conclusions are purely based on their views, and the ideas they think the author is trying to portray. The painting by Van Gough is well painted and at the museum am sure everyone would want to view it. More so, it is in a historical setting of 1880s. We all want to get a glimpse of what used to happen in the past especially how people spent their leisure and for this case, Van Gough gives us a glimpse of it. The passion and power of painting in his art is familiar to all art lovers not to forget his love for women as his models in his paintings. Besides Agostina, we have other women like the portrait of a woman in a straw hat.

Work of art of Interest

Vincent van Gogh, In the Café: Agostina Segatori in Le Tambourin, January–March 1887, oil on canvas, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)

Works Cited

https://www.mfah.org/exhibitions/vincent-van-gogh-his-life-in-artLeinbach, Cade. “10 Pieces for Vincent: A Suite for Mixed Chamber Ensemble.” (2018).

Meissner, W, W. “Love and Sexuality in the Life and Art of Vincent van Gogh.” Annual of Psychoanalysis 26 (1999): 269-294.

Sabbeth, Carol. Van Gogh and the Post-Impressionists for Kids: Their Lives and Ideas, 21 Activities. Chicago Review Press, 2011.

The New Benefit Plan-Carter Cleaning Company

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The New Benefit Plan-Carter Cleaning Company

As is Carter’s Cleaning Company lacks a consistent and well-defined policy for vacations, sick leave, and paid days off. Implementing the following policy statement plan would benefit not only the employees but also the company itself. Regarding annual leave, employees that have continuously served the company for more than eight years should be entitled to 24 leave days per year with the exception of public holidays. The employees with 2-5 years of service should be granted 18 mandatory leave days. It should also be made a policy that earned leaved days can be passed across years to a maximum of 60 working days at any one time. Regarding medical leave, any employee is eligible for paid sick leave following an examination and upon a doctor’s recommendation. Employees should also be entitled to fourteen days of medical leave each year they are not hospitalized or suffering from prolonged illness, occupational disease, or an injury due to their employment (Yıldırım, & Aydemir-Karadag, 2021). Additionally, all female employees will be eligible for 180-day maternity leave, during which they will be entitled to their basic salary, medical allowance, and house rent. Absence due to miscarriage and related pregnancy illness will not count as maternity leave. Male employees, too, will be entitled to a 14-day maternity leave during which they will be paid.

There are numerous advantages and disadvantages of providing employees with health hospitalization and life insurance programs. For any company, whether big or small, insurance and health benefits are crucial for the remuneration packages. As a matter of fact, employees tend to be drawn toward employers that offer health benefits. Therefore, it makes sense for any business owner to include health benefits as they attract and retain high-performing employees. Another advantage of offering health and insurance to employees is that it gives employees better group purchasing power. Although the employer can choose not to contribute to the employee’s insurance, it allows them to obtain pocket-friendly rates for the entire groups. Moreover, it gives the company a tax advantage. An employer can give employees something that raises their compensation package while at the same time allowing tax deductions. On the downside, health insurance programs have been rising significantly in recent years. The costs can be draining for the company as the costs can drain the valuable resources of even small employers. This uncertainty makes it difficult for the company to undertake financial planning. Another disadvantage is the administrative hassles that go into the programs. Although the selected insurance company acts as the plan administrator, it is still upon the employer to fill out to remit premiums, fill out form and act as a point of intermediary between the insurer and the employee. All these tasks tend to be time-consuming.

Undoubtedly, I would advise Carter Company to consider establishing a daycare center for all employees as only good would come from it. Daycare services are rather relevant to the company and would go a long way in attracting high-achieving employees. This idea would be viable, especially because many employees with children tend to struggle with daycare, which is expensive for them. Incorporating a daycare aspect at the workplace would create a conducive environment for employees to deliver results because their minds are at ease (Park, Song, & Kim, 2020). The daycare center should, of course, be positioned separately from the offices but at the same time close enough for employees to check on their young ones. When employees do not have to worry about their children’s well-being, they tend to be well settled and productive, which positively impacts the company as a whole.

