Commentary on Macbeth soliloquy Essay

â€Å"To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow; a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more: it is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. â€Å" Soliloquy is a speech made by a character alone on the stage or thinks she/he is alone. Through soliloquy, the audience gains an honest and direct experience of that character’s mind. In this particular soliloquy, Macbeth expresses overwhelming despair. This soliloquy encompasses the entire experience of Macbeth’s kingship, short to the entire play. Imagery, time, dictions and repetition each have its constituency in shaping this important soliloquy. The passage reveals to the reader the despair and desolation of Macbeth just before the deciding battle with Macduff and Malcolm. Just before the soliloquy, Macbeth has been informed that Lady Macbeth is dead. The sudden departure of Lady Macbeth marks the lost of Macbeth’s only love and trusty as well as the ties to the world. By now, Macbeth is all alone, as most of the previously mentioned Thanes have taken side with Malcolm. After this soliloquy, Macbeth is informed that the Birnam wood is moving towards Dunsinae. This unexpected action by the English army confirms the witches’ prophecies and Macbeth’s fear. Macbeth realizes that perhaps the witches tricked him and reveals his sense of regret as he wishes to â€Å"undone the world.† Nevertheless, at the end of the scene Macbeth chooses to die as a solider. This soliloquy takes a sharp and abrupt change in atmosphere from the falsely over-confidence to despair and futility. In the previous dialogues, Macbeths mocks the incoming siege as â€Å"a siege to scorn.† Lady Macbeth’s sharp death cry fails even to disturb Macbeth in any way. Macbeth’s failure to respond to Lady Macbeth’s cry shows to the reader that Macbeth’s sense and emotion have become numb, as Macbeth says himself he no longer feels the â€Å"taste of fear.† The most probable cause that triggered the sudden outpour of grief and desolation by Macbeth can be attributed to the sudden departure of Lady Macbeth, as Macbeth finds himself all alone in this world. The vocabularies used in this soliloquy express deep depression and desperation: â€Å"creeps†, â€Å"to the last,† â€Å"fools,† and â€Å"dusty death.† Words like â€Å"shadow,† â€Å"no more,† â€Å"nothing† conveys the pointless Macbeth feels his career as a king and perhaps even his entire existence. Much of the dictions used in this soliloquy are extremely depressing. Every single line is reeked with Macbeth’s depression as Macbeth said life is but a pointless tale told by an â€Å"idiot†, referring to himself. Imagery is crucial to all Shakespearean plays. This extraction of Macbeth is no exception. Shakespearean imagery mainly uses comparison, which includes metaphor and simile. The purpose of imagery is to create vivid pictures that deepen the dramatic effects as well as give the audience the pleasure to imagine the particulars of the play. Darkness is an important imagery in Macbeth. As most of the scenes happen at night. But when taking into account that the murder of Duncan also happens at night, darkness seems to be the archetype of evil. However, in this particular passage, darkness represented by â€Å"life is but a walking shadow,† coupled with â€Å"brief candle† imply the briefness and insignificance of Macbeth’s life. Macbeth dismisses the light and desires for darkness in â€Å"out out, brief candle!† The image of a dead king’s dusty body presents the audience a vivid visual of how hopeless and abandoned Macbeth feels. Time is also important to this passage. Time as a whole in the play seems to play against Macbeth and this point is illustrated in this passage as well. In this extract, time and repetition goes hand in hand to create an emotional force to show how time goes against Macbeth. â€Å"Tomorrow, tomorrow and tomorrow,† followed by â€Å"day to day,† to the â€Å"last syllable of recorded time.† Literarily, these featureless repetitions of time to the audience are boring. To Macbeth, these featureless repetitions are but a mere advance from a moment to another, utterly pointless and even torturous; to the audience it shows the extremities of Macbeth’s despair and desolation. By literal repetition of time, Shakespeare deepens the dramatic effect of the sense of despair and futility. Macbeth’s thought moves from tomorrow to yesterday to everything he has done is merely laying the passage to his â€Å"dusty death.† By the end of this passage, it can be said Macbeth actually welcomes and embraces death in order to liberate himself from this multitude of disastrous feelings. In the previous acts, the reader sees the struggles between Macbeth’s dark â€Å"desires† and conscience. However, in this extract the reader sees almost a liner development towards despair and futility. A big part of Macbeth’s tragedy is that Macbeth himself realizes and recognizes the emptiness of his life. In the latter half of the soliloquy, Macbeth juxtaposes his life to a â€Å"brief candle† and a poor actor on stage that â€Å"frets† and â€Å"struts† his â€Å"brief† hours upon the stage until he is heard â€Å"no more.† Clearly, Macbeth bears sardonic remarks about his brief career as the king and power. Macbeth’s sarcastic remarks go to a point where he loses self-respect and self-identity for a moment when he calls himself an â€Å"idiot† and his life â€Å"signifying nothing.† Many critics, including Mr. Taylor feel that this is the play’s most important soliloquy and certainly one of the most famous soliloquy from all Shakespeare’s plays. Although the purpose of every line in this extract is to create a sense of futility and despair, nevertheless, the extract’s strength lies with the successful accomplishment of drawing sympathy from the audience by engaging them in a direct link with Macbeth as he expresses the futility of human endeavors, thus, making the Shakespearean play, Macbeth a successful tragedy.

