Monday, September 30, 2019

Festival at the Village

[pic] FESTIVAL AT THE VILLAGE T/A â€Å"[email  protected] – 2013† A Proposal Document By Lentswe Arts Projects [LEAP] About Us Lentswe Arts Projects [LEAP] is a non-profit organization established in March 2011, in terms of Act No 71 0f 1997 under the Department of Social Development, South Africa. LEAP, is the brainchild of cultural activists, artists and art managers in the North West Province who have for decades combined, been running different organizations, but fundamentally pursuing the same goals. It was against this understanding that Lentswe was formed. Lentswe† has many connotations in Setswana, one being a large rock and the other a voice. In this context, â€Å"Lentswe† is built from the root of the verb â€Å"go tswa†, which means to stem out in Setswana. â€Å"Lentswe le tswelele go tswela mosola† meaning â€Å"as you learn or benefit from Lentswe; continue to be good use unto others. † LEAP has been involved in artist ic and social development projects since its inception. In 2010, even before being registered. , through the Maitiso le Kea’ cultural and artistic rendition, LEAP managed to buy school uniforms for the needy school children at Magokgwane Primary School in the outskirts f Mafikeng as well as stationary and uniform for another desperate learner at Redibone Middle School with the proceedings generated from ticket sales. The fundraising event drew a lot of support from national and international musical artists such as Mo Molemi, and Setswana folklore genius Ntirelang Berman from Botswana. October 2011, saw LEAP co-producing an exclusively cultural night of â€Å"Ntirelang Berman live† at Mmabana Mmabatho theatre. The show was hailed as â€Å"ground-breaking and conscious† by the local media and attracted a mixture of both the young and old.Executive Summary â€Å"The children who sleep in the streets, reduced to begging to make a living, are testimony to an unfini shed job. † Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela It is with the above quote from the former South African president and Noble Prize winner, Dr. N. R. Mandela, which LEAP conceptualized and aims to stage FESTIVAL AT THE VILLAGE, also to be known as â€Å"[email  protected]†. The festival aims to be the first of its kind arts festival to cater for the underprivileged youths who are also known as â€Å"homeless children† but currently reside at different places of safety in the North West Province.[email  protected] seeks to be a therapeutic platform where these youths are skilled and integrated back into society. It is a vehicle to be used to identify, train and nourish hidden and/or undiscovered talent while creating possible artistic careers for the targeted market. [email  protected] will also be the first ever arts festival to be staged within a rural community, with the aim of bolstering its local economy as well as making it a tourist destination. Buxton Village, in the Greater Taung Municipality is the ideal identified place with its strategic resources, zoning and accessibility for the staging of [email  protected] ConceptA three months training period starting in April 2013 will culminate into a weekend [3 days] long artistic therapeutic experience, therefore making up the core of [email  protected] – skill and emotional development. Different places of safety in four different regions of the North West Province will be identified and roped in for participation at [email  protected] as part of their rehabilitation programmes. Each home will have three [3] teams covering disciplines of drama, music and dance. LEAP would then assign dramaturges/ facilitators to train and develop these groups in their respective discipline, with different themes attached to each group/home.The different groups based on different themes would then create performance pieces of between 20-30 minutes long with the guidance of their respective facili tators. The facilitators would be accompanied by unemployed social workers [either recent graduates or retired ones] to help with handling potential sensitive material that might be borne out of the workshoping process. It is a well known fact that every child has a secret aspiration of climbing on stage to unleash his/her potential performance dream.Lentswe Arts Projects aims to give voice to the oppressed by staging such a revolutionary concept for expression. Interesting and therapeutic theatre forms like â€Å"Forum theatre† will be used to harness participation at [email  protected] in June 2013. What is Forum Theatre? â€Å"It is a theatrical game in which a problem is shown in an unsolved form, to which the audience (as spect-actors), is invited to suggest and enact solutions. The problem is always the symptom of oppression, and generally involves visible oppressors and a protagonist who is oppressed.In its purest form, both the actors and spect-actors will be peopl e who are victims of the oppression under consideration; that is why they are able to offer alternative solutions, because they themselves are personally acquainted with the oppression. † – Augusto Boal It goes without saying how this type of theatre model would go a long way in helping our targeted children as participants and society at large as audiences to comprehend the type of either emotional or at times physical oppression that perpetuates the ever increasing number of homeless children on our streets.[email  protected]: ? To be an annual therapeutic and edutaining artistic platform. [email  protected] – Objectives: ? Endorse the Department of Social Development’s mandate of developing and implementing an array of programmes that do not only protect South Africans against poverty, but also promote investment in building and strengthening communities and households. ? To be a meaningful vehicle of intergrading our lost children back into society . ? To create jobs for our social workers and artists. ? To use the arts to address the socio-economic challenges and cultural restoration in our communities. To identify and address social ills that result in having children homeless. ? To create possible careers in the arts. ? To have an attracting socially-conscious arts calendar event. ? To align with the Department of Arts and Culture’s Mzansi’s Golden Economy policy of creating a â€Å"more than you can imagine† experience. ? Actualize the Department of Social Development’s value of partnership in working together with civil society, business, academia and the international community. [email  protected] – Implementation Once the financial and physical resources are available, LEAP will develop a detailed implementation plan and set up a strong team to take the project to its realization. The said project team will preferably be consisting of representatives from different stakeholders to ha ve a successful and translucent process. The implementation stages shall mainly begin with the identification of willing participatory children’s homes around the province, followed by assigning of different facilitators to the respective teams/homes. Action Plan PERIOD: 07 January – 02 August 2013 ACTIVITY |DATE |PLACE |OUTCOME | |Pre-production begin |07 January – 29 March 2013 |Mafikeng and Taung |Festival Logistics Plan | |Fieldwork/workshops begin |01 April 2013 |Around NW |Unroll the development process | |Fieldwork/workshops begin |30 June 2013 |Around NW |Have groups ready to | | | | |showcase/compete. |Marketing initiatives commence |10 June 2013 |Around NW |Create project awareness around | | | | |the province. | |Travelling day [Groups] |04 July 2013 |To Buxton |Different homes travel to get to | | | | |the designated area of | | | | |showcasing. |Technical set-up |04 July 2013 |Venues TBC |Have the venues accommodating the| | | | |productions. | |[em ail  protected] Launch |05 July 2013 |Venue TBC |Launch the project to the media | | | | |and public. | |[email  protected] First Day |06 July 2013 |Social Centre |Start showcasing the productions. |Last Day/ Prize Giving |07 July 2013 |Social Centre |End short festival of | | | | |performances and give prizes. | |Travelling day |08 July 2013 |From Buxton |Groups and technicians get back | | | | |home. | |Reporting |02 August 2013 |Mahikeng |Narrative and financial reports | | | | |submitted to the funders. | Project Budget Please see attached[pic] Festival at the Village [pic] FESTIVAL AT THE VILLAGE T/A â€Å"[email  protected] – 2013† A Proposal Document By Lentswe Arts Projects [LEAP] About Us Lentswe Arts Projects [LEAP] is a non-profit organization established in March 2011, in terms of Act No 71 0f 1997 under the Department of Social Development, South Africa. LEAP, is the brainchild of cultural activists, artists and art managers in the North West Province who have for decades combined, been running different organizations, but fundamentally pursuing the same goals. It was against this understanding that Lentswe was formed. Lentswe† has many connotations in Setswana, one being a large rock and the other a voice. In this context, â€Å"Lentswe† is built from the root of the verb â€Å"go tswa†, which means to stem out in Setswana. â€Å"Lentswe le tswelele go tswela mosola† meaning â€Å"as you learn or benefit from Lentswe; continue to be good use unto others. † LEAP has been involved in artist ic and social development projects since its inception. In 2010, even before being registered. , through the Maitiso le Kea’ cultural and artistic rendition, LEAP managed to buy school uniforms for the needy school children at Magokgwane Primary School in the outskirts f Mafikeng as well as stationary and uniform for another desperate learner at Redibone Middle School with the proceedings generated from ticket sales. The fundraising event drew a lot of support from national and international musical artists such as Mo Molemi, and Setswana folklore genius Ntirelang Berman from Botswana. October 2011, saw LEAP co-producing an exclusively cultural night of â€Å"Ntirelang Berman live† at Mmabana Mmabatho theatre. The show was hailed as â€Å"ground-breaking and conscious† by the local media and attracted a mixture of both the young and old.Executive Summary â€Å"The children who sleep in the streets, reduced to begging to make a living, are testimony to an unfini shed job. † Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela It is with the above quote from the former South African president and Noble Prize winner, Dr. N. R. Mandela, which LEAP conceptualized and aims to stage FESTIVAL AT THE VILLAGE, also to be known as â€Å"[email  protected]†. The festival aims to be the first of its kind arts festival to cater for the underprivileged youths who are also known as â€Å"homeless children† but currently reside at different places of safety in the North West Province.[email  protected] seeks to be a therapeutic platform where these youths are skilled and integrated back into society. It is a vehicle to be used to identify, train and nourish hidden and/or undiscovered talent while creating possible artistic careers for the targeted market. [email  protected] will also be the first ever arts festival to be staged within a rural community, with the aim of bolstering its local economy as well as making it a tourist destination. Buxton Village, in the Greater Taung Municipality is the ideal identified place with its strategic resources, zoning and accessibility for the staging of [email  protected] ConceptA three months training period starting in April 2013 will culminate into a weekend [3 days] long artistic therapeutic experience, therefore making up the core of [email  protected] – skill and emotional development. Different places of safety in four different regions of the North West Province will be identified and roped in for participation at [email  protected] as part of their rehabilitation programmes. Each home will have three [3] teams covering disciplines of drama, music and dance. LEAP would then assign dramaturges/ facilitators to train and develop these groups in their respective discipline, with different themes attached to each group/home.The different groups based on different themes would then create performance pieces of between 20-30 minutes long with the guidance of their respective facili tators. The facilitators would be accompanied by unemployed social workers [either recent graduates or retired ones] to help with handling potential sensitive material that might be borne out of the workshoping process. It is a well known fact that every child has a secret aspiration of climbing on stage to unleash his/her potential performance dream.Lentswe Arts Projects aims to give voice to the oppressed by staging such a revolutionary concept for expression. Interesting and therapeutic theatre forms like â€Å"Forum theatre† will be used to harness participation at [email  protected] in June 2013. What is Forum Theatre? â€Å"It is a theatrical game in which a problem is shown in an unsolved form, to which the audience (as spect-actors), is invited to suggest and enact solutions. The problem is always the symptom of oppression, and generally involves visible oppressors and a protagonist who is oppressed.In its purest form, both the actors and spect-actors will be peopl e who are victims of the oppression under consideration; that is why they are able to offer alternative solutions, because they themselves are personally acquainted with the oppression. † – Augusto Boal It goes without saying how this type of theatre model would go a long way in helping our targeted children as participants and society at large as audiences to comprehend the type of either emotional or at times physical oppression that perpetuates the ever increasing number of homeless children on our streets.[email  protected]: ? To be an annual therapeutic and edutaining artistic platform. [email  protected] – Objectives: ? Endorse the Department of Social Development’s mandate of developing and implementing an array of programmes that do not only protect South Africans against poverty, but also promote investment in building and strengthening communities and households. ? To be a meaningful vehicle of intergrading our lost children back into society . ? To create jobs for our social workers and artists. ? To use the arts to address the socio-economic challenges and cultural restoration in our communities. To identify and address social ills that result in having children homeless. ? To create possible careers in the arts. ? To have an attracting socially-conscious arts calendar event. ? To align with the Department of Arts and Culture’s Mzansi’s Golden Economy policy of creating a â€Å"more than you can imagine† experience. ? Actualize the Department of Social Development’s value of partnership in working together with civil society, business, academia and the international community. [email  protected] – Implementation Once the financial and physical resources are available, LEAP will develop a detailed implementation plan and set up a strong team to take the project to its realization. The said project team will preferably be consisting of representatives from different stakeholders to ha ve a successful and translucent process. The implementation stages shall mainly begin with the identification of willing participatory children’s homes around the province, followed by assigning of different facilitators to the respective teams/homes. Action Plan PERIOD: 07 January – 02 August 2013 ACTIVITY |DATE |PLACE |OUTCOME | |Pre-production begin |07 January – 29 March 2013 |Mafikeng and Taung |Festival Logistics Plan | |Fieldwork/workshops begin |01 April 2013 |Around NW |Unroll the development process | |Fieldwork/workshops begin |30 June 2013 |Around NW |Have groups ready to | | | | |showcase/compete. |Marketing initiatives commence |10 June 2013 |Around NW |Create project awareness around | | | | |the province. | |Travelling day [Groups] |04 July 2013 |To Buxton |Different homes travel to get to | | | | |the designated area of | | | | |showcasing. |Technical set-up |04 July 2013 |Venues TBC |Have the venues accommodating the| | | | |productions. | |[em ail  protected] Launch |05 July 2013 |Venue TBC |Launch the project to the media | | | | |and public. | |[email  protected] First Day |06 July 2013 |Social Centre |Start showcasing the productions. |Last Day/ Prize Giving |07 July 2013 |Social Centre |End short festival of | | | | |performances and give prizes. | |Travelling day |08 July 2013 |From Buxton |Groups and technicians get back | | | | |home. | |Reporting |02 August 2013 |Mahikeng |Narrative and financial reports | | | | |submitted to the funders. | Project Budget Please see attached[pic]