References

Park, N. S., Song, S. M., & Kim, J. E. (2020). The mediating effect of childcare teachers’ resilience on the relationship between social support in the workplace and their self-care. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(22), 8513. https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph17228513Yıldırım, G., & Aydemir-Karadag, A. (2021). Designing an annual leave scheduling policy: Case of a financial center. Journal of Industrial & Management Optimization. http://dx.doi.org/10.3934/jimo.2021097

The Myth of ‘Beautiful Clean Coal’ – While the U.S. president advocates for the most polluting fossil fuel, a shrinking number of power companies see a future for it.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-10-29/what-is-trump-s-clean-coal-and-does-it-even-existThick white smoke tinged with a silvery hue blows from the chimney of one of the cleanest coal plants in the world.

Designed by General Electric Co. and run by the German utility Energie Baden-Wuerttemberg AG, this facility in Karlsruhe on the banks of the Rhine River is at the heart of a debate about whether coal can ever be clean enough to work in a world fighting climate change.

While the unit produces enough electricity for 912,000 homes, it also devours 250 tons of coal per hour, leaving it a substantial emitter of greenhouse gases. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government is considering proposals to close Germany’s remaining coal plants by 2030—even the cleanest of them. Manufacturers and utilities are hitting back with more efficient technology that makes the most polluting fossil fuel a little less dirty.

“If you look only at CO2 emissions as a data point, then of course we should stop burning coal,” said Michael Keroulle, chief commercial officer of GE Steam Power, a unit of the Boston-based conglomerate that’s selling coal technology. “But the reality is that countries need access to secure, reliable energy, and renewables can’t always provide that.”

The GE plant near EnBW’s headquarters in Karlsruhe, about 90 miles south of Frankfurt, is one of more than 300 plants worldwide tagged as “clean coal” by the industry. They represent about 12 percent of the power produced by coal around the world, according to data from the S&P Global Market Intelligence World Electric Power Plant Database, Platts.

That’s raised alarm among environmental groups, who point to scientific research suggesting the world must swear off fossil fuels by the middle of the century to prevent the worst impacts of global warming.

“Clean coal is a deliberately misleading term,” said Lauri Myllyvirta, a senior analyst at Greenpeace’s air pollution unit. “In the context of cutting greenhouse-gas emissions, there are two kinds of coal: far too polluting, and far too expensive.”

The moniker “clean coal” was most famously used by U.S. President Donald Trump in his State of the Union address and actually refers to a range of technologies. Some remove impurities from different grades of the fuel to make it burn more quickly, delivering greater power. Others scrub sulfur dioxide, which causes acid rain, and nitrous oxide, which harms the Earth’s ozone layer and worsens respiratory conditions such as asthma.

“We have ended the war on American Energy—and we have ended the war on clean coal. We are now an exporter of energy to the world.” —Donald Trump in his State of the Union address, Jan. 30, 2018

Trump made reviving what he calls “beautiful clean coal” a cornerstone of his legislative agenda, vowing to bring back jobs to the ailing industry. His administration has also argued that keeping coal plants provides a cheap and secure energy source that can’t be matched by wind, solar or natural gas.

The most promising systems essentially burn coal at super-high temperatures more quickly than conventional plants, squeezing more energy out of each ton of fuel. Their costs are about 40 percent higher than a regular plant, and their carbon dioxide emissions are 25 percent to 35 percent lower, according to the World Coal Association. On pollution, they can even rival natural gas, the cleanest fossil fuel.

Some 70 percent of the energy is lost when coal is burned in a typical power plant. ‘Clean coal’ plants still lose more than half the energy content.

“The best coal-fired plants are now producing emissions of NOx, SO2 and particulates that are actually lower than gas plants, which is certainly saying something,” said Ian Barnes, principal associate at the IEA’s Clean Coal Center. “For poorer countries like Bangladesh, the availability of affordable power will help to lift millions of people out of poverty.”

For the coal industry, this technology represents a better way to slow the growth in emissions while ensuring greater access to electricity.

The World Coal Association estimates it would cost $31 billion to upgrade 400 gigawatts of coal stations to use the best technologies. That’s a fraction of the $2.4 trillion-a-year investment in clean energy that’s needed to avoid a dangerous warming of the planet, according to a panel of scientists convened by the United Nations.

The most efficient plants operating now, like EnBW’s so-called RDK8 unit in Karlsruhe, are dubbed “ultra-supercritical,” or USC for short.

