Are Movie Stars’ Weddings Too Extravagant?

Dear Editor, Noticing the trickles of extravagant weddings sta+ged by movie stars in recent years, I cannot help suspiring how millions of dollars could have been better spent instead of being squandered on events that could have been just as beautiful and memorable if the budget was cut half. I am therefore writing this letter to express my serious concern over the despicable behaviour of these public figures who clearly have little idea of what it really takes to have an unforgettable wedding. It is not exactly inconceivable why movie stars tend to spend profusely – that they wish to garner media attention and show off their wealth and affluence to the world. But as often as we learn of star wedding news, equally frequently are we aware that they divorce a few years – or more outrageously a few months – after marriage. I have to say I am surprised at how marriage could be as disrespected as such. I am doubly surprised at how forgetful these people are, obviously having no memory of their vows and commitments on their lavish wedding day. It is henceforth a headache think of marriage being treated as a ridiculous game. With this in mind – that marriage is now nothing more than an empty concept that lacks respect and dignity – one comes to the conclusion that it is simply pointless in holding wedding parties at exorbitant prices. Name any loving couples around you and you realize the key to long-lasting marriages is not to make the wedding as unreasonably expensive as possible but to truly devote oneself to the relationship. Regardless of whether the wedding is huge or humble, so long as the two persons are faithful to and caring for each other, their marriage will always be graceful and memorable. In this era where divorce is no longer a taboo and divorce rate is shooting relentlessly worldwide, it seems grievously insensible and frankly wasteful that wedding ceremonies should be so luxurious. People may not agree with the notion that â€Å"Simple is beautiful†, but they can absolutely hold an equally enviable wedding while the money is spent on places more worthwhile. These dollars spent on creating an epic event which wastes countless flower baskets, barrels of fine wine and insanely overdone decoration can be donated to charity instead, giving guests a philanthropist image of the couple. Good deeds remain in the heart of people but good food are used up sooner than they think. By making the world a better place to live in, the couple is also making themselves better people to look upon. Hosting wedding receptions in a six-star hotel's grand ballroom may sound lovely, but the money could have been saved and spent on less expensive venues that can be just as elegant. Hiring famous public relation companies to organize the whole wedding ceremony is not really economical, while engaging oneself in the wedding preparation is even more fulfilling than making it a cat's paw of someone else. The guest will also be impressed by the couple's involvement. I am sure these people will be amazed at how much they can save and how much blessing they will receive from the world by spending their sums of money in a smarter and a more caring way.

Crew Resource Management. Report(2000 words)- Using the model designed Essay

Crew Resource Management. Report(2000 words)- Using the model designed by Professor James Reason, write a report on the - Essay Example and information about the dangers of Pump A had been misplaced, through the change of staffing which occurred overnight, thus the cause of the explosion when Pump A was turned on and gas began to leak out of the network of piping on the rig. Professor James Reason developed a model known as the Reason Error Prevention Model or the Swiss Cheese Model which suggests that gaps in process or management can lead to on-the-job hazards or accidents (in an environment such as Piper Alpha), with these gaps requiring closure in order to provide effective management and successful adherence to process guidelines. This report identifies certain managerial and process breakdowns which occurred in 1988 on Piper Alpha in order to highlight how better to manage organisational risks, especially in an environment prone to dangerous hazards. Reason’s model suggests that human error is a natural evolution in any business environment and should be considered when creating a leadership or management model. Lack of concentration, carelessness or forgetfulness are human failings and are going to be present in the organisational design, thus leading to undesirable business outcomes. Further, Reason claims that â€Å"adverse events are the product of latent conditions (pathogens) within the organisational system† (Reason, 2008, p.7; Jeffries, 2005). By this, Reason means that even the most detailed and sophisticated management models, maintaining a strong focus on safety and adherence to policy, can still be interrupted by humans or organisational pathogens and lead to workplace hazards. At Piper Alpha, the disaster cost the company $1.4 billion in USD (Peterson, 1991). The pathogen which existed during this time period was failure for safety workers and managers to perform follow-up with on-duty managers after changing shifts overnight. Even though the permit system had been established to ensure that machinery experiencing maintenance was isolated and closed off, shift leaders did

