The Secret to Ap Lit 2016 Essay Samples

The Secret to Ap Lit 2016 Essay Samples A complete practice exam alongside study materials are available here. It does not merely repeat the exact same points. You will also need to read to enhance your close-reading and rhetorical analysis abilities. Along with the free College Board resources, in addition, there are several places online where you are able to acquire free, unofficial practice tests. Russia isn't alone here. And it is not just developing economies which should take note this is a universal truth that is relevant to every nation, while it's Jamaica or Japan, the USA or the United Arab Emirates. The early test will allow you to determine what you have to work on, and the later test will reveal to you how you've improved! Explain the auto connection better. When choosing for a topic, make certain there is an amazing quantity of things that you could chat about with the topic. It's not really relatable to the majority of people. If people ask me why I started Kibin, I have the exact same answer. And that's the true reason I started Kibin. It's simple to observe how those lenses would produce the exam impossible to standardize and reliably assess. In addition, there are several paid resources that provide unofficial practice questions. An effective introduction will have a thesis statement. It is a larger question than students are accustomed to encountering on an AP test. Following are a few of the advised sociology essay topic for those students that are unable to decide on a great topic for their assignment. They are given a 15-minute reading period to accommodate the additional reading required for the question. AP English demands lots of severe reading, and you may be tempted to speed-read. Replace a number of the cliched language. In this way, the author clarifies the relationship between the examples and their use and meaning. This isn't to say that you ought ton't believe in what you're writing. It is advised that you spend about 35 minutes on every one of the essay questions. Informative essay examples may be used for references. There's no neutral, objective method of reading a literary text. Furthermore, the paragraph doesn't support the thought that polite speech conveys tone online as it primarily focuses on the absence of polite speech on some sections of the web. Be aware, however, that a few of the prose and poetry excerpts can't be reprinted because of copyright concerns. Attempt to make symmetry between your essay topic and the person that you are quoting. Definitions of Ap Lit 2016 Essay Samples Our next assignment was supposed to profile a person who is viewed as a Hero, and it has overcome some obstacle. Essay outline for college plays an important function. Writing had become a really significant part my life. Thus, don't be scared to devote some time crafting that argument. Before you may make a good study program, you will need to have a very good idea of your starting point. The second point, that making connections is a sort of thinking which can be taught, cannot be proven until the very first point has been sufficiently supported. Then compose a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the specific sacrifice illuminates the character's values and offers a deeper comprehension of the significance of the work for a whole. Americans should take pride in the progress we've made and ought to demand our leaders keep up the fight. Bridget's essay is extremely strong, but there continue to be a couple little things that could be made better. Unique things to various folks, since the situation demanded. I think that they might receive a little chuckle out of my third essay. Finally, Hamlet turns out to be an exceedingly existential character.

Ethnic, Religious And Cultural Practices During Pregnancy

Ethnic, Religious and Cultural practices during Pregnancy: Native Americans vs. Western Culture The United States of America is a global village, a melting pot of various different ethnic and cultural beliefs. We are a land of many colors, traditions, and histories. With this diversity comes many challenges. As a healthcare provider this creates some challenges when working and caring for individuals who may not have the same skin color, language, health practices beliefs and values as our own (Pearson, E., 2011). Regarded as North America’s â€Å"First People†, the Native Americans consisted of hundreds of separate cultures and tribes, each with their own belief systems, social structures, cultural and political practices (Pritzker, B., 2008). According to Pearson (2011), men were responsible for hunting, warfare, and interacting with outsiders, therefore, they had more visible public roles. Native American women, on the other hand, were often viewed as the creator of life, through giving birth to children. They managed most of the internal operations of the community such as household chores, engaged in agricultural food production, and child-rearing. Some beliefs held by most Natives were the importance of caring for the physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing of a woman during pregnancy and its effects on the fetus. The Navajo Indians in particular call themselves Dinee, â€Å"the people†, most settled in northern Arizona, Utah and New Mexico and occupies overShow MoreRelatedEthnic, Religious And Cultural Practices During Pregnancy1605 Words   |  7 PagesEthnic, Religious and Cultural practices during Pregnancy: Native Americans vs. Western Culture The United States of America is a global village, a melting pot of various different ethnic and cultural beliefs. We are a land of many colors, traditions, and histories. With this diversity comes many challenges. As a healthcare provider this creates some challenges when working and caring for individuals who may not have the same skin color, language, health practices beliefs and values as our own (PearsonRead MoreThe Culture And Values Of Ghana1094 Words   |  5 Pagesestimated to be the closest country to the center of the earth. The capital of Ghana is Accra. A 2012 census in Ghana estimated that the population of Ghana is divided into 75 ethnic groups with females outnumbering males 51% to 49% (Embassy of Ghana and Globescope Inc, 2014). The official language is English; however, each ethnic group has their dialect as a second language. Education levels in Ghana vary with a Literacy rate is estimated at 71.5% of the total population (Embassy of Ghana and GlobescopeRead MoreEs say on Personal Heritage Assessment1520 Words   |  7 Pagesmaintenance, health protection and health restoration. Also this paper will identify health traditions as regards to cultural heritage of the writer, then how the three families interviewed in this paper follow their customs and how important their traditions and practices are to them. Heritage can be described as the degree of which one’s lifestyle reflects his/her tribal culture. Cultural heritage exist in a continuum and a person can possess values both the traditional –living within the norms ofRead MoreInvestment Decisions. Answer: -1524 Words   |  7 Pagesmaintenance, health protection and health restoration. Also this paper will identify health traditions as regards to cultural heritage of the writer, then how the three families interviewed in this paper follow their customs and how important their traditions and practices are to them. Heritage can be described as the degree of which one’s lifestyle reflects his/her tribal culture. Cultural heritage exist in a continuum and a person can possess values both the traditional –living within the norms ofRead MoreCultural Competence Checklist : Personal Reflection Designed By T.d897 Words   |  4 PagesAfter completing the â€Å"cultural competence checklist: personal reflection designed by T.D. Goode† for the first time, I was not surprised by my results. The results were a reflection of my personal understanding how culture impacts holistic care and my continuous need to improve my care. I have strived to become non-judgmental. I work to not let my personal beliefs and values influence my nursing care on decisions. When I practice this philosophy it provides better patient outcomes and promotes anRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Paternalism And Its Impact On The United States1159 Words   |  5 Pages Introduction The forces of globalization, including more affordable travel are leading to increased cultural and ethnic diversity of populations in the Western Hemisphere. It estimated that non-European Americans currently make up a third of the US population and will become the majority by 2080 (Grant Letzring, 2003). Naturally, nurses are for this reason encountering greater diversity in the patients they are responsibleRead MoreResearch on Teen Pregnancy in Los Angeles County1223 Words   |  5 PagesTeen Pregnancy in Los Angeles There is presently much controversy regarding teen pregnancy, considering that many countries in the developed world experience a rise in adolescent pregnancies in spite of the fact that effective programs are installed in these areas. Teen pregnancy has been a major issue in Los Angeles in the recent years, but the fact that state authorities have been actively involved in combating the problem has generated positive results. It is probable that the struggle for abstinenceRead MoreDo Religion, Spirituality And Health Concepts Have Any Relationship?1632 Words   |  7 PagesDo religion, spirituality and health concepts have any relationship? This this the question that comes to mind when measuring influence of religious identity and participation in health and illness responses. A lot of controversies were noted due to lack of consensus when researchers attempted to define and conceptualize religion (Koenig, King Carson, 2012). Online search through publications such as, online di ctionary, CINAHL Plus, E-Journal yielded distinctive, but unrelated results. Merriam-WebsterRead MoreAssessing Cultural Values and Beliefs1033 Words   |  5 PagesThe â€Å"Heritage Assessment Tool† is a guide to help determine cultural, ethnic, and religious heritage. It may be used to assess your own cultural values or the cultural values of other ethno cultural backgrounds. Using this tool will guide the user into making non-stereotyped assumptions about the heritage of a patient. The Heritage Assessment Tool allows the interviewer to gather a deeper understanding of the traditions that make up the health background of certain individuals or groups. ThreeRead MoreDomestic Violence And Its Effects On Victims And Varies1700 Words   |  7 Pagesquiet and attentive to the needs of her partner/spouse and children. It is culturally expected that the females in Hispanic culture bear the responsibility of caring for other family members, often times before caring for them selves. This is a huge cultural barrier in escaping occurrence of domestic violence once it has begun. Their male counterparts take an assertive role as head of the household and are responsible for providing for the family. This power differential places the men at an advantage