The name comes from the method of heating water to make steam, operating at a temperature of 600 degrees Celsius (1,100 Fahrenheit)—a third hotter than an oven set to the self-clean cycle. Under intense heat and pressure, water enters a “supercritical” phase where it’s neither a liquid nor a gas but has properties of both. That steam hits the 50-ton power-generation turbine at Karlsruhe with the force of a bullet, rotating it 50 times a second.

Manufacturers including GE, IHI Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. in Japan, Siemens AG in Germany and Doosan Corp. in South Korea are promoting these USC plants as a way to make coal cleaner for places that need cheap energy. They’re vying for orders in Asia, especially China, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia, which have fewer alternatives than rich industrial countries.

“If we stop coal-power plants all of a sudden, that will leave the world in disarray,” said Hiroshi Ide, executive officer and vice president of resources, energy and environment at IHI in Tokyo. “The dangerous thing is if customers choose coal power and pick the cheap and inefficient equipment, which emits a lot of carbon dioxide.”

Environmental lobbyists are the most obvious threat to these ambitions. Groups like the Sierra Club, backed by Michael Bloomberg, who owns Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg News, along with the Natural Resources Defense Council have focused attention on the harm done by coal pollution. They note that even the best coal plants contaminate groundwater and put mercury and dust into the air—in addition to their greenhouse-gas footprint.

“There is an honest concern among many in government around the world to modernize their economies and remedy energy poverty,” said David Schlissel, director of resource and planning at the Institute for Economics and Financial Analysis, an environment-focused research group based in Cleveland, Ohio. “For more than a century, burning coal was an accepted and economical way to do this. This is no longer the case.”

The clean-coal industry’s bigger hurdle may be finance, which is drying up quickly in Europe and the U.S., mainly because the projects are so costly and complex.

In the U.S., the only large clean-coal plant is NRG Energy Inc.’s W.A. Parish Unit 8 in Texas, which has a carbon-capture system added to it using Mitsubishi technology. It captures 90 percent of the CO2 in the processed flue gas and also has systems that reduce emissions of sulfur, mercury, nitrogen oxide and particulates. Southern Co. abandoned the clean-coal section of its $7.5 billion Kemper plant in Mississippi after cost overruns and problems building structures that could withstand temperatures above 900 degrees.

At AES Corp., a utility based in Arlington, Virginia, that operates power plants of all kinds in 15 countries, Chief Executive Officer Andres Gluski has been winding down his company’s commitment to coal mainly because of cost. In the past year, he’s sold or closed 4.5 gigawatts of coal plants and built 3 gigawatts of renewable-energy capacity. A gigawatt is about as much as a single nuclear reactor produces.

“You need 20 years just to pay off the debt,” Gluski said. “Where do you think that makes sense? We don’t see any new coal in the U.S. That’s the bottom line.”

Even in Asia, where the IEA expects dozens of new coal plants to be built in the coming years, it’s becoming more difficult to get loans. Development banks are shifting more of their support to green-energy projects, backing the goals of governments to rein in pollution.

“There’s really no such thing as clean coal,” said Woochong Um, director-general of the sustainable development and climate-change department at the Asian Development Bank, which is based in Manila. “In the last five years, we haven’t found the type of coal project we would do.”

The New Deal—Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt

Ironically, few Americans more qualified to deal with hard times than Herbert Hoover. Orphaned at eleven, he left Iowa to live with relatives in Oregon, eventually graduating from Stanford University. He became a millionaire by forty and a reputation as an expert in streamlining complex operations. In l928, Hoover’s accomplishments and energy won him the Republican nomination for President and easily defeated Democrat Al Smith (part of his defeat was due to his Catholic religion). Like most Americans, Hoover believed the l929 economic collapse was a garden-variety recession and would quickly work itself out. However, from the beginning, he was not willing to sit back and do nothing:

Called a special session of Congress to deal with depressed farm prices, and after much wrangling, Congress passed a law that provided federal loans to farm cooperatives. In l930, he asked and received a tax cut of 160 million dollars.

When conditions deteriorated in l931, Hoover moved further in the direction of governmental intervention. In June, the President called for a moratorium on the payment of war debts to America.

He accelerated work on Boulder Dam and developed plans for the Grand Coulee Dam started in l933.

Finally, he approved the creation of the Reconstruction Finance Corporation in late l931. The R.F.C. was authorized to lend $500 million to financial institutions to direct the “trickling down” of money to the public. In l932, he reluctantly agreed to let the R.F.C. lend $300 million to states for the relief of unemployment.

