Zara – SWOT Analysis

Topshop was setup in 1964 in the basement of a department store. It became part of Arcadia Group Ltd alongside shops like Miss Selfridge, Wallis, Dorothy Perkins and Outfit. Now, they have over 300 stores in the UK and ship to more than 100 countries worldwide. Oxford Circus in London is Topshop’s flagship store; they’ve also recently opened flagships in Chicago and New York.Topshop specialise in on-trend and high-fashion clothing. They sell Women’s, Baby, and Maternity. Topshop have collaborated with many designers and celebrities like Christopher Kane and Kate Moss to create fresh and unique looks. They are also the first ever high street brand in history to attend London Fashion Week.Communication is a way of passing on a message or transferring information. A business needs accurate and relevant information so they can make important decisions in order to remain competitive. There are two different types of communication; internal and external. Internal commu nication means communication within the company, for example a manager to all shop-floor staff. External communication is the company communicating with others outside of it, its customers.Topshop communicate internally and externally public in a variety of ways. One example of external communication would be Twitter. Twitter is a social networking site that has millions of users. Topshop use Twitter to interact with their customers; this may be to reveal new items, keep them up to date on events, or even handle customer complaints. By using Twitter, Topshop are keeping their customers up to date with important information as they know that most of their target market (16-34 years) use the website. Other social media Topshop use are Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Pinterest. Many departments that would use this way of communication would be Marketing, PR and IT.Email is a way of communicating both internally and externally. Internally, Topshop would use email to communicate between staff, for example Head Office emailing all staff to inform them of an upcoming event, a new range  etc. Topshop can email externally through newsletters. Newsletters (handled by IT or Marketing and PR) inform their customers of new clothing ranges, upcoming events, trend alerts, and sales. People can subscribe to these by putting their email address into the website. This way, Topshop can keep their customers up to date with important information.Another type of external communication that Topshop use is YouTube. YouTube has over 1 billion different users each month (in the UK), and Topshop use this to their advantage. They have their own channel which has over 35,000 subscribers. They upload videos daily of things such as ‘EDITED’ where a Topshop stylist will create outfits with the new collection. Or ‘5 Ways to Wear’, which showcases Topshop’s clothing. YouTube is a great way for Topshop to promote their products and also communicate with their customers. The commenting system on YouTube allows Topshop’s customers to comment on what they like and dislike, or even recommend what they’d like to see next. The IT, Marketing and PR departments would have a strong presence in this type of communication. Styling and Personal Shopping (aka customer service) would have an input too.

Internal and External Factors Essay

External Factors Laura Smalt XMGT/230 May 12, 2013 Dr. B Internal and External Factors The organization I chose to write about is Subway restaurants. I have worked in management in two different locations, and have had a firsthand look at what goes into the four functions of management and how they interlock with each other. If I were to consider the planning aspect of this organization it is amazing the amount of work, projecting, forecasting, and implementation that it entails. Factors such as globalization play a huge role simply because this organization has over twenty thousand locations in seventy-eighty countries. The economy, trends, cultures, and habits in each region are taken into consideration in the planning function. When planning, corporate must consider the economy in each region, which is why one region may have a different monthly special than another. Organizing all of this also falls into the planning phase, because everything needs planned with individual marketing material, and training materials. Other factors have effects on all this as well. Keeping up with the current technology for instance, helps to keep their locations running smoothly and efficiently. Being one of the world’s largest sandwich franchises requires planning and organizing to keep up with changing innovations, and to create new menu options that keep them competitive with others. When you look at the four functions of management as a whole, it is easy to notice that not only does each function interlock, but also the organizing function interlocks with both planning and leading. In order to maintain uniform locations that are all kept up to franchise standards systems must be put in place. This is also an excellent chance to provide front line support on location where it is needed most. I think in this function factors such as diversity and ethnics have a tremendous impact. Because these require so much interaction, these factors must be considered. For example, if the regional representative shows up for the monthly sales and promotions meeting or for the inspection to all-Spanish speaking location there would be major communication issues. To address this all regional representatives are custom chosen for the areas they cover. These are the locations linked to corporate, and their leaders to keep in compliance. Because diversity and ethnics can encompass so much it is essential for management to know how to work with both. For example, management can assign a task to any employee, but if that employee does not have that skill to complete the task in the end, the results are less than desirable. Because of this management must need to know how to assign tasks and work with the diversity they have in the employees. Ethnics on the other hand should be uniform and level throughout the organization, because it aligns management and all personnel within the company in behaviors, and values. Ethnics also play a major role in public relations, because the organization’s ethnics reflect the image the public has of them. This is all brought together with the controlling function of management. Monitoring the entire organization, developing new ideas, and applying changes happen here. This includes monitoring sales, controlling costs, and adjusting as needed. If a promotion in a certain region is performing badly, then marketing may be tasked with analyzing that market again to see if a different promotion or strategy would work better there. Cost control would be monitored with the control function, things such as logistics, internal communications, purchasing, and human resources all need to be overseen and adjusted as market and profits allow or demand. To summarize internal and external factors such as globalization, technology, innovation, diversity, and ethnics affect almost every aspect of any organization. From the top of CEO of the organization down to the front line managers, these factors affect both on a daily basis. When making decisions all these things must be considered and applied to the specific market or situation. Just as the point of sale manager must consider diversity when making decisions about assignments, and day-to-day operations so must the upper level executive when dealing with the diversity place upon him when dealing with shareholders, or other organizational officers. Globalization affects just about any organization in existence as well. With digital age comes the need to compete not only with the local influences and factors, but with global as well. Technology and innovation I do not think can be ignored or escaped in any organization today. Again, with the digital age so many people rely on social applications and similar venues for marketing and development that to ignore this be a serious error. Depending on the organization, these functions are necessary for some. The world has become too competitive to not monitor these and keep up with one’s competition.

Security Roles Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Security Roles - Research Paper Example Additionally, the head of security has some important duties and responsibilities and they most notably include filtering criminal records of the newly hired employees. Secondly, the leaders have to make hard choices during their jobs because they cannot to afford to trust anyone and it is a common belief that security professionals are paid to remain suspicious of everyone. The need to suspect everyone and everything is a defining attribute of security professionals in both public and private sectors of the society (Spitler, jones, Hawkins, & Dudka, 1987). The private security officials and agencies are bound to perform their duties under Police and public law enforcement as they are blessed with the governmental authority to prosecute any suspect. The role of private security is to minimize any immediate threat and danger to the interests of corporations. In the court of law, however private security officials have the capacity of expert witnesses while; the local police department s are responsible and accountable for conducting detailed crime investigational activities. The heads of corporate security departments have the important duty to neutralize any possibility of offence against the company and they are helped in this cause by technological interventions such as CCTV cameras and walkthrough gates. The idea is to minimize the possibility and probability of fatalities of security professionals specifically. The heads of security departments are also supposed to propose training and development of the staff so that they can perform their roles in a better manner. The private security professionals are nonetheless, believed to have lower level of dedication towards ethical standards in the field because they often suspect an innocent person as a possible threat and therefore, the suits stating that companies are engaged in harassing people, are piling up in developed parts of the world. The main purpose for outsourcing security to corporation is to minimiz e the strain on dollars of the taxpayers. In the past, the public law enforcement agencies were expected to provide security to the interests of corporations. The citizens of advanced nations developed the knowledge and publically challenged the practice. They held on to the point that their tax-revenues should be spent on betterment of public services and they must not be wasted on the protection of private economic interests. As a response to the abovementioned societal change, the companies were allowed to hire security professionals on their own. The security professionals are notorious for having introvert personalities whereas; people use to get annoyed by their tendency to suspect everyone. The public law enforcers have to commit to the higher ethical standards in order to win a conviction in the court of law but the private professionals do not succumb to any civic values and therefore, are infamous for using excessive force on suspects. Furthermore, they are also believed t o illegally detain corporation’s enemies and torture them against their misdeeds. The public imagines private security officials as thugs that are hired in order to do the dirty work of their employers. The governments on the

Police Corruption, Misconduct, and Brutality Essay

Police Corruption, Misconduct, and Brutality - Essay Example The reason for this is associated with the fact that the nature of police work is a fertile ground for growth of corruption. Walker and Katz (2011) note that, police corruption is as old as policing itself and is not limited to the present day. His argument is supported by Sherman, who argued that police corruption has been in existence as long as have there been the police. Goldstein also cites that corruption is prevalent to policing and that the nature of police work is bound to force police officers to tempting bribes. The first police corruption was reported in 1970s in New York by Knapp Commission, from which two types of corrupt officers were identified. These include the grass-eaters and meat-eaters. It was observed that grass-eaters are very submissive and accepts any kind of bribe offered to them. Meat-eaters, on the other hand, are so aggressive and will always look out for opportunities to exploit for their own financial gains. However, research reveals that most corrupt officers in the US are grass-eaters. Some forms of police corruptions having been reported are those ripping off drug dealers or dealing drugs themselves. Others receive bribes to cover evidence while others have been convicted for covering their own acts of torture, brutality and murder (Dempsey and Forst, 2010). One case involving police corruption is that Joseph Miedzianowski, a former Chicago police officer who has entered the history books as one of the most corrupt corps in America’s history. During his 22 years of work as an officer in Chicago, Miedzianowski was accused of having planted guns and drugs on suspects, brutally tortured them with hot coat hanger and even hit them using lead-knuckled gloves, steeling their drugs, and other possessions. During his trial, he was also accused of fixing criminal cases against his gang members, and secured their release from prisons for sexual rendezvous with girl friends. He was also convicted of having assisted wanted criminal s flee the state, supplied guns, and ammunitions to gang members. The other count leveled against him in court was that he betrayed his workmates by undermining investigations of his gang members and telling them to burglarize the homes of corps’ and steel their guns (Lighty, 2003). Outcome of the case Despite initially denying the charges, Miedzianowski later confessed of having been guilty of the charges and was convicted for 10 counts including conspiracy, drug and racketeering in April 2001. The federal judge then sentenced him to life imprisonment (Lighty, 2003). My position regarding the outcome I agree with the charges handed to Miedzianowski. The reason being, investigations conducted proved beyond the reasonable doubt that the accused was involved in the alleged corruption and misconduct. Therefore, handing him life sentence was the best since it will make other police officers and citizens stop engaging in corruption, knowing very well that if convicted, they may al so be incarcerated for life. Police Misconduct in USA Police misconduct refers to illegal and improper actions on the part of the police officer. Police officers are expected to adhere to ethical principles set to them. In addition, police officers should be role models in showing exemplary behavior to the rest of society. Police officers should understand that they are not above the law; they can be prosecuted when they engage in improper behavior. In most cases, police conduct arises due to abuse of

