The Research Prospectus by John Latham, Phd - 2106 Words

TH E R ES EARCH PROSPECTUS Getting the DNA of Your Research Design Righ John Latham, PhD Copyright 2005 All Rights Reserved Key Prospectus Components The Research Prospectus 1 TH E R ES EARCH PROSPECTUS Getting the DNA of Your Study Righ John Latham, PhD Copyright 2005 Introduction A research prospectus is a brief overview of the key components of a research study. These components together form the DNA of the research methodology design. The purpose is to build quality into the proposal process by getting this DNA right before launching into developing a full blown proposal. Experience suggests that if the DNA is right, the proposal comes together much easier, is more likely to be in ternally consistent, and requires†¦show more content†¦The typical format for this discussion is a literature review. The literature review outlines, discusses and analyzes the existing research ndings. At this point the prospectus the objective is to simply identify the main contributors to the topic and the key theories that are involved. Keep this very short! Level of Existing Knowledge Based on the literature review determine the current level of empirical knowledge on the topic. The level of knowledge will drive two decisions the applicability of hy potheses and the selection of an overall research approach. Hypothesis? While all research studies have questions all studies do not include hypotheses. The level of existing empirical knowledge will determine whether a hypothesis is appro priate. A hypothesis is not a wild guess it is a logical conclusion based on the previ ous research ndings identi ed in the literature review. A hypothesis is the predicted answer to a research question. The level of existing knowledge and the decision to include or not include hypotheses will drive the appropriate overall research ap proach. The Research Prospectus 4 Overall Research Approach Based on how much we know about the questions and the decision whether to use a hypothesis determine the overall research approach qualitative, quantitative, mixed. Identify the overall approach and the rationale for the approach. The Research Arc: Factors

King Lear vs. The Stone Angel Essay examples - 1831 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;It has been said that, â€Å"Rivers and mountains may change; human nature, never.†(worldofquotes.com) This is a quote that can be deconstructed when examining William Shakespeare’s King Lear and Margaret Laurence’s The Stone Angel. When reviewing the two books the main characters, King Lear and Hagar, are easily comparable. The first similarity becomes apparent when King Lear and Hagar are both developed as flawed characters. Secondly, because of their flaws the two characters become blind to reality. Thirdly, after being deceived by themselves and others as a result of their blindness, both characters seek refuge outside of their own homes. By leaving their homes the characters are able to gain perspective on†¦show more content†¦These qualities become apparent when Marvin and Doris talk to Hagar about selling their house. Being older themselves, Marvin and Doris decide that they can no longer provide Hagar with the care she re quires and that it would be in her best interest to move into the Silverthreads Nursing Home. When Hagar finds our she quickly states, â€Å"Doris--I won’t go there. That place. Oh you know all right. You know what I mean, my girl. No use to shake your head. Well, I won’t. The two of you can move out. Go ahead and move right out. Yes, you do that. I’ll stay here in my house.†(57) Hagar is showing that she has too much pride to move into a home where she would be carefully monitored and assisted but is also being irrational by saying that she would remain in her house without Marvin and Doris there to help her. When comparing King Lear and Hagar Shipley their similarities are shown in the flawed character traits that they both possess. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The next similarity shown between King Lear and Hagar is that as a result of their personal flaws, both characters become blind to reality. After Cordelia fails to adequately profess her love to her father she is banished and the kingdom in divided between Lear’s other two daughters Goneril and Regan. During his stay with Goneril Lear becomes enraged in her poor treatment of him. He decides he and his train of men will beShow MoreRelatedKing Lear vs the Stone Angel Blindness1504 Words   |  7 Pagesat all.(Kingslover) This is a quote that can relate the characters in The Stone Angel and King Lear. In the tragedy King Lear, written by William Shakespeare and in the novel The Stone Angel, written by Margaret Laurence, the term blindness has an entirely different meaning. It is not a physical flaw, but the inability of the characters to use their thoughts and emotions to see a person for whom they truly are. King Lear, Gloucester, and Hagar are prime e xamples of characters that suffered mostRead MoreEssay about King Lear vs. the Stone Angel1908 Words   |  8 PagesRivers and mountains may change; human nature, never.(worldofquotes.com) This is a quote that can be deconstructed when examining William Shakespeares King Lear and Margaret Laurences The Stone Angel. When reviewing the two books the main characters, King Lear and Hagar, are easily comparable. The first similarity becomes apparent when King Lear and Hagar are both developed as flawed characters. Secondly, because of their flaws the two characters become blind to reality. Thirdly, after being

Collapse Of The Vaults Beauvais Cathedral - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Collapse Of The Vaults Beauvais Cathedral? Answer: Introducation Engineering failures are able to happen at different situations. In many cases, engineering failures have been able to happen since in past decades. Nevertheless, mitigation measures are usually required to be taken before the execution of the projects. Measures are usually taken in advance to ensure that the failures are prevented. Nevertheless, these measures are at times not able to withstand the failures and therefore not able to prevent such failures. Moreover, the engineering failures are able to happen on different situations and different ranges (Drysdale, 2011). Ranges on these failures are wide and are able to enhance the different aspects of the projects. The control of the engineering projects is critical to ensure safety of the structure. Engineers are able to enhance the safety of the structures by enhancing and considering different aspects of the projects. Medium and widespread engineering failures are common in many of the projects. Under these situations, many of th e projects are able to experience different failures under different situations. Medium level Under construction, buildings are meant to withstand fire situations and enhance their safety measures. Since long time, engineers were able to be designed to prevent the engineering failures under fire situations. Artillery fire was able to happen 10 May 1721 and therefore destroying St. Peter's church in Riga. The church was able to experience the fire, which enhanced the engineering failure. Masonry construction is meant to be able to withstand the fire effects at any instances. The masonry walling and structures are able to enhance the resistance into effects of fire and excessive heats. The structural capacity of the masonry should have the capacity to prevent the engineering failure. Wall thickness is one of the major preventive measure, which is usually in cooperated to enhance the failure. Enough coating is a key measure that should ensure that the failure of fire is prevented. The inherent risk from this failure is the collapse of the wall. The wall should be in strong posit ion in order to withstand such exposures and ensure that the wall does not fail. The fire is able to weaken the bonding materials and therefore causing the wall failure. Design flaws are key in ensuring that a proper mitigation program is achieved. The level of damage on this project was at medium level. The damage is able to define different levels and measures, which can be used to rectify the damage. At this project, reconstruction measures were taken to rectify the damage on this level (P?tersone, 2010). The damage was able to lead to complete reconstruction of the wall areas. This is because the bonding structure was weakened and this led to increase the damages. Masonry structures only withstand heat up to some levels and this plays a critical extend under which the damage was experienced on this structure. The fire effect was able to destroy the interior section of the church. The partition sections and walls were completed and led to the complete replacement of the interior section, which was termed as a medium damage level on the project (Drysdale, 2011). Fault on electrical sections are the major key causes of the fire, which was able to lead to the engineering failure. The low strength of the wall qualifies to be eng ineering failure because they are able to affect the strength of the members of structure. Limestone covering was also done during the reconstruction stage. This was a measure to be able to enhance the prevention of damage to the fire level. This is a preventive measure, which should be in cooperated earlier and would have enhanced the construction of the project. This pre-failure mitigation strategy would have worked to ensure that the damage and failure is prevented. Materials failure can also be highly attributed to the engineering failure on this project. The inability of the material to withstand such heat and therefore failing. Widespread Engineering failure is able to extend to a level, which the damage is higher and able to extend to other structures and properties within. Another key failure, which has been able to happen in the engineering sector, is the collapse of the Beauvais Cathedral church, which happened on 1284. The building was able while under construction and the fault was laud mostly on the engineers and masons who were on the site (Karl and Barnett, 2010). The failure was able to happen on the completed choir, where French masons were working on the Gothic style. In addition, the failure on this structure was also attributed to the foundation failures and wring spacing of the piers. On this note, it was noted that the designers had a large part to play on this engineering failure. The materials failures were attributed to the increased loading on the present piers and therefore led to the failure of the members (Maury and Robert, 1976). The analysis model for the loading, which the designers were able to apply, is thought to have played a key role in the resulting to the failure. The two-dimensional epoxy mode was applied and thought to have generated the loadings, which were not accurate. Proper design measures are the key methods, which could have been coupled to ensure that the failure is minimized. Moreover, additional or over designs are key areas, which are mostly key in many structures to ensure that the collapse is prevented. Additionally, the foundation was found to be more weak and unable to carry the masonry at the east and west terminations. This was able to lead to the collapse of the piers and causing large damage. Geotechnical engineering of the soil and foundation are key measures, which need to be carried before the commencing of any major superstructure works. This is a preconstruction measure, which could having played a key role to ensure that the failure did not occur. The geotechnical details would have given the key foundation construction measures, which could have enhanced the foundations to carry additional weight (Cruickshank, 1996). These extreme conditions at this project together coupled and increased the impact of the plane and therefore increasing the damage and causing the failure. Internal buttress were experienced on different locations and therefore increasing the need to more repair and damages, which needed to be amended. References CRUICKSHANK, D., ED. (1996). Sir Banister Fletcher's A History of Architecture (20th ed.). Architectural Press. p. 436. DRYSDALE, D., (2011). An Introduction to Fire Dynamics New York: Wiley Interscience, pp. 134140. KARL, B. P. AND BARNETT, H. M. (September 2010). "Completing Beauvais Cathedral" (PDF). Architectural Association School of Architecture. MAURY I. W. AND ROBERT M. (Jul., 1976). "The Collapse of the Vaults of Beauvais Cathedral in 1284," Speculum 51, no.3: 462-476. https://doi.org/10.2307/2851708 P?TERSONE, Z. (April 2010). "Chapter IX. Architecture, landscaping and engineering" (PDF). netherlandsembassy.lv. p.8. Retrieved 8.