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Ethical behaviour of UK supermarket Tesco Essay

Introduction I carried out a research on UK supermarkets’ social responsibilities and business ethics, I decided I will use Tesco plc for this assignment. The reason being Tesco has a wide range of policies regarding their supplier, customers, shareholders and the community. â€Å"At Tesco, we aim to make a positive contribution to society. Our CSR programme builds on this commitment and is backed by our ‘Every Little Helps’ approach.† John Gardiner, chairman, Tesco Tesco adopted both the agency theory and the stakeholder theory and it has the intelligent self-interest (Mullins 2002). Tesco uses a combination approach of deontology, utilitarianism, teleology and egoism (Boddy 2002) to the ethical of the society. An ethical assessment will consider the position of the staff, the nature and interrelationship of activities, product and service ranges, mixes and balances, relationships with the community and the environment. Stakeholders of Tesco Stakeholder is defined by Mullins (2002:145) as â€Å"individuals or groups who have an interest in and/or are affected by the goals, operations or activities of the organisation or the behaviour of its members†. Stakeholders can be categorised into three main groups: Internal stakeholders * Employees – Social responsibilities to employees beyond the employment contracts. Employees need to face the implications such as job security, safe working conditions, fair treatment, the creation of rewarding work and personal development. Employees require equal opportunities, promotions, trade union, training and job satisfaction. * Management – Management concerns about the growth of the organisation and to achieve the organisational objectives. Management have strong influences on staff, lead by example and management by walking about can encourage its staff to produce their best performance. External stakeholders * Community & environment – The demands for the community and environment are: potential of pollution, noise and disposal waste should be kept to the minimum, raw materials are used economically and environment friendly production. * Society – Society is the broader place in which business operates. The quality of all our lives will depend on how well the organisation balances its profit and the environment. Connected stakeholders * Shareholder – There are three types of shareholders: short term investors, long term investors and ethical investors. Short term investors simply concentrate on the performance of the organisation, they will have no time for considerations of social responsibilities. Long term investors may be willing to consider evidence that managing in a socially responsible way helps long term profits. Ethical investors place social priorities higher than maximising their own personal wealth and are willing to invest in organisations that follow clear socially responsible policies. * Customers – Customers expect organisations to provide them with goods and services. They want the goods/service to be good quality, durable, good value for money, safety and performance. Consideration of Power All stakeholder groups have influence throughout the organisation. These influences effect the organisational performance and their existence within its market sector. * Employees – They can reflect their thoughts through the trade union, i.e. request pay raise, better working conditions, equal opportunities etc. If the employees are mistreated they can take industrial actions against the organisation or have an industrial strike to force the organisation to meet their needs. * Community & environment – If there is a potential of pollution, noise, disposal waste or the local county council can apply laws and regulations to limit those actions or to take legal actions against the organisation. * Society – If the quality of our life is affected by the organisation, campaigners can hold daily protests outside the organisation, this will attract bad publicity for the organisation. * Shareholders – They can simply withdrawn their investment from the organisation, i.e. selling their shares. Alternatively shareholders can attend the annual meeting and vote against the organisational suggestions. * Customers – They can simply stop consuming the goods or services from the organisation. I considered the customers have the main power over an organisation, without any customers the organisation simply cannot survive. Any organisation needs to take its stakeholders’ interests into account. A good balance of the decisions is vitally important, we can see how the influences have impact upon the organisation and any unbalance decision will affect the existence of the organisation. Tesco’s Mission Statement â€Å"Creating value for customers, to earn their lifetime loyalty† We can see from the above statement that Tesco concentrates on the long-term relationship with its customers. Tesco focused on providing exceptional value and choice for customers to ensure that they continue to grow market share. Tesco had expended significantly in the past 10 years, it started in non-food retailing in 1997 and now Tesco is creating value on a wide range of products from grocery to financial services such as personal loan, home and motor insurance and credit card services. From these evidences we can see Tesco is working very hard to follow its mission statement to achieve its goal. Tesco’s actions towards the society Tesco combined the agency theory and the stakeholder theory (Mullins 2002) when they make any ethical decisions. Milton Friedman’s view (Mullins 2002:148) suggested the agency theory is that â€Å"†¦the social responsibility of business is to make as much money as possible for the shareholders, within the rules of the game.† Mullins (2002:149) defined the stakeholder theory is that â€Å"†¦a business is for its stakeholders and its actions should be designed to balance stakeholder interest.† Tesco uses the agency theory to decide its main objective, it is to provide excellent goods and services to earn their customers’ loyalty. This will ensure their existence on the market and to maximise the shareholders’ investment. On the other hand, Tesco uses the stakeholder theory to act on behalf on its stakeholders interests, such as contribution towards the society, care for the environment and responsible to the supplier chain. Tesco also uses a combination approach of deontology, utilitarianism, teleology and egoism (Boddy 2002) to the ethical of the society. Deontology Approach â€Å"Deontology is based on the idea that we are morally obliged to follow fundamental rules of thumb or principles. (Frankena 1963)† Fulop & Linstead (1999:339) Part of the Tesco strategy of â€Å"Treat people how we like to be treated† uses the deontology approach to the ethics of the people, the policies are as follow: * All retailers, there’s one team†¦The Tesco Team * Trust and respect each other * Strive to do our very best * Give support to each other and praise more than criticise * Ask more than tell and share knowledge so that it can be used * Enjoy work, celebrate success and learn from experience Tesco acts only on those principles so that they are not only â€Å"Treat people how we like to be treated†, but also wish others to do the same. Utilitarianism Approach â€Å"Utilitarianism judges the moral worth of actions by the utility of their foreseeable consequences for each and every person affected by a certain set of actions.† Fulop & Linstead (1999:339) Tesco aims to be responsible in their commercial and trading activities. Tesco is a member of the Ethical Trade Initiative since it was founded in 1998, on top of that, it also supports the work of Fairtrade Foundation. They sell and promote Fairtrade production such as tea, coffee, banana and chocolate. Fairtrade Foundation was set to give better deal for third world producers, regardless of the world market conditions. There are several reasons why Tesco uses the utilitarianism approach to the ethics of the society. First it wants to build a strong relationship with its supplier and to maintain their reputation within the market sector. From the result of having strong relationship with its suppliers, they will have a stable supply for its goods and services. Teleology Approach â€Å"It considers whether the outcome of an action accomplishes the original goal.† Boddy (2002:133) Tesco uses the teleology approach to consider whether the outcomes achieve the original goals. Boddy (2002) suggested that if an act ensures the continuation of the organisation then it is right. From Tesco’s mission statement we can see that the original goal for Tesco is to keep its market share and continue to grow within its market sector by creating value for its customers. It is obvious that Tesco is performance very well in its industry, they keep expanding their services and products (from grocery to financial services), which indicates the continue growth for Tesco. Egoism Approach â€Å"This is the ‘ethics of self-interest, claiming that personal or corporate benefit is the only rational criterion for judging economic actions.† Boddy (2002:133) Tesco is a financial contributor to the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experimentation (FRAME), and they are seeking ways to end animal testing. Tesco also carries out the Computers for Schools vouchers, which support local school to improve their computer equipments, to create a better learning environment for children. Tesco is a national sponsor of Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, this is only part of the charity works that Tesco has, there is also a Tesco Charity Trust which helps local and national charities as well as voluntary organisations to provide practical support for children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Tesco uses this approach to take above actions to contribute towards the local community. Boddy (2002) suggested that if people follow this principle it will result in general good. Because of the contribution Tesco made (Computers for Schools vouchers and charity’s activities), customers are more happy to shop in Tesco because they are able to maximise their personal self-interest towards the society. Improvement in ethical behaviour of Tesco Tesco has a wide range of ethical policies to cover different areas, they include the following: * Human right * Local community sponsorship * Charity * Ethical trading * Fairtrade * Animal Testing * Environment These are only a small selection of Tesco’s policies which I can find on its website, there are many more policies to cover different area of the ethical aspect. Since we are in a dynamic business world and there is no set policy can cover all changes, Tesco should expand its policies and to improve and maintain its reputation. Conclusion Survival or long-term performance is the main ethical duty of the organisation, its staff, customers, community and other stakeholders. For this to happen, a long-term view must be taken. Organisation must distinguish between right and wrong. It is necessary for the organisation to recognise the nature and legitimacy of the interests of the different stakeholder groups and interested parties, and to take steps to see that these are widely understood and satisfied as far as possible.    Bibliography Boddy D, (2002), 2nd Edition, Management – An Introduction, Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow Fulop L & Linstead S, (1999), Management – A Critical Text, Macmillan Press Ltd, Hampshire Hannagan T, (1995), Management Concepts & Practices, Pitman Publishing, London Megginson L, Mosley & Pietri P Jr, (1986), 2nd Edition, Management: Concepts and Applications, Harper & Row Publishers Inc, New York Mullins L, (2002), 6th Edition, Management & Organisational Behaviour, Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow Pettinger R, (2002), 3rd Edition, Introduction to Management, Palgrave, Hampshire Robbins S & Coulter M, (2003), 7th Edition, Management, Pearson Education Inc, New Jersey Internet Resources: http://www.tesco.com/corporateinfo/ 14/03/2004 http://www.tesco.com/everylittlehelps/ 14/03/2004 Reference Boddy D, (2002), 2nd Edition, Management – An Introduction, Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow Fulop L & Linstead S, (1999), Management – A Critical Text, Macmillan Press Ltd, Hampshire Mullins L, (2002), 6th Edition, Management & Organisational Behaviour, Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow Internet Resources: http://www.tesco.com/corporateinfo/ 14/03/2004 http://www.tesco.com/everylittlehelps/ 14/03/2004