Reflective commentary of research process Paper

Reflective commentary of process - Research Paper Example Furthermore, I felt that my dissertation should contribute to the wellbeing of the society that I am a member of. From this holistic perspective, I chose to study the literature on disaster management and its status in this country. My search of the relevant background information gave me an understanding of the steps that have been undertaken in disaster management in America, to prepare the nation in meeting the threats that are posed by natural and man made calamities. Several agencies and elements contribute to effective preparedness of the nation to face calamities. Scrutiny of the elements led me to understand that a critical element in disaster preparedness focused on those that are called upon the scene or voluntarily present themselves at the scene of a disaster to provide succour to the disaster victims at the outset. Therefore, disaster preparedness of a nation hinged on what we may term these ‘first responders’ at the site of a disaster. My next exploration i n the background literature pertained to these first responders, and the measures that have been taken to increase the effectiveness of the first responders at disaster sites. I found that there was ample information on the measures that were taken, but limited information on the effectiveness of the measures that have been put in place, to enhance the efficacy of the first responders to disaster sites. Therefore, I decided that my research should focus on this area, and have chosen to do a critical review on the disaster preparedness in America, tracing the background of disaster preparedness efforts in the nation, and the importance of the first responders, and finally focussing on assessing the preparedness of the first responders to cope with disaster management. Having found my research problem, the next task I undertook was to find a suitable title for my dissertation. My reading of information on the development of titles for a dissertation provided the information of the tit le needing to be succinct and catchy. After a great deal of thought I arrived at the conclusion of highlighting the subject of the study and the focus of the study through the title† Disaster Management: An Evaluation of the Disaster Preparedness of the â€Å"First Responders†. Developing the Objectives of the Study From the volume of information that was being collected, I realized that I needed to set objectives for my study, if not I would meander in finding the solutions for the subject and focus of the study, making my study aimless and results not gratifying for the efforts put in. My readings on setting objectives for the study also made me realize to keep myself focused on a limited set of objectives that were achievable, and not to try to take on more than I could chew. With this in mind, I developed three objectives that were achievable and relevant to providing answers to the problem that I was studying in detail. Developing the Research Method Having set my objectives, the next step in my journey in creating the dissertation proposal was in finding the efficient means to achieving the objectives of finding answers I was searching for that would be academically reliable and valid. All my earlier experiences in dissertations and my readings of dissertations clearly marked out that choosing the research method required me

Black & Decker - Eastern Hemisphere and ADP Initiative Case Study - 1

Black & Decker - Eastern Hemisphere and ADP Initiative - Case Study Example His prime concern was the fact that he found significant disparity in the ‘management styles’ that existed in the region. He found that certain managerial styles emphasized on employee empowerment whereas, others belonged to old authoritarian method. From his observation he felt that a few managers were bad managers. The other aspect was related to the growth and development of the people as he felt that in this region quite a few people were stagnant in their position. The other crucial matter of concern was with regards to existing process of management assessment as well as development system. They followed MBO-type system which had been discarded in the US a few years before. Bill Lancaster observed that these concerns required immediate addressing in order to not only increase the organizational growth in the Eastern Hemisphere organization but also to instigate human resource growth and development. Appraisal Development Plan (ADP) was first introduced in the Black & Decker in 1992 as a replacement method of appraisal to the existing MBO (Management by Objective) plan. ADP method of appraisal was observed to be one of the best tools available to provide employees with set goals and career plans similar to MBO process. The added benefit that ADP provided was that it was Eastern Hemisphere organization undeniably superior to MBO in guiding people towards growth prospects. The ADP plan followed six steps appraisal process which was in line with the 3600 appraisal method.

The Sequestration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Sequestration - Essay Example One of the challenges that I have had to deal with is the introduction of unpaid off days as one way of reducing budgetary allocations at my work place. One requirement of the sequestration is to carry out deductions on employees pay on the total number of days the employee was off from work. As a result of this move by the government, it has become a necessity to look for part time jobs in order to compensate for the reduced income. Maneuvering between my workplace and my part time job is a real challenge. The second challenge is that I have to make reductions on expenditures on certain luxuries I and my family used to like. This poses a psychological challenge based on the fact that it is difficult to accept that I can no longer afford some services that were part and parcel of my life. Therefore, my performance at the workplace becomes compromised because I can no longer perform to the maximum. Some of the areas that I have been forced to make reductions on include expenditures on cell phone services, movie night and restaurants, cancelling vacations, and general reductions on family expenditures. Servicing mortgages, car loans, and other loans have become real challenges since the introduction of the sequestration strategy of dealing with budgetary deficits. This is as a result of the unexpected reduction in income at a time when mortgages and other loans were under servicing. This is frustrating in the sense that members of the congress who are imposing the sequestering policies may not be subjected to pay cuts similar to those of federal workers (Lee et al, 2012). The fact that reductions on budgetary allocations on government programs are likely to cause layoffs of government workers keeps every government worker with a lot of worries. It is projected that thousands of government workers are likely to lose their jobs as a result of the

Database Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Database Systems - Essay Example Conflicts may occur which likely to generate erroneous outcomes. Notice the precedence graphs are acyclic, that is, they do not have loops. Thus, they cannot represent cyclic computations. Since many of the computations in operating systems are cyclical, this is a strong restriction. The Workspace is a collection of the pathways, as well as custom annotations and other private data. Custom annotations may include folders and text fields functionally classifying a gene (for example, as a receptor) or linking it to a specific disease. Users may add both new nodes and links, which will be saved to the Workspace. The Buffer block redistributes the input samples to a new frame size, larger or smaller than the input frame size. Buffering to a larger frame size yields an output with a slower frame rate than the input, as illustrated below for scalar input. System managers may specify physical block sizes and database designers, subject to constraints set by the machine architecture and operating system. One important aspect of file and database design is producing a good match between physical "pages" and logical units like tables and records. Once a transaction has been committed (completed), the results of a transaction are permanent and can survive future system and media failures. DBMS's control the storage of data in a variety of ways, depending on the type of data and users and their relative

