Property Tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Property Tax - Essay Example Assuming that David is having more than property in UK, assuming that David new property at 12, Mudchute Court is second property owned by him or one of the many properties he owned, then, for reducing his capital gain tax, he can claim the following as a deduction from the capital gains earned on the disposal of 12, Mudchute Court namely fees paid to solicitors, all professional fees paid to estate agents, Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and expenses incurred for improving the property. Further, as David lived in the new property bought for few weeks, he can term it as â€Å"principal private residence† to avail exemptions between properties he owned as he is planning to sell it after two years. However, David has to establish some corroborations that he lived there for some time albeit even it is for short-term. If David resided in that house even for some weeks in the new property which should be his second or one of the many properties owned by him, which facilitates him to write off the past three years of capital gains when David decides to sell it after two years. Thus, David should elect the new property as his residence and should inform the Income-Tax Authorities within two years of purchase of 12, Mudchute Court. It is to be noted that the choice can be changed by the David if he wants to select some other property he owned. If he fails to inform about his â€Å" principle private residence â€Å" to tax authorities , then , he would be losing hi s chance to claim exemption from capital gain taxes under the above scheme4. It is to be noted that just living in the property for avoidance of capital gain taxes can prove to be costlier to David as held in Court of Appeal in HRMC5 case where the defendant employed an intricate chain of derivative transactions to minimise capital gain tax on  £10.7 m. The court opined that any

Biomechanics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Biomechanics - Case Study Example However the forces are greatest at posterolateral bundle at fullest extension. The posterolateral bundle withstands more force than the anterolateral bundles. Most common cause of ACL injury is due to non contact deccelatory forces involving lateral bending of the knee to a valgus position causing extension of the knee and rotation of the tibia(Boden et al, 2009)(Giuliani et al , 2009). Immediately after the tear of the ACL or inury to the ACL she should be asked to take rest so as to prevent further movement which can cause wear and tear. Ice should be applied every 15- 20 minutes and compression should be provided on the affected portion. Finally the injured knee should be elevated above the heart level in order to reduce the swelling and reduce episodes of pain (Benjaminse et al, 2006). Kinematic research has revealed that the quadriceps contraction is responsible for the greatest strain on the ACL graft between 10 degree and 45 degree of flexion. The ACL graft is devoid of the normal mechanoreceptors and may not provide biofeedback like in the uninjured knee. These factors are to be considered for the long term rehabilitation programs. The overall aim for the long term rehabilitation is to restore the joint anatomy, provide static and dynamic stability to the joint, maintain aerobic and psychological conditioning and ultimately aim this athlete to easy return to sporting activity. For this a four step approach is followed. In the first phase comprising one or two weeks the aim of therapy is to reduce the pain and inflammation and increase the range of motion of the knee. A postoperative brace is used ranging 30 degree to 90 degree till there is adequate quadriceps control. Physiotherapy is to be provided with the emphasis to static contractions of hamstrings and c o-contractions for the hamstrings and the quadriceps. Partial

Heroin Harm Reduction Strategies in the US

Heroin Harm Reduction Strategies in the US The Northern Kentucky (NKY) Independent Health Department represents four different counties in Kentucky: Boone, Campbell, Grant, and Kenton. This region is often referred to as District 8 and it is made up of 381,153 Kentuckians. In 2008, a startling 18% of individuals in the region were diagnosed with depression and 9.8 % of individuals were living below the poverty level. Yet, the most pressing issue in this district is the heroin epidemic and its association with HCV. According to the NKY Drug Strike Force, three of the four counties in District 8 are the most problematic in the Northern Kentucky Area Development District. Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties represent 60% of Kentucky’s heroin prosecutions for trafficking and possession. Data shows between 2008 and 2012 the heroin court cases in these three counties increased from 257 cases to 1339; an alarming 500% surge. These alarming statistics influenced the NKIHD to partner with various organizations to form the NKCRHE. Although a comprehensive community wide plan is now under development through the Response Team, there are major political, social, and economic factors to consider before reducing and stopping the epidemic. Social Factors The Heroin Impact Response Team sees stigma is the primary reason for the silence associated with heroin in NKY. Stigma is defined as a mark of disgrace with a particular circumstance, quality or person. This mark can be alienating and oppressive to individuals and can lead to prejudice and discrimination. People with a history of drug use are highly stigmatized and often become outcasts in society. Some groups argue this stigma helps reduce the drug problem in communities because it shows society’s disapproval of drug use. However, this argument is flawed because it does not consider that stigma can lead to shame and can lead people to hide their unacceptable and undesirable behaviors. Hiding and silencing drug use not only leads to delays in seeking help, but also leads to barriers in recovery and reintegration into society. NKY is a prime example of silence resulting from stigma. Between 2010 and 2012, the number of heroin overdoses in NKY doubled from 31 to 61 and the rates of HCV were more than double Kentucky’s rate.Despite this alarming statistic, until October 2012, communities in NKY were silent about the epidemic. The map below shows NKY is rooted in a historically conservative state, and thus NKY’s social and cultural environment strongly reflect conservative ideologies. These ideologies promote the silence, because speaking out would constitute condemnation, it would depict the family-unit as inadequate, and the community as a hazardous waste land. Finally, families in NKY are speaking out about the epidemic. They are sharing their personal stories and those of their lost loved ones. Through advocacy and education, they are working to break down the barriers associated with the stigma of drug use. Yet stigma is a powerful barrier, and education and community participation may not be enough to reduce the social barriers associated with heroin use. An additional powerful approach may be to remove certain legislative and administrative restrictions that reinforce stigmatization. The removal of these restrictions can lead to drug-user harm reduction strategies and programs, which could be considered the first steps to stop the spread of HCV and the first steps to recovery. Political Factors One of the most effective harm reduction strategies to consider is sterile Needle and Syringe Programs (NSPs). In 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report on the effectiveness NSPs in which they confirmed studies in the report presented â€Å"a compelling case that NSPs substantially and cost effectively reduce the spread of HIV (and other infectious diseases) and do so without evidence of exacerbating injective drug use at either the individual or societal level† (World Health Organization, 2004). Not surprisingly, the CDC, the National Institute of Health (NIH) and most of the medical and scientific community are advocates of NSPs because the scientific data supports the efficacy of these programs. In addition, these types of programs are seen as the first steps to recovery because they provide abusers the opportunity to seek help and obtain necessary primary health care Although the federal government does not ban the use of NSP’s, since the late 1980’s federal funding for NSPs was prohibited in the United States. In 2009, President Barack Obama removed this ban and allowed states to use federal funds for Syringe Exchange Programs (SEPs). The ban, unfortunately, was reinstated in 2011 due to a change in the federal spending package for 2012. As a result of the political controversy, this type of harm reduction strategy will be difficult to promote in NKY because despite the scientific data, Kentucky legislation continues to prohibit the use of NSPs. The controversy arises from the common misconception that NSPs promote drug use, encourages abusers to stay addicted to drugs, and fosters criminal behavior. Others argue these types of programs are a costly waste because they do not stop addiction. Scientific data, however, shows both of these arguments are invalid. The efficacy of the programs is evident in various studies and the cost be nefit analysis’ shows that â€Å"a full-coverage program that exchanges all used syringes in the United States would cost approximately $423 million but avert 1.3 billion in medical care and treatment costs† The development of an exchange program is not explicitly prohibited in the Kentucky statutes, however the Kentucky Revised Statute 218A.500(3) addresses the prohibition of distribution of drug paraphernalia: â€Å" It is unlawful for any person to deliver, possess with intent to deliver, or manufacture with intent to deliver, drug paraphernalia, knowing, or under circumstances where one reasonably should know, that it will be used to plant, propagate, cultivate, grow, harvest, manufacture, compound†¦inject, ingest, inhale, or otherwise introduce into the human body a controlled substance†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, 2010). In 1992, Dr. John Poundstone wrote a letter to the Kentucky Attorney General requesting an opinion on NSPs in the state of Kentucky. The Kentucky Attorney General advised urban-county health departments could be guilty of criminal offence and liability if they were to pursue development of a needle exchange program Economic Factors If successful in changing Kentucky legislation to allow harm reduction strategies such as SNP’s, the next issue NKY will encounter is the economical component. In 2005, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported an estimated $1.9 billion was spent on mental health and substance abuse (MHSA) treatment in Kentucky which is approximately 1.5% of all the MHSA treatment in the United States (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, 2012). However, the most pressing economic problem in NKY is the low federal and state funds distributed to the region for drug abuse and mental health; in fact, Northern Kentucky receives the lowest funds of the 14 regions in the state. Since federal funding cannot be used for NSPs the NKY region would be completely dependent on state and local funds. Yet, NKY receives only 8.16% of the state’s general funds for MHSA despite making up more than 10% of Kentucky’s general population. To make matters worse, NKY Health Department continuously faces budget cuts and the reduction in funds results in an uneven distribution of monies for various programs. In 2012-2013 the health department faced a 5% decrease in revenue due to cuts in state, federal and Medicaid funding; figure 1 shows this represented approximately $739,247. Figure 2 shows the decrease in revenue resulted in a 7% decrease in expenditures, approximately $1,050,043. These cuts make it difficult for the health department to address the heroin and communicable disease issues in a more robust manner. Notwithstanding these economic setbacks, the heroin and HCV epidemic has spiraled out of control and has become a monster that can only be tamed by organizations coming together to address the issue.