John Stuart Mills liberty principle Essay Example

John Stuart Mills liberty principle Paper In order to critically examine this particular principle and its influence, it is necessary to look at the background of the principle so that it can be studied in context. John Stuart Mill developed the liberty principle in his work On Liberty (1). Mills definition of liberty is pursuing our own good in our own way and he believed it to be one of the most important elements of well-being. Mills conviction was that it was better that a man choose to live his life the wrong way than be made to live the right way. Mill was influenced by Alexis de Tocqueville, whose work, Democracy in America (2) opened Mills eyes to how democracy exposed liberty to new dangers. The driving force of democracy is the will of the majority and Mill was concerned that this left every aspect of life exposed to social scrutiny and regulation, and he feared the tyranny of the majority (3). He felt that democracy, if left unrestrained, could pose a threat to the minority and individual autonomy. The two great values of democracy; majority rule and minority liberty are often incompatible and Mill was one of the first to investigate this unresolved area in his essay On Liberty. We will write a custom essay sample on John Stuart Mills liberty principle specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on John Stuart Mills liberty principle specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on John Stuart Mills liberty principle specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer On Liberty concerned the nature and limits of power which can be legitimately exercised by society over the individual (4), he sought to distinguish the destructive oppression of minority views from the legitimate exercise of democratic power. Mills motivation was to seek an additional principle that would not leave matters to custom or popular morality. A principle that could define the areas in which it would be legitimate for society (or the will of the majority) to exercise authority, from those areas where people should have freedom (5). Mill hoped that On Liberty would offer potential guidelines for legislation and encourage a more tolerant culture. There are two main principles in the essay, the first being the liberty principle (or harm principle) outlined in the question. The principle advocates that the interference of liberty is only warranted where it is necessary in order to prevent harm to others. Mill qualifies the principle by saying it is only applicable to human beings in the maturity of their faculties, therefore excluding children or those who require care from others (6), and mentions that omissions to act having consequential harm may also be an exception. In On Liberty Mill raised his own concerns about the principles adequacy before offering his second principle. The reason for questioning his own ideal is to open the area up for discussion, to attain the readers understanding of the problem and engage her critical attention. He is not seeking to assert the infallible truth of this doctrine. The liberty principle is blunt in delivering its message but Mill feels the two objections he raised attacking its plausibility will not affect the second principle. His first objection was how can any action be purely self-regarding? Mill recognises the assumption that most, if not all of our actions will affect the interests of another. Mill accepted there is a right of society to ward off crimes by antecedent precautions, which runs contrary to liberty principle. He gave the example of drunkenness being justifiably prohibited where the person has a history of harming others when drunk (7), believing that the danger of harm would outweigh the individuals right to drink alcohol. The second objection to his principle was that society may have an obligation to intervene to prevent a person from self harm. Mill believed that government interference with the individual for paternalist reasons was indefensible, believing it can never be in the interests of the individual to suppress the exercise and development of her own abilities of critical choice, but realised that others may raise this objection. Mills second principle states that a person need only be subject to the will of the majority to prevent the violation of a distinct and assignable obligation to any other person or persons. A distinct and assignable obligation is a distinct expectation which another is obligated to honour. Not actions are caught under obligation and not all obligations are distinct and assignable, the types of harm Mill suggested warrant protection are those that violate our rights. Mills second principle is essentially a qualification of the first principle and a criterion to define actions that should be regulated and those which should not. What were Mills influences and how did his ideas develop? John Stuart Mill was the son of James Mill who was a disciple of John Bentham (8) and a believer of the mind being a tabula rasa (9) on which every experience is recorded. James Mill began his sons education at home with this new psychology in mind, and the experimental education consequentially led to his sons breakdown at the age of 21. During this period Mill developed his own take on the positivist (10) utilitarianism that had been drummed into him during his education. The principle of utility was a driving force behind Mills education. The utility principle is to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Benthams chief interest was of its application to law reform and the prison service, James Mill applied it to politics and John Stuart Mill then actively reconstructed the principle to argue that the government should actively promote the general good. Mill derived the liberty principle from utilitarianism, and propounded the importance of the individuals self-determination and personal development. Bentham formulated the principle of utility in Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (11). Despite viewing law and morality as separate issues he postulated that actions are to be judged morally right or wrong in accordance with whether they maximise pleasure or minimise the pain caused to those affected. Its performance must be more productive of pleasure or happiness, or more preventive of pain or unhappiness, than any possible alternative (12). Mill was an ardent supporter of Benthams utility principle but differed in that his approach was qualitative and not quantitative, because he was more concerned with the value of an outcome rather than the size of its effect. Mill did not think all pleasures were of equal value. Mills suspicion of collective mediocrity led him to suggest safeguards to ensure that the government and legislature did not become the organ of the tendencies and instincts of the masses. He advocated an enlightened and educated populace and plural voting for the educated (13). One of Mills significant influences was his partner and wife Harriet Taylor his partnership with her prompted him to advocate equal rights between men and women. (14). On Liberty had an affect in the debate that occurred between Patrick Devlin and HLA Hart. Professor HLA Hart supported Mills Liberty principle and used Mills thought in his argument with Lord Patrick Devlin. The debate began with the Wolfendon Report 1957 on homosexual offences prostitution. The report reverberates Mill where it says there must be a realm of private morality and immorality which is, in brief and crude terms, not the laws business (15) but also that the function of criminal law is to preserve public order and decency, to protect the citizen from what is offensive and injurious (16). Devlin rejected this idea and in The Enforcement of Morality (17) argued that an established morality is as necessary as good government to the welfare of society. He said that society should be allowed to prohibit anything which the right-minded or reasonable man regards as grossly immoral and that it was not necessary to prove something caused harm in order to do this. (18). He argued that society will disintegrate from within where there is no common morality, even more than it would crumble from external pressures, therefore society would be justified in taking steps to preserve the common morality in the same way as it does to protect its government. He asserted that legal enforcement of morals need only be used in certain cases since a citizen cannot surrender his whole life to societys scrutiny (19). Harts counter argument was in Law, Liberty Morality (20) where he stated that there was no evidenced to show that deviation from accepted sexual morality. is something which, like treason threatens the existence of society. Hart denied that the weakening of common morality will lead to societys downfall but does suggest that society may need certain basic rules to survive (21). He urged Devlin to consider the dangers of populism, and that the risk in democracy that the majority dictate how we live, should not be maximised. Hart postulated that restraint of immorality was not best achieved by a fear of legal sanction and warned that the enforcement of a moral code contradicts the spirit of moral value. Mills liberty principle has been followed in many subsequent works including that of Immanuel Kant (22) who arrives at a similar conclusion, and Jeffrie G Murphy in Another look at Legal Moralism (23) who argues that areas of private immorality (by consenting adults) should not be criminalised because there are no victims. James Fitzjames Stephen (24) criticised the liberty principle in the two areas Mill criticised the principle himself. Fitzjames Stephen believed that there are no self-regarding actions; every persons action affects another. He also argued the paternalist point, that society has right to interfere to protect the individual. I dont believe Mill intended the principle to be viewed as an infallible model and indeed took stock of these criticisms himself when writing On Liberty. Fitzjames Stephen also thought that the majority of men were weak and ill educated therefore sanctions were necessary in order to uphold morality. He berated the liberty principle as too crude in not taking into account the complexities of human relationships. It has been said that Mill has been misinterpreted and the ambiguity of some of the words used in On Liberty exasperate the problem. Mill did not define the word harm which could have the effect of two extremely different interpretations. What is to count as harming others? John Gray believes that harm is meant to mean injury to interests, and feels that the vital human interests that Mill had in mind were security and autonomy. The word interests is also undefined, where Mill says the individual is to be accountable only for those actions which are prejudicial in the interests of others, the exact scope of this statement has been the subject of much debate. John Reess interpretation of the liberty principle was that the interests of others must be affected injuriously in order for society to intervene. The liberty principle is often viewed as being vague and undefined (25). Critics have accused Mill of having an anti-democratic fear of popular government, in particular the potential for working-class opinion to be oppressive and perhaps violent, but it appears Mill was more concerned with middle-class conformity. The fear took root after reading Alexis de Tocqueville Democracy in America (2) America was a middle-class society, and Mill feared that it was also a society that did not care for individual liberty. Some critics like Isaiah Berlin (26) and Gertrude Himmelfarb have stated that due to Mills strict and unorthodox upbringing, and the imposition of classical utilitarianism upon him, he was unable to unshackle these chains of influence, which meant he remained inconsistent and with no coherent doctrine amongst his works. Himmelfarbs view was that there is no logical connection between the philosophy of utilitarianism and the liberty principle because the principle of utility justifies the sacrifice of an individuals liberty in order to maximise potential happiness for the greater good of society. Berlin put forward the same criticism of Mills mind being divided as individual liberty has only instrumental value in utility and cannot have priority over general welfare whereas in On Liberty, Mill states that individual freedom has intrinsic value regardless of its contribution to the general welfare. However Mill never felt torn between the competing principles in his own mind, but there are many examples of where the two may collide. An example being the prevention of heroin addiction; utilitarianism appears to encourage this kind of interference that the principle of liberty seeks to extinguish. Others have also felt that the two ideas do not equate with each other (27). Today with the development of modern technology and forensic science we are subject to all kinds of interference with our freedom in terms of the confidential information stored and analysed without the individuals consent. New types of surveillance and control are made possible by combining databases and by new technological advances. This information creates ever new sources of power and ever new possibilities of control in the post modern age (28). Balkin questions if this is a new form of totalitarianism, a prison constructed from access to information. Mill believed individualism should be regarded as having intrinsic worth, and is essential to happiness, and our right to privacy is part of our individualism and autonomy. Now our computer usage can be monitored, mobile phone records tapped into, our DNA can be taken and analysed without our consent (29), CCTV cameras monitor us (30), intimate details of multiple aspects of our lives are all stored and used to some degree and currently a database is being set up to store details of children and their families (31). The introduction of ID cards (32) will mean further intrusion and its functions will no doubt multiply ultimately changing the relationship between the individual and the state. Mill believed it was imperative that human beings should be free to form opinions and to express their opinions without reserve, but laws surrounding our right to protest have impinged on our freedom of speech and right to protest (33). The Terrorism Act in its ambiguity poses possibilities for abuse and can be used to quash ordinary political activity (34). The introduction of the Anti-Social Behaviour Order has led to much concern about its abuse by the state and its impingement on our liberties (35). ASBOs can be used as a tool for the government to appear as though they are being tough on crime whereas what they are actually doing is diminishing our rights and freedoms. The strange thing is that the majority of people seem unconcerned about this intrusion and have accepted it as part of the life we now live. People look at it as necessary for the prevention of crime; to prevent terrorism (the Terrorism Act), to prevent fraud (ID cards), to prevent anti-social behaviour (Asbos), and to prevent offence (Public Protest). Mill saw autonomy as a vital human interest, an essential part of the permanent interests of man as a progressive being. The Enlightenment sought to eradicate unthinking tradition and religious bigotry (28) and to understand and analyse society in terms of science and reason, and now because of technological advancements, we have arrived at a whole new set of restraints on our freedom.

