The Importance of Being Earnest Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Importance of Being Earnest - Essay Example In this case, Jack is portrayed as an emotional (Wilde, 54). In addition, the second comparison that shows a large difference between the play and the film concerns timing and passage of time. The story is covered within a course of three days which represents a day for each play. In the initial act, the readers are introduced to all the actors except of Miss Prism, Cecily, and Mr. Chausable. In this act, the film and the story show Jack proposing to Cecily and having her mother objecting the proposal. In the story, act two shows new characters such as Chausable, Cecily, and Miss Prism. However, in this case, the film does not separate the acts and the introduction of these new characters is done earlier that they were presented within the story (LightShadeMovieV, n.p). Act three in the story shows that a happy ending is inevitable as Cecily and Algernon get married. The film also has a similar ending but various flashbacks that lack in the story – an example is the dialogues between Jack and Earnest concerning Lady

The Social Expression Industry In The Uk Marketing Essay

The Social Expression Industry In The Uk Marketing Essay Carte Blanche, a renowned player in the social expression industry in the UK and worldwide, is set to introduce a new product, e-greeting card, on January 1, 2011. This report therefore covers the new product and brand development strategy and their associated activities that may ensure the success of the brand from development up to the first 3 to 4 years of its life cycle. The strategy is broken down into 3 objectives, namely: to develop a new social expression product to the selected target market; to develop new area of brand strategy toward achieving set sales target; and to position Carte Blanche through the activities above to deliver excellent growth rate. The product shall serve young people and their families and shall be distributed intensively on the internet while employing competitive pricing to ensure market penetration. Table of Contents Introduction Carte Blanche Greetings Ltd is one of the key players in the social expression industry in the UK, and globally. The social expression industry is associated with greeting cards, notes and stationery, gift wrap, and other socially expressive products (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996, p. 41). The best seller of all the products produced from the social expression market is the greeting card. It accounts for a sizeable portion of the over $4 billion worth of the social expression market, globally (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996, p. 41). The global annual growth rate of the industry is estimated to be an impressive 7 percent (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996). The developed countries including the UK and other Western European countries, North America, New Zealand, Australia, and Japan account for a disproportionately high percent of the market demand (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996). Carte Blanche Greetings was founded by Stephen Haines over more than twenty years ago and he still serves as its Chairman (Carte Blanche, 2010). Carte Blanche is a global player in the social expression industry with a reputable brand and product portfolio which span the different available categories of the industry (Carte Blanche, 2010). Carte Blanche currently boasts of recognized brands and a reputable product portfolio. The products are currently published in 14 languages, and distributed in more than 60 countries employing multiple channels of distribution (Carte Blanche, 2010). The social expression industry is characterized by constant change (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996) and cultural sensitivity (Keegan, 1969). This report is necessary in defining a path for ensuring the growth of Carte Blanche in the highly competitive, constantly changing, and culturally sensitive social expression industry over the next three to five years. Audit SWOT and PEST analyses will be carried-out here as models are particularly valuable in ensuring logical consistency and exploring the subtle interactions involving a limited number of variables (Porter, 1991, p. 98). SWOT analysis SWOT framework that encompasses the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a company in relation to its internal and external environment respectively, and it is a reliable process for strategy selection (Barney, 1996; Novicevic et al., 2004). The framework as applied to Carte Blanche is as below: Strength Carte Blanche boasts of recognized brands and a reputable product portfolio that the consumer is already familiar with and trust. The Carte Blanche products are currently published in 14 languages worldwide taking into cognizance the cultural sensitivity of the social expression industry. The company already has global presence as it is found in over 60 countries and ensures effective distribution through multiple distribution channels. Carte Blanche employs the use of local licensee to reap such benefits as minimal asset commitment in physical assets such as inventory and human resources (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996, p. 46). Weaknesses Limited global coverage. Lack of financial muscle. Opportunities Carte Blanche possesses good prospects for product transfer to other countries not presently covered. The prospect for product transfer is said to be greatest for nations with characteristics similar to that of the originating countries (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996, p. 42), whereas the UK, Carte Blanches home country, shares a lot with many of UKs former colonies such as India. There is great potential for further internalization of Carte Blanche products as only 60 of the many countries in the world are currently covered. Threats The industry is characterized by heavy weight competitors both in the UK and abroad with global outreach such as Hallmark, American Greetings, and Gibson Greetings (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996, p. 40). The industry is laced with cultural sensitivity and could lead to lost sales and considerable corporate embarrassment (Ricks, 1983 as cited by Berkowitz and Hill, 1996, p. 40) for an industry player who commits a cultural blunder. PEST analysis Political Legal regulations require different methods of packaging for the social expression products in different environments (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996). The government and its regulatory agencies often regulate the type of different materials that may be used in product manufacturing, and this may vary from one country to another (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996). Government regulations may also place restrictions and set standards for product labeling (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996). For advertising, PR, and trade promotion with their associated financial cost are often highly regulated by the government (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996). Export to other countries may be restricted or hampered by inter-government relations, trade accords, and policies (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996). Environmental Variations in climate and/ or weather of the Carte Blanche home country from its export countries may requires product adaptation(Berkowitz and Hill, 1996). For example, the tropics do not experience snow fall during the Christmas season. Workers or employees in the target countries for internationalization may generally possess lower expertise than in the UK and hence may require some training with its associated cost (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996). To take full economic advantage of new markets, products should be developed to meet the different occasions, celebrations, and festival found there (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996). Social The different social celebrations such as festivals found in different environments often necessitate the need for different customize products and may lead to increased revenue (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996).. The industry is laced with cultural sensitivity and could lead to lost sales and considerable corporate embarrassment (Ricks, 1983 as cited by Berkowitz and Hill, 1996, p. 40) for an industry player who commits a cultural blunder. But, it is also a huge opportunity to meet need demands. Technology The industry players require relatively extensive investment in technology in improving on their efficiency, effective, and general performance (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996). Carte Blanche makes use of innovative supply chain associated technology in ensuring effective and efficient distribution of its productive for a competitive advantage (Carte Blanche, 2010). SMART objectives To give concrete direction and make the success of the new product development measurable at the end of the day, we have set the following SMART objectives. To develop a new social expression product to be launched by January 1, 2011 to the selected target market; Develop new area of brand strategy toward achieving sales target of  £500,000 by December 31, 2011; and Position Carte Blanche through the activities above to deliver excellent growth rate of 10% per annum and market share of 40% over the next 3-5 years. The objectives above contain elements of long-term strategy although they have been set for the first 12 months of the new product life cycle, but their achievement may ensure that the long-term objectives are realized. Huan et al. (2007, p. 277) citing Doyle et al. (1985), Hooley and Lynch (1985), Shaw (1995), Siu (2000), Baker and Leidecker (2001), and Siu and Liu (2005) argues that successful companies set longer term strategic objectives (i.e. short-run profits are not sought at the expense of longer run strategic objectives). New product and strategic brand development plan and implementation Considering a brand development plan for Carte Blanche is critical as many researchers such as McWilliam (1993), Tauber (1981), Economist (1990; 1991), and Ambler and Styles (1996) recognized that brand and line extensions is now a popular growth strategy, especially noticeable in saturated fast-moving consumer goods industries. However, developing brand or line extensions is one type of new product development (NPD) (Ambler and Styles, 1996, p.13). The new product development process shall follow that which was outlined by Kotler (1991). The eight point sequence that will generate the NPD plan is as discussed below: 1. Idea generation A thorough process of idea generation that involved contributions from the different stakeholders resulted in the birth of a variety of ideas concerning the new products that may be developed and how these may individual strengthen the market position and profitability of Carte Blanche. Some of these ideas include the extension of the current and different product lines, the extension of the current Carte Blanche brand(s), and the creation of a new product and brand altogether. With respect to the categories of ideas mentioned above, unique product offerings were also generated. 2. Idea screening: The generated ideas were further screened to isolate those that may most closely support the stated objectives of the new product and brand development strategy, and the overall Carte Blanche strategy (Kotler, 1991). Both line and brand extension have the advantage of reduced cost and risk as opposed to developing a totally new brand (McWilliam, 1993; Tauber, 1981; Economist, 1990; 1991). Also because the line and brand extensions have the advantage of standing on the foundation of an existing brand positioning, the risk of their failure is also minimal (Boush and Loken, 1991; Sunde and Brodie, 1993) compared to establishing a totally new brand. Hence, the strategy to be adopted is brand extension. According to Aaker and Keller (1990), brand extensions may be defined as entry into a new product category using an brand name that is already firmly established. The new product is electronic greeting cards that the customer may order for, be supplied with, and he may forward to his contact, all through the Internet. This is because consumers of social expression products are uniquely younger in many country like in the UK where record number of cards are given for 21st birthday celebrations (Berkowitz and Hill, 1996, p. 45). Furthermore, there is enormous growth potential in the internet world dominated by young people and in countries such as India and China with teeming young internet users. (ITU, 2010) This new product line may also benefit from the ubiquitous nature of the internet for easy commerce and widest distribution (ITU, 2010). 3. Concept development and testing A sample of what the online greeting card will be like and how it may be ordered for and received was developed. The concept having been tested with a randomly selected representative group of the target market gained favorable interest and commendation indicating possible product approval and adoption by the overall target market (Kotler, 1991). This way, the attitude of the target market to the new product was ascertained before embarking on any expensive and time consuming further product development (Kotler, 1991). 4. Marketing strategy development The new product(s), electronic greeting cards, is targeted at the families, especially the young people in the UK and abroad. Young people are easily accessible through various electronic media and channel, especially the Internet, and are quite savvy in its use for many activities such as for purchases and communications (Marketing Teacher, 2010). Products in the fast moving category such as social expression products like greeting cards and food if supported by appropriate and effective advertisement have been shown to be successful with this target market (McDonalds, nd). Statistically for the UK, 19% of the population is made up of age 16 and below; 14% of the population is made up of age 16 to 24. Furthermore, 63% of the UK children live with their parents; 6% of age 20 to 24 are married; and 19% cohabit or live with their parents (UK Office for National Statistics, 2007A; 2007B). These represent a huge market of Internet savvy individuals. 5. Business analysis ( ¬Ã‚ nancial) Such factors as cost and demand projections; level and impact of competition; required investment; and the profitability of the new brand have been carefully considered. Figure 1 below represents a graphical representation of how the target market of the e-greeting card brand of Carte Blanche is envisaged to position the new product/ brand. However, the graph is based principally on personal perception derived from experiences and knowledge of the social expression industry. Key: blue bar: Carte Blanche current product offering; Red bar: e-greeting card; Green bar: competitors products Figure 1 A Market Positioning Map illustrating the position of the e-greeting card brand against competitors. Cost of production is expected to be much lower than in the production of hard greeting cards as there will be no expenses associated with purchase of materials such as card board and printing. However, significant initial investment will be required in the acquisition of IT infrastructure and training of designers in their use. Demand is expected to soar as there is a huge waiting market to exploit based on the statistics of the target market offered earlier. Also, the high return on investment that is associated with e-commerce is also anticipated in this case (ITU, 2010). 6. Physical product development (includes branding decision) Product Core-product: the core product represents the benefit of the new product to the consumer. It is in the category of social expression. It feels emotional needs and provides pleasure to both the sender and receiver. Tangible product: This represents the tangible or physical product but it is in the electronic form in this case, and primarily refer to the electronic or e-greeting cards. Brand name: Brand name selection is a part of the branding strategy and exercises a crucial role in a firms overall marketing strategy (Douglas et al., 2001). Many companies that are maintaining excellent growth despite intense competitions often rely on their well established brand in maintaining this revenue and market share growth demonstrating the importance of the choice of a brand name (McWilliam, 1993; Tauber, 1981; Economist, 1990; 1991; and Ambler and Styles, 1996). Hence, two basic categories of brand names were considered for the e-greeting card. They are: Totally new names such as Mayors and Feel me that does not reflect Carte Blanche or any of its well established brands at all, and Names that are based on Carte Blanche and any of its well established brands. However, the name Carte Blanche e-Card was chosen. The choice comes with some relative advantages (Kotler and Pfoertsch, 2006) such as: 1. Rest on the good position of the Carte Blanche brand; 2. Carte Blanche offers trademark protection; 3. Ease of pronounce, remembrance, and recognition; and 4. It is attractive. Promotion A combination of both pull and push strategy will be employed here. The pull strategy will be designed to stimulate demand from the target market. Active public relations, viral marketing, personal selling, and public interviews will be used to create a visible brand and encourage the target market to seek out the new product. The push strategy will form the primary promotion strategy to be employed as the product is being introduced to the target market newly. Therefore, an initial push strategy may be effective in creating awareness and familiarity for the new product (Berthon et al., 2003). The push strategy will make use of a media-mix strategy (Ephron, 2000) using paid advert in magazines, newspaper, TV, and radio and outdoor advertising, and on the internet, for maximum impact. Pricing Penetration strategy shall be employed. This is because the product is new and its survival at the market entry stage is critical (Penn state University, 2007). The price will hence be kept as low as possible at the market entry stage but shall remain dynamic and respond to the different stages of the product life-cycle and market forces. The rationale behind this strategy is demonstrated in the Figure 2 below: Economy Premium Skimming Penetration Low Low Quality Pr ice High Figure 2 Pricing strategy matrix (Source: Marketing Teacher, 2010) High Distribution Intensive distribution of the product shall be the distribution strategy. The product shall be distributed principally over the internet using all electronic gadgets with Internet connection capability. Kotler and Pfoertsch (2006) are of the opinion that revenue generated from similar products is often a function of the intensity of the distribution, and intensive distribution is critical for market recognition and penetration, and gaining market share for a new product. 7. Market testing Before the full commercialization of the product is carried-out, it shall be offered for sale on Carte Blanche website and other well-known outlets on the internet. This will enable the monitoring of consumer reaction to it; the products performance based on the designed marketing plan; and the response of the competitors to it. 8. Commercialization The final stage of product and brand development. After testing and analysis, the firm finally introduces the product to its target market. This also involves implementing a total marketing plan and full production. Measurement of SMART Objectives The realization or not of the SMART objectives shall be evaluated using measures and metrics from Kokkinaki and Ambler (1999) and Kurtinaitiene (2005) that have been validated in literature. There are 6 categories of available metrics under this framework, however, the most relevant shall be applied to the measurement of the SMART objectives in this case. These categories are: Financial measures (as turnover, contribution margin and profit) Competitive market measures (as market share, advertising and promotional shares) Consumer behaviour measures (as consumer penetration, loyalty and customer gained) Consumer intermediate measures (as brand recognition, satisfaction and purchase intention) Direct customer measures (as distribution level, profitability of intermediaries and service quality) Innovativeness measures (as products launched and their revenue) The performance of the new product shall be evaluated against the above metrics so that effectiveness of the marketing and brand strategy can be determined. Conclusion There exist enormous potential in the e-greeting card segment of the social expression industry that the industry players may tap into. This report as shown the challenges of the social expression industry such as cultural sensitivity and constant change. However, Carte Blanche, a well known industry player in the UK with tentacles in most part of the world may ensure continuous growth over the next three to five years by tapping into the opportunity that IT and Internet offers for production and distribution of products respectively. Following the recommendations of this report may help ensure that Carte Blanche position itself and its brand(s) for the prospective steady growth.

