Cosmetic Industry

Global Cosmetics Manufacturing Industry Over the past five years, the Global Cosmetics Manufacturing industry has experienced steady growth. According to IBISWorld industry analyst Nikoleta Panteva, â€Å"The past five years have been no exception, despite declining per capita disposable income in key markets. †Ã‚   Industry Analysis & Industry Trends: The global cosmetics industry is broken down into six main categories; skincare being the largest one out of them all, accounting for 31 percent of the global market. * Revenue: $243bn; Annual Growth 08-13: 3, 0 %. However, there are certain factors which affect the entry to the cosmetic industry by firms. These factors can be briefly analyzed using the Porter Five forces analysis. They include the threat of substitutes, threat of new entry, bargaining power of customers and suppliers as well as intensity of rivalry in the industry. Threat of new entry This factor analyzes the ease with which firms may enter into an industry. Th e cosmetic industry has a low threat of new entrants. The first is the huge costs of entry.Developing unique cosmetic products requires a lot of resources both in terms of research and development and the actual manufacturing process. Another factor which discourages entry into this industry is the huge competition present in the industry. In addition to the huge competitors such as Avon, Revlon, Clinique, Estee Lauder, LR, Mac and Unilever, who have a large market share, there are many other small scale competitors who also have a small market share and who reduce the overall profitability of firms in the industry. Bargaining power of customersThis factor analyzes the power which suppliers have regarding making price changes for their products. When consumers have a high bargaining power, the manufacturers and sellers may not adequately predict future demand by the market. The cosmetic has a high bargaining power of customers. This is due to the increase competition and availabilit y of cosmetic products from a variety of manufacturers. Bargaining power of suppliers This factor analyzes the power which suppliers have regarding making price changes for their products. The cosmetic industry has a low bargaining power of suppliers.This is due to the high number of market players and large supply of diverse products to the market. There are many cosmetic products which are developed by both large and small scale manufacturers. Threat of substitutes The threat of substitutes arises when there are similar products developed by competitors which satisfy the market needs. Consumers are able to purchase competitor's products if they are not satisfied with product price or quality. In the cosmetic industry, there are many competitors as has been discussed. There is therefore a high threat of substitute products.It is therefore essential for the market players in the cosmetic to be innovative if they are to tackle the challenge of the threat of substitute. Competitors Th ere are many competitors who reduce the overall profitability of the industry, which makes it a barrier for new companies to entry. Moreover, the many large scale cosmetic firms make it a barrier to entry especially for middle and small scale firms. Complementors: within the industry, outside the industry The high seller concentration in the developed countries leads to high competition and an overall reduction in profitability for cosmetic firms in this industry.The cosmetic industry is valued at $6 billion in France and $12 billion in Germany. In the US, it is valued at over $20 billion. Demand from emerging economies and aspirational shoppers has also kept the industry growing over the past five years, with revenue increases averaging 3. 2% per year to reach $233. 3 billion by the end of 2012. Merger and acquisition (M;A) deals of interest over the past decade that have served to change the face of the Global Cosmetics Manufacturing landscape include Procter ; Gamble's takeover o f Gillette, L'Oreal's acquisition of The Body Shop and Coty's acquisition of Unilever's fragrance division.Other key drivers underlying the ongoing spate of M&A activity include the expansion of geographic footprints, diversification into new product categories or market segments and the exploitation of new technologies, including greener processes. In the future there will be new players from growing markets, such as India, China, South Korea, Indonesia and Brazil. Aggressive marketing will ensure that firms entering the cosmetic industry have products which are known to the market.A combination of Internet, electronic and mass media advertising should be used in order to reach all the desired target market segments. So the industry has high competition, high entry barriers, low supplier power, high customer power and a large number of substitutes. In order for a firm to enter and be successful in the cosmetic industry, it has to apply various strategies. These include focus on eme rging markets and developing countries, implementing a cost leadership strategy, implementing research and development and applying aggressive marketing campaigns.These strategies will ensure that they capture a market share, develop customer loyalty and achieve long term profitability over the years. The example of co-opetition: One of Nestle’s most innovative and successful co ­branded products includes creating the new brand, Inneov with L’Oreal. In 2002, Nestle and L’Oreal formed a 50– 50 joint venture to begin to develop what they called a â€Å"functional food† (Charles 2002). Inneov is a nutritional supplement for cosmetic purposes taken orally, with the purpose of protecting, correcting and stimulating skin, nails and hair cellular processes.Inneov is one of the first major brand alliances between a food and a cosmetics company. The product benefits from the nutritional research of Nestle and the dermatological research from L’Orea l. Inneov is based in France and launched in pharmacies in November 2006. L’Oreal did the marketing due to its current expertise in promoting cosmetics. This new brand shows that Nestle selected the right product and the right partner to enter an industry that makes food for the skin rather than food for consumption.

Obesity in Children Essay

Conclusion Because the rate of childhood obesity is increasing at a disturbing rate, experts fear that this will cause a remarkable load of illness in the future of our children even now a growing number of diabetic young adults is becoming a norm. Preventing, identifying and treating of children and adolescents who are obese are becoming a core medical intervention priority for the government and all concerned institutions. Since there is not clear answer as to how and why children become obese and currently a variety of reasons blamed for this obesity including genetics, culture, habits, individual practice, parental practice, sedentary lifestyle, poor eating habits and such. Research at the molecular level has been progressing, but there is no actual understanding as to the whole image from a biological viewpoint. One might realize that there is no singular factor that can be blamed for a child becoming overweight or obese, it is a combination of factors that plays a role in promote obesity. The increasing obesity rates not only in adults but also in children these trends, in conjunction with obesity’s medical, psychological, and economic effects, emphasize the need for interventions and policy advice aimed at preventing obesity. Directives to remove soft drinks from public schools have started in some cities but despite the variety and number of researches done on the topic of obesity one may note that it remains to be a critical health problem. It seems that there are no enough intervention programs that have taken place in order to curve the problem. It is noted that not enough is being done in order to stop the rising trend of obese children but time has come that it must be addressed as a rising and critical problem that needs immediate attention if we are to cultivate healthy children. It will be noted that as children are obese and they are reaching their adolescence, the decrease in physical activity and the predilection to junk foods, fast foods and such also decreases the mental capacity of the child in a sense that they are more apt to laziness because of decreased energy rather go to school and participate in class, most of them are sleepy and usually uncomfortable in their own skins. It is of note that this problems if persistent will make for a bleak future for our children, since the society is cultivating lazy, fat children who will turn out to be lazy fat adults. One can imagine how it would be like in the future. Promotion of a healthy lifestyle not only for our children but for ourselves as well should be a major thrust of the government if curving the current situation is to be achieved. The thought at a young age children will be subjected to diseases and concern that is normally associated with the elderly and geriatric patients should be carefully considered and rejected. In developing an afterschool wellness program the author notes that it is not as simple as devising exercise plans for the children. It is a holistic approach that requires a multifaceted planning that includes education, healthy diet plans and the actual activity period. And it is also noted by the writer that in order to curve obesity in children, drastic measures must be employed not only by the obese children themselves but the whole family and the whole community. Developing healthy eating habits and leisure activity changes require changes that involve the family in order for the child not feel left out or forlorn. It is also of note that simple family physical activities will help curve obesity. One may realize that everything starts out at home and spilled over to the school then to the community. If we wish to curve obesity in children and protect our children’s health it is imperative that the community in particular and the nation in general work hand in hand so that attention maybe given and directives to promote healthy eating in schools and within the community be fostered and community get togethers that involves physical activities, community dances in the park, weekend exercise program for the community can be facilitated by the general community so that everyone may take part in keeping the family and our children healthier and live fuller lives. References: Abbott Laboratories (2003) MERIDIA (sibutramine hydrochloride manohydrate). Product information. In Physician’s Desk Reference. Montvale, NJ, Thompson PDR, 2003, p. 475–480 Blocker D & Freudenberg N (2001) Developing Comprehensive Approachesto Prevention and Control of Obesity Among Low-Income, Urban, African-American Women, Journal of the American Medical Women’s AssociationVol. 56, No. 2 pp. 59-64 Bray GA: Use and abuse of appetite-suppressant drugs in the treatment of obesity. Ann Intern Med 119:707–713, 1993 Centers for Disease Control, (1997) Guidelines for School and Community Programs to Promote Lifelong Physical Activity Among Young People. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1997; 46 (RR-6); 1-36 Center for Disease Control (2007) Body mass index. Retrieved 22 April 2008 from http://www. cdc. gov/nccdphp/dnpa/bmi/index. htm Davidson MH, Hauptman J, DiGiorlamo M, Foreyt JP, Halstead CH, Heber D, Heimburger DC, Lucas CP, Robbins DC, Chung J, Heymsfeld SB: Weight control and risk factor reduction in obese subjects treated for 2 years with orlistat: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 281:235–242, 1999 Dietz, W.H. , & Gortmaker, S. L. (1985). Do we fatten our children at the television set? Obesity and television viewing in children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 75(5), 807-812. Dietz, W. H. (1983). Childhood obesity: Susceptibility, cause, and management. Journal of Pediatrics, 103(5), 676-686. Dr. Paul. Retrieved 27 April 2008 from http://www. drpaul. com/illnesses/overweight. html ExRx. net. Retrieved 26 April 2008 from http://www. exrx. net/FatLoss/ChildObesityIntervention. html Epstein, L. H. , Wing, R. R. , Koeske, R. , & Valoski, A. (1987). Long-term effects of family-based treatment of childhood obesity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 55(1), 91-95. EJ 352 076. Freudenberg N, Eng E, Flay B, Parcel G,Rogers T, Wallerstein N. Strengthening individual and community capacity to prevent disease and promote health: In search of relevant theories and principles. Health Educ Q. 1995;22:290-306. Gortmaker, S. L. , Dietz, W. H. , Sobol, A. M. , & Wehler, C. A. (1987). Increasing pediatric obesity in the United States. American Journal of Diseases of Children, 141, 535-540. Graves, T. , Meyers, A. W. , & Clark, L. (1988). An evaluation of parental problem-solving training in the behavioral treatment of childhood obesity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56(2), 246-250. James WP, Astrup A, Finer N, Hilsted J, Kopelman P, Rossner S, Saris WH, Van Gaal LF(2000) Effect of sibutramine on weight maintenance after weight loss: a randomized trial. Lancet 356:2119–2125, 2000 Litchfield R, Nelson D, Koch J, (2004), Guide to healthy kids: What parents can do, Iowa State University – University Extension. Iowa. Kien C, Chiodo A (2003) Physical activity in middle school-aged children participating in a school-based recreation program. Archives of pediatrics and adolescent medicine 157(8):811-5 Lohman, T. G. (1987). The use of skinfolds to estimate body fatness on children and youth. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 58(9), 98-102. McLeroy KR, Bibeau D, Steckler A, Glanz K. (1988) An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health Education Q. 1988;15:351-377. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (1998) Clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: the evidence report. Obesity Research 6:51S–210S National Institute of Health, NIH Publication No. 97-4096 retrieved 26 April 2008 from http://adam. about. com/care/weightloss/weight_child. html. Roberts S, Savage J. , Coward W. , Chew B. , & Lucas, A. (1988). Energy expenditure and intake in infants born to lean and overweight mothers. The New England Journal of Medicine, 318, 461-466. Ross, J & Pate R. (1987). The National Children and Youth Fitness Study II: A summary of findings. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 58(9), 51-56. EJ 364 411 Serdula, MK, Ivery, D, Coates, RJ, (1993) Do obese children become obese adults? A review of the literature. Preventive Medicine 1993; 22: 167-177. St. Vincents Health (2004), Bariatric weight loss center of excellence, Retrieved 27 April 2008 from http://www.stvincent. org/ourservices/bariatrics/about/causes/default. htm Sjostrom L, Rissanen A, Andersen T, Boldrin M, Golay A, Koppeschaar HPF, Krempf M: Randomized placebo-controlled trial of orlistat for weight loss and prevention of weight regain in obese patients. Lancet 352:167–172, 1998 The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE). NASPE releases first ever physical activity guidelines for pre-adolescent children. 1-2. 5-13-1998. NASPE. Wadden TA, Berkowitz RI, Sarwer DB, Prus-Wisniewski R, Steinberg C (2001) Benefits of lifestyle modification in the pharmacologic treatment of obesity: a randomized trial.Archives of Internal Medicine 161:218–227, 2001 Whitaker, RC, Wright, JA, Pepe, MS, Seidel, KD, Dietz, WH. (1997) Predicting obesity in young adulthood from childhood and parental obesity. New England Journal of Medicine 1997; 337: 869-73. Wolf, M. C. , Cohen, K. R. , & Rosenfeld, J. G. (1985). School-based interventions for obesity: Current approaches and future prospects. Psychology in the Schools, 22, 187-200. Understanding Childhood Obesity (1999) Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, Yanovski SZ, Yanovski JA: Obesity. N Engl J Med 346:591–602, 2002.

