Shutter Island Essay.

Shutter Island Essay. I'm going to write an essay about a film named Shutter Island which was taken from Dennis Lehane's 2003 novel which is also called Shutter Island, the film it's self was directed by Martin Scorsese in 2010. In my essay I plan to write about how important the genre and the characters is to the film and how the film makers use it to create a successful film. To give you a brief of the film I am going to use Gustav Freytag’s five part analysis, exposition; two U.S. Marshals, Edward â€Å"Teddy† Daniels and his new partner Chuck Aule, who have been sent to the Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island which is located in Boston Harbour to take part in an investigation about the disappearance of patient Rachel Solando, who was accused of drowning her three children. Then there’s the rising action; shortly after they arrive on the island, a storm stops them from returning to the mainland for a couple of days.Teddy soon finds that the staff are confrontational; the lead psychiatrist, Dr John Cawley refuses to hand over records of the hospital staff and Rachel Solando's doctor, Dr Sheehan who had suddenly left on vacation after her disappearance plus Teddy and his partner Chuck have been band from searching Ward C and they are also told that the lighthouse on the island has already been searched.The turning point is when Teddy begins to have migraine headaches, horrible visions of his involvement in the Dachau liberation reprisals and he also has rather disturbing dreams of his wife, Dolores Chanal who was killed in a fire set by arsonist Andrew Laeddis. Teddy decides to break into Ward C and he meets George Noyce who is another patient. George warns Teddy that Ashecliffe is performing experiments on the patients and sends the people who can’t be cured to the lighthouse to be lobotomized. When Teddy begins to leaves Gorge claims that everyone on the island, including his new partner is playing this delusional game designed for Teddy.The climax is when Teddy goes to the lighthouse and breaks into it. At the top of the lighthouse he finds Dr Cawley waiting for him. Dr Cawley explains that â€Å"Daniels† is really Andrew Laeddis, which was made up after killing his wife after she drowned their three children. According to Dr Cawley, the events that had happened over the last couple of days had been designed to break Laeddis conspiracy which was insanity by allowing him to play out the role of Daniels which was an anagram of his name. The fallen action happens whenLaeddis sits on the hospital grounds with Dr Sheehan; he calls him â€Å"Chuck† and says they need to get off the island. Dr Cawley takes this as a sign of regression so decides there’s nothing more he could do. The resolution happens when they take him away, Laeddis asks Dr Sheehan, â€Å"Which would be worse? To live as a monster, or die as a good man? † and then calmly leaves with the doct ors. The gothic setting is really important to the film in a whole as it makes us see the film for the way it is because if you have loads of flowers and bright happy colours in a mystery/horror film you aren't going to get the same effect are you?No, so all the gothic genre mixes with the plot and show's us the true effect of the genre. There are loads of gothic settings amongst the story line, for example; the island itself, hospital building, mansion, death camps, ward C, woods, cemetery, cave, the lighthouse, fog, the extreme weather, darkness, the lake, etc. But I am going to write about the main three in my opinion. The first one I am going to write about is the death camps because they hold a whole lot of darkness in their name never mind anything else.In the film we see the death camp through Teddy's dreams and we are hit with death and decay straight of the bat and then there’s dark colours mixing with greys to make the moment even darker and the whole idea is very e erie with its secrets which is important to the film because it lets us see a different side to the genre and not just the typical hidden passage ways and it also strikes up our emotions because we all know the uncanny truth about what happened in death camps.The second one I am going to write about is the extreme weather, usually there’s some of this in every gothic tale but I like how they used it in this film because they hit us with the mysterious storm and the darkness behind it which brings a very eerie feeling but while Teddy and Aule are out during this storm they run through the woods and into a cemetery where they take shelter, which is also two other factors of a gothic genre and this helps us see how dark the story is straight from the start.The last gothic setting, but the best one I am going to write about is the Lighthouse as it’s the ultimate and strongest gothic setting throughout the whole film. In my opinion this Lighthouse has the ultimate gothic fe elings in it, it holds mystery, something everyone loves but hates at the same time because the suspense kills us. It has death and decay all over it as people had died from time to time getting lobotomized, the darkness practically oozes from the Lighthouse.It’s very eerie with its location, surrounded by water and sharp rocks, away from every one which gives us an uncanny feeling about why they use it and all the dark shades of grey and black from the outside to the inside of the Lighthouse. But in the end of the film we also see it’s the place that holds all secrets and the truth, the place where the emotional extremes are held and to me that’s why it’s the most important gothic setting throughout the film. Each character in this film holds a very different type of gothic from a hero to a villain and then to a manic Byronic hero.The three characters I am going to write about give a different importance to the film, each give a different purpose from st icking emotions to making us shiver from the bottom of the spine to the top and back down again yet there’s always one you can't help feeling dramatically sorry for. The first character I am going to write about is the hero who in my opinion is obviously Dr John Cawley; he never gave up on Teddy when everyone else would have. He was willing to hold out and help him through what he had done and give him a chance to sort his life out and make something of himself.Dr Cawley did do harsh things, played tricks with Teddy’s mind, played into his second persona and even repeated stuff he had said to his wife, â€Å"Why you all wet, baby? â€Å", on the day he killed her out of revenge for his three kids but even with that considered it was all for Teddy’s benefit and I think that’s what made him such a good here character as he seemed like the villain who was covered in darkness all the way through the film until we see what he was truly doing for Teddy.This i s important to the film because it gives us a twist of guilt for hating him and it also shows a whole different side to the story. The second person I am going to write about is the villain who is Dolores Chanal whose plays the role of a murderer, a wife and a mother. But at the start we see a sweet house wife who had a very loving husband and she was murdered out of cold blood which makes us feel sorry for her because she didn't deserve it but as the story begins to unfold we find out that none of that was true and that she was mentally ill and needed real help.We feel hatred for her as she rips her family apart and kills her three young children and ruins her husband’s life but we also feel a deep sadness for her because she really lost herself to the point she couldn't control herself and she couldn't be blamed for her actions. This is the most important role in the whole film because if we take this role away there would be no film, the story would crumble without the vil lain. The last character I am going to write about is the manic Byronic hero who is Edward â€Å"Teddy† Daniels who is better known as Andrew Laeddis.There is so much to this one character that I don’t see why he never cracked up before killing his wife, he served in the second world war and he was part of the Dachau liberation reprisals which means he seen some pretty disturbing things that were filled with darkness and then he came home to a wife who was seriously ill and he knew this, â€Å"After she tried to kill herself the first time, Dolores told me she†¦ she had an insect living inside her brain. She could feel it clicking across her skull, just†¦ pulling the wires, just for fun. She told me that. She told me that but I didn't listen.I loved her so much. â€Å", which shows he loved her so much that he couldn’t just put her away so he moved to a nice lake house in the country thinking that this would cure her but it doesn’t help, nothi ng helps. So when he comes home after a hard day of work and see his kids dead in the water he loses his self and kills his wife, in a way I think he didn’t just do it out of revenge for his kids, I think he did it out of love and mercy for his wife so he put her out of her misery and because of this I can’t make myself mad at him I only feel sympathy and sadness for his loss.This all came as such a shock that he made himself a second persona were he began to hate the real him, Andrew Laeddis, he knew he killed her but he got that lost in himself that he made up the second him. All this is vital to the story as a whole because he is a maniac yet he is a Byronic hero with his troubled past and how he tries to become a better person but what really struck me is how the film makers made the last sentence in the film very deep and dark, â€Å"Which would be worse? To live as a monster, or die as a good man? , because we can see that he is totally cured yet he would rather be lobotomized to forget what he done than to face it and live with it and to me that is very dark and gothic. The film makers made this film amazingly good, each technique made us think differently to the outstanding setting to the mind-blowing characters. They used every gothic term in the book and made it into their own way and it worked out well, they defiantly deserved the award they gained for this brilliantly well-made film. In my conclusion you can see I have written why