Reflective Paper on Gay Marriage Essay Example for Free

Reflective Paper on Gay Marriage Essay Today many people have their own opinions and beliefs when it comes down to the topic of gay marriage. I personally feel that gay marriage should be legalized. Yes God said, â€Å"That marriage is to be between a man and a woman. † My question is, â€Å"What gives people the right to judge or tell another human-being who to love or how to love? † I personally feel it’s insulting to one’s integrity and people should be able to express their love how they see fit. For centuries the United States has been known for its civil rights and freedoms. Many Americans are angered by the idea of same-sex relationships and marriages. The biggest reason to why heterosexuals are against gay marriage is based primarily on their religious beliefs. So I’m wondering, â€Å"What’s wrong with the idea of two people being together who love and care for each other wanting to spend their lives together? † Of course the gay community is greatly misunderstood because many people who aren’t living a homosexual lifestyle just refuse to listen. Most of these individuals would rather be close-minded to the topic, rather than trying to understand the daily struggles and what it means to be gay in America or any other country for that matter. Same-sex couples aren’t asking for special treatment, but just to be treated the same as a straight couple. The ethical theory that provides the most support for same-sex marriage is utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is a natural way to see if an act is the right thing to do (or wrong thing to do) is to look at its results or consequences. Theories allow us the opportunity to identify the problem and then find ways on how to resolve them. One example would happen to be the ninth commandment, â€Å"Thou shall not lie. Given this statement we a human-beings, tend to lead busy lives and in order to not go against what we may have said, we’ll lie. We do this to keep from hurting one’s feelings. In doing this we as people look at the consequences of our actions to determine how we can make the situation better. It also states that there is an obvious solution that is fair and that may be one that appeals to common sense also. If we can mix races and people are allowed t o get married just because. Then why aren’t same-sex couples allowed the exact same opportunity? What makes people so against and afraid of allowing others to love and be with the person they choose? In a utilitarianism mind-set, society can’t say who should have a relationship. Much of the controversy rises from the decision on how one chooses to define or view marriage. Even though, it was between a man and a woman, man and a man, woman and a woman. Relativism is a concept that points of view have no absolute truth or validity. In contrast, people who are supporters of gay marriage tend to look at the glass â€Å"half-full† instead of just basing their decisions primarily on religious beliefs. Both sides have a very valid argument when it comes down to discussing this topic. From past occasions of inequality, gay rights are the next big step to creating change and an equal society. Many people of the Republican Party feel that allowing same-sex marriages will change how people view religion and family values. A large majority of people and organizations that are for gay marriage feel that not allowing same-sex marriage to be legal feel that it’s a violation against the law of the Equal Protection Clause. It’s the clause of the 14th Amendment that prohibits states from denying any person within the jurisdiction of equal protection. So for the laws to not allow same-sex couples marry is going to create a lot of controversy and scrutiny. Homosexuality is defined as the quality of being homosexual or as the erotic activity with another of the same sex. Up until the year of 1973, being homosexual was known to be a mental disorder, which was stated as such in psychology journals. Many often feel that legalizing gay marriage will lead to the legalizing of other things. Such as pedophilia and polygamy which are controversial subjects but not as much as gay marriage. Even though comparing pedophilia and polygamy to gay marriage is a little much, people feel that allowing gay marriage goes against their morals, their views on society, lives they want for their children, and the future. For some violating same-sex couples civil right is worth it in the end only because they want to protect the value of a man-woman type marriage. To deny gays and lesbians the right to marry is in violation of their civil rights as a citizen of the United States of America. Legalizing gay marriage is not to attack how one feels and how they view things, but so that those can have a chance at equality also. Gay marriage is a very emotional topic and is going to be for years to come. So many people feel that homosexuality is wrong and not normal and therefore believe that homosexuals don’t deserve the right to be married. People are going to debate on whether gay marriage is â€Å"right or wrong†, that’s just the way it is. For most of it Christian groups have been the â€Å"chief of state† when it boils down to same-sex marriage. Growing up in a Christian faith home we were taught that God loves everyone. So answer this question, â€Å"Does that circle of people not include gays or lesbians? † The Constitution gives our rights thanks to the founding fathers of our country. As Americans is this country we have many rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of worship, and so many more. Even though there are many rights, some are limited to an extent. In today’s society are government is controlled by politicians who make a majority of the decisions. Even though we are given freedoms for some reason we are scared of using them. The U. S. seems to be huge playing field, but then we have individuals who decide to take away balls, swings, slides, etc. Why do they get to take these things away? Gay marriage will continue to be a critical topic in today’s society, that’s just fact. A recent study shows that there are approximately 2, 900,000 homosexuals living in the U. S. Some chose not to give out there sexual orientation. The only states where gay marriage is legal are Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Maryland, Maine, and Washington. The following countries allow gay partnerships which are Norway, Sweden, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, The Netherlands, France, Belgium, Portugal, Germany, and Finland. A same-sex couple is not allowed to file a joint tax return in order to lower their taxes or allowed to visit a hospital if an illness was to occur. In this case only next of kin are allowed to make hospital visits. I feel that by allowing gay marriage across the country will then give equal rights for an individual. It will decrease the amount on violence among people and will bring the country together. People often ask, â€Å"Why can’t same-sex couples be fine with just the choice of civil union? † They say this because they couldn’t possibly understand the difference between marriage and civil union. Civil union is the legal status that ensures to same-sex couples specified rights and responsibilities of married couples. Marriage is the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage. Civil unions don’t allow the same assurance that marriage does. In our case marriages are known worldwide, as for civil unions they only exist in the state in which the couple live in. Marriage for same-sex couples happen to be way more beneficial in this case. Say for instance in a civil union, if one of the partners passes away, the living spouse cannot receive Social Security or any benefits from the government. This leaves that person in a financial crisis even though they had been with them for years. In a marriage, couples are entitled to receive their spouse’s Social Security or for that case any other benefits in case of death. This guarantees them definite financial security and rights that will protect them. In a marriage, as a couple you can move from state to state, or country to country and still be granted the same rights and protection. Where as in a civil union if you move to another state they’re rights are long being protected, that in which they were when they were living in the state they happened to be married in. One of the biggest benefits of marriage is the right to adoption. Several states don’t allow gay adoption or allow second parent adoption if an event such as loss or separation happened. Adoption is the act or process of adoption a child. Second parent adoption is when one person adopts the child of his or her partner. There are 16 states that definitely allow joint gay adoption which are; Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D. C. , Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. One of the most widely cited arguments that happen to be against same-sex marriage rights is that it will harm children that happen to be raised in the â€Å"silver lining† of these relationships. Studies from social science research show that the evidence from this statement is not a supported argument. Scientific literature shows that children who happen to grow up with one or two gay/or esbian parents cope as well in emotional, cognitive, social, and sexual functioning as children raised in a heterosexual household. The optimal development seems to be influenced more by the nature of the relationship and interactions within the family, rather than by the structural form it takes. Since the year of 2002, studies have shown that children with same-sex parents do as well as children of parents of the opposite sex. This has allowed major psychological and health organizations such as (The American Psychological Association) and many more to support same-sex marriage and parenting. The word GLAAD stands for (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation). This organization creates change. GLAAD amplifies the voice of the gay community in order to keep equality at the forefront of America’s cultural conversation. Their impact on newspapers, magazines, blogs, radio, television, movies, and so much more, which transforms attitudes to bring about real change. They hold the media accountable for the words and images they produce. When the media is allowed to be a platform to defame and stereotype the LGBT people, that’s when GLAAD steps in to take action. They leverage 25 years in media relationships and countless hours of media advocacy in order to send important messages against homophobia and discrimination. They strengthen other organizations so that they can leverage media, engage in local communities, and advance social change. Right at this present time GLAAD happens to be working with local organizations in more than 30 states to build support for equality. By collaborating with LGBT leaders and advocacy groups, happens to be the â€Å"key† to increasing the visibility of the gay community, changing hearts and minds, and securing full and lasting equality. Suicide is the third most leading cause of death among adolescents and non-suicidal self-harm occurs in 13-45% of individuals within this age group. This make this particular incident a major public health concern in today’s society. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth are particularly at risk for engaging in these behaviors. Even though, not much is known to what are the specific risk factors associated with suicidal ideas and self-harm behaviors within the population. A history of attempted uicide, impulsivity, and prospected LGBT victimization, and low social support were the reasons behind an increased risk of suicidal ideas. Lesbians are two times more likely to attempt suicide than straight woman, and gay men are six times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. Attempts by gay and lesbian youth account up to 30% of all completed suicides. Gay teens are three times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers and gay youth are four times more likely to make a suicide attempt requiring medical attention. The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. This organization was founded in 1998 by James Lecesne, Peggy Rajski, and Randy Stone, who are the creators behind the Academy Award winning short film called, â€Å"Trevor†. That is a timeless coming of age story about love, loss, and to learn how to be yourself. The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources. Which include 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community, and advocacy/ educational programs that create safe, supportive, and positive environment for everyone. The vision is to provide a future where the possibilities, opportunities, and dreams are the same for all youth, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Inclusiveness is one of their mantras. This organization believe that everyone should be treated like a human-being, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, religious practice, ability, or size. The Trevor Project is also a Champion of Change, an honor that was presented by the White House for their innovative work to save the lives of LGBTQ young people. In conclusion, I don’t think I’ll ever quite understand the argument on whether homosexuals should have the right to marry and live their lives the way they choose. As citizens of this country, we all deserve the right to experience and have happiness. Isn’t that normally part of forming relationships? It transpires when we fall in love and are able to love the one we have chosen to be with. Even, if our partner happens to be of the same or opposite sex. That shouldn’t matter because â€Å"love is love†, no matter how you see it. For me I feel that same-sex marriage shouldn’t have to resort in ethical controversy, it should be left alone. I feel this way because since the age of fourteen I knew that I was gay. Throughout middle school and high school I kept it a secret and didn’t tell anyone. It was very hard because I was scared that if I came out my family, friends, and my peers wouldn’t accept me. I went through phases of anxiety, anger, lonliness, depression, and an attempt of suicide. All because I kept who I truly was locked away all because the fear of rejection. That’s a very big â€Å"pill† to have to swallow. By deciding to keep this a secret I wasn’t able to live out my truth and be who I truly am. Recently at the beginning of this past year I decided that it was time to come out to my family and friends. It was one of the most hardest and scariest things that I’ve ever had to do but I know it had to be done. Now that I have the acceptance of my family and friends I’m now able to live my life and be truly happy. It’s as if I had been suffocating for so long and now I can breathe again. I can’t explain it but it’s the greatest feeling in the world. I want every teen or young adult struggling with who they are to be able to be okay and love themselves on the inside as well as the outside. There’s a saying, â€Å"God doesn’t make mistakes. † So for every person that’s ever been told that they’re a â€Å"mistake† just know that mistakes are okay because no one’s perfect, but never ever lose your passion to express and be who your are. I just feel like I’m finally able to live out my goals, dreams, and ambitions I have for my life. It’s as if I have been given this new lease on life called â€Å"joy†. I refuse to let anyone or anything take it away.

Describe the ways in which swing music and popular culture were interrelated during the time known as the swing era Essay Example for Free