Work Place Diversity in Engineering Profession

Question: Discuss about theWork Place Diversity in Engineering Profession. Answer: Introduction: The objective of the current report is to provide a comprehensive information to the company executives regarding the workplace diversity in engineering profession. The report will provide briefing to the company executives regarding the facts and the findings in association with the workplace diversity. The report do discuss the benefits and pitfalls of the workplace diversity policy and also provided in the discussion are the steps that might be undertaken to foster a diverse and discrimination free workplace. Work place diversity is very essential particularly to the engineering profession. Since the profession is talent oriented, the main requirement for professional success is right talent pool. Inorder to achieve the same, an inherent requirement to be followed is to provide zero discrimination based on gender and ethnicity in the work place. The current report emphasizes the need for diversity in the work place in engineering profession, also presented in the discussion is correlation between the business performance measures and workplace diversity. Other issues discussed in the report are about unconscious bias, social privilege. The presentation of the content is done along with incorporation of the necessary evidences. The write up ends with providing appropriate recommendations to key stakeholders, applicable to any organization in general and EGB100Ltd in particular. Work Place Diversity in Engineering Profession Diversity in work place does mean diversity in several aspects, right from gender, racial diversity, ethnic diversity, diversity in language, diversity in physical abilities, diversity in religion, sexual orientation, nationalities, culture etc. With Globalization there is increase in work place diversity throughout and accordingly companies are making changes in their operating culture with provision towards adaptation. When compared with several other professions in countries like Australia, there is limited diversity in engineering profession. It is mainly due to the reason that several groups like women and Australian ethnics showing less interest in the profession. This can be overcome with changing the organizational policies. Few committed leaders with right policies can made difference by infusing diversity in engineering profession. Since engineering profession demands and sustains on talent, there should not be any type of limitation based on discrimination of any type. However diversity along with incorporation will bring few challenges to the engineering profession, perceptual, cultural and language barriers raised through the diversity in workplace should be eliminated with proper team spirits and high morale. Not only implementation, even managing the same is a challenge for any engineering profession. Business Performance and Work Place Diversity: By default, Work place diversity has capability to provide better performance and can work to improve the outcomes of the business. However the key requirements is better management of the diversity. If not managed properly, workplace diversity will result in poor business performance. Diversity can become an in hindrance of growth if not managed well, since it has potential to prevent open communication, can inhibit transparency, can result in groupism and can result in system failure. Hence it is to be managed well for better results. In literature it is evidentially reported that the high diversity in the workplace can contribute to the firm performance, whereas moderate diversity in the workplace can contribute to the groupism and can hinder the communication speed in the workplace. Also it is indicated that the low diversity work place can limit the workplace adaptability but still has potential to contribute to firm better performance. Also curvilinear relationship is proposed in literature between the leadership diversity and the firm revenues. There are evidences reported based on quantified results of Forbes fortune 50 companies and the results are in agreement with the claims made (Kochan et al, 2003). Hence the positive and negative implications are relational they do change with the extent of diversity in work place. However the general finding is that it is possible to leverage the business diversity for the betterment of organizational performance (Jayne, 2004). A Fair Go and Fair Reward for Effort Unconscious bias is the unintentional bias human beings express towards the people who we consider similar to us, an opposing bias will be exhibited towards the people whom we consider are different from us. Social privilege is the special privilege provided to particular group of people or persons based on the social inequality status, which can be any factor such as age, disability, ethnic or racial category, gender, sexual orientation, religion and/or social class. Unconscious bias and the male societal privileges are actually reducing the women and indigenous Australians to get a fair go opportunities. However they can be countered through policies and the right approaches. Homes(2013), indicated in his research on Unconscious bias, that the gender bias and racial bias have really grown to the level of menace in Australian companies and counter measures needed to ascertain gender equality and to ascertain support to indigenous Australian ethnics. Similar views are expressed by Ol ding (2014), while addressing racial unconscious biases in Australian army. Hence to enforce a fair go for the disadvantage policy changes are needed, even diversity at leadership can have positive results in this regard. Recommendations and Conclusion: Appreciating the benefits of the diversity and the need for change, EWB100 Ltd should incorporate necessary policies and should enforce diversity from leadership to the team members. Recommendations based on reservations and promotions in recruitment and hiring should be made mandatory. Recommendations in this regard should be made mandatory to all the hiring managers as appropriate. References: Kochan, T., Bezrukova, K., Ely, R., Jackson, S., Joshi, A., Jehn, K., Leonard, J., Levine, D. and Thomas, D., 2003. The effects of diversity on business performance: Report of the diversity research network.Human resource management,42(1), pp.3-21. Jayne, M.E. and Dipboye, R.L., 2004. Leveraging diversity to improve business performance: Research findings and recommendations for organizations.Human resource management,43(4), pp.409-424. Holmes, S. and Flood, M.G., 2013. Genders at Work: Exploring the role of workplace equality in preventing mens violence against women. Olding, M. B. (2014).Cultural Crisis? An Analysis of the Issues Affecting the Ascension of Women in the Australian Army. Army Command and General staff College Fort Leavenworth KS.

Vaccinations Linked to Autism free essay sample

These articles are written by medical journalists, politicians, and celebrities whose opinions, personal motives, and sources go unchecked and unquestioned by the general public. Educated reporters realize the public may take their words to heart and responsibly report on the event or issue in a factual manner. Other writers who are either uneducated or blinded by their ulterior motives report in ways that can confuse and misinform the public. Due to the populations devote faith in the media, if an issue of health is being reported on, whoever is responsible for writing and/or publishing said media, since they cannot be censored, must be held liable for any injury individuals sustain by listening to their advice. Two articles pertaining to the cause of autism in children will show the differences between educated and unsupported reporting and how poor reporting can leave the public at risk and no one to blame. Carrie Gann is the production assistant for ABC news’ medical unit and earned her undergraduate degree from Emory University in 2006, double-majoring in neuroscience/behavioral biology and journalism. We will write a custom essay sample on Vaccinations Linked to Autism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The article she wrote titled â€Å"Autistic Brains Have Abnormal Number of Brain Cells, Study Finds† considers a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association comparing the amount of neurons in deceased boys brains to whether or not the boys were autistic. Gann’s article does not at any point express her opinion on any part of the study or the issue at hand. She simply reports what the study concluded and states very clearly the many variables that could invalidate the study’s results. This style of reporting leaves the reader informed on the study interested in research that will follow and able to develop their own opinions upon it, the report could in no way misinform a reader at Gann’s fault. Gann obviously understands she is not a doctor although she is well educated she still has no right publicizing her opinion on a medical issue. Jenny McCarthy is a Playboy Bunny. Ms. McCarthy’s highest degree is a High School Diploma and has no involvement ever in medical research or study, except that of her own. McCarthy’s article titled â€Å"In The Vaccine-Autism Debate, What Can Parents Believe? † speaks of how a recent publication of the British Medical Journal essentially ended the Vaccine-Autism debate. McCarthy expresses he opinion on this publication questioning the writer and his sources. Her report contains no medically proven or unproven facts, The scatter brained 13 â€Å"paragraphs† she delivers could easily misinform an unwary reader to supporting or acting upon an idea that is medically proven to be fraudulent. Near the end of the article she even states that her son is autistic and she claims she saw him regress after his vaccinations proving her extreme biased which unwary readers would interpret as authority on the issue, and if she sees herself as such, she should be held just as accountable as a doctor the actual authority on the issue should be. Unfortunately we cannot brush off McCarthy’s article because she is actually the president of an autism awareness organization Generation Rescue. Her fame and status as an â€Å"autism activist† makes many people consider her credible, even though the issue she and the rest of Generation Rescue is most active on (the results of Dr. Wakefield’s 1998 repot linking the MMR shot to autism) has been proven fraudulent. Gann shows us how real reporting is done. When Gann first speaks of the study she is reporting on she says â€Å"In the study†¦scientists investigated the brains of 13 boys from age 2 to 16†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She blatantly states the study’s size and restrictions and later goes on to describe the study’s results as which she describes as â€Å"†¦very preliminary and don’t apply to children and families currently dealing with autism. †(Gann 1). Her article exemplifies how non-medical writers should report on issues knowing this we can conclude Gann’s motives as being informative and know her words are clearly not meant to persuade anyone. McCarthy shows us numerous times as we previously mentioned she is writing for no other reason than to try and rally people to her beliefs. She brings up the point â€Å"Dr. Wakefield did something I wish all doctors would do: he listened to parents and reported what they said† (McCarthy 2). This shows that her argument is based her own personal thoughts and nothing else. If we consider what kind of an authority the average non- doctor parent is on autism, we realize that this statement by McCarthy reveals even more flaws in Dr. Wakefield’s report. No parent who is already emotionally compromised by the child’s condition should be considered a medical authority, any parent in such a state would agree with any statement that could give them some scapegoat for why their child must suffer. This brings about my real problem with McCarthy, if a parent has been following only McCarthy’s side of the debate and decides not to vaccinate their child who is to blame when their child contracts or dies from the diseases said vaccination would’ve prevented? McCarthy would obviously be responsible for the child’s death or illness along with anyone who published her opinions on the topic but legally the blame would not come to them. Since we as individuals are considered intelligent enough to question what we are reading and who is writing it the blame would fall to us, but the idea of not vaccinating our children wouldn’t have existed without McCarthy’s activism and opinions, especially since Dr. Wakefield’s study has been publically disproved, so how can our society not hold her liable? Gann as an intelligent human understands this accountability a writer should uphold for their words especially when speaking of medical issues. Her motives are clearly to inform, her sources are well cited, and her opinions are kept to herself. McCarthy’s article is only opinions, her words are clearly out of anger and sadness and unfortunately she’s so misinformed that that anger stems from her strong belief in Dr. Wakefield’s study. Since she is so strongly devoted a fraudulent study she will do anything to get people rallied to her cause convincing the of things that are simply because she believes in them isn’t right all it is, is dangerous.