Unfortunately, Hoover’s efforts were too little too late. His belief that giving money to the financial institutions to trickle down never happened, and he was criticized for willing to earmark federal money for businesses while denying it to the unemployed. As comedian Will Rogers irreverently remarked that the “trickle-down theory always operated in reverse. He quipped, “You can drop a bag of gold in Death Valley, which is below sea level, and before Sunday, it will be home to Papa J.P. Morgan.”

Hoover made matters worse by supporting passage of the Hawley-Smoot Tariff in l930. The record high protective tariff had little impact on domestic prices or foreign exporters but provoked sharp retaliation from other countries, cutting American exporting in half between l930 and l932.

One of Hoover’s grievous mistakes was his move against the “bonus army” of l932. The so-called army consisted of 22,000 World War I veterans who had come to Washington, D.C., to lobby for immediate payment of bonuses due them in l945 for their service. When the Senate rejected the bonus bill, many dejected returned home. However, others made camp in ramshackle quarters on Anacostia Flats across the river from the Capital.

Following several skirmishes with the police in which bricks flew, and several veterans died, Hoover ordered the army in under the leadership of General Douglas MacArthur to remove the men from the camp. Unfortunately, MacArthur exceeded his assignment and burned down the entire encampment. Using tear gas and mounted bayonets, they wadded into the camp gassing a thousand men, women, and children. Seldom in American history have American troops been used with so little cause or restraint.

Franklin D. Roosevelt:

Franklin D. Roosevelt, a product of Hyde Park, New York tutors, and Harvard University, became President in l932. The distant cousin of Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin married Eleanor (also a distant relative) working his way up from Assistant Secretary of the Navy and Governor of New York. A second-rate intellect with an excellent temperament, Roosevelt had overcome the incredible challenge of polio in l921. Roosevelt waged a well-organized presidential campaign with a mix of wealthy backers and a “brain trust” of academic advisors who provided great ideas and well-written speeches. His campaign revealed one of his significant assets as President; the ability to attract able associates from diverse backgrounds and political persuasions.

Roosevelt and the New Deal

In l932, he promised to look after the “forgotten men, the unorganized but indispensable units of economic power.” Also, he pledged to end prohibition, restore purchasing power to the farmers, and bring relief to the small banks and homeowners. With his victory, he promised a bold federal government dedicated to promoting conservation (like his distant cousin Teddy), regulate public utilities, and curb the excesses of Wall Street.

In a statement characterizing the cornerstone of his political philosophy going into the White House, he remarked, “America demands bold, persistent experimentation. It is common sense to take a method and try it; if it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” In other words, he was not going to be bound by a consistent economic philosophy.

His distant cousin Theodore Roosevelt had promised the American people a “square deal,” he offers the American people a “New Deal:”

1.The four months between the election and taking office were among the most dismal in American history.

2.Though he had promised America bold action during the campaign, he never explicitly pointed out precisely what he would do once elected. In his inaugural address, he hinted that he would seek broad executive power to wage war against the emergency, as “great” as the power given him had the country been invaded by a foreign foe.

3.In the first l00 days [March 9-June 16 l933] that followed, Roosevelt kept his promise to act, and an unprecedented volume of legislation flowed from Congress.

4.Immediately declared a national bank holiday and called Congress into a special session.

5.Emergency Banking Act—required each bank in the Federal Reserve System inspected and licensed before it could reopen, forbade the hoarding of gold, and extended loans to banks.

6.The Glass-Steagall Act (June, l933)—separated commercial and investment banking to limit bank speculation; established the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which insured individual bank deposits up to $ 5000.

7.Agricultural Adjustment Act (May, l933)—The Act attempted to address one of the great tragedies of the depression, the surplus of farm products amid starvation. The excess caused a decline in farm income and, in turn, restricted farmers’ purchasing power. The AAA paid farmers to limit their production. The hope was to raise agricultural prices, increasing farmers’ income. In l936, the Supreme Court ended AAA, ruling the processing of tax regulated agricultural production was illegal.

8.The Civilian Conservation Corps (June, l933)—Brought together the preservation of natural resources and relief for the unemployed by taking men between the ages of 18 and 25 to work in the countryside and protect and develop forests and parks.

