Saturday, January 25, 2020

Macbeth :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At the beginning Shakespeare presents Macbeth as a sort of hero. He is presented as a great warrior and loyal servant of the king, Duncan. However, as we progress through the play we see another side of Macbeth. This is the side of evil all powered by his unstoppable lust for power and greatness. We see this lust for power become stronger and stronger until he leaves the whole of Scotland in a terrible state.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The play starts with the witches talking about Macbeth and what a great warrior he is. In Shakespeare’s time witches were thought of as evil and the fact that they were talking about Macbeth made the audience make the connection between Macbeth and evil. The witches also give the audience the setting of the play and the story so far. They tell the audience about the battle in which Macbeth is fighting and that they will meet Macbeth on his return.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the king hears of Macbeth’s heroics in battle he is very pleased and refers to him as â€Å"valiant cousin, worthy gentleman.† The king also presents Macbeth with the title of the Thane of Cawdor. This just adds to Macbeths already great status and shows him to be even more of a hero. This is backed up again by the sergeant who refers to him as â€Å"brave Macbeth† and â€Å"Valour’s minion.† Ross also admires his bravery by referring to him as â€Å"Bellona’s bridegroom.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first time we see Macbeth is when he arrives on the heath where the witches are settled. Even before Macbeth appeared for the first time we had quite a clear picture of him. The first words Macbeth speaks, â€Å"So fair and foul a day I ne’er have seen† mirror the first words we hear from the witches. When Macbeth meets the witches they seem to know a lot about him and start implanting the idea of becoming king in his mind. Macbeth is taken aback by the witches and their prophecies which suggests that Macbeth has thought about it before and is frightened that his secret has been uncovered.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the messengers arrive with the news that Macbeth has earned the title of Thane of Cawdor this acts as a catalyst in his lust for power and quest to become king. The contrast between Macbeth and Banquos attitude towards the prophecies shows how Macbeth has great ambitions and is starting to think about killing the king.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Federal Reserve Paper Essay

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the Federal Reserves’ discount rate, monetary policy, and stimulus program through the money multiplier. What are the factors that would influence the Federal Reserve in adjusting the discount rate? According to Chron if prices rise too fast or the economy starts slowing down, the Federal Reserve uses the discount rate as a way of manipulating interest rates to stabilize the economy. This change can either increase or decrease how much you’ll pay to borrow money. How does the discount rate affect the decisions of banks in setting their specific interest rates? According to Chron although changes in the discount rate affect your interest rate, the Federal Reserve does not lend directly to business owners. Rather, the Federal Reserve lends money to depository institutions such as commercial banks. Depository institutions must pay interest on the money they borrow from the Federal Reserve. The discount rate is the interest rate the Federal Reserve charges its depository institution borrowers. Loan interest rates fluctuate in response as depository institutions pass the discount rate changes along to you. How does monetary policy aim to avoid inflation? According to Tutor2u monetary policies tend to invest in various assets, in order to avoid the losses caused by inflation. Increase in interest rates is also another measure, in order to contract the real money supply. Monetary policy controls money supply by increasing the discount rate, and also through increasing and decreasing the reserve requirements of lending banks. If the reserve requirements decrease, the banks can lend more money to consumers and businesses. If the reserve requirements increase, banks have to keep more money in with the fed. The interest rates increase, and people have an incentive to save and earn interest from the bank. If the interest rates decrease, then people do not have an incentive to save and they spend their money. How does a stimulus program (through the money multiplier) affect the money supply? According to Forbes a study by Obama administration economists Christina Romer and Jared Bernstein predicts that the stimulus plan being debated in Congress will raise the gross domestic product by $1. Such a multiplier effect has been heavily criticized by a number of top economists, including John Taylor of Stanford, Gary Becker and Eugene Fama of the University of Chicago and Greg Mankiw and Robert Barro of Harvard. The gist of their argument is that the government cannot expand the economy through deficit spending because it has to borrow the funds in the first place, thus displacing other economic activities. In the end, the government has simply moved around economic activity without increasing it in the aggregate. The problem is that fiscal stimulus needs to be injected right now to counter the liquidity trap. If that were the case, I think we might well get a very high multiplier effect this year. But if much of the stimulus doesn’t come online until next year, when we are likely to be past the worst of the slowdown, then crowding out will greatly diminish the effectiveness of the stimulus, just as the critics argue. The theory of the money multiplier states that for every $1 spent by the government, it drums up $1. 50 in the economy. So, if the government spends more money via a stimulus package, the economy should expand by 50% of the amount of the stimulus package. In conclusion the following topics have been discussed and described to give one an idea of its functions: What is the factor that would influence the Federal Reserve in adjusting the discount rate? – How does the discount rate affect the decisions of banks in setting their specific interest rates? – How does monetary policy aim to avoid inflation? -How does a stimulus program (through the money multiplier) affect the money supply?