Story and Details Regarding the Magic Barrel Essay Example

Story and Details Regarding the Magic Barrel Essay Example Story and Details Regarding the Magic Barrel Essay Story and Details Regarding the Magic Barrel Essay Malamud is considered one of the most prominent figures in Jewish-American literature. His stories and novels, in which reality and fantasy are frequently interlaced, have been called parables, myths, and allegories and often illustrate the importance of moral obligation. Although he draws upon his Jewish heritage to address the themes of sin, suffering, and redemption, Malamud emphasizes human contact and compassion over orthodox religious dogma. Malamuds characters, while often awkward and isolated from society, evoke both pity and humor through their attempts at survival and salvation. Biographical Information Malamud was born in Brooklyn, New York, on April 26, 1914 to Russian Jewish immigrants. His parents, whom he described as gentle, honest, kindly people, were not highly educated and knew very little about literature or the arts. Malamud recalled, â€Å"There were no books that I remember in the house, no records, music, pictures on the wall. † Malamud attended high school in Brooklyn and received his bachelors degree from the City College of New York in 1936. After graduation, he worked in a factory and as a clerk at the Census Bureau in Washington, D. C. Although he wrote in his spare time, Malamud did not begin writing seriously until the advent of World War II and the subsequent horrors of the Holocaust. At that time, he questioned his religious identity and started reading about Jewish tradition and history. He explained, â€Å"I was concerned with what Jews stood for, with their getting down to the bare bones of things. I was concerned with their ethnicality- how Jews felt they had to live in order to go on living. † In 1949 he began teaching at Oregon State University; he left this post in 1961 to teach creative writing at Bennington College in Vermont. He remained there until shortly before his death in 1986. Major Works Malamuds first novel,  The Natural  (1952), is one of his most symbolic works. While the novel ostensibly traces the life of Roy Hobbs, an American baseball player, the work has underlying mythic elements and explores such themes as initiation and isolation. For instance, some reviewers cite evidence of the Arthurian legend of the Holy Grail; others apply T. S. EliotsWasteland  myth in their analyses. The Natural  also anticipates what would become Malamuds predominant narrative focus: a suffering protagonist struggling to reconcile moral dilemmas, to act according to what is right, and to accept the complexities and hardships of existence. Malamuds second novel,  The Assistant  (1957), portrays the life of Morris Bober, a Jewish immigrant who owns a grocery store in Brooklyn. Although he is struggling to survive financially, Bober hires a cynical anti-Semitic youth, Frank Alpine, after learning that the man is homeless and on the verge of starvation. Through this contact Frank learns to find grace and dignity in his own identity. Described as a naturalistic fable, this novel affirms the redemptive value of maintaining faith in the goodness of the human soul. Malamuds first collection of short stories,  The Magic Barrel  (1958), received the National Book Award in 1959. As in  The Assistant,  most of the stories in this collection depict the search for hope and meaning within the grim entrapment of poor urban settings and were influenced by Yiddish folktales and Hasidic traditions. Many of Malamuds best-known short stories, including â€Å"The Last Mohican,† â€Å"Angel Levine,† and â€Å"Idiots First,† were republished in  The Stories of Bernard Malamud  in 1983. A New Life  (1961), one of Malamuds most realistic novels, is based in part on Malamuds teaching career at Oregon State University. This work focuses on an ex-alcoholic Jew from New York City who, in order to escape his reputation as a drunkard, becomes a professor at an agricultural and technical college in the Pacific Northwest. Interweaving the protagonists quest for significance and self-respect with a satiric mockery of academia, Malamud explores the destructive nature of idealism, how love can lead to deception, and the pain of loneliness. The Fixer  (1966), is considered one of Malamuds most powerful works. The winner of both the Pulitzer Prize for literature and the National Book Award, the narrative is derived from the historical account of Mendel Beiliss, a Russian Jew who was accused of murdering a Christian child. Drawing upon Eastern European Jewish mysticism,  The Fixer  turns this terrifying story of torture and humiliation into a parable of human triumph. With  The Tenants  (1971), Malamud returned to a New York City setting, where the theme of self-exploration is developed through the contrast between two writers, one Jewish and the other black, struggling to survive in an urban ghetto. Within the context of their confrontations about artistic standards, Malamud also explored how race informs cultural identity, the purpose of literature, and the conflict between art and life. Malamud further addressed the nature of literature and the role of the artist in  Dubins Lives  (1979). In this work the protagonist, William Dubin, attempts to create a sense of worth for himself, both as a man and as a writer. A biographer who escapes into his work to avoid the reality of his life, Dubin bumbles through comically disastrous attempts at love and passion in an effort to find self-fulfillment. Malamuds next novel,  Gods Grace  (1982), differs from his earlier works in scope and presentation of subject matter. Set in the near future immediately after a nuclear disaster that leaves only one human being alive,  Gods Graceexplores the darkness of human morality, the nature of God, and the vanity and destruction associated with contemporary life. Critical Reception Malamuds place as a major American novelist is secure by the accounts of most critics, though most place him with Phillip Roth and Saul Bellow as a Jewish-American novelist. Largely considered one of the foremost writers of moral fiction, Malamud is also considered a writer in the tradition of Anton Chekhov and Fyodor Dostoyevski. Despite the preponderance of Jewish characters and subject matter in Malamuds works, critics argue that his stories extend far beyond Jewish literature. Malamud, Bernard (Vol. 27) Introduction Bernard Malamud 1914– American novelist and short story writer. Malamud ranks as one of the most significant contributors to contemporary American literature. His fictional world, most often urban and Jewish, is formed around the struggle for survival of characters who face the particular hardships of modern existence. Their survival depends upon their ability to combat lifes inevitable suffering by breaking through the barriers of personal isolation and finding human contact, compassion, and faith in the goodness of others. The typical Malamudian hero stumbles through this process in a tragic yet comic way, invoking both pity and humor. Although Malamud is a prolific writer and the recipient of many prestigious literary awards, he is perhaps best known for his novel  The Fixer  (1967), which was awarded both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. The Natural  (1952), Malamuds first novel, is perhaps his most symbolic. On the surface, the novel explores the life of an American baseball player; yet, as with all of Malamuds works, there are various interpretations of the deeper levels of meaning. For instance, some critics cite evidence of the Arthurian legend of the Holy Grail, while others apply T. S. Eliots wasteland myth in their analysis. In many ways it foreshadows predominant future concerns: a suffering protagonist struggling to reconcile moral dilemmas, to act according to what is right and good, and to come to grips with his existence. These themes recur in Malamuds second novel,  The Assistant  (1957), in the portrayal of the life of Frank Alpine, a cynical anti-semitic youth who goes to work for a Jewish grocer. Through this contact Frank learns to find grace and dignity in his own identity. Described as a fable, as are many of Malamuds stories, this novel affirms the redemptive value of maintaining faith in the inherent goodness of the human soul. Malamuds first collection of short stories,  The Magic Barrel  (1958), was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Like  The Assistant, most of the stories in this collection depict the search for dignity and meaning within the grim entrapment of poor urban settings. They often resemble the Yiddish folk tale in their humor and their use of character-types drawn from Hasidic traditions. Many of Malamuds short stories have been reprinted recently in  The Stories of Bernard Malamud  (1983), a collection which includes two new stories. Based in part on Malamuds teaching career at Oregon State University,  A New Life  (1961) superimposes the heros quest for significance and understanding on a satiric mockery of academia. Malamuds next novel,  The Fixer, is one of his most powerful works. Derived from the historical account of Mendel Beiliss, a Russian Jew who was accused of murdering a Christian child, and also drawing on East European Jewish mysticism,  The Fixer  turns this terrifying story of torture and humiliation into a parable of human triumph. The Tenants  (1971) returns to an urban setting, where the theme of self-exploration is developed through the contrast between two writers, one Jewish and the other black, struggling to survive in a New York City ghetto. Within the context of their confrontations, Malamud also explores the conflict between art and life. The protagonist of  Dubins Lives  (1979), as with Harry Bernard Malamud 1914–  Ã‚ © Thomas Victor 1983 Lesser and Willie Spearmint in  The Tenants, attempts to create a sense of worth for himself, both as a man and as a writer. A biographer who escapes into his work to avoid the reality of his life, William Dubin bumbles through comically disastrous attempts at love and passion in an effort to find self-fulfillment. Gods Grace  (1982) differs from Malamuds earlier works in its scope and presentation of subject matter. Set in the near future immediately after a nuclear disaster which leaves only one human being alive,  Gods Grace  explores the darkness of human morality, the nature of God, and the vanity and destruction which has become an integral part of the human race. Critical reception to this work varies immensely: some critics feel that the contrast between the serious moral fable and the humor of a situation, in which the protagonist alternately converses with God and a group of apes, provides a uniquely intriguing narrative. Others, however, feel the structure of the novel does not support the seriousness and ambition of its themes. But in common with his other works,  Gods Graceexpresses Malamuds intensely humanistic concerns, along with the humor and insight that have made him a leading American author. See also  CLC, Vols. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 11, 18;  Contemporary Authors, Vols. 5-8, rev. ed. ;Dictionary of Literary Biography, Vol. 2; and  Dictionary of Literary Biography Yearbook: 1980. ) W inner of the National Book Award for Fiction Introduction by Jhumpa Lahiri Bernard Malamuds first book of short stories,  The Magic Barrel, has been recognized as a classic from the time it was published in 1959. The stories are set in New York and in Italy (where Malamuds alter ego, the struggleing New York Jewish Painter Arthur Fidelman, roams amid the ruins of old Europe in search of his artistic patrimony); they tell of egg candlers and shoemakers, matchmakers, and rabbis, in a voice that blends vigorous urban realism, Yiddish idiom, and a dash of artistic magic. The Magic Barrel  is a book about New York and about the immigrant experience, and it is high point in the modern American short story. Few books of any kind have managed to depict struggle and frustration and heartbreak with such delight, or such artistry. Praise In the short story, Malamud achieved an almost psalmlike compression. He has been called the Jewish Hawthorne, but he might just as well be thought a Jewish Chopin, a prose composer of preludes and noctures. Mark Shechner,  Partisan Review There are thirteen stoires in  The Magic Barrel  and every one of them is a small, highly individualized work of art. This is the kind of book that calls for not admiration but gratitude. Richard Sullivan,  Th e Chicago Tribune   Is he an American Master? Of course. He not only wrote in the American language, he augmented it with fresh plasticity, he shaped our English into startling new configurations. Cynthia Ozick Gods Grace  (1982), Bernard Malamuds last novel, is a modern-day dystopian fantasy, set in a time after a thermonuclear war prompts a second flood-a radical departure from Malamuds previous fiction. The novels protagonist is paleolosist Calvin Cohn, who had been attending to his work at the bottom of the ocean when the Devastation struck, and who alone survived. This rabbis son? a marginal error? inds himself shipwrecked with an experimental chimpanzee capable of speech, to whom he gives the name Buz. Soon other creatures appear on their island-baboons, chimps, five apes, and a lone gorilla. Cohn works hard to make it possible for God to love His creation again, and his hopes increase as he encounters the unknown and the unforeseen in this strange new world. With  Gods Grace, Malamud took a great risk, and it paid off. The nove ls fresh and pervasive humor, narrative ingenuity, and tragic sense of the human condition make it one of Malamuds most extraordinary books. The Magic Barrel Bernard Malamud The following entry presents criticism on Malamuds short story The Magic Barrel, which was first published in 1954 and later revised and included in  The Magic Barrel  (1958). See alsoBernard Malamud Criticism  (Volume 1), and Volumes  2,  3,  5,  8,  9,  11,  18,  27. INTRODUCTION The title story of Malamuds prizewinning first short story collection, The Magic Barrel is one of his most frequently discussed works of short fiction. Described by Sanford Pinsker as quintessential Malamud- in form, content, and perhaps most of all, in moral vision, the story combines elements of realism and fantasy in an urban, Jewish setting and centers on the protagonists struggle to break through the barriers of personal isolation. While Malamuds handling of such themes as love, community, redemption, and Jewish identity has been widely praised, he is also noted for his creative use of ambiguity. Consequently, The Magic Barrel has generated a wide array of interpretations. Plot and Major Characters The Magic Barrel focuses on the interaction of two main characters: a young, unmarried rabbinical student named Leo Finkle and Pinye Salzman, a vulgar, yet colorful, marriage broker who smells distinctly of fish. At the storys outset, an acquaintance advises Finkle that it will be much easier for him to find a congregation after graduation if he is married. Having spent his life studying, Finkle has little experience in the area of romance and reluctantly decides to engage the services of Salzman. The marriage broker shows Finkle numerous pictures of potential brides from his magic barrel and comments on their qualities, particularly their ages, educational backgrounds, family connections, and the size of their dowries. Finkle, however, seems uninterested in Salzmans usual selling points and constructs flimsy excuses for rejecting many of the candidates. Salzman eventually convinces Finkle to meet a woman named Lily Hirschorn. During his traumatic encounter with Hirschorn, Finkle recognizes that his life has been emotionally empty and that he has lacked the passion to love either God or other humans. Finkles discovery of a picture of Salzmans daughter, Stella, prompts him to act on his new self-knowledge. Distinctive from the women in the previous photographs, Stella appears to be someone who has lived and suffered deeply. Salzman refers to her as a fallen woman, stating that she should burn in hell, and argues that the presence of her picture among the others was a mistake and that she is not the woman for Finkle. Finkle, however, remains strongly attracted to Stella and envisions an opportunity to convert The Magic Barrel Bernard Malamud her to goodness, himself to God. The storys concluding tableau is highly ambiguous. It depicts Finkle running toward Stella, who is standing under a lamppost dressed in a white dress and red shoes, while Salzman stands next to a wall around the corner, chanting the kaddish, a prayer for the dead. Major Themes Like many of Malamuds short stories, The Magic Barrel is essentially a love story that incorporates themes of suffering and self-discover y. Finkles search for a wife leads to his realization of his essentially dispassionate nature, and his love for Stella stems in part from his recognition of her suffering as a mark of having truly lived. The story also suggests the presence of the miraculous in everyday life. In the final tableau, for instance, violins and candles are said to be floating in the sky, and events in the story often suggest that Salzman possesses supernatural abilities. Such images and suggestions contrast with the storys surface of realistic detail and also further the theme of the rational versus the irrational. Finkle, for example, begins the story as a representative of reason but eventually falls in love with and seeks out Stella despite Salzmans logical arguments against such a match. Other events in the story focus on the theme of Jewish identity. Some critics argue that Finkles relationship to Salzman strengthens his connections to the Jewish community, while others posit that his attraction to Stella signifies a break with Jewish values. Critical Reception Critical reaction to The Magic Barrel has centered on the imagery of the storys concluding tableau and the ambiguity engendered by Salzmans prayers for the dead. As Lionel Trilling has remarked: Much of the curious power and charm of The Magic Barrel is surely to be accounted for by the extraordinary visual intensity of a single paragraph, the last but one, which describes the rendezvous of Leo Finkle and Stella Salzman. Nothing the storys ambiguity, critics argue that Salzmans prayers either signify Finkles abandonment of the Jewish faith or celebrate the death of his old self and the beginning of his new life- one which will be enriched by the lessons that he has learned from Salzman. Commentators have addressed issues concerning the archetypal nature of the characters a s well. Salzman, for example, has been linked to such mythical figures as Pan and the Trickster, while Stella has been described as a symbol of eroticism. Scholars have remarked favorably on Malamuds mixture of folk and realistic treatments of his subject matter and have proposed links between The Magic Barrel and the paintings of Marc Chagall. Commenting on the storys conclusion, Mark Goldman has remarked that the last scene, like many of Malamuds sudden, summary endings, is a consciously ironic parable and not an escape from tragedy. All the complex meaning is fixed, flashed back upon the story itself in a kind of Joycean epiphany that runs counter to the neatly packaged endings of the naturalistic tale.