9.The National Industrial Recovery Act (June, l933)—The Act attempted to balance supply and demand, as well as labor and business relations. The N.R.A. oversaw the Act’s formation of “fair codes of competition.” Under the N.R.A., the creation of voluntary codes made it necessary for employers to “comply with the maximum hours of labor, minimum rates of pay, and other conditions of employment by approved or prescribed by the President. The symbol of the program was the Blue Eagle, which appeared in store windows, billboards, etc.

10.Section 7-A of the N.R.A. attempted to undo some of the limitations on organized labor. Such attempts began had begun under President Hoover with the passage of the Norris-LaGuardia Act (l932). Specifically, Section 7-A guaranteed the workers’ right to organize and bargain collectively through representatives of their choosing and receive the maximum hours to work, and the minimum rates of pay. In l935, the Supreme Court in Schechter v. Poultry Co. v. United States invalidated the N.R.A. codes system as an unconstitutional delegation of the making power to the executive and a federal invasion of intrastate commerce.

11.The Tennessee Valley Authority (May, l933), created a “corporation clothed in the power of government but possessed the flexibility and initiative enterprise” to develop the entire Tennessee River to solve fundamental environmental problems. The Act also included bringing better living conditions to its inhabitants—electricity under federal supervision and control.

12.Federal Emergency Relief Administration (May, l933) provided federal money to states to combat unemployment and set up labor projects.

13.Public Works Administration (June 1933), under Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes, administered a fund of 3.3 billion dollars to construct public-works projects such as highways, buildings, and dams. By l935, Ickes received criticism for handling the program too slow, and not reducing unemployment.

The Works Progress Administration in l935 under Harry L. Hopkins favored small public projects, replaced the PWA. The program provided work-relief for nearly 3 million Americans who participated in the building of airports, schools, production of plays, maps, and books.

14.Toward the end of the first New Deal, the administration passed several important pieces of legislation to supplement the Glass-Steagall Act.

15.The Securities Exchange Act (l934) set up the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to supervise the activities of all stock exchanges and to protect the public against deceit and other forms of corruption. The Act met with much hostility on Wall Street but helped to restore public confidence in the stock market:

a.The Federal Securities Act of l935 set standards for Wall Street in the issuance of new securities.

b.The Banking Act of l935 gave the Federal Reserve Board more power to limit the credit of the member banks, hence controlling their operations.

c.To move away from the gold standard and the deeply entrenched deflationary policies, Roosevelt passed the Gold Reserve Act of l934. The Act gave President Roosevelt the power to order the Federal Reserve banks to turn over their supply of gold to the U.S. Treasury in return for gold certificates and then devalued the dollar by cutting the amount of gold backing for each dollar. It allowed printing more money to help groups like the farmers pay their debts.

Other relevant New Deal Legislation:

16.The Wagner Act of l935 or the National Labor Relations Act) harkened back to section 7-A of the N.I.R.A. by clearly defining the government’s support of workers’ right to organize. The Act also provided for the establishment of a National Labor Relations Board to protect the right to self-organization. The Act included the right join, assist labor organizations, and collective bargaining through representatives of their choosing.

17.One of the most significant laws of the New Deal was the Social Security Act of l935. This law stole the thunder from the appeal of Dr. Francis Townshend, a retired physician who felt, “We owe every decent living to the older people,” and supported a plan that would give every citizen over the age of $60 a monthly income of $200.

18.The Social Security Act guaranteed a pension plan for the elderly, which was coupled with unemployment benefits for younger workers. Finance of the new system would come from payroll taxes. Government responsibility for the aged, the unemployed, and eventually, the dependent and disabled, was guaranteed. The New Deal peaks in 1935.

Critics of Roosevelt and the New Deal:

1.By the end of the 100 days, when statistics indicated the depression was only slowing down, critics of specific legislation made their feelings known.

2.Attacks from both the right and the increased left-wing pressure on the President.3.Business demanded a return to the days of laissez-faire philosophy, attacking Roosevelt for favoring the ordinary people while hampering industrial growth. The National Recovery Act was seen by business as a direct challenge to the free-enterprise system.

4.Demagogues rose to attack Roosevelt and the New Deal:

Huey Long, the United States Senator from Louisiana, proposed redistribution of income to pay a guaranteed income of $5000 to every family in America and “Make Every Man a King.” His “Share the Wealth” program received considerable support and made Long a potential presidential candidate in l936. His folksy and racist ways made him a real man of the people during these desperate times until his assassination in l936.