The Controversy Surrounding the law on the Positive Role of the French Essay

The Controversy Surrounding the law on the Positive Role of the French Presence Overseas - Essay Example This law, otherwise known as the 'February 23, 2005' law, was passed quietly in February of 2005, but came to prominence in the autumn when there was an overwhelming vote by conservative deputies against a bid to revoke the phrase. This touched off on a debate about whether France, whose empire ended in bloody wars in Indochina and Algeria, had learnt from its colonial experience. The trouble started in February when lawmakers quietly slipped a clause into a bill requiring schools to "recognize in particular the positive character of the French overseas presence, notably in North Africa." Some of the key players in this situation would be: President Jacques Chirac of Paris, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, Gilles Manceron, and Olivier Petre-Grenouilleau - a respected historian who was accused of making statements in an interview which implied that the slave trade was not a crime against humanity. (In fact, he said that it didn't constitute genocide). Gilles Manceron noted that for some historians, the treatment of the harkis exemplifies how France has basically failed to deal with aspects of its past, saying "The state put them in military camps or in isolated camps in forests, cut off from the rest of the French population. This isolation is comparable to the treatment of indigenous people in the colonies." (Gehmlich, 2006). Hamlaoui Mekachera, junior minister for veterans' affairs who is also of Algerian origin and in fact actually fought for the French army during the Algerian war, praised the law, saying it was "a historic moment for people of all origins who have been repatriated." He went on to say, "The current debate must not allow us to forget the real range of measures (the law) contains." (Geimlich, 2006). Who Wants a Repeal of the law and who Does not, and why More than 1000 historians, writers and intellectuals have signed a petition demanding the repeal of this law. "In retaining only the positive aspects of colonialism this law imposes an official lie on massacres that at times went as far as genocide on the slave trade, and on the racism that France has inherited," says the petition, which has also been signed by one of France's best-loved humorists, Guy Bedos, and a leading film director, Patrice Chereau. The principal objection to the law is

Ancient Roman Architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Ancient Roman Architecture - Essay Example The Etruscans inspired the pedestal or podium below the early Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus in 509 B.C. The true arch may or may nit have come to Rome from Etruria, but both peoples often used the corbel arch and both liked decorative terra cotta. The Punic wars I and II, during the third century B.C., brought Rome into contact with Greek culture of southern Italy and Sicily; and with the conquest of Corinth, in 146 B.C., Rome subjugated Greece itself. From the Hellenistic and later Greeks, the Romans adopted the orders of architecture but modified them. They added a base to the Doric column and lightened its proportions to eight lower diameters in height. They joined the volutes of the Ionic capital with straight lines instead of the delicate Greek curves. The Corinthians was their favorite order. To the three Greek orders they added the Tuscan, a simplified version of the Structurally, the most important innovation of the Roman was the arch, which they used widely although they had not invented it. Next to the post and lintel, arch construction is historically of greatest importance. An arch is made of wedge-shaped stones that are arranged with the small side of the wedge turned down toward the opening. When the stones have been put in place by means of scaffolding or centering, their shape keeps them from falling, just like in the aqueduct of Segovia. Each stone of the arch, by its weight, exerts constant pressure on the stones an each side of it and the arch is held in position only by an exact balancing of these pressures. If that balance is upset, the arch collapses. As an old Arabic proverb has it â€Å"An arch never sleeps (The World Book Encyclopedia, p.640).†