How to Find a Job With Public Relations Expert Ryan May

How to Find a Job With Public Relations Expert Ryan May Ryan May has 12 years of public relations experience under his belt, and it’s taught him quite a bit about finding a job, something he shares among other insights on the Minnesota Public Relations Blog. We spoke with Ryan about what PR can teach us about a job search. What can job seekers learn from public relations?Public relations or PR is a unique industry, as it touches on so many different industries. To be in PR means you have to be prepared to learn about every industry your clients need.How important is your online footprint? Can you really lose out on a job thanks to a tweet?Having a strong online footprint is very important, but ensuring that it is strategic and thoughtful is more important. Don’t post stuff to social media that is not good for your long-term reputation. Job seekers have definitely lost out on job opportunities because of their tweets or Facebook posts.What mistakes  do you see employers making when they’re looking for job candidates? Employers often overlook excellent candidates because they don’t have a high enough GPA. If a candidate has a solid B average and has been working three jobs while going to school, they should not be overlooked because they don’t have a 3.5 GPA.What are some urban legends you’ve seen floating around about hiring mistakes these days, and is there any truth to them?There are plenty of urban legends about today’s job search. My favorite is that the more resumes you send out, the better your odds of finding a job. This idea is completely wrong. Find a job you want, and then thoughtfully work on networking your way into the job.What should everyone looking for a job be doing to better promote themselves?Not everyone needs a blog, but everyone today should have a website to outline their skills.

Ethics and morals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethics and morals - Essay Example Experiencing art evokes emotional responses and heightens one’s awareness. For instance, a song on the radio can captivate and sustain a reflective thought. The esthetic experience is more than merely listening to a song, and one can feel immersed at the moment. Such an aesthetic experience can be used to enhance ones perception and imagination of moral events. The same song may be experienced differently by a second party since perception is dependent on experience. Similarly, moral perception abilities vary from one individual to another and are shaped by the individual’s background and personality. Therefore, learning experiences centered on aesthetics can help in developing moral perception and imagination by providing opportunities to see more subjectively into human situations. I believe the author captures the relevance of aesthetic experience in the development of moral perception and imagination and, therefore, the need to use them in educational ethics for classroom educators. For an educator, such qualities are necessary for solving educational dilemmas and encourages the need to develop these qualities of perception and imagination. The author noted that the aesthetic experience and use of the case study had different responses from the students. The question of the impact of case studies of typical educational ethics in class and aesthetic experiences should be compared and discussed from the students’

A Study of Fashion Clothes Brand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A Study of Fashion Clothes Brand - Essay Example The paper "A Study of Fashion Clothes Brand" analyzes the impact of peer pressures on brand choice between Chinese and UK’s young consumers. There have been instances where it has been noticed that peers influence young consumers’ behaviour. Fashion brands of clothes reflect a symbolic meaning. A young customer wearing a branded cloth is believed to belong to a rich family. They are seen as popular and are allowed to mingle with their peers. This implies that it also indirectly influences the business operations of the companies. Very few research works have been undertaken on this subject. All these constitute the rationale behind selecting this topic. China is considered as the largest consumer markets for clothing industry (Tai, 2005). However, the Chinese brands are still in its initial phase of making their fashion industry international. Men’s clothing is catching up with the international brands in the domestic market. Some famous brands are Shanshan, Bosi deng, Youngor, etc. However, their capacity of revenue earning is low compared to the international brands. Earlier the Chinese fashion industry was fragmented. In recent times, the retail market of China is characterised by the existence of ZARA, GAP, Jack and Jones, etc. Most of the casual wears are locally manufactured. UK market has always been up to date when it comes to fashion. It has been a fashion hub to many renowned international fashion brands from Armani, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger to Burberry, Tiffany & Co..

Computer Technician Essay Example for Free

Computer Technician Essay Memory: Your memory does not store everything forever. The computer memory refers to computer components, devices and recording media that retain digital information. The computer data storage provides one of the core functions of a computer that of information retention. How a Computer Remembers: A computer has two memories, called RAM and ROM. ROM stands for Read Only Memory. It carries the information. The computer needs to carry out, it’s task, and it cannot be altered. It stays there even when the computer switch off. RAM stands for Random Access Memory or Read and Write Memory. This contains the information the computer needs to carry out the particular task you want. When you switch off the computer, RAM empties itself. You can save your work on CD-ROM, DVD ROM Disk, Floppy Disk, Flash Drives, etc. Storing Information: Each memory cells stores binary digits. It is easy to see that the size of computers RAM is important because the computer can only do the amount of work that it has room for. Computer Memory Memory Imagine that you are going to the park to play with your friends. You know the way because you have been there before. The route is stored in your memory. On the way, you meet someone and stop for a chat. If it’s not about anything important, you will probably soon forget. Your memory does not store everything forever. The computer memory refers to computer components, devices and recording media that retain digital information used for computing for some interval of time. The computer data storage provides one of the core functions of a computer, that of information retention. How a Computer Remembers A computer’s memory works in similar way. There are some pieces of information that need to be stored away. Others can be forgotten once the computer has worked on them. To separate the two types of information, a computer has two memories called ROM and RAM. ROM stands for Read Only Memory. ROM carries the information the computer needs to carry out its task. This information is built into the computer and cannot be altered. It stays there even when the computer is switched off, just as your memory of how to get to the park stays with you until you need it again. RAM stands for Random Access Memory, or read and write memory. This contains the information the computer needs to carry out the particular task you want it to do now. When you switch off the computer, RAM empties itself. You can save your work on CD-ROM. DVD ROM disks, floppy disks, flash drives, etc. Storing Information ROM and RAM are both made up of memory cells, Each memory cell stores binary digits. A chip may be able to store millions of bits. It is easy to see that the size of the computer’s RAM is important because RAM has room for it. With some computers, it is possible to add extra memory chips to increase the RAM.

The Role of Railroad Companies, Farmers, and Cowboys in the Development

The 1880s proved to be a time of change for America. High unemployment rates and low wages in many cities forced many to look to new opportunities in cities and elsewhere. This included the newly expanded west. In the 1880s Kansas had three dominating groups- railroad companies, farmers, and cowboys. All three dealt with individual triumphs and struggles when developing the West and specifically Kansas in the later part of the 19th century. Railroads spent most of the 1880s concerned with previous legislation, farmers worried about land allotment and surviving on the Plains. Cowboys also worried about land allotment and surviving. The worries of the last two created some tension between them but in the end survival of one depended on the survival of the other. Insuring their place in history, the three groups together made the expansion of the West possible and forever changed the face of Kansas. The 1880s was a time of substantial change for Kansas and railroads, which were very important to the development of Kansas. As many historians say â€Å"rails didn’t build Kansas City, but they carried almost everything that did† (Worley 1). While most of the legislation that affected the railroads had taken place at some point prior to this time period, it was now coming full swing and affecting the settlers now. In May of 1854, the Kansas- Nebraska Act was passed. Although mostly known for repealing the Missouri Compromise it also gave â€Å"the railroads the right to build a railroad system from Chicago to the Pacific Coast† (Kansas- Nebraska Act 1). With this new access to land, railroad companies began building cross-country railroads. New settlers and merchants knew that railroads were the up and coming mode of transportation and a vit... ... University of Chicago Press, 1988. Miner, Craig. West of Wichita. University Press of Kansas, 1986. Nelson, Oliver. The Cowman’s Southwest. Glendale, CA: The Arthur H Clark Company, 1957. 19th Century Legal Treatise. A Letter from Honorable William Whiting to Honorable Henry Wilson, of the U.S. of senate ) microform: showing that the government is bound to fulfil in good faith its contract with the Central BranchUnion Pacific R.R. Company. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1870. Ostler, Jeffrey. â€Å"The Rhetoric of Conspiracy and The Formation of Kansas Populism.† Agricultural History1995 69 (1): 1-27. â€Å"Populist Platform of 1892†. Online. Internet 30, June 1998. White, Richard. â€Å"It’s Your Misfortune and None of My Own†. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1993. Worley, William Dr. Online. KC Railroads Timeline. Internet.

Abhyudaya Nagar

It has been over 54 years since MHADA developed Abhyudaya Nagar Housing Board Colony kalachowki , Parel-sewri Division. Spread over approximately 1,34,000 sq. mts. , this large complex houses 48 separate housing society buildings that are 3-4 storeyed consisting of 36 to 90 members each. Consisting mostly subsidized Industrial housing Scheme (S. I. H. S. ) buildings and also other structures within it such as BMC schools, Samaj Halls, encroachment areas both residential and non-residential. There are some dues pending from individual societies and members to MHADA as also from MHADA to BMC, the decision of which is pending with the government. Apart from owning this land, the conveyance by MHADA to the individual societies has not taken place, except from a few buildings Resident has fond memories of growing up in the colony. Shaheed Bhagat singh ground has, over the years been witness to sports tournaments and community festivals. All the individual societies have come together and form an Apex Body, a federation called MAHASANGH , which has been in existence since 2006-2007. Over the years, the roads and the drainage systems have outlived its relevance and have become outdated. Pockets of encroachment and unorganised markets have sprung up in and around the colony. Some buildings are on the verge of collapse and pose a serious threat to the families living in them. We conduct survey at Abhyudaya nagar and found out that Large amount of population is lower middle class, Maharashtrian families, Average monthly income per family is around Rs. 15000/-, Average no of working people in family is one and Average no of people living per house is six. The average current monthly expense per family is around Rs. 1000. People are paying Rs. 200 Maintenance to individual society and Rs. 150 to MHADA. Area of room is 180 sq. feet. It is one room kitchen so monthly electricity bill to individual room is around Rs. 600. Total Property tax to each society is Rs. 18000 that get divided between all rooms in building and that come to Rs. 20 there is no water tax because that include in Rs. 150 that members paying to MHADA so total goes to Rs. 970 per month. So for 15000 monthly incomes this amount is in favor to members in colony. MAHASNGH is thinking of redevelopment of colony and for that they have shortlisted 3 builders DB Reality, HDIL and DS. The redevelopment will take place under DCR 33(9) where in development of old buildings in the form of cluster by single developer would result in better planning , better infrastructure , better facilities being provided to the tenants and DCR33(5) it is a regulation by the government for the redevelopment of MHADA housing societies ,ESW,L. I. G,M. I. G and H. I. G. housing colonies. Re Development will be take place in 3 phases. Resident of phase 1 will be required to shift into transit accommodation for a period 2 years. However if some members wish for rent/compensation for the transit accommodation , in that case , rent will be paid as per the prevailing market rates at that time which shall be minimum Rs 10000 per month . 11 + 1 months’ rent shall be paid advance by developer. Als o residential members shall be given a 2 BHK flat of totally measuring 570 sq. t. carpet + maximum balcony area as approved by M. C. G. M. Therefore usable carpet area shall be 750 sq. ft. per house. All this looks very good but due to increase in area of living the monthly expense per family is also going to increase and we found out that after the redevelopment monthly expence will be approximately Rs. 7500. Due to tall buildings maintenance charge of lifts etc will be Rs 2500, Electricity charge also going to increase due to more numbers of rooms. Property tax will charge Rs 2800 per month and finally water tax of Rs. 500 need to pay to BMC this add up to around Rs. 7500/- per month. Which is definitely a huge cost for the families hoe earns 15000 per month. The another good option in front of Abhyudaya nagar is redevelopment through MHADA because MHADA is offering 484 Sq. ft. Area per flat because of that members need not to pay Property tax, maintenance and electricity charge will also get reduced and finally members will need to pay only Rs. 1500 per month

Heritage Of India

India is blessed with a vast and rich heritage. One has only to see the various architectural marvels and cultural institutions that dot the geographical expanse of India to glimpse the richness of our heritage.The science and technology of ancient India was quite advanced. Many historians believe that most of the scientific advances believed to have been made in Europe had been achieved centuries ago in India. Such advances covered major fields of human knowledge and activities like mathematics, astronomy, physics, medicine, metallurgy, surgery, fine arts, civil engineering and architecture, shipbuilding, navigation, etc.Indian mathematicians have made important contributions to the study of the decimal number system, zero, negative numbers, arithmetic and algebra. The study of linguistics was initiated by Indian grammarians who began the trend by first attempting to catalogue and codify the rules of Sanskrit. Even today, the main terms for compound analysis are taken from Sanskrit. India is the birthplace of Ayurveda and Yoga; these systems are now finding many followers in the West. India’s rich spiritual tradition has attracted many troubled Westerners, fleeing the materialistic and spiritually empty worlds they inhabit, to her shores, seeking solace and salvation. India’s urban civilization traces its roots to Mahenjodaro and Harappa, now in Pakistan.Their planned urban townships were very advanced for their time. Metallurgy is central to most civilizations. The science of smelting was highly refined and precise in ancient India. As early as the 5th century BC, Herodotus, the eminent Greek historian, noted that iron was used in the arrows used by Indian and Persian soldiers.The idea of the atom is derived from the classification of the material world into five basic elements by Indian philosophers. This classification has been in existence since the Vedic age (c.1500 BC). Indian monuments testify to the different influences in her history â₠¬â€œ Buddhist, Indo-Saracenic, Victorian, Mughal, etc.Classical Indian music and dance have a wide fan following all over the world. Each state has its own art forms which are well documented. Imposing and architecturally splendid temples, mosques and churches embody the diverse religious and cultural influences that have made India unique. Cuisine too is an important part of our heritage.As Indians, we ought to be proud of our rich heritage and strive to preserve it for our descendants by respecting it and ensuring its survival.