Dramatic principle Essay

The Prelude is a long autobiographical poem, described the poet’s love of nature and his own place in the world order. â€Å"Dust as we are, the immortal spirit grows Like harmony in music; there is a dark Inscrutable workmanship that reconciles Discordant elements, makes them cling together In one society. † The Prelude had a great influence in prose poetry (Nichols 66 as quoted by Moore). Lyrical dialogue can be observed in it which shows that through Prelude, he wanted to move away from the monologic lyric. His breaking out from the monologic lyric has created the prose poem. The significant idea that the form of the poem should reflect the experience is denoted by his short poems (Rehder 179 as quoted by Moore). He desired for irregular forms to experience uniqueness (Rehder 206 as quoted by Moore). The poetic genres free verse and prose poetry are actually developed from that idea of uniqueness. Robert Browning had won himself the reputation of a dramatic poet and was able to produce the dramatic monologues. Though at his time a dramatic monologue was not yet a genre, this is considered now as a poetic genre with intriguing characteristics in a sense that it gripped the minds of the scholars. This genre has a characteristic of modern criticism. However, modern criticism stresses on the dramatic part, the dramatic monologue stresses the lyrical characteristics. His monologues incorporate action and conflict in the drama thus it involves outpouring of emotions. It is clearly evident in his work that it is a mixture of lyrical and dramatic (Abou-Bakr). Browning’s collection the Dramatic Lyrics shows his concept of poetic genre particularly about being lyrical and dramatic. It seems that Browning saw the dramatic principle by employing the creation of fictional characters who will take the role of the speaking voice I his poems. These characters or the so-called personae are the ones giving the lyrical utterances or expressions. To Browning, lyrical and dramatic can be differentiated by its proximity from the poet himself. The Confessional exposes not the sin of the persona however it reveals the sin of the priest. It was actually lightened by the humor incorporated in it. You think Priests just and holy men! Before they put me in this den I was a human creature too, With flesh and blood like one of you, A girl that laughed in beauty’s pride Like lilies in your world outside. The father’s head was long and white, With love and truth his brow seemed bright; He told me what he would not tell For hope of heaven or fear of hell; And I lay listening in such pride! And, soon as he had left my side, Tripped to the church by morning-light To save his soul in his despite. Wordsworth’s and Browning’s work are similar in some ways but different in most ways. The main difference of their works is the genre itself. Wordsworth is employing lyrical dialogue in his poems in which he can be one of the persons in the dialogue. He is very effective in showing the beauty of what can be seen due to fact that his poetry are all about those he had highest regard and those he got involve with. His works tell truths of what is truly a happening and there is enthusiasm on it. He developed the prose poetry by employing dialogue in his poems. Browning is more focused on describing what is truly felt. His works dwell on emotions felt by a person in a certain situation. He developed the dramatic monologue which becomes the basis for modern criticism. In his works he makes use of personae to represent the person in the poem. These are actually fictional characters which speak for and express the emotion in the poem. He diverged from what is called tradition of poetry and tried to present his poem in a different view. Works Cited Abou-Bakr, Randa. â€Å"2001. American University in Cairo. Accessed February 8, 2008, from http://www. thefreelibrary. com/ Robert+Browning’s+%22 Dramatic+Lyrics%22: +Contribution+to+a+Genre-a082322117 Brians, Paul. â€Å"Romanticism. † 1998. Accessed Februry 9, 2008, from http://www. wsu. edu /~brians/ hum_303/romanticism. html Moore, Dena L. â€Å"William Wordsworth’s Contribution to Prose Poetry. 2002. Accessed February 8, 2008, from http://www. authorsden. com/visit/viewarticle. asp? AuthorID=3247&id=5659 â€Å"Romantic Movement. † 21st Century Universal Encyclopedia. Eight Edition, 1994. â€Å"Socialist Realism. † 21st Century Universal Encyclopedia. Eight Edition, 1994. â€Å"Social Realism. † Accessed February 9, 2008 from, http://www. freeessays . cc/db/6/ame195. shtml

Illiegal Immigration Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Illiegal Immigration - Research Paper Example A most recent example involves the spirited efforts by a section of pressure groups to prevent a bill meant to give more room to law enforcement agents for searching persons suspected to be illegal immigrants. Discussion The usual trend in the United States has been that competing perspectives and opinions between those expressly opposed to structural safeguards and those who advocate for more determined steps of addressing the matter (Bascio and Patrick 122) determine the subject of illegal immigrants. Estimates from various sources place the number of illegal immigrants in the United States between 10 to 12 million (Kenney and Kwao 50). This numbers has kept fluctuating over the years in response to certain forces that derive from social or economic stimuli. Chain migration is one of the most visible aspects of illegal migrations in the U.S. Chain migration occurs where illegal immigrants attract relatives, friends, or associates from their countries of origin to join them once the y have settled in the states. Efforts to contain illegal immigration have often been caught up in differences conditioned by political competition, private interests, and lobby pressure (Kenney and Kwao 50). ... The healthcare system is one of the institutions that are considered the worst hit by the effects of illegal immigrants. Parties proposing tough approaches on the question of illegal immigrants argue that the groups have imposed significant pressure on the limited healthcare resources. Illegal immigrants are accused of causing significant imbalances between the available healthcare resources and the demand (Ngai 68). As a consequence of this reality, these parties argue that the cost of healthcare has risen due to the gap that is created by the mismatch between supply and demand. It would be important to consider the subject of illegal immigration in light of some of the issues that attend to their impact on the political scale. Hispanic voters are some of the most influential voting blocs in the United States. They comprise some of the significant swing votes in the United States. It is precisely because of this reason that political parties tend to approach the question of illegal immigration with utmost caution. Past trends and analyses have shown a growing preference by immigrant populations to Democrats. Studies have shown that immigrants find the Democrats’ policies more conducive and tolerant to their situations than the Republicans. A survey conducted on the Hispanic voters showed that the Democrats enjoyed nearly two thirds of the Hispanic votes while the Republicans only attracted less than 20 percent of the vote (Ngai 68). These results indicate that the voting process among the groups is highly determined by matters of convenience. The immigrant groups have tended to show a determined support to policies and discourses

Consumer Protection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Consumer Protection - Essay Example The law of contract stipulates three fundamental requirements for the formation of a legally enforceable contract; namely; offer, acceptance and consideration2 (it is important to note that the contracting parties must have legal capacity, which is presumed not to be an issue in this case). Lord Wilberforce asserted rules for contract formation in the case of New Zealand Shipping Co Limited v A M Satterhwaite, the Eurymedon3 thus: â€Å"English law having committed itself to a rather technical†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Doctrine of contract, in application takes a practical approach†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Into the market slots of offer, acceptance and consideration4†. The law of contract formation distinguishes between an offer and an invitation to treat, which is not an offer but an indication of willingness to negotiate a contract5. For example, in the case of Gibson v Manchester City Council,6 the words â€Å"may be prepared to sell† constituted an invitation to treat and not a distinct offer. Furthermore, in the case of Grainger & Son v Gough7it was held that a newspaper advert will constitute an invitation to treat and not an offer unless an advertisement is specific and conveyed the exact item of product for sale. It was also indicated that there must be an indication of intent on the part of the advertiser to sell, none of which is in contention in the current scenario and therefore the arrangements between Mr Rumsey and Tackro appear to satisfy the requirements for a binding legal contract for the supply of goods agreed on 28 February 2009. However half of the stock of glasses which Mr Rumsey took with him; have transpired to be broken. Secondly, the remainder of the stock that had agreed to be delivered on 15th March have been destroyed in a fire. With regard to the stock of glasses that was damaged, section 13 of the SGA provides that goods must comply with their contractual description however this is qualified by section 15A of the SGA which asserts that if the breach is so

Dance and Human Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Dance and Human Development - Essay Example Literature is filled with studies of human development which revolved around various disciplines. Human development refers to how an individual develops from infancy to childhood, to adolescence and adulthood; development has a broad connotation. Infants use movement to express themselves and even have their own sense of their surroundings. Charles Darwin studied the theory of evolution by studying how his own child played and reacted to the world, how creativity connected with development. Creativity is first expressed in infancy and as the baby grows. Piaget (cited in Gardner, 1990, p. 2) indicated that infants express themselves through the sensorimotor system, which involves the use of sense organs and motor system; toddlers begin to understand the various symbol systems and the workings of the physical world; young children begin to reason out and argue on logic or morality; and adolescents begin to reason in a ‘formal-operational’ attitude (Gardner, 1990, p. 2). A play is an important creative expression of a child. The world of make-believe shapes the child’s emotional, psychological and mental abilities in dealing with the world around him/her. A play has some neurological implication on a child – it enhances brain growth (Kennedy, 2008, p. 16). This proposal aims to provide an analysis of the relevance of the arts to human development and play. The study will discuss aspects of dance, its history and healing power and its role in the development of human personality, and how it affects the psychological, mental, physical and social well being. The methodology will consist of a review of the literature. Sources will come from books, online or physical library, journals and other valuable sources of information on human development and dance.

THE IMPACT OF PLANNING POLICIES FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES WILL OPTIMIZE Essay

THE IMPACT OF PLANNING POLICIES FOR THE OLYMPIC GAMES WILL OPTIMIZE THE SOCIO-CULTURAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM FOR LONDON RESIDENTS - Essay Example Tourism as a manifestation of leisure presupposes a socioeconomic milieu in which money and time-away-from-work can be accumulated to be spent at will. Tourism as a form of mobility implies that culturally sanctioned reasons exist for leaving home to travel. Tourism as an organized industry, catering to a clientele who have time and money and want to spend them, pleasurably, in leisured mobility or migration. Tourism in the modal sense is one of a range of choices, or styles, of vacation or recreation. Tourist visits are ritualized breaks in routine that define and relieve the ordinary. POSITIVE SOCIO-CULTURAL EFFECTS OF THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES The first positive socio-cultural impact is that tourism is a force for peace. The tourists who will travel to London for the Olympic Games will be won over by the residents of London. The close interaction with people from different countries will develop mutual sympathy and understanding and reduce their racial prejudices. This close interaction and cooperation will lead to world understanding and world peace. The second positive socio-cultural impact is that the London Games of 2012 will strengthen local communities. The local residents will be involved as volunteers and the celebration of festivals will lead to cultural rejuvenation. The tourist interest for festivals will enrich the cultural exchange between the participants. Moreover, the thousands of jobs created by tourism can act as a vital incentive to reduce emigration from rural areas. The third positive socio-cultural impact is that the facilities developed for the tourism-related Olympic Games benefit local residents d uring and after the Games.