Describe the ways in which swing music and popular culture were interrelated during the time known as the swing era Essay Describe the ways in which swing music and popular culture were interrelated during the time known as the swing era. There were many ways in which swing music and popular culture were interrelated during the time known as the swing era. Jazz became the cornerstone of popular culture during the period known as the swing era. The swing era influenced clothing styles, retail marketing, fashion, dance, and even language. Swing fans had their own clothing style and built a social phenomenon around it. With many dances coming and going the swing fans kept on dancing. Name some of the specific innovations Duke Ellington brought to jazz in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Duke Ellington brought some specific innovations to jazz in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Ellington was in time known as the greatest composer in jazz, he wrote roughly 2,000 compositions that had arranged from solo piano pieces, to works for orchestra’s, to highly symphonic concert music, etc. Ellington made a lot of changes to make the perfect sound, he used a variety of mutes on brass instruments to achieve more interesting tonal effects, often gave melodies to instruments that were not typically melodic instruments, and he used cross-sectional voicing. Read Also:  Topics for Descriptive Essay Ellington created an orchestra in the early 1940’s which later became known as his â€Å"Favorite Orchestra†. 4. Describe why Count Basie’s rhythm section is called the first modern rhythm section. Count Basie’s rhythm section is called the first modern rhythm section. Basie made the rhythm section to â€Å"breathe† which helped compliment instead of duplicate, as well as having the drummer Jo Jones who played the high hat cymbal style. With this Basie had created the All-American Rhythm section which was known at the first modern rhythm section because Basie had created such an amazing rhythm section to go with the rest of his band it was solid. 9. Describe some of the reasons why the swing era began and why it came to an end. There were many reasons why the swing era had begun and why it had come to an end. The beginning of the swing era started from a band called the Benny Goodman Orchestra. They traveled around on tour to get a spot and had been denied, until their last stop in Los Angeles, CA. The Palomar Ballroom wanted to hear the music that had been broadcasting and this began the swing era. The swing era decided to collapse with a shocking suddenness, with bands all over closing up their bags and shutting down. The swing era had suddenly ended from changing economics, the war, predictability, the changing audience, and bebop all of this had ended what was known as the swing era. 10. Describe how the styles of Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins were different. The styles from Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins were very different throughout the swing era. Hawkins and Young were two of the best tenor sax players that had emerged during the swing era. Considerably different, Hawkins played a huge dark sound, whereas Young’s was light and breathy. Some of the differences were as follows; Hawkins improvisations were based on his superior knowledge of harmony, Young’s were rooted in the blues, Hawkins played with a rhythmic approach that was always closely tied to the beat, and Young’s rhythmic conception was much looser, and often untied to the beat. Although they had many differences, they inspired sax players for years to come. 1. The arranging styles of Ellington and Basie are quite different when put next to each other to compare and contrast. In the song â€Å"Take the A Train† by Duke Ellington the rhythm section of the band is very on point, and broad it is a stand out section and wants to make their point. They are very loud obnoxious and want to make you want to dance. For the â€Å"One O’clock Jump† by Count Basie the rhythm section is very low key and mellow, although very good and has a good beat, more of a song to have a mellow night to or to hangout and relax to. I prefer the song â€Å"Take the A Train† by Duke Ellington, because I like to dance and it more fits my personality of a loud and obnoxious fun song.

The Cocoa Industrys Effects on Ivory Coasts Economy

The Cocoa Industrys Effects on Ivory Coasts Economy Chocolate is a sweet delicacy that is associated with joy, comfort and delight. However most consumers do not consider the origins of chocolate and the process it has gone through before it is purchased and eaten. Chocolate is a highly consumed treat in Canada and the United-States, and it is one of my personal favorite sweets, yet there are many worrisome issues that happen throughout chocolates production. The cocoa bean, chocolates main ingredient, must be grown in tropical climates and it is therefore grown in several countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. West Africa is the largest exporting region of cocoa beans, with the Ivory Coast as its principle provider, supplying 40% of the worlds cocoa reserves and it comprising one-third of the countries economic revenue (Isern, 2006). The Ivory Coasts economy is therefore extremely dependant on cocoa bean buyers who in turn rely on the consumption of chocolate in North America and Europe. This has not only led to numerous econom ic problems, including an unbalanced economy and high debts, but also several social problems, such as child labour. It is imperative to understand the conditions that have led to this social injustice, because Sub-Saharan Africa has the leading rate of child labour worldwide, and the Ivory Coast is a key contributor to this problem. (Kielland and Nkamleu, 2005). For my research, I will examine how the Ivory Coast has become dependent on cocoa exportations and the role transnational corporations have played throughout this process, resulting in them having increasing amounts of power in the cocoa industry. I will also examine the effects of these changes on the Ivory Coasts economy and on the labour force. My working thesis is as follows: Due to the liberalization of trade policies, the Ivory Coasts economy has become reliant on cocoa exportations. As a result, transnational cocoa buyers have obtained power over social conditions within the country, leading to the unethical practice of child labour. To fully expand on this thesis, I will firstly explain the conditions that led to the implementation of structural adjustment programs (SAPs) by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in the Ivory Coast. I will secondly examine the consequences of the SAPs on their economy and the increasing centralized power that transnational buyers have obtained. Thirdly, I will examine the effects this has had on child labour and finally the initiatives the Ivory Coasts government and the global community have taken to eradicate child labour. The Historical Context of Liberalization Ever since the Ivory Coast has become independent from France, its economy has been seriously dependant on primary commodities, particularly cocoa (Ahoua 1993). The cocoa industry was regulated by a public organization established by the Ivorian government called the Caisse de Stabilization (Caistab), that offered subsidies, controlled exports in order to protect the Ivorian cocoa market (Losch 2001). However, regardless of the Caistab, the Ivory Coast did not have the economic capacity or stability to deal with the effects of the oil crisis in the 1970s, which resulted in a global drop in cocoa prices. (ibid). The fluctuations of cocoa prices already impacted the countries inner stability and prosperity, causing the beginning of several long-lasting economic issues. Along with the Caistab, the Ivorian government was equally providing funding for infrastructures, such as transportation and energy, and the development of a nationally owned cocoa transforming industry, called SIFCA (Ah oua 1993). All this led to increased lending from banks, amounting to the formation of enormous debts. From 1987 to 1989, the Ivory Coast actively attempted to exert power on the globally dropping cocoa prices by withdrawing from the markets and stopping all exportations. (Losch 2001) However, the Ivory Coasts government was incapable of sustaining such a protest due to their economys dependence on cocoa profits, forcing them to recommence exportations after two months (ibid). This had little effect prices, since corporations had enough stored cocoa to sustain the protest, however it had disastrous effects on the Ivorian economy, pushing their already indebted economy into a crisis (ibid). All these issues created the conditions leading to the liberalization of the Ivory Coasts economy. To amend their problems, the Ivory Coast needed to receive loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB). To receive these loans, countries needed to implement Structural Adjustment Programs, fulfilling the stipulations dictated to them by these international organizations. Some conditions included the dismantling of the Caistab, a further drop in the prices of Ivorian cocoa, a cutback in government subsidies given to cocoa farmers, a reduction of tariffs on imports and lesser taxation on industries (Ahoua, 1993). These reforms were suppose to allow the country receive funding from transnational corporations, allowing them to repay their debt. Pardoning the countrys debt was not a considered option by the IMF or WB (ibid). Moreover, social reforms were promised, to ameliorate education and health care, however this was to be effectuated without receiving additional funding and by promoting privatization, which rendered no real improvements (ibid). The Increasing Power of Transnational Corporations All these adjustments were meant to decrease government spending in the cocoa industry and encourage privatization resulting in the development of the country. However, the profits coming from these initiatives were used to further develop the cocoa industry, and not other sectors of the country, increasing the countries cocoa dependency (Isern 2006). Initially, cocoa farmers had control over the markets since there were several buyers competing for their beans, however the centralization of cocoa producer and manufacturers rapidly turned the industry into a buyer-driven market (Folds 2001). Three main cocoa bean buyers have subsequently emerged out of this process: Barry Callebaut, Cargill and Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) (Folds 2002). This oligopoly forces farmers compliance with the conditions demanded by the transnational buyers, otherwise famers are incapable of selling their cocoa beans. The Ivory Coasts cocoa bean processor SIFCA was also bought by Cargill, rendering their gov ernments attempts to influence the processing industry ineffective (Losch 2001). To make matters worse, the global demand for cocoa is far inferior to the supply provided by the Ivory Coast and competing countries, such as Ghana and Indonesia (ibid). This is detrimental because the Ivory Coast is obligate to produce the best quality cocoa for the lowest price possible to attract the investment from the limited number of corporations, resulting in a further drop of the global cocoa (Losch, 2001). Due to this, farmers are often forced to resort to child labour to overcome these constraints. Another dimension that limits the power farmers have in the market is the two-tiered nature of the cocoa industry. Folds (2002) distinguishes them into grinders, who transform cocoa beans into butter, powder or liquor, and branders, who then transform the cocoa into finished products. This division can create confusion when trying to designate whose responsibility it is to ensure the use of ethical labour practices (Isern, 2006). For example, in 2005, Nestlà ©, ADM and Cargill were sued by the International Labour Rights Fund (ILRF) for buying chocolate from farmers using child labour. Nestlà © denied its involvement by stating that it has no direct cocoa procurement in Ivory Coast, since the company directly buys transformed beans from ADM or Cargill (Orr, 2006). Additionally, ADM and Cargill buy their beans from middlemen, and not immediately from the cocoa farmers, giving them the opportunity to once again pass off the blame (Parenti, 2008). As a result, consumers are increasing ly disconnected from the process and conditions laborers are subjected to in chocolates production. However, certain initiatives have derived from trade liberalization that have helped empower farmers and strive for better labour conditions. There is a growing consumer demand for products created under ethical conditions, creating special markets that can have positive effects in countries (FLO 2005). For example, the Fair Trade movement has aimed to eliminate child labour in the cocoa industry and allows consumer to demonstrate their support for this cause by buying products under these labels. (ICCO 2006). Specifically, the Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO) has set standards to determine what is considered Fair Trade cocoa, and has certified compliant companies and countries, giving consumers the information needed to make responsible purchases (FLO 2005). The Max Havelaar Foundation has also contributed to this cause by providing fair wages to small-scale farmers, and supporting fair trade cocoa. (ICCO 2006). Nevertheless, Fair Trade cocoa has remained unpopular, representin g 0.1 % of the market (ICCO 2006). Furthermore, Fair Trade cocoa is not commonly produced in the Ivory Coast, rendering zero sales in 2004 (FLO 2005). Although these organizations have been created through consumer demand for them, they have been unsuccessful in producing sustainable change in the Ivory Coast. This demonstrates the need for different initiatives coming from within the countries, as well as global initiatives to reduce child labour. The Consequences on Child Labour Several initiatives have been established to eradicate child labour in the Ivory Coast and the cocoa industry. In fact, the Ivorian government has officially prohibited children under the age of 18 from working, and has signed the Harkin-Engel protocol to fully abolish child labour from cocoa farms (Parenti, 2008). The International Labour Organization and transnational corporations, such as Nestle and ADM, also voluntarily signed this protocol to abolish the worst form of child labour (Isern, 2006). Prohibited activities include wielding a machete, spraying pesticides and heavy lifting, since they are deemed as harmful forms of labour (Parenti, 2008). However, even with these attempts, little improvements have been made and issues of blame and responsibility have been created. Does the Ivorian governments failed initiatives warrant an increase in activities by international organizations and transnational corporations within their country? Or is this an infringement upon the Ivory C oasts sovereignty? The global community answer to this is that transnational corporations should be held responsible. For example, in the newspaper article Slave Chocolate, protestors in San Francisco expressed their disproval of Nestlà ©s labour practices, determining that it is undoubtedly Nestlà ©s responsibility (Orr, 2006). A solution to ensure the responsibility of transnational corporations, originally proposed by The Harkin-Engel protocol, was to implement a child labour label on chocolate products, in order to easily inform consumers about the labour conditions involved throughout their production. (Parenti, 2008) Although this seemed like a good initiative to reduce child labour, it could instead have harmful effect on the poorest farmers and likewise the Ivorian economy. Consumers would discriminate against chocolate produced with child labour, further punishing the poorest farmers who necessitate its use (Isern 2006). This would ultimately worsen the problem and increase the rates of child labour. This demonstrates that policies will essentially need to target trade laws and try to establish a more just free market. On the other hand, it can also be argued that child labour in the Ivory Coast is not entirely a product of the economic dependency on cocoa exportations. In Kiellands (2006) study, she remarks that most forms of child labour were in fact seen as a socialization method; giving families the opportunity to teach their children the proper methods of farming cocoa. She also remarks that community involvement is a more prevalent value in the Ivorian culture, and therefore child labour is often seen as the childs contribution to society. However, there are also many dangers with child labour such as trafficking, abuse and harmful labour practices. Additionally, children who worked on cocoa farms were less likely to attend school than those who did not farm cocoa (Kielland 2006). She suggested that more a more effective implementation of governmental policies would be necessary to prevent child labour by, for example, providing social services and ensuring that adult wages were sufficiently high, thus making child labour unnecessary (ibid). A stricter implementation of government policies surrounding school attendance could also help eradicate child labour. Conclusion To conclude, transnational corporations have obtained increasing amounts of power in the cocoa industry and the Ivory Coast because of trade liberalization and the centralization of the cocoa processing industry. This has had several consequences, such as an increased economic dependence on cocoa exports and higher rates of child labour within the country. Although the Ivory Coasts government and international organizations have attempted several initiatives to reduce child labour, none have been successful in creating sustainable change. Therefore, it becomes important to try new initiatives that confront the issues of the free market, because there is a direct correlation between child labour and the liberalization of cocoa trade. Furthermore, it is important to understand the surrounding complexities involving child labour, for example the different power relationships that come into play, in trying to effectively abolish it. More research is necessary to find a solution that will allow the Ivory Coasts economy to develop without negatively impacting human rights.