Executive Women: Substance Plus Style :: essays research papers

Executive Women: Substance Plus Style PSYC 4310 Executive Women: Substance Plus Style The article "Executive Women: Substance Plus Style" deals with the issue of whether the "abilities and attitudes of male managers are different from those of female managers" and that these differences have been used to keep women out of managerial positions. Furthermore, it suggests that it has now become "fashionable" to state that these differences are favorable and complement the business environment. Lastly, the article focused on several strategies that women should follow in order to succeed as a middle or upper level manager within a large corporation. The authors refute the notion that the differences between male and female managers are great. They mention that "the few studies that have looked at women and men in comparable managerial roles have discovered more similarities than differences across sexes" (Catalyst, 1986). A test bank from "thousands of managers and professionals in management development programs from 1978 to 1986" was cited as another reason why they believe there are few differences between male and female executives. The tests revealed that executive men and women scored equally on most areas and that executive women are just as capable at leading, influencing, and motivating groups, as well as analyzing problems. The authors go on to show that, despite these similarities, women are disproportionately represented in the ranks of Fortune 500 company executives. Repeated references are made to studies that were conducted with 22 people, 16 men and 6 women, whose job is to select executives for top jobs. These people are continually referred to as "savvy insiders" throughout the article. These so called savvy insiders were tasked with providing an example of what they considered to be a woman who "made it" and one who "derailed". They describe what basically amounts to a woman who utilizes characteristics of both masculine and feminine personalities. They came up with these four contradictory sets of expectations that women must overcome: take risks, but be consistently outstanding; be tough, but don't be macho; be ambitious, but don't expect equal treatment; and take responsibility, but follow others' advice. The research was based on a comparison between male and female managers and by tests that measured personality dimensions, intelligence, and behavior in problem-solving groups. As I had learned in a previous psychology class, personality tests are not really an effective measure of personality, nor is an intelligence test necessarily an accurate means of determining ones' success in the future. I would have been more convinced by experimental research rather than by a review of tests or an interview with 76 people. I have noticed a trend that has been

Leaves of Grass

Walt Whitman was born in 1819 and died in 1892. He has been proclaimed as one of the greatest American poets to ever live. His work has been considered both enlightened and controversial. His work has been well received all over the world and translated into over twenty-five languages. He wrote of American life, including the very dark period of American history, the Civil War or also referred to as the War Between the States. His book of poems, Leaves of Grass, which he self published has become a classic especially in reference to the Civil War. â€Å"Aroused and angry, I thought to beat the alarum, and urge relentless war; But soon my fingers fail’d me, my face droop’d, and I resign’d myself, To sit by the wounded and soothe them, or silently watch the dead.† (Whitman 110) The above quote is the first lines of the poem, Drum Taps by Walt Whitman. It is but many of the poems of Leaves of Grass that Whitman wrote as he agonized over the war as it was written during the beginning of the war. It is hard to always look upon Civil War literature as only that which follows the years after the war ceased. Whitman was an essayist and a journalist as well as a poet. He wrote of the things he saw not only in his hometown but also in what he observed as he followed the war through travels and reading. A conflict of great sadness, the deepest tragedy of the Civil War was the country been torn in two by the differing of opinions of both sides but the war was among Americans, Americans fighting Americans. â€Å"Central to this task is his revaluation of the print medium, which he previously viewed as a barrier between himself and his readers, but which he now figures, in â€Å"As I Ebb'd with the Ocean of Life,† as deconstructing his culture's boundary-oriented notion of embodiment. Whitman does not unequivocally embrace this new model of fluidity, however. Instead, he balances fluidity and difference to illustrate for the reader both â€Å"[t]he desire to lose and the fear of losing the boundary lines in force around . . . sexual definition† (156). The 1867 Leaves of Grass, which incorporates the Civil War volume Drum-Taps ( 1865), extends Whitman's critique of the oedipal system to its patriarchal foundation.† (Maslan 131) It had been suggested that Whitman had fallen into decline after 1865 as if the views of the war and the internal strife of his country seemed to cripple him as a poet. Through all the horror and sadness that he had seen and experienced as if he could not rally himself to write with the same fervor that he did before the war and during it, but it had been such a dramatic experience for anyone at first hand that it is no wonder that his poetic inspiration would have dimmed and waned. â€Å"TO thee, old Cause! Thou peerless, passionate, good cause! Thou stern, remorseless, sweet Idea! Deathless throughout the ages, races, lands! After a strange, sad war—great war for thee, (I think all war through time was really fought, and ever will be really fought, for thee;) These chants for thee—the eternal march of thee.†(Whitman 93) The Leaves of Grass incorporates such a magnitude of emotion and observation that to read each separate poem will leave the reader with the feeling of viewing it themselves but critics have retained that Whitman wrote more to himself, as if in a separate conversation with himself that he seems to be almost uncaring of the way it expresses itself to anyone else. â€Å"'70 in paper 5 in cloth . . .' appears to be a reference to copies of the first edition of Leaves of Grass which was issued in various forms. See Charles E. Feinberg, â€Å"‘Notes on Whitman Collections and Collectors,'† Walt Whitman: A Catalog. The Library of Congress ( Washington, D.C., 1955), pp. xi-xii. Whitman probably noted the sailors' monument in the Brooklyn Cemetery of the Evergreens at the interment of his father who had died 11 July 1855. ‘I see the highlands of Abyssinia' appears in line 14, section 7 of ‘Salut au Monde,' inc. ed., p. 119†. (Whitman 41) A poetic journal; observations in poetic dialogue, as he observes those around him and what the impact of the war has had upon them so that the Leaves of Grass is filled with views of Manhattan and how that part of New York dealt with the northern activity in the war against the south. Whitman was not the only American writer to be disturbed by the post Civil War period as many of them wrote of a country so vastly changed and so still almost in shock of what had happened to it. Whitman was a Northerner but the Southern writers such as Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain). â€Å"This deeply pessimistic, critical view of post-Civil War America was, of course, shared by Mark Twain ( The Gilded Age) and Henry Adams ( Democracy). The moralizing fervor of the passage above seems to echo Thomas Nast's scathing Tweed Ring cartoons, which were appearing in Harper's Weekly at the very time that Whitman was composing Democratic Vistas.† (Abrams 8) Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass has seen many different publishing editions since its first conception in 1867. It has been analyzed and critiqued and praised as one of the great volumes of American poetry. It brings to vivid life for the readers one of the saddest periods of American history, the Civil War and the struggling years that followed that war as a country healed and its people recovered. Works Cited Abrams, Sam, ed. The Neglected Walt Whitman: Vital Texts. 1st ed. New York: Four Walls Eight Windows, 1993 Maslan, Mark. â€Å"Whitman and his Doubles: Division and Union in Leaves of Grass and Its Critics.† American Literary History 6.1 (1994): 119-139 Thomson, James, and Bertram Dobell. Walt Whitman, the Man and the Poet. London: The Editor, 1910. Whitman, Walt. An 1855-56 Notebook toward the Second Edition of Leaves of Grass. Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 1959 Whitman, Walt. Leaves of Grass. New York: Modern Library, 1921      