-Father Charles E. Coughlin, “the Radio Priest,” turned his weekly religious message from the subject of God to social reform. He claimed Roosevelt had failed and was now the “great betrayer.” He warned his listeners that the nationalization of industry and that Jews had taken over the New Deal.

-After the Second New Deal, Roosevelt and the Democratic Party was at war with itself.

-In response to Supreme Court Justices, who had invalidated his earlier legislation, Roosevelt proposed the Court Packing Plan in l937. Emboldened by his landslide presidential election in l936, the plan would provide retirement at full salaries for Justices over seventy. If a justice refused to retire, an “assistant” justice with full-court voting rights was to be appointed, increasing the size of the court. The extraordinary plan failed after Roosevelt learned he did not have enough Congressional support to pass the bill.

With the 1937 recession and the rise again in unemployment and a weak stock market, Roosevelt’s New Deal ended.

Assessment of the New Deal:

It changed the relationship between the national government and the people.

It began a civil war within the Democratic Party that would last into the l960’s when Southern white Democrats began to leave the party because of its stand on civil rights, women’s rights, and affirmative action. Those Democrats became the basis of the “new Republican Party.

Still, while the New Deal failed to end the depression, it made millions of American lives more bearable.

It passed laws that prevented another collapse of the economy by business and Wall Street until 2008’s Great Recession

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The myth of clean coal

Clean coal refers to several technologies that are used in converting emissions from burning coal such as carbon dioxide to reduce the greenhouse footprint and contribute towards managing climate change. Advocacy towards maintaining the production of energy through coal is based on the fact that coal is a cheap and more reliable source of energy compared to other renewable sources. The source of energy has been dubbed as “clean” since the introduction of technologies that reduce the amount of carbon iv oxide, nitrous oxide and Sulphur dioxide emitted in the air, hence reducing the fall of acidic rain and depletion of the ozone layer.

In their article “The Myth of Donald Trump’s ‘Beautiful Clean Coal,” Hodges, Wilkes, and Watanabe, cite the President’s remarks on reviving more coal plants by implementing the use of “clean coal.” This is in contrary to his counterparts such as the German chancellor who aims at closing all coal plants, even those considered the cleanest in Germany (Hodges, Wilkes, and Watanabe). For instance, General Electric Co. is one major coal facility in Germany with the highest emissions of greenhouse gases. Although the authors point out countries that are fighting coal energy, they do not seem to share a similar opinion with them. They tend to lean on the probabilities of using clean coal in energy production.

I, however, do not agree with the authors as coal energy presents a threat to the world that is fighting for green energy and better actions to reduce global warming. Moreover, the cost required when producing clean coal is much higher (at least 40% higher) as compared to when it produces unclean energy. Besides, approximately 70% of coal is wasted when clean coal is used as it has to go through filtering processes to remove any other dirt. The authors, however, argue that the amount of carbon dioxide emission is reduced by 25%-35%, which makes it almost the same level as natural gas in terms of polluting the environment (Hodges, Wilkes, and Watanabe).

The authors also provide compelling evidence and cases that cite the effectiveness of continuing to use coal as a source of energy. For example, they use the EnBW’s so-called RDK8 unit in Karlsruhe coal facility that has been named as supercritical as one of the cases that show technologies that have been employed to use clean coal. The technology, in this case, is reusing water in the process to produce extra electricity; which could be a cheap source of energy for countries such as Indonesia and Bangladesh.

Although using “clean coal” may serve as a cheap source of energy for both developed and developing countries, its effects on the environment cannot be ignored. There is no sufficient evidence to conclude that “clean coal” is clean and has no adverse effects on the climate and the people around the plants. Moreover, the costs involved in adopting these new technologies are very high and will require heavy investments which may not be possible for developing countries. Also, coal mining poses an environmental as well as a health risk to those working in the mines. Therefore, projecting energy and resources towards more research and improvement in green energy will bring the world a step closer in fighting climate change and solving other risks associated with coal energy.

Work cited

Hodges, Jeremy, William Wilkes, and Chisaki Watanabe. “Bloomberg – The Myth Of Donald Trump’s “Beautiful Clean Coal.”” Bloomberg.com. N.p., 2018. Web. 9 Apr. 2019.