Saturday, September 28, 2019

MACRO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MACRO - Essay Example It will also considered about the various issues and challenges related to economic growth, unemployment, inflation, and the balance of payment and the exchange rate Economic growth is often defined as the increase in the market value to the quantity of goods and services produced by the economy over the period of time. Economic growth can be measured in terms of the increase in the per capita gross domestic product (GDP) (The Saylor Foundation, 2014). Accordingly, the GDP growth rate of the UK has been identified to demonstrate constant fluctuation. The UK economy is ascertained to face with strong headwinds and challenges. Contextually, the sluggish progress of the global economy along with uncertainty related to euro zone is identified to generate considerable headwinds for the nation’s economy. Output of the economy has remained flat for the last two years demonstrating 3% lower than it was at peak. Besides, private consumption is identified to restrain particularly due to reducing real disposable income, precautionary saving, tight access to credit and deleveraging. Likewise, private investment is also ascertained to be suffering fro m declining demand for goods and services, increased uncertainty and rigid financial conditions. The sluggish growth experienced by the trading partners particularly in Europe has eroded the hopes of quick recovery from the challenges faced by the economy. Declining non-price competitiveness and the limited market share held by the UK in the emerging markets of the world has also hampered the rate of export growth. Notably, high household debt, alongside limited access to mortgages is reckoned to have continuous impact on the residential investment (Wehinger, 2011). According to Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), GDP growth rate of the economy is expected to be raised by 2.7 % in the year 2014. The OBR has warned about the prediction

Friday, September 27, 2019

Social Contract Theory by John Locke Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Social Contract Theory by John Locke - Essay Example Consequently, there is an automatic bound between different individuals, who are bound by the social contract principles. In accordance with the principles of the social contract, there are basic duties, which have their roots in the very nature of human beings. The social contract theory is one of the greatest contributions made by John Locke (1690-1986). The American government has taken much from this philosopher’s ideas. The effective power of the governmental authorities contributes much to the development of the society: â€Å"So while Locke might admit some governments come about by force or violence, he would be destroying the most central and vital distinction, between legitimate and illegitimate civil government† (Frodeman & Mitcham, 2000). John Locke claims that people are closely related to the criminal justice system because they have their right to represent themselves in the courts. It is relevant to the modern society when citizens violate the laws they are brought to justice by courts. The main principles of the modern criminal justice system are taken from Locke’s principles of social contract theory. From Locke’s perspective, the rights of citizens can be outlined in the following phrase: â€Å"We give up our right to ourselves exact retribution for crimes in return for impartial justice backed by overwhelming force. We retain the right to life and liberty and gain the right to just, impartial protection of our property† (cited by Grant, 2000). In such a way, John Locke has concluded that it is natural for people to gain the right to protect their property in return they sacrifice their liberty and the right to just. Nevertheless, John Locke underlines that men have their rights by their nature. Therefore, humane principles of the Bill of Rights and the roots of the American Revolution can be found in the ideas of Locke.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Gun Control Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gun Control - Research Paper Example When it comes to gun control in America, the most important thing is to impose a background check on everyone who buys guns and to strictly impose this as a part of a new gun control bill. The reasons for this are multifold. However, one of the main reasons for the imposition of the gun control bill is to minimize killings, or even to altogether prevent them. The shootings at the opening of Batman Begins in Aurora, Colorado and the shootings of 20 schoolchildren in Connecticut both in 2012 must have certainly made American lawmakers question the effectiveness of the gun control situation in the United States. In fact, the Senate’ vote on the failed gun control bill was disappointing because it showed that the lawmakers were actually not responding to several calls from the public on the imposition of stricter background checks for gun owners and buyers. In fact, according to Gallup editor-in-chief Frank Newport, regardless of the Senate’s vote on the failed gun control bill, â€Å"It is clear that more Americans support the concept of a law expanding background checks for gun purchases than say the Senate should have passed such a law† (Metzler). Americans have definitely learned much from their experiences with failed gun control measures. ... In fact, gun control history in the United States was a â€Å"history of tragedy† in terms of legislative action (U.S. Gun Control). Gun control measures have actually been implemented but perhaps not strictly imposed. In 1934, the National Firearms Act was signed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in order to heavily tax sales of guns. The Gun Control Act was signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 in order to declare as illegal the mail-order purchases of guns. In 1993 and 1994, the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and assault weapons ban was signed by President Clinton in order to conduct background checks on gun buyers and ban semi-automatic assault weapons. Moreover, President Barack Obama and his administration also kept pushing for â€Å"more restrictive† gun control measures and laws (U.S. Gun Control). The existing gun laws like the National Firearms Act of Roosevelt is already in conflict with tax measures for the sales of guns which are imposed in every state. Thus, guns may be sold at a relatively cheaper price in some states. An example of a store in America that sells affordable guns, which are not heavily taxed is Cheaper Than Dirt, where a high power carbine is worth only $526, a hand gun is priced at $199 and a long gun at $143 (Cheaper Than Dirt). The Gun Control Act by Johnson is almost obsolete as guns are not anymore sold and delivered in packages by mail. They may in fact be bought straight from a gun shop. An example of a popular walk-in gun shop in America is American Gun Works based in California, whose website is found at americangunworks.net. One rather interesting but unfortunate feature of the shop is that it does not need a permit or license to carry a firearm as the State of

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Cultural studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural studies - Essay Example This experience is diametrically opposite to the experience of the ‘academics’. The pedestrians make use of the spaces that cannot be seen by the visionary. As opposed to the visionary, the pedestrians do not have a single map or a picture of a city, but a series of migrational metaphors which always undergoes alterations. [93]. The author seems to mean that experiencing something is more meaningful than visualizing something. The understanding of the people is managed by speculative and classificatory operations which are always liable to contradictions when they encounter the social extremes. The people who actually walk and live in the city will not agree with the concept of the decaying city. [94] Walking in the city can never be captured objectively by drawing maps because the experience of walking is very much subjective. The writer also speaks about the rhetoric of walking where the walkers unconsciously produce sentences using a series of signifiers that only experience can provide. The signifiers used by planners will be taken over by these walkers. Traveling can replace the lost legends, which once offered a series of ‘habitual spaces’. Walking is compared to a story that violates traditional notions and extends to the reality of human experience. Edward Said begins the essay by referring to a French Journalist’s comment about East as â€Å"the Orient† (P.1), which purports three independent things: First, an academic discipline; then, the â€Å"ontological and epistemological distinction† between occidental Vs. oriental; and finally, a historically defined phenomenon, where orientalism is a device of dominance (P.2). He further dwells on the Franco-British as well as American involvement in developing the concept of orientalism. Said thinks that both oriental and occidental are not real but fictitious creations, and are interdependent. He examines this interdependency in three