Memo- Gazprom and Itera Essay

In the case study of Gazprom and Itera, we see how different companies and governmental organizations can potentially be able to exploit a large company such as Gazprom for a large profit. Gazprom is a large gas and oil company that is valued very cheaply compared to other large oil and gas companies (such as Exxon Mobil). Browder is a shareholder of Gazprom that identifies several questionable transactions that were done by Gazprom and other organizations that have relationships with Gazprom. He is questioning why the undervaluation could have occurred based on the business being conducted by the oil giant. The problem that exists for Gazprom is that the market perceives the company to have lost 99 percent of its assets, completely devaluing the price of its goods. In reality, only 10 percent of its assets were stolen, and the market is slowly trying to catch up to that truth. Browder is attempting to identify the transactions in order to solve the large problem at hand. These transactions include organizations that work with Gazprom such as Itera (a gas trading company) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (their internal auditor) devaluing the gas and oil Gazprom held in certain situations and reselling it for a profit. In one example, Itera bought gas valued at $35 a barrel from Turkmen gas and resold it to Gazprom for $45 a barrel. PwC thought this difference was acceptable due to transportation costs, even though those were already taken care of separately. In general, the lack of transparency and accountability being administered by management in Gazprom and its partner companies was a fail ure to its stockholders. Browder’s recommendations to the Russian government are vital, mainly due to the fact that it has a 38% controlling stake in Gazprom. Because the vast majority of the operations conducted by Gazprom occur within Russia’s boundaries, it is up to the government to set the correct standards and close loopholes so that organizations and individuals will not exploit such situations. Browder’s recommendations to the U.S. and to the Board of Directors of Gazprom could be essential for enacting change within the  corporate environment to prevent such scrupulous transactions. Though these changes could prove helpful in the reorganization of the company in the long run, the international political environment does not provide Gazprom with the best situation. The fact that Russia’s governmental body has so much stake in the company can greatly complicate things due to the personal influence of those running the government. Several members of the Russian government could fulfill a personal agenda using the government’s stake in the company as leverage (this could have been the case potentially with these transactions). This is also the case with PwC and Itera, both with a lot of power to take advantage of loopholes and other lucrative situations when it comes to Gazprom. There are several things Browder can do to combat this situation, but I think his strategy will be a difficult one to execute alone. He would need to collect more shareholder power before he steps forward with the resolutions. Involving the U.S. and Russian government will be difficult due to the lethargic manner in which these situations can be resolved. Taking care of the company from within should be he first move, but only with the appropriate number of people backing his plan.

Hannibal Barca essays

Hannibal Barca essays Hannibal Barca is a much discussed historical figure whose greatness may be equated with other great military generals like Napoleon or Alexander. This well known Carthaginian hero, who took on the mighty and formidable military power of the Romans and defeated many of their well known generals in war, was a nemesis for the Romans. The fact that they could not neutralize his military prowess even in their own land in which he stayed for fifteen long years, proves his military forethought and shrewdness. Other than the military successes that his long career as a war lord can boast of, Hannibal is also known for his capacities as a well known political administrator and statesman who valued freedom more than Hannibal was instigated against the Romans from a very young age, by his father Hamilcar Barca, who was a great military conqueror himself, and who nursed the desire to beat the Romans at war and destroy their hegemony over his country. Hamilcar Barca saw great potential in his sons who he thought would help him realize his dreams to destroy the Roman Empire. He initiated Hannibal into a life long initiative that would see him attacking The second Punic war is remembered for the unbelievable military exploits of Hannibal. There were many reasons for this. First Hannibal was a young soldier, when he assumed charge of the Carthaginian army. Second, he was waging a war against the Romans, whose legions were considered to be the best in the world. Third, his forces although experts at war were limited in numbers and could not hope to resist the massive numbers of the Roman army. Another very important factor that further highlighted Hannibal's victory was that he had to fight the hostile tribal soldiers on his way to river Po, which caused heavy causalities in his army. It must be said that the second Punic war caught the Romans by surprise because Hannibal crossed th...

The God Father

The God Father The God Father I do appreciate many genres of movies ranging from horror, thriller, drama, apocalyptic, investigative, and others. Not at any one time, has gangster films captured my attention. It was not until I watched movies such as Good Fellas and Sopranos which I found enthralling that interest developed. Since then, my yearning for gangster films increased like that of fish to water. Recently, my friend learnt of my love for classical gangster movies which was nurturing and she recommended that I watch The God Father. My colleague rated the film as high of all times which I may not agree but will assert that it is undeniably a brilliant piece of work. After watching the movie, I baptized it The Sicilian Best. The God Father is arguably the best gangster movie ever perhaps owing to Francis Ford Coppola brilliant directing. Coppola defied the norm of capturing mafia life as a moral and social blight whose ill effects still dictates American society but rather illuminated it simply through a family saga. In his works, Coppola made use of dialogue and vivid performances by film icons to produce a bravura piece of work. Set in a post- war America era, The God Father is a modern gangster film which vividly brings out the mafia lifestyle. A fictitious clan by the name Corleone has Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brandon) Sitting at its helm. The story though revolves around Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) who as the name suggests, is Don Vitos youngest son. Michael Corlene is not only unblemished but also tragically gifted at running the family business. Vito Corleone the head of the powerful mafia family earns the name Godfather from his accolades. This reminds me of Mr. Untouchable where the much famed drug baron Nicky Burns earns the name from his foes. Michael who has earned respect as a World War 11 hero does no involve himself in family business. Unfortunately, Don Vito is gunned down by his rivals but escapes death by a whisker. Sonny (James Caan) assumes the responsibility once shouldered by his father of running the family business. However, he does not succeed due to his soft nature. This, in turn, f orces Michael to step up and protect the father he seemingly loved. This role takes Michael to a powerful world of violence his father used to tread in and never wanted any of his sons in it. This marks Michaels entry into the world of organized crime. Coppola in this film brings out a level of empathy to gangster life. He strives to construct a human level of those in organized crime. I should say he achieves to some extent through the use of family and loyalty themes. Some taboo elements are also addressed through a relationship seen between Sonnys illegitimate son Vincent and Michaels daughter Mary. In the movie, the Catholic Church association with the mobsters is also questioned. We can argue that besides exposing gangster life, Godfather addresses other moral issues. Coppola, in directing the movie in which he nearly got shot, manages to capture the glittering triumphs of movie alchemy. He combined both the old Hollywood directing techniques with the new ones which saw the success of the movie. God Fathers did more harm than good to many. Despite presenting a new world in which immorality goes unpunished, it jump started the careers of characters like Al Pacino and Robert Duvall who were to be Hollywood icons. It also salvaged Brandons image, which was waning. It is also paramount to mention that movies like Sopranos and HBO drew a lot from God Father. From the plain lands of Africa, the ever busy workforce of Asia, to the cold climate of Europe, I would recommend The God Father to every lover of films.