Interview about one's believe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interview about one's believe - Essay Example However, through some difficult circumstances. My mother got in a hospitan with a cancer, when I came home after another party dad told me the news. I was shocked and scared for mom’s life. So when I came to a hospital and saw her in such a bad condition, I was desperate and started praying. I remembered how to pray, we used to do it in our church, but thereat, in front of my sick mother, I didn’t feel like what I was saying to God was right. I was irritated, because it seemed to me that God didn’t respond to my prayer. And I promised to Him that I will cut ties with that bad company, if He helps my mother. I understand that it is not really religious to bargain with The Lord, but it actually worked. My mom’s surgery was successful, and since then I realized that God is not equal to religion. I don’t know What God is, or probably, there is no possible way for me to get to know Him fully. All I can is to read Bible, because He told people to do so, and try to understand how should I live to please Him. People should understand that our Lord is not something, which forces us to live rightly, no, He gives us freedom to choose, He talks to us, another thing that we usually don’t hear Him. My religion for me it’s a way to surround myself with people who share my views, in addition, I think God hears us better when we get together and pray to Him. Of course, I just think that They are the one, but a kind of play different roles in this world, I can’t explain it, but I know for sure that Jesus saved me, The Lord is my father and best friend, and Holy Spirit is always with me. I believe that I can tell Them anything and They will always understand me, forgive me and show me how to behave in accordance with Their will. It’s not like They force me to live like They want, I want it, because my life is always better when I feel their constant

Strategic theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Strategic theory - Research Paper Example It is many people’s beliefs that history has provided strategic thinkers with universal principles for the conduct of war. This essay is going to discuss how history provided military strategic thinkers (Napoleon and Carl von Clausewitz) with universal principles for the conduct of war (Buchan 92). The historically known Principles of War, Sun Tzu documented were influential to strategic thinkers of the Wars. There is a belief that, history provided strategic thinkers such as Napoleon and Carl von Clausewitz with universal principles for the conduct of war (Mahnken 29). There are no approved principals of War, although a number of strategic thinkers have their own principles (Cimbala 26). The War principles, which Carl von Clausewitz identified in his essay â€Å"Principles of War† and thereafter discussed in his book, about war were influential to military thinkers of the North Atlantic region. Military strategy is a set of ideas, which military organizations implement ed to achieve desired strategic goals. Founded from Greek strategies, military strategy during its first appearance in the 18thcentury was termed in its sense as the â€Å"general art† and â€Å"arrangement art† of military troops (Buchan 72). ... definition, which had less emphasis on battles, explaining military strategy as â€Å"the art of applying and distributing military means to achieve and fulfill policy ends (Cimbala 31). Hence, the two strategic thinkers gave the supremacy to aims of politics over military objectives. Military strategy was among the â€Å"arts† and â€Å"sciences† trivium that governed how to conduct warfare, and the rest were tactics, the maneuvering forces, and execution of plans in battle, maintenance, and logistics of an army During the 19th century,. This view prevailed since the time of Roman, and the boundary between tactics and strategy during this century was blurred, and in some times, the categorization of a verdict was a matter of personal opinion. Tactics and strategy are almost related and are on similar range, modern thinking puts the level of operation between strategy and tactics (Cimbala 33). All deal with time, distance, and force although the strategy has large scal e, endures for many years, and is societal. On the other hand, tactics have small scale and engage the disposition of less elements lasting for only few hours or weeks. Historically, people understood strategy as governing the prelude to military battle while, on the other hand, tactics governed its execution. However, during the twentieth century world war, the distinction between battle and maneuver, tactics and strategy, expanded due to the advancement of transit and technology (Cimbala 35). Most people hold the belief that, this military strategy history really provided strategic thinkers such as Napoleon and Clausewitz with universal principals on how to conduct wars. History has a lot of guidance on how to plan and conduct military wars, whereby most of strategy thinkers rely on (Collins 59). For

What Is Buddhism Is It A Philosophy Or Religion Essay

What Is Buddhism Is It A Philosophy Or Religion - Essay Example This proliferation contributes to the emergence of different cultures while maintaining basic beliefs based on Buddha’s teachings. Studies indicate that the term Buddhism has its origin from the West as opposed to the practitioners. The different cultures provide a variety of interpretations of Buddhist teachings leading to vigorous debate on the practice. This necessitates the goal of this paper, which seeks to explore Buddhism from its philosophical and religious perspectives. As a religion, Buddhism involves basic religious aspects with regard to a godhead, creation theory, and faith. The godhead is manifested in Buddha, an Indian prince renowned for his wisdom while faith develops from the dependence on divine authority. Faith entails believing and upholding Buddha’s teachings. Buddhism indicates that there is no deity involved in creation of the world nor was there a beginning in the universe. In essence, there only exists a transformation of matter to energy in an endless cycle of coming to being while the concept of beginnings according to Buddhists exists only in the realm of illusion. These elements are borrowed from the predominant Brahmanical traditions that were the major religious practice in ancient India. It is important to note that Buddhism emerged from the conservative social force in ancient India having rejected some aspects of the dominating religion (Oslon 3). Buddhism principles are indicated as realistic and based on the reality of life, which can be seen. It focuses on real issues of light and a better society for all, which creates a niche in the world. The realistic nature of the tradition reveals dedication to a solitary life characterised by meditation and self-preservation. As such, Buddhism serves the spiritual needs of its followers by teaching how to experience freedom of the soul through meditation. Meditation allows one to find peace and enjoy a personal connection with the self, which serves to liberate needless suffering. Meditation in Buddhism is crucial undertaking geared towards the induction of a stable mental condition and equilibrium, as well as tranquillity. It exists in two forms; one where it is meant to develop mental concentration that leads to highest mystic states, where the mystic states have nothing to do with reality, truth, or nirvana, but are not purely Buddhist. Buddhist mediation facilitates discernment of the essence of things leading to comprehensive liberation of the mind and subsequent disclosure of the truth (Clark 378). It builds on mindfulness, awareness, vigilance, and observation, where it does not attempt to escape from reality, but is intertwined with daily life. This is in line with the body, feelings, the mind, and moral, as well as intellectual subjects. As a religion, Buddhism teaches tolerance that allows the existence of various spiritual forms under its benign protection. This facilitates diversity that meets challenges posed by other religious and ph ilosophical systems including science and technology. It is for this reason that Buddhism continues to flourish as a multi-faceted religious system, with its teaching being readily accepted in the world. When compared to other religious systems in the world, Buddhism reveals significant philosophical aspects that demand assessment as they are. Studies suggests that Buddhism is a metaphysic seeking to manifest a religion as opposed to other religious systems, which to seek the metaphysic aspect. The Buddha’s teachings (Dharma) are geared to evoke critical thinking among followers seeking enlightenment. In this light, Dharma consists of narratives with hidden meanings and vast symbolism of the intended message. This serves to encourage intellectual involvement to