Financial Contracts in Islamic law compared to that of American Law Dissertation

Financial Contracts in Islamic law compared to that of American Law - Dissertation Example Financial contracts can be entered in both written and verbal formats and must be discussed and accepted during a single meeting without any noticeable interruptions including multiple negotiation sessions or changes in the meeting venue. Unlike provisions under American law, Islamic financial contracts can be accepted based on personal conduct of the parties (Hassan, 2007). Under special circumstances, non-responsiveness to a given contract proposal is taken as an acceptance. Islamic law also allows further flexibility among parties within a given meeting session whereby parties have the right to refuse a contract up to the point when either party leaves the meeting venue physically. However, variations do exist over the interpretation, implementation and recognition of this feature even within countries where Islamic finance is practiced (Vogel, 2008). Contents of the financial contracts under Islamic law are prohibited from discussing or relating with any item prohibited by the re ligion. Such substances include alcohol and tobacco besides prohibition on gambling. All applicable items that constitute the contract content must further be in the possession or ownership of either party and legally exist at the time of the initiation of the contract (Rayner, 2001). In simple words, items that will be devised in the future may not be included in an Islamic contract. Specific properties of all these items including specifications, origin and quality must be clearly states in the terms of the contract. Other than deals that involve the exchange of money, the exact price at which the goods will be delivered should be agreed upon prior to contract agreement (Hassan, 2007). Contracts based on future prices that are speculative in nature are not allowed and cannot be developed based on the advice of a third party. While there are several types of Islamic financial contract, the most common one that is used for sale and exchange of goods is known as mu’awadat. Goo ds can be sold either for money or can be exchanges as part of a barter transaction. Even exchange of money is valid under Islamic contract. Real estate or equipment can be leased to external parties by using another type of contract known as the ‘ijara’ (Vogel, 2008). The concept of Islamic contracts has been in existence for several centuries in regions like the Middle East, Asia and North Africa where Islam continues to be a major religion (Ayub, 2009). Islamic finance is considered as a tool from the almighty and is based upon relevant Islamic principles that place a high value on moral principles that is expected of all followers of the religion. Conventional American law is aimed at helping create contracts that are ‘ethical’ in nature. Islamic finance advocates a similar approach when developing contracts and related transactions. However, this feature must not lead to an assumption that Islamic contracts bear a close resemblance with Western contrac ts (Rayner, 2001). In fact, contracts agreed upon under Islamic law are rather less binding than conventional American contracts that imply all aspects covered under them. Legal advice and further scrutiny is thus necessary in the case of Islamic contracts to understand the circumstances under which a contract may not be valid. In addition, the application of Islamic contracts has not been uniform across the Islamic world. While countries like Pakistan and Iran apply Islamic law in a stringent fashion, other countries

Impact of International Trade and Globalisation on Corporate Strategy

Impact of International Trade and Globalisation on Corporate Strategy - Essay Example This word of "Globalisation" is not strange to a lot of people. The globe is getting in imperative respects, a solitary social arrangement owing to globalization which is made up by the association and interconnection amongst the societies and states. Such association and linkage is a multi-dimensional course but not the latest one -in the end, of19th century, there was previously unfasten global financial system, with a great deal of business, including business in currency (Gratton, Hope, Stiles & Truss C, 2008, 45). The blurry perception of globalization has been clearly explained in financial vocabulary. Corporate globalization may be viewed as the movement of items, services, and money assets or savings across global boundaries and in this manner turned into a predominately financial happenings of the world, all over which, national organisations develop into international corporations and countries are no longer seen as self-governing and closed monarch states, but as a fraction of single large financial system. If we abide by the 'best fit' theory in order to achieve the objectives of the corporate strategy, these elements must be continuously linked back, in order to reflect the business strategy employed. 1. Employee relations. This relates to the partnership between employers, and employees. It has strong connotations of 'involvement' and several key theorists advocate that without this, the strategy cannot work; it must demand a commitment to overall objectives and be practiced on every level of the business. (Macdonald, 2006, 07).