James Gordon Bennett, Legendary New York Herald Editor

James Gordon Bennett, Legendary New York Herald Editor James Gordon Bennett was a Scottish immigrant who became the successful and controversial publisher of the New York Herald, a hugely popular newspaper of the 19th century. Bennett’s thoughts on how a newspaper should operate became highly influential, and some of his innovations became standard practices in American journalism. Fast Facts: James Gordon Bennett Born: September 1, 1795, in Scotland.Died: June 1, 1872, in New York City.Accomplishments: Founder and publisher of the New York Herald, often credited as being the inventor of the modern newspaper.Known for: An eccentric with obvious flaws whose devotion to putting out the best newspaper he could led to many innovations now common in journalism. A combative character, Bennett gleefully  mocked rival publishers and editors including  Horace Greeley of the New York Tribune and Henry J. Raymond of the New York Times.  Despite his many quirks, he was respected for the level of quality he brought to his journalistic endeavors. Before founding the New York Herald in 1835, Bennett spent years as an enterprising reporter, and he is credited as being the first Washington correspondent from a New York City newspaper. During his years operating the Herald he adapted to such innovations as the telegraph and high-speed printing presses. And he was constantly seeking better and faster ways to collect and distribute the news. Bennett became wealthy from publishing the Herald, but he possessed little interest in pursuing a social life. He lived quietly with his family, and was obsessed with his work. He could usually be found in the newsroom of the Herald, diligently working at a desk he had made with planks of wood placed atop two barrels. Early Life James Gordon Bennett was born September 1, 1795 in Scotland. He grew up in a Roman Catholic family in a predominantly Presbyterian society, which no doubt gave him a sense of being an outsider. Bennett received a classical education, and he studied at a Catholic seminary in Aberdeen, Scotland. Though he considered joining the priesthood, he chose to emigrate in 1817, at the age of 24. After landing in Nova Scotia, he  eventually made his way to Boston. Penniless, he found a job working as a clerk for a bookseller and printer. He was able to learn the fundamentals of the publishing business while also working as a proofreader. In the mid-1820s Bennett moved on to New York City, where he found work as a freelancer in the newspaper business. He then took a job in Charleston, South Carolina, where he absorbed important lessons about the newspapers from his employer, Aaron Smith Wellington of the Charleston Courier. Something of a perpetual outsider anyway, Bennett  definitely did not fit in with the social life of Charleston. And he returned to New York City after less than a year. Following a period of scrambling to survive, he found a job with the New York Enquirer in a pioneering role: he was sent to be the first Washington correspondent for a New York City newspaper. The idea of a newspaper having reporters stationed in distant places was innovative.  American newspapers up to that point generally just reprinted news from the papers published in other cities. Bennett recognized the value of reporters gathering facts and sending dispatches (at the time by handwritten letter) instead of relying on the work of people who were essentially competitors. Bennett Founded the New York Herald Following his foray into Washington reporting, Bennett returned to New York and tried twice, and failed twice, to launch his own newspaper. Finally, in 1835, Bennett raised about $500 and founded  the New York Herald. In its earliest days, the Herald operated out of a dilapidated basement office and faced competition from about a dozen other news publications in New York. The chance of success was not great. Yet over the course of the next three decades Bennett turned the Herald into the newspaper with the largest circulation in America. What made the Herald different than all the other papers was its editors relentless drive for innovation. Many things we consider ordinary were first instituted by Bennett, such as the posting of the day’s final stock prices on Wall Street. Bennett also invested in talent, hiring reporters and sending them out to gather news. He was also keenly interested in new technology, and when the telegraph came along in the 1840s he made sure the Herald was quickly receiving and printing news from other cities. Political Role of The Herald One of Bennett’s greatest innovations in journalism was to create a newspaper that was not attached to any political faction. That probably had to do with Bennett’s own streak of independence and his acceptance of being an outsider in American society. Bennett was known to write scathing editorials denouncing political figures, and at times he was attacked in the streets and even publicly beaten because of his strident opinions. He was never dissuaded from speaking out, and the public tended to regard him as an honest voice. Legacy of James Gordon Bennett Before Bennett’s publishing of the Herald, most newspapers consisted of political opinions and letters written by correspondents which often had obvious and pronounced partisan slant. Bennett, though often considered a sensationalist, actually instilled a sense of values in the news business which endured. The Herald was very profitable. And while Bennett became personally wealthy, he also put profits back into the newspaper, hiring reporters and investing in technological advances such as increasingly advanced printing presses. At the height of the Civil War, Bennett was employing more than 60 reporters. And he pushed his staff to make sure the Herald published dispatches from the battlefield before anyone else. He knew members of the public might purchase only one newspaper a day, and would naturally be drawn to the paper  that was the first with the news. And that desire to be the first to break news, of course, became the standard in journalism. After Bennett’s death, on June 1, 1872, in New York City, the Herald was operated by his son James Gordon Bennett, Jr. The newspaper continued to be very successful. Herald Square in New York City is named for the newspaper, which had been based there in the late 1800s. Controversy has followed Bennett many decades after his death. For many years the New York City Fire Department has awarded a medal for heroism named for James Gordon Bennett. The publisher, with his son, had set up a fund to award the medal to heroic firefighters in 1869. In 2017 one of the recipients of the medal issued a public call to rename the medal in light of the elder Bennetts history of racist comments.

Understanding The Great Gatsby First Line and Epigraph

Understanding The Great Gatsby First Line and Epigraph SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There’s a reason why magazines regularly put together lists of the greatest first lines in all of literature: book openings make a huge impression on readers.How a book starts helps us orient in the world that the book is creating. First, it gives us our first idea of the narrator, and the type of narration we’re going to encounter. Will it be a breathy first-person confession? Or a cool and detached third-person observation? Second, it introduces the setting, letting us know where and when the story takes place - which is very important for modulating reader expectations. What we think about two people kissing in prim and proper Victorian England will be very different than what we think about the same couple in modern day Canada. So what does the beginning of The Great Gatsby reveal? Read on for the meaning of this work’s epigraph, its opening line, and its beginning paragraphs. Article Roadmap Analyzing the epigraph ofThe Great Gatsby Exploring the meaning behind The Great Gatsby's first lines Understanding Nick as a narrator from The Great Gatsby's first paragraphs Quick Note on Our Citations Our citation format in this guide is (chapter.paragraph). We're using this system since there are many editions of Gatsby, so using page numbers would only work for students with our copy of the book. To find a quotation we cite via chapter and paragraph in your book, you can either eyeball it (Paragraph 1-50: beginning of chapter; 50-100: middle of chapter; 100-on: end of chapter), or use the search function if you're using an online or eReader version of the text. The Epigraph Poem of The Great Gatsby The novel is prefaced by this four-line poem: Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her; If you can bounce high, bounce for her too, Till she cry "Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, I must have you!" - Thomas Parke D'Invilliers First, let’s analyze the poem, and then we can talk about who this D’Invilliers fellow is. â€Å"Then Wear the Gold Hat† In the most basic sense, the poem is a piece of advice. We know this because the first words, â€Å"then wear,† make it sound like we are hearing the middle of a conversation. Someone has been complaining about his romantic problems with a specific â€Å"she,† and the poem’s speaker is answering with some tips on what to do. The advice the poem is: go out of your way to impress her with your wealth/status (â€Å"gold hat†), and with your derring-do (â€Å"bounce high†). Whatever you can possibly do to attract her attention is worth it if she ends up won over, because then she will be insatiable (â€Å"I must have you†). Of course, this image of a ‘gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover’ is clownish at best and completely absurd at worst. The poemechoesthe novel's plot and characterizations: Gatsby’s approach to winning over Daisy is exactly that of the gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, desperate totry anything - including buying a giant mansion next door and throwing weekly parties in the vague hope that she would show up. The idea of putting on a hat as a way of burnishing your image is exactly what Gatsby has done in adopting his â€Å"Oxford man† persona, and relates to the way he is sometimes described as an actor or charlatan. (Nick calls Gatsby a "turbaned "character" leaking sawdust at every pore" (4.31), while owl-eye glasses party guest compares Gatsby to David Belasco, a famous theater producer in Chapter 3). At the same time, the clear mockery of the image of this lover points to the craziness of Gatsby’s obsession and the absurdity of his monomaniacal quest for Daisy’s heart. There is no dignity in the approach the poem recommends, as there is none in Gatsby’s as well. This idea is further reinforced when we consider that Fitzgerald originally wanted the novel to have a more satiric flavor (check out our article on The Great Gatsby'stitle for more details). The poem also connects with novel through the character of â€Å"she,† who stands in for Daisy. It's important to note that the "she" in the poem is someone to impress and win over, and not someone to learn anything about. Just like Daisy in the novel, the poem's "she" is a prize or an objective rather than a person. Thomas Parke D’Invilliers Guess what? There is no such poet as D’Invilliers! Fitzgerald made him up, and made up this poem as well. In fact, D’Invilliers is a minor character in This Side of Paradise, Fitzgerald’s earlier novel about Princeton. In that book, the main character befriends D’Invilliers, who is a talented poet - but whose poems tend to ignore the problematic or unpleasant aspects of reality. Here, the assumed name and invented persona of this poet also tie into the Gatsby journey, playing into the novel's key theme of the mutability of identity. James Gatz transforms himself into the glamorous Jay Gatsby, andthis poet is a cover identity for Fitzgerald. So,D’Invilliers was based on the Fitzgerald's buddy, poet John Peale Bishop. Couldn’t the real guyhave written something to be Fitzgerald’s epigraph? The Great GatsbyFirst Lines This is how Chapter 1 of this novel begins: In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. â€Å"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,† he told me, â€Å"just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.† (1.1-2) Let’s take the Great Gatsby first lines apart in a variety of ways. What We Learn About the Narrator The first thing we figure out is that the story is going to be told in the first person (meaning it’s narrated by an â€Å"I† voice who is a character in the story and who is present at the events he describes). The second thing we see is that there is at least onetime shift in the narration. Nick is older now, but is looking back on youth and a more â€Å"vulnerable† time. There are several different ways to interpret this vulnerability, especially before we have read further: this narrator may be vulnerable to being hurt by others, to being influenced by bad surroundings/people, or maybe even to taking his dad’s advice at face value. We also get our first clue into Nick’s background: he comes from money, education, and breeding (â€Å"advantages†), which will allow him to fit in reasonably well in the old-money East Coast world that he will encounter in the novel. The Advice Given to Nick by His Father We discover that Nick has had a hard time connecting with his dad’s advice. It’s interesting that he tells us about this difficulty before he actually tells us the advice itself - almost as if he would like us to read this bit of parental wisdom with the same ambivalence and grain of salt that he himself has. Exactly why he has been â€Å"turning it over in his mind† is not spelled out, and again could be for a variety of reasons: Nick may wonder when and where it’s applicable, useful, true, or even whether he can actually stick to it. The â€Å"advice† from his father seems really more like a dig at Nick. The phrase â€Å"whenever you feel like criticizing anyone† makes it sound Nick often judges other people’s behavior and actions without considering context or circumstances. This tells us one of his main weaknesses - and it’s a pretty significant one considering Nick is going to be the eyes through which we see all the other characters! How Nick’s Father’s Advice Shapes How Nick Tells The Story Unlike the novel’s epigraph, which really is advice on what to do, Nick’s father’s words seem more like either a criticism of Nick’s bad habits or even a warning of some kind. In other words, the dad's-advice-framing-narrative makes the novelinto a reverseAesop’s fable, where the moral comes first and is followed by the story that proves the rule. Primarily, this â€Å"advice† puts a big barrier between Nick and â€Å"all the people in this world† because he has had â€Å"advantages† that they haven’t. So what are these advantages? the kind of wealth that classifies Nickas â€Å"old money† (we learn that the Carraways have been a prominent family for several generations) a sense of morality and emotional groundedness that Nick calls "the fundamental decencies is parcelled out unequally at birth† (1.3), snobbishly implying that he is ethically above most other people This means that during the rest of the novel, this snobbishness and this tendency to dismiss everyone else as being inferior is something to watch for in Nick’s description of other people and events. Gotta love that Nick’s dad is basically like, â€Å"Maybe check your privilege every once in a while, son.† The Novel’sFirst SixParagraphs Nick spends the first paragraphs of the novel encouraging us to trust him and to believe in his impartiality and good judgment. Instead of launching into the plot of the story he's about to tell, Nick instead spends a significant chunk of time explaining his family background, giving us a quick bio of himself up to the point of the summer of 1922. In other words, the first six paragraphs of The Great Gatsby are devoted to establishing Nick as both an interesting character and a relatively objective narrator. Should we accept everything he says at face value? Nick as a Narrator The main question we have to ask ourselves is: is Nick's first-person narrator reliable or unreliable? On the one hand, Nicksets himself up as an objective outsider. He comes from the Midwest, a place of morality and stability, compared to the wild East that has replaced the Wild West as the siteof moneymaking and excess lawlessness. And he talks about his father’s advice making him â€Å"inclined to reserve all judgments† (1.3), which makes him an ideal confidant (â€Å"I was privy to the secret griefs of wild, unknown men† (1.3)). But on the other hand, Nicksaysthat his tolerance and neutrality isn’t infinite (â€Å"After boasting this way of my tolerance, I come to the admission that it has a limit† (1.4)). So which do we believe? Is he a neutral observer? Or a secretly judgmental critic? The fact that even this early on we have two competing descriptions of Nick reveals that he is an unreliable narrator. In other words, his opinions, biases, and agenda will color the way he tells us the story. Our job will be to tease out which parts are â€Å"fact† and which parts are just a â€Å"Nick’s eye view.† Nick as a Character We also learn that writing the novel is Nick’s way of grappling with the meaning of a story in which he played a part – like a form of psychotherapy. The experience he is telling us about has caused Nick to leave the East Coast jaded and disappointed. He comes â€Å"back from the East [feeling]that I wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever; I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart† (1.4). Because we are listening to a story an older and wiser Nick is telling us about this formative summer, the mood is already elegiac (in other words,mournful) and sad. The summer that he is telling us about was formative, and for Nick, the novel is a coming-of-age story. It’s not surprising that Chapter 1 ends with feelings ofregret and yearning for the unreachable, culminating with the crucial image of Gatsby stretching his hands toward the unreachable Daisy. Nick’s self-reflection here is somewhat muddy. The Bottom Line How a book starts cluesus in to the novel's narrator andsetting. The Great Gatsby starts with an epigraph poem advising a disappointed lover to impress a woman until she can no longer resist. This is a mocking short summary of Gatsby’s undignified and increasingly desperate approach to winning over Daisy. The poem’s ostensible author is actually a character from one of Fitzgerald’s other novels. The first lines of The Great Gatsbyshow us afirst-person narrator, and atime shift in the narration. Nick’s father’s advice seems criticizes Nick for beingjudgmental and snobby - something we need to watch out for in Nick’s description of other people and events. The first few paragraphs of the novel set Nick up as a character and a narrator. He is an unreliable narrator: either an objective outsider or an intolerant observer. The story is a coming-of-age narrative for Nick, who is telling us about the summer of 1922as a therapy session to grapple with a formative experience. What’s Next? Explore the rest of Chapter 1: it’s plot, most important quotations, connections to the novel’s larger themes, and the main events for each character. Learn more about Nick Carrawayto see whether he lives up to his promise of objective observation, and what it is that so disappoints him about his time on the East coast. Consider how the unreliable first-person narratoraffects our understanding of the novel’s events, settings, and other characters. Get an overview of the whole novel: its plot, characters, themes, symbols, motifs, and all the other analysis that we have put together to help you make sense of what you’re reading.