How Do I Apply to College With a Low GPA

How Do I Apply to College With a Low GPA SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you worried that your college plans will be derailed by an underwhelming GPA? Don't be discouraged and don't give up on your dream of college! You can still go to a great school, even if you have a low GPA. Whether you are just startinghigh school or already at the application stage, read on to see the many things you can do to either raise your GPA,boost the rest of your application, explain your circumstances,or even find an alternate route to a degree. What Is Considered a Low GPA? Is Your GPA Actually Low? A low GPA may be a little bit like beauty - in the eye of the beholder. You might feel that your GPA is low because itfalls below the average at your target school. Or maybe your grades really aren't so hot. Generally speaking, highly selective colleges consider 3.5 to be on the low end. At most other schools, low GPA scores are in the 2.0 range. To find out whether your GPA could weight down the rest of your application, first research what the average acceptance GPA is at each of your target schools. To do this, try searching forâ€Å"[college name] admission GPA† or â€Å"[college name] average GPA.† Is your GPA only slightly below (.1 or .2 points less) the averages you found? Then excellent test scores and a solidapplication will go a long way to make up for it! Is your GPA much lower than the averages you found? The read on for our advice on what to do about it. Get that GPA up! Higher... higher... Can YouRaise Your GPA? If you're not happy with your GPA, the good news is that there's almost always time to raise it before you send off your college applications. Your strategy will depend on which grade you're currently in. Grades 9 and 10 If you're a freshman or sophomore, great news! You still have timeto getyour GPA up through dedicated studying. For example, imagine Haileyendsfreshman year with a GPA of 2.5 (a B-/C+ average). Ifshe then really puts her shoulder to the wheel and gets straight A-'s in 10th grade, her GPA would go up to 3.1. If she continues the hard work and earns more A-'s junior year, she'll be looking at a 3.3 GPA! With that in mind, ask yourself what is holding your GPA back: Are you struggling in a particular subject?Think about getting a tutor to help you catch up, or ask your teacher for extra help outsideof class. Are you so overwhelmed with extracurricular demands that you don't have enough time to study?If you aren't doing this outside interest at a very high level, think about pulling back a bit to give yourself room to do to schoolwork. Are you bored by your classes?This sounds counterintuitive, butthink about whether a harder level class will spur extra interest - and extra effort on your part. Grades and 12 If you are already in the second half of high school, you probably won't be able to significantly raise your GPA. For example, picture Sven, who ended his junior year with a cumulative GPA of 2.5. Because college applications are due in the middle of senior year, he only has one semester to bring up his grades. Even if he manages to get straight A's during that semester, his GPA will still only be 2.7 - not a huge improvement. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't try to do your best anyway: Are you doing better and better? Even if your grades are low, if you can show collegesthat your GPA is on an upward trend, you will demonstrate that you have untapped potential. Are you taking difficult, honors-level classes? Ask your guidance counselor whether your school can provide colleges with a weighted GPA that will give colleges a sense of your challenging course load. Do you have the resources to take an extra year?Many private boarding schools offer a postgraduate year (basically a 5th year of high school). Classes that you take during this year factor into your GPA, giving you time to raise it. To find theseschools, search for "boarding schools with PG year." College applications put together the pieces to solve the puzzle of you. Can YouBoost Your Application in Other Ways? Did you know that although the GPA is very important, it is only one part of the many different things admissions officers take into account? Focusing on these other pieces of the application is a key strategy for offsetting alow GPA. Boost 1: Raise Your Test Scores If your GPA showshow you compare to the rest of your classmates, then SAT or ACT scores show how you rank compared to students across the whole country. It's no wonder they are another key component of your college application - and that having high test scores greatly improves your application! For example, imagineStella, who would love to go to the University of Georgia. Unfortunately, hernot-so-great work habits resulted in aGPA of 3.3, which is below UGA's average. Using our admissions calculator, we can see that If she alsogets 1290on her SAT's, she has only a 17% chance of getting into UGA. But, if she busts her derriere over 3-4 monthsto get a 1450, her chances of getting in go up to almost 50! Tosee how your chances to get into the University of Georgia would change if you GPA stayed the same but your SAT scores goes up, check out our UGA admissions calculator. To find our admissions tools for other schools, just Google "[name of school] admissions prepscholar" (for example, "UCLA admissions prepscholar"). Boost 2: Hype Your Non-Academic Skills and Talents It makes no sense to judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree - so admissions officers don't judge applicants only on their academics. If they did, they would miss applicants who have other amazing qualities. Do You Already Do Remarkable Extracurricular Things? Do you play sports at a very high level? Are you deeplyinvolved in theater, music, or the visual arts? Do you hold an unusually important leadership position in any clubs or organizations? Do you spend your free time building impressive things like robots, buildings, or vehicles? Are you an entrepreneur who has started a business or two? If you have skills and talents that don't show up on your transcript, make sure your application makes a big deal out of theseother accomplishments.Colleges will be impressed and can even infer that spending so much time on your other talents may have caused your grades to fall a bit. Can You Start Doing Remarkable Extracurricular Things? If you're a junior or have the summer before senior year, it's not too late to improve your extracurricular depth. Figure out what you're interested in and good at, and try to take it to the next level. Read our guide to getting into the top schools in the country for more examples of how to do this. Anotherway to show off your non-academic talents is to take a gap year between high school and college. However, this only makes sense if you have an opportunity for really meaningful travel, an internship, or a job that will make you a more appealing applicant. So, taking a year off to surf is probably not the best idea. But, taking a year off to teach English to kids in Ecuador or to participate in AmeriCorps could be just what your application - and your sense of personal achievement and maturity - needs. Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Boost 3: Amaze With Your Essay The third key element of your college application is the essay. Imagine it: a space reserved just for your voice, where you get to define yourself and what is important to you! Just how important is the essay? Dean Fred Hargadon, who was the head of admissions at Princeton when I went there, could remember off the top of his head what each admitted student's essay was about! To set your application apart, consider writing about: How excited you are about studying X The talents, strengths, or challenges that aren't in your transcript If you need help getting started, check out our step-by-step guide to writing an outstanding college essay. Sometimes complicated situations have simple explanations. Can You Explain Your Low GPA? Sometimes your GPA is low because of circumstances outside your control. If this is the case you can use the rest of your application to explain and give context. Was There a Crisis in Your Home? When you or your family undergoes a period of personal, financial, or health-related upheaval, it's perfectly understandable that your grades could slip. For example, in 10th grade I became verydepressed when my parents got divorced, and my grades that year were B’s and C’s. Junior year, I brought my grades up, got excellent test scores, and wrote an essay explaining how hard it was to suddenly have to live alonefor weeks on end while my mom traveled for her job. My high school counselor also explained the situation, and I ended up going toPrinceton. Colleges are happy to take these kinds of events into consideration, so let them know the difficulty you overcame or are still facing: First, write an excellent essay explaining what happened Then, make sure your recommendation letter writersalso mention these extenuating circumstances Did You Attend a Failing or Underperforming School? Unfortunately, not all high schools can provide a great education. If you went to a school that did not have enough resources, look into programs that cater specifically to students whose circumstances have not allowed their potential to develop. Two examples are: TheNorthern Illinois University Deacon Davis CHANCE Program TheUniversity of Minnesota’s TRIO Program They will all get you there eventually. Is There Another Way to Get a College Degree? If boosting your GPA, raising your test scores, or highlighting your extracurriculars all seem out of reach, you can pursue alternative paths to get a college degree. Split Up Your College Experience One option is to transfer from a lower tier college to a higher tier one after one or two years.If you would rather not figure out the logistics of this yourself, consider starting with a community college. Some state universities now offer "2+2" Programs, affiliating themselves with community colleges so that students can earn an associate degree and then get guaranteed admission to the state university. The advantage of these programs is that you will have advisers keeping you on the right track for your major and course of study. One example isthe 2 Plus 2 Plan at the University of Iowa. To find others, search for "[your state university name] 2+2 program." Four-Year College Options There are many schools that will accept students with a very low GPA, and even some that will accept anyone who applies. For example, check out this list of the easiest colleges to get into. What's Next? Ready to raise your SAT or ACT scores? Start with PrepScholar’s best SAT advice and best ACT advice. Got high your SAT/ACT scores, but still struggling with a lagging GPA? Learn what to do about it here. Need to get a handle on the college application process? This infographic lays it all out for you. Excited to build a dynamic college application? Here is advice onhow to make yourself sound competitive anywhere. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Expectations of gender roles are detrimental to our society Essay

Expectations of gender roles are detrimental to our society - Essay Example This essay "Expectations of gender roles are detrimental to our society" outlines the positive and negative effect of the gender role and accompanying expectations on the society. From man’s early childhood years, gender role expectations already dominate both genders. The pretty pink colors are for girls, and the â€Å"boyish† shade of blue are for boys. As they progress in their physical development, their toys are gradually differentiated from each other. According to the Pan Health Organization (PAHO), a regional office of the World Health Organization (p. 1), by age five, most children already know how to be boys and how to be girls. They know which toys to play with, which clothes to wear, which colors to choose, and whether or not they should cry or hit back (PAHO, p. 1). These gender roles and expectations assigned to children have serious implications on their future—most of them negative. Their access to food and education, participation in the workforc e, their relationships, as well as their physical and psychological health are all impacted by these gender expectations and stereotypes. In a study by the WHO (PAHO, p. 1), the agency points out that gender role expectations impact on people’s access to food. The study pointed out that in many countries, girls manifest with lower nutritional health and a decreased access to food as compared to their male counterparts (PAHO, p. 1). Such limited access for girls is highly detrimental to their health and their future development. Girls’ nutritional deficiencies also contribute to their vulnerabilities to childhood illnesses. Their vulnerability also exposes them to physical and sexual abuse (PAHO, p. 1). They also become vulnerable to decreased access to health services. Based on various reports, more often than not, girls’ health conditions turn worse before they are actually brought to the hospital or to a doctor for medical attention. In some developing nations, the mortality rate for girls are higher as compared to boys’ (Elsa). In terms of education, girls are often less likely to be sent to school. They are mostly kept at home to assist in the household chores and other duties. In effect, they are also learning from their mothers how to take care of the male family members – how to cook, mend clothes, clean house, do laundry, and other household duties (PAHO, p. 2). As a result, these girls would likely be stuck in the same pattern in which their mothers and other women befor e them have been stuck in – unable to have careers and other less domestic possibilities in their lives. In some areas like Africa where the HIV/AIDS afflicts a large number of the population, these girls are often