Free Will Versus Determinism Essay -- essays research papers

Free Will Versus Determinism The controversy between free will and determinism has been argued about for years. What is the difference between the two? Looking in a dictionary, free will is the power, attributed to human beings, of making free choices that are unconstrained by external circumstances or by an agency such as fate or divine will. Free will allows free choice. Yet, determinism is the total opposite. Determinism has this definition: The philosophical doctrine that every event, act, and decision is the inescapable consequence of antecedents that are independent of the human will. Determinism states that humans have no free will to choose what they wish. That seems real extreme and harsh. Even though this is what determinism is, doesn't mean that the determinists are trying to steal your freedom. It's only what they believe because of religion and cause and effect. In religion, many people believe in the existence of a god supports determinism. The basis of god is that he is all-knowing and all-powerful. If free will is allowed, there would be decisions and actions in which God could not know due to the person's choice. This would limit God's omnipotence, which is unacceptable to some. The other argument for determinism is causation, or causes and effects. This argument depends on relationships that should happen with the same results every time, such as a baseball breaking a window, breaking the window. Basing on this, everything in the universe has a cause. And if all the causes and the events were known, then it would be possible to easily predict the future. If everything can be foreseen, then this proves that nothing that anyone does can change the courses of the future. This, of course, is not possible. Determinism says that what you do can be the cause of what your life turns out to be. This can be true. Yet, you can act otherwise that would steer you off that path of where your life was heading. Common sense tells us that we can change, which determinism opposes to. It also says that if we feel we are not forced, we could have acted differently. That is why I choose to side with free will. Determinism has too many extremes and limits that, already shown, is not possible in this world. Free will is the mind's ability to choose with intelligence. That doesn't mean that our choice has all the freedom in the world. Our choices cannot and ob... ...ermined by previous events. Therefore we can not change our behavior. Previous events do affects us; we cannot ignore that. But, like the previous examples, if the previous events' consequences were not good, we would mostly likely change, unless that individual was deranged. These arguments on free will definitely does not pertain to all people. Everyone is different. Yet mostly likely, individuals think towards free will. An implication to determinism is that man becomes nothing more than a puppet. That may sound cruel, but it is true. Under the rules of determinism, man must go by past events, doing the same thing he did in the past, right or wrong. He can not change his behavior, unable to let out his emotions. The man has become a puppet, being controlled and restricted. And in everyday life, determinism does not exist in most lives. It is logical and reasonable to say that the all of free will is a measure of our humanness. Whatever we choose will effect our future. But we will base our decisions on what we feel is right, taking in our moral feelings. Free will is a measure of self-determination that people feel themselves to possess and by which they make moral judgments.

A Linear Regression Model

A Linear regression model with one explanatory variable is called a Simple linear regression, that is it involves 2 points: single predictor / explanatory variable and the response variable, which is the x and y coordinates in a Cartesian plane and finds a linear function a non-vertical straight line that, as precisely as possible it predicts the dependent variable values as a function of the independent variables. The term simple refers to the fact that the response variable is related to one predictor. The regression model is given as Y=?0+?1 + ? and they are two parameters that are used estimate the slope of the line ?1 and the y- intercept of the line ?0. ? is the random error term.BackgroundRegression analysis is a vital statistical method for the analysis of medical data. It makes it possible for the identification and characterization of relationships among multiple factors. It also enables the identification of prognostically relevant risk factors and the calculation of risk scores for individual prognostication, this was made possible by English scientist Sir Francis Galton (1822–1911), a cousin of Charles Darwin, made significant contributions to both genetics and psychology. He is the one that came up with regression and a pioneer in using statistics to biology. In his study One of the data sets that he considered consisted was the heights of fathers and first sons. He wanted to find out whether he can predict the height of a son based on the father height. Looking at the scatterplots of these heights, Galton saw that the was relationship which was linear and increasing. After fitting a line to these data using the statistical techniques, he observed that for fathers whose heights were taller than the average, the regression line predicted that taller fathers tended to have shorter sons and shorter fathers tended to have taller sons.PurposesSimple linear regression could be for example be purposefully when we Consider a relationship between weight Y (in kilograms) and height X(in centimeters), where the mean weight at a given height is ?(X) = 2X/4 – 45 for X > 100. Because of biological variability, the weight will vary for example, it might be normally distributed with a fixed ? = 4. The difference between an observed weight and mean weight at a given height is referred to as the error for that weight. To discover the relationship which is linear, we could take the weight of three individuals at each height and apply linear regression to model the mean weight as a function of height using a straight line, ?(X) = ?0 + ?1X . The most popular way to estimate the parameters, intercept ?0 and slope ?1 is the least squares estimator, which is derived by differentiating the regression with respect to ?0 and ?1 and solving, Let (xi , y i ) be the Ith pair of X and Y values. The least squares estimator, estimates ?0 and ?1 by minimizing the residual sum of squared errors, SSE = ?(y i – ? i)2, where y i are the observed value and ?i = b0 + b1xi are the estimated regression line points and are called the fitted, predicted or â€Å"hat† values. The estimates are given by b0 = ¯y – b1  ¯x and b1 = SSXX / SSYY, and where  ¯Xand  ¯Y are the means of samples X and Y, SSXX and SSYY being their standard deviation values and r = r(X,Y) being their Pearson correlation coefficient. It is also referred to as Pearson's r, the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, is a measure of the linear between two variables X and Y Where X is the independent variable and Y being the Dependant variable as stated above. The Pearson correlation coefficient, r can take a range of values from -1 to +1. A value of 0 suggests that there is no association between the two variables X and Y. A value greater than 0 indicates a positive association that is, as the value of one variable increases, so does the value of the other variable. Before using simple linear regression analysis it is always vital to follow these few steps: Choose an independent variable that is likely to cause the change in the dependent variable Be certain that the past amounts for the independent variable occur in the exact same period as the amount of the dependent variable Plot the observations on a graph using the y-axis for the dependant variable and the x-axis for the independent variable review the plotted observations for a linear pattern and for any outliers keep in mind that there can be correlation without cause and effect.ImportancesSimple linear regression is considered to be extensively useful in many practical applications and methodologies. Simple linear regression functions by assuming that the variables x and y have a relationship which is linear within the given set of data. As assumptions are and results are interpreted, persons handling the analysing role in a such data will have to be more critical because it has been stu died before that there are some variables which inhibit marginal changes to occur while others will not consider being held at a fixed point. Although the concept of linear regression is one complex subject, it still remains to be one of the most vital statistical approaches being used till date. Simple linear regression is important because it has be wildly being used in many biological, behavioural , environmental as well as social sciences. Because of its ability to describe possible relationships between identified variables independent and dependent , it has assisted the fields of epidemiology, finance, economics and trend line in describing significant data that proves to be of essence in the identified fields. More so, simple linear regression is important because it provides an idea of what needs to be anticipated, more specially in controlling and regulating functions involved on some disciplines. Despite the complexity of simple linear aggression, it has proven to be adequately useful in many daily applications of life.ReferencesFahrmeir L, Kneib T, Lang S. 2nd edition. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer; 2009.Regression – Modelle, Methoden und Anwendungen.{ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2992018/}Carpenter JR, Kenward MG. Missing Data in Randomised Controlled Trials: A practical guide Birmingham, Alabama: National Institute for Health Research 2008{http://www.pcpoh.bham.ac.uk/publichealth/methodology/projects/RM03_JH17_MK.shtml.PublicationRM03/JH17/MK. }Karl Pearson (20 June 1895) â€Å"Notes on regression and inheritance in the case of two parents,† Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, 58 : 240–242.{ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearson_correlation_coefficient}â€Å"†SPSS Tutorials: Pearson Correlation†Ã¢â‚¬ . Retrieved 2017-05-14.{ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearson_correlation_coefficient} {https://www.accountingcoach. com/blog/what-is-simple-linear-regression-analysis}Article?in?Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences 187:253-318 †¢ January 1896?with?3 ReadsDOI: 10.1098/rsta.1896.0007{https://www.researchgate.net/publication/285316821_Regression_heredity_and_panmixia}â€Å"What is Simple Linear Regression?†. Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved 2016-10-17.{http://www.statisticshowto.com/probability-and-statistics/correlation-coefficient-formula/}Williams, M. N; Grajales, C. A. G; Kurkiewicz, D (2013). â€Å"Assumptions of multiple regression: Correcting two misconceptions†. Practical Assessment, Research ; Evaluation. 18 (11).{ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordinary_least_squares}

Head Nurse Essay

A head nurse has the following important duties and job responsibilities: * Planning and scheduling the work activities of junior nurses in her section. * Making sure that the medical reports and instruments are kept properly and safely. * Ensuring that the patients obey the instructions and advice of the doctors and follow their prescriptions sincerely. * Ensuring that the areas where the patients are admitted are sanitized properly on a regular basis. * Directing the patients to have their meals regularly and receiving feedback from them in case of faulty food items or other issues. * Making her patients relax in case of adversities and major surgeries being performed on them. * Comforting her patients and injecting them with the required medicinal doses as advised by the doctors. * Cleaning the areas that contained medical instruments, medicines and syringes in order to ensure safety for all those who visit these areas. * Sanitizing the rooms where the patients are dressed and cha nged in order to avoid microbial infections. * Assisting her patients with calling their relatives and helping the old ones move from one place to another. * Walking with the doctors during their routine rounds and check-ups and noting down the directions of the doctor with regard to the health and care of the patients. * Ensuring that she provides all the health care facilities and services to the patients with accordance to the rules, regulations and policies of the state. * Placing demands for new medicines and documenting their amounts properly and ordering fresh stocks of the medicines that have expired. * Ensuring that all the needs and demands of the patients are fulfilled during their stay in their hospitals. * Making sure that the patients are comfortable and feel at home. * Executing all other tasks that need her assistance and patient health care services. * Duties and Responsibilities of a Head Nurse: * Head nurses manage all the administrative duties of the departments which they are assigned to work in * They schedule shifts for the nurses and assign duties to them * They collect work reports from all the nurses regarding their day-to-day activities and maintains a record of them * They present the records collected from all the nurses to the respective doctorswho are handling cases of those patients * They assist and conduct training programs for the nurses who are new and need help * They also solve any issues related to the patients * Head nurses also come in direct contact with the patients and diagnose theirhealth problems * Inventory management is also one of the responsibilities of the head nurses * Head nurses review and supervise the pre-operative settings made by the nurses in the operating room and make sure that they have provided required equipments to the doctors * Head nurses often accompany the doctors when they go on their rounds to check the patients where they present the reports collected by them * They provide necessary help to the doctors such as carrying diagnostic equipments, etc., to the doctors while they are on round for check-up They maintain a log of the entries of the patients in their wards and their health Reports * Head nurses also look for the hygiene in the hospital and in the rooms and make sure that the patients are provided with enough facilities and entertain all types of complaints from the patients *