Work Based Integrated Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Work Based Integrated Project - Essay Example As a young Muslim female growing up in the u.k, my parents always have been very protective and kept me grounded. Morals and values have had a huge impact on my life because my parents have been brought up in a traditional Muslim way, were they raised in Iraq they brought me up the same way their parents have been bought up the tradition Muslim way for example dressing in a modest way and wearing a scarf (the hijab). This is something that has come natural to me and I often have to explain to people what it is and why I wear it and to be honest its made me the woman I’m today, its part of my identity and I will never change it. Obviously being a Muslim girl, it usually restricts us to a certain way of life we live in and living in the UK is such an eye opener to everything. However I have such strong beliefs and challenging the western ideologies wasn't an issue growing up, under the influence of my parents i was on track with religion as well as being modernized. I have alway s wanted to make something out of me, it will be very common if i just accepted in getting married at the age of 16 to a young Muslim man but that was not what I wanted for myself, I’m a very confident and passionate young women wanting to be successful, its my goal to follow my dreams and be very wealthy and proud be able to say I did it, for taking radio after my degree is what I want to do for definite. Furthermore I want to be an inspiration to the young Muslim females that didn’t get a chance to finish education and follow their dream, because it’s very tradition in my culture to get married and have a family of your own. Without a doubt I do want to follow my tradition of getting married and having family, but for now I will take a step ahead to follow my dreams and what I really want to do quite funny I can imagine myself being on a radio station and people would want to tune in early hours in the morning on their ways to work sampling the radio I did for year 2 part of media communication course we studied radio module and produced a 10 minute radio show, I received a lot of positive feedback not only from my peers but also my lecturers told me to take this on. My passion for radio grew even more since I started my media communication course at university. This was an eye opener into taking on radio presenting as a career it’s my comfort zone and if I'm honest I do like the sound of my own voice. My main goal is to work Kiss 100 a British radio station in London since it’s my favorite London station and hopefully follow experience with having my own radio show named: ‘MunMun Radio’ but for now my main focus is work for kiss 100 and be successful. Self evaluation expressed as personal SWOT CV and cover letter should be included in this section Interpersonal sensitivity based on agreeableness encompasses the status of being considerate towards situations and events. Agreeable personality is marked by nature of being tactful, sensitive, as well as altruism qualifying leaders to be more agreeable. There is that sense of modesty and non-excessive affiliation to certain groups. Within the social set-up people tend to discover certain group affiliations, however, the need for affiliation appears to be negatively related to leadership. There’s some sense of ambiguity between agreeableness and leadership (Ellis and Harper, 1997). Leadership based on conscientiousness focuses on the end results whereby the leader ensures appropriate completion of tasks. Positioning of leadership within organizations determines the level of group effectiveness. Performances within organizations depend on the nature of individual conscientiousness which ultimately determines the

The Causes of the Financial Crisis and the Overhauling of Regulatory Essay

The Causes of the Financial Crisis and the Overhauling of Regulatory Framework - Essay Example Firstly, with regards to the banking and economic meltdown that occurred between 2007/2008, this must be understood as a global crisis. Although it began in the United States as a result of the subprime mortgage crisis, it rapidly spread globally and has affected every extant economy in the world; slowing growth, diminishing export strength, and devaluing a litany of world currencies in the process. Figure 1.0 denotes the issue of debt to GDP within major world economies. Figure 1.0 Preventative Steps: As a function of the breakdown in regulatory mechanisms capable of dealing with the size of the crash of 2007-2008, many of the largest and most effective regulations have been international in scope. But a few of these global regulations include the Basel III International Framework as well as further EU regulations concerning Markets in Financial Instruments Directives (MiFID). Ultimately, these further regulations, in tandem with existing regulations on the banking sector seek to in tegrate a set baseline of rules with regards to the standards underlying capital liquidity within the market. Due to the fact that the ultimate issue that the banking system was faced with during the crash was concentric around liquidity, most of the further regulations that have been passed with regards to seeking to provide a remedy to any further exhibitions of the same problem have been concentric upon speaking to the underlying weakness of the liquidity requirements that existed prior to the crash of 2007/2008. In seeking to identify the overall effectiveness of the current regulations, it can be said that they have kept the world from experiencing any further shocks similar to the ones that precipitated the events of 2007/2008; however,... This essay aims to fully discover the means by which the financial and banking crisis occurred and also seeks to establish whether or not the current regulatory framework is in and of itself sufficient to provide a firewall against any further shocks to the market. The discussion is also briefly concentric upon the future outlook that the global economy has to look forward to; based upon the realities that have been discussed and presented. The financial crisis of 2007/2008 was predicated by the banks which had leveraged bad debt in order to create more debt for their clients. Ultimately, this can understood as a situation in which certain types of outstanding credits that a bank had in the form of loans to various entities or stock market derivatives were falsely identified as suitable contingents upon which further money could be created and/or loaned within the financial system. Any further bailouts or interference on the part of the government within the banking system are deemed ineffective. The ramifications of inaction are strong, the fact of the matter is that a precedent has now been set whereby the banking system can behave in a reckless manner, knowing that as long as their bank is large enough to be considered â€Å"too large to fail† they can always count on being backed by the government, and ultimately the citizen taxpayers. The greatest threat that continues to exist is with regards to the economic threat of unsustainable debt; a risk that has only grown in the years since the economic collapse.