The History of Chinese New Year

The History of Chinese New Year The most important holiday in Chinese culture around the world is undoubtedly Chinese New Year, and it all started out of fear. The centuries-old legend of the origins of the Chinese New Year celebration varies from teller to teller, but every telling includes a story of a terrible mythical monster preying on villagers. The lion-like monster’s name was Nian (Ã¥ ¹ ´), which is also the Chinese word for â€Å"year. The stories include a wise old man who counsels the villagers to ward off the evil Nian by making loud noises with drums and firecrackers and by hanging red paper cutouts and scrolls on their doors, because Nian is scared of the color red. The villagers took the old man’s advice and Nian was conquered. On the anniversary of the date, the Chinese recognize the â€Å"passing of the Nian,† known in Chinese as guo nian (è ¿â€¡Ã¥ ¹ ´), which is synonymous with celebrating the new year. Lunar Calendar The date of Chinese New Year changes each year because its based on the lunar calendar. While the western Gregorian calendar is based on the Earth’s orbit around the sun, the date of Chinese New Year is determined according to the moon’s orbit around the Earth. Chinese New Year falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. Other Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam also celebrate the new year using the lunar calendar. While Buddhism and Daoism have unique customs during the New Year, Chinese New Year is far older than both religions. As with many agrarian societies, Chinese New Year is rooted in a celebration of spring, like Easter or Passover. Depending on where its grown, the rice season in China lasts roughly from May to September (north China), April to October (Yangtze River Valley), or March to November (Southeast China). The New Year was likely the start of preparations for a new growing season. Spring cleaning is a common theme during this time. Many Chinese families clean out their homes during the holiday. The New Year celebration could also have been a way to break up the boredom of the long winter months. Traditional Customs On Chinese New Year, families travel long distances to meet and make merry. Known as the Spring movement or Chunyun (æ˜ ¥Ã¨ ¿ ), a great migration takes place in China during this period as many travelers brave crowds to get to their hometowns. Though the holiday is actually just a week long, traditionally its celebrated as a 15-day holiday when firecrackers are lit, drums are heard on the streets, red lanterns glow at night, and red paper cutouts and calligraphy hang on doors. Children are also given  red envelopes  containing money. Many cities around the world hold New Year parades complete with dragon and lion dances. Celebrations conclude on the 15th day with the Lantern Festival. Food is an important component of New Year. Traditional foods to eat include nian gao  (sweet sticky rice cake) and savory dumplings.   Chinese New Year vs. Spring Festival In China, New Year celebrations are synonymous with Spring Festival (æ˜ ¥Ã¨Å â€š or chÃ… «n jià ©), which is typically a week-long celebration. The origins of this renaming from Chinese New Year to â€Å"Spring Festival† are fascinating and not widely known. In 1912 the newly formed Chinese Republic, governed by the Nationalist Party, renamed the traditional holiday Spring Festival to get the Chinese people to transition into celebrating the Western New Year. During this period, many Chinese intellectuals felt that modernization meant doing all things as the West did. When the Communists took over power in 1949, the celebration of New Year was viewed as feudalistic and steeped in religion, not proper for an atheist China. Under the Chinese Communist Party, Chinese New Year wasnt celebrated some years. By the late 1980s, however, as China began liberalizing its economy, Spring Festival celebrations became big business. Since 1982, China Central Television has held an annual New Year’s Gala which is televised across the country and via satellite to the world. Over the years, the government has made several changes to its holiday system. The May Day holiday was increased and then shortened to one day, and the National Day holiday was made three days instead of two. More traditional holidays, such as the Mid-Autumn Festival and Tomb-Sweeping Day, are emphasized. The only week-long holiday that was maintained is Spring Festival.

How To Learn New Skills As A Content Marketer [VIDEO] - CoSchedule

How To Learn New Skills As A Content Marketer [VIDEO] Content teams often have too much to do, and too few people to get it all done. For content marketers, that means we’re often asked to stretch our skill sets. Whether you need to create a new type of content or delve into a task you’ve never tackled before, you may not always know how to do everything you’re asked right away. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Fortunately, learning new content marketing skills isn’t as hard as it sounds. In fact, it only takes 100 hours to develop basic competency at a given task. Plus, you don’t have to be a master right away. The secret to success is to just start. The secret to success is to just start. #OverheardAtIn this video, I chat with s  Content Marketing Lead, Nathan Ellering, to discuss how to overcome perfectionism and the fear of failure. Plus, you’ll learn the same skill development process the team used to build a blog that gets 1 million page views per month, an email list over 120,000 strong, and a fast-growing social media following.How To Learn  New Skills As A Content Marketer #OverheardAtSubscribe to receive videos in your inbox: //

Culture Analysis paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Culture Analysis paper - Essay Example Moreover, Bollywood has been considered audience-oriented, though they have more emphasis on generating wealth. Bollywood is a term that is also applied in description of a physical location with certain characteristics, which are common among the other films produced in the same region Ganti (2). In this case, these characteristics comprises of song and dance, melodrama, emphasising on stars and spectacle, values of lavish production (Ginta, 3). Moreover, there are other theatrical variables integrated in the filmmaking such as sublimating and romanticism. Bollywood differs from Nollywood, which is a term derived from Hollywood, and it is a generic name for the firm industry in Nigeria. One of the similarities between these generic is that their name were derived from the term Hollywood. However, these industries have different global attention, which differs in terms of the effort made to create their distinct film tradition. For instance, Bollywood has achieved a more prolific and legendary attention from different parts of the world compared to Nollywood. On the other hand, Nollywood experiences government intervention through contribution to provide a favourable environment for film making industry. However, Bollywood is run by private sector through their efforts to fund and offer dominant producers and marketers. Nevertheless, Nigerian film industry has been perceived as a cultural product by other nations, though unlike Bollywood they experience indifferences of the government towards their industry. For instance, Nollywood fac es problems of being denied a status of foreign exchange cultural currency that can enhance their industry. Indian cinema has a long and wealthy history, some of which is common to Western audiences (Ginta, 2004). Similarly, American moviegoers are increasing but still have inadequate exposure to different forms of Indian films. Asian films hinters developmental

Letter to the editor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Letter to the editor - Essay Example In essence, the tax forced energy raise in energy prices and also costs job. Many businesses have to strain their resources and change business operation techniques to compete well in the marketplace. In essence, exaggerated carbon taxes have been attributed the rapid lose of competitiveness of Australian products in the global market. This is especially due to an increase in the product prices to be able to cover the production costs emanating from the introduction of the high carbon tax. On commencement of the carbon tax, Australian carbon prices tripled those of the European countries. The European Emission Trading Schemes generates $23 million as compared to $77.3 million per week in Australia. As such, Australian exports are higher in prices. These high taxes increases the cost of production and the weight laid on consumers who in turn consume fewer products. The ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) find it tricky to monitor prices or take action against organizations that try to exploit consumers or other business by charging unjustly high prices. Notably, businesses and households use price signal as an explanation for lowered consumption of particular products. According to statistics, consumers are likely to turn to using up cheaper imports. This has built uncertainty for investment; hence, companies prone to emission of carbon will be afraid to invest further considering the high tax payment. This also renders high competition from other energy plants. As a result, some industries will end up withdrawing from business; hence, an economic downturn. From above perspective, the controversial carbon policy is both beneficial and detrimental. In line with the set standards on climate change in the Kyoto Protocol, Australia must be committed to trimming down the emission of greenhouse gases. However,

How influential is the United Nation to protect and implement the Dissertation

How influential is the United Nation to protect and implement the death penalty in regards to human rights - Dissertation Example Moreover, the nations aimed to achieve better standards of living, human rights and social progress. The UN has a unique international nature and it can intervene in a wide range of issues. It also provides a forum for its Member States to voice their opinion. This is facilitated by the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the other committees and bodies.1 Moreover, the influence of the UN is felt all over the world. The UN performs humanitarian assistance, conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. In addition, the UN and its system affect the world and tend to improve it. A large number of issues are dealt with by the UN. Some of these include, environment and refugee protection, sustainable development, disaster relief, counter terrorism, gender equality, human rights, governance, improving food production and the promotion of democracy. 2 In addition, the international human rights and humanitarian law clearly prohibit torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading trea tment or punishment. This prohibition applies to all the states and is independent of their treaty obligations. Several of the international and regional treaties have clearly included this prohibition. The regional systems and the UN have declared that some features of the death penalty cannot be permitted. These aspects have been considered to be cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. 3 Some examples are the manner in which death row inmates are kept in their cells; the torment of being under the never ending threat of execution; and the confidential nature of the imposition of the death penalty. These factors have a tremendous effect upon the condemned person and his family. As a result, the UN Human Rights Committee addressed the states with the death penalty. It asked them to improve the conditions of detention of the individuals on death row.4 Such improvements had to comply with the requirements specified in the International Convention on Civil and Political R ights (ICCPR). Furthermore, the UN Human Rights Committee had declared unwarranted delay in informing a convicted person of a stay in execution, as an instance of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Moreover, the UN Human Rights Committee has made a recommendation. This suggests that the condemned and their families are to be informed reasonably and sufficiently in advance regarding the date and time of the execution.5 Such advance notice, would provide them with sufficient time to prepare for the occurrence. In this regard, the important organs of the United Nations and their functions are described below. Functioning of the UN The principal bodies of the UN are the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice and Secretariat. Among these the Security Council is responsible for international peace and security. Consequently, the Security Council may conduct a meeting, whenever a threat to international peac e and security is perceived.6 These six bodies do not have the same

Network Security Essay Example for Free

Network Security Essay Firewall:- A firewall is a software program or a piece of information that help screen out hackers, virus, worms and Trojan horse that try to reach to your computer over the internet. If you use a computer at home the most efficient and important step to help your computer to protect by turning on your firewall. If you have a more than one computer connects in home. It is important to protect every computer. You should have a hardware firewall (such as router) to protect your network, but you should also use software firewall on each computer to prevent the spread of virus your network. If your computer is a part of business, you should follow the policy established by network administrator. How it works:- When your firewall protection is turned on, everything that goes in and out of the network is monitored. The firewall monitors allows ‘good data’ in and block ‘bad data’ from entering your network. Firewall uses one or combination of the following method to control the traffic in and of the network:- 1) Packet filtering:- The most basic form of firewall software uses pre-determined rules to create different filters. If an incoming packet of data (small chunk of data) is flagged by the filters, it is not allowed through. Packets that make it through the filters are sent to requesting system and all others are discarded. 2) Proxy services:- A proxy service is an application that acts as an intermediary between systems. Information from the internet is received by the firewall and sent to the requesting system and vice versa.   Proxy server operates at the application layer of firewall, where both ends of the connection are forced to conduct session through the proxy. They operate by creating and running a process on the firewall that mirrors a service as if it were running on the host end, and thus centralize all the information transfer to the firewall for scanning. 3) Stateful inspection:- The most modern method of firewall scanning that does not rely on memory intensive examination is ‘Stateful inspection’. A Stateful firewall  holds significant attributes of each connection of trusted information for the duration of session. These attributes which are collectively known as state of the connection may include ip addresses, ports involved in the network and number of packets being transferred. Types:- There are two types of firewall that are as follows:- Hardware firewall. Software firewall. 1) Hardware firewall:- Hardware firewall built into the device such as routers and can protect every single machine on a network and require little configuration for efficient work. They mostly use packet filtering technique to examine the header of the packet, determining source and destination, then comparing the data to a set of predefine rules, they decide whether to ignore the packet or forward to the next step or to its final destination. 2) Software firewall:- Software firewalls are the most popular protection method for home users. They usually come as standalone applications or as a part of complete antivirus protection software. That is why it is mostly used in personal network. Antivirus such as bull guard provides besides providing protection for inbound and outbound traffic. A software firewall also protects against worms and Trojan horses. The software firewall must be regularly protected to keep up the latest technology updates and provides effective protection. NOTE:- Each type has advantages and disadvantages, ranging from ease of implementation to high initial cost. Companies should use the firewall as part of overall information security program that includes data integrity, application integrity and data confidentiality and authentication.