International Marketing Strategy of Fortescue Metal Group

International Marketing Strategy of Fortescue Metal Group Executive Summary The external and internal environment of Fortescue Metal Group has been analyzed in this report. The external environment presents several threats, which include high competition, tariff barriers to foreign market entry, high bargaining power of buyers of iron, and high suppliers’ bargaining power.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on International Marketing Strategy of Fortescue Metal Group specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The main opportunity that is available to FMG is the expected increase in demand for iron in China and other emerging markets. Moreover, the company has the opportunity to increase its market share because of the low threat of new entrants and substitutes. FMG’s strengths include access to huge iron ore deposits, extensive railroad networks, and a talented workforce. However, its overdependence on the Chinese market is a threat to its long-term profitability. Overal l, the company’s resources and capabilities will improve its long-term success. Case Study Report: Strategic Management Introduction Fortescue Metal Group (FMG) is a leading producer of iron in Australia. Since its inception in 2003, the company has achieved rapid growth through cost reduction and expansion of production capacity. The aim of the company is to become the lowest cost producer of iron in Australia (FMG 2014). This paper will provide a detailed analysis of the internal and the external environment of the company to determine its competitiveness. The aim of the analysis is to identify the internal and external factors that are likely to influence the company’s ability to succeed in the long-term. External Environment PESTEL Analysis International trade policies are the main political factors that influence the performance of firms in the iron industry. Protectionist trade policies such as subsidizing domestic iron producers prevent competition in major mark ets such as China (Hau, Chatterjee Jingliang 2011, pp. 68-81). In emerging markets in Africa and the Middle East, high import duties reduce the competitiveness of imported iron.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Economic growth and exchange rate are the main economic factors that affect iron producers and exporters. Strong economic growth in China and emerging markets in Asia and the Middles East will continue to increase the demand for iron in the next five years (KPMG 2014). Exchange rate fluctuations have both positive and negative effects on export revenues. An appreciation of the Australian dollar against major currencies such as the yuan and euro makes iron exports from Australia to be more expensive in international markets. The reverse effect occurs when the Australian dollar depreciates. The major social factors that influence the competitiveness of ir on producers include increased population growth and urbanization in emerging market economies, as well as, lack of experienced personnel in Australia’s iron industry. High population growth and increased urbanization will increase the demand for housing, which in turn will increase the demand for iron in the international market (KPMG 2014). However, lack of experienced personnel means that Australian iron producers must incur high staff development costs. Production and transportation technologies have a significant effect on the competitiveness of iron producers. Companies that lack access to efficient third party transportation systems are unable to improve their competitiveness. Access to cheap energy and efficient mining technologies improve the competitiveness of companies in Brazil and China (Beresford, Pettit Liu 2011, pp. 32-42). Environmental regulations and access to iron reserves are key determinants of success in the iron industry. Nearly all companies in the g lobal iron industry are incurring high costs due to prohibitive carbon emission fees (Inglezakis Zorpas 2011, pp. 566-580).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on International Marketing Strategy of Fortescue Metal Group specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Although Australian and South African companies have access to high quality iron ore, their counterparts in China and Brazil are losing their competitiveness due to limited access to high quality iron ore. Anti-trust law is the main legal factor that influences competition in the iron industry. The Australian Competition Tribunal has the power to declare private railroads to be open access tracks. This limits the incumbents’ ability to prevent entry into the industry (Tian, He Yi 2005, pp. 67-88). Moreover, the competition laws determine the extent to which companies can combine their resources to create synergies. For example, if the joint venture between BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto is blocked, the two companies will lose the opportunity to save $10 billion annually. According to the PESTEL analysis, the main threats to the competitiveness of FMG are limited access to third party transportation systems, tariff barriers to market entry, high carbon emission fees, and exchange rate fluctuations. This means that the company must be able to reduce its operating costs in order to overcome threats such as high import tariffs and carbon emission fees. The opportunities that are available to FMG include the expected increase in demand for iron and availability of high quality iron ore in Australia. Thus, the company can increase its sales and profits by increasing its production to cater for the expected increase in demand. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Suppliers’ Bargaining Power The main suppliers in the iron industry include owners of land with iron ore deposits, suppliers of fuel, and manufacturers of mining equipment. Owners o f land such as the Aborigines have high bargaining power due to the limited supply of land with iron ore deposits.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Suppliers of fuel have high bargaining power due to their low switching costs (KPMG 2014). They can easily shift their supply to other industries such as manufacturing and transportation, which are able to offer high prices. Suppliers of mining equipment have high bargaining power since their products are highly differentiated. The high bargaining power of suppliers means that iron producers can be exploited through high prices of key supplies. Threat of Substitutes Iron is mainly used in the production of steel. In the steel industry, â€Å"scrap metal is the only substitute for iron† (Beresford, Pettit Liu 2011, pp. 32-42). The threat of substitutes is low since iron performs better than scrap metal in terms of quality and availability. The low threat of substitutes means that iron producers face little competition from sellers of scrap metal. Buyers’ Bargaining Power Buyers (steel mills) have a high bargaining power due to their ability to implement backward integr ation strategies. For example, China’s Hunan Valin Iron and Steel Group has invested in FMG to improve its access to iron. The high bargaining power of buyers is also explained by their ability to make bulk purchases. Buyers are also price-sensitive since they focus on reducing production costs in order to improve their profit margins (FMG 2014). The high bargaining power of buyers will continue to put a downward pressure on iron prices, thereby reducing the profits of iron producers (Doole Lowe 2008, p. 121). Threat of Entry The threat of new entrants is low because the incumbents have economies of scale in production and transportation, which acts as a barrier to entry. For example, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto restrict access to their railroads, thereby preventing new companies that cannot construct their own railroads from joining the industry. Other barriers to entry include huge financial capital requirements and the incumbents’ control of major mining sites. The low threat of new entrants is an opportunity to the incumbents to defend their market shares (Czinkota Ronkainen 2012, p. 57). Competitive Rivalry Competition is very high because of the high concentration of the industry. The top three largest firms control over 70% of the market, thereby increasing competition for the remaining 30% of the market. Fixed costs are also high since the industry is labor intensive. Although competition is high, the global market for iron is expected to grow by 11% in the next three years (KPMG 2014). The high competition will reduce the profits of iron producers. According the Porter’s five forces analysis, the factors that are likely to have adverse effects on the competitiveness of FMG are the high bargaining power of buyers, high bargaining power of suppliers, and high competition. This means that the company must respond to suppliers’ high bargaining power by reducing its operating costs (Terpstra, Foley Sarathy 2012, p. 73). Simila rly, it must be able to respond to buyers’ high bargaining power by reducing its prices. These strategies will enable the company to overcome competition. The expected growth of the market is an opportunity to FMG to expand its production capacity to earn high profits. Most Significant Resources and Capabilities The most important resources and capabilities that are shaping FMG’s competitive position include the following. First, the company has access to huge iron ore reserves in Pilbara. In 2013, the company’s iron ore reserves in Chichester and Solomon increased by 12% (FMG 2014). Access to high quality iron core enables the company to compete effectively by meeting its effective demand. In addition, the reserves will enable the company to continue with its mining activities in the next decade. Second, the company is capable of expanding its railroad and production capacity to meet the demand for its products. This enables the company to avoid delays in fulfi lling orders. Third, the company has a highly experienced and talented workforce. In addition, it has an effective organizational culture that promotes commitment and staff retention. As a result, it will be able to achieve product and process innovation (Freeman 2010, p. 89). Finally, the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives focus on strengthening its relationships with the local communities. These include providing training and employment opportunities to Aboriginal groups. This strategy enables the company to avert resistance from the local communities who provide land for mining. These resources will enable the company to expand its operations in future. Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths The company has the following strengths. First, the company is financially stable. It has been able to realize a strong growth in profits in the last four years. In 2013, FMG reported a pre-tax profit of USD $1,746 million, which represents a 12% growth (FMG 2014). Secon d, FMG has a cost advantage in the iron industry. The company is able to maintain low operating costs, which in turn enables it to increase its profit margins. Third, the company has focused on forward integration through joint venture agreements with major buyers of iron such as Hunan Valin Iron and Steel. This enables it to defend its market share. Finally, FGM has an extensive railroad and port infrastructure in Australia. Currently, the company is expanding its railroad to cater for the increase in its transportation activities. The railroad enables the company to reduce the time and the financial resources that it requires to transport raw materials to the production centers. It also enables the company to transport its products in a cost-effective manner and to earn additional revenue from companies that use it for transportation. Weaknesses One of the main weaknesses of the company is its overdependence on the Chinese iron market. The company is likely to make huge loses if t he demand for iron reduces significantly in China. Another weakness of the company is its inability to raise external capital to finance its expansion. Lack of access to external funding will slow the pace at which the company will expand, thereby denying it access to available growth opportunities (Sadler 2003, p. 91). In sum, FMG’s excellent financial performance will enable it to attract investors. Thus, it will overcome its inability to access external capital. The company’s cost advantage will enable it to charge low prices to gain market share in other countries. As a result, it will be able to reduce its dependence on the Chinese market (Witcher Chau 2010, p. 117). Capacity to Succeed in the Long-term The company has adequate capacity to succeed in the long-term due to the following reasons. To begin with, its iron ore reserves at the Christmas Creek and Cloudbreak have a lifespan of 20 years. This means that FMG is assured of access to iron ore in the next ten years. Apart from the existing reserves, the company has focused on extensive exploration to increase its iron ore reserves. In 2013, the company formed a joint venture with China’s Baosteel Group and Taiwan’s Formosa Plastics Group to exploit huge iron ore deposits at its Iron Bridge reserve (FMG 2014). The Iron Bridge project will significantly increase FMG’s access to high quality iron ore. Moreover, the Iron Bridge reserve is a credible threat to entry that will enable FMG to prevent its competitors from expanding their capacities (Doole Lowe 2008, p. 56). Apart from having huge iron ore reserves, FMG continues to pursue its forward integration strategy to increase its market share. In 2013, Formosa Plastics Group completed its steel plant, which is the largest in the world (FMG 2014). Similarly, Baosteel Group is the second largest producer of steel in the world. By partnering with these companies, FMG will have the largest market share in the long-term. Conclusion The main threats in the iron market include high competition, environmental regulations, high buyers’ bargaining power, and high suppliers’ bargaining power. The opportunities that are available to FMG include the expected increase in demand for iron and low threat of substitutes. The company is capable of overcoming these threats due to its strengths and resources, which include access to large iron ore deposits, extensive railroad networks, strong financial performance, and forming joint ventures with the largest buyers of iron. However, the company needs to reduce its dependence on China’s market by increasing its exports to other emerging markets. References Beresford, A, Pettit, S Liu, Y 2011, ‘Multimodal supply chains: iron ore from Australia to China’, Journal of International Supply Chain Management, vol. 16. no. 1, pp. 32-42. Czinkota, M Ronkainen, I 2012, International marketing, Oxford University Press, London. Doole, I Lowe , R 2008, International marketing strategy, Sage, London. FMG 2014, 2013 annual report. Web. Freeman, E 2010, Strategic management, Sage, London. Hua, S, Chatterjee F Jingliang, C 2011, ‘Achieving competitive advantage in service supply chain: evidence from the Chinese steel industry’, Chinese Management Studies, vol. 5. no. 1, pp. 68-81. Inglezakis, V Zorpas, A 2011, ‘Industrial hazardous waste in the framework of EU and international legislation’, International Journal of Environmental Quality Management, vol. 22. no. 5, 566-580. KPMG 2014, Quarterly commodity insights. Web. Sadler, P 2003, Strategic management, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Terpstra, V, Foley, J Sarathy, R 2012, International marketing, John Wiley and Sons, New York. Tian, Z, He, Y Yi, G 2005, ‘The pricing behavior of firms in the Chinese iron and steel industry’, Asian Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 17. no. 3, pp. 67-88. Witcher, B Chau, V 2010, Stra tegic management, McGraw-Hill, New York.