Westpac exective summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Westpac exective summary - Essay Example Westpac has been able to focus its sustainability strategy on five key areas. Focusing on these areas has enhanced the corporation’s ability to remain amongst the top-rated sustainable organizations in the world. Conversely, the corporation’s strategy in financially positioning itself aims at a long-term strategy that incorporates a measurement criterion based on its capabilities and prospective trends that may influence the wider economy. Using this strategy, Westpac has maintained profitability despite high levels of operating costs. As a way of recognizing the important role played by internal capabilities, Westpac recognizes the importance of customers and employee satisfaction since these two strengthen an organization’s internal systems. Conversely, the corporation recognizes the role the external environment played on its profitability. Hence, Westpac was able to implement strategies that ensured profitability while minimizing risks during the global financial risks. In effect, Westpac implemented a strategy that led to a merger with St. George Bank, which increased revenues, profits, and dividends to its shareholders. Overall, Westpac should ensure that it utilized its internal capabilities and resources while understanding the value chain context in order to maintain its position as a leader in the banking

Engl week 3 forum Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Engl week 3 forum - Assignment Example As such they should do their best to deliver something that would appeal to the public. The writer should prepare just enough contents for his or her audience and not bore them with unimportant introductions or basics. The audience should also see that your article is useful and matters to them. Writing an article with a clear purpose makes it attractive to read. The audience targeted should feel that the article addresses a particular issue in their lives. The article should focus on specific topics and not be general or vague (Annemare, 127). If the issues of the audience and purpose are not addressed, several problems may arise. If the audience is not considered, age groups may be offended or even problems of gender sensitivity may arise. If the purpose of an article is not considered, the article will not be resourceful to the audience. Purpose gives an article meaning and resourcefulness (Annemare, 197). Once I read an article on fashion that did not seem to describe a difference between the dressing of teenagers and adults. I bet anyone who went through the article could not find good advice on dress code since it did not specify how different age groups should

Retirement Planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Retirement Planning - Assignment Example The purpose of this paper is to discuss the different investment alternatives that I can use to develop a solid retirement plan. The biggest investment that people have is their homes. Despite the falling real estate market that occurred as a consequence of the recession of 2008 homes historically gain a lot of value over time. In 2012 the value of homes in America rose by 5.9% (Humphries, 2013). Buying a home is the first step towards financial independence. People that pay rent are throwing their money in the trash. An advantage of purchasing a home is that the interests from the mortgage on your first home are tax deductible. A good way to create wealth is by purchasing additional homes for rental. The rent typically pays for the majority of the mortgage. Upon retirement age a person can sell their second house to obtain a large sum of money. One of the best places for people to invest money towards their retirement is the stock market. The biggest stock exchange in the world is t he New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The most common investment instruments sold in the stock market are common stocks. A common stock is a security that represents ownership in a corporation (Investopedia, 2013). Owners of common stocks have voting rights. People can earn money from common stocks from equity appreciation and payment of dividends. The price of common stocks fluctuates every day. The average annual return on common stocks is 9.4% (Observationandnotes, 2009). One of best type of stocks to invest in is blue chip stocks. Blue chip stocks are stocks issued by a well know company with an established record of making money and paying dividends (Teweles, Bradley, Teweles, 1992). Three examples of blue chip stocks are Microsoft, McDonald’s, and Dell. Two types of stocks that have higher risks are foreign stocks and penny stocks. The average return of foreign stocks is 15%, but the standard deviation on the return is much higher (Ahl, 2004). Risk adverse investors should stay away from these types of equity instruments particularly penny stocks. Another type of stock that investors are often attracted too is preferred stocks. The difference between a common stock and preferred stock is that preferred stocks do not have voting rights, but dividends are guaranteed. It is important for investors to compile a diversified portfolio. Diversification can help investors lower their overall portfolio risk. The money market is another option for investors that are looking to save money towards retirement age. The money market is a financial market in which funds are borrowed or lend for short periods as distinguished from the capital market for long term funds (Teweles, et al., 1992). The best and most common money market instrument is treasury bills. Treasury bills are 90 day loans that the federal government sells to investors. The best attribute of a treasury bill is that it is a risk free investment. The federal government has never defaulted on its obli gations. The federal government also sells debt instruments that mature in six and twelve months. Another popular debt instrument is bonds. A bond is a long term loan that investors give to a governmental agency or a private institution. Bonds sold by corporations are often referred too as commercial paper. An investor that invests in a bond obtains interest known as the coupon rate. Once a

Compare and contrast gender roles in the movies Battle of algeris and Essay

Compare and contrast gender roles in the movies Battle of algeris and mother of india - Essay Example particularly highlights this trend is when three National Liberation Front (NLF) women fighters change their appearance to be able to leave the Casbah and attack the French colons by planting bombs. The names of the three women fighters are Djamila, Hassiba, and Zohra. Originally, they are wearing burqas. Their plan is to enter the French colonies without making them realize where these women belong. In order to achieve this plan, they transform themselves into Western women so as to Europeanize themselves. They remove their burqas, cut their hair and dye them, and wear Western outfits. This way, the women fighters are perceived as part of the party in power whereas they are actually functioning as revolutionaries. This is how gender roles have been passed and used to the liberation fighters’ advantage. One factor that makes this movie unique in comparison to other movies based on women’s action is that the women fighters have been shown in the high femme drag in Battle of Algeris unlike the conventional movies on women’s action in which the female action heroes are presented in leather jackets, or military outfits with little to no makeup. The sexualized presentation assists the women fighters in placing the bombs. In this way, the women fighters essentially subjugate their gender identities, and penetrate the enemies’ world for a bigger cause. This scene deals with the gender as well as the racial representation in direct association with the technology used for war. There is a growing trend among women to become the suicide bombers, and the reasons for this are fairly understandable and intrinsically linked to their gender roles and perceptions. One of the most important factors that increases women’s eligibility to become the suicide bombers is the fact that the societal and cultural norms oblige men not to touch the women. The women fighters in Battle of Algeris took benefit of this norm and slipped through all the checkpoints and yet were not

Project Management for Business--The failure of Fire Control Essay

Project Management for Business--The failure of Fire Control - Essay Example Moreover, in December 2010, the department cancelled the project after reviewing that it would not be delivered within the planned timeframe. The project examines why the department failed to convey the project and the extent to which it minimized the waste arising from the final decisions to terminate the project. Project management advances the coordination, control and planning of diverse and complex activities of commercial, industrial, management change, and IT projects.Moreover, thedevelopments of projects share common similarities in the projection of ideas and activities into new ventures’. This report entails a fire control project, aimed at improving the efficiency, technology and flexibility of English fire and rescue service by replacing forty-six local control rooms with an effective network of nine purpose-built regional control centers. Besides, the control centers use national computer system that handle calls, manage incidents and mobilize equipment. Consequently, the main purpose of this project was to predict and foresee many dangers’ and problems as possible during the planning and organization of activities to finish the project successfully. It started before the incorporation of any resource and continued until all work was finished. The development of the project incorporated other parties such as a project manager and relevant stakeholders in information technology (IT). According to the National Audit Office (2011), suggests that the aim of a project manager is to ensure that the result satisfies project sponsors or purchasers and principled stakeholders within the promised timeframe. Furthermore, the project was not to use more money and other resources than those originally included in the budget. Following the cancelation of this project, the report addresses the department for communities and local government, to ensure that organizations learn lessons from mistakes