Constitution of Uk Essay Example for Free

Constitution of Uk Essay As Pryor mentioned, a Constitution â€Å"is a written document setting out a system of founding principles according to which a nation is constituted and governed, and, most particularly, by which is sovereign power is located† (Pryor, 2008, pp. 4). Therefore, constitutions limit the governments’ powers, protect people’s rights, and infer the legitimacy of the state. The constitution of Great Britain hasn’t been brought together into a single document like other commonwealth countries such as France – it is not written or codified. Britain’s constitution is made up of common laws, Parliament acts, and customs and traditions. But Britain does have some important constitutional documents from the Act of Parliament such as the Magna Carta (1215): â€Å"which aimed to protect citizens against arbitrary power and guaranteed the right to a fair trial and trial by jury† (Barnett Diamantides, 2007, p.33), and Bill of Rights (1689): â€Å"the Lords and Commons, previous to the coronation of King William and Queen Mary had framed a bill which contained a declaration of the rights which they claimed in behalf of the people, and was in consequence called the Bill of Rights† (Jean Louis de Lolme, 1853, pp. 50). Britain has no written constitution because â€Å"the country has been stable for too long. The governing elites of many European nations, such as France and Germany, have been forced to draw up constitutions in response to popular revolt or war† (Morris, 2008). In addition, since the current situation has been working well for a long time, why to change it? Besides, the constitution can be changed or adjusted by acts of Parliament, or by an agreement. Since it is flexible, effective amendments in laws can be easily made. A.V. Dicey explained that a flexible constitution is â€Å"one under which every law of every description can legally be changed with the same ease and in the same manner by one and the same body† (Dicey, 1885, pp.65). It is also very valid for Great Britain not to have a written constitution so not to limit the power of the executive branch – the main executive branch being the parliament. Without the laws of the country written in a formal document where people can check them, it is very difficult to know the limits of the government. Hence, an unwritten constitution preserves the parliament’s sovereignty. Moreover, without a written constitution, the parliament is able to inspect the ministers in favor of the public. Albert Venn Dicey, who was a law professor in London School of Economics and a constitutional scientist, said that it is actually advantageous for Britain not to have a written constitution. He mentions that the people’s rights and democracy have been long respected in the constitutional arrangements of Great Britain. He called it (the respect of people) as the ‘The Rule of Law’ which is â€Å"the security given under the English constitution to the rights of individuals looked at from various points of view† (Dicey, 1885, pp. 107). Dicey summarized this rule in three main points. According to Dicey in his book ‘The Law of the Constitution’, no man will be punished except if the law allows it. Secondly, every man, regardless of his status, is subject to the law (no person is above the law). Thirdly, people’s liberty and rights are respected, and consequently, there is no need for the Bill of Rights (Dicey, 1885, pp. 110-115). A country might have a constitution, but may not enjoy constitutionalism. According to Kuper and Kuper â€Å"Constitutionalism is a political condition in which the constitution functions as an effective and significant limit on government† (The Social Science Encyclopedia, 1996, pp. 134). For constitutionalism to occur the constitution must constrain the government; hence, any government that is constitutional can be referred to as â€Å"limited government† (The Social Science Encyclopedia, 1996, pp. 134). In many regions, such as the European Union, constitutionalism is maintained by the Court of Justice, or judicial reviews. According to Kuper and Kuper, these practices aren’t required in the British system because â€Å"the most important constitutional precepts are maintained and enforced more informally through well-established popular attitudes and the restraint of politicians† (The Social Science Encyclopedia, 1996, pp. 134). Furthermore, there are countries with a written constitution such as Middle-eastern countries, but don’t practice constitutionalism. It is the executive body that rules and sets the laws, and in addition, there is no limit to its power. Furthermore, an opposition party or a judiciary, those who make sure that constitutionalism is practiced, and maintain constitutional limits are actually â€Å"not independent of government, because they are controlled by social or economic interests aligned with the government† (The Social Science Encyclopedia, 1996, pp. 134). Hence, even if there is a written constitution that can limit the government’s power, those who enforce constitutional laws may be in line with the government. A constitution might be nothing but a symbol or tool in order for governments to acquire both internal and external legitimacy, and for the public to respect the political and social rules. In the case of Britain, the people chose the anniversary of Magna Carta as the new national day, which shows that the people believe that the power of their ruler is bound. Magna Carta â€Å"didnt work in practice but it set a precedent. It advanced the cause of liberty, constitutionalism and parliamen tarianism†¦..† (The Telegraph, 2006). Reading in the news, the idea of forming a written constitution in Great Britain is being addressed by the current Prime Minister Gordon Brown in order to increase the democracy in Britain. But what must and must not be included in the constitutions? So, since this system has been working in Britain for centuries, and there is a body (the Parliament) that has some power over the prime minister, the system must not be tampered with. The well functionality of the system, the stability of the country, and the great flexibility in making and terminating laws are some of the reasons why Great Britain has an unwritten constitution. To sum everything up, Great Britain does not have a written constitution, but they do have other forms of constitutional documents. This system has been working well for a very long period of time, and even without a constitution, constitutionalism (which is limiting the government’s power) is still being practiced to some extent. Bibliography Adam Kuper, Jessica Kuper (ed.): The Social Science Encyclopedia (London: Routledge, 1996). A.V. Dicey: Introduction to the study of The Law of the Constitution (London: Macmillan, 1885). John Louis De Lolme: The Constitution of England (London: Henry G. Bohn, 1853). Judith Pryor: Constitution (London: Routledge, 2008). Hilaire Barnett Marinos Diamantides: ‘Sources of the Constitution’, Public Law. Published on 2007 by University of London, accessed from http://www.londonexternal.ac.uk/current_students/programme_resources/laws/subject_guides/public_law/public_chs1to4.pdf Nigel Morris: ‘The Big Question: Why doesnt the UK have a written constitution, and does it matter?’ published on 14/02/2008, accessed from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-big-question-why-doesnt-the-uk-have-a-written-constitution-and-does-it-matter-781975.html No author: ‘Magna Carta is favoured date for British Day’, published on 30/05/2006, accessed from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2006/05/30/nmagna30.xml

Greek History Essay -- Essays Papers

Greek History "In this book, the result of my inquiries into history, I hope to†¦preserve the memory of the past by putting on record the astonishing achievements both of our own and of the Asiatic peoples†¦." With this "mission statement" Herodotus introduces his Histories, the first recorded history text in the western world. Using fragments of the past he reconstructs a picture of the whole; the objects of his researches included first-hand accounts and tales passed down through generations, physical remains and artifacts, and his own intelligence and creativity. Using sources such as these (though he cites nothing), Herodotus describes the foundation of the Theran colony of Cyrene, ca. 630 B.C.E.. In compiling this account, he may have used the colony's foundation decree. The facts given in this decree, which we know through a fourth century B.C.E. inscription, agree with those given in the Histories. The authenticity of this decree is strong. The decree could not have been the only source Herodotus consulted, for while certain details in the Histories agree with the foundation decree, Herodotus gives an account of Cyrene's founding containing much more description. Both accounts begin with Apollo's oracle at Delphi urging the Therans to found a new colony in Libya, on the coast of northern Africa. Already Herodotus' account goes into much more detail than the inscription. The inscription tells only that, on the oracular advice, Thera sends Battos with colonists to Libya. Herodotus, however, records how the Theran king Grinnos chose Battos, not a Theran by birth, to be the leader of the colonists. Herodotus' account continues with a description of a long delay in the found... ...Works Cited addendum to the Histories, and scholars have often maligned his work for taking many liberties with sparse evidence to flesh out the work. Such scholars can, however, use facts and artifacts known to modern archaeology to confirm his writing, and the inscription of the Theran decree does verify the Histories on several counts. Other aspects of the events related in the Histories, such as Herodotus' record of the dead at Marathon, archaeologists have proven through research and excavation. Alone the colonization decree cannot completely prove the truth of Herodotus' account, for he provides many aspects to the story which lie beyond the scope of the decree, but it does serve to reign in the skepticism with which several classicists regard the Histories. BIBLIOGRAPHY Demand, Nancy. A History of Ancient Greece. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996.

Cognitive Term of Behaviour

Examine one interaction between cognition and physiology in terms of behavior. Evaluate two relevant studies. One of the most famous case studies of amnesia in the history is HM who was suffering from epileptic seizures and had a surgery when he was only nine years old that removed 2/3 of his hippocampus, medial temporal lobes, parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala. The operation was successful in its primary goal of controlling his epilespsy but as a result of the operation he suffered from severe anterograde amnesia. After the operation, he could not commit new events to long-term memory. He could remember events from before the operation for the rest of his life. His working memory and procedural memory were intact. After the operation, he could continue to complete tasks that require recall from the short-term memory and that involved procedural memory but could not make use of long-term episodic memory after the operation. After the operation, he lost his declarative memory (semantic and episodic). Because of the removal of these parts of brain, he might face these problems. One that might be he couldn’t encode the information or he could do that but he couldn’t retrieve it or he could do them but could not store them in his memory. Clive Wearing had brain infection -herpes encephalitic- affecting the parts that are concentrated on memory. MRI scanning shows damage to the hippocampus and some of the frontal regions. His ability to perceive what he saw and heard was unimpaired. But he did not seem to be able to retain any impression of anything for more than a few blink. In he did blink, his eyelids parted to reveal a new scene. In Clive’s case, the virus damaged his brain. It damaged the hippocampus, which play a major role in the handling of long-term memory formation. Additionally he sustained marginal damage to the temporal and frontal lobes. The former houses the amygdala, a component implicated in the control of emotions and associated memories. Clive developed a profound case of total amnesia as a result of his illness. Because the part of the brain required to transfer memories from the working to the long term area in damaged. He is unable to encode new memories. He only remembers a little part of his life before. He still knows how to play piano, which is because his cerebellum responsible for the maintenance of procedural is not damaged. The fact that he could no longer remember anything and was not aware, tells us that the hippocampus and the temporal and frontal lobes are the bits responsible for LTM’s and STM’s formation and recall. In both cases, the hippocampus was damaged, and so they both had problems with their long-term memory. In HM’s case only two thirds of the hippocampus was removed while in Clive’s case most of it was destroyed. As a result both had very severe amnesia and because of that we can conclude that hippocampus is the part of the brain responsible for forming/retrieving or storing the LTM. This is an example of the link between cognition and physiology of the brain. However, certain exceptions make this theory a lot more complex. For example HM had remembered JFK’s assassination and both could still learn new skills. In Clive’s case, the fact that he could still emotionally remember his wife does not fit into the former explanation. However, the researches that were done consistently for these two people are reliable, giving us the opportunity to generalize such hypothesis on the cognitive part of the brain. For example, Brenda Milner, who studied HM following his surgery till his death, is a very well-known researcher and in her reports she has clearly mentioned HM’s past and present conditions. Since she is known and experienced, her reports are likely to be true and not exaggerated. And because of that we believe it to be dependable and creditable as well as following a data triangulation. Milner hasn’t had any brain illnesses in her life, so we can easily decide that her research was in no way influence by her own disabilities. On the other hand she has not checked and re-checked her research results, trying to find fault in them, since HM’s case is a very unique case in the world. And the fact that HM was old at the time when most of her research were conducted, we could argue that his memory loss was due to old age. Another fault in her research is its inaccuracies, an example of such inaccuracy is when HM remembered John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Based on these findings we can assume that her research is strong enough for us to be able to generalize its effects. That is why recently, scientists associate hippocampus and amygdala with memory formation and storage.