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

MPH599 - Culminating Project Mod 2 Case Assignment Essay

MPH599 - Culminating Project Mod 2 Case Assignment - Essay Example Theyre also number one on the list for children who have obesity. Risk factors for children to become type II diabetics, include, overweight and obesity, as well as distribution of body fat, high or low birth weight and rapid weight gain in children, physical inactivity and sedentary pastimes, fetal exposure to maternal gestational diabetes, failure to recover from the dynamic metabolic system changes of puberty when overweight or obese, and signs of insulin resistance untreated. Being a member of ethnic populations such as the American black, Mexican American, and Native American increases risk this disease. Essentially every civilized country in the world has had a sudden increase in children who are obese and therefore, children who have type II diabetes. Spain and the UK are second and third in numbers of children who have obesity as well as type II diabetes. Unfortunately type II diabetes in children leads to early hypertension and cardiovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease. The fact that these children are so overweight causes a great deal of difficulty maintaining joints and these children as they hit early adulthood often havening degenerative joint disease. Appropriate screening and follow-up education on such issues as nutrition, number of hours in front of the television set, or number of hours playing video games is important in the school systems today. The average child who develops early-onset diabetes is usually in the age range of 5 to 15.(Healthy people 2020). Type II diabetes in children is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. Thereve been more than $2 trillion spent nationally on health care issues related to child type II diabetes. This actually only amounts to 3% of all public health activity. Its already estimated 250,000 more public health workers will be needed by 2020 to handle the number of issues that are growing, with childhood as well as adult diabetes as

Monday, September 23, 2019

Engineering ethic Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Engineering ethic - Case Study Example â€Å"The audit alleges "[u]nnecessary costs for material loading, storage and transportation," the installation of temporary roofing, insurance paid prior to work cancellation and "[e]xcessive construction management costs," totaling more than $1.4 million† (Klasfeld). In this case, the violation is primarily bribery. Such cases happen when several influential and dominant members in the contractor and the consultant firms allow bribery for the entertainment of mutual interests. Current and new engineers should beware of the way the contractor-consultant bond can have negative implications for the client. Moreover, Turner Construction Company has conventionally maintained a very good name in the American construction industry. Such allegations from the city comptroller can cause a lot of harm to the company’s image. New engineers should abstain from such unethical construction practices not only because they are wrong but also they tarnish the image of a company, which is the most fundamental asset of any company. In order to prevent such a situation from repeating itself, auditing should be made an essential component of every stage of the project. Particularly, there should be pre-payment auditing. In addition to that, proper documentatio n, reimbursement and adequate use of allowance are compulsory for avoiding such ethical misconducts in the construction practices. I have lived in hostel during my undergraduate studies. Hostel life is completely different from the life at home. You constantly remain among friends and foes. In my hostel, there is a culture of calling one another by awkward names. One of my hostel mates had gynecomastia, because of which, boys started to call him Booby. Coincidently, his name was Bob. Bob got so irritated with his hostel name Booby that he made a cut into his chest with a blade. The matter was taken to the adjutant, who called all hostel boys and said that if Bob reports him about anybody calling

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Pepperdine University Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pepperdine University - Essay Example I have also participated in the Model United Nations (MUN) program and subsequently volunteered as administration staff. As a consequence of my active involvement and demonstrated leadership I received an award for the â€Å"Best Admin Staff†. As a MUN member, on a trip to Jordan, we helped: to reconstruct a broken down school in a poverty-stricken area; built fences and walls; constructed a basketball court and set-up the hoops; painted the walls; fixed the windows; and, read and played soccer with the children. For the past three years, I have worked as a Kid ´s counselor in a Summer Camp. This experience led me to develop my leadership skills, be in charge of a group aged 8-11, and assume responsibility for the group ´s tasks deliverance. Some of my hobbies are track and field and running. I am not only inclined to sports activities, I am also culturally interested in the fine arts. I play the piano and love to listen to music. Being part of Pepperdine University will broaden my horizons and will allow me to discover and explore a variety of people with whom I will be able to share my experiences and my background. Becoming a Business Management undergraduate will equip me with the necessary tools to work with faculty that are involved in research topics in this area and with whom I will be an asset to work with given my seriousness in working and experiences. I hope Pepperdine University gives me the opportunity to achieve my goals and expand on my future endeavors concerning Business Management.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Embryonic Stem Cell Essay Example for Free

Embryonic Stem Cell Essay The destruction of human embryos is required for obtaining stem cells. Alleviating human suffering costs human life and this gives rise to the ethical issue of taking human life. Some people have opined that destroying human life is immoral and should not be pardoned. Nevertheless, the fact remains that embryonic stem cells provide advanced medical treatment for terminal diseases (Oz). The ethicists propose alternative options such as the use of adult stem cells instead of embryonic stem cells. From this one can conclude that the major cause for debate on the issue of using stem cells derives from divergent opinions on the definition of life and not from a rejection of the principle which claims that the end does not justify the means or lack of faith in the latent possibilities of this technology (Oz). Scientists are trying to develop a system, wherein stem cells can be produced without destroying the embryo and which enables the embryo to develop normally. This method would provide an alternative to using human embryos for making stem cells. However, research projects in this area have been kept in abeyance since August 2001, due to the lack of federal funding by the government of the US. Moreover, the White House has adopted the stance that it requires further information to support such research and President Bush stated that he was desirous of perusing some more reports about such research (Stem-cell breakthrough: much heat, little light). The Catholic Church was vehemently opposed to such research as it stated that none of the embryos used for such research had survived. These church authorities made veiled hints that details about the nature of such research were not being fully divulged. The White House stated categorically that any use of human embryo for research purposes would be viewed seriously (Stem-cell breakthrough: much heat, little light). The most vehement critic of such research was Richard Doerflinger of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, who accused the researchers in this field of committing acts of falsehood, because of the fact that none of the embryos used in the study had survived. In this research a total of sixteen embryos had been used and all of them, without exception, had been destroyed during the course of these experiments. Moreover, he accused the researchers of having utilized a number of cells from each embryo instead of using just a couple of cells for that purpose, because while implanting embryos in genetic diagnosis, one or two stem cells are normally used (Stem-cell breakthrough: much heat, little light). In the United States there are nearly three hundred and sixty fertility clinics, which conduct in vitro fertilization procedures for infertile couples. The clinics extract twenty four ova from each female client. Subsequently, these ova are fertilized with the sperm of male donors’, usually the husband. Afterwards, either two or four embryos, obtained by this fertilization process are selected and implanted in the womb of the female client, with the expectation that at least one of these will develop and survive a pregnancy to term. The remaining embryos are then discarded by some of the clinics. However, some clinics use the excess embryos for imparting medical training. Most of these clinics deep freeze the excess embryos in liquid nitrogen and some clinics use the excess embryos as an alternative if no pregnancy is realized. Such clinics administer a repeated impregnation to woman clients, who failed to become pregnant by previous implantations of embryos. In addition, some couples donate their own embryos to other infertile couples; however, donating embryos is a rare event because clients generally do not prefer to see their child in some other family. Eventually, most of the excess embryos remain as spare, frozen embryos, which are never used. President George W. Bush for the second time refused to accord his consent for a piece of legislation that would permit federally funded research on embryonic stem cells. The proposed legislation would have repealed the present restrictions on research in the field of embryonic stem cells. The advocates of such research made a number of concerted attempts to override the veto of the President but all their efforts were in vain. They were unable to realize the two – thirds votes, which are essential for overriding the presidential veto (Minkel and Stein). The proposed legislation would have permitted research on cells extracted from excessive and unneeded embryos at fertility clinics. In a survey conducted by Science, it was revealed that more than sixty percent of patients who had excess embryos in the fertility clinics had come forward to donate their embryos for research on stem cells and only twenty percent of patients had stated that they would donate their excess embryos to other infertile couples (Minkel and Stein). During the annual conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics, US researchers reported that stem cells taken from amniotic fluid had proved to be extremely effective in repairing defective tracheas of lamb fetuses. In that research study, scientists isolated mesenchymal stem cells in the samples of amniotic fluid taken from pregnant sheep. Subsequently, these cells were grown in a culture and afterwards they were transferred to biodegradable tubes in order to form cartilage. After the transplantation of these tissues into the fetuses of sheep, it was found that the tissue had effectively mended defective tracheas in seven lamb fetuses. Moreover, the new born lambs did not display any respiratory problems (Stem success). Human embryonic stem cells act as master cells that develop any cell in the human body. The pace of the stem cell research was significantly accelerated in the year 1998. Researchers in the University of Wisconsin succeeded in isolating cells from the inner cell clusters of the early human embryo. These early human embryos are termed as blastocysts. These scientists developed the first embryonic stem cell lines (Stalcup). Stem cells represent a major breakthrough in medical therapy because they can be used either in the treatment of terminal diseases or for the purpose of assuaging diseases. Stem cells generate replacement tissues for defective or non functioning cells or organs in the human body. Researchers are extremely sanguine in using this therapy in spinal cord injuries due to accidents, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes (Stalcup). Scientists in this field of research hope to utilize specialized cells to replace defective cells in the brain, spinal cord, pancreas and other vital organs of the body. Stem cells exist in one week old embryos or blastocysts. They are created through the process of in – vitro fertilization or IVF and are present in five to nine week old embryos, embryos created through IVF for research purposes, embryos made through cloning or somatic cell nuclear transfer or SCNT, and the adult tissues available in umbilical cord blood and bone marrow (Stalcup). Widespread criticism has been aimed at the making of stem cells from human embryos and fetuses. Extracting stem cells from the embryo invariably results in the destruction of the embryo. Embryonic stem cells in the earlier stage of development are called totipotent cells. Totipotent cells have the capability to develop into a complete organism and produce an embryo and tissues to support it in the uterus. Subsequently, these stem cells reach the development stage and at this stage they are called pluripotent embryonic stem cells (Stalcup). Pluripotent embryonic stem cells can exist and develop into any type of cell in the body. However, unlike totipotent cells, pluripotent cells cannot produce supporting tissues. Thus the stem cells found in the early stage embryos potentially possess the ability to transform into any type of body cells, whereas adult stem cells do not have such capability (Stalcup). The extant thinking amongst the world wide scientific community is that human embryos are principally human beings. Such thinking has been engendered by the fact that human embryos are biologically human beings; moreover, life begins at fertilization and embryos grow and develop into complete human beings. In the 1970s and 1980s, embryologists termed the human embryo in its first week as a pre embryo. They claimed that this pre embryo was not a human being. They also believed that due to development they gradually gained the status of human beings. However, the scientific community desisted from using the term pre embryo due to the fact that such a description was incorrect. Furthermore, the Human Embryo Research Panel and the National Bioethics Advisory Commission also rejected use of the term and declared that the human embryo from its very inception was a living organism and developing form of human life. According to the 1995 Ramsey Colloquium statement, an embryo is a human being in its developmental stage and it cannot be referred to as any object or animal (Stalcup). The general consensus is that the forced sacrifice of some human beings for the benefit of other human beings is not correct from an ethical point of view. Hence research on human embryonic stem cells that are obtained by destroying human embryos is to be prohibited on grounds of general morality (Stalcup).