The Glass Menagerie Essay Example for Free

The Glass Menagerie Essay In reading literary pieces, we tend to compare one character to another that is similar on physical and mental characterization. Alice Walker’s story â€Å"Everyday Use† and Tennessee Williams’s play â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† have different attack, contextualization, plot, conflict, and resolution but they have the same idea of character – Laura in â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† and Maggie in â€Å"Everyday Use. † Laura and Maggie are both physically handicapped. Laura ‘wears a brace on her leg’ while Maggie has scars all through her legs and arms. Both of these characters accept their situations as handicapped. That is why they are being oppressed by the society whether directly or indirectly. Therefore, being physically handicapped of the protagonists in the two stories defines their identity and uniqueness despite of their physical imperfection. Walker’s â€Å"Everyday Use† is a story about a mother having two daughters. Her daughters are opposite to one another. Maggie is a shy woman while Dee is very expressive with her emotions. Dee’s goals are too high to obtain. She leaves her family to acquire her personal goals in life. Ms. Johnson, which is Dee’s mother and Maggie are waiting for her return that is why they clean their house and beautify it so that Dee will become happy once she saw their home. When Dee arrives, Maggie and Ms. Johnson are speechless with her transformation. After lunch, Dee went to her mother’s room and asks for a hand-stitched quilt as a souvenir. Ms. Johnson is holding a ‘precious’ hand-stitched quilt that she will give to Maggie. Dee wants it so she grabs it to her mother’s hands. Maggie understands her sister’s action and even though she really likes the quilt, she let her sister obtain it. However, Ms. Johnson grabs the quilt to Dee’s hands and pulls Maggie into her room and put it to her lap and shows a happy face. Due to disappointment, Dee runs away from their house along with her friend using his friend’s car. William’s â€Å"The Glass of Menagerie† on the other hand is about a woman named Laura. Tom is the narrator of the story. Laura is a shy woman because of her appearance – having her leg being braced. She does not want to enter school because of this. Another reason for this is that she does not want people to look at her and being humiliated by her surroundings. Because of this issue, Amanda whom to be Laura’s mother asks Tom to find a man that will suit Laura despite of her physical situation. Tom found Jim, his co-worker. He asks him to have dinner in their house. When Jim went to the dinner, Laura is afraid to see him because she is attracted to Jim even before. After the dinner, Jim starts talking to Laura. In the beginning, Laura is aloof but as the conversation went on, she becomes comfortable with Jim. â€Å"LAURA: I was out of school a little while with pleurosis. When I came back you asked me what was the matter. I said I had pleurosis you thought I said Blue Roses Thats what you always called me after that I / JIM: I hope you didnt mind. / LAURA: Oh, no I liked it. You see, I wasnt acquainted with many people. (Williams, Chapter 7)† Jim becomes attracted to Laura’s uniqueness that led him in kissing her. After the kiss, Jim says sorry to Laura and tells her that he has a fiance and soon will get married. Even if Laura is upset, she accepts it. Amanda blames Tom for being insensitive by not choosing the right man for Laura. Tom leaves for this reason but even if he tries to begin his life again, Laura’s image emerges within his mind, thinking his offense against her. Laura and Maggie view themselves as weak and incapacitated. They accept their situation in a worst-case-scenario. They do not fight against the common norm of the society towards them. As long as their family accepts them, everything would be fine. However, problems occurred because they admit that they are handicapped and could not obtain things that a usual woman should have. That is why people around them took advantage against them in different cases and issues. In the case of Laura, her mother wants to make her happy and would like her to find a man that will fit her capability as a woman but Amanda did not think of Laura’s feelings towards her action. As she (Amanda) pushes Laura towards Jim, it is clear she has never paused to find out who her daughter really is, nor what her aspirations might be, nor has she ever considered modes of living other than her own (Debusscher, 60). Maggie’s situation is also the same through her relationship with Dee. Because she accepts that Dee should have better life than her, she lets her sister obtain everything that should be rewarded to her. Because of this, she needs to cope up with the demand of others to satisfy them. â€Å"Maggie will be nervous until after her sister goes: she will stand hopelessly in corners homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs, eyeing her sister with a mixture of envy and awe. She thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand, that no is a word the world never learned to say to her (Walker 47). † However, at the end of the plot of these two stories, the supporting characters realized the manifestations and effects of their actions in the lives of the protagonists. That is why they resolve their conflicts by way of recognizing the identity of Laura and Maggie as individuals with own uniqueness and sense of womanhood. â€Å"When Maggie spoke and suggested that the quilt be given to her older sister Dee, she (Ms. Johnson) began to see Maggie in a different light. She also learned to appreciate Maggie’s simplicity and goodness as compared to Dee’s sophistication and ambitions (Cuizon). † Like what happened to Maggie’s mother, Tom also accepts the realization that Laura needs sensibility from the people around her and she should experience it through her family. In the end, both the protagonists and the supporting characters reconcile and acquire the realization of reality and live a better life. Works Cited Cuizon, Gwen. â€Å"A Review on Alice Walkers Everyday Use. † HubPages. (2008). 23 November 2008. http://hubpages. com/hub/Alice-Walkers-Everyday-Use Debusscher, Gilbert. â€Å"Tennessee Williams’s Dramatic Charade: Secrets and Lies in The Glass Menagerie. † (2000; pp. 57-68). 23 November 2008. http://www. tennesseewilliamsstudies. org/archives/2000/4debusscher. pdf Walker, Alice. â€Å"Everyday Use. † In Love and Trouble. New York: Harcourt, 1973. 47-59. Williams, Tennessee. â€Å"The Glass Menagerie. † (1944). 23 November 2008. http://pagesperso-orange. fr/absolutenglish-972/notes/uscivi/glassmenagerie/scene_by_scene. htm

Film Noir Elements In The Movie Memento Film Studies Essay

Film Noir Elements In The Movie Memento Film Studies Essay There is yet to be a definition to be created to accurately capture the genre of Noir in film. The concept was first coined by French film critics who noticed the trend of how dark, downbeat and black the looks and themes were of many American crime and detective films released in France to theatres following the war(Film Noir). The term noir is a French word which literally means black or dark. The connotation attached to the term later on came to be those films which depicted crime, strangeness, cruelty, brutality, violence and similar other attributes. The period for Noir films flourished in the 1940s up to the 1950s, which were aptly called the classic noir period in movies. Later on, from the 1960s up to the current times, other types of noir films were conceptualized like the neo-noir and the science fiction noir, all concepts of which were derived from or echoed the original classic noir genus. Memento is one movie which typifies the film noir genre in that it has numerous elements which categorically makes it as one. Primarily, the existence of a lonely, confused and troubled protagonist (Schoenherr) is there. Add to this the other elements like the black-and-white scenes, the struggle, the seemingly bleak situations, the crimes perpetrated, the underground investigations, the voice-overs of the lead character, evil, paranoia and deception among other things. An interesting feature of this film though is the story unfolding from its end going up to the supposed initial scenes which took place. It is not narrated exactly in a circular motion but rather they are presented in chunks of about 10 minutes each. Aside from this, there is the alternate presentation of the colored and black-and-white formats to add narration and further expound on the sequence of events. Film noir operates on specific social, cultural and historical contexts. In this particular film, the social context used is that of the protagonist becoming a different man after the rape and murder of his wife. Leonard or Lenny loses his memory after he shoots his wifes rapist and he is shoved and clubbed by the rapists companion. His head hits the bathroom mirror, and from then on, he becomes afflicted with Anterograde Amnesia or not being able to retain his short-term memory. Lennys memories before the accident are intact and his last memories are of his wife being murdered, hence, his ever- enduring quest to avenge her death. Most people now think of Lenny as a freak for not being able to remember thoughts, names, faces and events which are a regular part of the memory of normal people since he forgets his thoughts and the things he does after 15 minutes or so. However, Lenny struggles to keep his sanity by taking Polaroid pictures and immediately labeling them, writing down his ideas, and tattooing the more important thoughts on his body. Having no family to call his own, he lives in a motel room and is suspicious of everyone. His lifes direction is motivated by vengeance and a major part of the film is spent on this desire to kill. The cultural context of the film is the type of culture that was used in the movie. The setting is sometime during the 2000s in Nevada. It is not shown if the protagonist had a lot of friends before the incident which led to his condition, but it is presumed that it was probably a case of not wanting to be identified with someone with a stigma of mental illness. The only friend who was identified as someone who knew Lenny immediately after the accident was Teddy, who was the one who helped Lenny to find and kill the original murderer of his wife, and then again Jimmy G. who was also killed by Lenny. As such, it meant that the culture held a discriminating attitude towards this mental illness. Pertaining to historical context, the practice of tattooing as a body art was prevalent from the late 1990s up to the 2000s. This was a period when tattooing was no longer considered as objects of diversion done in prison cells but rather as an art form to express oneself. In the movie, the lead character made use of tattoos on his body to remind himself of essential facts/details which he always wanted to be reminded of. Although not used as an art form, the existence of tattoo parlors in the locality denoted an acceptance of the practice of self-expression, which worked quite well for Lenny. It was also a time when Polaroids were popularly used and Leonard fully exhausted the Polaroids capability to assist him in remembering people and places with his depressing mental condition. According to Filmsite.org, the primary moods of classic film noir were melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt, desperation and paranoia (Film Noir). These themes are evident in the seclusion, isolation and omnipresent monologues of the lead character who wanted to establish the links to find meaning in his life. A wide array of emotions ranging from suspicion, confusion, naivete, loneliness, alienation, hatred, and bewilderment among others were efficiently delivered by the lead actor to the viewers who empathized with him in his daily struggle to survive. Noir movies characteristically have a protagonist who is usually reclusive, generally disturbed and commonly pessimistic. The lead character in Memento is not the typical protagonist since he lives his life everyday like a clean new slate. Just like the first part of this movie where a Polaroid picture was being undeveloped, Lenny lived his life always careworn to find out what he had been doing and what he should be doing next. His ultimate aim was to find his wifes killer, a task which Teddy assists him with. Although he is somewhat of the withdrawn type, Lenny is still enthusiastic about life and is confident that his Polaroids, notes and tattoos are taking him somewhere. Different noir styles were also apparent throughout the film. One is that storylines were often elliptical, non-linear and twisting (Film Noir) which connotes the unique presentation customarily associated with noir. Regular films are often presented in a manner where the story unfolds conventionally from beginning to end. The story told backwards and in bits and pieces was a unique way of entrancing the audience into being an active participant in the life of Leonard, trying to come up with his/her own conclusions or links to previous scenes and events. Amnesia suffered by the protagonist was a common plot device (Film Noir) which was obviously the illness which the lead character was afflicted with. This sort of justified the way with which Lenny killed the possible murderers without remorse or guilt since his brain was devoid of any emotions relating to pity and mercy. Furthermore, it is said that the protagonists in film noir were normally driven by their past or by human weaknes s to repeat former mistakes(Film Noir) which is what happens to Lenny as the film unfolds. It is only later in the movie that it is revealed that Lenny had already killed his wifes murderer, and Teddy had even taken a Polaroid shot of him after the said killing. It was due to his mental condition that Lenny was not able to remember the incident which Teddy later used to his advantage in getting rid of Jimmy G. who was a drug dealer. The original story of Memento was an idea brought forward by the brother of the movies director, Jonathan Nolan in the late 1990s. The storyline was finished after several months and director Christopher Nolan came up with the idea that he wanted to tell the movie backwards, hence the screenplay was manipulated in a way where shot sequences were cut up into small bits. In between the colored takes were the non-colored shots to denote two timelines of what was the past and the present respectively. At some point towards the end of the movie, the black-and-white scene becomes colored specifically when Lenny takes the Polaroid picture of the dead Jimmy G, who was the second murder suspect endorsed by Teddy. This signified the beginning of a new chapter in the life of Leonard, and the true commencement of the story which somehow tragically ends with the death of its instigator, Teddy. The artistry presented in the film being of a different genre is as previously mentioned largely seen in the storys presentation to the viewer. The lead actor was also shown in black-and-white scenes and colored ones which showed contrasting characters one, the rugged, unshaven, unkempt, menacing and confused character who shoots the gun at Jimmy G. in black-and-white, and the other, the suit-clad formally dressed and more confident Lenny who drives a Jaguar in colored film. This implies that the main character had good and bad traits, although the bad traits were more emphasized but later exposed to be manipulations done by some of the other characters in the plot. One of these characters is Natalie who represents the femme fatale element in the movie, and who adds further intricacies to the plot and manipulates Lenny into a mental tug-of-war with Teddys statements. The cinematography of the film was excellent as emphasis was done where it was necessary, and accurate illumination was also appropriately achieved. Editing was also good especially in the cuts of the film that had to be fed in several lumps, and in two different formats of color and BW. Continuity in the film was smooth and flowed effortlessly. The film scoring was suitable and elicited empathy from the viewer in the scenes where dialogues were not really necessary. The closest thing to special effects in the film was the way that the first sequence was presented to the viewer where the Polaroid shot was being undeveloped instead of the other way around. It goes back up to the time Lenny shoots Teddy and the latter was screaming for his life. Acting in the film was superb. Guy Pearce as Leonard was able to deliver all the emotions expected from him and thus elicited the required compassion from the viewer. Teddy, Natalie, Sammy Jankins and all the other actors also did a good job in making the plot more focused on the plight of the main character, thereby allowing Lenny to stand out. The movie Memento has some allusions to significant theories and concepts. One of these is the concept of Cultural Materialism. The most active proponent of Cultural Materialism is Marvin Harris and the premise of this theory is that the social life of a human being is a direct response to problems arising from his earthly existence. Leonards actions can be rationalized as a practice of cultural materialism because he is merely responding to his problems instead of taking a proactive role in it. This is due in large part to his illness which he cannot control and which allows him to be manipulated by some shady characters in the film. Existentialism is another concept which is apparent in this movie. The plot evolves around the lead character, Leonard, who tries to find meaning in his existence as he grapples with his affliction rendering him confused and stressed at most times. He tries hard to think and look back but cannot, and this is what leads him to try to devise ways in which he could remember things, events, places and people who have somehow played an important role in his life, after the accident which claimed his short-term memory. Lastly, there is the hint of self-determination as seen in the main character as he tries his best to make decisions without the influence of others. Unfortunately, he was not aware of the subtle approach which was used by the movies disreputable characters who were always one step ahead of him in his plans. Still, it was revealed near the movies end that Lenny was also utilizing his selective memory to manipulate the situation in such a way as to be able to create and continually re-create his motives for vengeance. Since finding the possible suspects to his wifes murder was the only impetus which kept him alive, it was a need he had to satiate, and hence, an inspiration which kept him continually in pursuit of.