Reading critically and interpreting literature Term Paper

Reading critically and interpreting literature - Term Paper Example The Yellow Wallpaper, published in 1892 and written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, charts a young woman's development into deep depression, enabled by her well-intentioned but misguided husband, who is a doctor. The main character, who remains nameless (but may be called Jane, as a reference at the very end of the story, and she will be referred to as such in this essay at times), struggles against the popular contemporary concept of the 'rest cure,' a 'medical' treatment for the â€Å"temporary nervous depression – a slight hysterical tendency† (Perkins Gilman) which nineteenth-century women were frequently diagnosed with. Her gender- and educational-based fight is against the system, represented by her husband, for a cure which is catered to her own wants and needs rather than a blanket treatment which oppresses her and worsens her condition. Yukio Mishima's 1966 Patriotism also focuses on a woman's struggle, although his is a very different perspective. Written in the third person, unlike The Yellow Wallpaper which is from the main character's point of view, Patriotism records the evening of a happily married couple's suicide pact, in grim and gory detail. Reiko and her husband reduce their world to their small house, decrease the world's population to just themselves, and then struggle wordlessly against their own concepts of a peaceful death, both mentally and physically. Their passive acceptance of a frightening situation, a reflection of Mishima's complicated feelings on contemporary Japanese morality, resists the classification of a 'struggle,' and a critic is forced to admit that the story's struggle is deeper than vocalization. It appears that it is a tract against suicide, but the author's deep-seated, somewhat twisted love for his country, and the fact that he also chose to commit seppuku, is difficult to reconcile with the repellent nature of this amazingly-written story. Mishima was also an ardent supporter of the samurai honor code. L ike the narrator of The Yellow Wallpaper, Reiko's struggle is both gender- and educationally-based, although her experience is more totally a reflection of Mishima's internal problems rather than a struggle of her own. This essay will show how setting, tone and irony in The Yellow Wallpaper and Patriotism reveal the struggles enacted through their main women characters, and how these stories reflect their author's respective fears. The setting of The Yellow Wallpaper becomes the focus of Jane's struggle against her husband's medical and frankly misogynistic beliefs. It is is the most important motif of the story, in that the narrator believes that the cause of her descent into madness is the wallpaper – its colour, pattern and even its smell. The narrator and her husband have taken â€Å"ancestral halls† (Perkins Gilman) as their summer holiday home; the â€Å"place has been empty for years† (Perkins Gilman) and as such, presumably, is old and run-down. Jane is enclosed in the large room at the top of the house, even though she fervently expressed a desire to stay in one of the rooms downstairs. The old, â€Å"atrocious† (Perkins Gilman) yellow room both entraps her and symbolizes that entrapment: John coerces her to stay alone in the room, on the basis of his educational and emotional authority, against her will. Just as the protagonist cannot overcome him, nor can she fight against the mores of the society which dismisses her

The Amyloid Formation by Amyloid precursor protein and its role in Essay

The Amyloid Formation by Amyloid precursor protein and its role in Alzheimer's disease - Essay Example y have been identified so far, with each disease having a characteristic and distinct clinico-pathological profile and each disease associated with aggregation of a specific single protein or peptide that is dominant (Chitti and Dobson, 2008). One such classical disease in which there is disordered accumulation of protein is Alzheimers disease and the protein that is accumulated is amyloid. In this essay, the role of amyloid in the pathogenesis of Alzheimers disease will be discussed with reference to its production, deposition, alteration, regulation, processing and trafficking, through review of suitable literature. Alzheimers disease (AD) is a common degenerative disease of the brain that leads to dementia (Anderson, 2010). Infact, it is the most common cause of dementia and is incurable. The disease is an acquired condition in which there is impairment of cognition and behavior of the individual that is severe enough to disrupt normal occupational and social functioning of the individual. AD is a major public health problem associated with significant morbidity, impairment and economic consequences (Anderson, 2010). More often than not, the disease is mainly diagnosed after 65 years of age, although, an early-onset variety of AD does exists which presents much early. According to Brookmeyer et al (2007), 1 in 85 people in the world are likely to suffer from AD by 2050. The course of the disease is different for different individuals and thus is the prognosis. The most common early symptom, which is often ignored as an aging feature or stress consequence is the lack of ability to acquire new m emories. Other symptoms include changes in cognition and behavior of the individual like irritability, confusion, aggression, mood swings, breakdown in language, withdrawal and long term loss of memory. As the age advances, various functions of the body are gradually lost, terminating in death. AD imposes severe burden on the caregivers and can influence various aspects of

Dna, transposable elements, pv92 insertion, evolution, bioinformatics, Lab Report

Dna, transposable elements, pv92 insertion, evolution, bioinformatics, hardy weinberg equation - Lab Report Example Alu sequence that has been explored in this experiment is among these sequences. This DNA sequence is approximately 300 base pairs long that is seen to be repeated for about 500,000 times throughout the entire human genome. It is not yet known what function they play as well as their origin (Olson et al., 1989).These Alu sequences are known to possess characteristics that are critical to the geneticists. They are usually present within introns of a given genes, and they might be associated either with a disease or can be utilized in the estimation of relatedness between and among individuals (Deininger, 1989). In this experiment, there was analysis of a single Alu repeat and it was utilized in the estimation of its frequency in the class population as well as a basic molecular genetic variation measure. This was with no reference to relatedness between individuals or to disease. Figure 1 indicates the types of repetitive DNA in human genome An Alu sequence that was considered in this laboratory activity is located at PV92 region of chromosome 16. This specific Alu sequence is dimorphic, implying that it is present in some people but absent in other. Some individuals are known to possess the insert in either of the chromosome 16 copy (one allele), others may possess the insert in both of the chromosome 16 copies (two alleles). ... It will be 941 base pairs long only if there is Alu. This size increase is as a result of the 300 base pair sequence that is attributed to the Alu insert (Hollstein MC et al., 1991). There are 3 distinct outcomes that are probable when the products of PCR are electrophoresed on an agarose gel. If there is an Alu inserts on both chromosomes, each amplified PCR product will be 941 base pairs long. They tend to migrate at the same speed on a gel so in regards to this, one band will be visible which corresponds to 941 base pairs. If it is observed that neither of the chromosome posses the insert, then it means that each amplified product of PCR is 641 base pairs and they are supposed to migrate as one band corresponding to 641 base pairs. If an Alu insert is present on one chromosome but absent on the other, then it implies that one PCR product of 641 base pairs will be observed as well as one of 941 base pairs. Two bands will be revealed by the gel for such given sample. The 941 bp and 641 bp were separated basing on their sizes. As it is known that Alu repeats inserts themselves randomly in human genome. In relation to this, the Alu insert located in PV92 locus is very important in studies of genotype and allele frequencies in the human population. In the exercise done in the laboratory, the principles of the Hardy-Weinberg theory were applied in the analysis of the Alu insert allelic and genotypic frequencies in the population (Saiki RK et al., 1988). This was also to test the hypothesis that the class population alleles fit the prediction model of Hardy-Weinberg for genotype equilibria. By determining the Alu genotype genotypic frequencies within the student population, the corresponding allelic frequencies were as well calculated.

A Good Man is Hard to Find Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A Good Man is Hard to Find - Research Paper Example In â€Å"Flannery O’Connor’s ‘Spoiled Prophet,’† T.W. Hendricks agrees with Blythe and Sweet that the Misfit is some form of a prophet, but the former stresses that he is a misguided prophet. Finally, the article â€Å"Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find: The Moment of Grace,† by Michael Clark, argues that the grandmother received her moment of grace during her moment of death and aims to touch the Misfit and redeem him from his meaningless existence. The family represents the disintegration of human society, but the grandmother receives the gift of grace during her dying moments, and yet the Misfit, who thinks of himself as a prophet, misinterprets this act of grace and seals the emptiness of his life. The family in the story stands for the fragmentation of society, due to lack of spiritual growth. Hendricks points out that the story has explored the â€Å"spiritual exile† of two families, Bailey’s and Red Sammy’s families (203). Bailey and his wife are detached from their Southern roots (Hendricks 203). Like Hendricks, Blythe and Sweet assert that Bailey has lost his authority over his mother and children, which has resulted to a family in â€Å"disarray† (Hendricks 203). In particular, they suggest that this stands for the fall of â€Å"secular authority† (185). The grandmother schemes to â€Å"visit some of her connections in east Tennessee,† and she defies Bailey’s instructions to leave her cat (O’Connor). The children also act waywardly by kicking the car seats, yelling, and whining. Their names suggest their spoiled personalities too. John Wesley, whose name feels that his parents had high ambitions for him, is impolite to his grandmother and disrespectful of his family’s history (Hendricks 203). Still, he likens himself to a young Superman and brags that he will beat the Misfit in the face, if they meet him. June Star has tap dancing skills, which tend to get

My philosophy of education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My philosophy of education - Essay Example During an observation at Battery Park City School, I found an example. In a class of first graders, when a girl was moving a bean bag chair by herself, a boy classmate walked up to her and helped her move it. As soon as Liz, who is their teacher, saw it, she said, â€Å"Oh! Look at him. How gentle he is! You are a gentleman.† In this case, the boy is recognized and feels a sense of pride with what he has done. This helps the boy learn that helping others is a good thing. The teacher’s words are helpful not only for the boy, but also for the rest of students in class. Hearing their teacher praise their classmate for lending a helping hand will help them realize that helping others is a good thing. Through a few words of praise, students could learn what is right and it helps form their personality. In this context, praise is an effective learning method and teaching method. Alice S. Honig discussed the positive solutions to address typical difficulties. One of the positive solutions mentioned was praise. According to Honig, â€Å"Children who are tense may show signs of pressure and frustration, like biting their nails or stuttering. Harsh response will only make children more tense. Instead, find situations in which these children shine, and bolster their self-confidence with Praise. For example, ‘Marques, you did a beautiful job of hanging up your coat!’ †. For Gartrell as cited in Meece and Soderman, appropriate praise is one that is â€Å"sincere, constructive, and encouraging†. Children tend to flourish when adults take notice and recognize a child’s effort and accomplishments. Recognizing positive changes in a child’s behavior and abilities also helps. Pro-social behavior is developed when the positive results of a child’s behavior on another is pointed out. In promoting a positive verbal environment, praise is used as a means to encourage a child’s intrinsic motivation. As the articles