Friday, September 20, 2019

Coca Cola uses SWOT analysis to access their performance

Coca Cola uses SWOT analysis to access their performance Strengths Coca Cola is an enormously familiar company. Recognition is one of its bigger strengths that are almost unparalleled. Coca Cola is known very well across the world. Its branding is clear and renowned. The logo of Coca Cola is one of the most famous things in the world. Some people buy coke, not only because of its taste but because it is widely accepted and they feel like they are part of something so big and unifying. Overwhelming is the best word to describe Coca Colas popularity. It is scary to think that its popularity has been constantly growing over the years and the possibility that there is still room to grow. If you speak the words Coca Cola, it would definitely be recognized all around the world. Money is another thing that is strength of the company. Coca Cola deals with massive amounts of money all year. Like all businesses, they have had their ups and downs financially, but they have done well in this compartment and will continue to do well and improve. The money they a re earning is substantially better than most beverage companies, and with that money, they put back into their own company so that they can improve. Another strength that is very important to Coca Cola is customer loyalty. The 80/20 rule comes into effect in this situation. Eighty percent of their profit comes from 20% of their loyal customers. Many people/families are extremely loyal to Coca Cola. It would not be rare to constantly find bottles and cases of a product such as coke in a house. It seems that some people would drink coke religiously like some people would drink water and milk. This is an improbable feat. Weaknesses Coca Cola is a very successful company, with limited weaknesses. However they do have a variety of weaknesses that need to be addressed if they want to rise to the next level. Word of mouth is probably a strength and weakness of every company. While many people have good things to say, there are many individuals who are against Coca Cola as a company, and the products in which they produce. While people will have their opinions, you have to try to sway their negative views. If bad comments and views are put out to people who have yet to try Coca Cola products, then that could produce a lost customer which shows why word of mouth is a weakness. Another aspect that could be viewed as a weakness is the lack of popularity of many of Coca Colas drinks. Many drinks that they produce are extremely popular such as Coke and Sprite but this company has approximately 400 different drink types. Most are unknown and rarely seen for available purchase. These drinks do not probably taste bad, but a re rather a result of low profile or nonexistent advertising. This is a weakness that needs to be looked at when analyzing their company. Another weakness that has been greatly publicized is the health issues that surround some of their products. It is known that a popular product like coke is not very beneficial to your body and your health. With todays constant shift to health products, some products could possibly loose customers. Opportunities Coca Cola has a few opportunities in its business. It has many successful brands that it should continue to exploit and pursue. Coca Cola also has the opportunity to advertise its less popular products. With a large income it has the available money to put some of these other beverages on the market. This could be very beneficial to the company if they could start selling these other products to the same extent that they do with their main products. Another opportunity that we have seen being put to use before is the ability for Coca Cola to buy out their competition. This opportunity rarely presents itself in the world of business. However, with Coca Colas power and success, such a task is not impossible. Coca Cola has bought out a countless number of drink brands. An easy way to turn their profit into your profit is too buy out their company. Brand recognition is the significant factor affecting Cokes competitive position. Coca Cola is known well throughout 90% of the world populat ion today. Now Coca Cola wants to get there brand name known even better and possibly get closer and closer to 100%. It is an opportunity that most companies will ever dream of, and would be a supreme accomplishment. Threats Despite the fact that Coca Cola dominates its market, it still has to deal with many threats. Even though Coca Cola and Pepsi control nearly 40% of the entire beverage market, the changing health-consciousness attitude of the market could have a serious effect on Coca Cola. This definitely needs to be viewed as a dominant threat. In todays world, people are constantly trying to change their eating and drinking habits. This could directly affect the sale of Coca Colas products. Another possible issue is the legal side of things. There are always issues with a company of such supreme wealth and popularity. Somebody is always trying to find fault with the best and take them down. Coca Cola has to be careful with lawsuits. Other threats are of course the competition. Coca Colas main competition being Pepsi, sells a very similar drink. Coca Cola needs to be careful that Pepsi does not grow to be a more successful drink. Other product such as juices, coffee, and milk are threats.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Roaring Twenties Essay -- American History 1920s

The Roaring Twenties The decade of 1920-1929 was a time of great change, reform, improvement, adjustment and alteration of everything Americans had come to rely on. In other words everything changed. Not one part of common life was unaffected. Exciting new events happened in sports, entertainment, science, politics, communication and transportation. It was the age of prohibition, it was the age of prosperity, and it was the age of downfall. The twenties were the age of everything. It has been called the decade of enjoyment, employment, and for some, disappointment. The 20's were a decade to remember and it had an impact on the people living through it. During the 1920s the United States was in an economic high point. Following World War I people had more money to spend due to the wartime boom in the economy. People were able to buy products on credit, and pay small installments later. This process allowed people more freedom to purchase items, such as refrigerators, radios, and cars, when previously they had not been able to. The 1920s got its reputation as the â€Å"Roaring Twenties† from the economy in part because the economy was booming, and people were purchasing products on credit and stocks on margin. All this exchange of currency created a boom era or a â€Å"Roaring† period of time. In sports, athletes were being identified as heroes for the first time in history. This was the time of great athletes such as Babe Ruth. American Football reached the professional leagu...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Classroom of the Future Essay -- Teaching Education

Classroom of the Future Essay In ten years, I will be 32 years old. I will be teaching full-time in an elementary school. Things will be a lot different than they are now, technology in particular. Everything that is cutting-edge right now will be widely available. In my classroom of the future, my students will all have helpful technological tools to further enable their learning capabilities. One thing my classroom will have is a smart board. In fact, every classroom will have one. Smart boards, otherwise known as interactive whiteboards, are like big computer screens the size of chalkboards. The screen shows whatever the computer attached to it tells it to, and things can be highlighted and edited by touching the screen. The boards are also able to be written on, and are totally interactive, hence the name interactive whiteboard. These will be really helpful when teaching lessons because of all the things that you can do with them. It’s like a chalkboard that actually responds to you. Smart boards also enable video conferencing. This is great because students can go on virtual tours using these smart board video conferences. They can speak to scientists and tour guides and hundreds of other informed professionals willing to conference with them. This avoids the hassle of regular field trips which involve transportation and permission slips and takes up a lot of time and energy. Now students can have those same benefits of learning from the comfort of their classrooms (EdCompass). Another piece of technology that will benefit students in my future classroom will be cell phones. In ten years, there’s a good possibility that every person in the country will have a cellular phone, students... ...nology to help them with every task. Their learning will be advanced tenfold through the use of what’s known today as cutting-edge technology. And, best of all, classrooms will be improving all the time. Works Cited Daly, J. (2004). Life on the screen. Retrieved Apr. 19, 2005, from Edutopia Magazine Web site: http://www.edutopia.org/magazine/ed1article.php?id=Art_1160&issue=sept_04. Shreve, J. (2005). Let the games begin. Retrieved Apr. 19, 2005, from Edutopia Magazine Web site: http://www.edutopia.org/magazine/ed1article.php?id=art_1268&issue=apr_05. SMART Technologies Inc., (n.d.). Edcompass. Retrieved Apr. 19, 2005, from Evaluate Technology Web site: http://edcompass.smarttech.com/. Wired Magazine, (2005). Cell phones put to novel use. Retrieved Apr. 19, 2005, from Wired News Web site: http://wired-vig.wired.com/news/gizmos/0,1452,66950,00.html.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Essays --