New Products Adoption in the Contemporary Market Essay

New Products Adoption in the Contemporary Market - Essay Example Because of such differentiation, a bifurcation has been observed in the process of buyer behavior related theoretical development. Although beneficial for the purpose of teaching and planning, according to the author, such divergence has prevented the development of theoretical structures that act as generic to both forms of buyer behavior. Although traditionally consumers are distinguished from organizations particularly in case of buying behavior due to the implicit understanding that while the consumer as an individual decision maker tends to be whimsical and responsive to sudden bursts of irrationality, organizations do not and professional organizational behavior is bound to be rational as it is the result of joint decision making in the presence of constraints like set objectives and priorities which prevent irrational and indulgent choices, the author argues against such distinctions pointing out the individual buyer although does not have to abide by constraints faced by professional organizations, has to make choices always being constrained by being a part of another organization – society. The differentiation is disagreed with by questioning the assumption that same individuals act differently under organizations that are contextually different, one being a professional organization while the other is the society the individual is embedded in. It is posited that theoretical enrichment is to be derived if buyer behavior is studied without differentiating between consumers and organizations. That in spite of consumers and organizations exhibiting different motivations and patterns in buying at times there are significant overlaps which lead to enhanced perceptions regarding the necessity of development of a general theoretical framework that can elucidate the differences of buying practices which are observed in different contextual settings.

Kindly see the instructions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kindly see the instructions - Essay Example According to McLagan, Human resource development is a systematic integrated use of training and development, organizational and career development to enhance personal and institutional effectiveness (p23). The primary point of focus in HRD is the training and enhancement of employee capabilities. HRD has been adopted as one of the fundamental courses taught at schools in most of the countries. This paper presents the importance of learning HRD, interests developed, the lessons learnt, and the goals of a prospective human resource manager. Human resource development is a crucial component of the school curriculum course. The reason to study HRD is that it assists students to acquire the skills necessary in preparation to hit the industry which involves, influencing the human capital of an organization in order to bring positive effect on the financial results or outcomes of that organization. The market position has dynamically changed to be very competitive and as a consequence of obsolesce in technology; the product cycle has been shorted further annually. These circumstances or incidents demand for constant changes on every virtue of enterprise working, more precisely at the levels of operations. Such changes need lively collaboration of employees and their support in the efforts of reengineering roles and skill up-gradation. In such cases the organizations should come up with new relations to effectively manage and contain the crisis. With the knowledge of HRD being part of studies, one may be at a supreme advanta ge to make wise decisions and judgments on how jobs are to be redesigned. Learning also HRD as part of the courses taught at school enables one to understand the ever-changing labour market, understand the expectations of the people joining the work force before going to the industry. Therefore attending a HRD class is unavoidable if one has to be a resourceful HRD manager in future. Learning HRD leaves important messages in reflection of

STAT Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

STAT - Speech or Presentation Example The mean credit card debt among households in one state is $8400. A hypothesis test is to be performed to decide whether the mean credit card debt for households in the formerly affluent town of Rich-No-More differs from the mean credit card debt for the state At one school, in 2005, the average amount of time that tenth-graders spent watching television each week was 21.6 hours. The principal introduced a campaign to encourage the students to watch less television. One year later, in 2006, the principal performed a hypothesis test to determine whether the average amount of time spent watching television per week had decreased. The hypotheses are: A correct decision would occur if, in fact, ÃŽ ¼ = 21.6 hours, and the results of the sampling do not lead to rejection of that fact; or if, in fact, ÃŽ ¼ A correct decision would occur if, in fact, ÃŽ ¼ = 21.6 hours, and the results of the sampling do not lead to rejection of that fact; or if, in fact, ÃŽ ¼ A correct decision would occur if, in fact, ÃŽ ¼ = 21.6 hours, and the results of the sampling lead to rejection of the null hypothesis; or if, in fact, ÃŽ ¼ A sample mean, sample size, and population standard deviation are given. Use the one-mean z-test to perform the required hypothesis test about the mean, ÃŽ ¼, of the population from which the sample was drawn. A researcher wishes to estimate the proportion of people within a certain population who are in favor of a national health care system. Obtain a sample size that will ensure a margin of error of at most 0.01 for a 95% confidence interval. A nationwide study of American homeowners revealed that 65% have one or more lawn mowers. A lawn equipment

Career Development Plan Part III Performance and Career Management Essay

Career Development Plan Part III Performance and Career Management week 4 - Essay Example The reason this is a great assessment to use is that it takes into consideration feedback from customers, the individual and their manager. This gives them a well rounded evaluation and carries more than a one sided approach. According to Focal 360 the purpose of the 360 feedback is to give employees confidential and anonymous feedback from the people around them. This allows the individual to understand at every level what they are doing right and what can be improved. This assessment could give employees a baseline of information to work from and they could then develop their own specific goals because of it. From this type of feedback we can develop individual goals that fit the employees needs. This would also encourage managers to work with each individual employee in a way that is without prejudice or judgment to the employee. We will also have to help manage dual career families. According to Human Resource Chapter 1 the employer should add some sort of childcare to the process. At the current time we do not have a budget for this but it could be something that we put in the plans for another time. We will also have to take into consideration that the timing of an advancement for an employee may not be right for their family, so we would want to offer them the advance at another time if they are a duo-career family (Human Resources, Chapter 10, p. 380). This would help us become a more "family friendly" organization. We can have available an audio program online that new hires can listen to who have not had the benefit of the training that we have planned for the group. The consultant has agreed to help us with this situation as an addition piece of the training if we would like it. Another element of training should be the opportunity to go to conferences and tradeshows. Although the company does not have the money to send them perhaps we could look at a reimbursement program for college

Advocating for the Inclusion of a Person Essay Example for Free

Advocating for the Inclusion of a Person Essay Some of the greatest medical advancements in the modern age involve the use of many different types of radiation. Radiation therapy is used in treating multiple different types of cancer, and radiation from certain elements are put in X-ray tubes to save countless lives and prevent permanent injury wherever possible. Many organisations also use it for security, as well as the general use in the everyday home. These advancements and many more were based on the work of Marie Curie, renowned female physics researcher. To make a list of people that changed the world for the better we need a way to separate the great, from the truly amazing. One important factor is that they helped people in their time period, and this is made more impressive if they sacrificed themselves to do this. Their work needs to still be felt today, either directly through their efforts, or from advances that have built on what they started. Finally, if the person has been recognised for other awards then that obviously bolsters their position as they have already proven to others that they are worthy of recognition. To change the world for the better, you must do something that helps people. Curie spent all of her working life developing technologies that were used in medicine, directly helping the people around her. She focused most of her energies on discovering, and then researching the properties of Radium and Polonium1. The properties of these elements, Radium in particular, were used to burn away diseased cells in the body2, which we now know to include cancer. As well as this, she also helped make X-Rays more accessible and discovered further ways in which they could be used. This is demonstrated in the work Curie did with her eldest daughter during WWI, setting up 20 mobile X-ray units3 and teaching people how to operate them, as well as taking their own unit to the Western Front. Throughout the war over 1 million people were X-rayed, helping doctors save lives and prevent people from being permanently maimed. In her later life Curie was the director of the Radium Institute in Paris. She recognised that science had become a more specialised field and organised the laboratory with this in mind. It was a major institute devoted to the study of radium and its properties, but it did so by separating scientists into small groups that focused their energies on a particular aspect of radiology. These efforts increased the rate of new innovations and increased our overall knowledge of radiation’s uses and dangers. It is these dangers that constitute part of her posthumous bid for this title. While not essential to be a person who changed the world for the good, if you put yourself through difficult trials and tribulations society puts your efforts in higher regard, as others are less likely to do so. For example, many people would say that although Bill Gates helped the world with the advent of Microsoft, but for all of his contributions the world values him less because of the wealth he has accumulated. In complete contrast to this, the research Curie did that has helped billions of people over the years since her discoveries ended up killing her. Her death in itself helped people, as she was likely the first person to die from radiation poisoning it became apparent that these elements could be dangerous in high dosages and adequate care must be taken. While it cannot be denied that she won a substantial amount of money from receiving two Nobel prizes as well as other awards she put this back into her research as can be observed through her campaigning to receive funds so she could afford another gram of radium for her research4. During the first World War Marie Curie created a real use for the more reliable and effective X-tubes she had developed. To help fund these 20 lifesaving devices, Curie sold off the gold Nobel prize medals she and her husband won4. After they were sent to the Front it became apparent that the medical staff were not aware of how to fully take advantage of the technology, as it had not yet entered most hospitals. To help relieve this issue, Ms Curie herself joined these X-ray units and travelled the Western Front. She did this on a battlefield in which it is estimated that around 8 million people died on over the course of the war. This put her in the way of much harmful radiation with none of the protection that is offered today, and with less developed X-ray machines that created a greater amount of harmful rays. There had already been mutterings of the harmful effects of exposure to these conditions, so it cannot be claimed she took these risks in ignorance of the dangers. Nevertheless, she continued contributing to the war effort, saving more lives than any brilliant tactical manoeuvre which have attracted far more praise. We still use Curies research today in the treating of many different types of illnesses. It was her initial mothering of Radiation that has meant that these discoveries have been possible in the current timeframe. While it cannot be doubted that if it wasn’t for her we still would have discovered some of these properties, we would potentially be many years behind in the battle against cancer, which would mean hundreds more unnecessary deaths every year. X-rays still form a big part of treatment plans in hospitals worldwide5 with it being the main method to quickly look at a person’s skeletal structure and diagnose broken bones as well as finding foreign objects inside someone. While there are other more accurate methods of finding information about peoples interior, they are more time consuming and often not suited to trauma cases where the line between life and death is mere seconds wide. The research into radiation has also been applied for other more mundane purposes. Some of Marie Curie’s research is used at airports in the X-ray scanners that protect over 100 million people every year6 from potential threats. It has the unique ability of being able to scan through all bags quickly without damaging the contents, revealing everything that could be potentially dangerous. Radiation is also used in high quality smoke detectors and luminous watches. Other uses include the tubes of some older TV’s, without which we may never have invested the resources into developing better, more cost effective means of producing what is today such an essential part of everyday life7. Curie’s life has also taught people about the dangers faced by scientists and how their work can lead to many different types of illnesses. It is because we know this we can now protect ourselves from the possible harmful effects of radiation. Whilst not essential criteria to be added to this list, if other organisations have recognised her contribution for their prizes, then we should take their considerations into account. Because she has qualified for these other awards it adds credibility to the claim that she has changed the world for the better. Throughout her life, Curie received many awards, most notably two Nobel Prizes, in Physics and Chemistry, she was the first to receive two Nobel prizes, and the only woman to have done so to this day. She has also been given the Davy Medal, for a discovery in Chemistry (Discovery of new elements), as well as the Matteucci Medal for making fundamental discoveries in Physics. This means that she has actually done ground-breaking work, creating an entirely new field – the field of Radiology, which today is a significant medical specialty. She has also been given the Elliot Cresson Medal for her discovery of the properties of Radon and applying them to the use of X-rays, m aking them more effective and easier to use, as well as the application of her discoveries to the treatment of cancer. 8 To be included on a list of people that have changed the world for the better is a huge honour. We all like to think that we have made a difference, but to be so committed that you will forgo your own safety takes a special kind of person. Marie Curie demonstrated to the world that she is this person. In addition, her efforts have been felt for many years after her life, and will continue to be appreciated indefinitely. Throughout her life Marie Curie worked tirelessly for the expansion of scientific knowledge in the area of radiation, and found many uses for her discoveries. Her life, and even her death helps mankind to save the lives of thousands of people every day and this is why she should be recognised as having one of the greatest positive impacts on the world to date. References http://www.xrayrisk.com/faq.php#q19 http://www.aip.org/history/curie/contents_text.htm http://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/marie-curie.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Curie http://www.myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=madamecurie http://www.spaceandmotion.com/physics-marie-curie-biography.htm http://www.discoveriesinmedicine.com/To-Z/X-ray-Machine.html#b http://www.bts.gov/press_releases/2009/bts019_09/html/bts019_09.html http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q824.html