gender and prestige :: essays papers

gender and prestige The purpose of this essay is to show embeddedness of prestige system into subsystems of the cultures. We will discuss four cultures which represent four different types of social organizations; !Kung San represents band organization, Mundurucu represents village type, Polynesia - Chiefdom, and Andalusia represents state type of social organization. In all of these cultures prestige system, which is the gender system, is imbedded into other subsystems. Three of these cultures: Mundurucu, Polynesia, and Andalusia, have hierarchical type of ideology, meaning in this culture males have more power then females. !Kung San culture, on the other hand, has egalitarian type of ideology, where there is no significant difference in power between males and females. We first start by defining prestige system, which consists of prestige itself. Prestige is level of respect at which one is regarded by others. Every person in prestige system has status, by which other people value your prestige. Status it determined by following factors: economical, political, personal, and historical. When we talk about the prestige system we have to say that prestige system is supported by ideology, and since cultures have different ideologies, the prestige systems vary from one culture to another. Polynesia, discussed by Sherry Ortner, consists of large numbers of islands in the Pacific Ocean, which include Hawaii, Samoa, Tahiti, and many more. The islands in their majority have the same prestige system. The prestige systems in Polynesia is the system of hereditary ranking which is embedded in political system, kinship system, and economic system. The type of social organization in Polynesia, as we mentioned above, is chiefdom. Chiefdom is characterized by numbe r of villages, where each village has its own chief, and the whole village system has one chief, higher in rank then other chiefs. This fact is important when we discuss the embeddedness of prestige system in the political system. Every village, that is the part of the chiefdom, has a goal to get on the top of the symbolic pyramid, with main chief and fono, the governing council, on the top. Sometimes, statuses can be brought higher with the right type of marriage, however, most of the villages have endogamy type of marriages, meaning the spouse comes from inside of the village. In case of exogamy marriage, where spouse comes from outside, the groom's family will have to share part of the land with the bride's family.

Jane Eyre :: English Literature

Jane Eyre What do you learn from Jane's arrival at Thornfield and her first meeting with Mr Rochester? When Jane first arrives at Thornfield she is greeted by Mrs Fairfax, she receives a warm welcome and an inquiry into whether she is cold and a subsequent offer to warm by the fire. This something Jane is not used to, in the past at the Reed's house, Gateshead, and certainly at Lowood her reception had been quite cold and harsh. At Gateshead Jane was treated badly and received no love. Bessie the servant was the only person who even showed some sort of interest in her. In my opinion Bessie cared for Jane as her own, reading to her many times out of the books by the window seat. Of course the 'Reed' children were treated much more fairly and there was biases towards them, but this was down to Mrs Reed's dislike for Jane, which is stated later in the story just before she dies. In chapter three Jane has been in the red room as a punishment and when she comes out she has suffered greatly and needs to see a doctor. However Mrs Reed only sends for a apothecary, if one of her own children had been ill a proper doctor would have been called, which again shows Mrs Reeds poor treatment of Jane. When finally Jane is sent to what Mr Lloyd thinks will be a better place for her, Lowood School, she is faced with more distant relationships and hard conditions. However Miss Temple and Helen Burns are of great contrast to the main theme at Lowood and provide at last someone Jane can trust and relate to. Miss Temple has a kind character and concerns herself with Jane's well being when she arrives at the school. She later becomes the closest Jane gets to a role model in life. Helen is Jane's first friend and has a profound effect on her in many ways as well as being a counterbalance to Jane's character and teaching her to be self-controlled and well disciplined and studious to get on in life. As I put earlier when Jane first comes to Thornfield she is meet by Mrs Fairfax. As always Jane is quick to form impressions in her mind which as readers we learn and can appreciate. She describes her as "the neatest imaginable little elderly lady." Which you see as quite a likeable and welcoming character. She then goes on to say "A more reassuring introduction for a new governess could scarcely be conceived." This shows the perfect setting for Jane at last, which is

Misic as communication Essay

I believe music on its own is a letter and it meant to communicate to us as people. The kind of music you listen is who you are, its either you are rough, soft or just tempo. Music can also be used as a mood enhancer, when you are sad and listen to sad music you will remain sad but if you are sad and listen to positive music it will take you to some place else and make you happy. Its the one thing that can bring people together even if they don`t understand the language. When people are happy they dance and its really fun because everyone dances anyway they want because the song speaks to all but in different ways. It is about the message which was the music want to conveys on us. There are musics composed to help people to live on their own style. Infinitely, music is the every beat that pumps every heart to live. Music as what other say, the only free thing that would inspired you even your alone sitting along the corner of desperate world. Music is very important to all it can hea l those broken.You can be able to see the light because of music.It will pamper everything it makes your life easier and comfortable. In generation music will change it depends on how life you have,in times of sadness and sorrow you can always be feel that the music is one of the bridge in other door to awake and open their mind. They said,that this is the window of the soul.You can share your feelings by expressing it through the different instruments that we have. Music has an interesting effect on people. It sets moods, alters moods†¦ I saw an amazing documentary called â€Å"The Musical Brain† and it’s all about the connection between music and the brain. In it, there were many artists (Sting from the Police, Michael Bublà ©, Wyclef Jean, Feist) talking about how powerful music is. It’s crazy! And, There are so many styles and genres out  there. You can never know enough about music and how much of an impact it has on our actions and behaviour. I love it. An enormous chunk of my day is spent listening to music, acutally.