Influence of IT on Organisational Behaviour

Influence of IT on Organisational Behaviour The Influence of IT on organisational behaviour Carr (2003) concludes that Information Technology (IT) has become the backbone of commerce and that IT empower companies to serve their customers better. IT can alter the basic nature of an industry (Luftman et al., 1993), and rightly so; IT has forever changed the world that we inhabit. With the use of computers and software, IT has altered how the finance sector operates, how the education system work, how companies conduct their business and how the healthcare sector can help their citizens. Ultimately, IT has been able to help every company and government institute alike to transform their daily operation by turning labour heavy and repetitive burdens into automatic and streamlined tasks that often require little to no human interaction. The use of IT in healthcare enables citizens, healthcare professionals, authorities and administrators to have access to real-time and relevant information through secure delivery without unnecessary barriers. With the help of online healthcare portals, citizens can schedule appointments with their general practitioner, check their patient journal, look up digital medical information such as X-rays or blood samples. Healthcare professionals can save time spent on paperwork and instead concentrate their valuable time on helping their patients. Authorities, such as Data Protection Agencies will be better equipped to help the healthcare to improve procedures, processes and patient safety. Finally, administrators will have access to data and information that could help them improve the decision-making in everyday operations. A practical example of an IT implementation that is showing to have a long-term positive consequence is the implementation of one (a single) centralised Electronic Patient Journal (EPJ) for the whole country of the Faroe Islands. While decentralisation may bring flexibility and fast response to changing needs, decentralisation also makes system integration difficult, presents a barrier to standardisation and acts as a disincentive toward achieving economies of scale (DeSanctis Jackson, 1994). Even though the Faroe Islands is a small country of only fifty thousand people, the country has three hospitals and around hundred general practitioners. With the centralised EPJ system, the healthcare sector has the basics in place to start exchanging digital medical information by integrating with other systems to receive descriptions and answers from a specialist (doctor). These other systems include computerised axial tomography (CAT) scanners, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, Lab oratory and blood systems and so on. On an entirely different subject, albeit all the positives social media might bring, one should not ignore the negative effects. Negative effects from social media include addiction and privacy concerns. The social media is comparable to drugs; once addicted it is hard to let to go. Griffiths (2010) mentions a research conducted on 415 medical technologists that Internet Abuse falls into three distinct categories: browsing, non-work-related e-mails and cyberloafing. According to Griffiths (2010), addition is related to Internet abuse and does have an impact on the workplace in regards to the loss of productivity. To conclude, information technology has spearheaded the digital revolution for some time and is moving companies, consumers and government ever closer to a constant change for globalisation. References Carr, N.G. (2003) Why IT Doesnt Matter Anymore Harvard Business Review. [Online] Available from: http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/3520.html (Accessed: 15 January 2016) Luftman, J.N., Lewis, P.R. Oldach, S.H. (1993) Transforming the Enterprise: The alignment of business and information technology strategies. IBM Systems Journal Vol 32 (1). p. 198 DeSanctis, G. Jackson, B.M. (1994) Coordination of information technology management: Team-based structures and computer-based communication systems. Journal of Management Information Systems Vol 10 (4). p. 85-110. Alder, I. (2013) How Our Digital Devices Are Affecting Our Personal Relationships [Online] Available from: http://www.wbur.org/2013/01/17/digital-lives-i (Accessed: 1. June 2016) Griffiths, M.D. (2010) Internet abuse and internet addiction in the workplace. Journal of Workplace Learning, 7, 463-472.

Strains on Partnership Arrangements in Business :: Business Ownership

a. Collaboration's importance to partners—One partner may give more management attention to a collaborative arrangement than the other does. a. If things go wrong, the active partner blames the less-active partner for its lack of attention, and the less-active partner blames the more active partner for making poor decisions. The difference in attention may be due to the different sizes of partners. b. Differing objectives—Although companies enter into collaborative arrangements because they have complementary capabilities, their objectives may evolve differently over time. For instance, one partner may want to reinvest earnings for growth and the other may want to receive dividends. One partner may want to expand the product line and sales territory, and the other may see this as competition with its wholly owned operations. A partner may wish to sell or buy from the venture, and the other partner may disagree with the prices. c. Control problems—By sharing the assets with another company, one company may lose some control of the extent or quality of the assets' use. When no single company has control of a collaborative arrangement, the operation may lack direction. Studies show that when two or more partners attempt to share in an operation's management, failure is much more likely than when one partner dominates. However, the dominating partner must consider the other company's interests. For this reason, studies also show that joint ventures with an even split in ownership are likely to succeed because the financial ownership ensures that management will consider both partners' interests. d. Partners' contributions and appropriations—One partner's capability of contributing technology, capital, or some other asset may diminish compared to its partner's capability over time. In almost all collaborative arrangements, there is a danger that one partner will use the other partner's contributed assets, enabling it to become a competitor. e. Differences in culture—Companies with different cultures differ in how they evaluate the success of their operations.