The 1848 Revolutions In Europe

The 1848 Revolutions In Europe The fall of Napoleon marked the beginning of a new era for Europe. The people had witnessed 25 years of warfare. Old boundaries had been eliminated or altered. New political and social systems had arisen. New ideas and opinions had spread throughout Europe. The history of Europe after 1815 is therefore characterised by a struggle between revolutionary and reactionary forces. The struggle would, however, not be conducted merely in the political arena. A new economic factor was evolving in European life, namely the Industrial Revolution. Europe would therefore move in new directions, unheard of only a century earlier. European Society in 1815 Despite their widespread acceptance amongst certain sectors of the European population, the ideals of the French Revolution and the political settlements dictated on greater Europe by Napoleon Bonaparte could not entirely eradicate the institutions of the Old Order. The monarchies were far more deeply rooted for that. Indeed, after Napoleons final defeat, the people of Europe were weary of warfare and tended to look upon the monarchy as a symbol of unity and peace. The reactionary monarchies tended, therefore, to retain the support of the Church, the nobility and the great land-owners. In France the Revolution had attacked the Church quite as much as it had done the royal houses and the nobility. The fall of Napoleon tended, therefore, to be regarded as a victory for the Catholic Church. Because the Church was one of the more powerful forces in restraining the powers of the Revolution, it was natural that every effort would be made after 1815 to restore the Church to its traditional position. The Church therefore became a rallying point for reaction and the forces of continuity. In 1815 Europe generally was merely on the verge of the Industrial Revolution. Land therefore remained the chief source of wealth. As a result, landowners continued to be one of the paramount figures in determining social status and political power. On the other hand, because of the nationalisation of land belonging to both Church and aristocracy, a new landowning class had come into existence. This was particularly so in France. In essence, however, although differing considerably from the older order of landowner, the new class modelled itself on the old and remained extremely conservative. The widespread longing for peace created the atmosphere in which reactionary governments were able to introduce repressive measures against the revolutionary forces. Britain, for instance, (arguably the most liberal of states) brought in measures suspending individual rights and freedoms, prohibiting public gatherings and introducing press censorship. Similar proclamations were issued in France and Germany in 1819. Suppression by military force, use of secret police, control of universities and press censorship became the order of the day throughout Europe. The process of urbanisation had already long started in Europe. With the sudden evolution of the Industrial Age, however, a new industrial proletariat was suddenly created, totally different to the conservative agricultural community. These were people who had an axe to grind because often they had been rendered unemployed by that very revolution. They would therefore be ready followers of any radical political philosopher which promised them better conditions. There was also the new and steadily growing class of industrial bourgeoisie who were using their wealth and power to press for the abolition of obsolete laws and demanding greater political recognition. The New Political Philosophies New political philosophies were taking root during this period: Liberalism, Democracy, Socialism, Communism, Nationalism. One must also be careful not to confuse the liberalism of 1815 with democracy. Liberalism was the political system advocated by the wealthy financiers, merchants and industrialists who formed the backbone of the bourgeoisie. The movement aimed at breaking the political monopoly of the landed nobility. Liberal thinkers urged that birth was not the criterion of political power. Power had rather to depend on land-ownership, intelligence and education. The liberals were certainly not in favour of universal franchise. They did, however, believe in a free economy (laissez faire). To achieve this, they advocated limiting the activities of the state, especially in the economic field. Democrats, on the other hand, believed that political equality was a basic principle. Universal franchise was the basis for this political equality. The democrats therefore tended to be the political rallying ground of the lower classes, especially the petit bourgeoisie. As such they were feared by conservatives and liberals alike. Socialism at the beginning of the 19th century derived its inspiration from Rousseau and the ideals of the French Revolution. While the liberals stressed liberty and the democrats equality, the socialists stressed fraternity. As a result, socialists tended to be regarded as anti-national in character. The socialists were mainly interested in problems of poverty and social inequality which they blamed on the capitalist system of private ownership and production. Since socialism aimed at overthrowing the existing order, it threatened the liberals, the democrats and the conservatives. The nationalism of 1815 must not be confused with the nationalism of the 20th and 21st century. First, it was less militant than modern nationalism. It tended to focus on loyalty to the king rather than on loyalty to the state. It was also more cultural than political. Nevertheless, the Napoleonic Wars had given nationalism a new turn. The French armies had been national rather than mercenary. Napoleon had therefore given his people the desire for national prestige. His conquests in Europe, on the other hand, fostered a national desire amongst the conquered nations to resist. Nationalism, rather than any other political philosophy, would in fact become one of the greatest threats to the European state system after 1815. Why were there so many Revolutions in 1848? Introduction The revolutions of 1848 were the most widespread in the history of Europe. They directly affected France, Germany, Prussia, the Austrian Empire (F-G A P), various Italian states, Moldavia and Wallacia. They also indirectly affected Switzerland, Denmark, England, Spain and Belgium. Of all the European states, only Russia was unaffected. Two aspects draw our attention. First, the immediate course of the revolutions where the drawing up of democratic constitutions was the order of the day. Second, the fact that by 1850 all the revolutions had collapsed into nothing and hard-nosed reaction appeared to triumph. To understand both these aspects, one needs to understand the forces underlying both the revolutions and militating against them. Conditions Underlying the Revolutions The conditions which triggered the 1830 uprising were still there in 1848 but were more widespread. Liberalism and nationalism were growing apace. Yet two new forces were fermenting just then, namely socialism and communism. Each of these forces, when harnessed and working with the others, would serve to drive the old order into retreat. But, if and when they pulled against each other, the old order could come back with full force and in alliance with one or other of these very forces to suppress the rest. The Radicals (from the Latin radix meaning root) desired to cut things to the root. They desired a complete reconstruction of the laws, law-courts, prisons, poor relief, municipal organisation and state constitution. On the continent the majority of the radicals were republicans who were generally drawn from the class of intelligentsia such as students, writers, university professors and lawyers. On the fringe were the socialists who saw the existing economic system as aimless, chaotic and unjust because too much economic power was in the hands of the capitalists. They generally believed in the right to be employed and wanted the nationalisation of essential institutions like banks, factories, the land and transportation. On the far fringe were the communists. These were a group of Germans who coined the name communism for their movement during the 1840s. The name was then adopted in 1848 by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels to differentiate their beliefs from general socialism. A glance at the society of the day would indicate that there were factions within it, each wanting its own particular goal. Each would initially enter into alliance with the other to gain a concerted drive towards its objective. But, when it was seen that the other was either going too far or not far enough, then the alliances would break and new alliances would be forged. At the top end of the political/class structure was the government itself which was distrustful of any movement which might seek to destabilise Europe and bring about the chaos of 1789. Below the government were the aristocrats and landed gentry who were also essentially conservative (reactionary). They feared the philosophy of the masses because it could mean that they would lose everything as the result of a successful revolution. Then there were the wealthy merchants and industrialists (bourgeoisie). They were intent on a transfer of power from the aristocracy to themselves. Their desire was for a constitutional monarchy which would favour them in some form of a qualified franchise. Below the bourgeoisie were the petit bourgeoisie. Most vociferous here were the lawyers who desired greater equality before the law which would benefit their own businesses. They therefore formed the backbone of the democratic movement. The poorer bourgeoisie were generally democratic, wanting the franchise to be extended at least as far as themselves as a guarantee of liberty and equality. The academics at the universities, especially those in Germany, also desired constitutional reforms to bring about equality and justice for all. It had to be done, however, in an orderly and civilized fashion and not in such chaos as had happened in France in 1789. The university students (revolting at the best of times!) they owned nothing and had little to lose by revolution, they tended to favour forms of socialism. The urban artisans were at the forefront of the economic suffering. It was they who stood to lose most by the industrial revolution. They were therefore the most radical group in the revolutionary climate, producing most of the socialists and communists. The proletariat had little to lose but much to gain from socialist revolts. They had little loyalty or sympathy either for the aristocracy or the monarchy. It was from this group that the convinced republicans would emanate. The country peasants, on the other hand, desired little more than freedom of movement and freedom from serfdom. They were essentially conservative, deeply religious (superstitious), loyal to their aristocratic overlords and fearful of revolutionary excesses. At the bottom of the pile were the growing numbers of poor and unemployed. They had little to lose by revolution but everything to gain. They would therefore rally behind any leader who promised them security of employment. The religious pull was always very strong. Although many of the lawyers, university students and proletariat claimed that religion was merely the opiate of the masses, most of the population were still bound by the dictates of the Church. The Church in turn preached order, submission to authority and an afterlife where true freedom would be attained. Although the masses might temporarily be caught up in anti-religious hysteria and rioting, their loyalty to the cause could not be sustained. Economic conditions were critical. With the absence of trade-unionism, most workers were prepared to accept their lot in life as long as the economic climate was favourable. An economic depression, on the other hand, produced escalating unemployment and job insecurity. Economic Conditions The period from 1815 to 1848 was marked by significant economic fluctuations. Initially (1815-1818) there was a post-Napoleonic War depression in which the economies of all countries except France went into recession. The early 1820s saw an upswing in economic fortunes but another recession accompanied the 1830 revolutions. Although the 1830s were generally prosperous years, a major recession descended on Europe during the 1840s. The industrialisation was making significant inroads into the European states, especially France and Germany. It was accompanied, however, with gross exploitation and increasing unemployment. Urbanisation was therefore on the increase and the cities became centres for the unemployed masses. Poverty led to destitution, with an accompanying increase in the crime-rate. The ruling classes and the elite bourgeoisie appeared indifferent to the plight of the people. Any political philosophy which promised change would therefore be supported by the masses. The recession of the 1840s was also accompanied by a major crop failure. The potato crop throughout Europe was destroyed by blight in 1845. This was followed by a bad harvest of cereals, leading to inflated prices and a drop in spending power. Conditions became progressively worse in 1846 and 1847. It is estimated that about one-fifth of the population of Paris was unemployed in February 1848 when the revolution occurred. Circumstances in Germany were similar. There was also general disillusionment over the political conditions throughout