Aleksander Pushkin, had a very short lived life, but still became the one of the most or most recognizable principal figure of literature in Russia’s history, a role with equivalence to that of William Shakespeare in the English culture. Pushkin started writing off the work of Karamzin as an inspiration and other writers construct a new, westernized language, which he used to form unique masterpieces such as â€Å"I remember the wonderful moment,† which were built upon the basis literary custom established by other famous poets such as Vasilii Zhukovskii who laid down the foundation and led the way for the pre-Romantic and Romantic texts of Konstantin Batiushkovand Evgeny Boratynskii. Pushkin influenced virtually all the major Russian writers who followed him, as well as entire movements of literature, including the texts of late classicism, Romanticism, and early Realism. His influence on Russian culture went even farther; his talents could be viewed by many through musical and theatrical works such as the operas of Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky. Aleksandr Pushkin was born in Moscow on 6 June 1799 into a poor, but cultured aristocratic family, with a long and recognizable distinguished lineage and would create the start of Modern Russian Literature. On his father's side, he was a long descendent of an ancient noble family. On the other side his mother was one of the many great granddaughters of Gannibal, the legendary Abyssinian; most believe to be the source his African blood. Unfortunately for Pushkin, his mother took little, to no interest in the development of her son, entrusting him French tutors and nursemaids who played the biggest roles in childhood. Pushkin got acquainted with the Russian language through communication with m... ... Pushkin was the first to use everyday speech in his poetry, fusing Old Slavonic with vernacular Russian. This blend gave his works their rich, melodic quality. Alexander Pushkin as Russia's most influential and admired poet, during a time when Russia had no major impact on Literature, and most great literature was being written in English and French, revolutionized Russian literature with love poems, narrative poems, short stories, political poems, plays, novels, fairy tales, and histories. Pushkin with a unique mind, being skeptical and having a sense of irony helped him capture what it means to be Russian, winning the hearts of his fellow countrymen. His writing style contains distinctive rhythmic patterns that are difficult, or nearly impossible to translate, so non-Russian speakers have not always been able to appreciate the true beauty and power of his work.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Gothic Cathedral of Florence

This Gothic Cathedral of Florence is now becoming a great difficulty for me. If the Cathedral’s commission was given to me from the beginning of the construction, it would not have been such a pain. But this unfinished dome! Oh my God! Sometimes I get afraid if I am not able to complete it with perfection, I am not going to get even good food from the King. I sometimes wish I was not an architect I always wanted to become a musician. I could have listened to music all day long. I even though of starting up a musical school of mine but the desires of the King have led me to this place.I do not want to get insane. I will have to take some step. Decided! I am going to buy a sheep or a goat from Frodo. I know he will sell me one of his sheep or a goat. Then I am going to make a bagpipe out of the sheep skin. These bagpipes are not available in this city. Nothing is good about this city except the food. Then I will take this bagpipe to the King and tell him that I am a musician by birth and I have changed my occupation now. But will he kill me then? Diary you tell me, you tell me, will he kill me or spare me? I do not want to die.I am not becoming any musician. I am a good architect and will die an architect. Diary, I am now going to design the dome, a dome which has not been designed before. This will be the first dome of its type. August 30th, 1436 I am glad the dome is completed now. I do not believe that I have done it though it took very long. I am tired now I have to get some rest. I should go to some other city of Greece or Rome and leave Italy now for some time. I do not admire the dome so much as others do. I have not even gotten a chance to see it clearly myself.God seriously I have done some hard work on the dome and I am really proud of it. I hope the dome will remain as it is now for centuries. The material used in the structure has been the best available. If war does not struck Italy, this dome will remain enact for some centuries I believe. I wish my father was alive at this moment I would celebrate this moment with him and I am sure he would be really proud of his son who helped the King in building the largest dome ever built. The King has invited me at the dinner; God knows how many presents I am going to receive from all the friends of the King.Only this thing worries me that when will the dome be decorated with the tiles and stones that I have recommended. I hope the dome is completed in my lifetime though I do not wish to live too long in this world. And yes today I am going to thank all of the supporters who helped me in the making of the dome. Lorenzo has been very supportive as he also took over the construction when I was suffering from illness. I am getting late for the dinner now I have to wear the clothes and leave for the dinner the horse cart must have arrived.