Biology †Characteristics of Life and Principles

Biology - Characteristics of Life and Principles What is biology? Simply put, it is the study of life, in all of its grandeur. Biology concerns all life forms, from the very small algae to the very large elephant. But how do we know if something is living? For example,  is a virus alive or dead? To answer these questions, biologists have created a set of criteria called the characteristics of life.   The Characteristics of Life Living things include both the visible world of animals, plants, and fungi as well as the invisible world of bacteria and viruses. On a basic level, we can say that life is ordered. Organisms have an enormously complex organization. Were all familiar with the intricate systems of the basic unit of life, the cell. Life can work. No, this doesnt mean all animals are qualified for a job. It means that living creatures can take in energy from the environment. This energy, in the form of food, is transformed to maintain metabolic processes and for survival. Life grows and develops. This means more than just replicating or getting larger in size. Living organisms also have the ability to rebuild and repair themselves when injured. Life can reproduce. Have you ever seen dirt reproduce? I dont think so. Life can only come from other living creatures. Life can respond. Think about the last time you accidentally stubbed your toe. Almost instantly, you flinched back in pain. Life is characterized by this response to stimuli. Finally, life can adapt and respond to the demands placed on it by the environment. There are three basic types of adaptations that can occur in higher organisms. Reversible changes occur as a response to changes in the environment. Lets say you live near sea level and you travel to a mountainous area. You may begin to experience difficulty breathing and an increase in heart rate as a result of the change in altitude. These symptoms go away when you go back down to sea level.Somatic changes occur as a result of prolonged changes in the environment. Using the previous example, if you were to stay in the mountainous area for a long time, you would notice that your heart rate would begin to slow down and you would begin to breath normally. Somatic changes are also reversible.The final type of adaptation is called genotypic (caused by genetic mutation). These changes take place within the genetic makeup of the organism and are not reversible. An example would be the development of resistance to pesticides by insects and spiders. In summary, life is organized, works, grows, reproduces, responds to stimuli and adapts. These characteristics form the basis of the study of biology. Basic Principles of Biology The foundation of biology as it exists today is based on five basic principles. They are the cell theory, gene theory, evolution, homeostasis, and laws of thermodynamics. Cell Theory: all living organisms are composed of cells. The cell is the basic unit of life.Gene Theory: traits are inherited through gene transmission. Genes are located on chromosomes and consist of DNA.Evolution: any genetic change in a population that is inherited over several generations. These changes may be small or large, noticeable or not so noticeable.Homeostasis: ability to maintain a constant internal environment in response to environmental changes.Thermodynamics: energy is constant and energy transformation is not completely efficient. Subdiciplines of BiologyThe field of biology is very broad in scope and can be divided into several disciplines. In the most general sense, these disciplines are categorized based on the type of organism studied. For example,  zoology deals with animal studies, botany deals with plant studies, and microbiology is the study of microorganisms. These fields of study can be broken down further into several specialized sub-disciplines. Some of which include anatomy, cell biology, genetics, and physiology.

The Nine Nations of North America

The Nine Nations of North America The 1981 book The Nine Nations of North America by Washington Post reporter Joel Garreau was an attempt to explore the regional geography of the North American continent and assign portions of the continent to one of nine nations, which are geographic regions that have consistent qualities and similar features. The nine nations of North America, as proposed by Garreau include: The FoundryMexAmericaThe BreadbasketEcotopiaNew EnglandThe Empty QuarterDixieQuebecThe Islands What follows is a summary of each of the nine nations and their qualities. Links in the titles of each region lead to the complete online chapter regarding that region from the book The Nine Nations of North America from Garreaus website. The Foundry Includes New York, Pennsylvania, and the Great Lakes Region. At the time of publication (1981), The Foundry region was in significant decline as a manufacturing center. The region includes the metropolitan areas of New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Toronto, and Detroit. Garreau selected Detroit as the capital city of this region but considered Manhattan an anomaly within the region. MexAmerica With a capital city of Los Angeles, Garreau proposed that the Southwestern United States (including Californias Central Valley) and Northern Mexico would be a region onto itself. Stretching from Texas to the Pacific Coast, MexAmericas common Mexican heritage and the Spanish language unite this region. The Breadbasket Much of the Midwest, stretching from northern Texas to the southern parts of the Prairie Provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba), this region is essentially the Great Plains and is, according to Garreau, the heartland of North America. Garreaus proposed capital city is Kansas City. Ecotopia Named after a book of the same name, Ecotopia with a capital city of San Francisco is the liberal Pacific Coast from southern Alaska to Santa Barbara, including the Washington, Oregon, and Northern California metropolitan areas of Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco. New England Consisting of what is traditionally known as New England (Connecticut to Maine), this region of the nine nations includes the Canadian Maritime provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, along with the Atlantic province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The capital of New England is Boston. The Empty Quarter The Empty Quarter includes everything from about 105 degrees west longitude to Ecotopia on the Pacific Coast. It also includes everything north of the Breadbasket so it includes all of Alberta and Northern Canada. The capital city of this sparsely populated nation is Denver. Dixie The Southeastern United States except for Southern Florida. Some refer to Dixie as being the former Confederate States of America but it doesnt travel directly along state lines. It includes southern Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. The capital city of Dixie is Atlanta. Quebec Garreaus only nation that consists of a single province or state is Francophone Quebec. Their constant efforts at succession led him to create this unique nation out of the province. Obviously, the capital of the nation is Quebec City. The Islands Southern Florida and the islands of the Caribbean comprise the nation known as The Islands. With a capital city of Miami. At the time of the books publication, this regions main industry was drug smuggling. The best available online map of the Nine Nations of North America comes from the cover of the book itself.

Performance Management Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Performance Management Paper - Essay Example The self-assessment process allows the organization to discern clearly its strengths and areas in which improvements can be made and culminates in planned improvement actions that are monitored for progress" (Bohigas and Heaton, 2000). EFQM Excellence Model aims to select and award a confirmation of high quality health care provision to institutions or services which achieved excellence. To apply for the EFQM, a health care service provides data of activities derived from its self-assessment according to EFQM's nine award assessment criteria. These nine award assessment criteria are as follows: "leadership, people, policy and strategy, partnership and resources, processes, people results, customer results, society results, and key performance results" (http://www.proveandimprove.org/new/tools/index.php). The use of the Model could be facilitated in small groups and even possible for one individual. Good rapport among the stakeholders will ease the process as each will be involved in some ways with the Model. To be effective, management and organization heads needs to be actively involved. As the staff becomes familiar with the system of the model, self-assessment against the Model can be completed very quickly - within days for a very basic assessment. It can also be used as a "diagnostic tool" because areas for action are given emphasis. With tWith the models varying approaches: "questionnaire, matrix chart, workshop, pro-forma, and quality award simulation", an organization can set up their own assessment to fit specific structure of the organization. For emphasis, the following statements from http://www.proveandimprove.org/new/tools/index.php will be cited. "A lot of the success of the model is in changing the way people think, looking for links between

Fashion Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Fashion Leadership - Essay Example Keeping in view the importance of image of politicians, celebrities and political figures, fashion leadership is a viable methodology to increase their influence because, if people dress like politicians, it subliminally means that people will vote for them. On the other hand, lifestyle replication in public is considered as an effective measure in selecting the most famous personalities in the world. This premise can be supported with Mrs. Obama’s large-scale impact on the stock prices of the firms, which are providing her with various attires for her public appearances because, her public appearances are causing the share price of her clothes suppliers to rise substantially in following weeks and therefore she is providing these firms with elite class of endorsement. The main point to notice is Mrs. Obama’s use of attires which are unique, distinct and not in the reach of the wider population due to its higher value in monetary terms. This gives her a distinct positio n and shows her ability to lead by the power of distinction and prominence as no other can compete her. Another angle of analysis can relate this observation with historic presumption of power in few hands because; capitalism is based on the concept of wealth accumulation within the highest ranks of the society (Marx, Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844. Karl Marx Estranged Labour, 1844). Therefore, the phenomenon of fashion influence is commonly associated with the elite societal class due to new fashion’s high cost in early days.

Politeness in Discourse Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Politeness in Discourse Analysis - Essay Example    Due to its expansive scope, politeness has been a subject of interest to academics in various disciplines, including linguistics, cognitive psychology, social psychology, philosophy, communication, and others (Chimombo & Roseberry 1998). A potent instrument for attaining control over an interpreter is politeness. The concept of politeness obviously fulfills a major function in the level of cooperation among participants in the dialogue. Politeness is cultural in nature (Martin 1993). As argued by Goffman (1956), what makes politeness crucial is the reality that discourses commonly give the interpreter a ‘face threatening act’. Negative responses, such as refusals, are one instance of such an act. If people ask courteously for something and are brusquely turned down, then they may feel humiliated or offended. People of several cultures view such straightforward conduct as a threat to one’s face, implying the personal image that the individual shows in a dialogue. If one individual insults another by performing a face-threatening act, the reply, in contemporary colloquial or informal English, could be â€Å"Get outta my face!† (Holtgraves 2002: 39). The extent of frankness that an individual could tolerate without sensing that a face-threatening act has been performed seems to rely greatly on culture.  Ã‚  Efforts that have been made to furnish an explanation of politeness that is wide-ranging enough to be relevant across cultural frontiers have been fairly broadly criticised (Fraser 1990).  

