Angels Essays (1883 words) - Julius And Ethel Rosenberg,

Angels In America By Kushner Explore how any playwright of the time has successfully dramatised a social issue. Contemporary theatre has stepped further and further away from the sugar-coated happy society plays and musicals that once dominated Broadway and the West End. Now, harsher more realistic stories with issues facing today's society and politics are shocking that conventional-type of theatre. "Shock is a part of art. Art that's polite is not much fun" (Kushner:Bernstein). One of these stories that have made this kind of impact on modern drama and theatre is Tony Kushner's "Angels in America." Described as "the best American play in forty years," this two part play ("Millennium Approaches" and "Perestroika") gives to life a variety of different issues facing not just the American society it is set in but the modern world as well (Lucas). With the main story line dealing with gays, politics, and AIDS in the 1980s, with this ?A Gay Fantasia on National Themes' Kushner has successfully explored these issues in further detail ultimately "nudging Broadway into the 21st century" (Winship). The gay revolution took place in America in the 1980s which, consequently, is the setting for "Angels in America". The strong economy gave many of "Reagan's children" power and courage to be more open with their sexuality (Part One: Act II, scene vii). People were ?coming out', so to speak, more than in previous decades. With five out of eight of the main characters in the play being gay males, and half of those in high power positions (i.e. law), the setting and political information discussed support the truth that Kushner writes about the gay community. "Good politics will produce good aesthetics, really good politics will produce really good aesthetics, and really good aesthetics, if somebody's really asking the hard questions and answering them honestly, they'll probably produce truth" (Kushner:Bernstein). There is truth at the most basic of levels when, Joe, chief clerk for a Federal Court of Appeals judge, admits that he is homosexual (Part One: Act II, scene viii). Also truth to the most extreme, a consequence leading to death for many homosexuals: HIV and the AIDS virus, involving Roy the successful lawyer/power broker (Part Two: Act IV, scene viiii). "Angels in America" is not just a ?gay play', but a play about American politics as well. The appearance of politics, not to mention homosexuality and AIDS, are issues resisted by most critics and audiences. Despite the odds, the subjects have proved successful to Kushner. The political element in this play is one that is a key in the story line and something not seen in many plays before this time. "Is it that Americans don't like politics, or is it that so much theatre that is political isn't well done?" (Kushner:Bernstein) It is mentioned in detail and is even non-fictional, as mentioned in Kushner's disclaimer for "Perestroika". This type of detail given at an aesthetic approach essentially gives the audience a life-like story and the characters that life to portray. The change the Reagan era caused in politics and the country is expressed by these characters as a part of that society. For example, Joe, representing the optimistic opinion, discusses with Harper the positive change that the Reagan administration has given to the country: "...For the good. Change for the good. America has rediscovered itself. Its sacred position among nations. And people aren't ashamed of that like they used to be...The truth restored. Law restored. That's what President Reagan's done....We become better. More good..." (Part One: Act One, scene v). As Belize, representing the more pessimistic opinion, discusses to Louis of his hate of America under Reagan: "Well I hate America, Louis. I hate this country. It's just big ideas, and stories, and people dying, and people like you...I live in America, Louis, that's hard enough. I don't have to love it..." (Part Two: Act IV, scene iii). The varying opinions, openly discussed by these characters, represent the same doubts and hopes of that American society. "I think that a character's politics have to live in the same sort of relationship to the character's psyche that people's politics live in relationship to their own psyches" (Kushner:Bernstein). Just the detailed political statements that the characters give in relation to society are enough to leave the audience thinking and questioning that power-hungry society of the 1980s. Yet, Kushner gives this a further twist by making the audience really test their political views. As they may be able to associate with these conservative political views, will they still be able to agree with that same character and