Funeral Customs

Funeral custom world wide Death: the act of dying; the end of life; the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions of an organism. Death is a very painful and emotional time, yet one that may be filled with hope and mercy and is base off of the world's religious traditions and of philosophical enquiry. Belief in some kind of afterlife or rebirth has been a central aspect of most, if not all, religious traditions and as a result of that over time there has been different type of funeral customs developed in the world. The trace of funeral service is a history of mankind. Funeral customs are as old as evolution itself. Funeral customs are rituals surrounding the death of a human being and the subsequent disposition of the corpse. Such rites may serve to mark the passage of a person from life into death, to secure the welfare of the dead, to comfort the living, and to protect the living from the dead. Disposal of the body may be by burial , by conservation or by cremation , by exposure or by other methods. Funeral ceremonies have certain common features: for example, the laying out of the corpse; the watching of the dead, of which the wake is a standard example; and the period of mourning with the accompanying ceremonies. www. encyclopedia. com/doc/1E1-funeralc) â€Å"Every culture and civilization attends to the proper care of their dead. Every culture and civilization ever studied has three things in common relating to death and the disposition of the dead. Some type of funeral rites, rituals, and ceremonies or a sacred place for the dead and memorialization of the dead Researchers have found bur ial grounds of Neanderthal man dating to 60,000 BC with animal antlers on the body and flower fragments next to the corpse indicating some type of ritual and gifts of remembrance†. www. wyfda. org/basics) Funeral customs were diverse in many cultures. Some culture treated the male funerals different from the female funerals. The Cochieans buried their women, but suspended their men from trees. The Gonds buried their women but cremated their men. The Bongas buried their men with their faces to the North and their women with their faces to the South. (www. wyfda. org/basics) Body burial or direct burial simply means placing a body in the ground after death, although it also applies to storing the whole body aboveground in a ausoleum, vault, or other type of crypt. (www. caring. com/articles/body-burial-arrangements)they also found that in the medieval time the king would be buried without a heart. (Puckle 120) The Gonds are among the largest tribal groups in South Asia and perha ps the world. The term Gond refers to tribal peoples who live all over India's Deccan Peninsula. Most describe themselves as Gonds (hill people) or as Koi or Koitur. (www. everyculture. com/wc/Germany-to-Jamaica/Gonds. ) Funeral custom hasn’t really changed over time there are still similar or same customs still used today. They often had Memorials which allow friends, relatives and acquaintances to express their feelings and to share their memories. Many bereaved people find them helpful and are pleased to have provided a ceremony their loved ones would have wanted. (www. humanism. org. uk/ceremonies/humanist-funerals-memorials) Native American burial customs have varied widely, not only geographically, but also through time, having been shaped by differing environments, social structure, and spiritual beliefs. Prehistoric civilizations evolved methods of caring for the dead that reflected either the seasonal movements of nomadic societies or the life ways of settled communities organized around fixed locations. As they evolved, burial practices included various forms of encasement, sub-surface interment, cremation, and exposure. Custom usually dictated some type of purification ritual at the time of burial. Certain ceremonies called for secondary interments following incineration or exposure of the body, and in such cases, the rites might extend over some time period. Where the distinctions in social status were marked, the rites were more elaborate. The Plains Indians and certain Indians of the Pacific Northwest commonly practiced above-ground burials using trees, scaffolds, canoes, and boxes on stilts, which decayed over time. (www. nps. gov/history/nr/publications/bulletins/nrb41/nrb41_5) Many of our funeral customs have their historical basis in pagan rituals. Modern mourning clothing came from the custom of wearing special clothing as a disguise to hide identity from returning spirits. Pagans believed that returning spirits would fail to recognize them in their new attire and would be confused and overlook them. Covering the face of the deceased with a sheet stems from pagan tribes who believed that the spirit of the deceased escaped through the mouth. They would often hold the mouth and nose of a sick person shut, hoping to retain the spirits and delay death. Feasting and gatherings associated with the funeral began as an essential part of the primitive funeral where food offerings were made. Wakes held today come from ancient customs of keeping watch over the deceased hoping that life would return. The lighting of candles comes from the use of fire mentioned earlier in attempts to protect the living from the spirits. The practice of ringing bells comes from the common medieval belief that the spirits would be kept at bay by the ringing of a consecrated bell. The firing of a rifle volley over the deceased mirrors the tribal practice of throwing spears into the air to ward off spirits hovering over the deceased. Originally, holy water was sprinkled on the body to protect it from the demons. Floral offerings were originally intended to gain favor with the spirit of the deceased. Funeral music had its origins in the ancient chants designed to placate the spirits. (www. wyfda. org/basics) Funerals rank among the most expensive purchases many consumers will ever make. A traditional funeral, including a casket and vault, costs about $6,000, although â€Å"extras† like flowers, obituary notices, acknowledgment cards or limousines can add thousands of dollars to the bottom line. Many funerals run well over $10,000. (www. pueblo. gsa. gov/cic_text/misc/funeral/funeral. ) More and more people are choosing to be cremated, and there are even more choices for cremation urns than for caskets (www. uneralplan. com) The time after the death or passing away of a people in India are given a lot of importance. As per the Hindu Holy Scripture like the Bhagwat Git, it is believed that the soul of the person who has just passed away is on its way to the next level of existence at such a time. As such, it is with an intention to help the departed soul in a peaceful crosso ver to that next level of his /her existence, that Indians observe so many death rites and rituals. Basic idea behind the Indians' following all these funeral traditions is to show reverence to the deceased person. Normally during this time, all the family members share each other’s sorrows and pray, so that the soul of the deceased person rests peacefully. At the end of one year, all elderly members of the deceased person gather once again for the Shraad ceremony. The 3rd, 5th, 7th or 9th day after the death of the person are also important, as all relatives gather to have a meal of the deceased's favorite foods. A small amount of the food is offered before his /her photo and later, it is ceremonially left at an abandoned place, along with a lit diya. However, there may be slight variations in the way people of different religious sect observe this death rite. (www. iloveindia. com/indian-traditions/funeral-traditions) Chinese funeral rites and burial customs are determined by the age of the deceased, cause of death, status and position in society, and marital status Preparation for a funeral often begins before a death has occurred. When a person is on his/her deathbed, a coffin will often have already been ordered by the family. A traditional Chinese coffin is rectangular with three ‘humps', although it more common in modern times for a western style coffin to be used. The coffin is provided by an undertaker who oversees all funeral rites. When a death occurs in a family all statues of deities in the house are covered up with red paper not to be exposed to the body or coffin and all mirrors are removed it is believed that one who sees the reflection of a coffin in a mirror will shortly have a death in his/her family. A white cloth is hung over the doorway to the house and a gong is placed to the left of the entrance if the deceased is a male, and to the right if female. At the wake, the family members of the deceased gather around the coffin positioned according to their rank in the family and special clothing is worn: Children and daughters-in-law wear black signifying that they grieve the most; grandchildren, blue; and great grandchildren, light blue. Sons-in-law wear brighter colors, such as white, since they are considered outsiders. The children and daughters-in-law also wear a hood of sackcloth over their heads. The eldest son sits at the left shoulder of his parent and the deceased's spouse on the right. Relatives arriving later must crawl on their knees towards the coffin. The funeral ceremony traditionally lasts over 49 days — the first seven being the most important. Prayers are said every seven days for 49 days if the family can afford it. Otherwise, the period can be shortened by three to seven days. Usually, it is the responsibility of the daughters to bear the funeral expenses. The head of the family should be present for at least the first and possibly the second prayer ceremony. The number of ceremonies conducted depends on the financial situation of the family. The head of the family should also be present for the burial or cremation. In the second tradition, the prayer ceremony is held every 10 days: The initial ceremony and three succeeding periods of 10 days until the final burial or cremation. (www. chinaculture. org) The funeral and religious custom of burying the dead in Africa has some of the most complex customs. The ceremony is purely animist, and apparently without any set ritual. The main exception is that the females of the family of the deceased and their friends may undergo mournful lamentations. In some instances they work their feelings up to an ostentatious, frenzy-like degree of sorrow. The revelry may be heightened by the use of alcohol, of which drummers, flute-players, bards, and singing men may partake. The funeral may last for as long as a week. Another funeral custom, a kind of memorial, frequently takes place seven years after the person's death. These funerals and especially the memorials may be extremely expensive for the family in question. Cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry, may be offered in remembrance and then consumed in festivities. Some funerals in Ghana are held with the deceased put in elaborate â€Å"fantasy coffins† colored and shaped after a certain object, such as a fish, crab, boat, and even an airplane. www. a-to-z-of-manners-and-etiquette. com/funeral-and-religious-customs. ) Japanese funeral customs vary widely from region to region, so a generic description is not possible. The religion of the deceased person's family also has a bearing on the final arrangements, as do other factors such as the age at which the person died social st atus and the family's economic circumstances. The body is put on dry ice(3) in a room at the mortuary or in front of the family altar (most Japanese are Buddhists) and the next of kin stay with it or close-by until it is time to put it in the casket. By this time all of the close relatives will have changed into black suits and black kimono or black dresses. The Buddhist priest arrives at the scheduled time and is offered green tea. He speaks briefly with the family, during which time people who have not entered the room yet come in and sit on the floor (or on chairs if it is a funeral hall). After everyone has entered, the priest turns to the altar, bows, lights incense and begins to read a sutra. During the sutra reading, the priest gives a signal and the members of the family, who are seated in hierarchical order, rise and go to the incense urn, bow, offer incense, bow again and return to their seats. After the family members have finished, the visitors repeat the ritual until everyone has finished. The priest finishes the sutra, after which everyone bows to the altar and the wake service ends. Depending on the Buddhist sect, everyone may chant the â€Å"mantra† of the Buddhist sect in unison at points during the service. The funeral is usually held on the day after the wake service. The body is transferred to a temple (in the case where the wake was held at home) and placed before the altar that the mortuary has constructed in front of the temple altar. A wooden tablet inscribed with the posthumous name (4) of the deceased is placed on the altar or in front of it. The posthumous name is assigned and inscribed by the priest. (www. tanutech. com/japan/jfunerals) A Jewish funeral service is conducted in a funeral home or the family home as soon as possible after death – typically within 24 hours. Funeral attire consists of dark-colored clothing, a dress or skirt and blouse for women, and a jacket and tie for men. Men also wear a head covering known as a yarmulke, which will be provided by the funeral director for non-Jewish male guests. Guests should refrain from wearing symbols of other religions, such as a cross. Only family members attend the burial. Condolence visits by friends and extended family are welcomed during the seven-day mourning period known as shivah. Friends and neighbors may prepare the family's first meal following the funeral and may also bring gifts of food during shivah. If you bring food, make sure it is kosher, unless you know for certain that the family doesn't keep kosher. www. thelightbeyond. com/funeral_etiquette_customs_across_cultures) Just as there is a way to live as a Jew, there is also a â€Å"way to die and be buried as a Jew,† writes Blu Greenberg in her book, How to Run a Traditional Jewish Household (Fireside, 1983). This classic guide to Jewish living outlines traditional death rituals and practical issues, although many of these practices have be en adapted somewhat by Reform Jews. The first thing to do after a death in the family, if you belong to a synagogue and the family member lives near you, is to contact your rabbi or another synagogue leader. Usually, the synagogue will take over many of the arrangements. However, when your family member lives far away and is not a member of a congregation, or when you are not a member, funeral homes can often suggest rabbis who will conduct a funeral. Jewish burials take place as quickly as possible, following a principle of honoring the dead (k'vod hamet). Only if immediate relatives cannot arrive in time from abroad, or there is not enough time for burial before Shabbat or a holiday, are burials postponed for a day. Anything less is considered a â€Å"humiliation of the dead,† Greenberg explains. www. jewishfederations. org/page. aspx? id=937) .When a Muslim is near death, those around him or her are called upon to give comfort, and reminders of God's mercy and forgiveness. They may recite verses from the Qur'an, give physical comfort, and encourage the dying one to recite words of remembrance and prayer. It is recommended, if at all possible, for a Muslim's last words to be the declaration of faith: â€Å"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah. † Upon death, those with the deceased are encouraged to remain calm, pray for the departed, and begin preparations for burial. Muslims strive to bury the deceased as soon as possible after death, avoiding the need for embalming or otherwise disturbing the body of the deceased. An autopsy may be performed, if necessary, but should be done with the utmost respect for the dead. (islam. about. com/cs/elderly/a/funerals) The male in Muslim culture body get completely washes before they die. (Triton 1) The different funeral customs has provided evidence that there are so many different way to perform a ceremonies burial rituals etc†¦ Funeral customs has provided different tradition around the world to be spread through different culture and countries worldwide. Work Cited 1. http://www. chinaculture. org/gb/en_chinaway/2004-03/03/content_46092. htm 2. http://www. iloveindia. com/indian-traditions/funeral-traditions. html 3. http://www. wyfda. org/basics_2. html 4. http://www. caring. com/articles/body-burial-arrangements 5. http://www. humanism. org. uk/ceremonies/humanist-funerals-memorials 6. http://www. a-to-z-of-manners-and-etiquette. com/funeral-and-religious-customs. html 7. http://www. encyclopedia. com/doc/1E1-funeralc. html 8. http://www. tanutech. com/japan/jfunerals. html 9. http://www. jewishfederations. org/page. aspx? id=937