Ophelia’s Descent Into Madness Essay

Shakespeare, through his intricate uses of symbolism and dramatic irony, arranges a brilliantly detailed account of how Hamlet’s mental upheaval served as the driving force of Ophelia’s swelling insanity and imminent suicide. He floods the early acts with an impending sense of confusion within Ophelia, for her feelings toward hamlet greatly contrast those of her brother and father. Ophelia begins to willingly take heed of her family’s advice as the prince finds himself removed from a lucid pattern of thought. However, because her feelings for him are genuine, this serves only to exalt her mental strain. In the height of Hamlet’s incoherent rage, he provides Ophelia with the ultimate medium for her ensuing madness. The murder of Polonius is the greatest among many factors that were contributed by Hamlet to the somber fate of Ophelia. A prelude, composed of warnings from Polonius and Laertes, is tactfully set up by Shakespeare during Ophelia’s inertia l appearances in the play, aiding in the preparation for her subsequent mental deterioration. -Pol. What is between you? Give me up the truth. -Oph. He hath, my lord, of late made many tenders of his affection to me. -Pol. Affection, puh! You speak like a green girl Unsifted in such perilous circumstance. Do you believe his â€Å"tenders† as you call them? -Oph. I do not know, my lord, what I should think. (I, iii, ln.107-113) Ophelia openly professes her confusion. Polonius’ response is presented in a manner which is clearly intended to sincerely disdain Hamlet before his daughter, making obvious his opinion of their involvement. His intent for her actions, however, will merely magnify her confusion. Ophelia concedes that she is not aware of a solution with which to halt or even improve this situation. For this reason, no preventive measures are taken, only allowing the situation to worsen. Hamlets mind grows more and more clouded as his goal becomes clear, and in the midst of his pervading preoccupation, he pushes Ophelia to the point of mental breakdown. This notion appears in the second act, after Ophelia first sees a deranged Hamlet. -Oph. Lord Hamlet †¦with a look so piteous in purport as if he had been loosed out of hell to speak of horrors -he comes before me -Pol. Mad for thy love? -Oph. My lord I do not know but, I truly do fear it. (II, I, ln. 87-97) Her confusion has evolved into a state of dread, and this dread will begin to penetrate her consciousness as it grows more and more intense. Polonius suggests that Hamlet may have fallen victim to â€Å"the very ecstasy of love†. Yet, Ophelia’s response is peculiar in it’s morbid tone, for if love is the liable force, she displays no form of satisfaction for it’s effect on Hamlet. During an encounter later in the story, he tells Ophelia, -Ham. â€Å"†¦I did love you once -Oph. Indeed, my lord, you made me believe so -Ham. You should not have believed me, for virtue cannot so (inoculate) our old stock but we shall relish of it. I loved you not. -Oph. I was the more deceived †¦And I, of ladies most deject and wretched, That sucked the honey of his musicked vows†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (III, I, ln.125-130,169-170) Again, her mind is twisted by Hamlets involuntary fraudulence. His apathy attacks and consumes her innocence, takes grip of her mind and ultimately destroys her spirit. In the above quote, she describes her opinion of Hamlet’s present character, that of an untruthful user. Moreover, however, she feels naà ¯ve, placing undue blame on herself and enlarging the gap between herself and reality. As the impending tragedy becomes increasingly apparent, Ophelia is finally and completely consumed by the delirium of her sick mind. The most significant factor in this event is Polonius’ murder. Her condition is explained by the king after she makes it obvious. -King. Thick, and unwholesome in thoughts and whispers. For good Polonius’ death, and we have done but greenly poor Ophelia divided from herself and her fair judgment. (IV,v, ln.81-85) Ophelia, who was once nearly flawless, now moments from suicide, has been completely mentally shattered by Hamlet and has made it quite obvious. He was the fate of her father, and had apparently manipulated her quite ruthlessly. Her demise is inevitable, for her only love had hone mad and methodically destroyed all that was her reality. Shakespeare is distinct in his portrayal of this downfall. The obvious becomes just that when the aim of the author is discerned through the symbolic congruencies and events which precisely outlined the tragic decline of Ophelia’s character. The author provides a vast amount of foreshadowing in the early acts. The tragic hero then drags her into the same hell that is his personal realm. He accomplishes this by eliminating everything that had sustained her. Eventually, a the factors developed, she was overwhelmed by these acts, a reality becomes nothing more than an illusion, and she falls victim to the limits of her own mind.

Casablanca - A Classic Film essays

Casablanca - A Classic Film essays Many times when we say or think of any word, automatically we relate to an image. Casablanca, for example, principally is associated with the place where U.S. presidents live. However, others like me think it is a great classic movie that was made during the Second World War in 1942. Casablanca is a black and white film that along the years has won the taste of the public. This has been made possible thanks to good music, excellent actors and an unpredictable story. While watching the movie Casablanca, I really enjoyed the different types of music. The music was nice because it shows all kinds of languages and sounds. For example, in one of the flashback scenes in Paris, Rick and Ilsa dance to Rhythm of Perfidia by the Mexican composer Alberto Domà ­nguez. Also another scene from the movie, which was characterized by music and that definitely impressed me, was when Laszlo begins singing followed by many people, La Marsellesa, the French national anthem, even before the occupation of the country. This singing was significant at Ricks Caf Amricain because it was louder than the Germans, who were singing Die Wacht am Rhein, which was considered a patriotic anthem during Nazi Germany. Undoubtedly music represents much more than a sound. The song As Time Goes By witnessed the love between Rick and Ilsa. For them this song always brings fond memories and we can see it, when Ilsa is sitting adjacent to Sams piano quietly enjoying this song. Casablanca is not only admired for its music, but also for excellent actors, who transmit their characters situations very well. I love the acting of Rick because at all times he shows an incredible personality. Hes intimidating, but also respectable. However, this also shows as he faces his loneliness when smoking a cigarette, plays a game of chess unopposed and is always taking sips from his glass of wine. Despite this, Rick is a hero thanks to unforgettabl...

Definition and Examples of Philippics

Definition and Examples of Philippics Philippic is  discourse (traditionally an oration) that is characterized by fierce condemnation of a subject; a diatribe or rant. The term philippic (from Greek philippikos) is derived from the virulent denunciations of Philip II of Macedon delivered by Demosthenes of Athens in the fourth century BC. Demosthenes is commonly regarded as the greatest orator of his age. See Examples and Observations, below. Novelist Donna Tartts Philippic Against Prescriptive Usage Michael Pietsch: Before I began editing your book, you sent a philippic against standardization. You declared that spell-check, auto-correct, and (if I recall correctly) even sacred cows like Strunk White and the Chicago Manual of Style are the writer’s enemies, that the writer’s voice and choice are the highest standard. Do you have advice for other writers confronted with editorial standardization?Donna Tartt: Was it really a philippic? I thought it was more a cordial memorandum.Pietsch: Two-thirds of the way through a set of notes to the copy editor, you wrote: I am terribly troubled by the ever-growing tendency to standardized and prescriptive usage, and I think that the Twentieth century, American-invented conventions of House Rules and House Style, to say nothing of automatic computer functions like Spellcheck and AutoCorrect, have exacted an abrasive, narrowing, and destructive effect on the way writers use language and ultimately on the language itself. Journalism and newspaper writing are one thing; House Style indubitably very valuable there; but as a literary novelist who writes by hand, in a notebook, I want to be able to use language for texture and Ive intentionally employed a looser, pre-twentieth century model rather than running my work through any one House Style mill. Tartt: WellIm not saying that the writers voice is always the highest standard; only that a lot of writers who are fine stylists and whose work I love wouldnt make it past a contemporary copy editor armed with the Chicago Manual, including some of the greatest writers and stylists of the 19th and 20th century. (Donna Tartt and Michael Pietsch, The Slate Book Review Author-Editor Conversation. Slate, October 11, 2013) Paul Simons Simple Desultory Philippic I been Norman Mailered, Maxwell Taylored.I been John OHarad, McNamarad.I been Rolling Stoned and Beatled till Im blind.I been Ayn Randed, nearly brandedCommunist, cause Im left-handed.Thats the hand I use, well, never mind! . . .I been Mick Jaggered, silver daggered.Andy Warhol, wont you please come home?I been mothered, fathered, aunt and uncled,Been Roy Haleed and Art Garfunkeled.I just discovered somebodys tapped my phone. [Paul Simon, A Simple Desultory Philippic (or How I Was Robert McNamarad into Submission). Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme by Simon Garfunkel. Columbia, 1966] The Philippics of Demosthenes (384-323 BC) From 351 BCE, until his self-induced death by poison in 323 BCE (to avoid death at the hands of Philip of Macedons soldiers), Demosthenes turned his talents to public affairs, particularly to rallying the Athenian people against the imminent threat of invasion by Philip...The Philippics are speeches delivered by Demosthenes between the years 351 BCE and 340 BCE. There are four Philippics orations although Dobson doubts that the fourth is legitimate. The first two Philippics are calls to the Athenian people to resist Philip before Athens itself is threatened with domination by the barbarian from the north. The Third Philippic occurs after Philip has gained control of many parts of the Athenian empire and is about to march on the city of Olynthus. Demosthenes pleads urgently and desperately for a military mission to help the Olynthians and prepare for war. Despite his failure in rousing the Athenian people to arm themselves against Philip, Demosthenes Philippic orations are considered masterpieces of rhetorical invention and technique. (James J. Murphy, Richard A. Katula, and Michael Hoppmann, A Synoptic History of Classical Rhetoric, 4th ed. Routledge, 2014) The Philippics of Cicero (106-43 BC) With Julius Caesars assassination in 44 BCE Cicero re-entered a political arena that granted him an opportunity to renew his consular voice and use his Republican rhetoric, now against Caesars lieutenant Marcus Antonius. These Philippics allowed Caesar to revive his Demosthenic persona and to provide a capstone to his claim to be the near embodiment of the [Roman] Republic, boasting at the start of the Second Philippic that in twenty years there has been no enemy of the Republic who has not also simultaneously declared war on Cicero... Ciceros proscription by the triumvirs and his brutal murder showed that he miscalculated his rhetorics power to impose his image of the Republic upon this changed political landscape.Ciceros final stand on behalf of the Republic in his speeches against Antony secured his heroization as the orator who embodied the Republic and its values, his contradictions and compromises largely forgotten.(John Dugan, Rhetoric and the Roman Republic. The Cambridge Com panion to Ancient Rhetoric, ed. by Erik Gunderson. Cambridge University Press, 2009) Despite the final outcome, Ciceros fourteen extant orations against Antony (perhaps three more are lost) may be felt to represent his finest hour. . . . Cicero invokes a rhetoric of crisis, in which good is pitted against evil with no room for compromise (cf. Wooten 1983; Hall 2002: 283-7). Even his style has changed. Sentences are shorter, periodic structures less frequent, and main ideas are not kept in suspense until a sentence ends . . ..(Christopher P. Craig, Cicero as Orator. A Companion to Roman Rhetoric, ed. by William Dominik and Jon Hall. Blackwell, 2010) The Lighter Side of Philippics A PHILIPPIC*Down with that phrase soporific, bromidicWhatever that isRelic of days paleozoic, druidicWhatever that is.Does one remark, in a tone unspectacular,I think the comet diffusely opacular,Some one will cry in the vulgar vernacular:Whatever that is!Curses on him who invented the sloganWhatever that is!Jump on his neck with an ensiform broganWhatever that is.Phrase without meaning, bourgeois and pestiferous,Phrase that is wearying, dull and somniferous,Here is anathema umbraculiferousWhatever that is.*Whateverthatis. (Franklin Pierce Adams, By and Large. Doubleday, 1920)