Wedding Speech for a Maid of Honor or Best Woman -- Wedding Toasts Roa

Wedding Speech for a Maid of Honor or Best Woman Good evening. I would like to thank all of you for attending this joyful occasion. For those of you that don't know me, I'm Hanah's friend Erica, sometimes known as "Natasha" or "Hanah's foot taller twin sister". I'm sure you read in the playbill/program that I used to work with her in the accounting department. We hit it off from the start - both having a love for drama, we spent not only our working days together but every night as well. We got into trouble a lot for talking too much - so much that it became necessary to write notes, crumple them up and throw them at each other when no one was looking. Through the years we kept in contact while she went away to College and I even got to visit her in Seattle for a short period of time - a tip for everyone - the romantic-looking horse drawn carriage rides that take you through old town Seattle - aren't very romantic when the horse has gas problems...... Anyway, she finally came back from school and we spent practically everyday hanging out eating taco bell - she brought me ice cream in the hospital when my second child was born and became Auntie Hanah to both my girls. She had finally come to the point of accepting the fact she was going to be an old maid at 24, when she called me one day and said she had lunch with some people from church and this guy named "Ray", who afterwards had asked her to com... ...e only time that you will have the upper hand in this union. And to both of you a little advice: "To keep a marriage brimming with love in the loving cup- When you are wrong, admit it and when you are right, shut up!" I now invite you all to stand and raise your glasses in a toast To Hanah and Ray, "Here's to marriage, that happy estate that resembles a pair of scissors: 'So joined that they cannot be separated, often moving in opposite directions, yet punishing anyone who comes between them.' - 'May your imperfections make you perfect for each other.' - 'May your wedding days be few and your anniversaries many.' - and 'May God bless your marriage and your home!' To love laughter and happily ever after!

Financial Theories Overview Essay

costs of capital to a firm would remain the same no matter what combination of financing sources the firm actually chose† (Miller, 2001, p. 185). The dividend proposition overcomes objection to leverage proof. | 3. Agency Cost Theory I Michael Jensen and William Meckling define agency costs as the costs associated with cooperative effort by human beings, which arises when the principal hires an agent to carry out duties Oensen, 2005). Conflicts of interest between management and shareholders are inevitable and can cause a potential loss in value of public corporations (Chew, 2001). For example, shareholders may want management to increase shareholder value, but management may grow the business to increase personal power and wealth (Chew, 2001). | Enron’s company was worth $30 billion and senior managers’ tried to defend a $40 billion of excess valuation. Ultimately Enron executives destroyed the company â€Å"by trying to fool the markets through accounting manipulations, hiding debt through off-balance sheet partnerships, and over hyped new ventures such as their broadband futures effort† Oensen, 2005, pp. 10-11). John Roth, former chief executive officer (CEO) of Nortel, wrote off most cquisitions, when stock price crashed and closed down activities, which resulted in the destruction of not only the corporate value but also the social value of the company Oensen, 2005). Finance scholars found a reduction in conflict of interest between management and shareholders because of: (1) product market competition and a market for executive labor

Concept Of God In Philosophy Essay

Please explain Immanuel Kant’s challenge to modern theology.   In other words, what is Kant’s epistemology, i.e., his theory of how human beings know (how the mind functions)?   According to this theory, then, is it possible to know God?   Is it possible to have natural knowledge of God or to experience God in his view?   How would Christian theologians and believers, who wanted to demonstrate the rational intelligibility of belief in and knowledge of God, respond to this?   (10 points).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Immanuel Kant started with the hypothesis that: â€Å"the mind is active†. It forms part in the understanding of human especially if it is already acquainted with different kinds of experience and always imposes upon cognition in any forms given that it is still in the line of human perception.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However he said that not all things are connected to each other because in a way, they are not observable which gives the presumption that its connectivity is not determined by that simple idea. And also, Kant said that we lack the necessary organ to accommodate all the information that the mind can and may process.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The mind cannot produce knowledge of such a transcendent being (The Breakdown of the Religion of Reason, p. 65). He also showed that, God is supposed to be perfect in all aspects of life. He followed what was written by Anselm during the 11th century and presented concrete evidences for such actuation. However, he wishes not to contradict the existence of God because it will also oppose that the predicate of a subject is not logical to use. He added that it will be a useless thing to do since there will be no contradiction because of his given analogy. Since existence is not a predicate, if I deny God’s existence, I am not denying a predicate of a subject; hence no logical contradiction is involved as the proponents of the argument contend. (Modern Christian Thought, p.66)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And he also argued that there is a limit for a human to our own empirical knowledge against the pure point of our operative life. Instead, this empirical knowledge is completely independent and the principles of pure reason.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Additionally, he said that human act morally not because of inclination to a certain event or object but because of one’s sense of duty. To act morally is not to act from inclination or even prudence but from a sense of duty (The Breakdown of the Religion of Reason, p. 69) What are the some of the most basic characteristics and values of the Enlightenment?   What are the chief enlightenment values and how do these compare with those values/characteristics of the medieval era?   Define the Enlightenment view of freedom and reason.   Use your text on e-reserve.   Then, respond: how would a theologian (like me) understand the promise and problem of these views from a theological (having to do with God) perspective?  Ã‚   (5 points).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Enlightenment brought about change in man’s perception of the world and the society. According to Kant that the gist of the said idea is something that is already embedded to the line of thinking of a person and that it shows on up to what extent is a man capable or willing to do to suffice his own interest. Underlying this whole movement is a renewed awareness and trust in man’s own capacities and appreciation of, interest in, and hope for human life on this earth (Modern Christian Thought, p.2)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was also during this time that â€Å"authoritarianism and the emergence of individual reason† started to spread amongst the people. From this time on, there is already a widespread of being liberated or freed from any entanglement to any person. It was then that autonomy is seen on a different perspective and remarkably, no one challenged the said idea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Accordingly, there is another major contribution during the time of Enlightenment. The act of reasoning also became widespread following Francis Bacon and John Locke. They are the ones who defied the first idea given by Rene Descartes. It was then that Reason is treated as something that is a vital and progressive force; the depth of its meaning can be deduced by its function which can create many avenues to determine fact from opinion. How does Friedrich Schleiermacher respond to Kant’s challenge to modern theology?   How do human beings come to know God according to Schleiermacher?   What, then, is the subject of theology for a theologian like Schleiermacher?   (10 points)     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Schleiermacher defined what he thinks to be the true nature of religion and the conception of its idea. With this kind, there are two (2) forms of religion such as theoretical or practical point of view. He added that religion should be â€Å"something different from a mixture of opinions about God and the world, and of precepts of for one life or two†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He also argues that if religion is the highest form of knowledge it should follow that reason or any scientific method can be measured by any organ. Also, he adds that if religion can be attained by reading materials such as books, journals, etc, then the most religious person should also be the most intelligent one. And, he clarified that neither religion nor morality should be interchanged or be treated as the same.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Religion is a feeling thus it is only a psychological emotion claiming that it is an immediate intuition or is based on one person’s instinct. However, he clarified that God need not to be present in any object or present Himself in such a way that He will be tangible for human.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He said that no man is religious because he was able to read doctrines and follow it thoroughly and experience different kinds of things instead, piety emancipates from one’s own original feeling and not because other people told him to be as such. What are some of the most basic characteristics and values of Romanticism, the intellectual movement of the 19th century which following the Rationalism of the Enlightenment in the 18th century.   How does Schleiermacher reflect the ideas of Romanticism?   (5 points)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Romanticism as what Schleiermacher have seen it, it is a new way for â€Å"modern religious† thoughts have a foundation or ground that will suffice the needs, interest and critiques of most people especially the Philosophers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By giving this idea to the people, he wanted to show to them that what religion they have been rejecting all the while is not at all the religion that they need to embrace and understand deeply. Rather, it is the â€Å"external† religion that they are despising all the while and that this kind of religion is something that should not be studied or known at all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He also wanted to defy the opinions that were raised during that time about the religion on utilitarianism. Schleiermacher claims that if there is a certain point when the issue is not coherent with its true value, then it is something that should not be wasted time upon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, he contradicts his own perception by saying that religion has a peculiar sense that is indispensable when talking about the spirit of man. Modern theology in the 19th century followed the thought of Friedrich Schleiermacher and his way of doing theology.   What major event occurred at the beginning of the 20th century that convinced Karl Barth that the entire way of doing modern/liberal theology was deeply problematic and morally bankrupt?   (5 points) One major event that made Barth think that doing liberal theology is problematic and morally bankrupt is when the Church always assumes that they are infallible or those who does not do anything wrong to any one and at the end of the day, surrender their selves to the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ. This is when Barth said that â€Å"hermeneutical principles of subordination and surrender have nothing to do with the kind of biblical or ecclesial authoritarianism†. Because according to him, having a superior and an inferior means that there should be an effort to remove one’s self from interpretative process instead focus on neither human basic needs nor the desire for authority. How does Karl Barth understand that human beings may come to know God?   Do we have a natural capacity, i.e., an ability within human nature and thus apart from God, to know God?   (10 points)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We should cultivate a life that is humble and each should not cease on praying before Him, listening actively to His teachings in order for us to know what are the things that we really need.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He added that to â€Å"let go† of the material and human needs that we have right now is a preparation for us to know God fully. Leaving things would eventually prepare us from knowing how the real God is and that we will have a much clearer understanding on why He created things.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, by leaving things, we do not need to carry on an excess baggage that may sometimes hinder us from knowing who God really is. What happens when human beings claim to know God on the basis of their own experience or their own thinking about God?   What happens when human beings try to know how Jesus was on the basis of their own historical reconstruction or psychological evaluation of him?   Why is this so dangerous?   How is it to be avoided? Can it be avoided?   What is the only way, according to Barth, that purely human thinking about God can be avoided?   (10 points)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When we experience things, it means that, in one way or another we have already met God. However, each person has a different meaning on things especially with their experiences. It can be connoted as something that is dangerous for them but pleasant to others. That is why there is a misconception on which our God really should be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is dangerous because people are worshipping other gods and is prone to misunderstanding especially to those who have a different encounter with their own gods. It can also be a way of having the society is fragmented since there are different sides of the story on how they were able to encounter god.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Proper interpretation of things can somehow avoid this kind of fragment among the people. However, only few are able to interpret the story well and still leaves the danger hanging and vulnerable to anyone who tries to interpret anything. What is theology for Barth?   How should the theologian attempt to do theology?  Ã‚   What do faith, prayer, and obedience have to do with this method or way of theological reflection?   Define faith, prayer, and obedience for Barth.   (10 points)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obedience as it is being co-related to faith, according to Barth, is something that â€Å"can simply turn on at moment of one’s choosing†. By these, it is one way for God to connect with his people and confront them in their own freedom and history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Needless to say, one’s interpretation of things should be accorded with obedience in order to examine personal experience and relate it to the scripture or passage that is being taught. For him, the writers should not write about anything that will be later on associated with them, rather they should write about an experience that is interlaying with the scripture that they are reviewing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With prayers, he said that it is not necessary to endlessly pray to God, admit it or not, we are not all the time confident that God is listening to our prayers. What is scripture according to Karl Barth?   How does this reflect a deeply theological understanding, i.e., an understanding that comes from God.   And, how does this reflect a deeply human and modern understanding of the role of human beings in the writing of the Bible?   Is the Bible already the Word of God i.e., the words on the page, for Barth, or does the Bible become the Word of God?   If so, when does it become the Word of God?   What happens to make it become the Word of God?   (10 points)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A scripture, according to Barth is something that is written about God and will be relevant or at least be a human testimony of God’s existence and all the things that he did in history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He tends to interpret scriptures, known as hermeneutics, to help biblical scholars to understand the true meaning of each. And with that, he tends to extend some of his arms to other people in terms of helping them suffice whatever struggle they have.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, with his interpretations does not come any personal experience. He writes some of his experience but does not delve much on to it. Rather, he makes a deeper study on why those things were said and how the people did then accepted or rejected the fact that things are happening during their time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Bible is the Word of God because it contains His teachings and the moral lessons that we need to learn in life. However, not all teachings can be found in the Bible. Some should be experienced first hand in order for us to learn new things. According to Rosemary Radford Ruether, what does all theology begin with?   What is the problem with the so-called â€Å"objective† sources of Christian theology, i.e., scripture and tradition? And, what is unique about feminist theology and the role of experience in theology according to Ruether? What is the hermeneutical circle of theological interpretation?   What is the final norm/criterion of theological truth? (10 points)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Theology is the testimony of one’s faith, life and service to God. Theology actually questions it self whether or not they are true or not. There are specific gauge that is used in order for Theology to be considered true, they measure their action, talk about God, and if it is against the Church. It is also something that is alien with its own standard; source and object.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   On the other hand, the feminist theology uses experience as a criterion for exploring a much deeper sense of study and critical forces based on the experience of males that eventually gives them the notion as a universal human experience. What is the prophetic biblical principle interpreted from a feminist perspective?   What are the four main categories of feminist liberation theology?   Cite biblical passages that show you understand how the Bible can be used to fight the root sin of domination and subjugation. (5 points)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Those females are only second-grade citizens compared to male. Because then, there is a stereotype in gender since other scholars claim that males are wiser than female. Also, the Patriarchal system exists that time and that same idea is molded upon the image of God, reasoning that God is male.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     There is also a prophetic traditional labeled as â€Å"cultural vacuum† that makes true of the statement written above. It shows how the society is delving much on what they think is right because it is fair and just to all of them but on what is written in the scriptures. Compare and contrast the theology of Karl Barth with that of Rosemary Radford Ruther?   How would Karl Barth critique Ruether?   What would he say about the role of experience and the potential dangers involved in such a kind of theology?   What would Karl Barth say about God in her theology?   Does she have a role for the objective action of God in the world or is God only actualized in our consciousness and social activity for the poor and marginalized? How would Ruether respond to this critique?   What would she say in her defense?   In other words, what are the problems of beginning with scripture and tradition apart from women’s experience according to Ruether?  Ã‚   What would that do for or to women?   Finally, how would Ruether criticize the theology of Karl Barth?   What is the problem of beginning with revelation in scripture, and apart from women’s experience, according to Ruether? (10 points)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Barth and Ruether have completely different view points with regards to Theology and how they perceive such topic. With Barth, he is more of delving much on the experience of one person because from the experience they may be able to deduce something that is very vital for their survival. Also, he tends to focus more on the things that needs to be critically revised or interpreted using personal experiences he got from other people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Barth is also confided with the norms of the society. He was not able to explore on other possible things and did not try to convince other people that there are other possibilities regarding their study.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With Ruether, she is more of a liberal thinker, given that there are points that she raised about feminist liberal theology. She was able to grasp on other ideas or methods to use in other to arrive at a much well interpreted scripture following the experiences of the writer or associating the moral of the scripture to any experience that of the writer.