Europe. The defeat of Napoleon in 1815 had been heralded as the triumph of reason and stability. The governments which were thereupon installed promised constitutions to their people but by the 1840s the constitutions were either not forthcoming or the rulers had regressed into new forms of oppression. A person born in 1815 would be over 30 years of age by 1848 which meant that the young people knew nothing of the hardships of the Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic campaigns. On the contrary, the stories had now become legends of a glorious and romantic past, in contrast to which the contemporary rulers were not only oppressive but boringà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  as well. Pupils of year 9 are requested to please be prepared for the History test based on these notes (pages 1 à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 6 only) and explanations in the class. The test will be held on Monday 27th July, 2009. Why did the Revolutions of 1848 fail? Revolutionary Outbreak When the revolutions did break out in 1848, however, they were entirely spontaneous with no organisation whatever. The revolt in Paris erupted by the banning of the Reform Banquet. Revolts then spread rapidly the length and breadth of Europe: 22 February in Paris, 12 March in Vienna, 17 March in Berlin, thereafter in Rome, Venice and Milan that same month. There was no unity of purpose or in planning. The very rapidity appeared to take the governments by surprise. The fact that the revolts were so sudden and so widespread meant that the governments were caught napping. They lacked policy rather than the power to suppress them. In all cases, the armies remained intact but were not initially used simply because the governments needed time to review the situation. Tensions between Protagonists This very lack of planning and unity of purpose would also serve to tear the revolutions apart. The wealthier bourgeoisie wished to see an end to state interference in the economy so that a policy of laissez faire could operate. The socialists, on the other hand. wanted to see a new constitution which would allow more state interference in the economy so as to bring about an equal distribution of wealth and opportunities. The small communist element wanted to see the end of the state altogether and the introduction of the dictatorship of the proletariat so as to prevent both the aristocrats and the bourgeoisie from ever being able to seize power again. Each of these three groups feared the other. The bourgeoisie desire social order as the pre-requisite for economic growth but saw the socialists and communists as destroyers of that social order. The socialists wanted a new social order that would destroy capitalist monopolies but believed that the new order could be brought about through reform of the existing state. The communists believed that the existing state could not be reformed at all but could only be overthrown. Added to this were the disagreements over the question of the nationalities. A feature of Europe of the 1840s was the lack of national states. The Habsburg Empire consisted of Germans, Magyars, Czechs, Slavs, Italians and other assorted peoples. Prussia consisted of Germans, Poles and Slavs. Italy was a miscellany of small states with no cohesion. Nationalists within these states wanted not only new constitutions but also the creation of national states. If they were to have their own way, the existing states of Europe would be carved up. Italy, for example, could only be united into a nation state if Lombardy and Venetia were taken from Austria. Hungary could only become a nation state if the Habsburg Empire was destroyed. The Poles could have had a national state only if both Prussia and Russia were destroyed. Germany could become a nation state only through the destruction of the Habsburg (Austrian) Empire and the incorporation of parts of Prussia. At the same time, those very nationalists could not agree with one another. Magyar nationalists wanted a Magyar state of Hungary which would incorporate the other minority groups and thereby suppress their nationalist ideals. German nationalists wanted the incorporation of the whole of Prussia which would deny national rights to the Poles. Communist groups, on the other hand, had no desire for any nation states at all but believed that the proletariat of all nations must be united. They were therefore advocating the creation of a stateless society. The disunity of objectives then allowed the armies, which had not been overthrown, to intervene and suppress the revolutions. The Habsburg Empire, first to respond, used nationalistic squabbles as the pretext to suppress the entire movement. The Prussian King then gained courage and used the insurmountable political confrontations to pull the rug from under the revolutionaries feet. In Italy there was no agreement as to whether the new national state would be formed under the Pope, under the King of Sardinia or would be a simple republic. In the end the nation state wasnt formed at all. In France the revolt was essentially a Parisian affair, dominated by the socialists. Discord in the ranks of the revolutionaries, however, allowed Louis Napoleon to seize control and impose yet another dictatorship and empire. The New Philosophies The 1848 revolutions, though so wide-spread, had little of lasting value to show. Only a handful of countries gained constitutions. France had adopted universal franchise but it was not a lasting democracy because Louis Napoleon quickly established a popular dictatorship. In Prussia, Germany, Austria and Italy the pre-1848 conditions were soon restored. For Germany particularly this was a tragedy. It meant that a future German Empire would be created not on the foundations of liberalism and democracy but on Prussian militarism. Prussia would soon embark upon major expansion, using her military might to defeat both Austria and France. That in turn would set imperialism in motion which would ultimately end in the Great War (1914-1918), the 2nd World War (1939-1945) and finally the Cold War (1945-1990). As in France in 1789, the real winners in 1848 were the peasants. They were emancipated in most countries except Russia and would maintain their liberty even after the collapse on the revolts. Yet the peasants were essentially conservative and, having gained freedom, would become another element in the support of the reactionary governments. The failure of the revolutions led to the evolution of new attitudes throughout Europe. Romanticism, the backbone of revolutionary idealism, had failed and was now discredited. After more than half a century of struggle, the ideals of liberalism and nationalism seemed to be no closer than before. The governments felt more secure and could afford to be reactionary. The economic depression of the 1840s eased (it was ironically already easing in 1848 when the first revolts took place) and ushered in a period of relative prosperity. Realism A new philosophy therefore came to dominate Europe which based itself on realism rather than romanticism. The Age of Realism had therefore been born. It was similar to the Age of the Enlightenment but encompassed a far greater spread of the population. The emphasis in Realism was on science, not only for understanding nature, as in the Age of the Enlightenment, but to understand humankind itself. It therefore gave rise to two new sciences: psychology and sociology. Religion also came under renewed attack because of its unscientific nature. Indeed, the radicals went as far as to claim that religion was the invention of the aristocrats and bourgeoisie for the sole purpose of keeping the proletariat subservient. Religion, Karl Marx would say, was simply the opiate of the masses. Politically, the failed revolutions ushered in the politics of realism, known generally by its German term realpolitik. For the people, this meant giving up utopian dreams and relying on the hard work of honest governments. For the governments it meant giving up ideologies and working pragmatically for the best interests of the state, without scruples and without natural alliances. War now became a natural means to gain objectives. War was neither glorious nor romantic. It was not an end in itself but it was certainly a useful tool in the hands of the statesman. (The Prussian statesman, Otto von Bismarck, was a convinced advocate of realpolitik, as is seen in his policies.) Rise of Communism Another philosophy also began to grow as a result of the failed 1848 Revolutions. It became known as Marxism. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels both worked in England but became caught up in the radical Communist League in 1844. During the revolutions in Germany the Communist League became a vociferous voice working for radical ideals. It was for this group that Marx and Engels wrote their Communist Manifesto (published in January 1848) as a guiding document for their future action. But there was still no philosophy of Marxism which would only become a major force in the 1870s after the publication of Das Kapital in 1867. The foundation of Marxist ideology was the French Revolution of 1789 which Karl Marx believed (a) had been successful and (b) had been a revolution of the bourgeoisie. He believed therefore that, if the bourgeoisie could attain success in a revolution, then the proletariat could do the same. Marx also believed that the French Revolution had left unfulfilled promises. It had promised liberty, equality and fraternity for the masses. It had, however, only provided these for the bourgeoisie. The proletariat had therefore been left in a condition of exploitation. Marx saw in the failed 1848 revolutions a major source of concern. First, the revolutionaries had worked with no real objective. Second, much of the concern had been over the creation of national states. Both Marx and Engels believed therefore that the great revolution of the proletariat had to be systematically worked for, with clear guidelines of action. Nationalism could have no place in this revolution. Instead, all workers in all countries had to be united in the common goal of overthrowing the dictatorship of the bourgeoisie. Hence their battle-cry: Workingmen of all countries, unite! All things are in a state of movement and evolution. All change comes through a clash of antagonistic elements. Every event therefore happens in a sequence and never due to accident. History cannot therefore happen in any way different from the way it has happened. Ideas, claimed Marx, could not change society but ideas stemmed from altering material conditions. These economic conditions determine such things as religion, law, government philosophy, etc. According to Marxist philosophy, therefore, historical development evolved in the following pattern. Material conditions gave rise to economic classes. Agrarian conditions gave rise to feudalism and mercantilist conditions gave rise to capitalism. Each class then develops an ideology suited to its needs. Class conflict is then inevitable and happened in France in 1789. But, as the bourgeoisie developed as a class, the antithesis became inevitable: the development of an antagonistic proletariat. The more a country becomes capitalist, the more it becomes proletarian. Ultimately capitalism leads to monopolies whereby capitalists eat each other. The conflict that then ensues leaves the field clear for the revolution of the proletariat. Such a revolution is inevitable. Moreover, it will eventually lead to a classless society. But there is always the danger of a counter-revolution in which the bourgeoisie regain control. To prevent that, the proletariat need to establish an interim dictatorship of the proletariat. Ultimately, however, the state would simply disappear as it would no longer be necessary except as an organisational or facilitating vehicle. The great revolution nevertheless had to be planned and fought for. The natural antagonism between the capitalists and worker had to be fostered. It was a war, said Marx, and there could be no negotiations and compromises. Capitalism could not be reformed; it could only be overthrown. The problem, as far as Europe was concerned, was that the workers were not united. They were also not prepared to sink their all into a continual class war. Indeed, many of the workers were fundamentally conservative. More dangerous was the fact that religion still played a major factor. Another major problem, said Marx, was the fact that the decades after 1848 were generally prosperous ones during which worker salaries had been gradually raised. As a result, the worker failed to see the government as the enemy which was to be overthrown at all costs. The aim of the dedicated communist was therefore to remind the worker continually of his fundamental loyalties: to work incessantly to bring about the revolution of the proletariat. It is probable that Marxism would have died a natural death had it not been for the great catastrophe of international war in 1914. The economic structure was creating a more prosperous working class which would naturally have killed off communism. The Great War would change all that. The war would bring about two periods of major depression, the first from 1918 to 1923 and the second from 1929 to 1935. Furthermore, Russia collapsed during the war, allowing the radicals to take control. From Russia, then, the idea of exporting communism as a means of destabilising the international community saw Marxism become a potent threat of the 20th century. But thats another story.