A Good Man is Hard to Find Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A Good Man is Hard to Find - Research Paper Example In â€Å"Flannery O’Connor’s ‘Spoiled Prophet,’† T.W. Hendricks agrees with Blythe and Sweet that the Misfit is some form of a prophet, but the former stresses that he is a misguided prophet. Finally, the article â€Å"Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find: The Moment of Grace,† by Michael Clark, argues that the grandmother received her moment of grace during her moment of death and aims to touch the Misfit and redeem him from his meaningless existence. The family represents the disintegration of human society, but the grandmother receives the gift of grace during her dying moments, and yet the Misfit, who thinks of himself as a prophet, misinterprets this act of grace and seals the emptiness of his life. The family in the story stands for the fragmentation of society, due to lack of spiritual growth. Hendricks points out that the story has explored the â€Å"spiritual exile† of two families, Bailey’s and Red Sammy’s families (203). Bailey and his wife are detached from their Southern roots (Hendricks 203). Like Hendricks, Blythe and Sweet assert that Bailey has lost his authority over his mother and children, which has resulted to a family in â€Å"disarray† (Hendricks 203). In particular, they suggest that this stands for the fall of â€Å"secular authority† (185). The grandmother schemes to â€Å"visit some of her connections in east Tennessee,† and she defies Bailey’s instructions to leave her cat (O’Connor). The children also act waywardly by kicking the car seats, yelling, and whining. Their names suggest their spoiled personalities too. John Wesley, whose name feels that his parents had high ambitions for him, is impolite to his grandmother and disrespectful of his family’s history (Hendricks 203). Still, he likens himself to a young Superman and brags that he will beat the Misfit in the face, if they meet him. June Star has tap dancing skills, which tend to get

Poverty and Pollution Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Poverty and Pollution Case Study - Essay Example Firms that manufacture chemicals, which are too unsafe to manufacture within the first World will always acquire a market within third World Nations (The Environment..., 2013). There exist no regulations within the Third World Nations that govern dumping and pollution. Generally, Third World nations have to choose between food and a contaminated environment. Third World governments cannot limit nor have regulations, as it would be too expensive to their countries more specifically since most of their people are trying to earn a living (Hardoy, 2011). This paper is an analysis of the Pollution and Poverty Case Study. Ethical effects of pollution in a third world nation would directly affect the inhabitants of the Third World Countries (Hardoy, 2011). For instance, the dumping of toxic electronics within the south of Chinese town of Guiyu had Women melting hard drives and motherboards from CPUs to extract gold from them. This exposed them to toxic fumes. Ghana is another country, which has had wastes dumped in one of its regions. On the borders of Agbogbloshie town, there is an enormous wasteland as well as one of the highly polluted water bodies on Earth(The Environment..., 2013). ... Once they obtain the personal data in them, they sell the data for roughly $35 for each hard drive. Information obtained from these hard drives includes private financial facts, credit-card numbers, account data and reports of electronic transactions. Mostly, the original holders of the hard drives do not know that such information had been left in those drives. It becomes easier to clear out accounts with the account information. Ghana is listed as among the top cybercrime perpetrators in the globe conferring to the American State Department (Ghana Dumping..., 2012). During an off-camera interview, one of the drives purchased had a $22 billion United States government contract. The hard drive had come from an American military contractor known as Northrop Grumman; it is among the largest military contractors in the U.S. The hard drive contained very sensitive details such as multi-million dollar deals of the United States government with agencies such as the DIA (defense intelligenc e agency), Homeland Security and NASA (Ghana Dumping..., 2012). This poses an enormous security risk that places everyone at the vulnerability of the perpetrators. If regulations and laws had been established to govern e-waste disposal and pollution, then cybercrime might not be a huge issue as it is currently. Obtaining personal information about people is one thing, but it is another to obtain detailed information on government contracts (News Week Magazine, 2013). When 3rd World nations do not have any regulations or laws shielding them from 1st World Nations polluting and dumping in their nation, then it renders it difficult for them to prohibit 1st World Nations from dumping and polluting in their countries. Initially, some counties embraced the e-waste. A

Calcium Hydroxide in Simulated Lateral Canal Filling

Calcium Hydroxide in Simulated Lateral Canal Filling Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of calcium hydroxide dressing on the filling of simulated lateral canals by different obturation techniques. Materials and Methods: Sixty single root premolars were instrumented. Simulated lateral canals were drilled on each third of the roots. The teeth were divided into four groups: no dressing and obturation by lateral condensation technique (G1), dressing with calcium hydroxide and obturation by lateral condensation technique (G2), no dressing and obturation by hybrid technique (G3) and, dressing with calcium hydroxide and obturation by hybrid technique (G4). The teeth were maintained at 37oC in 100% humidity for seven days, and obturation techniques were performed. Radiographs were taken and lateral canals filled or unfilled were counted. Data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test (ÃŽ ±=5%). Results: The hybrid technique filled large number of lateral canals compared to lateral condensation technique , regardless the use of intracanal medication (PPPConclusion: Regardless the obturation technique, calcium hydroxide dressing reduced the penetration of filling material in simulated lateral canals. Clinical significance: The persistence of calcium hydroxide residues reduces the penetration of filling material in simulated lateral canals, possibly representing a potential cause of failure in the future. Keywords: Calcium hydroxide, Endodontics, root canal obturation, laboratory research Introduction The root canal system has a very complex anatomy, characterized mainly by the presence of curvatures, accessory and lateral canals.1-3 The lateral canals can be observed anywhere along the root length of an important percentage of teeth, although more commonly in the apical third.1 Actually, the presence of lateral canals represents a challenge, as they are difficult to reach, clean, disinfect and fill during endodontic treatment,4 representing a potential cause of diseases.3,5-8 Considering that persisting bacteria may be located in not accessed areas like lateral canals, the intracanal medication and three-dimensional obturation of the root system becomes extremely important.4 The intracanal medication has been used to complete the disinfection and to prevent reinfection by these microorganisms,9-11 and can act chemically by killing microorganisms or physically by preventing bacterial penetration.12 The obturation also could prevent reinfection13 as the sealer isolates microorganisms without access to space and nutrients.14 Calcium hydroxide has been widely used as an intracanal medication for its antibacterial effect on most of the microorganisms identified in the root canal system.12 The therapeutic properties of this medication are associated with their pH value and with the period that they remain within the root canals.9,15 It has been pointed out that calcium hydroxide dressing for seven days with subsequent instrumentation and irrigation with sodium hypochlorite, improve the debridement of the root canal system and efficiently eliminate persistent bacteria.16,17 However, it was found that a considerable amount of calcium hydroxide paste remains attached to the root canal after instrumentation and irrigation with various solutions.18-20 Also, it is known that when calcium hydroxide is incompletely removed from the root canal, the residue compromises the endodontic sealing.20,21 Thus, it is possible that residual calcium hydroxide could obliterate the openings of the lateral canals, blocking their filling.19,22 Additionally, the type of obturation technique is a crucial factor to be considered in such situations, since the capability to ensure the filling of lateral canals is an important clinical parameter and may represent a favorable aspect of the filling technique. In this context, the aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of calcium hydroxide dressing on the filling of simulated lateral canals by different obturation techniques. Materials and Methods The study has been approved by an ethical committee from Pontifà ­cia Universidade Catà ³lica do Paranà ¡, under number of register 326/2004. Only one researcher has done the experimental procedures. Sample preparation In this in vitro study, a total of sixty human single root mandibular premolars with medium length between 21 to 23 mm were selected. The teeth were autoclaved and stored in 0.5% thymol solution prior to the experimental assays. The coronal access was gained with a #2 round and a #3080 diamond bur (KG Sorensen, Barueri, SP, Brazil). Then, the coronal and middle thirds of the root canal were shaped using #1, #2, and #3 Gates-Glidden drills (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). The canal length was visually established by placing a #10 K-file (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) in each root canal until it was seen emerging through the apical foramen. The working length was determined by subtracting 1 mm from this measurement. The teeth were instrumented at the working length using a #35 K-File (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). Simulated lateral canals Three simulated lateral canals were drilled on the mesial and distal surfaces (one in each third: coronal, middle and apical) by using a device. This device consisted by a #10 K-File (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) with 4 mm from its tip sectioned, which was adapted in a low-speed contra-angle handpiece. The root canals were then instrumented using a #45 K-File (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) to the working length to create a smear layer. After every change of file size and at the completion of instrumentation, the canals were irrigated with 5 mL of a 1% sodium hypochlorite solution. Following this, the root canal was irrigated with 5 mL of 17% ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (Merck Brasil, Sà £o Paulo, SP, Brazil) followed by a final flush of distilled water. The root canals were dried with paper points (Tanariman Manufacturer, Amazonas, AM, Brazil). Experimental groups Afterwards, the sixty teeth were randomly divided into four equal groups of fifteen. The groups were separated according to the use or not of calcium hydroxide dressing, and the type of obturation technique, as follow: no dressing and obturation by lateral condensation technique (G1), dressing with calcium hydroxide and obturation by lateral condensation (G2), no dressing and obturation by Tagger’s hybrid technique (G3) and, dressing with calcium hydroxide and obturation by Tagger’s hybrid technique (G4). Dressing procedure In G2 and G4, the calcium hydroxide paste was prepared by mixing two parts of lab grade calcium hydroxide and 1 mL saline solution to obtain a creamy consistency. The paste was inserted using a #25 Lentulo drill (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland), subtracting 2 mm from the working length. The access cavities were temporarily sealed with a cotton pellet and temporary seal (Coltosol, Coletene, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil). The samples were maintained at 37oC in 100% humidity for seven days. Afterwards, the temporary seal was removed and the calcium hydroxide was cleaned using a #35 K-File (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) and irrigation with 1% sodium hypochlorite solution and 17% EDTA (Merck Brasil, Sà £o Paulo, SP, Brazil). The root canals were dried with paper points (Tanariman Manufacturer, Amazonas, AM, Brazil). Obturation techniques For obturation procedures, the AH Plus sealer (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) was used in all groups. The sealer was manipulated according with manufacturer’s instructions. The obturation technique was performed as follow. Lateral condensation For G1 and G2, it was used the lateral condensation technique. For this, a well-fitting master gutta-percha cone #35 (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) coated with sealer was taken up 1 mm from the working length. Then, the master cone was left seated and the lateral condensation was performed using a finger spreader B (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). This spreader was inserted with the sealer toward the canal’s wall and then counterclock wisely removed to create room for the insertion of the accessory gutta-percha cones (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). This procedure was repeated until the insertion of new accessory cones was not possible. After the obturation completion, the excess of filling material was removed and the cold vertical condensation was executed. Tagger’s hybrid technique For G3 and G4, it was used the Tagger’s hybrid technique. For this, a master cone was seated as described above. An initial lateral condensation was performed with the finger spreader B (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland), and one accessory gutta-percha cone was inserted. Next, a McSpadden compactor #70 (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland) was coupled to a low-speed contra-angle handpiece and introduced passively into the root canal. The penetration of the condenser inside root canal was obtained with the aid of a rubber marker 1 mm short of the working length. With the condenser inside the root canal, next to the gutta-percha cones, it was driven by forward and backward movements up to reach working length, staying in that position for about 1 second. The condenser was removed from root canal with the motor still driven with gentle pressure on one side of the canal’s wall. Following, the vertical condensation of the plasticized gutta-percha was perfo rmed through heat Paiva’s condensers in order to obtain a better adaptation of the filling material. Postoperative radiographs Immediately after filling, postoperative radiographs were taken and all of them were identically exposed, developed, and fixed. The radiographs were placed in slide mounts and projected in order to count the lateral canals filled or unfilled in each group. Only completely filled lateral canals were considered. Three calibrated examiners analyzed the images. Statistical analysis Data were statistically analyzed by the SAS/LAB package (SAS Software, version 9.0; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, USA). Firstly, Kappa’s test was performed to evaluate the examiner’s level of agreement. The assumptions of equality of variances and normal distribution of errors were checked and the data were transformed as suggested by the software. The simulated lateral canals were analyzed using three-way ANOVA followed by Tukey HSD test, considering the dressing, obturation technique and root thirds as study factors. The significance level was set at 5%. Results The value of the test of agreement between examiners was 0.89. In Figure 1, it is observed representative radiographs after obturation by different techniques. The Tagger’s hybrid technique filled large number of simulated lateral canals compared to the lateral condensation technique, regardless the use of intracanal medication (PP Although the coronal and apical thirds had a somewhat larger number of filled lateral canals than the middle third, this difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05) (Table 1). Significant differences were observed when comparing the number of filled and unfilled canals in the same root third of each group (PP>0.05). Discussion After shaping and cleaning the root canal, persisting bacteria may be located in not accessed areas like lateral canals, and this must be considered potentially pathogenic and a cause of future endodontic failure.3,5-8 For this reason, dressing and three-dimensional obturation of the root canal system becomes important steps.4 The use of calcium hydroxide dressing is established in the literature,23 however, persistence of this medication in the root canal walls could prevent the sealer penetration into the dentinal tubules,21 compromising the obturation procedure. Also, several techniques have been developed to achieve an adequate three-dimensional obturation of lateral canals.24 For this, we purposed to evaluate the influence of calcium hydroxide dressing on the filling of simulated lateral canals by different obturation techniques. The actual need to fill lateral canals has been a largely discussed in the current literature.2,4,19 However, it is important to point out that both lateral canals and apical ramifications have been implicated with treatment failure when they are sufà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ciently large to harbor signià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ cant numbers of bacteria and to provide these bacteria with access to the periradicular tissues.3,25 Therefore, disinfection, dressing and filling of lateral canals in cases of pulp necrosis and apical and/or lateral periodontitis should be considered important goals of the treatment, although difà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ cult to achieve.3 Calcium hydroxide is widely used as an intracanal medication,12 and several techniques have been used to remove it from the root canal.18,21,26,27 The enlargement of the canal to the next file size and copious irrigation with sodium hypochlorite and/or EDTA, which are the procedures commonly used in clinical practice, seems to be unable in completely remove calcium hydroxide from root canal.21,26 There is a consensus that the residues of the medicament persists in the canal even with different techniques for removal.28,29 The results of our study demonstrated that residual calcium hydroxide blocked the openings of the lateral canals, reducing and/or preventing the penetration of sealer or gutta-percha into the lateral canals, corroborating with a previous study.19 Regardless the obturation technique, we demonstrated that when calcium hydroxide was applied as a dressing medication (G2 + G4), 99 of the 180 simulated lateral canals were obturated. On the other hand, when calcium hydroxide was not used (G1 + G3), 129 of the 180 simulated lateral canals were filled. Also, in our study, simulated lateral canals were created in each third of the canal root. We showed that no differences were found among the different root thirds in the same group. About the ability of different obturation techniques to fill simulated lateral canals the literature indicates that warm gutta-percha techniques are superior.2 According to our results, the Tagger’s hybrid technique resulted in large number of filled simulated lateral canals, although it was reduced with the dressing with calcium hydroxide. Also, the lateral condensation showed the worst ability in filling simulated lateral canals, particularly when calcium hydroxide dressing was employed. It is possible that the cold condensation of gutta-percha difficult the penetration of the filling material.30 Thermoplasticized techniques improve the expansion of the material against the dentinal walls.31 A recent study about the interference of calcium hydroxide previous to the filling revealed that the medication can difficult the hermetic filling of the root canal system because of its property of obliterates lateral canals.22 Overall, the persistence of calcium hydroxide residues should be considered as a side effect when selecting this medication as an interappointment dressing in root canal therapy,19,22 regardless the obturation technique to be employed. Conclusions Regardless the obturation technique, calcium hydroxide dressing reduced the penetration of filling material in simulated lateral canals. Clinical significance The persistence of calcium hydroxide residues reduces the penetration of filling material in simulated lateral canals, possibly representing a potential cause of failure in the future. 1