Reflective Journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reflective Journal - Assignment Example Seeking to be a manager of a manufacturing firm, my strengths in interpersonal relationship and team leadership would enable me foster a collaborative management as this would ensure that employees’ ideas are considered in decision-making. This would be useful in avoiding resistance to change or management’s decisions. However, I would have to work on my conflict resolution and negotiation skills so as to enable me maintain harmony in the organisation and enforce a balance between organisational and individual goals. I would also have to improve on my communication skills to relay information effectively. The effectiveness of this tool in determining the alignment of my competencies to my expected managerial roles made me appreciate the argument by Chaston (2011) and Rosaline (2013) that gap analysis helps in the identification of personal goals. I am now aware of my strengths and the areas where I would need to improve on so as to become an effective manager. Management process could be more complicated than it could appear. This could even be more pronounced in case of an organisation operating in a complex and changing environment. As such, the postulate by Henry Mintzberg on the roles in managing information, people and action as given by Muma, Smith and Somers (2005) and Schermerhorn (2011) would be critical. The interpersonal role of a manager as a leader; informational roles as a monitor and disseminator; and decision roles as a disturbance handler, resource allocator and negotiator would be useful in such a situation. In my view, complex situations cause confusion among employees. Therefore, the role of a manager as a leader would help in guiding employees on the way forward in case of dilemmas. Organisations need to be keen on the changes in the environment so as to make decisions on adaptive strategies that would ensure their

Gutai art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Gutai art - Research Paper Example Thus, this revolutionary movement was initiated. Gutai artists produced artworks which completely revolutionized the traditional Japanese art through the convergence of ordinary materials and their own bodies1. In 1956, there was a declaration written by Yoshihara which expressed the beauty which is fascinated and raised from something after it gets damaged. However, this process was known as the process of damaging and it revealed the inner life of the material. The movement included the artwork which relied upon this manifesto and many artworks of the artists were the evidence of how the appearance of the object changed as it damaged over time. The damage and destruction was caused to the object usually in a course of centuries and it was also described as the beauty of decay. The artists of this movement had a rather different vision towards this movement. Their main aim was to create a relationship between art, body, space and time through their artwork. The revolutionary Gutai m ovement had started in Japan almost ten years after the World War II had ended. The roots of the Gutai movement went back to the Oriental tradition but also covered some aspects from the Western art. The Western art was, later, also influenced by the evolution of the Gutai movement. ... Yoshihara had also declared that the liberal position of the people was however the most important message which was conveyed through this art movement2. The people who were living in the Japanese chaotic and desperate society at that time were the group of people who were focused in this movement. The artists believed that the liberal position of these people is very important because freedom is a major source for human development. Through the artwork promoted by this movement, the position of the people was described as free. Thus, the artists of the Gutai movement were together to uncover the realities of the society in order to overcome the intense situation. As described by the artists and seen in the artwork, the features of the movement had emerged from the concepts of portraying the relationship between the materials and the artist’s body. The most influencing type of art which was presented by this movement was the performance art because it expressed many of the mes sages using newest techniques. In the initial years, the movement had received great attention from the European world but eventually the art lost its importance. The Gutai movement had become less influencing by the 2000’s, was criticized and looked over. The Western art did not find it an influencing movement but later it was influenced and understood its importance. The traces of Gutai ideas and expressions are seen in the western art as they were accepted with appreciation and praise. The main characteristic and important feature of the Gutai movement was the contribution of the artists. These artists had worked together to give a new face to the world of art. They created a unique combination of totally opposite aspects which were experimentation

To what extent did isolationism limit the effectiveness of the Geneva Essay

To what extent did isolationism limit the effectiveness of the Geneva Conferences in facilitating disarmament - Essay Example Many people believe that the US isolationism policies caused the failure of the 1932 Geneva disarmament conferences and the Second World War. This paper briefly analyses the consequences of US isolationism policies and its effects on global politics and the failures of the Geneva Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments in 1932, using secondary research data obtained mainly from internet. Section B: Summary of evidence 500-600 Geneva conference and its decisions were thus unacceptable to the Americans and they declared their isolationism policies based on the following assumptions; â€Å"U.S. unique with no interests threatened; U.S. superior to a corrupt world; U.S. impregnable to attack and "devil" theory of war†(U.S. Isolationism in the Republican Era of "Normalcy" 1921-1933) To satisfy France, the U.K. and U.S. signed the Anglo-American Guarantee on June 28, 1919, which proposed that in the case of a repeat of the German invasion, both the United States and the United Kingdom would immediately come to France’s aid. Unfortunately for France, the U.S. Senate did not ratify the document, and so both signers of the Guarantee withdrew their promises (IB History). At the World Disarmament Conference of 1932-1933, a number of important issues began to achieve something akin to consensus in the world community. There was recognition, for instance, that military aviation could not be limited unless civilian aviation (that could quickly convert to military uses) also was controlled. At the World Disarmament Conference in Geneva, the British — sensitive to their new vulnerabilities — tried unsuccessfully to prohibit strategic aerial bombardment (distinguishing â€Å"tactical† from â€Å"strategic† emerged as a contentious issue). The French proposed that all â€Å"strategic† aircraft, civilian and military, should be placed under control of the League of Nations, with nations allowed to retain only short -range â€Å"tactical† aircraft in their national air forces (Geneva Conference 1932-1934) Senator Swanson led the United States Delegation to the General Disarmament Conference in Geneva. He was noted for his strong stand in favour of a large U.S. Navy and for his prediction of a possible war with Japan. Germany, whose military power had been severely limited by the Treaty of Versailles, responded by claiming that if world disarmament to the German level was not accomplished, Germany had the right to rearm and achieve military equality(Disarmament Conference) The Members of the League undertake to respect and preserve as against external aggression the territorial integrity and existing political independence of all Members of the League. In case of any such aggression or in case of any threat or danger of such aggression the Council shall advise upon the means by which this obligation shall be fulfilled (The League of Nations) The United States never joined the League of Na tions which weakened the League The Anglo-American guarantee never happened Germany was angry as it thought the Treaty of Versailles was unfair and harsh and so wanted the treaty revoked Italy was angry as it was on the winning side, however it did not receive much territory and so the Italians wanted to revise the treaty in favour of Italy Japan was only interested in issues concerning itself and not the issues concerned with the European aspects of the peace

Gutai art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Gutai art - Research Paper Example Thus, this revolutionary movement was initiated. Gutai artists produced artworks which completely revolutionized the traditional Japanese art through the convergence of ordinary materials and their own bodies1. In 1956, there was a declaration written by Yoshihara which expressed the beauty which is fascinated and raised from something after it gets damaged. However, this process was known as the process of damaging and it revealed the inner life of the material. The movement included the artwork which relied upon this manifesto and many artworks of the artists were the evidence of how the appearance of the object changed as it damaged over time. The damage and destruction was caused to the object usually in a course of centuries and it was also described as the beauty of decay. The artists of this movement had a rather different vision towards this movement. Their main aim was to create a relationship between art, body, space and time through their artwork. The revolutionary Gutai m ovement had started in Japan almost ten years after the World War II had ended. The roots of the Gutai movement went back to the Oriental tradition but also covered some aspects from the Western art. The Western art was, later, also influenced by the evolution of the Gutai movement. ... Yoshihara had also declared that the liberal position of the people was however the most important message which was conveyed through this art movement2. The people who were living in the Japanese chaotic and desperate society at that time were the group of people who were focused in this movement. The artists believed that the liberal position of these people is very important because freedom is a major source for human development. Through the artwork promoted by this movement, the position of the people was described as free. Thus, the artists of the Gutai movement were together to uncover the realities of the society in order to overcome the intense situation. As described by the artists and seen in the artwork, the features of the movement had emerged from the concepts of portraying the relationship between the materials and the artist’s body. The most influencing type of art which was presented by this movement was the performance art because it expressed many of the mes sages using newest techniques. In the initial years, the movement had received great attention from the European world but eventually the art lost its importance. The Gutai movement had become less influencing by the 2000’s, was criticized and looked over. The Western art did not find it an influencing movement but later it was influenced and understood its importance. The traces of Gutai ideas and expressions are seen in the western art as they were accepted with appreciation and praise. The main characteristic and important feature of the Gutai movement was the contribution of the artists. These artists had worked together to give a new face to the world of art. They created a unique combination of totally opposite aspects which were experimentation