Later Adulthood Essay

Aging in our society can be a very stressful time regarding our elderly. They are going through tremendous changes not only physically, emotionally, but also socially. It is in our best interest to help them make the proper adjustments during what can be a difficult time for some. Retirement is not always the best thing for our senior citizens. It can be a trying time as they no longer feel useful. We need to insure they remain productive by maintaining relationships with friends and family, volunteering, finding a hobby, and most important maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Because our society is so obsessed with youth, many of our senior citizens feel left out. In Japan, they treat their elders with the utmost respect. (Maslow, Kirst 2010). It is our turn to treat our senior citizens with the same respect instead of shunning them from society. At times their living accommodations are not suitable and the amount of healthcare they may need can cause stress in their lives. Their relationships with their spouses, children, friends, and coworkers change dramatically. It can be a difficult transition and is up to us to make sure they can ease into later adulthood with positive attitudes and a foundation of hope for their future. In their later adulthood years, the elderly experience changes in their roles and social position. Upon retirement, many aging individuals may withdraw from their social network circle. This may happen when the individual is not ready to retire and resents being forced to retire. They begin to feel unwanted and feel they no longer have anything in common with their friends. Our society does not incorporate the elderly desires of remaining productive which may cause them to disengage in socializing with their peers. Their social status changes from teacher, pharmacist, and store manager to perhaps a regular Joe in the neighborhood. This can impact their mentality and their ability to maintain a positive attitude during retirement. One of the best ways for the elderly to continue to feel worthy during their later years is perhaps volunteering and influencing our youth with their knowledge and wisdom. Determining the best suited living accommodations for the elderly can be a daunting task for their loved ones. Many elderly are determined to stay in their homes living independently and if they are not ill than that option may work for them. There are many  factors that determine if they can stay in their home. Do they have transportation? Are they close to stores and medical care? If their loved one has health issues and requires medical attention around the clock than a nursing home would be their best option. Another option would be a retirement community, senior apartments or senior homes. Trying to find the best living accommodation for the elderly to spend their days living productive lives is very important. They also need access to affordable healthcare. Many elderly are plagued with health issues and cannot afford prescriptions or doctor visits. They do benefit from senior citizen discounts but it is not enough to cover all their medical expenses. Our society needs to find a better solution in terms of our aging population and health care needs. Kim & Moen stated† On the one hand, the retirement experience may promote a sense of well-being, as workers move out of demanding and/or stressful career jobs. On the other hand, the retirement passage itself may lead to diminished well-being, as individuals lose their occupational attachments, their social network of coworkers, and a major anchor for their identities.† (Headnote, para 2). Regarding our aging population, the most difficult time for them can be transitioning from working all their life to retirement. Our society has stressed the importance of youth and our elderly start to feel useless. Going into to retirement can cause more burdens on the elderly. By living on a fixed income and not being able to spend on eating out, movies, or even vacationing can takes its toll on the elderly. They can become depressed, which can then lead to suicidal thoughts. Another factor of going into retirement is the elderly may lose contact with coworkers since they no longer have work to discuss, they start to avoid contact with friends. Many elderly couples may not get along during retirement, they are not accustomed to being around their loved ones all day and this can cause problems in their marriage. Our society needs to encourage our elderly to remain productive after retirement so they can feel needed and participate in volunteer programs offered in their communities. If they are able to work and can continue to contribute to society, it will be a positive situation for everyone including our economy. There are many factors that can contribute to our elderly populations marital, family and peer relationships. During retirement, an elderly couple may experience more  marital strife as they are attempting to get used to being home all day. Their health also plays a part on their marital relationship. If one partner is ill, than the other partner has to care for the ill partner and this will cause stress. As couples, our elderly may not have the bond the once had at a younger age. They need to maintain a close relationship and focus on their positive aspects of their relationship. Regarding their own children, some elderly attempt to withdraw and not maintain close relationships with their children or grandchildren. Some will engage more and try to interfere in raising their grandchildren, which will cause problems with their own children. In their peer relationships, they may withdraw also. It does depend on the individual and their circumstances on how they handle the important relationships in their lives. Bookwala and Franks (2005) found that having a successful marriage will enhance the physical wellbeing of elderly couples as they progress into their golden years. There are many social policies impacting our aging population. Many of these social policies were designed to assist our elderly during their retirement years. â€Å"One out of ten older people live in poverty.† (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2010, para. Financial Problems of Older People). This information demonstrates the dire situation our elderly are experiencing. How are they able to make ends meet if they have no savings and living entirely on Social Security benefits? Another factor is the cost of healthcare that many aging individuals have to deal with. If they are in poor health and are in need of constant doctor supervision and medicine, they are relying on the governments Medicaid program and at times this can cause added stress in their lives. If their health is deteriorating, it makes sense that we need to implement new strategies to assist the elderly with aging. We should also encourage them to work if they are physically fit and able instead of discriminating against them based on their age. Our focus should be campaigning for them to engage in exercise, eating healthy and maintaining an active lifestyle throughout their lives to delay the effects of aging. In order for our elderly to continue progressing in later adulthood, our society needs to change our way thinking. We should encourage elderly people to work and be productive. A national campaign for our elders should address the benefits of physical fitness, eating right, and  maintaining close relationships with their loved ones. We should make them feel wanted and treat them with the utmost respect. They have lived life, have wisdom and experience to share with everyone. By incorporating those into volunteer programs will also be highly beneficial for everyone involved. Making sure they are happy and living in acceptable conditions should also be our concern. Now is the time, to turn the tables around and ensure that we are doing our best to take care for our aging population. Works Cited Bookwala, J., & Franks, M.M. (2005). Moderating role of marital quality in older adults depressed affect: Beyond the main-effects model. The Journal of Gerontology, 60B (6), p.338-p.341. Kim, J.E., & Moen, P. (2002). Retirement transitions, gender, and psychological well-being: a life course, ecological model. The Journal of Gerontology, 57B (3), p.212-p.222. Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K.K. (2010). Understanding Human Behavior & the Social Environment (8th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database