Merger of Air France and KLM

Merger of Air France and KLM The airline industry is a capital-intensive industry that has stiff competition. Some of the avenues that airlines use to compete include convenience of flights, inflight comfort, capacity, and ticket prices (Inderwildi King, 2012). Stiff competition necessitates airlines to form collaborations to improve their profitability. National flag carriers are the major airlines that dominate the market.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Merger of Air France and KLM specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The national carriers may use their vast resources to acquire small airlines. This reduces competition in the industry. KLM is a Dutch national carrier. On the other hand, Air France is a French national carrier. Problems that the two airlines faced necessitated the merger of the airlines. The merger would lead to the formation of Air France-KLM holding company. This would make Air France-KLM the largest airline in the world in t erms of revenue.  The European Union (EU) is a powerful body that can negotiate on behalf of its members. The EU has the right to enter into open-skies agreements with non-member states. In so doing, the EU ensures that it safeguards the interests of member states. Therefore, the EU plays a critical role in shaping the future of the airline industry. The EU kicked off negotiations with the US on behalf of the member states (Tagliabue, 2003).  It was vital for the merger of Air France and KLM to get the approval of the EU. The merger would lead to the formation of Air France-KLM holding company. However, the individual airlines would continue operating as independent companies to preserve their distinct identities (Tagliabue, 2003). The holding company would have three major operations. These included passengers, freight, and aircraft maintenance. The merger would be greatly beneficial to both airlines. The merger would lead to financial stability of the Air France, which was on the verge of bankruptcy in the mid-1990s. On the other hand, the merger would inject capital into KLM. The merger of Air France and KLM would lead to significant changes in the market. In the long-term, the merger would help in reducing the number of the carriers that compete in the European airline market. The merger would help in the formation of a small number of large carriers. This would make the European airline market resemble the American airline market, which has a small number of large airlines. American Airlines and United Airlines are the dominant players in the American airline industry (Ireland, Hoskisson Hitt, 2008) Focus of the large airlines on the long-haul routes would help in the growth of small airlines, which focus on short-haul flights. Growth of the short-haul flights would increase competition in the short-haul routes. This would put pressure on the traditionally high fares of European carriers.Advertising Looking for article on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, certain analysts believe that the merger would limit competition in the airline industry. According the analysts mergers of large airlines would lead to reduced capacity and higher ticket prices. In addition, large carriers may use their resources to push small airlines out of the market. Mergers should take into the consideration the interests of shareholders of the respective companies. Most mergers offer shareholders a premium price on their shares (Peng, 2011). Shareholders of KLM received 11 shares of the holding company for every 10 KLM shares. In addition, the shareholders had warrants of additional shares until 2008. On the other hand, shareholders of Air France received one share of the holding company for every Air France share. Therefore, the merger was more beneficial to the shareholders of KLM. This led to an increase of the price of KLM’s shares and a fall in the share price of Air France in the stock markets. The merger of Air France and KLM would lead to significant changes in the European airline industry. The merger threatened the position of the British Airways and Lufthansa, which were the two largest airlines in Europe. However, it was vital for both companies to formulate strategies that would enable them combine their strengths to improve their competitiveness (Ireland, Hoskisson Hitt, 2012). Otherwise, the merger would be ineffective. References Inderwildi, O. King, D. (2012). Energy, transport, the environment: Addressing the sustainable mobility paradigm. London: Springer. Ireland, R.D., Hoskisson, R.E. Hitt, M.A. (2008). Understanding business strategy: Concepts and cases. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Ireland, R.D., Hoskisson, R.E. Hitt, M.A. (2012). Strategic management cases: Competitiveness and globalization. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on Merger of Air France an d KLM specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Peng, M.W. (2011). Global business. Mason, OH: South Western Cengage. Tagliabue, J. (2003, October 1). Air France and KLM to merge, Europe’s no. 1 airline. The New York Times. Web.

Audit framework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Audit framework - Essay Example the statutory audit report is a must for the company in the presentation of their balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows. The standard statutory audit is characterised by an auditor performs normal auditing procedures to show that the financial statements are more credible than if no external auditor's opinion is attached. The statutory audit is implemented in order to prevent frauds and illegal acts. As proof,Enron's income statement was window dressed. The company had recorded sales transactions that had never happened. Consequently, these fraudulent transactions would translate to higher sales. Higher sales would give a higher net income. a higher net income would give us a higher net assets. a higher sales would generate a higher stockholders' equity. In addition, the company did not record some of its losses. Enron had fraudulently window -dressed by presenting these Enron losses as losses of its off -shore companies. as a result, the unrecorded losses resulted to a net income that is higher than what the real net income should be. Convincingly, Enron's income statement was window dressed (Fusaro, and Miller 2002, 107) Also, Enron and Arthur Andersen knew that recording fictitious sales and profits would increase stockholder investments. Enron and Arthur Andersen knew that recording fictitious sales and profits would increase stockholder investments. Enron and Arthur Andersen knew that recording fictitious sales and profits would increase stockholder investments. The senior management officers connived with the accounting officers of Enron to prepare the fraud -laden financial statement in complete violation the harmonization standards set by violating the international accounting standards accomplish this fraudulent goal. Clearly, Enron and Arthur Andersen knew that recording fictitious sales and profits would increase stockholder investments (Madrick 2002). urthermore, the WorldCom and Enron accounting scandals are two of the reasons that triggered the approval of the Sabarnes -Oxley Law. The company was a communications company that had risen to profitability during the 1990s. However, the company found its profitability had slowly declined in the early 2000s. This is the largest accounting scandal in history. The officers of WorldCom entered tried to window dress their stock market price. The company's stock market price had decreased because company profits started to decline. The officers, specifically CEO Bernie Ebbers and CPA Scott Sullivan had to prepare false financial statements indicating that their sale and profits were higher than the real sales and profits would show in order to stave the decline of its stock market share price Zekany, Braun, and Warder 2004). Similar to Enron, the company's external auditor, Arthur Andersen, did not comply with generally accepted auditing standards to prevent or curtail material misstateme nts of the income statement and the corresponding balance sheet. The WorldCom fraudulent activities occurred from 1999 to 2002 (Ettredge et al., 1).