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 21

I arrived at home at dusk and found Lexi perched on the couch, her arms folded over her chest, and her foot rapidly tapping the floor. She looked like a disgruntled mother hen. Hugo and Percy were lounging, cat-like, on chaises in the far corner. Buxton, I noted with relief, was nowhere to be seen. I wondered how long theyd been waiting for me. â€Å"You decided to come back, I see,† Lexi said, a scowl crossing her face. â€Å"So I did,† I said, trying to suppress a smile. â€Å"And somethings changed,† she added. She sniffed the air. â€Å"But you havent fed, thats good.† She knit her eyebrows together. â€Å"Hello,† I said to Hugo and Percy, ignoring Lexis observation. They gazed at me in surprise. Id never made any effort to speak to either of them in the past. â€Å"Hi,† Percy grunted. Hugo just stared at me. Lexi continued to glare at me, her hands on her hips. â€Å"Out with it, Stefan. We dont keep secrets in this house.† â€Å"I have a plan to free Damon,† I said, wincing at the giddy sound of my voice. â€Å"Thats terrific!† Lexi clapped. â€Å"How are you going to do it?† â€Å"Well, uh, it begins with going on a date,† I confessed. â€Å"A date?† Lexis brows flew up. â€Å"With whom?† I cleared my throat sheepishly. â€Å"With Gallaghers daughter, Callie.† â€Å"You have a date with ahuman?!† Percy said just as Lexi blurted out, â€Å"You have a date withCallie Gallagher.† I put my hands up defensively. â€Å"She wants me to take her out on the town tonight. And while were there, Im going to get information out of her on Damon. I cant influence her because of the vervain, but there are other ways to get a woman to talk.† Percy and Hugo looked up, expressions of disapproval crossing their faces like thunderclouds. â€Å"I wouldnt do that if I were you,† Hugo said. I glanced at him in surprise. Apart from the night theyd found me, it was the first time Id ever heard him speak. â€Å"I agree. Youll either want to kill her or kiss her, and neither scenario will end well for you,† Percy said. The sentence sounded out of place coming from his scrawny, baby-faced body. â€Å"Theyre right,† Lexi said urgently. â€Å"Theyve learned their lessons the hard way. Whos to say what youll do when youre alone with that girl, not to mention what shell do to you. You saw her house the weapons she has. I just worry that–â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know. Im young, I cant control my impulses, and Im going to make some sort of mistake,† I interrupted in annoyance. Lexi stood up and gazed at me. â€Å"All of those things are true. Youre strong, but I worry that you might let your emotions get the best of you.† â€Å"I wont,† I protested. â€Å"Im just going out with her to see if I can learn anything more about Damon. If Im going to rescue him–peacefully–shes my best bet.† Lexi set her jaw, but then heaved a sigh. â€Å"Just be careful.† â€Å"If youre going out, you cant wear that,† Hugo said, lumbering up from the chaise. â€Å"Percy, get him something nice to wear.† Percy looked at Lexi beseechingly. She crossed her arms. â€Å"What? You heard the man.† Percy slid off the couch and marched up the stairs. â€Å"If youre going out with a lady, you need to look nice,† Hugo explained gruffly. â€Å"And Lexi, you need to take him shopping.† â€Å"Yes, well go out tomorrow night, Stefan,† she replied. â€Å"Why are you suddenly being so helpful?† I asked Hugo suspiciously. Hugo showed his pointy teeth in a small smile. â€Å"If you free Damon with the humans help, therell be no need for us to get involved. Now, go get dressed!† I rolled my eyes but followed Percy up the stairs. He handed me a white linen shirt and a pair of black trousers. For a moment I wished that I had brand-new clothes and pomade to slick my hair back with. But then I reminded myself of what Id told Lexi: Right now, I just had to focus on getting to know Callie Gallagher, and, subsequently, learn what made Patrick Gallagher tick. But even though I kept telling myself that Damon was my reason for going on this date, I couldnt help but notice that my mind kept drifting back to the moment when Callie kissed my cheek.

Discuss Jane Austen’s presentation of the theme of marriage in Pride & Prejudice Essay

â€Å"It is the truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.† The opening sentence in Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice is so important given the social context and the notion of marriage at that time: it was the one fundamental purpose of most girls to marry. Moreover, the motives and the attitudes towards marriage were far more complex in the 19th century than nowadays since love marriages were rare and marrying for ‘advantages’ were the obvious. Jane Austen explores all the different outlooks on marriage through the characters and reveals her views towards marriage by the consequence of each type of marriage. The novel is quite clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ and follows the ‘love conquers all’ platitude, however- still manages to be quite enjoyable read due to all the drama and upheaval concerning marriage. The novel, which tells the story of a commonplace 19th century family whose 3 daughter came ‘of age’ and therefore were in search for a suitable husband. Furthermore, the sense of drama is heightened by the fact the aging alpha-male of the Bennet family was unfortunate to bear only daughters and could therefore not pass on his belongings- including the property he and his family lived in to either his wife or his children as the law stated woman were unable to inherit. Therefore, everything the Bennet family owned would be given to Mr. Collins- a cousin of Mr. Bennets’. Mrs. Bennet is well aware of this and therefore has made it the main business of her life to get her daughters married. She herself has married Mr. Bennet for advantages as she was born poor and managed to ensnare him with her good looks. Consequently, she believes it’s highly likely her daughters will have the same good fortune, and as Mr. Bennet was getting older, her determination to marry her daughters off to rich men became stronger. Along with Mrs. Bennet’s determination, the pressure increased for her daughters to â€Å"secure† a man sufficient enough to please Mrs. Bennets views. Jane austen presents the theme of marriage as a comprehensive one, since she presents each character with a different view of marriage. I will compare the different views towards marriage in the novel and discuss Jane Austen’s presentation of the theme of marriage in the novel Pride & Prejudice in this essay. Enhancing the amount of money, the class of social connections, security and social status seem to be the grounds on which the ill-fated marriage of Charlotte Lucas and Mr. Collins are established. Charlotte Lucas is introduced as an ‘intelligent, twenty-seven year old woman whom concerned her family as they were scared she would die â€Å"an old maid.† Even though Charlotte knows she will never love Mr. Collins, she would much rather marry him than be a cause of embarrassment to her family due to her life-long bachelorhood. She believes â€Å"love is not a necessity and financial ambitions should be the main priority for a woman†, as it increases not only the wealth of the woman in question- it also increases the importunacy of her voice- essentially making them more powerful and prone to change. Furthermore, there are several quotes to back up her argument including. Otherwise the other woman thought flirtatious behaviour and humongous booby muscles did the trick. Furthermore, there are several devious competitors whom love in repetition of all sorts off material find it hard to believe that there are several cases of weird and odd behaviour created by an environment of hard parents giving daughters evil looks in order to keep her in check. Also, they’ll stretch the time of their appearance downstairs in order to find that perfect balance of animism and scrim. Furthermore, they find themselves so perfect and deem their voice as an alpha voice with steps pounding with such verbosity it shakes even the soft padded couch imp sitting on! It is scary, it is wild, it is my father. He is not so nice and honest. However, I find it irrational he has to find his stay downstairs and pray downstairs because of all the trouble he has to go through going up the furthermore, there are several objects of admiration staying up at night merely to control a daughter is too cautious behaviour implying an untrustworthy presence of an ordering and a sophisticated alpha male in the presence of an untrustworthy.

Bhggh

Lie Wisely wrote a book based upon survival and using everything to its fullest. Even through the struggle of being in those concentration camps, Lie was still capable of overpowering the enemy and push forward. In the novel Night, by Ell wisely, the theme Is to never stop moving forward and to make the most of what they have. The first major theme Is that people should never stop moving forward. In other words, this means that no matter what life throws at someone, people need to find the strength to pick them selves up.These thoughts were going through my mind as I continued to run, not feeling my numb foot, not even realizing that I was still running, that I still owned a body that galloped down the road among thousands of others. † This quote symbolizes that Lie was injured, but still had high hopes of hanging on, even if it meant to endure the immense pain coming from his foot. The second main theme is to make the most of what they have. In better detail, even if the Jews don't have anything, they use every inch, every aspect of the littlest to their advantage.They use everything to Its fullest extent. â€Å"We all got up. We all pulled our soaked blankets tighter around our shoulders. And tried to take a few steps, to shuffle back and forth, In place. † This quote encourages that even In the state of being helpless and cold, they still found a way to make the best out of their situation. In the book Night, by Lie Wisely, the themes are to never stop moving forward and to make the most of what they have.

A Study On Corruption In Bangladesh Politics Essay

A Study On Corruption In Bangladesh Politics Essay Bangladesh, undoubtedly, is one of the worlds most populated countries, with minimal progress because of its relatively late independence in 1971, as well as its limited resources. Bangladesh’s struggle to become an independent and developed country has been difficult, thus making it one of the poorest countries in the world. It ranks 36th in the world for having the largest portion of the population below the poverty line. Since people do not have a sufficient amount of money, they start to look for options in which they can seek personal gain, while disregarding ethical questions. Corruption is a fester epidemic in Bangladeshi society, penetrating the very fabric of the people’s lives. This prevents rich countries from effectively administrating crucial aid to poverty-stricken Bangladesh because of concerns regarding the rampant poverty. Corruption not only cripples the economic development of a country, but it also damages capital accumulation, increases income ineq uality, poverty and reduces the effectiveness of development aid.[1] Due to its geographic location, Bangladesh is subjected to many natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes and tsunamis. Bangladesh’s vulnerability to natural disasters unquestionably leaves more than half the nation dependent on water, which is now their means of living. People in Bangladesh are unable to meet the basic necessities of life and consequently, this triggers poverty. More than 45% of Bangladesh’s population is below the poverty line as of 2004. Therefore, the process of poverty leads to many people going into depression. Like many other developing nations, Bangladesh faces immense challenges. It will never have a viable future because factors like corruption, vulnerability to natural disasters and poverty hinder the nation’s progress. Bangladesh is a country, where more than 40 percent of the population lives less than a dollar a day, and a factor like corruption is just keepin g its economy from improving. Global watchdog Transparency International rated Bangladesh the world’s most corrupt nation for five consecutive years since 2001.[2] It has been estimated that nearly 75% more than $35 billion dollars received since independence has been lost for corruption.[3] Many politicians in Bangladesh attain private gain secretly and are never held accountable or accused for it because of their high ranks. Even the highest officers of politics and judiciary have been tainted by the evil of corruption. Money is always used to fill up the pockets of corrupted representatives. The educated are elected through rigging, and once they have a huge say in the government, they misuse their power of authority. The increase in corruption is due to inappropriate and inadequate applications of law. There have been no effective steps or activities taken to protest crime. Evidently, it is not easy to take action against corrupt government officials hence this all encour ages them towards greater corruption.[4] Corruption is also evident because of Bangladesh’s failure to practice proper democracy. When money is infested into Bangladesh’s economy, it is never used to abolish its weaknesses and rather used unethically. Since independence, most of those who ruled the country were corrupt. In all, the absence of trustworthy and honest leadership to guide a nation is the major cause of the increase in corruption.[5]