John Steinbeck Essay Example for Free

John Steinbeck Essay John Steinbeck is simply one of Americas finest storytellers. He is an accomplished author and a Nobel Laureate in Literature. However, his road to success was not easy. His earlier novels failed to attract attention, and it took many years before he got the recognition he deserved. Like most writers, his experiences and his hometown were crucial in the creation of his stories. Thus, Steinbecks works were greatly influenced by his life and the environment in which he lived. John Ernst Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902, in Salinas, California (National Steinbeck Center [NSC], n. d. ). His parents were John Steinbeck, Sr., and Olive Hamilton Steinbeck. His father was a County Treasurer and his mother was a school teacher (NSC, n. d. ). It was his mother who was responsible for his love of reading and writing (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). His favorite books included Le Morte d Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory, Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky and Paradise Lost by John Milton (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). He usually spent his summer vacations working on ranches and farms (NSC, n. d. ). It is from this experience where he derived his knowledge of the countryside and its people, which he later used in his stories (NSC, n.d. ). Steinbeck graduated from Salinas High School in 1919 (NSC, n. d. ), and proceeded to study marine biology in Stanford University (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). To pay for his education, he took many jobs, which led him to miss several quarters of school (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). He was already a writer in college, with several poems and short stories included in university publications as proof (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1925, Steinbeck left Stanford University and proceeded to New York to start his writing career (NSC, n. d. ). He began his writing career in New York as a reporter for American (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). Despite this brief writing stint, Steinbeck was still unsuccessful in terms of fiction. He failed to publish any of his written works, forcing him to return to California (NSC, n. d. ). He was still a writer, but he also had other jobs as well. His jobs included fruit picking, painting, surveying, being an estate caretaker and a house watchman (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1929, Cup of Gold was written when Steinbeck was a house watchman (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). It failed to return the publishers investment (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). His next two novels, The Pastures of Heaven and To a God Unknown, were also unsuccessful (NSC, n. d. ). In 1930, Steinbeck married his first wife Carol Henning. The 30s also marked an improvement in his writing career, as his first literary success Tortilla Flat was published in 1935 (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). Tortilla Flat was later adapted into a movie. Steinbecks success continued, with the release Of Mice and Men in 1937, and The Grapes of Wrath in 1939. Soon after, he won a Pulitzer Prize for The Grapes of Wrath. During the Second World War, he went back to his journalistic roots, as a correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune (NSC, n. d. ). In 1942, Steinbecks relationship with Henning ended (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). He then married Gwyndolyn Conger, but the marriage did not last (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1950, he married again, this time to Elaine Scott (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). It was also in the 50s when he published another great book of his, East of Eden in 1952 (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). In 1962, Steinbeck was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature (NSC, n. d. ). Four years after, he passed away, in the 20th of December (NSC, n.d. ). Steinbecks literary pieces are filled with references to his own life. The most prominent reference was the setting. Most of his stories, if not all, feature his hometown of Salinas. This is only proof that his hometown was very significant for him, that he refused to exclude it in his works. The Pastures of Heaven is a great example. There is a valley in California, which is located between Salinas and Monterey (Paik, 2006). The name of the valley is Corral de Tierra, but Steinbeck referred to this valley as â€Å"pastures of heaven,† hence the title of his book (Paik, 2006). Moreover, it was also found that since The Pastures of Heaven consists of short stories, Steinbecks intention to unify them may bear a similarity to Miltons Paradise Lost (Meyer, 2007). This is no surprise, since it was one of his favorite books. Tortilla Flat is another Steinbeck novel which referenced his hometown. Tortilla Flat is another town in California, near Monterey. The theme of the story was based on King Arthur and the Round Table (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). Steinbeck might have derived this idea from another favorite book of his, Le Morte d Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory. In addition, he included the plight of farmers within the story (Pollock, 2006), the inspiration of which was probably taken from his summers as a farmhand. The Log from the Sea of Cortez is another Steinbeck text that, despite having no connection with California, was still a result of his life experiences. When Steinbeck was married to Carol, they lived in Pacific Grove (NSC, n. d. ). It was in Pacific Grove were he met Edward Ricketts, a marine biologist (â€Å"John Steinbeck,† 2003). They quickly became friends, probably because they shared the same interest in biology, which Steinbeck took in college. In 1940, Ricketts and Steinbeck boarded The Western Flyer, a fishing boat they hired for the expedition (Weiss, 1999). Both men explored the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez (Weiss, 1999). Steinbeck published the book Sea of Cortez, which was re-released as The Log from the Sea of Cortez (Weiss, 1999). Steinbecks maturity as a writer is difficult to trace, simply because he started out as a journalist and later became a fiction writer. News writing and fiction writing are two different fields, both of which are essential parts of Steinbecks career. Nonetheless, regardless of genre, Steinbecks talent is undeniable. Only he could write with a balance of â€Å"realistic naturalism† and â€Å"moral optimism† within his stories (Phillips, 2006). Consequently, Steinbecks writing strength lies on his social commentary, the focus of which was the economic struggles of laborers in the rural areas (Nobel Foundation 1962). His love for the California landscape is also another Steinbeck trademark, which is not always compatible with his straightforward sociological kind of writing (Nobel Foundation, 1962). Despite this, John Steinbeck remains a remarkable author whose legacy will stay for generations. He was one of the many who created literary masterpieces that was extremely influenced by his own life and the surroundings in which he lived. References John Steinbeck (1902-1968). Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. kirjasto. sci. fi/johnstei. htm Meyer, M. J. (2007). The Pastures of Heaven. The Literary Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. litencyc. com/php/sworks. php? rec=trueUID=7353 National Steinbeck Center (n. d. ). Biography. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. steinbeck. org/Bio. html Nobel Foundation (1962). Biography. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1962/steinbeck-bio. html Paik, F. (2006). Pastures of heaven. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. forbes. com/2001/11/09/1109how. html Phillips, B. (2006). SparkNote on East of Eden. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/eastofeden/context. html Pollock, F. J. (2006). SparkNote on Tortilla Flat. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. sparknotes. com/lit/tortillaflat/context. html Weiss, D. (1999). The log of the sea of Cortez. Retrieved January 29, 2008, from http://www. ecotopia. org/about/cortez. html.

A Separate Peace John Knowles English Literature Essay

A Separate Peace John Knowles English Literature Essay B. I dont think this place the story could take place at any other time because the timing of this was perfect because the timing tied in with the story and so if you had it during like the Vietnam War it couldnt have tied in with the story. C. Yes, the setting does change throughout the story the story goes from the school Devon, to the beach, to when Gene left the school to go back home, to when he went to Finnys house, and then he went back to Devon. D. The reason for the changes are that Gene and Finny decided to go to the beach even though they werent allowed to and the reason Gene left school was because it was a break and Gene went to Finnys house because he wanted to explain why he jounced the tree limb, and lastly he went back to Devon to finish his school year and graduate. 6. The basic plot of the story is that a boy named Gene who is smart and there is an athletic boy named Finny. Gene and Finny become best friends. Eventually, Gene gets jealous of Finnys athletic abilities and so he thinks theres a rivalry between them. Then he finds out that there isnt one between them and when he finds that out he is about to go jump off the tree for his secret club and so he shakes the branch that him and Finny are on and so Finny falls of the tree and break his bone. Then, Gene finds out that Finny cant play sports anymore and then he feels bad. Then the summer session is over and so Gene goes home and when he is coming back to Devon he goes to Finnys house to say sorry to him but Finny denies that Gene did it on purpose. After that, Gene comes back to Devon. Then Finny decides that Gene is going to take his place in athletics and so Finny starts training Gene for the Olympics. After that happens Brinker holds a trial because he thinks Gene did push Finny off the big tree. While the trial is going on Finny realizes that Gene really did push him off the tree on purpose and so Finny is walks out of the room and as he is walking he falls on the staircase and breaks his leg again. Then Finny dies while being operated on because some of his bone marrow goes into his blood stream. Then Gene thinks about all the things Finny had taught him and then the book ends. 7. A. The opening scene of the book is Gene that is older having a flashback and thinking about how his life was during his school years. Also, the opening scene includes Finny and Gene not coming to dinner and then being caught for skipping dinner but then Finny talks his way out of trouble. B. What is most important about the opening scene is the part where Gene says that he was changed at Devon because that is a fundamental part in the story because it shows that Gene likes this school a lot and that he has been through a lot at this school. C. The opening scene does set the stage for the rest of the book because in the opening scene it tells you about how Gene was at Devon and how he went through many difficult times at that school and so you know that the school is going to be an important part in the story. 8. A. The closing scene of the book is when Finny dies from the bone marrow getting into the blood stream. The rest of the closing scene is when Gene thinks about all the things that Finny had taught him and how he wouldnt be the same if he hadnt met Finny. B. What is most important about the closing scene is the part where Gene thinks about all the things Finny had taught him. The reason for this being the most important is because since he was remembering things about Finny it shows that he really does like Finny and that he doesnt hate Finny it shows that he does feel guilty about causing Finnys death. C. I think the closing scene does fit with the theme of the work because the theme of this book is dealing with having feelings that you never thought that you had and this fits with the closing scene because in the closing scene Finny dies because of his broken bones bone marrow and the reason Finny had broken his bone again was because he realized that Gene did negative feelings towards him and that Gene had pushed him off the tree on purpose and when he was deep in thought about that he didnt notice he was on by the staircase and he fell down it because he had been too busy thinking about Genes true feelings. 9. A. The main characters in the story are Finny and Gene. What distinguishes Finny from everyone else is that he is very athletic and what distinguishes Gene from everyone else is that he is much more intelligent than most people. B. The characters are believable because there are many people in the world who are much more intelligent than others and there are also many people who are much more athletic than others so they are believable characters. C. An important minor character is Brinker. The purpose Brinker serves is to be like a literary foil of Finny and he is the one who decides to have a trial about the cause of Finnys accident. Another important minor character is Leper who is a peaceful guy and because of him going to war early and coming back insane Finny is forced to believe in the war and that is his purpose in the story. 10. A. The basic conflict in this book is that Gene becomes jealous of Finny and then makes Finny fall off a tree and break his bone because he is jealous. The reason Gene is jealous of Finny is because of Finnys amazing athleticism and his great personality. B. The major conflict in this story is an internal conflict. C. There are many other conflicts in this story. One minor conflict in this story is World War II. World War II goes on all throughout the book and it is constantly used by the author. Another minor conflict in this story is that Gene doesnt want to enlist in the war and so he is the only one in his grade who hadnt enlisted. 11. The theme of this book is betrayal. 12. The major symbols of this book are the big tree that Gene and Finny jumped off of B. The big tree stands for revenge to me because the big tree is where Gene made Finny break his bone because Gene was jealous of Finny. 13. The title means that there are different types of peace you can have. For example, you can have peace like when you end a war and there is peace or when you are calm and nonviolent that can be peaceful too. I think this title means that there is going to be a separate type of peace apart from the peace after the war that is going on. B. The significant clues that the title gives to the meaning of the story are that from the title you know that the story isnt going to be about the peace after the war it is going to be about peace between something on a smaller scale like between two people. C. Yes the title is related to one of the aspects of the book. The aspect of the book that the title is related to is the setting because the setting is Devon during WWII and when there is a world war going on in the book you would think that the peace was going to be about the war but the title says separate so then you understand that it means a peace that is not from the war. 14. A. The tone of the book is a sad and guilty tone. B. The tone of the book changes from being happy in the beginning to sad and guilty after the climax to resentment at the end of the book. C. The passages that you can figure out the tone of the book are the passage after Finny falls off the tree and the passage at the end where it talks about how Gene remembering all the things he had learned from Finny. 15. The time of this novel is mostly flashbacks because from page fourteen to about the end of the book because in the beginning he goes to the school and then he remembers all the things that he had done in the school and everything he remembers is one big flashback and that flashback is the book. 16. The main characteristics of the authors style are varying sentence length, using similes, and only having a first person point of view. 17. I think the author wrote this book because he wanted to entertain readers and because he wanted to teach people about how people really are even though. I think he is trying to say that even if people seem nice you can never really tell if they are or not. B. The ultimate purpose the author hoped to accomplish by writing this book is to show the reader that during the war was going on there were many other struggles people were going through.