The Indian Tourism Industry Tourism Essay

The Indian Tourism Industry Tourism Essay Atithi Devo Bhava means Guest is God. In India guest is treated as God. Max Muller stated that If we were to look the whole world to find out the country most richly endowed with all the wealth, power, and beauty which nature can bestow- in some parts a veritable paradise on Earth- I should point to India. If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts I should point to India. Tourism is at a rising industry in India. Tourism is considered as major foreign earnings for Indian nation. India as an ancient cultural cradle of the world is considered as exotic tourist destination. It has fascinating tourist destinations like the Taj Mahal, The Khajuraho temples, The marble mountains, The Gateway of India, The Red fort and The Qutub Minar, The Ajmer Palace, The Bharatpur, Bird Sanctuary, The city of Canals and many moreThe foreign tourist longs for a tryst with India and loves to visit each and every corner of this vast country. Tourism is the largest service industry in India, with a contribution of 6.23% to the national GDP and 8.78% of the total employment in India. India witnesses more than 5 million annual foreign tourist arrivals and 562 million domestic tourism visits. The tourism industry in India generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5 billion by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate. The Ministry of Tourism is th e nodal agency for the development and promotion of tourism in India and maintains the Incredible India campaign. According to World Travel and Tourism Council, India will be a tourism hotspot from 2009-2018, having the highest 10-year growth potential. The Travel Tourism Competitiveness Report 2007 ranked tourism in India 6th in terms of price competitiveness and 39th in terms of safety and security. Despite short- and medium-term setbacks, such as shortage of hotel rooms, tourism revenues are expected to surge by 42% from 2007 to 2017. India has a growing medical tourism sector. The 2010 Common wealth Games in Delhi are expected to significantly boost tourism in India. (wikipedia ). Major Sub-categories The tourism industry has two major aspects: i. Tourism: Tourism includes various types, like medical tourism, health tourism, spiritual tourism and rural tourism, adventurous tourism.. ii. Travel: The travel segment includes various tour operators and other travel agencies. India Tourism Industrys Role in the World Economy Indian tourism industry contributes to around 5.9 percent of the countrys GDP and it provides employment to around 41.8 million of inhabitants. Indias tourism industry is calculated both in terms of business and vacations. The number of foreign tourists arriving from all over the world rose from 0.37 percent to 0.53 percent as has been stated by UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in the year 2006. Indian tourism exchange earnings are approxiamtely $1.5 billion and account of 0.5 percent of the total tourism traffic of the world. Central India, The North Eastern states, Calcutta, Mumbai, New Delhi, Khajuraho, and Goa are the most popular tourist destinations. Rajasthan is paradise for the foreigners and this state provides a wide range of cultural and ethnic diversities to the visitors. Major global players Emerging Trends of Indian Tourism Industry à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In an effort to boost the confidence of visitors and tourists after the Mumbai attacks, the Union Ministry of Tourism, India is launching a new scheme Visit India 2009 offering various incentives to foreign tourists and tourism industry. These value addition services will be offered to tourists visiting the country during the period April 2009 March 2010. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The Department of Tourism also has plans to organize road shows in countries like Singapore, Canada, UK, Japan and Australia, in joint venture with the IATO. The ongoing year will see a rise in the advertisements and marketing through trade fairs and exhibitions to draw the attention of foreign tourists from across the world. Moreover, there are possibilities of constructing helipads in various places to introduce the helicopter services for the tourists. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The real GDP growth for travel and tourism economy is expected to grow at an average of 7.7 per cent per annum in 2010. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Earning through exports from international visitors and tourism goods are expected to generate 6.0 per cent of total exports (nearly $16.9 billion) in 2009 and expected to increase to US$ 51.4 billion in 2019. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ According to the Ministry of Tourism, Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) for the period from January to March in 2009 was 1.461 million. For the month of March 2009 the Foreign Tourist Arrivals was 472000.The reason for the decline is attributed to the ongoing economic crisis. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In spite of the short term and medium term impediment due to the global meltdown the revenues from tourism is expected to increase by 42 per cent from 2007 to 2017

Energy Efficient Housing Essay -- essays research papers

Energy Efficient Building   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Windows   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Energy efficient windows have multiple layers of glass. The reason for this is because the more layers of glass you have the better it insulates the house. Three or four layers of glass are one of the best because you have more airspace in between layers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A smaller airspace doesn't insulate the building as well as a thicker airspace would. The thickest an airspace should be is 1 inch because any thicker than that will cause the glass of the window to no longer insulate the building.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The air in between the layers of glass should be thick and dense, so that it can save energy. One of the most common airs used in-between glass is argon. When argon is used heat loss is reduced. You could also use carbon dioxide or sulfur hexa-fluoride between glass.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another type of window that is used commonly to keep the home cool is tinted glass. Tinted glass and tinted window films are used on buildings to reduce heat gain through windows. Advancements in tinted glass have now allowed us to make the glass appear just as a regular window that you can see through. The tinted glass solution is also used in many vehicles and private rooms for privacy and to keep them cool in the summer to save on energy costs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When choosing a proper type of window frame, fiber glass is the number one choice. Fiberglass is the strongest material to use for the job and it also involves a smaller amount of maintenance compared to vinyl or wood.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Glazes on windows are one of the newest methods for energy efficient windows. Glazing is a way of changed the glass so that the light reflects off the window or absorbs the light and brings it into the building. Photo-chromic is the best product for glazing, as it can be switched so that it both reflects the light and absorbs it. Photo-chromic is a product called a switchable glazing. All switchable glazing products are useful for reducing cooling loads and for minimizing the shine off the sun from coming in the house. It would be most useful is Saskatchewan because it brings heat into the house for the winter, ... ...also save energy by using motion censoring for doors and sinks. The dining rooms and foyers should have dim-able light switches. Another way to save a lot of energy is to make a master switch at the front door that turns off all lights. That way you never leave a light on when you aren't at home. You should use natural gas cook tops and ovens to cut down on electricity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wind Turbines   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wind turbines can be very useful in bringing energy into your home. They are especially useful when solar panels aren't working. They take the wind speed from oceans, lakes, dugouts, or rivers and turn it into energy. To use the wind turbines most efficiently you should set up a wind power system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Energy Efficient Motors   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Energy efficient motors use more copper and iron than regular motors. They also consume less energy than regular motors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