Feminist Literary Criticism and Lysistrata Essay -- Literary Analysis,

Classically, women playwrights are almost completely absent. There were virtually no women writers at all up until at least the seventeenth century. This fact originally led feminist critics to disregard the classical period. In an article titled â€Å"Classical Drag: The Greek Creation of Female Parts,† Sue Ellen Case states that because â€Å"traditional scholarship has focused on evidence related to written texts, the absence of women playwrights became central to early feminist investigations† (132). Despite this absence of female writers, feminist critics analyze the role of women in ancient Greece in other ways. Recently, feminist writers have been able to delve further into the classical period by examining female characters from the works of male playwrights. The construction of women in male literature is extremely important. Peter Barry, in his chapter on feminist literary criticism in his book Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory, asserts that observing the female characters in works by men is important because it provides â€Å"role models which indicated to women, and men, what constituted acceptable version of the ‘feminine’ and legitimate feminine goals and aspirations† (122). Looking into the roles of the women within the works helps us determine the kind of role women and men occupy in relation to each other in addition to the personal characteristics of the women. This insight into the relations between men and women adds a new layer of knowledge for feminist critics. The depiction of women by women writers differs greatly from the depiction of women by male writers. Women, as represented by men, represent stereotypes of actual women. That is, â€Å"the feminist critic may assume that the images of... ...ial and cultural evidence of the role of women in ancient Greece. Despite the fact that he is indeed a man, Aristophanes does a good job capturing certain aspects of his female characters: their drive to succeed, their natural coquettishness, the general desire to end war diplomatically, and their devout servitude to the gods. Aristophanes also has a very firm grasp of the social situation of women in his time. For example, he knows where the line of rebellion would be drawn: if the husbands forced the wives into having sex, they must relent. He knows how the ultimately defer to their husbands’ judgment, particularly in political matters. Lastly, he knows that their concerns are chiefly domestic. However, he generally misunderstands or misrepresents many aspects of the female character. The feminist literary critic would be quick to point these discrepancies out.

Elements of a State and Philippine Constitution Essay

State A community of persons more or less numerous, permanently occupying a definite portion of territory, independent of external control, and possessing an organized government to which the great body of its inhabitants render habitual obedience (De Leon, 2000). The Philippines is a state. Elements of a State The first element of a state is the people, which is known to be the most essential and indispensable element of a state. This is the mass of the population, or the number of people living within the state. There is no specific number of people required living within a state so that it could be called a state. The second element is the territory, which is the established area that rightly belongs to the people of the state. This is the aerial (air), terrestrial (land), fluvial (stream/river), and maritime (water) domains of the state. The third element is the government, which is the agency to which the will of the state is expressed, created and administered. This is a group of people or institutions which run and rule the society. The fourth element is the sovereignty, which is known as the supreme power of the state to command and enforce obedience its will from the people. Territory According to Article One, National Territory, of The 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines: â€Å"The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago, with all the islands and waters embraced therein, and all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of its terrestrial, fluvial and aerial domains, including its territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine areas. The waters around, between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago, regardless of their breadth and dimensions, form part of the internal waters of the Philippines.† This means that all the area that is encompassed by 185 kilometers (100 nautical miles) from the Philippine shore, under the seabed even, is a territory of the Philippines. This is sometimes also known as the â€Å"Philippine Area of Responsibility†, a term used by PAG-ASA and other weather agencies to determine for example, if a typhoon or a Low Pressure Area has entered our territory. Constitution of the Philippines The constitution of the Philippines is the most important part of a state. The national territory and all the fundamental laws- the set of rules and principles- can be found here.  The Constitution also enunciates state principles and policies. Among the principles and policies embodied in the Constitution are: (1) Sovereignty of the people; (2) Renunciation of war as an instrument of national policy; (3) Supremacy of civilian authority over the military; (4) Service and protection of the people as the prime duty of the Government; (5) Separation of Church and State; (6) Guarantee of human rights; (7) Separation of power among the various branches of governments; and (8) Autonomy for local government units. One of the central components of the Constitution is the Bill of Rights, which declares and enumerates the basic rights and liberties of the people which the government (or any person) is forbidden to violate or encroach upon. Among the rights granted by the Constitution are: (1) Due process of law and equal protection; (2) Right against unreasonable search and seizure; (3) Right of privacy; (4) Freedom of speech, of expression, and of the press; (5) Freedom of religion; (6) Liberty of abode and travel; (7) Right to information on matters of public concern; (8) Right to form associations for purposes not contrary to law; (9) Right to a just compensation when private property is taken for public use; (10)  Right against impairment of contract; (11) Freedom of access to the courts; (12) Rights pertaining to persons under investigation; (13) Right against excessive bail; (14) Rights of the accused in criminal cases; and (15) Right to speedy disposition of cases. It has been revised seven times, starting from The 1899 Malolos Constitution, which was approved by then President Emilio Aguinaldo on December 23, 1898 and promulgated on January 21, 1899, and then the Philippine Organic Act of 1912 enacted into law by the United States Congress on July 1, 1902. Next was The Jones Law of 1916, enacted into law by the United States Congress on August29, 1916, followed by The 1935 Constitution, which was approved by the 1934 Constitutional Convention on February 8, 1935, certified by the President of the United States on March 25, 1935, and ratified by plebiscite on May 14, 1935. This was amended two times, on June 18 1940 and March 11, 1947. The 1943 Constitution, was approved by the Preparatory Committee on Philippine Independence on September 4, 1943 and ratified by the KALIBAPI convention on September 7, 1943. Following this is The 1973 Constitution, which was proclaimed in force by Proclamation by then President Ferdinand Marcos on January 17, 1973. This was amended three times, on October 16-17, 1976, January 30, 1980 and April 7, 1981. The present constitution, which is The 1987 Constitution, was first presented to then President Cory C. Aquino as The 1986 Freedom Constitution on October 15, 1986. This was approved by the Constitutional Commission on October 12, 1986. It was ratified by a plebiscite on February 2, 1987 and proclaimed in force by February 11, 1987. References: Pacaway, J. (2014, July 4). Philippine government with 1987 constitution. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/anjanet2/philippine-government-with-1987-constitution Philippine Constitutions | Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.gov.ph/constitutions/ Salinas, S. (2013, December 16). Concepts of state and government. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/sarahsalinascatwoman/concepts-of-state-and-government-29249128 THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES – ARTICLE I | Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.gov.ph/constitutions/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines-article-i/ The History and Evolution of the Philippine Constitution | Law | Jcmiras_03. (2014, August). Retrieved from http://www.pinoysites.org/jcm/item/12/ The Constitution of the Philippines: An Overview | Herald Digital Law Philippines. (2011, February 1). Retrieved from http://philippineslaw.wordpress.com/2011/02/01/the-constitution-of-the-philippines-an-overview/

Labor Market for Nurses in Florida

Florida State is located in the South Eastern region of the United States.   Most of it is a peninsula bordered by the Gulf of Mexico on the west and Atlantic Ocean on the East.   Florida has the 4th highest state population in United State. As at 2006, the population was over 18 million.   Economically by 2005, the gross state product was over 500 billion dollars.Florida’s labor market is determined by employment and wages, labor force, economic indicators and the population structure.   In 2004, Florida approved a constitutional amendment to increase the minimum wage to over 6 dollars per hour.   All employees were then supposed to comply with the wages increase (www.stateoflorida.com/portal/)In labor market, employees and workers respond in exactly opposite ways to higher wages.   More people want to work when wages go up but employers then hire fewer workers. However, if labor markets operated normally, the level of employment and subsequent wage would be deter mined by the law of supply and demand.   The number of workers on a given job and the wage paid to them should reflect an agreement between the needs of both parties.   Employers would like to hire more workers at a lower wage but not enough workers are willing to accept employment for lower pay (Lovell, 2006).Wages are determined in a market economy by among many factors, tradeoffs and government’s improvement of market outcomes.   The government can improve the outcome of the economic system and stimulate the development of a society. Tradeoffs involve sacrifices made in obtaining certain products or services rather than others using the same required resources. These factors influence the nursing wages in Florida.Nursing wages are determined mostly by the skills needed at work, place of employment and the mount of time spent at work.   Enhanced educational credentials also determine the amount of premium that a nurse is paid.   Therefore nurses are paid according to the level of academics and their job contribution. Among many determinants of wage calculation, include productivity of the worker, output per hours worked, employer’s willingness to work, cost of living, experience and many others. These factors determine wages of nurses in Florida (http://www.floridanurse.org/foundationgrants/index.asp)There are various factors that influence the supply and demand of nurses in Florida.   The rapid aging of both the population and the nursing workforce results in the need for supply of nurses to maintain pace with the growing demand. There has been a decrease in supply of nurses due to poor working environment, closure of nursing schools, nursing faculty shortages and other career opportunities. All these have decreased the supply of nurses.   Licensing data indicate that over 40% of active licensed Florida nurses are over 50 years of age and 15% are over 60 years. (http://www.dob.state.fl.us/). These factors have led to an increased demand in the supply of nursesIn Florida, various factors play a critical role in determining the salary that a nurse is to be paid.   These include the academic level, time spent at job, the locale, and experience. There are different types of nurses; school nurses, occupational health nurses, Geriatric nurses who work and care for the elderly and also those with masters and doctoral degrees.   All these have a different structure of salary.However, generally the average starting salary for a new nurse in Florida ranges from about 15 dollars an hour or around 31,000 dollars a year.   However, the salaries increase tremendously with experience.   The salary of an advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) range from 45,000 dollars to over 90,000 dollars annually. (http://www.floridanurse.org/foundatrionGrnats/index.asp) Utah State also faces a shortage of nurses.   The situation is a more severe and critical shortage.   Utah has ageing nursing professionals with an a verage registered nurses being 47 years.   However, Utah can employ various techniques to increase the supply of nurses.They can increase the number of nursing faculty in the various nursing schools.   Young men and women interested in developing a career in nursing can get an opportunity to train in the arena.   The nursing schools can be increased to accommodate more students and also be able to offer refresher courses to learners. Learners can also be given loans, scholarships and grants to undertake nursing education programs. This will increase the supply of nurses tremendously.   (http://www.utahnurses.org/portal/default.)REFERENCEFlorida Nurses Association article- Retrieved on 23rd Jan 2008 from;http://www.floridanurse.org/foundationgrants/index.aspLovell, v. (2006). Solving the nursing shortage through higher wages. Institute for women’s policy research: Washington DC, USA.Utah Nurses Association article- Retrieved on 23rd Jan 2008 from;http://www.utahnurses. org/portal/default.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel essays

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel essays Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India, was born on October 31st, 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat. His father, Jhaverbhai Patel, was a farmer. Vallabhbhai's early education was in Karamsad. A famous story about Sardar Patels strength takes place in his boyhood years. When he was young, Vallahbhai suffered from a boil. There was a man in his village who used to cure boils by touching them with hot iron. Vallabhbhai went to him to remove the boil that he had. The man heated the iron rod until it grew red but seeing how young Vallabhbhai was, he hesitated. Vallabhbhai fearlessly responded, "What are you waiting for? The iron will grow cold. Hurry up, brand the boil,". Vallabhbhai picked up the glowing rod and burnt the boil. Those who watched him were shocked. But there was not a trace of pain in the boy's face. Sardar Patel went to England to study law and returned to India in 1915. After returning he met Gandhi and soon joined him in many issues of the day including one in which he represented workers in a dispute with mill owners in Ahmedabad in 1918. Patel had a successful law practice, but as he became more influenced by the ideas of Gandhi he gave it up and threw himself into the campaign for Indian independence. In 1931, Patel was elected President of the Indian National Congress. Gandhi vested great confidence in him through all the years of their friendship. Gandhis assassination left Sardar Patel without the guidance of his political mentor and the "Father of the Nation. His memory as the "Iron Man of India", came from his steely determination and pragmatism. Nowhere was this more apparent than when, as Home Minister and Minister of States, he took action to consolidate the Indian Union and authorized the police to merge Hyderabad into India. Though a staunch Hindu, Patel had a deep appreciation for the diverse culture of India. Patel contributed very substantially to the deliberations of the Cons...