New Jersey Institute of Technology Essay

In this 21st century world, the intellectual society plays an important role for communicating and sharing the information. The power of society helps us to collect data which acts as a bridge to our success and advancement in this world. The generosity of teachers, classmates and friends gave me an insight of NJIT. My passion to pursue my dreams forced me to apply for the NJIT. Ever since my childhood years, my interest in computer systems and business both had put me in a dilemma. With the help of my research, I came forward to NJIT which offers degree in computing and business. My passion would be illuminated with the admission in NJIT. The art learning environment at NJIT is a perfect place which can give me the most comprehensive learning experience possible. The diversified climate will help me communicate and indulge in activities of different culture and ethnicity and travel around the globe with ease and knowledge of different countries. Coming from a middle class family it is very essential for the transportation to be less expensive and comfortable. It is another key point which brought me here to apply for the NJIT. The teachings of the brilliant professors of the NJIT and the advanced technology will provide me a great learning experience and expand my intelligence and ideas about this 21st century world. Admission to the NJIT will be one step further towards the path of my dream. The future is controlled by the step taken by an individual in the present. The information provided to me by the teachers, friends, internet and adding me to the list of the students of NJIT will enrich my experience that will help me to grow into well rounded and a successful person.

God of Small Things Quotes Essay

Extended metaphor: â€Å"Perhaps Ammu, Estha and she were the worst transgressors. But it wasn’t just them. They all broke the rules. They all crossed into forbidden territory. They all crossed into forbidden territory. They all tampered with the laws that lay down who should be loved and how. And how much. The laws that make grandmothers grandmothers, uncles uncles, mothers mothers, cousins cousins, jam jam, and jelly jelly. Rahel and Estha live in a society with very rigid class lines. â€Å"Commonly held view that a married daughter had no position in her parent’s home. As for a divorced daughter – according to Baby Kochamma, she had no position anywhere at all. And for a divorced daughter from a love marriage, well, words could not describe Baby Kochamma’s outrage†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Chacko told the twins that, though he hated to admit it, they were all Anglophiles. They were a family of Anglophiles. Pointed in the wrong direction, trapped outside their own history and unable to retrace their steps because their footprints had been swept away† The concept of â€Å"Anglophilia† is a big one in this book, from the way everyone fawns over Sophie Mol, to Chacko’s cocky attitude about his Oxford degree, to the whole family’s obsession with The Sound of Music. But it’s pretty clear that the thing they love also holds them down. When Chacko says their footprints have been swept away, he is making a reference to the way members of the Untouchable caste have to sweep away their footprints so that people of higher classes don’t â€Å"pollute† themselves by walking in them. Even though by Indian standards their family is of a relatively high social status, they are of a low social status in relation to the British. Pappachi would not allow Paravans into the house. Nobody would. They were not allowed to touch anything that Touchables touched. Caste Hindus and Caste Christians. Mammachi told Estha and Rahel that she could remember a time, in her girlhood, when Paravans were expected to crawl backwards with a broom, sweeping away their footprints so that Brahmins or Syrian Christians would not defile themselves by accidentally stepping into a Paravan’s footprint. In Mammachi’s time, Paravans, like other Untouchables, were not allowed to walk on public roads, not allowed to cover their upper bodies, not allowed to carry umbrellas. They had to put their hands over their mouths when they spoke, to divert their polluted breath away from those whom they addressed. (2.270) This quote speaks volumes about the experience of the Untouchables, and it helps us appreciate the kinds of deeply ingrained attitudes that drive so much of the prejudice and hate we see in the novel. Then [Baby Kochamma] shuddered her schoolgirl shudder. That was when she said: How could she stand the smell? Haven’t you noticed? They have a particular smell, these Paravans. (13.129) Like Mammachi, Baby Kochamma has a heap of prejudices against other social classes, and these prejudices run deep. By disparaging Velutha out loud and saying that his smell must have been intolerable, she tries to show just how high class she is. Mammachi’s rage at the old one-eyed Paravan standing in the rain, drunk, dribbling and covered in mud was re-directed into a cold contempt for her daughter and what she had done. She thought of her naked, coupling in the mud with a man who was nothing but a filthy coolie. She imagined it in vivid detail: a Paravan’s coarse black hand on her daughter’s breast. His mouth on hers. His black hips jerking between her parted legs. The sound of their breathing. His particular Paravan smell. Like animals, Mammachi thought and nearly vomited. (13.131) Again, we see just how deeply Mammachi’s prejudices run. She doesn’t see Ammu and Velutha’s relationship as love between two people, as it might look to us. As far as she is concerned, it is as low as two animals going at it in the mud. The idea of a â€Å"coolie† (lower-class laborer) having sex with her daughter is so repulsive to Mammachi that it almost makes her puke. Still, to say that it all began when Sophie Mol came to Ayemenem is only one way of looking at it. Equally, it could be argued that it actually began thousands of years ago. Long before the Marxists came. Before the British took Malabar, before the Dutch Ascendancy, before Vasco da Gama arrived, before the Zamorin’s conquest of Calicut. Before three purple-robed Syrian bishops murdered by the Portuguese were found floating in the sea, with coiled sea serpents riding on their chests and oysters knotted in their tangled beards. It could be argued that it began long before Christianity arrived in a boat and seeped into Kerala like tea from a bag. That it really began in the days when the Love Laws were made. The laws that lay down who should be loved, and how. And how much. (1.207-210) This quote is full of what might seem like obscure references, but what it’s basically doing is pushing us to think about what caused everything to fall apart for Estha and Rahel. Did everything come crashing down because Sophie Mol came to Ayemenem? Or do the events of the novel happen as a result of decisions, actions, and rules that were made thousands of years before any of our characters were even born? Do things happen for a reason, because they’re part of this huge plan, or do they just happen because the world is fickle like that? [Estha] knew that if Ammu found out about what he had done with the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man, she’d love him less as well. Very much less. He felt the shaming churning heaving turning sickness in his stomach. (4.245) We can be pretty sure that if Ammu ever found out that Estha was molested, she wouldn’t be upset with him. She’d be unbelievably angry at the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man, but she would never actually blame Estha. Yet, in Estha’s mind, what happened to him is his fault, and he carries it around as his shame Ammu touched her daughter gently. On her shoulder. And her touch meant Shhhh†¦.Rahel looked around her and saw she was in a Play. But she had only a small part. She was just the landscape. A flower perhaps. Or a tree. A face in the crowd. A Townspeople. (8.48-50) This moment turns the way Rahel understands her role at home upside-down. All of a sudden, things are totally different than they usually are. Rahel’s realization that they’re in a â€Å"play† shows us that everyone here is playing a part to some extent – they aren’t being themselves. Sophie Mol’s arrival topples over Rahel’s reality; she goes from being one of the leads to being the â€Å"nobody† in the background. Now, all these years later, Rahel has a memory of waking up one night giggling at Estha’s funny dream. She has other memories too that she has no right to have. She remembers, for instance (though she hadn’t been there), what the Orangedrink Lemondrink Man did to Estha in Abhilash Talkies. She remembers the taste of the tomato sandwiches – Estha’s sandwiches, that Estha ate – on the Madras Mail to Madras. (1.10-12) Rahel’s ability to remember things that happened to Estha and not her tells us a lot about their joint identity and how profoundly she understands him.