Why Men Should Teach Feminism Essay -- Feminism Feminist Women Critici

Why Men Should Teach Feminism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We were asked to focus on three questions related to men and feminism: first, what leads us to teach feminism; second and third, can or should a man teach courses or topics on feminism.   While my short answer to each question is â€Å"yes,† I have carefully examined my ideological history and experiences teaching women’s studies to be more certain of my response.   Not all of the varied aims of women’s studies and feminist activism are directed toward the sensibilities and status of men, nor should they be, but men are still an important audience for feminist discourse and should play a more active role in teaching feminism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thinking about the first question – what leads me to teach feminism – the answer stems from my belief that alliances matter in the struggle for progressive social change, and that allies must be enlisted to support the aims of ending sex and gender discrimination.   The histories of justice-seeking movements in the United States can help to illustrate why alliance building is necessary as a follow up to and a complement to the concentrated efforts of a dedicated base of activists, such as suffragists in the 19th century, young black students involved in sit-ins in the early 1960s, or protestors against the second Gulf War in our time.   Social movements often follow a trajectory that begins with radical activists confronting oppression with direct action, even when a cause appears unpopular.   If the efforts of an activist base are successful in calling attention to unjust social practices, a sizable minority or even a majority of the wider population may decide that they have a stake in the movement’s success, making possible such historic legislative achie... ...gues in the women’s studies program and other contexts has enriched my life far beyond the classroom.   In my future work, I will encourage others to learn from the history of feminism and to apply feminist pedagogy in the classroom.   My experiences being the only African American (and sometimes the only male) in many professional and personal settings have reinforced my conviction that the best hope for future progressive change is to build alliances that celebrate human commonality, and demonstrate for our students that (as June Jordan has written) â€Å"freedom is indivisible.†Ã‚   While we all can benefit from the comfort and even the catharsis that single-sex and single-race settings can provide, our students and our society are best served by cooperative, feminist-inspired work by women and men to challenge sexism, racism, and every other threat to freedom and justice. Why Men Should Teach Feminism Essay -- Feminism Feminist Women Critici Why Men Should Teach Feminism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We were asked to focus on three questions related to men and feminism: first, what leads us to teach feminism; second and third, can or should a man teach courses or topics on feminism.   While my short answer to each question is â€Å"yes,† I have carefully examined my ideological history and experiences teaching women’s studies to be more certain of my response.   Not all of the varied aims of women’s studies and feminist activism are directed toward the sensibilities and status of men, nor should they be, but men are still an important audience for feminist discourse and should play a more active role in teaching feminism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thinking about the first question – what leads me to teach feminism – the answer stems from my belief that alliances matter in the struggle for progressive social change, and that allies must be enlisted to support the aims of ending sex and gender discrimination.   The histories of justice-seeking movements in the United States can help to illustrate why alliance building is necessary as a follow up to and a complement to the concentrated efforts of a dedicated base of activists, such as suffragists in the 19th century, young black students involved in sit-ins in the early 1960s, or protestors against the second Gulf War in our time.   Social movements often follow a trajectory that begins with radical activists confronting oppression with direct action, even when a cause appears unpopular.   If the efforts of an activist base are successful in calling attention to unjust social practices, a sizable minority or even a majority of the wider population may decide that they have a stake in the movement’s success, making possible such historic legislative achie... ...gues in the women’s studies program and other contexts has enriched my life far beyond the classroom.   In my future work, I will encourage others to learn from the history of feminism and to apply feminist pedagogy in the classroom.   My experiences being the only African American (and sometimes the only male) in many professional and personal settings have reinforced my conviction that the best hope for future progressive change is to build alliances that celebrate human commonality, and demonstrate for our students that (as June Jordan has written) â€Å"freedom is indivisible.†Ã‚   While we all can benefit from the comfort and even the catharsis that single-sex and single-race settings can provide, our students and our society are best served by cooperative, feminist-inspired work by women and men to challenge sexism, racism, and every other threat to freedom and justice.

The Brain in Ecstasy :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Brain in Ecstasy â€Å"LITTLE PILL WHITE AND ROUND GULP OF WATER, TURBO DOWN! ANXIETY NOW, CAN'T STAND OR SIT, JUST WAIT, DON'T WORRY, IT WILL HIT! IN HALF-AN-HOUR YOU RISE INSIDE, EVERYONE LOVES, NO HATE TO HIDE. EVERYTHING'S GOOD, THERE IS NO WRONG, IF THE WHOLE WORLD SWALLOWED IT, EVERYONE WOULD GET ALONG... WORLD PEACE I HAVE A VISION, CANNOT BE OBTAINED THROUGH RELIGION BUT CAN BE RESOLVED CHEMICALLY THERE IS A GOD CALLED ECSTASY!† - By Anonymous user of ecstasy (1). The various account of users of a drug known as ecstasy were among the most moving and perplexing reading that I had ever encountered. It is remarkable to imagine that each of us is able â€Å"to rise inside,† overcome the barriers of all negative feelings, and to love to our outermost capacity.... with some help from the little white pill. While most of the accounts that I reviewed had an overriding theme of experience of closeness, love, and peace, the accounts were very case specific: A writer finds a years lost muse, a girl â€Å"learns† how to love herself and others, a religious man finally achieves â€Å"spiritual expansion,† a couple is able to exchange sexual roles as if having their partner’s body, and the list goes on and on (2). But there are also negative experiences associated with the use of ecstasy, although they are documented much less. For example, a user describes his state after a trip on ecstasy: â€Å"for the next couple of days aft erwards I was an emotional wreck, paranoid as hell, shaking, involuntary muscle spasms, and my tonsillitis came back† (3). After a similar negative experience, another user who actually had to stop taking ecstasy because of the detrimental side effects it produced, comments: â€Å"It’s just a pity that people can’t feel like they do on Ecstasy, naturally† (4). Perhaps trying to understand how a chemical can cause a state of euphoria would help us figure out how to achieve it naturally. Then, we can make some sense of, or at least hypothesize about, the neurobiology which underlies the depth of human experience. From even some accounts I outlined above, one can see how complex the feelings brought about by this drug really are. Finding the muse and everything that encompasses it, is a quite complicated behavior, not to mention the vision of world peace and love! It seems unlikely that a simple chemical should cause such a wide range of effects.