Should Homosexual Couples be Allowed to Adopt Research Paper

Should Homosexual Couples be Allowed to Adopt - Research Paper Example So, therefore if the same sex couples are in a  monogamous relationship, financially stable and most importantly a loving relationship, they  should be allowed to adopt a child if they decide to do so. Homosexual couples are capable of  raising healthy children, their life style will not be transcended to them and they will not be  psychologically damage as suggested by the traditional family. Being a heterosexual  does not guarantee you being a better parent. This paper will explore why homosexual couples  are fit parents and children that are abandoned can be given a chance at better life with these  parents.  Homosexual couples who are given the right to adopt children can have the same  advantages. The anticipation for health alteration and development as children is same whose parentages  are heterosexual. This is absolutely ridiculously and nonsensical. Our society imposes prejudices and biases  against people who are different and not considered â€Å"no rmal.†Ã‚  The legal procedures and structures throughout the world leave the same sex couples desiring to be parents with two options. Firstly, the couples can always adopt the children of their partners. This is termed as second adoption option which is somewhat an extension of what we call as adoption by step parents. Another has been the traditional options allowing homosexual couples to become foster parents. Already mentioned this law has enforced by the government of Florida. Under this law homosexual couples are devoid of the rights to become legal parents. There is no basis on which to assume that a parental homosexual orientation will  increase the likelihood of or induce homosexual tendencies in the child. The most important  role of any parent, same-sex or heterosexual, is to provide the basic needs, such as food, shelter,  clothing, health-care and love (Patterson, 1025-30).  Public controversies do not stop chasing case of same sex adoption even though the re are enough evidences to suggest that homosexual couples strive to fulfill all the necessities of their children. Homosexual couples are capable of raising healthy children, their life style will not be transcended to them and they will not be  psychologically damaging as suggested by the â€Å"so call traditional family†. Our findings have proved that gay couples are more interested in adoption compared to the heterosexual couples. This point is proven with the help of the statistics from The National Survey of Family Growth which shows that 46.2% homosexual couples are interested in adoption compared to 32.3% in heterosexual couples. 5.7% homosexual couples are even ready to take concrete steps for adoption compared to 3.3% heterosexual couples (Brodzindsky and Pertman, 64). Such a data shows that future of many more children could be secured if eligible homosexual couples are allowed to adopt. In most of the cases it has also been found that such same sex couples are b etter educated and more financially stable. But out of such 3.1 million couples only 1.6 million have been given the right for adoption (Brodzindsky and Pertman, 64). This shows pure discrimination on basis of abnormal sex orientation. When heterosexual couples can still have children with medical assistance, homosexual parents will naturally have more urge towards adoption and this will ascertain security for many orphans. With proper monitoring of their activities for at least a couple of years after the adoption the safety of the

Abortion in Islam Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Abortion in Islam - Research Paper Example Nearly all the religions of the world have their own understanding and approach towards the matter of abortion. Different approaches have been used to explain the logic and reason for the permission of abortion or otherwise. Among other religions, Islam is one of the major religions of the world today. Muslims constitute nearly 25% of the population of the world and Islam is the second largest religion that exists on the face of the Earth. The teachings of Islam are based on the Holy Qur’an (Word of ALLAH i.e Muslim name for God) and Hadith (word of the prophet Muhammad). The concept of abortion when viewed in the light of the teachings of Islam has some very interesting aspects, as we shall discuss in the following lines. Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy after, accompanied by, resulting in, or closely followed by the death of the embryo or fetus (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Abortion may not only serve the purpose of family planning, contraception or means of controlling population growth, but also a means of saving the life of a mother whose health is at risk. There are three main methods used for the purpose of abortion (Willke, 1985). All the methods mentioned above, revolve around the central idea of preventing the birth of a â€Å"live† child. ALLAH has revealed in the Holy Qur’an, â€Å"Say: "Come, I will rehearse what Allah hath (really) prohibited you from": Join not anything as equal with Him; be good to your parents; kill not your children on a plea of want;- We provide sustenance for you and for them;- come not nigh to shameful deeds. Whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom† (Ali, 2000). It is therefore clear from the above verse of Qur’an that taking a life is not allowed in Islam, except for just and

Art Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Art Project - Essay Example For the sea, I chose pictures of the sea in varying states, from calm seas to violently stormy seas showing differing color intensities. For the land I chose some pictures showing greenery and beautiful landscapes, placing these on a small fraction of the land sections. I decided against using any animal pictures as this were not quite in line with what I was planning. The rest of the land section I covered with pictures of factories, large buildings and garbage to show the dire situation that our land is in. The more fuming the factory scenes were the better! I also have pictures of pipes leading to the seas, showing how industrial and domestic activities are polluting our earth. I put a lot off effort in the selection of the pictures, a time consuming process. I shaped all the continents while continuing with the cube style. It was difficult to use cubes for the continents. Some were not too co-operative, but I am pleased with the final outcome. The style I chose for my work was la rgely influenced by the works of artists David Hockney, who chose photographs for collages as well as Camille Zakharia for the cube technique. I was also greatly influenced by Charles Fazzino who works with 3-D in Styrofoam as I have done here. This meant that I had to cut the pictures to exact sizes before I could use them. I also overlapped them slightly so that each picture became a part of the next and did not stand out individually. To show how the situation we are in today is largely due to the work of our own hands, I created plaster jips of my own hands. This was difficult as the gimps kept breaking or cracking until I ran out of the jips issued at school. I replaced these with a cheaper quality jip that did not work so well. This process took up much of my time and effort. There is need to continue practicing Continuing the cube approach as well as the good and evil theme, one of the hands (the 'good' or nature one) is covered with cubed photographs of greenery and beautiful things such as plants and flowers to represent the progress made by environmentalists in trying to save the earth. I also chose some greenery to go around the base of the hand. This had to be as beautiful as possible to draw a person to the loveliness that can be achieved when one nurtures nature. The 'bad' hand is covered by similar pictures to those covering the land spaces on the globe. These represent all the evil work that man conti nues to do to the planet. In contrast to the good hand that is cradling the earth, the bad hand 'claws' into the earth, tearing it apart and causing destruction. Part of me wanted to tear the pictures around the claws, maybe make it a little rough but I was not sure I could pull it off so I left it for when I have greater confidence and time. The hand is covered in garbage and dump heaps. This hand also has pipes leading to the background filled with space pictures. In contemplating this stage, I chose to do this so that I can show the balance that earth hangs in the solar system as well as the destructive consequences of mans activities with time. The pipes are a reflection of the influence of our activities on polluting the solar system. On the other hand, the balance of the earth lies in our hands and that is why the nature hand cradles the earth.The space background also helps in portraying the 3D visual effect of earth in space and I covered

Dravid Luis and His Oppinions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dravid Luis and His Oppinions - Essay Example According to the paper the number of estimates that he has obtained seems to be a little low considering that worth of the equipment that is being evaluated amounts to millions of dollars. Or he can consult another accountant regarding alternative options that may be offered to Jimmy Westfield to settle their difference in evaluating the worth of the equipment. As the discussion stresses utilitarianism is basically the greatest happiness principle which holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness or pleasure and wrong if they tend to produce pain. Â  However, it is important to note that there are two kinds of utilitarianism- act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. In act utilitarianism the consequence of the act should produce the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people while rule utilitarianism means that we should act so that the rules governing our action produce the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. With utilitarianism as the ethical framework, we now analyze Dravid Luis’ going along with Jimmy Westfield’s desire to record the equipment at net realizable value.

Harassment Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Harassment Policy - Essay Example The protected categories include race, nationality, creed, color, sex (including sexual harassment and pregnancy), ancestry, marital status, mental or physical disability and also liability for military service. The law against discrimination forbids deliberate discrimination based on the mentioned characteristics. Deliberate discrimination may be in the form of conducts and statements that reveal discrimination bias or animus or differential treatment. Sexual Harassment This is an illegal behavior of a sexual nature that a person in power or authority uses to get sexual favors or any other physical harassment associated with sex. Anybody can be a harasser regardless of the position held within the organization, be it top most or junior employees. The organization has to devise some ways of curbing this menace so as to allow conducive environment for all employees. It has been known that sexual harassment denies people active economic and social participation and has cost a lot of mo ney in educating people to curb this menace (Paludi, 2008). This vice comes in different forms, e.g., sexual bribery, mainly called â€Å"something for something,† and hostile work place. It is worth knowing the circumstances that may gear the rise of the harassment at a place of work and possible ways in which the casualties are affected. For instance, few women at the work place and a poor mode of dressing are some of the ways that may promote sexual harassment. Sexual harassment has negative effects on the victim. It influences one’s psychological state of mind, stress and even makes one feel inferior. For this purpose, it is mandatory for all employees to be aware of the repercussions of this vice. The institution is governed by laws that should be followed. Any form of this vice is not tolerated at the work place. Any victim should report to the authority immediately stating the incident for an affirmative action to be taken. This is to remind you take note of the areas that may initiate the harassment and obey the work ethics. Severe punishment will be imposed on anybody found guilty. This will lead to imprisonment and loss of job. Wage and Salary Legislation According to the policy, salaries and wages are to be paid in monetary form with the consent of both the employer and employee. The payment can be deposited in the bank, cash or even through the bank cheques. The laws allow all employees to receive their payments accordingly to what they have labored for unless both the employer and employee agree otherwise. Therefore, it is wise to put such agreement in paper. Nevertheless, the policy does not state the frequency of payment for employees but depends on the agreement of employer and employee. For the wages, employees can request for any alteration in writing. If the employee requests his/her employer for payment, it should be done within two weeks from the day of receiving the notice. In summary: 1. Should the employee request for paym ent, the boss should conform. 2. Both the employee and employer should agree on the payment mode. 3. Should the employee disagree with the boss on the terms of payment, then the employee should be paid in money. 4. The employees are entitled to be paid their salaries and wages. The organization has put down legal procedures to follow in case of any complaint. Recruitment This is selecting, screening and attracting competent people to a job. The organization has put down legal procedures to undergo the process. They include analysis of the type of work