Marketing Plan Lush Cosmetics Essays

Marketing Plan Lush Cosmetics Essays Marketing Plan Lush Cosmetics Paper Marketing Plan Lush Cosmetics Paper This marketing plan will introduce the steps which will help to take Lush cosmetics forward in the year July 2010 to June 2011. The plan will analyse Lush cosmetics current situation (internal and external threats, suppliers and customers attitude and Lush’s main competitors). The plan will then introduce a year’s tactical decisions which will take Lush cosmetics forward. 2. 2. Lush cosmetics history Lush cosmetics produces handmade cosmetics using organic fruits and vegetables, essential oils and safe-synthetic ingredients in all their products. They are against the use of animal fat in their products; In addition to that they are also against animal testing and perform tests solely with volunteers (people). In 1994 the founders Mark and Mo Constantine opened their first Lush store in Poole in the UK where the companys headquarters is today. Today Lush has now more than 600 stores in 43 countries and has targeted 1000 stores in the future. Lush cosmetics produces and sells a variety of handmade products, including face masks, soaps, bath bombs, bubble bars, hand and body lotions and hair treatments. 2. 3. Purpose of the Marketing Plan This marketing plan is to help Lush cosmetics to increase sales, revenue, profit and increase customer awareness in the coming year. This will be done by improving on the sales and marketing tactics on the existing products. 1. 4. Lush Cosmetics Mission Statement Lush cosmetics produce handmade cosmetics using organic fruits and vegetable, essential oil and natural ingredients. Lush cosmetic is strongly against animal testing and uses volunteers for their products testing and do not trade with companies that test on animals. Lush do not package its products and if they have to then only in recyclable packages. Lush do not spend money on adverts or pay famous people to advertise their products. The only adverting Lush does is mailing the Lush Times (their own news papers) to customers and give out to shoppers, all the people in the lush Times are employees and customers. Also Lush has cut off intermediates and trade direct with its suppliers to offer them the best price and have also form partnership with some suppliers to supports the environment. Lush supports campaigns such as environmental issues, conservation of the natural world, animal welfare and human rights and spend about 2% of its profit on supporting charities. 1. 5. Lush Cosmetics Market Lush is trading in the cosmetics market and offers its customers organic and handmade quality products with no added scientific chemicals and none of the ingredients is tested on animals. Lush products are popularly known for its strong smell, freshness and its unique shapes and forms like cheese, cake or jelly. Lush cosmetics believe in equal opportunity for all and therefore employ anyone regardless of the cultural background, Lush trades only with suppliers who do not test products on animals and trade with main suppliers to cut off any intermediary. Lush cosmetics do not have a specific customer base they sell to anyone but most of their customers tend to be young age females. Lush cosmetics is an ethical company, the company’s philosophy is to protect the environment therefore all their products are not packaged if any the recyclable package is use. Lush also campaign against air pollution and therefore aim to air-freight less than 5% of its raw materials. It has also advised its entire staff not to take any UK mainland domestic flight when on business trips. Lush saves energy by using solar panels to heat water, doing Carbon Trust energy survey to reduce energy consumption and replacing its old machines with more energy efficient ones. 1. Situational Analysis 2. 1. Current Products Analysis Lush cosmetics current products are bathing soaps and shampoos, shower gels, jellies and scrubs, facial and body skincare, haircare, fragrances and spa. 2. 2. Product Description All Lush products are handmade using natural ingredients such as cocoa, Shea butter, and natural preservatives. 2. 3. Current Pricing Lush cosmetics is using a price skimming strategy to price their products. This strategy means the products prices are set high compared to their competitors. This strategy allows them to recover their sunk cost quickly before competitors bring similar products on the market. . 4. Current products prices The bath emotibombs, bath ballistics, bath malts, soaps and shower jelly products are in the price range from ? 1. 90 to ? 5. 00 per/100g. The shower gels, shower smoothies prices are between ? 5. 50 to ? 15. 00 per/250g. The skin and hair care products are sold in the price range of ? 5. 00 to ? 15. 00 per/100g. The solid fragrance price is between ? 4. 95 to ? 6. 25 per/10g. The karma and vanillary atomiser are sold between ? 21. 95 to ? 25. 95 per/30g and the other karma and vanillary products are sold between ? 2. 95 to ? 1. 25 per/100g. 2. 6. Current distribution Lush products are sold only in Lush shops and can also be ordered online (Lush website). 2. 7. Current promotion Lush cosmetics products are advertised only in Lush magazine (The Lush Times), online (Lush website) and display in show case in Lush shops. 2. Current Target Market Analysis 3. 1. Target Market approach Lush cosmetics uses a form of viral marketing or viral advertising to reach its target customers. This is made by people who have experienced their products and then spread it by word of month. They have also joined social networks such as facebook and messages are spread very quickly on such networks. Lush also have customer forum where people join to share their experience with products with one another. Lush have shops across cities and high streets, therefore the strong smell attracts many shoppers into the shop. Lush also produce a Lush Times which is mailed to registered members and also available to pick in shop for free. This strategy is to keep regular customers up to date of the new products and also give window shoppers something to remind them of Lush. Lush cosmetics have targeted a niche market producing high quality cosmetics with natural ingredients for all target groups who wants to spend a bit more for their well being. Lush cosmetics have also targeted the gift market where it have very high sales in occasions such as Valentine’s Day and Christmas where everyone want something extraordinary for their love ones. Lush have the strategic advantage over it competitors of being different compared to its competitors (being handmade, having unique shapes, batch produce, strong smell, natural and ethical). (see Porters Generic strategies). 3. 2. Porter’s Generic Strategies StrategicTarget| Strategic Advantage| | | Uniqueness perceived by customers| Low cost position| | Industry wide| DIFFERENTIATIONLushBody shop| OVERALL COST LEADERSHIP L ’real, Max factor, | | Segment only| FOCUSNo. 7, Fashion fair, Bobbi brown,| 3. 3. Demographic profile Although Lush cosmetics products are not the cheapest on the market, the customers base range from all age group, different social backgrounds, gender and all income classes. This is because of the quality, uniqueness and natural ingredients that attribute to their products. 3. 4. Target Customers Lush products are used in everyday life, Lush targets all and sundry. Lush also targets those who shop on special occasions such as Christmas or Valentine’s Day because of the unique shape, design and smell of the products. Lush products are rated as premium and quality products in the cosmetics market (see product position map). 3. 8. Product Position map Premium Price Body Shop LushNo. 7 QualityStandard L’Oreal Boots amp; ASDA St. Ives (99p Shop) Own Brand Low Price 3. 9. Customer Attitude Many customers associate Lush products with teenagers and middle age women and many with the perception of being too expensive. Most customers attitude towards Lush change after they use the product. Customers who are familiar with Lush products regard the products as value for money because Lush uses natural ingredient. A number of their customers also buy from them because they support their campaigns such as against animal testing, Fair Trade and charity supports. Loyal Lush customers purchase through the usual channels that is online or at the shop. They also receive a regular update on new products (Lush Times). Other customers purchases on occasions such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day as gifts for family and friends. There are also customers who walk in due to the locations of the shops (on high streets) or the strong smell of the products drives them in. Lush does not have a big customer base compared to most of its competitors such us L’Oreal, but Lush’s regular customers have associated with Lush not the brand but quality and value for money. (see table below) 3. 10. 1. Customer satisfaction Satisfaction with various beauty retail brands, December 2009 Base: All internet users aged 18+ who have ever visited the brand 3. 10. Purchasing process Lush cosmetic has a criterion a supplier has to have before they will trade with the supplier. Anyone who wants to trade with Lush must not test its products on animals. Lush travel direct to its suppliers to see the conditions the suppliers are living under. It has also form partnerships with most of its raw material suppliers in countries such as Africa and Asia to support those farmers and pay them fair prices for their products, through this they can control them and stop the environment from destroying. Lush cosmetic trade with the suppliers direct, Lush does not use any intermediary when purchasing raw material, this is to ensure suppliers get a fair price for their products and also support these suppliers. Lush is very selective about its supply network, they do not trade with distributors who test products on animals. 3. 11. Market size and Forecast Due to the recession there has been a decline in consumer confidence in the cosmetics market which has led to a fall of about 7% in sales in the first quarter of 2009. That said, there is some anticipation that the sector will recover in the near future (see table below). 3. 8. 1 Size and Forecast Beauty Retailing UK January 2010 Sector Size and Forecast| | UK: Health and beauty retailers’ sales, 2008-14| | 2008| 2009 (e)| 2010 (f)| 2011 (f)| 2012 (f)| 2013 (f)| 2014 (f)| |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | | Health amp; beauty specialists (? bn)| 4. 14| 3. 85| 3. 95| 4. 07| 4. 2| 4. 33| 4. 45| |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | | All retailers (? bn)| 254. 7| 260| 264. 5| 270. 2| 276. 5| 283. 2| 289. 9| |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | | Health amp; beauty as % of all retail sales| 1 . 63| 1. 48| 1. 49| 1. 51| 1. 52| 1. 53| 1. 54| | (excl. sales tax, at current prices)|   |   |   |   |   |   |   | | NB: excludes Boots the Chemists and NHS receipts through all pharmacies| | Source: National Statistics/Mintel|   | . 12. Beauty retailers` prospects There are some observations made in relation to the forecast period in the whole beauty retailing. * Supermarkets such as Boots and Superdrug have established a stronger presence in cosmetics market and they will continue to challenge on price. * It could prove difficult to coax some consumers out of their habit of never paying full price on their products. Some cosmetics retailers such as Lush will therefore have to work even harder to convince shoppers that ‘they are worth it’, if they are to break out of this discounting cycle. However, niche operators like Lush could start to benefit from trading later in the forecast period as consumer confidence picks up. * The over 65s tend to be more conservative and more sceptical consumers of beauty products. In some ways they have been one of the few ‘minority’ groups that have escaped the protection of political correctness. They have been overlooked for too long and it will be age-relevant rather than anti-ageing products that present the biggest opportunity for wooing these consumers. * There is also expectation to see more niche internet pure players gaining attraction over the next five years. This includes those specialising in male grooming, because the anonymity factor and online experience both appeal strongly to men in this market. 3. Current Competitors Analyses 4. 1. Competition in the cosmetics market is very strong. Competitors such as Boots who bring similar products as Lush on the market for lower price makes it more competitive. Lush’s’ main competitor Body Shop is also seen in the same price category therefore the threat is not that high. (see Lush competitors in the table below) 4. 1. 1. Lush Competitor Beauty Retailing UK January 2010 Retail Competitor Analysis| UK: Leading beauty specialists, 2008/09| Retailer | Operations| No. of outlets| Sales (? m excl. sales tax)| Notes| Profiles| Alliance Boots| Pharmacy/health amp; beauty| 2,591| 6,343|   | P| AS Watson Europe (Hutchison Whampoa/Hong Kong)| Drugstores/ perfumeries| 1,316| 1,400|   | P| Superdrug| Drugstores/in-store pharmacies| 915| 1,075|   |   | Savers Health amp; Beauty| Drugstores| 234| 161|   |   | The Perfume Shop| Perfumeries| 167| 164| (a)|   | |   |   |   |   |   | The Body Shop| Beauty| 338| 173| (e)| P|   |   |   |   |   | Bodycare Health amp; Beauty| Drugstores| 60| 57|   |   | The Fragrance Shop| Perfumeries| 103| 45| (d)|   | Space NK| Beauty| 63| 44|   | P| Lush| Beauty| 87| 42|   | P| Effective Cosmetics| Beauty| 10| 35| (b)|   | Molton Brown| Beauty| 43| 33|   | P| Crabtree amp; Evelyn| Beauty| 43| 26| (c)|   | L’Occitane (France)| Beauty| 40| 19| ( g)|   | Penhaligons| Perfumeries| 14| 8| (h)|   | (a) Store numbers includes Ireland. (b) Previously known as Virgin Cosmetics. Sales estimated. (c) Store numbers estimated. (d) 2007/08 data. (g) 2007/08 data. Includes concessions. h) Standalone stores as at December 2009. P = Profile included in this report| Source: Company Accounts and Annual Reports/Mintel| 4. 