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Poverty in Mexico Essay

The purpose of this report is to show that poverty in Mexico is a social problem which not only speaks as an economic problem , but from this, many other problems arise, such as migration and this affect the ethics and morals of other countries, such as ours that is so close to this problem. To understand this, we must first identify some of the most important factors that cause it, and by the hand , the consequences they themselves have . Inequality in Mexico is considered one of the big reasons for the poverty grow every day , where discrimination is directly reflected . In addition, in this country they have an exaggerated population growth , where four out of ten Mexicans are poor, according to the data reflected in the Mexican economy. Not being enough with this, we must include the consequences that this itself gives, such as violence, and with this we realize that ignorance in that country, becomes a negative result too of the deficiencies that mexican society has, ending all this in migration to other countries, such as united states. INEQUALITY IN SOCIETY In the past 25 years, real household income raised 1.7 % to 10% of the wealthiest Mexicans, but only 0.8 % for the poorest 10%. This is where we can prove that inequality in Mexico is undoubtedly a poverty country detonator, because it is much higher the percentage of poor than rich people. This is the result of a country where salaries for people in high command are very high, but for people in lower positions, as a worker, the pay is low even though they are people with fewer opportunities and more need. Faced with this, we need to be informed that Mexico is a country where discrimination is really practiced, against different population groups , either by age, cultural, ideological , and religious issues. Because of all these discriminations, old people, disabled people or just not sexually preferred gender people, live on a limited way, being unemployed , not  having the same opportunities for growth than others and being part of a society where poverty tend to get bigger. POPU LATION GROWTH IN AN UNPREPARED COUNTRY Between 2010 and 2013 the number of poor Mexicans increased in 500,000 people , from 52.8 million to 53.3 . This was because population growth in Mexico is high compared to what the government of the country can handle , causing â€Å"extreme poverty† , occurring when people have 3 or more social deprivations. With increase in population, there is more demand for services and, in the short term , need of work , and since Mexico is a country with more por people than the rich and middle class, the poor class is the one that grows the most, so increases become more and the government fails in covering them completely. The attention of the needs of a rapidly growing population becomes challenging for a country’s ability to manage its resources efficiently, and in Mexico since the resources are not enough for everyone, this just makes it even more complicated over time , for example, people living in rural areas, can not get access to potable water, electricity, food and ba sic needs to survive. RESPOND TO POVERTY Another aspect that is related to poverty , is violence , which occurs when people encounter obstacles to their personal and social development , which is why in addition to the factors that cause it , also the consequences of poverty affect the entire country. In September this year, the unemployment rate raised at 5.29 % according to INEGI, and because of this, the level of violence and crime in Mexico also increased . Although people can get a decent job , â€Å"sometimes it is not enough to cover our needs for living†, was the general answer in an interview made by the economist portal in the capital of the country, and poverty then starts to affect ethical and moral life, having the need to put by a side principles and having first the need to live well, or at least to live and this is where the country starts having more assaults, robberies , kidnappings and drug-related activities and illegal acts . In studies ,the highest rates of homicides and kidnappings occur in the poorest areas of the country. THE IGNORANCE IN PEOPLE Last but not least, there is a poverty that is not material, but it is one of the worst consequences of all , ignorance of the Mexican population. This problem is so big that it becomes at the same time the mos important proved fact that increased extreme poverty in the country. Ignorance is a result of the people in poverty that does not have enough resources to have studies and get a carrer, and because of this they have close doors to many job opportunities and growth. Government is aware that they need to invest more in education, to eradicate ignorance and by doing so, try to assure there will be less inequality and more social justice. However, in the country many times education is not the primary importance in people, and it is getting in the highest number of illiterate people , without any title study . â€Å"When someone knows rights and obligations, is able to be self efficient†, an study in poverty or ignorance declares. CONCLUSION As a conclusion, Mexican poverty is constantly growing not only because the factors that create it are really much more than we can come to perceive every day , such as discrimination, or inequality in jobs and opportunities, but also extends to a level of inequality based on race, religion and beliefs , making the moral of the country little , and this bringing violence, which is a result of the desperation of people in getting a prompt solution to their problems , an easy way to get money and an ignorant way to express their needs as human beings, and migration as the result of not getting what they need or what they expect to sruvive in their owm country, looking for ways of growth out there.† The poverty analysis should be focused on the possibilities for an individual to function, rather than the results you get from that performance † (Amartya Sen, 31). REFERENCES: C.Quesada (Agosto 2001) Amartya Sen y las mil caras de la pobreza. Recuperado de: http://www.iadb.org/idbamerica/spanish/jul01s/jul01s2.html Unicef (2010) Pobreza y Desigualdad. Recuperado de: http://www.unicef.org/mexico/spanish/17046.htm INEGI (20 Feb 2013) Estadà ­sticas de Pobreza en Mà ©xico. Recuperado de: http://www.inegi.org.mx/inegi/contenidos/espanol/prensa/Contenidos/estadisticas/2013/justicia0.pdf Yair Montes (1 Agosto,2013) El Economista, La situacià ³n actual de pobreza en Mà ©xico. Recuperado de: http://eleconomista.com.mx/columnas/agro-negocios/2013/08/01/situacion-actual  -pobreza-mexico Mario Luis Fuentes (Marzo 2013) Excelsior, Discriminacià ³n y pobreza siguen siendo grave problema. Recuperado de: http://www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/2013/03/26/890852

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Othello coursework

Throughout the course of the play â€Å"Othello†, Iago is portrayed as the typical sinister villain with no motives for his evil plans, but he also brings many comical aspects to the production. Many audiences would have disliked Iago because of the fact that he is the stereotypical villain, yet we are compelled to watch in suspense, his next move. He is definitely a very complex character to understand. He appears to lack motivation for his evil plans and bases his reasoning on ideas he has conjured up in his head, such as the idea of his loving wife Emilia having an affair with Othello. Jacobean audiences in particular would have been shocked by Iago's behaviour for the fact that he uses a lot of blasphemous language such as â€Å"S'blood†. This would have been frowned upon in Jacobean society due to the this religious era; whereas today, it would not be seen as such a sin to take the Lord's name in vain. Many directors such as Sam Mendes have chosen to present their adaptation of the play as a homoerotic thriller and have portrayed Iago as the lusty servant who is in fact jealous of Desdemona, whereas other performances like Michael Grandage's production portrayed Iago as simply a motiveless character. In my opinion, Iago is undoubtedly one of Shakespeare's most notorious villains; without him there would be no story line. It is him who influences the characters to carry out the terrible tasks that keep the play entertaining and full of suspense. In many productions of Othello, Iago is a Machiavellian. This term originates from a text called â€Å"The Prince† which was written in the early sixteenth century by a figure of the Italian renaissance named Niccoli Machiavelli. He wrote in one of his books that â€Å"the end justifies the means† which was misunderstood by audiences who interpreted it as â€Å"any evil action can be justified if it is done for a good purpose†. Niccoli Machiavelli insinuated that all the rulers that had remained in power had not been kind and caring men, concerned with justice and fairness, but were infact cruel individuals, willing to do anything to ensure the security of their state and their own personal power. Iago shows the audience his Machiavellian ways in Act two Scene one when he says â€Å"Make the Moor thank me, love me and reward me. For making him egregiously an ass. † This truly reveals his duplicitous nature and shows how much he enjoys other people's misery. Many critics have suggested that Iago may have been a warning to King James about his untrustworthy followers, as there was a lot of uncertainty about how he was ruling England at the time. Iago also reveals a duplicitous nature in Act one, scene two, when he swears to the Greek god â€Å"Janus†; the name of a Roman mythical God with two faces which could be reflected as a two faced image. Malicious is one of many adjectives used to describe Iago, but is it entirely accurate? Throughout most of the play, he is portrayed as an open and trustworthy person by every character; all of them refer to him as â€Å"honest Iago† Yet, as the audience are well informed by the end of the first act, he appears to be quite the opposite, as he states â€Å"I am not what I am† although ironically, he always tells the audience the truth In act one scene three, Shakespeare cleverly brings in the use of rhetoric as Iago tries to persuade Roderigo that Desdemona will soon tire of Othello. He states that â€Å"she must change for youth; which she is sated with his body she will find the error of her choice†, and then goes on to reveal his hatred for Othello and how he wishes for Roderigo to help him seek revenge. In a speech made by Iago, he mentions Roderigo's money eight times! He uses repetition to encourage Roderigo to make money, but the implication to the audience is that the money is for Iago and not Roderigo. Roderigo then says, â€Å"I'll sell all my land† which tells the audience that Iago's plan has worked. This prepares us for later on in the play when Iago uses his powerful manipulation to bring Othello to his downfall. Although Iago is often called the villain of the play, he also brings many entertaining moments; he is the only source of humour in the play. This may be perhaps, because he has caused all the misery in the play so is enjoying watching people suffer! He expresses his misogynistic views in Act Two Scene One in a heated discussion with Desdemona. Iago begins the discussion through the means of criticizing his wife, Emilia. He says â€Å"Sir, would she give you so much of her lips as of her tongue she oft bestows on me You would have enough† meaning Emilia often nags him. This shows that Shakespeare wished to amuse the audience too, as they would find this very entertaining possibly because they could relate to what Iago was saying, as it could be interpreted as a commonly stereotypical comment. Another scene where Iago is entertaining to the audience is in Act Two scene Three, where he pretends to be drunk in order to encourage Casio to drink more and become disorderly; in this scene Shakespeare is really playing to his audience. When the men are drinking, Iago makes a number of comments about the English, and what heavy drinkers they are compared to other countries, â€Å"Your Dane, Your German, and your swag-bellied Hollander – drink, ho! – are nothing to your English. † These comments would have met with a very wild reception from the crowd. This indicates to us that this play, despite its exotic settings, is very relevant to an English Jacobean audience. Also in this scene, Iago is at his best and plays a number of different parts to ensure the success of his plan. The three roles that he plays are: The ancient concerned for the sake of his master, the soldier desperate to maintain the peace of the city and the faithful friend of Cassio. The audience by now would be fully aware that he is really none of these roles, which brings us back to the idea that he is a complete machiavellian. Throughout the play, Iago uses his powerful language techniques to amuse and persuade the characters in order to get what he wants. During this process, Iago makes a number of powerful soliloquies that reveal his motives and plans. These soliloquies let the audience see the true personality and characteristic traits of the person speaking. Throughout, Iago is referred to as â€Å"honest Iago† or â€Å"good friend† but the audience are fully aware that these terms do not reflect Iago's true personality because they know what he is like as he has revealed his true self in his soliloquies. This brings a lot of dramatic irony to the play; the audience are fully aware of what has happened or what is about to happen, whilst the other characters remain unaware. A great example of this in the play, is in act 5 Scene 2. By this point, Othello had already killed Desdemona and had found out about Iago's lies; Othello then asks Iago, â€Å"why hath thus ensnared my soul and body? † ( meaning why have you done this to me? ) Iago replies, â€Å"demand me nothing; what you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word† This is hugely ironic because up to this, he had used words to his power, as the tool that caused Othello's downfall. This would be very frustrating for audiences who have been puzzled throughout the play as to what motivates Iago to cause such trouble. In conclusion, I believe Iago's character structures this play and creates the story line; some of the most exciting plots are centred around him – he murders his wife, arouses Brabantio, kills Roderigo and gets Othello's army drunk; His actions definitely drive the plot forward. His soliliques not only ensure he has a very intimate relationship with the audience, but they are the only dramatic device of the play. Although there is evidence to prove Iago is not racist, he is just jealous of Othello as he talks about Othello giving Cassio the promotion instead of him. To us, he is the character who keeps the plot alive and full of action. His character was used recently by a critic, Germaine Greer when she compared Shakespearian with current times to emphasise her point. She stated, â€Å"we no longer feel, as Shakespeare's contemporaries did, the ubiquity of satin, but Iago is still serviceable to us, as an objective correlative of the mindless inventiveness of racist aggression. Iago is still alive and kicking and filling migrants letterboxes with excrement† So, it really is a question of, should the play have been called â€Å"Iago† instead of â€Å"Othello†?