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Catalog Shopping - Mail Order Homes and Stock Plans

Did your old house come in the mail? Between 1906 and 1940, thousands of North American homes were built according to plans sold by mail order companies such as Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Wards. Often the entire mail order house (in the form of labeled timbers) came via freight train. Other times, builders used local materials to construct homes according to the mail order catalog house plans. Today, catalog homes can be bought online. Stock plans are pre-drawn building plans that you can order from a catalog, magazine, or website. Most builders and developers offer a number of house plans in stock from which you may choose. Stock plans ordered through the mail or downloaded from a website may include floor plans, foundation plans, structural framing plans, electrical and plumbing plans, cross-section drawings, and elevation drawings. If you are not sure about your selection, you can usually obtain an inexpensive floor plan to review. However, you will need to buy the full set of plans before you can apply for a building permit and begin construction. Catalog house plans by Sears, Montgomery Wards, Aladdin, and other companies were widely distributed in the United States and Canada in what has generally been called pattern books. Where are those plans now? To find the original plans and to learn other important information about your mail order house, follow the steps listed below. Search for Written Records The neighbors may say your home was made by Sears, but they could be mistaken. Several other companies also sold house kits and house plans. To find out who made your house, check building permits, mortgage agreements, deeds, and other public records. Also look through scrapbooks, old correspondence, and ledgers to discover how old is your house. Look for Physical Clues Scout around in the cellar and attic for numbers or words stamped on joists and rafters. Also check your homes hardware and plumbing fixtures. You may be able to find trade names that will identify the manufacturer of your home. Keep in mind that the popular catalog houses were widely copied by local builders. Its easy to mistake a locally-made home for one designed by Sears or Wards. Use the process of architectural investigation. Browse  Online Catalogs Actual pages from historic house plan catalogs are reproduced on several websites. As you browse through these pages, remember that plans were often used for several years after they were first created. So, if your house was built in 1921, make sure to also browse plans for earlier years. Here are some good places to start: Mail Order House Plans  Index in  ThoughtCo.comSears Archives - Find catalog images and network with owners of Sears Mail Order houses. Browse Print Catalogs Cant find anything that resembles your house online? Dont give up. Browse through original or reproduction catalogs at your library or bookstore. Some catalogs even include construction information such as the type of woods to use. Here are a few reproduction Sears catalogs availalble from Amazon.com: Small Houses of the Twenties, the Sears, Roebuck 1926 House Catalog. Construction information includes detailed illustrations of interiors and fixtures.  Sears, Roebuck Homebuilders Catalog  - The Complete Illustrated 1910 Edition. Well-illustrated with construction specifications.  Homes in a Box, Modern Homes from Sears Roebuck, Schiffer Publishing. Reproduction of Sears 1912 Modern Homes catalog.   Be Open-Minded Local builders and homeowners often customized mail order plans, adding porches, moving doors, and adapting details to accommodate personal tastes and needs. The mail order plans you find may not resemble your own home exactly. Study the Ads The catalog page for your mail order home will provide a wealth of information. Youll find the original retail price of the house and the types of materials used. Youll see floor plans and a simple drawing of the house. You might even find some construction details and specifications. Stock Plans Today Stock plans dont have to be from Sears, Roebuck and Company, although bungalows by mail were popular at the turn of the 20th century. Pre-drawn plans dont have to be manufactured built or prefab homes. These days, architects may make custom plans for a client and then put those plans on the market as stock plans.  Houseplans.com is one avenue for these architects. Does all this seem like a lot of work? You bet! But researching your mail order home is also fun and fascinating. Youll enjoy the journey, and along the way youre likely to meet friends who share your enthusiasm for older homes.  Good luck!