The Renaissance :: essays research papers

The Renaissance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The literal meaning of the word Renaissance is â€Å"rebirth.† This idea of rebirth definitely applies to the music of this period. The Renaissance followed the Middle Ages and spanned from 1400 to 1600. A central characteristic was the rebirth of humanism, which is a way of looking at our world, emphasizing the importance of human beings, their nature, and their place in the universe. One main purpose of the humanistic view was to educate pupils to be the â€Å"ideal gentleman† or â€Å"universal man† that was reminiscent of the Greco-Roman ideal.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the Renaissance vocal music was more important than instrumental music, and composers during that period wrote music to enhance the meaning and emotion of the text. (Source: www.thinkquest.org) Renaissance composers often used word painting, a musical representation of specific human emotions. Word painting was used in the madrigal, which is a piece that matches the word of the song with a musical setting. For example if the text had words like â€Å"rising,† â€Å"flying,† or â€Å"soaring† then the music would be fast upward scales. (Source: Jeremy Yudkin â€Å"Understanding Music†) The most famous composer that wrote such madrigals was Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Palestrina, according to most Renaissance scholars, was a master composer. He started out in 1554 performing Masses and sang in the Cappella Sistina. (Source: w3.rz-berlin.mpg) He was so famous that he was actually asked to rewrite the church’s main plainchant books, but had to follow the Council of Trent’s guidelines. His most famous Mass, Missa Papae Marcelli, was in fact in line with the Counter Reformation, which he always was. His conservative attitude towards making the Catholic polyphonic music helped composers down the line to create new music for the church. Even though the polyphonic texts invaded the church, most of the Ordinary of the Mass, which is the Kyrie eleison, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Andus Dei stayed mostly in plainchant for at least some parts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Protestant Reformation actually helped the Catholic Church come to let the Mass become more active with polyphonic hymns. The musical boundaries were expanded because the invention of printing which led to a larger circulation of text. Even though the church grew towards easier hymns music still gradually move to a secular way of creating music. The whole Protestant Reformation started because the king of England and Martin Luther, the king wanted to divorce his first wife and the pope would not recognize this break of the marriage vow.

Benito Mussolinis Rise and Fall to Power :: World War II History

Benito Mussolini's Rise and Fall to Power Benito Mussolini had a large impact on World War II. He wasn't always a powerful dictator though. At first he was a school teacher and a socialist journalist. He later married Rachele Guide and had 5 children. He was the editor of the Avanti, which was a socialist party newspaper in Milan. Benito Mussolini founded the Fasci di Combattimento on March of 1919. "This was a nationalistic, anti liberal, and anti socialist movement. This movement attracted mainly the lower middle class."1 Fascism was spreading across Europe. Mussolini was winning sympathy from King Victor Emmanuel III. Mussolini then threatened to march on Rome. This persuaded King Victor Emmanuel III to invite Mussolini to join a coalition, which strongly helped him gain more power. Benito Mussolini brought Austria on Germany's side by a formal alliance. "In 1937, he accepted a German alliance. The name of this alliance was the Anti Comntern Pact. On April 13, 1937 Benito Mussolini annexed Albania. He then told the British ambassador that not even the bribe of France and North Africa would keep him neutral."2 The British ambassador was appalled and dismayed. On May 28, 1937, Mussolini strongly gave thought to declaring war. He then attacked the Riviera across the Maritime. "On September 13, 1937 he opened an offensive into British-garrisoned Egypt from Libya."3 On October 4, 1937, while the offensive still seemed to promise success, Benito Mussolini met Adolf Hitler at the Brenner Pass, on their joint frontier. "The two of them discussed how the war in the Mediterranean, Britain's principal foothold outside its island base, might be turned to her decisive disadvantage. Hitler suggested to Mussolini that Spain might be coaxed on the axis side, thus giving Germany free use of the British Rock of Gibraltar, by offering Franco part of French North Africa, and that France might be persuaded to accept that concession by compensation with parts of British West Africa".4 Mussolini seemed enthusiastic and very understandable why this was the case, since this scheme included the gaining of Tunis, Corsica, and Nice (annexed by Napoleon III in 1860) from France. Hitler then hurried home to his house in Berlin to arrange visits to Franco and Petan. "Back in the capital Hitler created a letter to Stalin inviting Molotov, the Soviet Foreign Minister, to visit early, when Germany and the U.S.S.R. might then agree among themselves how to profit from Britain not having a defense.

Analyses of Little Red Cap Story

Almost the whole story takes place somewhere in a village surrounded by dense forests. Story is set rather in the past time, but as I see it, it’s imaginative which makes it impossible to decide really when this actually occurred. Nature is well described and there are even some good detail descriptions. For instance; â€Å"†¦. sunbeams dancing here and there through the trees†, which made the best impression on me. Description of the nature was undeniably very important. Mainly because I think that by describing the nature well, the writer wanted to scare kids away from lonely forests. Little Red-cap can be described as a young, innocent girl that is going trough a period of time, where everything seems right. She seems to be well nurtured, which is shown in the text when she accepts her moms favor. In the same time she makes some bad decisions (ex. letting the wolf know everything) which shows her obvious immaturity. She is loved by everyone. The relationship between her and the grandmother are maybe strongest one of them all. If she really develops at the end the story is hard to say. It is true that she says in the very last lines of the text that she will from now on listen better to her mother. However, story ends with little Red-cap saying this, so what she actually does afterwards remain unknown. Symbols can be seen from different perspectives. According to me Little red-cap represents a immature human being, with proper behavior but also with a lack of knowledge. Unable to see evil herself, she opens herself up, and gives information to others, not thinking about the possible consequences. Wolf is the â€Å"unseen† evil, that represents trouble for the human being. The huntsman represents help. He is mature and he is aware of evilness. In a way he could be seen as God. He is giving the human being a second chance. Although the wolf caused trouble for the human being, in a way he helped her. Without him and his acts, the human being would perhaps still make same mistakes, which is, not listening to elders. The language used in the story is a bit odd and old. The writer used words like whither, craftily, nosegay, thou, thee. I didn’t found it hard to read, but I believe that the story could be a bit more interesting if the writer used more modern and frequent words and phrases. The good thing about the text is that it was both narrative and had some dialogues in it. It is more interesting that way. The story is not exactly emotional, neither is the used language. This however doesn’t stop it from being a good version of Little Red Ridding Hood. When I read this fairy tale I didn’t felt anything, simply because of the fact that it is a fairy tale. In the mean time it made me think about my childhood and the days when I was sitting in front of TV for hours, watching Little Red Ridding Hood. I remember it was one of my absolute favorite fairy tales. It felt nice to rewind that time. Right now, I don’t really have much to say about it. I personally haven’t learnt anything about life by reading this fairy tale now, but I know that it changed my thinking when I read it and saw it on TV as a child. Little Red RiddingHood is a great fairy tale for kids because in the same time as it entertains it is informing kids to be more careful with the strangers. Not only that, it also conveys a message that if you don’t want to get in trouble, then you should listen to elders and be more obedient.

Physics Projectile Motion

Name:Lab Group 4 Date:10/26/2011 Partners: Kayla Stephens, Robin Poole, Megan McIlvoy Grade: Instructor: JPS Name:Lab Group 4 Date:10/26/2011 Partners: Kayla Stephens, Robin Poole, Megan McIlvoy Grade: Instructor: JPS Physics I Laboratory Worksheet Lab 4: Projectile Motion Objectives: Using a projectile gun on an incline plane, calculate the velocity of the steel ball at ten different distances, then find the average velocity. In order to find the velocity of the steel ball two different equations are needed. In order to find the velocity of the steel ball fired from the projectile gun on an inclined plane, the first equation must be manipulated and substituted into the second equation. Then use the average velocity to determine the distance of a projectile being released at a different angle. Physics Principles: * Converting from centimeters to meters * Trigonometric functions * Quadratic formula:x=-b ±b2-4ac2a * Know how to get the derived formula: Materials Needed: * Projectile gun * Projectile * Incline paper * Carbon paper * 4 sheets of regular printing paper * Tape Measure * Calculator * Pen * Notebook paper Pre-Lab exercise: Using the two formulas solve forv0. Equation 1: x= v0xt(vox=v0cos? ) x=v0cos? (t) t=xv0cos? Equation 2: y= y0+v0yt-12gt2(v0y=v0sin? ) y= y0+v0sin? xv0cos? -12gxv0cos? 2 y= y0+xsin? cos? -12gx2v02cos2? Procedure: 1. Tape 4 sheets of carbon paper together portrait style, end to end. Tape 4 sheets of printing paper using the same portrait style. Then tape 4 sheets of regular printing paper behind the carbon paper. Make sure to adjust the bottom edge of the taped sheets so that the bottom touches the ground. 2. Next, assemble the projectile gun with the incline plane. The angle of the incline plane was placed at 35 degrees and make sure the wing is secure so that it will not slip. 3. Test fire the projectile gun and record the distance in centimeters using the tape measure. This distance is used to determine how far the gun shoots the steel ball and will be used in the actual experiment. 4. Aim the projectile gun at the carbon paper, make sure you measure the distance from the steel ball to the ground. Fire the projectile gun at the paper and write down the number 1 next to the point where the ball hit. 5. After the first shot you can move the projectile gun backwards or forwards, depending on your decision. Fire the projectile gun and write down the number 2 for the second point. Repeat this step 8 more times and record the results on a table. 6. After all ten trials have been completed take down the printing paper sheet and measure how far between from where the bottom was to each point of contact made with the projectile gun. 7. Use the equation v0=12gx2cos2? [xtan? -y-y0] on each trial to find the velocity. Then find the average velocity for all ten trials. Carbon Paper Carbon Paper Projectile Gun Projectile Gun Results Results Conclusion: For Part I,