2. Competitive advantage Lush cosmetics has the advantage of being handmade and fresh, all the ingredients are natural with no added chemicals and all the products are tested on human not on animal. Lush products are classified as quality, vegan and environmental friendly. 4. External forces Analyses 5. 1. Environmental factors * Political: Political issues that can affect Lush cosmetics can be â€Å"political unstableness† in countries where Lush gets its raw materials from. Political unstableness such as civil war can lead to stop or delay in delivering raw material. * Environmental: Lush spends about 2% of its profit in charities which campaign on environmental issues. Many people shop at Lush because they care about the environment. Lush have to continue with its believes to keep these customers. * Social: Many elderly people have the perception of Lush being for young age and middle age women and also lot of men have the perception that it is only women who visits Lush shops. Lush has to try and change this perception of people. Technological: Everything is made by hand, Lush do not depend too much on technology. When the business changes into mass production in the future it needs some technology to speed up production. * Economical: The recession has also affected Lush economically because consumers do not have much money at their disposal, therefore consumers turn to cheaper substitute product. * Legal: Since Lush’s main suppliers are outsi de the country, there are some foreign regulations that Lush has to oblige to when buying raw material from abroad. Also Lush has to oblige to rules and regulations when bringing raw materials into UK. 5. Summary SWOT Positive| Negative| Internal| External| StrengthsHigh street shopsNatural ingredientsUnique selling pointNot many direct competitorsValue for moneyNatural ingredients| WeaknessLack of advertisingHigh cost in raw materialsSelective in suppliers| OpportunitiesInnovation to engage customersSupporting known charity eventsGrowing own raw materials| ThreatsIncrease in competitorsPremium price, New entriesEconomical down turnImitations of Lush products| 6. Marketing strategy and Objectives 7. 1. Marketing strategy The marketing strategy that Lush cosmetic uses is the uniqueness of its products, the natural ingredients and the testing procedures. This has given Lush a sustainable competitive advantage in the market. 7. 2. Financial objectives The financial objective for Lush cosmetics is to increase in revenue and sales, to reduce production cost and to increase the number of shops globally. 7. 3. Marketing objective The marketing objective is to increase the customer awareness, increase the market share, to develop new products, to enter into new market segments and protect the environment. . 4. Identifying Lush marketing strategy Ansoff Markets| Products| | Existing| Market PenetrationThrough: Viral marketing, Lush Times, Lush Forum, Lush website, social networks| Product DevelopmentThrough: New products (perfumes, Spa), Product extension (new product design, new smells) | | New| Market DevelopmentDeveloping new segments (Perfumes, Spas), Overseas markets| DiversificationRe lated diversification (Spa)| 7. Determine Marketing Objectives For the next year the marketing objective for Lush cosmetics will be the same but we will aim to improve it. Also the aim will be introducing new segments such as air fresheners self made soaps and making selected segments available in selected shops. 8. Marketing strategy The marketing strategy that will be used to take Lush cosmetic forward next year is: * Market Penetration: This will be done by improving the way Lush advertises to gain more customers from its competitors. * Market Development: This will be done by advertising the perfume and spa segments more effective. Also making the perfume segment available in selected departmental store such as House of Fraser, John Lewis or Selfridges) and increasing the national and international store outlets. * Product Development: This will be done by innovating new products such as Air Fresheners and Self made soaps (customers can select the flavours and ingredients they want and the soap will be done for them). * Diversification: This will be done by taking the spa segment also out of the shops by opening spas where only Lush products will be used. 9. Tactical Marketing Programs This section of the marketing plan is going to give clear details how the plan will be carried out. This section will give detailed and tactical decisions that will be carried out in areas like product, price, place and promotions that will help Lush cosmetics to achieve its goals for next year. 11. 1. Target Market The target market will remain the same (see current target market analyses). 11. 2. Product Lush cosmetic currently produce bath, shower, skincare, and hair care products. It also produces perfumes and has a Lush spa which exists only in Lush shops. Lush products have no packaging and if any, then only recyclable packaging. Lush products do not have any labels because of the package free nature of the products. The tactic that will be taken will be to introducing new products such as self made soaps and air fresheners to attract more customers and also improving on existing products. * Customised soaps: This will attracts more customers because they can select their own fragrances. * Air fresheners: Lush is known for its strong smell, bringing products such as air freshener will sell very well because the business already has that image. Lush Spa: Lush spa outlet at the moment is only in Lush shops, the plan is to take Lush Spa out of the shop. They are investing in a new spa facility which is expensive, the alternative plan is to form partnership or rent a space in selected existing spa where only Lush products will be used or sold. This will increase sales and the brand will become more popular. This will also have effect on t he overall sales of Lush. 11. 3. Promotion Currently, Lush only forms of advertisement are through the Lush Times, Lush forums, social websites and viral marketing (regular customers telling other people about their experience). Since Lush does not spend money on mass media advertising, the plan will be to improve the existing methods and make it more effective. * Lush Times: Currently, Lush Times is only for pick up in shops and mail to registered members. The plan is to handout the Lush Times outside the shops by having someone stand outside the shops at least for an hour a day to give them out to passer bys, and also collect their personal information for mailing special offers. * Lush Forum: The Lush forum is at the bottom of the Lush website where is very difficult to find. The plan is to improve the forum by making it interesting by writing regular visitors comments in the Lush Times and reposition of the forum on the wide by bringing it on the top bar. * Social Networks: Lush has joined many social networks such as face book. The plan is to join more social networks and instead of the people searching to invite Lush, Lush will search for people to join them. Also the social network sites will be improved by making it similar as the website with new products and regular updates. * Viral Marketing: â€Å"The 5 for 5 Plan†. This plan is to give a product up to ? 5. 0 pounds to customers who introduce 5 new customers within a period of 3 months and spend in average up to ? 50. 00 pounds. * Charity Event: The plan is to sponsor more charity events where Lush can display banners to create more awareness. 11. 4. Place The distribution channels that Lush uses at the moment are only direct sales. Lush products are sold only in Lush shops and online on t he Lush website. The plan is to improve the direct sales mechanism and also go into indirect sales using strategic advantage (segment only / focus strategy). This will increase the competitive advantage of Lush. 1. 4. 1 Direct sales * Franchising: During the year the plan will be to go into franchising, this is mainly giving other investors the right to sell Lush products. In this case the investor owns the shop, but Lush controls the way the product should be sold and marketed and determines the standard of the business. Lush will receive an initial fee from the investor and an on – going management fee. * Internet: Although there is an online shop, the plan will focus more on online advertising by registering with more social networks and sending regular business up-date to members. Also the customised soaps will be available online where customers can select the different smells (such as vanilla, lemon, cherry) and shapes they want online and this will be sent to them. This will raise more awareness and therefore increase sales. * Shop: The hand out of the Lush Times outside the shop which will be introduced this year will create more awareness and through that sales will increase. * Geographic: This year’s plan will be to open more shop outlets in towns and countries where there are no Lush shops. Selective Retailers: The idea is to rent a space in departmental stores like House of Fraser and Debenhams and display the Lush products with Lush own employee and check out. This same method will also apply to the Lush Spa where a space in selective spa or fitness clubs will be rented to sell Lush products with Lush employee and check out independently from the spa or fitness club. 11. 4. 2. Indirect sales * Selective Retailers: This year’s plan is to select products that have packages and can easily be bar coded (because is the first time only try ith perfumes) available in selected departmental shops such as Selfridges and House of Fraser and perfumeries like Douglas. * Spa: Lush products will be sold to selective spas that will buy from Lush for discounted price and sell it as the original Lush shop price. 11. 5. Price The price of the products will remain the same across country i. e. in the UK all Lush product prices will be the same no matter where it sold either in Lush shop or departmental store. There will be no changes in price because Lush wants to maintain the image of being premium and quality and ethical. All the indirect sellers will receive a commission on the number of products they sell. 11. 5. 1. Online prices The online price will be the same as the shop prices, there will be only additional postage cost added to the products which will depend on total weight package. 11. 5. 2. Indirect sales prices All the indirect sellers will receive a commission or a discount on number of products they sell or buy. The commission or discount will be 30% of Lush profit made on the product. The high commission will attract more indirect sellers and as the indirect increases the percentage can change next year. (see new price list below) 1. 5. 3. New price list Products| Seize (g)| Direct sales price from (? )| Online price from (? )| Indirect sales Retailers (? )| Indirect sales Spas/Fitness clubs (? )| Bath soaps/ shampoos| 100| 1. 90–5. 00| 1. 90-5. 00 +postage| | 1. 90–5. 00 -30%| Shower gels| 250| 5. 50–15. 00| 5. 50–15. 00 + postage| | 5. 50–15. 00 -30%| Solid fragrances| 10| 4. 95–6. 25| 4. 95–6. 25 + postage| | 4. 95–6. 25-30%| Perfumes| 30| 21. 95-25. 95| 21. 95-25. 95 + postage| 21. 95- 25. 95 -40% | 21. 95- 25. 95 -30%| Self made soap| 100| 1. 90-5. 00| 1. 90-5. 00 + postage| | 1. 90-5. 00 -30% | Spa Full body massage| 2hrs| 125. 0| | | | 12. Cost The financial implications will be the money needed to acquire new shop outlets and to open spa studios. There will be also money needed to pay the departmental stores and a percentage of Lush’s profit will go to the indirect sellers. 13. Advantage The advantage of this marketing plan is Lush is going to generate extra revenue through franchising. Also there will be no additional cost, all shops and online employees will remain the same and carry out duties such as collecting personal details and handing out Lush Times, e-mailing information and updating social networks websites. 4. Implementation The implementation of the plan will be monitored by a timeline which will start from July 2010 to June 2011. The timeline will show when each decision made or duty will begin. This timeline will support the plan and guide the implementation throughout the project so that the goal can be achieve by June 2011. (see timeline) 15. Control The marketing plan will be assessed every 3 month s till the end of June 2011 to make sure the marketing plan is effective and providing the promised result as stated in the plan. The control will be done by comparing previous year’s figures (customer base, sales figures, and customer feedback) to the current figures. * Customer base: This will compare the number of current strategic customers to the number of customers at the end of June if the number of customers have increased or not. This will prove if the promotion strategy was effective or not. * Sales / Revenue: At the end of June the sales and revenue figures will be compared with the previous year figures. This will show the effectiveness of this marketing plan, i. e. f customers trust the product they will still buy it, regardless of their economical status. * Customer feedback: At the end of June the business will collect customer feedback from its strategic customers to find out if they like the changes and the new direction of the business. 16. Evaluation My evaluation of this marketing plan will tackle all possible gaps which appear to be in areas such as promotion, place and product. The plan will improve Lush’s advertisement, will increase Lush’s sales outlets and have indirect sellers who will be paid on commission basis. It will also introduce customised products which will attract more customers. This plan is not going to accrue much cost to Lush, the money that Lush will invest in the additional outlets will assets to the business. This plan will be very effective because it will directly or indirectly improve on Lush’s cosmetics existing marketing strategy which needs some attention, this one year marketing plan will definitely take Lush cosmetics forward. References Live hearing from Lush marketing director Lush. co. uk Lush Times Keynote. com Mintel. com Module handouts