Saudi Arabia's Trade Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Saudi Arabia's Trade Policy - Essay Example Saudi Arabia has embarked upon ambitious industrialization schemes, but, apart from possessing a few large modern plants in aluminum, steel and petrochemicals, their industrial structures are essentially simple. They are dominated by food processing and the production of an array of construction materials, though a wide variety of light industry is being promoted both by local demand and government encouragement (Saudi Arabia and WTO 2008). The improvement in the situation of Saudi Arabia with respect to food imports since 1990s is partly a reflection of changed prices for food, partly the result of quite minor shifts in the composition of trade and partly the result of successful, if "pensive, food security policies. It also arises from the importance of all primary products in exports and the leading roles of industrial supplies and machinery in imports. The export trade of Saudi Arabia is dominated by petroleum for which the major markets are outside the region, and most of their import needs cannot be met from within the Middle East. Political isolation, of course, has not helped its intraregional trade (Bradley 54). The trade information allows to say that commerce is connected with total financial flows between trading partners, whilst investment capital is essential to programs of industrial and infrastructural development (Bradley 87; appendix 1). This lead to the expansion of development programs in Arabia and to the formulation of massive investment plans, but it also raised the problem of how to use the large surpluses whilst the absorptive capacity of the economies was growing. Financial services had to be improved in the oil rich states, not only to assist investment and development, but also to recycle funds abroad. New commercial banks were established, national banking systems were expanded and foreign finance houses were allowed to trade, especially in the states on the Arab side of the Gulf. "The Kingdom's balance of trade has improved noticeably since 1986, when it had a surplus of only SR3.6 billion (U.S.$0.96 billion). During the Gulf Crisis, the Kingdom's balance of trade recor ded a surplus of SR76.2 billion (U.S.$20.3 billion) in 1990 and SR 70.1 billion (U.S.$18.7 billion) in 1991" (Saudi Arabia Trade.2008). Small towns, however, play a more basic role in the internal trading patterns of Middle Eastern states. Agricultural goods flow into them for distribution up the urban hierarchy or export abroad, while the small towns distribute nationally manufactured goods and foreign imports to the countryside (Al-Rasheed 33). Further away from the centre are shops specializing in cloth and clothing, but mixed in with them are often traders in perishable goods. Its physical characteristics are narrow alleyways, old property, small open-fronted shops and workshops and a degree of spatial con- centration in the various types of activity. A fourth shopping zone lies outside the tradition bazaar, along modern streets and at major intersections (Cordesman 43). According to statistical results, Trade per capita is (US$, 2004-2006)and Trade to GDP ratio (2003-2005) is 75.0 (appendix 1). These results allow to say that Saudi Arabia succeeds in its trade policy in spite economic changes and crises occurred in the region. During 2000-2004 it was Saudi Arabia which came to dominate the Middle Eastern scene with an oil production which approached 500 million tonnes in

A governing body should not be able to dictate an artist's work Essay

A governing body should not be able to dictate an artist's work - Essay Example The nature of art, particularly in the 20th century, functions to push the boundaries on acceptability and develop new perspectives on the world. In these regards, the notion that a governing body would seek to regulate an artist’s work is antithetical to the very nature of artistic production. Still, it’s clear that in some situations artists act not with integrity, but simply in a way designed to garner attention and sensationalism. Furthermore, governing bodies are oftentimes responsible for choosing works of art that are meant to function to beautify city structures or serve a specific atmospheric purpose. In these situations, the artist enters a contract with the governing body. I believe then that the artist is responsible for producing works that functions within the designated context. Still, from an overarching perspective, it’s clear that governing bodies should have limited to no involvement in the regulation of art. Allowing these institutions to regu late art stifles not merely the creativity of the artist, but the collective creative spirit of the society; all of these are elements that are essential to the progress of society, its continued innovation, and economic

Globalization Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Globalization - Assignment Example Clearly, the author locates much emphasis on the favorable side of globalization notwithstanding how competition would fare somehow if allies prove to struggle with success. Implicitly, the idea felt it would bear adverse impact on working class as a consequence of the necessity to increase production, with long hours of work and reduced time for break hence. Without guarantee of additional compensation, Fiat may run the risk of losing employees especially the tenured ones who have lived up to align their type of service and principle with the company’s vision and have accomplished goals on every item with unparalleled quality. Though the article appears enthusiastic with Mr. Marchionne to keep an eye on a 50% rise in sales in four-year time, since shareholders are bound to augment their share from either group or grow in number, Fiat might reach a point of obtaining lesser shares or dissolution of ownership at worst (Madslien). So in essence, globalization for Fiat in this overwhelming scenario amounts to moderate predictability on the positive side until such time that the risk factors could be directed to settle at the manageable advantage by the