Ernest Hemingway Legend Essay Example for Free

Ernest Hemingway Legend Essay Ernest Hemingway is the ideal of an American legend, rugged, no-nonsense, with personal adventures rivaled only by those in his groundbreaking fiction.   His sparse newspaper style created a literary furor and his success came early and grew until the day he died.   In addition to his canonical novels, Hemingway was also adept at short fiction, including one only six-words long.   Besides, his male bravado, he also managed to capture the alienating effects of modern life in his fiction.   The modern themes of abortion, feminism, and alienation are expressed simply and eloquently in â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants. † In the short story â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† Hemingway explores modern alienation in a tense discussion between a couple waiting for a train.   Two Americans in Spain, the man is trying to pressure the woman into some operation, though it is never revealed what this operation is.   Throughout the tense, yet sparse conversation, the man insists she have the operation, yet the woman resists.   It becomes increasingly clear that the operation they discuss may be an abortion, and the tension between the two symbolizes something uniquely modern.   Though abortions have been performed for centuries, it remained taboo until the twentieth century. Hemingway, though never specifically citing abortion as the subject in the story, displays the alienating effect it has on relationships and couples:   â€Å"‘It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig,’ the man said. ‘It’s not really an operation at all.’   The girl looked at the ground the table legs rested on. ‘I know you wouldnt mind it, Jig. It’s really not anything. It’s just to let the air in’† (Hemingway).   The man refuses to completely acknowledge the significance of the situation, perhaps suggesting either his refusal or dismissal of Jig’s role as a woman worthy of making her own decision. According to critic Paul Lankin, â€Å"as the man persists in opposing the continuance of Jig’s maternity, he grossly oversimplifies the issue, even to the point of self-contradiction, calling abortion first ‘an awfully simple operation’ and then ‘not really an operation at all’† (234).   His dismissive attitude speaks of a former socially acceptable condescension by men towards women during a time when women were often treated as second class citizens.   This frank discussion between the man and the woman seems only possible in modern literature and seems unimaginable during Victorian times. The tension between the man and the girl is palpable in the short story.   Though they are travelers, imbibing alcohol and waiting for the train to their next destination, the conversation is filled with underlying themes of male dominance and female perseverance.   The man continuously belittles the girl’s feelings towards the pregnancy, and his argument includes many attempts at downplaying the importance.   The man persistently tries to convince her, even though he seems to feign sincerity in much of his words: â€Å"‘Well,’ the man said, ‘if you don’t want to you don’t have to.   I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to.   But I know it’s perfectly simple’† (Hemingway).    The girl does her best to contend with the man, believing that if she listens to him the relationship will be back to normal.   She hides her worry with levity, including her comment about the hills looking like white elephants.   It becomes apparent that more than fear over the procedure, the girl is coming to the realization that her relationship with the man is not what she thought it was: â€Å"the girl clings to a dream of family and togetherness until the last minute, and finally decides to give it all up as the requisite price of staying with the man-not knowing, as the reader does, from the many hints provided by Hemingway, that the man is likely to leave her, even if she goes through with the abortion† (Hashmi 3). Her final declaration that she is fine is the affirmation that a man cannot dictate her womanhood and her life decisions.   In the end, she becomes the one with the strength and wisdom, understanding that the relationship is forever changed.   The newfound disconnect between the man and the girl will be permanent after this episode, exemplifying the theme of alienation brought by many modern decisions. Though the man believes that the only way to preserve the comfortable relationship is to maintain the status quo, even if it means aborting their baby, the woman disagrees.   The American tries to make himself sound perfectly reasonable and rational, but as the dialogue continues, it becomes clear that he is both selfish and hypocritical (â€Å"Overview: Hills Like White Elephants†). The couple’s disagreement, about something as monumental as creating human life, is a clear sign that they have little that bonds them other than their superficiality.   The girl even comments in the beginning of the story how, â€Å"That’s all we do, isnt it look at things and try new drinks?’† The man responds, â€Å"I guess so† (Hemingway).   Later, when the man claims that everything will be the same after the abortion and the baby is the only thing that made them unhappy, it seems like a statement lacking all truth. The very fact that keeping or aborting a baby is a choice, is a uniquely modern issue.   The reality of having to even consider it completely destroys their carefree lifestyle as travelers in Europe, and underlines their existences as solitary beings alienated from each other.   Ironically, the man claims that he only wants her and no one else, but his statements seem insincere. The girl realizes their alienation from each other and the happiness they once knew with the â€Å"claim that Europe ‘isn’t ours anymore,’ which expresses her knowledge that such an innocent return to a secularized American-in-Europe experience of time is impossible† (Grant 3).   Europe is not theirs to share, seemingly as if enjoyment is also no longer theirs to share.   The complexity of their modern dilemma illustrates the true distance between them. Hemingway’s story is one that could only be written during modern times.   Though not many years removed from the Victorian Age, the themes of abortion, feminine independence, and modern alienation have continued to echo throughout the literature of modernity.   While short and devoid of lengthy descriptions, the dialogue and significant themes give â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† a lasting power that only continues to grow as time goes by. Works Cited: Grant, David. â€Å"Hemingways ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ and the tradition of the American in Europe.† Studies in Short Fiction. Summer, 1998. 25 July 2008. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2455/is_3_35/ai_83585388/pg_3. Hashmi, Nilofer. â€Å"‘Hills Like White Elephants’: The Jilting Of Jig.† The Hemingway Review.   Fall 2003. 25 July 2008. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3786/is_200310/ai_n9334110/pg_3. Hemingway, Ernest. â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† The Heath Anthology of American Literature.   Lauter, Paul.   3rd Ed.   Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† Short Stories for Students, Vol. 6. The Gale Group, 1999. Lankin, Paul. â€Å"Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants.† The Explicator. Summer 2005; v63.