Developmental Stages Matrix Essay

Due to the fact that the nervous system is not yet fully developed at this stage, a lot of the actions performed during this stage can be involuntary or just abrupt and spontaneous. Vision is undeveloped at ages 1 month to 5 months. Typically they are able to see just roughly 10 inches out. Once they reach 6 months old, their vision should be at full capacity, Initially, all actions are involuntary. Their arm may go up, but they are unsure as to how it got there, or why did it just hit them in their face. Suckling is another involuntary movement that is simply in their nature to do. Slowly they begin understanding that they control these movements. They are then able to figure out what they want and how to get what they want. Learning to trust the primary caregiver. Believing they will continue to feed them, change them, play with them, comfort them etc. Their primary form of communication is crying or cooing. When they need something they will cry to indicate a current need is not b eing met. Typically a coo would indicate all is well and they are content. Early Childhood During infancy, the body is very disproportionate. During the transition into early childhood, the body starts to transform in to what seems to appear as a mini adult form. The baby fat begins to go away, they gain a longer neck, and the round belly shrinks. During this stage they grow approx.. 2-3 inches per year. Brain development continues during early childhood. Children learn rapidly and brain changes enable more reflective coordinated thought and memory (Stassen Berger, 2010). Children learn when and how to express emotion. Emotional regulation influenced by brain maturation. Social guidance gradually increases from age 2-6. Children teach one another to be kind and loyal and how to control aggressive impulses (Stassen Berger, 2010) Middle and Late Childhood Growth slows down and muscle develops and health is usually good. Many children age 7 to 11 eat too much and exercise too little and become obese and overweight as a result (Stassen Berger, 2010). School age children have active minds and can learn almost anything. Reaction time increase. The brain becomes more selective in attention. Children are more efficient in memory (Stassen Berger, 2010). There are important transitions that happen during middle and late childhood that grow during adolescence. At the stage of middle and late childhood, children still relate to their families. Their parents have a strong influence regarding their decisions and actions. However, friendships are starting to grow and become more and more important. Friendships are developed based on â€Å"convenience†. However, similar interests are starting to become an important factor in making friends. Friends have not yet become an influence in behavior. The urge to be independent hasn’t taken p lace yet. Adolescence Puberty takes places during adolescence. Each step involved with puberty happens at different ages. A non-physical change associated with puberty is the release of hormones. One of the hormones is the sex hormone. This causes a heighten desire for sexual activity. Physically, females go through changes such as the growth of their breast, the beginning of their menstrual cycle, and a growth spurt. Males go through a growth spurt, enlargement of the testicles and penis, and their first ejaculation. The adolescent brain develops at different times. The portion of the brain associated with emotions develops first. This explains why teenagers show a range of emotions are easily made upset. During the later adolescent years the brain develops the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with making healthier decisions and planning ahead (Berger 2010). Because of the delay of in brain development, teenagers do not think of the consequences of their actions. It is also during this stage that teenagers develop a sense of self, identity. During adolescence teenagers search for independence. Although they are not old enough to support themselves and make their own decisions, they try to find small ways to experience independence. Teenagers will try to make decisions on what they wear and what they do with friends. These kinds of decisions can create tension between teenagers and their parents. Parents are losing control of their teenager. They also do  not share the beliefs of their teenager because they belong to a different cohort. While teenagers are trying to establish their own beliefs and morals, they can clash with their parents. During this stage in life teenagers will conflict the most with their parents. Friends become the main influence in an adolescent’s decisions. It is during this stage that a teenager cares the most about what their friends think. Early Adulthood In early adulthood, between adolescence and middle age, the body begins to change. This is sometimes the point where the body is at its healthiest. Changes in diet affect how weight is gained or lost. How proper health habits will change the way the body reacts and grows. Life experiences begin to lend a hand to problem solving. More experiences lead to better decision making when it comes to relationships, career choice, or what events to attend. More of a realistic look on life versus a daydream or an idea. Goals are achieved by becoming more focused on the tasks in front of them, The ability to process problems for the best solution. Desire for intimacy. Having personal relationships become more fulfilling. A sense of self-sacrifice when it comes to others. A sense of belonging when in large groups. Fears isolation, ridicule, and loneliness. Change of behavior occurs dependent on the individual’s marital status, and continues until status is changed. Establishment of career goal and status. Middle Adulthood Aging has become a factor. Hair begins to turn grey or become lost, skin begins to wrinkle, and the body slows when it comes to metabolism which decreases weight loss. Women may start going through menopause while testosterone levels will decrease in men. The brain in middle adulthood goes through some changes and begins to slow down. People start to become forgetful and cannot remember things, which can be very frustrating and people start going into a midlife crisis. This is all caused by the brain shrinking as we get older. A person’s personality and temperament also changes as they begin to age. Middle aged is important time to have and keep good friends who are also in their middle age. The reason is that they are also going through all the different changes and all the anxiety as you are. Having friends that are going through the same things as you is very beneficial and supporting especially when you are having a hard time dealing  with the changes in life. Intimacy i s also something that is always needed throughout all stages of life. Late Adulthood In late adulthood, it is very common to lose vision to where it is harder to see things and it is common to develop cataracts, glaucoma, or macular degeneration. More common physical changes are sensory loss and more health problems such as cardiovascular disease which is common in late adulthood. It is very important for the elderly to get some exercise just like they use to do when they were younger, whether it is just walking, climbing stairs, or something that keeps you moving and not staying still all the time are all ways to stay healthier The adult brain in late adulthood changes just like it does all throughout life. In late adulthood, the brain does not function as well as it use to during the younger days. There is a lot more confusion and it is harder for a lot of elderly to understand things. As people get into their late adulthood they start gather some things that mean a lot to them and hoard them for safe keeping. Also people like to keep traditions going in order to stay in touch with family and friends as they age. Some people also still continue to work as long as they do not have any disabilities restricting them from doing so, while others are retired and rely on their retirement funds, AARP, disability payments or Medicaid to survive. Then as we get older, we start having to deal with the sad part of life called death that happens to everyone at some point in life.

Employing Strategy in a Competitive Environment Essay

Question # 1- Create an environmental scan for the company indicating the most significant environmental threats and discuss how the company should respond to each threat to ensure that the impact to the business is minimal. Companies and industries are constantly impacted by their surroundings. For example, â€Å"all companies operate in a macro environment shaped by influences [including threats] emanating from general economic conditions; population demographics; societal values and lifestyles; legislation and regulations; technology; and closer to home the industry and competitive environment in which the company operates (Thompson, Strickland, & Gamble, 2010, p.56). Companies have an inner and outer ring in their macro environment. Happenings in the outer or inner ring of their macro environment may occur rapidly or slowly, sometimes even without advanced knowledge or warning. However, the major forces and factors that can have the largest impact on shaping the strategy of a company will normally pertain to the company’s â€Å"immediate industry and competitive environment–the actions of rival firms, buyer behavior, supplier related considerations, and so on† (Thompson, et al., 2010, p.57). All of the major influences and threats will be discussed below. This discussion will include how Sky Renovations Inc. (SRI) will respond to each threat to ensure that the impact on the business is kept at minimal. Economic Conditions Today’s economic conditions are a great advantage for SRI. Because of the current foreclosure market, there is more property that is available to enable SRI to renovate, rent, and resale properties. There are so many different stages and types of foreclosures, including the pre- foreclosures, the auctions, and the real estate owned (REO) properties, SRI will have no problem finding its market niche (Caplin, 2004). Population Demographics The current population demographics show that there are many† baby boomers† that are in the process of retiring. Some of these â€Å"baby boomers† have been life-long tenants. Some of these people will be first time home buyers and some will be in the process of purchasing another home, where a prior home may have been loss during the past economic turnover. â€Å"Demographics are not quite destiny but do exert a powerful influence on future housing demand† (Belsky, 2009, p. 99). SRI will make sure that population demographics will be carefully considered in all operations and expansions within the company. Societal Values and Lifestyles Societal values and lifestyles will determine the very existence and expansion of SRI. The determination of how clients and customers choose to live will determine the profitability of the company. SRI must make sure that its core values, mission statements, and vision statements coincide with the society’s values and lifestyles for this specific era. A strategic vision will point SRI in the desired direction, plan SRI’s strategic path, and form its organizational identity (Thompson, et al., 2010). Legislation and Regulations SRI must be very sensitive to the legislation and regulations that will be surrounding the foreclosure and real estate markets. These laws and regulations will determine SRI’s competitive advantage over other companies entering the market. Since much of SRI’s business depends on its ability to buy property at a discount and sell or rent this property at a discount or affordable price, SRI much stay abreast to and legislative and regulative changes in regard to the real estate and renovations industry. Technology Technology is changing at such a rapid pace. SRI must keep the accurate, proper, up-dated computer equipment, and websites to make sure that SRI’s presence and availability is accessible to any client or potential clients. These technological up-dates must be done on a regular and consistence basis. This will give SRI a physical and web presence on a local, national, and international level. The factors, issues, and occurrences that are found in a company’s industry and competitive environment should be considered the strongest of the external threats.†However, the factors and forces in a company’s macro-environment having the biggest strategy-shaping impact typically pertain to the company’s immediate industry and competitive environment-the actions of rivals firms, buyer behavior, supplier-related conditions, and so on† (Thompson, et al., 2010, p. 57).