Pride and Prejudice †Coursework Assignment Essay

How does pride and prejudice affect Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship? How does Elizabeth change her opinion about Darcy after reading his letter? â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.† This is the opening sentence of the famous book â€Å"Pride and Prejudice†. The sentence automatically states to the reader that the story written is about issues regarding marriage at the time. It is saying that a â€Å"man in possession of good fortune† is searching for a wife and a poor woman would love to marry him as to the money she would receive. The original copy (book) of â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† was published in the 19th century (1813) and was named â€Å"First Impressions†. Jane Austen soon changed it to â€Å"Pride and Prejudice†, as the publishers would not accept it as it was seen as weak novel. The book was written â€Å"by an author†, later known as Jane Austen. This is because Jane Austen was aware of the attitude of men, which was negative towards women. The early 19th century view of women was stereotypical and sexist( but was considered perfectly rational at the time), reason being women were given little autonomy and it was virtually impossible to be independent with men as men were considered to be superior and women ass the inferior beings. They believed that nature gave women the power to produce offspring, so they should just stay at home and care for their children. People living at the time underestimated women, so were not allowed to participate in high society doings, but if one was in high society it self , ten she had the power to write and publish books unlike Jane Austen. This probably gives an idea of the general attitude towards women at the time. They were held at a low esteem, put down, slaves for men, developed their knowledge at home. Life then is the same as in the book and Jane Austen uses the novel to criticise in the way which women were regarded. The only career that women had was to marry their daughter(s) in high society; the business of their life was to make their daughter(s) economically secure, which can lead them to have their own identity in society. The novel â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† raises issues in society at that particular time e.g. marrying a â€Å"man in possession of good fortune†. The theme that runs through the book is about people who are blinded by their pride, ego which eventually leads them to be prejudice against someone. There is a saying â€Å"never judge a book by its cover† well this statement is challenged by â€Å"the first impression is the last impression†. I personally agree with the first statement, but characters in the story do not. The theme is basically based on issues affecting marriage, status of women, romance and opinions. The story is about Mr and Mrs Bennet and their five daughters: Jane, Elizabeth (also known as Lizzy/Elisa), Mary, Lydia and Kitty. The Bennet family is the unhappy marriage of Mr and Mrs Bennet, the quote in chapter 20 informs the reader about this â€Å"†¦from this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr Collins, and I will never see you again if you do? This is spoken by Mr Bennet, this shows that the couple do not agree on situations and if they don’t agree and also keep such conditions to their children they are not happy with such a marriage. The story opens with a conversation between Mr and Mrs Bennet. The dialogue significantly acquaints the reader to the personality, which the two characters have. Mr Bennet appears to be calm and at ease, he is also intelligent and sarcastic, whereas Mrs Bennet is boisterous, over excited and is constantly trying to get her daughters married. In the book she is almost a caricature in addition she also lacks the intelligence of her husband. Due to Mr Bennet is getting old and when he dies the family’s possessions will be inherited by Mr Bennet’s closest male relative, Mrs Bennet is under immense pressure. This is because when Mr Bennet dies the Bennet family will be left homeless and the girls will be in desperate need for marriage. In chapter 1 (page 5) Mrs Bennet talks about Netherfield park which is let at last .she affirms that â€Å"A single man of large fortune† has brought it whose name is Bingley. She carries on saying â€Å"what a fine thing for our girls†. This shows to the reader that she is adamant on getting her daughters married. She confirms this by saying â€Å"you must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.† As all the daughters are single Mrs Bennet assumes Mr Bingley will fall in love with one of them. Jane the eldest of the sisters is the prettiest and is also good from the heart, as she does not acknowledge anything bad in any one this is because she is naive. Elizabeth is the second eldest and is dearest to Mr Bennet i.e. when he talks about bingley meeting the girls he mentions â€Å"I must throw in a good word for my Lizzy† (page 6). She also is â€Å"not half so handsome as Jane†, but she is intelligent â€Å"Lizzy has some thing more of quickness than her sisters.†(page 6). Jane and Elizabeth are the main daughters in the book, they both have different opinions. Elisa judges people by first impressions, whereas Jane never judges anyone, she can never see anything negative in anyone, not even her mum. Mary is he quietist out of the girls, she is sensitive, works hard for everything and is more to her self. On the other hand Kitty and Lydia ( the youngest out of the girls)are always chasing soldiers, they are good humoured and enjoy dancing. The Bennets attend the ball hosted by Bingley; who is introduced to the sisters, but takes distinct interest in Jane Bennet. This is noticed when Bingley dances with Jane twice. Darcy is introduced by his friend Bingley at the Netherfield ball. He catches Elizabeth’s eye straight away as he is good looking and also because he possesses a large fortune. Bingley persuades Darcy to dance, but as Darcy is not fond of dancing unless he is fully acquainted with his partner he says no. Bingley mentions Elizabeth and asks Darcy to dance with her, but Darcy replies â€Å"she is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me.†(page 11). Darcy also says that Bingley â€Å"you are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room† (page 11). Bingley adds to that â€Å"Oh! she is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld!..†(page 11). The ball is the main event in the story, as the conversation between Darcy and Bingley in which they speak of Elizabeth is over heard by Elizabeth. Elisa feels that she has been judged and her pride which has been hurt then goes on to judge Darcy. â€Å"PREJUDICE† the word means preconceived opinion. It is an assumption; in this case of what a person is like, it is a negative judgement against someone. Elizabeth is prejudice against Darcy, as he spoke wrong of her behind her back. The fact that Wickham and Darcy are not really the best of friends escalates her hatred for Darcy, due to the fact Wickham proves him self a better person than Darcy. This hatred of hers forces her to like Wickham, as she thinks that he is the better man. Chapter 15 is when Lizzy is introduced to Wickham and all the women around him give him a lot of attention, as he is good looking (Wickham is fond of female attention). He meets Lizzy when he has just bought commissions in the militia to gain a higher status, this is where Darcy comes and Elisa notices the tension between the two. Wickham later explains the reason for the enmity between them. Wickhams explanation is that Darcy made him forfeit all the money and property that late Mr Darcy gave to him, as he was jealous of the relationship between late Mr Darcy and Wickham. Elizabeth has remembered something in Darcy and that is that if some one offends or hurts him in any way, he can be very unforgiving (Lizzy brings this up at the second Netherfield ball) At the second Netherfield ball Lizzy cannot find Wickham and Darcy asks her for a dance. Elizabeth agrees only because she wants to find put more on Darcy and Wickhams not so great relationship. Darcy is drawn to Elizabeth every time he sees her and Elizabeth hates him even more. When dancing very little words are spoken. â€Å"For I have always seen a great similarity in the return of our minds† (page 74). By saying this Elisa is being ironic and sarcastic, she is criticising Darcy, but Darcy does not realize and is drawn to â€Å"her fine eyes†. She also says to him â€Å"and never allow yourself to be blinded by prejudice.† She is trying to say that you make mistakes by making judgement on first impressions. In my opinion it is very easy to see someone else’s faults before our own. This is exactly what Elisa is doing, but ironically as she later admits this is her fault to. Elizabeth begins to talk about Wickham she notices a sudden change in Darcy’s body language and his facial impressions. Darcy makes a comment on how Wickham can make friends, but can’t keep them â€Å"Mr Wickham is blessed with such happy manners as may ensure his making friend – whether he may be equally capable of retaining them is less certain† (page 74). Darcy does not give any other reasons for thing Wickham. Mr Collins is the cousin of Mr Bennet and all the Bennet’s property will be his when Mr Bennet dies as he is the closest male relative. Mr Collins proposes to Elizabeth as Jane is likely to be engaged to Mr Bingley, as hinted by Mrs Bennet. He makes this proposal in chapter 19. Mr Collins at breakfast asks for a private audience with Elizabeth and Mrs Bennet agrees even though Elizabeth doesn’t want to. Mrs Bennet â€Å"Oh dear!-Yes-certainly. I am sure Lizzy will be very happy-I am sure she can have no objection.† (page 84). As soon as everyone leaves the room he compliments Elizabeth â€Å"your modesty, so far from doing you any disservice, rather adds your other perfections.† I feel that he starts off with this line, so Elisa emotionally breaks down, and accepts his proposal. She is silent after this speech as she finds it comical and she feels that if she says something she might laugh â€Å"†¦his feelings, made Elizabeth so near laughing† (page 84). Mr Collins understands her silence to be a convincing yes and he carries on explaining his reasons for marrying. However after his speech, Elisa rejects his proposal. He is shocked as he considered her silence to be an act â€Å"playing hard to get.† Elizabeth â€Å"You are to hasty sir. You forget have made no answer let me do it further loss of time. Accept thanks for the complements you are paying me. I am sensible to do other wise decline them. â€Å"Through out the whole of the proposal he did not mention love for Elizabeth. He mentions his reason for this proposal – Miss Jenkinson, who advises him to marry someone with a higher status, so he is not alone. â€Å"Mr Collins, You must marry.† – â€Å"Chuse properly, chuse a gentlewoman for my sake: and for your own† This relates to Charlotte Lucas’s speech on marriage for love and marriage and just to have a partner. Mrs. Bennet and Elizabeth’s decision and her father tells her that â€Å"your mother will never see you again do not marry Mr. Collins and I will never see you again if do.† (page 90) Her father supports her decision. After this Mr Collins marries Charlotte (Lizzy’s friend) and Charlotte invites Elisa to stay at her house in Kent. Jane writes a letter to in which she states that she does not meet Mr Bingley in town. For this Elizabeth suspects Darcy. She suspects Darcy because of Colonel Fitz William (Darcy’s cousin). Fitz William to Elisa â€Å"what he told me was merely this that he congratulated himself on having lately saving a friend from the inconvenience of a most imprudent marriage† (page ). In chapter 34 Elizabeth is at home, reading that particular letter from Jane. This is when Darcy enters the room and paces up and down the room, he eventually proposes â€Å"†¦ you must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire you and love you† (page 147). The anger for Darcy In Elisa suddenly fades away â€Å"she lost all compassion in anger† (page 148). But when he comments on the Bennet her anger returns e.g. when Mrs Bennet and Lydia were made at the second Netherfield ball. Mrs Bennet says â€Å"what is Mr Darcy o me that I should be afraid of him? I am sure we owe him no particular civility as to oblige to say anything, he may not hear.† Mrs Bennet thought Mr Darcy would have not heard what she said, but she was wrong. Mr Darcy also comments on Lydia and Kitty’s behaviour. When Elisa asks her mother to lower her voice, Mrs Bennet points out that there is no reason to offend Mr Darcy as she will get no advantage, â€Å"you will never recommend yourself to his friend, by doing so.† What she is trying to say is that he will tell Bingley to marry Jane, because the family are bad mannered, so are not suitable. The irony is prophetic, because it is very close to what happens in the chapter. Elizabeth makes it clear that she knows that it was Darcy’s fault Jane did not meet Bingley when she went town. Darcy â€Å"I have been good to Bingley more than I have been to myself.† Darcy is saying that he has been good to Bingley as he will not get married in a bad family, whereas if Lizzy accepts the proposal he will be getting married in a bad mannered family. Darcy in my point of view is being a hypocrite. Elizabeth is patiently listening and both are not trying to shoe their feelings e.g. Elisa is furious â€Å"She tried however to compose herself to answer him with patience† (page 148). (As Jane Austen is a woman she can write down exactly how Elisa would react in situations, but as Darcy is a man, Jane Austen is not acquainted to his feelings, so she judges him by describing his body language). Elizabeth rejects Darcy’s proposal and he is shocked â€Å"Mr Darcy changed colour† (page 149). She made her reasons not to go unnoticed. The first reason was for insulting her at the first Netherfield ball â€Å"†¦insulting me, you chose to tell me that you liked me against your will†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (page 149). And the words he spoke at the ball which mortified her pride â€Å"she is tolerable, but she is not handsome enough to tempt me† (page 11). The second reason being, the interference that took place in Bingley and Jane’s relationship. Darcy did not tell Bingley Jane had come to town to visit him, so the relationship between Bingley and Jane came to an end. Elisa Believes that Darcy had no right to ruin her sister’s love life â€Å"†¦to accept the man who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever happiness of a most beloved sister?† (page 149). The third reason Elisa gave was on the injustice done to Wickham â€Å"you have deprived the best years of his life of that independence which was no less his due than his desert† (page 150). She also mentions on page 149 that thanks to Wickham she found out what the real Darcy was like â€Å"your character was unfolded in the recital which I received many months ago from Mr Wickham.† She says this due to the explanation Wickham gave her about his â€Å"misfortunes†. She tells Darcy about these so called â€Å"misfortunes† of Wickham, and blames it all on him. Darcy replies contemptuously â€Å"his misfortunes!†-â€Å"yes, his misfortunes have been great indeed.†(page 150). After Elizabeth’s speech Darcy cried â€Å"and this,† â€Å"is your opinion of me.† Darcy had been shocked by Elizabeth’s view and after apologising â€Å"he hastily left the room† (page 151). After leaving Darcy goes home and writes a letter to Elisa explaining â€Å"his faults† and everything else that he has done so far according to Elizabeth. Elizabeth receives the letter and â€Å"With no expectation of pleasure, but with the strongest curiosity† (page 152) she opens it. â€Å"This cannot be! This must be the grossest false hood!† (page 159). This is the reaction of Elisa after reading Darcy’s letter. She can’t believe she trusted Wickham and his phoney explanation. She realised that Wickham is such a shrewd man, he tried to elope with Darcy’s sister, Georgina, just to get her à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½32,000 and she was just 15 years of age. In my opinion Darcy was right to hate Wickham. â€Å"She perfectly remembered everything that passed in the conversation between Wickham and herself† (page 161). This means that many of the expressions were still fresh in her mind. After reading Darcy’s letter Elisa changes her attitude towards Darcy in a positive way and towards Wickham in a negative way, as she now knows the truth. â€Å"How differently did everything now appear in which he was concerned† (page 161). Now Elizabeth sees everything clearly, it is like the clouds have moved away and the clear sky is visible. Everything seems different as the curtains have risen revealing the real Wickham and his lies. â€Å"She grew absolutely ashamed of her self of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think without feeling had been blinded; partial prejudice, absurd† (page 162). She is thinking of her first response to the letter, which in actual was resentment and anger. She now understood that she was quick to judge others, she saw their errors, before her own. She is ashamed of herself for being prejudice against Darcy. â€Å"He declared himself to have been totally unsuspicious of her sister’s attachment; and she could not help remembering what Charlotte’s opinion had always been†. It was not Darcy’s fault, Jane did not give any signs that she liked Bingley; Darcy was just trying to save his friend from pain. Charlotte had said that a woman should not conceal her affections â€Å"Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly; but he may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on.† She remembered Charlotte saying to he that Jane should show Bingley that she likes him too. â€Å"Yet merited reproach, her sense of shame was severe. The justice of the charge struck her too forcibly for denial† (page 162-163), she realises that she and Darcy are exactly the same. â€Å"Till this moment I never knew myself†, she realizes the mistakes she has made. Pride and prejudice affects Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship. Pride is the sense of superiority and satisfaction within a person and if a person is proved wrong or someone has said something about the too great opinion that they have of them selves, then it hurts their pride. And if their pride is hurt, their sense of superiority leads them to make a fast biased preconceived opinion against that someone. This is exactly how Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship is affected. Pride was the obstacle in their relationship, Elisa’s pride was hurt and she became prejudice against Darcy. Prejudice emotionally blinded Elisa; therefore she couldn’t see the real Darcy. After reading Darcy’s letter, Elisa realises her mistakes and she now knows that she was quick to judge others. Since she is no more blinded by her pride, she can see the clear picture of Darcy, Darcy who is now the better man. After reading his letter she changes her opinion about Darcy in a positive way as she knows the truth.