Critical report: Anybody’s Son Will Do Essay --

In Gwynne Dyer’s article â€Å"Anybody’s Son Will Do†, the conversion of civilians to killers is being explained in stages. This articles focuses more on male psychology and malleable people. The author’s belief is that people can be easily brainwashed if they are put in constant stress. To support this idea, the author gives examples of military training around the world which psychologically destroys individual values and loyalties and rebuilds them to make combat troops that will do exactly what has been ordered and defend his groups to the death. The soldiers are first trained in basic level where they are motivated to destroy their individualities and build comradeship amongst the men. The bond is so important among men because when they are in battle, they have to fight for eachother. In the beginning of the basic training, the recruits are all worn out. The training is being done in an island where they are conscripted to do what is being told by the drill instructor without question. Neither they can leave, nor they can communicate much with the outside world. Basic training is basically about giving mental and physical pressure to create motivation. In the first three days, the recruits are being hustled, yelled, and shouted. They learn the basic orders of drill that enable them to work in large groups. They have to surrender their clothes, cut their hair, cut their physical evidence of individuality citizen identity. The recruits sleep aside a series of hasty rituals and given no time to reflect or to look back and th ink about their families, friends. So that the recruits donot backout, the frantic bustle of forming is set. The creation of an environment that romanticizes the milita... ...e brutal and harsh ways that are used in military to change people into killers seems inappropriate to me. To become a soldier, right methods can be applied as well. It is disturbing to read that the recruiters treated the recruits in such an inhuman way. They are also humans that donot deserve to be treated in such an awful way. The author argues women are also malleable to become soldiers which is right. But for women, inorder to become powerful, they have to show more willing, masculinity, and aggression like men. Yet again, the author puts another question – What causes war? I think it is because of social distribution of power. Throughout the ancient military culture, mens are already inclined to kill or die. The primitive culture where men had to be a warrior to protect tribes from natural disasters or wild animals or anything still affects civilization today.

Applying Stanislavski’s Principles to a Role in Volpone Essay -- Konst

Applying Stanislavski’s Principles to a Role in Volpone As founder of the first acting system, co-founder of the Moscow Art Theatre, and an eminent practitioner of the naturalist school of thought, Konstantin Stanislavski challenged traditional notions of the dramatic process, establishing himself as one of the most pioneering thinkers of his time in modern theatre. His process of character development, the Stanislavski Method, was the catalyst for method acting- one of the most influential acting systems on the modern stage and screen. Such renowned schools of acting and directing as the Group Theatre and The Actors Studio are a legacy of Stanislavski's pioneering vision. Stanislavski developed this unique system of training to change the way that people saw their characters. The actors would research the situation created by the script, break down the text according to their character's motivations and recall their own experiences, therefore causing actions and reactions according to these motivations. The actor would ideally make his motivations for acting identical to those of the character in the script. He could then replay these emotions and experiences in the role of the character in order to achieve a more genuine performance. This was Stanislavski’s main aim to create a more genuine performance. ACTION â€Å"In every physical action, unless it is purely mechanical, there is concealed some inner action, some feelings. This is how the two levels of life in a part (dramatic role) are created, the inner and the outer. They are intertwined. A common purpose brings them together and reinforces the unbreakable bond.† - ‘Creating a role’ In Volpone, it would be most likely to happen in the market place. The busy market place would be played by a group of people that would need to show a complicity of lives that intermingle with other characters just as if they were a real community. This would be hard to show, as they are not a real community. Good methods of getting these groups of characters to resemble villagers would be to give them little scenarios to act out in which all the characters intermingle and have lines to say to each other. This would help them realise each other’s inner character and feeling and therefore are then able to react in the way their character would to that situation. Then use what they ... ...must find out all he can about the character and the situation. This helps to create an overall realistic reaction to that particular situation. To be able to use ‘Magic if’ the actor must know a lot about his character and his or her personality. Stanislavski teaches the actor to become the character by asking questions that are answered by action based on emotional response. For example, the actor that plays Volpone in the rape scene must ask before he plays the scene, ‘What if I am Volpone and I am just about to rape Celia and Benario jumps out from the cupboard? What will I do?’ Another good question from Celia’s point of view: "What if I'm Celia and I am being raped by an old dirty man and I have no one to help me would I give in or stand my ground? "Magic if" questions contain motivation and awareness of "the now." The questions are cast in the first person, in the present tense, and therefore they pull you into the character's major concerns. Very importantly, the questions suggest not one but two attitudes: The character toward her or him, and toward other characters. These types of questions help the actor figure out the action to take in response.