Marks and Spencers Business Strategy

Marks and Spencers Business Strategy Introduction In section A of this report, we will analyse and assess Marks and Spencers (MS) food sector business strategy. In previous consultancy task we examined UK supermarket sector and business environment. That will be crucial in understanding current MS strategic position. Also, it will help us to identify sources of competitive advantage and at the same time opportunities for future strategic positioning. In addition, we have to be aware of companys non-financial performances as well as quantitative corporate objectives and key performance indicators. Analysing them using balanced scorecard and benchmarking method will show us, is our strategy sustainable, does it have long run perspective and direction we are currently moving. This will be covered in part B of this report Part A Strategy can be defined as â€Å"the direction and scope of an organization over the long term, which achieves advantage in a changing environment through its configuration of resources and competences with the aim of fulfilling stakeholder expectations† (Johnson et al. 2005, pp.9). According to Porter (1996) company can do better than other companies only â€Å"if it can establish a difference it can preserve† (Porter 1996, pp.63). Delivering additional value to customers, providing them with comparable products at lower cost or both is a good way to make a difference according to the author. Johnson et al. (2005) presented three Porters generic strategies which could be used by companies to achieve competitive advantage: cost leadership, differentiation and focus. It can be concluded that MS using focused differentiation strategy. According to the Bowmans strategy clock this strategy is seen as high price strategy which gives perceived high value to customers. They choose to differentiate themselves from other food retailers with: top quality own label food, ready prepared meals, fresh food and food for special occasions. They do not attract customers for full weekly groceries shopping but gives them additional value for their money with focus on freshness and quality. Their simply food stores contributed with high margins to overall sales in past few years. Also, they expanded abroad to 40 countries in order to attract new sales into the same niche. This is consistent with Johnson et al. (2005) who explained that growth may be achieved by targeting new sale at the same market niche abroad. In previous consultancy we analyse supermarket sector using Porters five forces framework. That helped us to better understand industry in which MS operates. We concluded that power of suppliers is high due to a lot of supermarkets and brands. Also the threat of substitutes is high because customers now want better value for money. MS is aware of that, especially because that was primary reason for a big decline in sales in 1990. The power of suppliers is low because of huge number of fragmented suppliers. Threat of new entries is on medium level and competition among industry is on high level. The four biggest food retailers in UK (Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and Morrison) have almost 76% market share. Therefore, MS with 3.9% market share in 2009 cannot compete with lower price strategy. Their focus is more on product quality. The MS food offer ‘has largely focused on the upper end of the mass market, typically higher than its positioning for non-food.'[1] They are selling own brand labels only to their customers which giving them value for money. It helps them in promotion of overall MS brand. The good thing is introduction of some branded goods from 2008, because of higher targeted customers demand. MS food sector strategy lies on companys basic values: Quality, Freshness, and Value, Standards of innovation, Ethical Sourcing and Healthy eating.[2] MS is premium food retailer and food sector is very important to overall group business and performance. It brings over 50 percent of group revenues in UK with sales of  £4.25bn in 2009. Previous consultancy also shows that the most influential trends in broad environment related to food industry are: Food industry was relatively recession proof and these days UK is officially out of recession after six consecutive quarters.[3] High level of inflation in UK (CPI inflation=3 percent) is the reason which contributed to retailers profitability. In 2009, MS reported slightly decrease in margins and profitability. Previous year, they were moving in good direction with initiatives to cut costs (marketing, distribution, support) and reinvest that money in prices to provide better value to customers. The bad thing is reducing capital expenditures for almost 40% which have to create value in future. Increasing number of healthy conscious consumers is a second trend. As a premium food retailer who is selling top quality food, this trend is big strategic opportunity for MS future strategic positioning. In addition to this, survey show that only one in six customers switched to less expensive and frozen food.[4] Today we have environmentally aware consumers. MS is first food retailer who realizes that. Thus, they presented Plan A in 2007 with 100 environmentally commitments to complete within five years. Today, after two years they achieve 39 commitments. This strategy have aim to differentiate their food business from main competitors. Online shopping is also todays trend and opportunity for retailers. They launched MS direct and free wine delivery as a result of growing demand. In 2009 MS market share decline from 4.3% to 3.9% and this is opposite to what board of directors announced in 2008. They predicted growth in market share to 5%.[5] In formulating strategy for next year, they have to take into account few things which will have effect on customers disposable income. From January 2010, we have increase in Value added tax from 15 to 17.5%. Personal income tax will stay at the same level in 2011.This fiscal measure will affect 70,000 people across UK who are now in higher tax band. Additionally we have announced increase in sin taxes for alcoholic drinks. Customers are today spending  £36 per person per week on food in UK.[6] Previous mentioned changes will have certain impact on customers spending habits. Probably they will not cut food expenses, but some products coul be more affected. That is one reason more for MS to provide customers with additional value for money. Part B Balanced scorecard The Balanced scorecard is â€Å"an integrated set of performance measures derived from the companys strategy that gives top management a fast but comprehensive view of the organizational unit.† (Drury 2004, pp.1001). The main question behind the balanced scorecard concept according to Kaplan and Norton (2001) is how to measure future performance. The authors were aware that companies are only in 10 to 30 percent successful in executing its strategy. The main reasons are vision, people, resource and other barriers. For example non-understanding of strategy by employees or management fails to link budget with strategy objectives. Also they realize importance of intangible assets, not capital anymore in adding value to company. In this new business environment focus only on past financial measures (profit, cash flow) and not taking into account non-financial performances such as customer satisfaction could be fatal for organization. The authors presented framework and suggest eve ry company to be viewed from four perspectives: financial, customer, internal business process and learning and growth perspective. All financial and non-financial measures and objectives should be based on companys vision and strategy. That will help managers to have overview over whole processes in company and employees to better understand global firms strategy. We will use suggested framework to support formulation and implementation of Marks and Spencers current strategy. 1. Financial perspective Kaplan and Norton (2001) argue that non-financial perspectives are important but the same is with financial perspective. The reason is simple. Effects from other three perspectives will show their impact through companys financial performances. Marks and Spencer current financial objectives on group level and business unit level are to reduce costs and manage cash flow. In 2009, the effect of broad environment and recession in UK impacted direction of MS strategy. Because of decrease in UK food sector sales and decrease in market share from 4.3% to 3.9 % they choose to reduce costs with aim to keep profitability. Food gross margin was down 235 bps at 31.5%. We can continue to use gross margin as performance measure. Also, we could use profitability measures such as Operating profit, Return on equity, Return on capital employed and net margin which are already being used as MS key performance measures. The results of reducing costs are, reduced spending in support areas and marketing activities of 8.6% without threatening customer satisfaction (stayed at average high level of 84%) and increase of only 1.9% in staff costs. These activities will have impact on profitability in coming years. The target for next year should increase of 10% in mentioned profitability measures. On the other hand, significant cut in capital expenditures of  £450 million h ad immediate impact on companys cash flow from investing activities. MS also have to focus to on how to improve operating cash flow. They decreased cash conversion cycle for almost 6 days.[7] They should further monitor debtor payment period, creditor collection period and stock clearance period (decrease from 8.7 to 4.29 days in 2009).[8] In future, decrease of 10-20 % in stock clearance period and cash conversion cycle could help the company to have stronger cash flow. 2. Customer perspective Main objectives of MS in order to increase market share, acquire new customers and keep customer satisfaction on a high level are to provide customers on targeted market with additional innovation, improved on-shelf availability and to give them additional value for money. The last have roots to year 1935 slogan â€Å"Dont ask the price its a penny†[9]. They took numerous promotions like â€Å"Wise buys†, ‘Family favourites for  £4 and ‘Dine in for two for  £10 during the year. Despite this investing in prices across food range have impact on companys margins, it also provides customers with better value. In 2009 survey, MS is recognized as a leader in top quality food. In future, they should increase ‘wise buys products from existing 10% food range and set target measure to 15%. Also, innovation in products should be continued and monitored with comparing percent of new products in overall products. Relating to on-shelf availability, they already employ more people in stores, open new 75 and close 26 stores with underperforming performances. This trend should be continued because it gives customers more convenience shopping. Customer loyalty, satisfaction and quality customer service are important in future period especially when market share declined 0.4%. 3. Learning and Growth perspective Kaplan and Norton (1996) recognized importance of intangible assets and employees as most important resource company have. In order to keep customers satisfied and loyal, company need to invest in its employees, systems and organizational procedures according to Drury (2004). Therefore, employee satisfaction, investment in employee skill and training must not be overlooked. MS have good communication with employees via MS intranet and employee magazine. The results from employee satisfaction survey ‘Your Say show high response rate (90%) and consistent score with previous years of 70%. Another two measures could be applied to measure employee capabilities- employee retention and employee productivity. Last two derived from employee satisfaction, because only satisfied employee could be productive. Investment in employee skills is recognized as important for MS. Thus, organization of development programme for 2000 lines managers, leadership programme and food academy are vital for future growth and development. The aim to become most sustainable retailer by 2015 they converted into the Plan A. It is also in accordance with Food industry sustainability strategy presented by DEFRA in 2006. They already fulfilled 39 commitments in order to become energy efficient, send no waste to landfill and become carbon neutral. Target of accomplished 15 new commitments per year will keep them on right way to reach this strategic goal. 4. Internal business process perspective According to Drury (2004) internal business process perspective need to give answer on question what business processes will increase value to shareholders and customers and help company achieve its vision at the same time. MS recognizes that investment in innovation process and operation process (decrease distribution costs, maintain supplier satisfaction, increase efficiency in value chain and process quality) are vital to succeed. MS already presented innovation in food from national cuisines (Italian, Chinese etc.) and should monitor percentage of sales from these new products, also compare themselves with competitors (at first place Waitrose who is concentred on the same market niche- top quality food). To excel in innovation field, they should also focus on market products in which they are first or second in the market according to Drury (2004). Innovations in operation process has aim to make more efficient supply and value chain in a company. On one side we have suppliers and customers on other. Already half of 2000 suppliers were trained on MS ethical standards. Distribution costs will be managed with implementation of SAP software and building of domestic and international logistic and distribution centres. Once a build, they will significantly decrease distribution cost and time. Balanced scorecard method (BSC) will help organizations to translate vision into performance measures and improve communication within the company. Also we have to be aware of some limitations of BSC. Othman (2007) argues that BSC is static, ignores external environment and treat company as mechanical system. Drury (2004) describe that empirical study failed to provide evidence that link between non-financial data and financial performance in future exists- which is the assumption of BSC method. Benchmarking There are numerous definitions of benchmarking. One of the first books written about benchmarking providing definition of this method was in â€Å"The search for industry best practices that lead to superior performances† in 1989 by Camp. Until today many definitions emerged but still the most quoted one is from this book that says â€Å"Benchmarking is the search for the best industry practices which will lead to exceptional performance through the implementation of these best practices† (Ungen 2007,pp. 335). In this part, we are going to look at our internal strength and weaknesses, make comparison with our closest competitor in UK market- Waitrose, because both have almost the same market share of about 4% and the same market focus- top quality food. At the end, we will make comparison with Tesco and Sainsbury as a market leaders and see could we use knowledge to improve our operations. Here the aim is to learn from our competitors, not only to compare with them. First we have to understand our internal position- segments we are good at, possible opportunities and segments where improvement is needed. MS differentiate itself with high quality food and at the same time have perception among customers as a top food retailer. It has strong brand for last 125 years, strong internal financial sources and good communication with customers and suppliers. Almost 100% own label food is advantage but at same time could be weakness. So, they start selling branded premium food which they do not produce. Main opportunity is in further expansion to international market. Today, MS has 296 stores in 40 countries with significant 26% increase in international sales. In future, they should expand more as a wholly owned business, not as franchising business. Second, comparison with Waitrose we will start comparing their financial performances because they will show us how successful other perspectives from the balanced scorecard are. An MS food sector sale is down 0.1% at  £4.25bn with loss of market share of 0.4%. On the other hand, in the same period Waitrose increase its sale for 5% to  £4.2bn, market share 0.4% and decrease in operating margin 45 bps to 5.1%. Increase in Waitroses margins is at some part result of 13 Somerfield stores acquired in 2008. Waitrose is also focused on premium organic food brand. Comparing with Waitrose, MS opened 47 stores more and is selling 3600 products more with much more own label food selling. This store opening trend in previous years was primary reason for margin increase but now MS should closely monitor store performance (already close 26 underperformed stores in 2009) and different product lines and replace slow selling products. MS in terms of pricing is above Waitrose and selling almost 1 00% own brand food with products made in UK is major difference from competitor.[10] As a result their sales depends entirely on own label products. In addition to this in 2009 MS made a cut of  £127m in marketing activities which was important for him in food sector positioning.[11] In Corporate social responsibility section, MS is leader with presented 100 commitments plan A. Also partnership with Amazon will help them improve on-line shopping segment. On the other hand, Waitrose presented online food delivery service which could be next step for MS in satisfaction of customer needs. In UK food retail sector, major market share has Tesco and Sainsbury. They both have access to economies of scale and price promotions are fundamental part of their strategy. On the other hand, MS differentiate itself with providing additional value not cheaper price to customers. Despite different in size, MS could use good practice from leaders to achieve better results. Sainsbury launched these days promotion ‘buy now free next time.[12] MS could implement these on 500 wise buys products which are 10 % of range in a one month period and closely look at sales, profit margin and overall financial effect. Also, Tesco since last year increase 29% percent increase in marketing activities.[13] In year where we have 13.8% drop in organic food sale, cutting marketing activities as MS did should be re-examined. Tesco, for example offer double points in order to keep customer loyalty. MS has only 39 outlets out of 668 stores in UK. This number should be increased in future because of rising consumers demand for convenience shopping. Also, search for value and healthier eating will be still in customer focus.[14] Benchmarking can support BSC with recommendations from outside the company how internal, customer and learning and growth perspective could be improved. One of the main critics to benchmarking according to Johnson et al. (2005) it will not identify the reasons for companys good or poor performance. But Benchmarking as a tool have aim to improve companys performance and can support BSC. Therefore, synergy between benchmarking and BSC and implementation of current trends and best practice into organization will improve financial perspective of our company. Conclusion This report showed importance of understanding broad environment and market sector in strategy formulating and implementation. For example, mature supermarket sector in UK is one of the reasons for MSs decision to invest in developing countries in the same premium food market niche. In part B we showed changed focus from capital to intangible assets and from financial to non-financial measure. It is important for MS to monitor all four perspectives in order to have sustainable long- run strategy. Also it is vital for MS to understand what facors influence the financial and operational performance. Therefore, benchmarking and BSC should be used together in strategy formulation and implementation. References: Competition Commission (2000). Supermarkets: a report on the supply of groceries from multiple stores in the United Kingdom. Chapter 5. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April 2010 at www.competitioncommission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/2000/fulltext/446c5.pdf Competition Commission (2008). The supply of groceries in the UK market investigation. [online]. Last accessed on 23 April 2010 at www.competitioncommission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/2008/fulltext/538.pdf Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) (2009). Food Statistics Pocketbook. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April at www.defra.gov.uk Delpachitra, S. and Beal, D. (2002), Process benchmarking: an application to lending products, Benchmarking: An International Journal Vol. 9 No. 4, pp. 409-420. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April 2010 at www.emeraldinsight.com DEFRA (2010). Recovery, Growth and the Environment. [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at www.defra.gov.uk DEFRA (2010). UK Food Security Assessment. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April 2010 at www.defra.gov.uk DEFRA (2010). Economic note on UK grocery retailing. [online]. Last accessed on 24 April 2010 at www.defra.gov.uk Department store retailing (2007), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk Drury, C. (2004), Management and cost accounting, 6th edition, Thomson learning, London Food Standards Agency (FSA) (2008). Consumer Attitudes Survey. [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at www.food.gov.uk/ Food retailing in UK (2009), [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at http://academic.mintel.com.lcproxy.shu.ac.uk IGD Retail Analysis (2010). IGD Retail Analysis News Tescos growth strengthens. [online]. Last accessed on 25 April 2010 at www.igd.com/analysis/news/index.asp?nid=6634 Johnson, G., Scholes,K., Whittington, R. 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