Humanities Today Paper free essay sample

Humanities allows us to look at the past, the past will allow us to see what our future holds. This paper will examine how the study of humanities Is differentiated between other modes of expression. The paper will also review examples of art, music, architecture, philosophy, literature and film that reflect current socio- economics, technology and politics. Humanities Defined The study of humanity provides insight into how humans have developed culturally. The insight that art, literature and music can provide allows us to understand the influence that It provided In the development of our future, or our today. This awareness gives us the opportunity to see how Important facts and events have influenced others. Specifically, how artists, writers, performers, and philosophers used these influences to tell the stories of their time. This review provides value in the fact that it allows us to understand how art uses symbolism or how representations of facts or events are portrayed within the artists creations. We will write a custom essay sample on Humanities Today Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Art Art Is defined as a style or form of expressing culture. Art is a broad term used to categorize the way In which Ideas, views, dreams, and events are expressed.There Is no one type of art. However, the most commonly forms that are known as art include sculpture, and painting. Leon Geol., an American painter, would be a good example of an artist who used politics and the techniques of war and terrorism in his work. The Broad Art Foundation describes Geol. as an existential and activist painter, Gogols Interest in the depiction of the figure never waned, and he has recently regained recognition for his large-scale, politically charged works that directly address Issues of war, racism. Sexism and power (Geol. Collection. 2007). The website goes on to state that political terror and mans abuse of power are the remarry subjects rendered in his monumental and highly topical paintings (Geol. collection, 2007). Music is a common form of expression used to communicate current trends, politics, technology and socioeconomics. The most common genre of music today that expresses all of these messages Is hip-hop music.Specifically Gangs rap represents part of a larger focus on hip hop and politics that Is popular within the media and among scholarly research and the prominence of gangs rap in the late sass and early 1 sass prompted the association between hip hop and violence that contemporary social scientists theorize (Gillian, 2007). Architecture There are several different methods within modernism style of architecture. The modernist style looks for function rather than trying to reproduce the natural environment. There are several forms wealth the modernism style they Include: structuralism, formalism, Bauhaus, the international style, brutality, and minimalism. The features of modernism includes the fact there is little embellishment or decoration, man made supplies are used (metal and concrete). Architects in the 20th century include I. M. Pet. Philosophy Philosophy is defined as a comprehensive system of ideas about human nature ND the nature of the reality we live In and Is a gulled for living, because the Issues It we treat other people (Thomas, 2005).Major philosophers of the 20th century include Carl Jung, Albert Campus, and Bertrand Russell. Literature Literature provides readers a written composition comprised of current or previous cultural issues. According to the Department of States website Social and economic advances have enabled previously underrepresented groups to express themselves more fully, while technological innovations have created a fast-moving public forum (U. S. Department of State, 2007). One example of a current piece of iterate is the novel, The Kite Runner.

The Enron and Worldcom Scandals Essays

The Enron and Worldcom Scandals Essays The Enron and Worldcom Scandals Paper The Enron and Worldcom Scandals Paper E. Boos – Week 2 – Assignment February 17, 2013 The Enron and WoldCom Scandals ENRON 1. The segment of Enron’s operations that got them into difficulties had several parts. They published misleading financial reports. They could not meet their bridge financing commitment with Barclay Bank because outside investors were not found. Because of this, they restated activities of JEDI and Chewco SPEs so they could be retroactively consolidated into Enron’s accounts. The SPEs helped to hide the inaccurate accounting records. Enron’s legal department wrote contracts that helped provide a cover for misuse of funds regarding the SPEs. Future revenue was reported as current revenue. Stocks were paid with promissory notes instead of cash. They also engaged in off-the-books activities and excessive executive compensation. Enron’s board of directors allowed the executives, accountants and legal department to use Special Purpose Entities (SPEs), a type of partnership, in an attempt to camouflage their debt and create a facade of financial stability (Brooks, 2007). 3. Enron’s directors understood how profits were made. They also knew management’s activities were dishonest. Andrew Fastow was active in forming the SPE partnerships and his affiliation with LJM2 was a conflict of interest. When Enron began experiencing financial problems in October 2001, the board of directors began holding special meetings. They were paid with cash, restricted stock, phantom stock units and stock options. The Senate Subcommittee Report, dated July 8, 2002, found that the Enron board of directors was aware that employees participated in management of the SPEs which was a conflict of interest. The directors ignored the inaccurate accounting, extensive unrecorded activities and excessive executive compensation. The Senate report discovered that the board of directors knew of financial activities between Enron and some of the board’s members. The board permitted consulting services, internal audits, and external audits to be performed by the same company, namely, Arthur Andersen (Brooks, 2007). 5. Ken Lay was chairperson of the board. He reassumed the position of CEO after Skilling resigned. As CEO he oversaw all of Enron’s activities. Lay and Whaley directed Causey to sell the Raptor SPEs. The sale price of was privately negotiated between Fastor, on behalf of Enron, and Kopper on behalf of LJM2. Lay did not interfere when Arthur Andersen directed Enron to record the buyout excess money as income. He knowingly allowed fraudulent activities and false information to be included in the financial reports. This was unethical. The Powers Report identifies seven questionable accounting issues concerning the sale of the Raptors (Brooks, 2007). 6. The board of directors did not insist that full disclosure of Enron’s earning be made available to the public and the shareholders. They allowed inaccurate reports to be published. Since they did not challenge management involvement in fraudulent activities, this meant the shareholders interests were not protected (Brooks, 2007). 9. Conflict of interest concerning SPE activities occurred because Enron employees were active in managing certain SPEs. Losses were not reported in end of year reports to offset other nonprofitable dealings. Arthur Andersen did not report all of the earnings and helped Enron cover up losses. When Andrew Fastow, wanted to manage the SPE, Chewco, he was advised by Jeffrey Skilling who was on the board of directors, that he should not manage Chewco because it would be a conflict of interest. Instead, Fastow appointed Michael Kopper who worked for him at Enron, to manage Chewco (Brooks, 2007). WORLDCOM 1. To inflate their profit in the current period, WorldCom created overstatements of cash flow and income by inaccurately reporting line costs. Line costs were a major expense to WorldCom. They were payments WorldCom made to third party telecommunicator network providers for the right to access their networks. These costs should have been shown as an expense rather than appearing on the income statement (Brooks, 2007). 2. WorldCom’s board of directors could have prevented the manipulation of revenue that management used if they had not been intimidated by Bernie Ebbers. They allowed themselves to be intimidated by Bernie Ebbers when he did not want their questions answered or give them more definitive explanations. Eventually, they demanded Bernie Ebber’s resignation and he resigned. The board of directors scheduled periodic meetings with WorldCom. The directors should have been more involved and familiar with WorldCom’s activities and efforts to manipulate expenses and decreased income (Brooks, 2007). 4. Bernie Ebbers was the CEO of WorldCom, the CFO was Scott Sullivan and David Myers was the Controller. Prior to working for WorldCom they had worked for Arthur Andersen. Arthur Andersen was the auditor for WorldCom. That is why the accountants did not say or do anything to prevent Ebbers’ manipulation of WorldCom’s financial reports (Brooks, 2007). . Ebbers received $408. 2 million dollars as a loan to buy WorldCom stock or for margin calls as the stock price fell. Instead of using the money for the purpose he received it, he used it to buy a cattle ranch in Canada, build a new home, pay for personal expenses of a family member, and provide loans to family and friends (Brooks, 2007). Reference: Brooks, L. J. (2007). Business professional eth ics for directors, executives, accountants (4th ed. ). 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