Examine the Hindu views on arranged marriages Essay

To what extent can Hindu arranged marriages survive in a multi – cultural society In this essay I will examine the Hindu views on arranged marriages and how they are surviving in s multi – cultural society. I shall use secondary research to back up what I mention within this essay. An arranged marriage is a marriage in which neither the bride nor the groom has a say over the selection of their future spouses. However, in an arranged marriage, both parties give full consent to the marriage. Arranged marriages have been proven to be successful. Arranged marriages have been a traditional aspect of family life in Hinduism. According to Hinduism, a marriage between two people is seen to be a holy relationship, that is just not limited to this one life, but extends across seven or more lives during which, the couple will help each other grow as people and progress spiritually. Two souls come together and marry because their karmas are intertwined and they have to resolve many things together upon earth in order to ensure their mutual salvation. In Hinduism, man and woman represent the two halves of the divine body. There is no question of superiority or inferiority between them. When parents are in search for a partner for their child, they firstly look at the religion, language and caste. These are very important factors that most parents do not overlook for arranged marriages. In India, parents feel that a girl can be a potential wife at the age of eighteen and parents get worried if she remains unmarried past twenty four or twenty five. It is acceptable for a boy to remain unmarried till his late 20s, but after that questions are asked about his appropriateness as a husband. This does not necessarily apply to a growing urban middle class population. Once the families have agreed on their children’s marriage they consult a family priest or an astrologer to fix the wedding date according to their astrological charts and thereafter invitations are sent to family and friends. The Hindu marriage ceremony entails several functions before the â€Å"big day†. However the wedding day itself has many religious rituals which need to be followed and is a custom for all Hindus. Firstly there is the â€Å"Panigrahana†; this ritual is carried out by the bride’s father, where he would offer the hand of the bride to the groom. The next ritual is the exchanging of the vows with fire as the witness. A â€Å"Havankund† or fire is lit and the priest recites the relevant hymns from the scriptures. Each time the bride and groom go around the fire they exchange vows. The next ritual is the â€Å"Saptapadi†; at the end of the ceremony the couple take seven steps together; each step represents strivings for their married life. The first step is taken for God and the growing of their spiritual progress together, the others are for health, wealth, strength, children and happiness. The seventh step represents life long friendship between husband and wife. The other key feature of a Hindu marriage, which everyone is familiar with, is the marking of the bride’s forehead with red powder called â€Å"kumkum†. This merely shows the females status. Love marriages are on the increase in Britain, but there is still a lot of doubt about them amongst the elder generation. Love marriages within the same caste and financial background are favoured, compared to inter-caste and inter-religious marriages. Couples who dare cross the social conventions have to cope with a lot of social pressure within their families and outside. These problems are more acute in the rural areas compared to the urban areas and metropolitan cities. Much depends upon the family background. If parents are educated and enlightened on both sides, things would be easier for the children, who get involved in unconventional relationships. I would say one of the evils of Hindu arranged marriages in India especially is the ever- present dowry system. The amount of dowry can be a very substantial amount, even in dollar terms, depending upon the financial status of the parties involved. Sometimes greedy mother-in-laws and husbands subject the poor brides to innumerable hardships for not meeting their expectations in respect of the dowry. Cases of bride burning are not unknown. Indian penal code prescribes severe punishment for such acts. But the cases take years and decades before the courts deliver justice. Many Indian families who have settled outside of India still uphold the tradition of arranged marriage. Being part of two cultures can be hard. Young people born in Britain but from an Indian family can find this particularly difficult if their modern western lifestyles clash with their parent’s hopes and wishes.2 Many young Indian people living in Britain know that one day they will agree to an arranged marriage. To deny their parents this would be a sign of deep disrespect. Many families are able to discuss the issue and reach compromises that are suitable for everyone. For example insist that you are happy to meet with prospective partners but that you must like your match. Family, friends and relatives will be informed once they have decided to go ahead and soon meetings will be organised. They will be matched according to their education and experience, a suitable caste, or social class associated with the Hindu religion. Many non Hindu’s have a huge misconception about arranged marriages. It is important to make a clear distinction between arranged marriages that are consensual and marriages that are arranged without the consent of the individuals involved. These are sometimes called forced marriages and are against the law in this country. However in rural parts of India this idea about forced marriages still takes place even today. Although Western societies tend to ridicule arranged marriages as backward and uncivilized and old fashioned, there are positive aspects. For example, Westerners focus more on the physical aspect of relationships, and are thus obsessed with love, sex, and beauty. As a result, people get married based on these factors and then get let down by one another very easily. The divorce rate in Western countries such as the U.S. has increased rapidly. â€Å"50% of American marriages end in divorce†1. In contrast, Eastern cultures that practice arranged marriages place far more emphasis on the practical, such as integrity, diligence, ambition, modesty, and kindness. People get married based on practical reasons, and work on building affection later. Strong characteristics like the ones described above are very favourable to building love and affection in Eastern marriages. As a result, these marriages are much longer-lasting than many Western marriages. It is because the primary emphasis is not on love, sex, and physical beauty that arranged marriages are usually so successful, because the spouses get to know one another on a practical level first, looking beyond trivial issues such as beauty. I know it can go both ways, there are many arranged marriages that are just total hell, and there are marriages that started out based only on infatuation and grew stronger as time passed. But I think as long as one looks for the right characteristics in a potential spouse, then, arranged marriage can definitely work. People within the western civilisation are mistaken by the term arranged marriages. Arranged doesn’t necessarily mean â€Å"fixed†. Arranged marriages it encompasses a lot of different varieties: the harshest arranged marriages are almost forced upon the bride or groom while the most liberal ones start with just an introduction of the couple through their parents and the rest is up to the couple. If they feel they are compatible then they would go ahead with the marriage. If they decided not to get married they would remain friends. I feel that within Britain today, Hindu parents have become liberal with their children dating and â€Å"seeing† each other. Parents are now influencing their children to look for someone within University get to know them for at least a couple of years and then decide on whether they are right for you. I think if the parents know about the son or daughter’s partner and they are Hindu, have a good family background and most importantly are educated then the parents would definitely agree to the marriage. In fact, the advantages and drawbacks of arranged marriages cannot be so easily appraised. The incidence of divorce among Indian-born British/Americans is dramatically lower than among British/Americans generally, but that partly reflects the continuing disgrace of divorce. Even as the divorce rate among Indian British/Americans appears to be increasing, the topic is rarely discussed. Divorce reflects poorly on an Indian family, and some proportion of arranged marriages endures not because they are successful or rewarding, but because leaving them would bring such shame. In addition, the concept of a woman living independently is foreign to most people in South Asian culture. Also, a majority of women don’t work in rural areas of South Asian countries and hence find it difficult to have enough money to support them without getting married or after getting divorced. And many endure because the definition of success differs from Western ideas. Traditional Indians don’t expect a partner to be that improbable combination of soul mate/confidante/red-hot lover/best friend. â€Å"The husband-wife bond is one of reliability and dependability and complementary family roles – raising children, caring for elders,† explains Karen Leonard, author of The South Asian Americans and a University of California-Irvine anthropologist. â€Å"They may communicate very little in intimate ways, and it’s still a good marriage.†3. The custom of arranged marriages in India has survived migration and modernization remaining central to the fabric of society. However 95% of all marriages in India are arranged, even among those in the educated middle class. Many Indians challenge that arranged marriages are more successful than marriages in the West, particularly given the latter’s staggering divorce rates. Romantic love does not necessarily lead to a good marriage, and often fails once the passion dissolves, they argue. With most unions between individuals from the same background, the arranged marriage reflects and reinforces the social, economic, geographic and historical diversity of India itself. More like a continent than a country, India is made up of 14 states, with as many languages, thousands of dialects, three major religions, hundreds of sub-religions, an outlawed but still practiced caste system amongst Hindus. The Hindu religion, strongly intertwined in the concept of â€Å"duty,† order that parents are responsible for providing their children’s education and marriage. Once married, their sons take over the running of the household and provide for their parents for the rest of their lives. The arranged marriage has adjusted to modernization. Prospective grooms were once not even allowed to see the photograph of their prospective brides so as to protect an unmarried woman’s purity, her most valuable asset. By the 1930/40’s, such as in my grandmother’s marriage, the couple exchanged photographs, in order to decide if they liked each other. Today couples, depending on how liberal their parents are, have a coffee or meal on their own either at home, or in a restaurant, before deciding to commit. Middle-class women are allowed to reject suitors favoured by their parents. Engagements can now last six months. Western concepts of love triumphing over tradition can be seen in popular Indian films. However, many Indian women in the diaspora are in change. Freedom comes with a price. Some women, after having ended several long term relationships, find themselves in their late 30s alone, with one foot in either world and judged by both. It goes without saying that no marriage, not even an arranged one, is accustomed from basic incompatibility or abuse. But the arranged marriage does have its advantages. Living with the extended family, daughters traditionally live with their in-laws including brothers-in-law and their wives and children which means a free staff of child minders. Apart from the economic savings of a family home, shocks such as a death or the loss of a job can be absorbed. The system cares for elderly parents and grandparents who are generally isolated in Western societies. Also, because the arranged marriage tends to be a union of two families of strong moral and cultural values provides checks and balances against areas that may splinter it, such as unfaithfulness. Most people tend to equate Hindu marriage with arranged marriage. The parents in order to meet this domestic obligation prepare themselves mentally and, more importantly, financially when their child reaches marriageable age. They search for a suitable partner keeping in mind the community â€Å"rules† regarding cast, creed, birth chart, and financial and social status of the family. Traditionally it is the girl’s parents that bear the cost of the wedding and to jumpstart their daughter’s married life they shower her with gifts and ornaments to take to her in-laws. Unfortunately, this has aggravated people’s greed end in the many evils of dowry system. In the end, the discussion of arranged and love marriages comes down to which is better? Obviously, the one that leads to more successful marriages. Supporters of arranged marriages claim that it is more successful, but their definition of success focuses on divorce rates. But are divorce rates really a measure of a successful marriage? Do all the couples that don’t get divorced stay happy with each other? The occurrence of divorce in society depends on a lot of factors including the stigma of divorce. It should be a matter of great concern that we have begun to ignore the ancient and lofty ideals of Hindu marriage and are anxious to follow in the footsteps of cultures that do not value these ideals. No wonder, the number of divorce suits filed by Hindu couples is on the rise. Instead of strengthening the traditional ideals, which for thousands of years have helped us prevent marriage and family break-ups, we are misdirecting our energies towards promoting the ideal of sense-enjoyment and self-interest. In my opinion it is still not too late to be proactive to protect the sanctity of Hindu marriage. 1: http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_dira.htm 2: http://www.youthinformation.com/infopage.asp?snID=805 3: http://lair.xent.com/pipermail/fork/2003-March/018427.html Words – 2,582 (not including Bibliography)