International commercial arbitration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

International commercial arbitration - Essay Example ‘(Murray, 2011)’3. In other words, litigation means the filing of charge against another person and bringing the case in the court of law. It is also sometimes called legal process. In litigation, it is quite often that the lawyers are hired by both the parties. However, the right of resolution rests with the court. However, litigation relates to the legal processes which usually involve civil cases. Criminal proceedings are not covered under this term. In litigation, there are two parties involved in the legal proceedings being conducted. One party is called the plaintiff. Plaintiff is the party which brings the charge in the court of law. The other party is called defendant. It is the party against which the charge is taken in the court. This party defends the case and tries to prove the charge to be falsie and void. The plaintiff and defendant may be individuals, organization or states which have brought the lawsuit before the court for resolution. ‘(Business di ctionary,)’4. When the plaintiff brings a civil charge in the court of law, both the parties, that is plaintiff and defendant, are entered into the process of litigation. In courts governing civil procedures, the process of litigation consists of a number of systematic steps. These steps lead to the trial conducted by the court and ultimately, the matter is resolved by the court. However, all the disputes are not taken to the courts at once. Initially, whenever a dispute arises, the parties may try to settle the case between them. This is due to the reason that litigation may involve a number of trial proceedings which may extend to a considerable length of time. It may also be costly and time consuming. Thus, it seems better for the parties to resolve the matter without referring to a court. The case is settled if the person who is alleged to cause the injury fulfills the demands and requirements of the party who is suffered with the injury. However, if the requirements of t he injured party are not fulfilled, that party may proceed to bring the lawsuit in the court of law. The litigation may be brought by serving to the defendant the copies of complaint and summons and then filing the objection and complaint in the civil court. The complaint being served to the court must contain full facts regarding the injuries being caused and then requesting monetary damages or other relief being equitable and justified. ‘(Harris, 1994)’5 In the modern world, it is considered as an art of an active litigator to know the case completely and act both proactively and reactively in order to produce logical arguments with the help of correct evidences. The use of automated techniques also helps the lawyers in winning the case. Litigation support has also been changed with the invention and development of Information technology. These technologies have helped lawyers in handling large number of cases of their clients as day to day complexity of businesses ha s also increased the number of litigation claims in the courts. ARBITRATION: In litigation, the case is taken to the court of law. But the process is time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, in many cases, both the parties do not reach upon a conclusion. However, they also do not prefer to refer to the court of law for the resolution of the case. For such a condition, an alternative for the litigation is introduced. It is known as ‘arbitration’. Thus, arbitration is defined as a technique which involves

Using an example from the leisure industry, e.g. airline travel, to Essay

Using an example from the leisure industry, e.g. airline travel, to what extent will a high degree of competition in a market result in lower prices for the consumers - Essay Example With such competitions, especially healthy ones, the businesses are forced to jointly manipulate their products’ and services’ prices in order to cope up with the market forces and customer demands (Peter, 1987, p. 57). The end results of such healthy competitions is lowering of commodity or service’s prices, which is a great advantage to the end consumers. This paper will thereby analyse the trends within the entire leisure industry, but narrow down to give a close attention to the airline travel business (Wilkerson, 2003, p. 46), and the market competitions that result to the lowering of prices. With regards to recreation as a business segment within leisure industry, humans tend to spend much of their time in activities of daily work, living, social duties, sleep, and leisure as a whole (Thomas,1970, p. 16). The later outcome being free from aforementioned commitments of social or physiologic needs, which are recreational prerequisites. According to Klaus & Christine (2004, p. 92), leisure increases with increase in longevity, as many people spend more hours on physical and economic survival. Other aspects accounting for the increasing role of recreation within the society include population trends, affluence, as well as the increasing commercialization of leisure activities and offerings (Thomas,1970, p. 19). While several people’s perception is that leisure is simply a spare time or unconsumed time left by the living necessities (McLean& Rogers, 2005, p. 201), most scholars hold that leisure is a strong force that pushes individuals to reconsider and reflect on th e realities and values missed in daily life activities. Thus, recreation or leisure remains the most essential element of individual’s development, as well as civilization (Thomas,1970, p. 21). Another segment of leisure is entertainment, which is a form of activity performed to hold the attention and interest of a target audience, or in simple terms, to give delight and

Hamlet Essay Example for Free

Hamlet Essay What have you come to understand about the intense human relationships of Hamlet? How has this understanding been affected by the perspectives of others? In you response you should focus on 3 scenes in the play and a range of perspectives. The intense human relationships of Hamlet have been viewed through numerous perspectives yet all have reached the same conclusions. With the exception of just one, the friendship of Hamlet and Horatio, all the relationships are dishonourable, dysfunctional and destined to fail. Being a revenge tragedy it is immediately clear this play is filled with lies, deceit and treachery. The exact time of Hamlet’s composition is unknown, however it is assumed to be between 1599 and 1602. This was a dark, melancholy time in Shakespeare’s life with the death of his father in 1601 and the death of his only son, Hamnet aged 11, in 1596. It is believed that these events had a significant impact on the writing of Hamlet as the play is heavy with death and has a great similarity with this son’s name. Some perspectives that have been adopted to view and understand the intense human relationships of Hamlet are a religious, psychoanalytic and feminist perspective. When Shakespeare first wrote Hamlet he lived in a strongly religious society where people could be fined for not attending church. Therefore, at this time in history many people had a religious attitude and perspective on the play. The psychoanalytical perspective focuses on the unconscious mind and how it dictates behaviour. This perspective became popular when Sigmund Freud, a well-known psychologist, began developing his psychoanalytic theory, The Oedipus Complex, in 1897. The feminist perspective is often centred around strong women and became particularly popular in the 1950’s being a post world war 2 period. Women were involved in many aspects of the war and made ground in their equality with men. However, when the war ended, women were encouraged to return to their household duties and this sparked much controversy. The family relationship between Hamlet and Gertrude is one of the most intense in the entire play. Their relationship reaches a climax in act 3 scene 4 when Hamlet confronts his mother about her relationship with Claudius and her involvement in the murder of King Hamlet, â€Å"mother, you have my father much offended†. Hamlet sees Gertrude as an adulteress for marrying her husband’s brother two months after his death and believes she is aware that Claudius killed King Hamlet, â€Å"Almost as bad, good mother, As kill a king and marry with his brother†. When exploring this scene from a feminist perspective it can be seen that Gertrude cares deeply for her son yet he scorns her for her recent actions, â€Å"You go not till I set you up a glass where you may see the inmost part of you†. Despite there being no evidence that Gertrude is aware of Claudius’s deed, Hamlet does not trust his mother and this consequently results in his inability to trust other women. The Oedipus Complex comes to the fore when the relationship of these two characters is examined with a psychoanalytical perspective. Freud’s complex suggests that every boy from the age of 3-4 years begins to have unconscious sexual desires for his mother and regards his father as his rival. Through studying this scene from a psychoanalytical perspective it is prominent that Hamlet has an obsession with his mothers sexual relationship with Claudius. He claims that she lives â€Å"In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed†. The scene takes place in Gertrude’s bedroom, which is important as its privacy and intimacy allows Hamlet to express himself fully to his mother and being a place where sexual activity occurs, suggests Hamlets repressed sexual desires. The scene ends with Hamlet possessively demanding her â€Å"but go not to my uncle’s bed† and uses multiple sexual references when he tells her to not let Claudius â€Å"Pinch wanton on your cheek, call you his mouse†. Relating this to the Oedipus complex, Hamlet appears to be more like a jealous lover than a concerned son. Examining act 3 scene 4 from different perspectives gives varied insights into Gertrude and Hamlet’s relationship, yet each perspective deduces that it is a dishonourable relationship with no mutual trust or respect. Another dishonourable family relationship in Hamlet is that between Ophelia and her father Polonius. Polonius manipulates Ophelia for his own benefit, treating her like a tool rather than a person. Their relationships becomes pitiful when she receives orders from her father and responds with â€Å"I shall bey, my lord†, implying that she is at the service of her father. Through the analysis of act 4 scene 5 a deeper understanding can be reached about Ophelia’s relationship with her late father. Following the death of Polonius, Ophelia’s mind becomes unhinged as she drifts into insanity, speaking in songs and rhymes. Considering this scene from a feminists perspective it can be thought that Ophelia went mad with guilt having her desire for Hamlet to kill her father so that they can be together fulfilled. This theory strongly supports the idea that the relationship between Ophelia and Polonius was dysfunctional as she felt she’d never be free to make her own choices until her father was dead. The friendship between Hamlet and Horatio is the only admirable one. Horatio is the one character that Hamlet speaks to openly and confides in. He remains loyal and swears himself to secrecy about the ghost and the pretence of Hamlets madness. He conspires with Hamlet to prove Claudius killed King Hamlet and he stands by him through Ophelia’s death. It is the final scene of the play when the true extent of their friendship is confirmed. Act 5 scene 2 begins with Hamlet confiding in Horatio and reciting the fate of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to him. This further validates their friendship and Hamlets trust in his loyal friend. The scene draws to a close with Horatio wishing to join Hamlet in death. This selfless declaration and his final words to Hamlet before he dies â€Å"good night sweet Prince, and flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest† convey his everlasting faithfulness to Hamlet. Through examining the friendship of Hamlet and Horatio from the beginning of the play to the end, it is clear that, unlike all the other relationships, there is never a doubt about the sincerity of their friendship. Through the close and critical analysis of Hamlet, you can come to the understanding that all but one of the intense human relationships within the play are dishonourable, dysfunctional and destined to fail. Considering this interpretation in the light of other perspectives the same conclusion can be drawn about the relationships.