Manipulating and Controlling Women through Religions and Myths Essay

The first question is, who authored most of the religious dogma, myths, and other belief systems that we have at present? Until now, that is to say throughout all previous history, there has been a sharp gender asymmetry in the hierarchy of knowledge, and nowhere is this more clearly institutionalized than in religion (King 73). The written or oral creeds and their interpretation have for centuries dictated the societal roles that men or women played. Our epics, myths, and commandments arose from the creativity or imaginings of patriarchal society. The commonality of these expressions usually commanded woman’s subservience to the male superior its author. Before the emergence of women empowerment, it was the woman’s role to submit herself to the husband no matter what he is and did. If the setting was the home, she has to serve her king-the husband. Culture has dictated terms of what is feminine in behavior and appearance. Early Roman religious life has man as the dominant if not having the monopoly in a Roman city’s affairs. In the religious life of Rome we find reflected both the authority of the male members of society and the importance of the family as a unit of society. Women are as always not an active participant in its activities. Women are to a certain extent excluded from cult activities, not least in the public arena. They do not hold important positions of authority. Some may disagree with this and points to the so-called Vestal Virgins. Hinnels (Hinnels) points out that with the absence of women from public religious life there was one major exception, though that was a very significant one. The Vestal Virgins, the female priests of the cult of Vesta, were six women recruited as children of six years old and committed to the preservation of their virginity and the service of the goddess for thirty years. They were concerned with a very wide range of cults and rituals and it is clear that the security and health of the whole community depended on the maintenance of their duties. They had to keep the sacred fire on the hearth of Vesta burning at all times. In periods of extreme danger, the city sometimes turned on them and accused them of unchastity, evidently seeking to blame them for the crisis. If found guilty they were buried alive at the limit of the city. In some theories, they were originally the daughters of the old kings of Rome, so that their relationship to the fire and the hearth echoed the duties of the ordinary household. The theories are more attractive than reliable. Important though the Vestals may have been, they were no more than a single exception to the general exclusion of women from public positions of authority or power in the public life of Rome. Some women in the late Republic and early Empire did achieve personal power and influence, but this did not change the basic rules by which social institutions operated. If you are a Vestal virgin, your lifespan is dependent on the relative period of peace that your city enjoys. Otherwise being fired, terminated, and buried at the limit of the city is not an attractive prospect. Roman and Greek mythology may have given women important roles in their godhoods, since we have Athena, Demeter, Juno, and Aprodite, but the important chief position is always to the man- Jupiter or Zeus. For the world’s contemporary chief religions: Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and the Confucian credos have directed that it is the primary duty of women to be obedient and devoted. The laws that enforce them are based on the existing religious and cultural belief systems and their derivations. When women are physically disfigured through foot binding and genital mutilation society, it is in compliance to tradition. How do these disfigurements served any purpose to the woman or the man? There have been disagreements as to the reason why footbinding has existed for a long time in China. Patricia Ebrey (Buckley)posits the following: Footbinding was an alteration of the body that changed everything about a woman’s physical being. Because the ideal upper-class man was by Song times a relatively subdued and refined figure, he might seem effeminate unless women could be made even more delicate, reticent, and stationary. What better than tiny feet to accomplish this? For the footbound Chinese woman, the debilitation confined her to the home and reinforced her role as the husband’s sole possession. Refinement and being subdued is no excuse for this abominable act. Female genital mutilation has been a tradition of many African tribal societies. It is a female circumcision done to prepare a young girl for marriage. This is a very unhygienic and therefore a very dangerous practice. Supposedly, mutilation ensures that the woman do not go astray since that part of her that makes her commit a sin has been removed. This inculcates a guilty feeling to the girls mind and reinforces the belief that women are morally weaker and therefore needed to be put in their position of low esteem. Such are the heavy prices that woman has to pay for being a woman. Gladly, their being widespread is confined in the past. Religion, myths, and our beliefs systems favor the man and ensure his dominance over the woman. The erstwhile Taliban regime of Afghanistan is the contemporary extreme believer of this. Under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan at the beginning of the twenty-first century, for example, punishment for noncompliance with brutally extreme restrictions on women’s appearance and behavior included public flogging and execution. Compulsion, however, is not the only or even necessarily the most effective means for encouraging women to subscribe to femininity norms. Social rewards and personal satisfaction are also motivators. Piety is its own reward for a woman of any faith who believes she is behaving in accordance with divine will. Depending on how she interprets her faith, a contemporary Muslim woman may thus signal her femininity and her piety by choosing to wear the veil whether she lives under a theocratic or a secular political system. Her choice to veil may be reinforced by additional rewards, such as greater respect and personal autonomy accorded to her by her family and the local Muslim community (Hoodfar and Hoodfar). If you are publicly flogged for wearing a knee-length dress, it is not time to fire your dressmaker it is appropriate to question if the punishment is commensurate with the offense. If jihadists believed that bombing innocent civilians will ensure them heavenly virgins, what will women suicide bombers get? Making a distortion of a religious belief by subordinating women as men’s rewards acquits women from suspicion of establishing that belief. The Judeo-Christian belief is not spared from instilling guilty feeling and low-esteem to women. Consider this passage from Numbers 5:30: . . . or when feelings of jealousy come over a man because he suspects his wife. The priest is to make her stand before the LORD and is to apply this entire law to her. The operative word her is â€Å"suspicion†. If you are suspected by your husband of having been unfaithful, you will be treated in the same manner as those proven to be guilty of the same. This could be a Damocles sword hanging over the head of the woman as she is proven once again to be not having the same rights as the man. What do you expect when your subsidiary position was ensured during creation when you were drawn from the rib of Adam. Children of Eve have borne their guilt when the first woman caused the man to transgress the law of God by eating that forsaken fruit. The woman may blame the snake who had scurried away but she had to stay by her man. This guilty feeling has always been foisted to the woman since paradise was lost. In the same vein that the Nazis annihilated the Jews for having caused the crucifixation of the Christ. In the Old Testament, having the same blood does not ensure the needed affection and respect; nothing is more abominable than the story of Lot who offered his two virgin daughters to the unruly crowd who wanted to sodomize guests. Ge. 19:5 They called to Lot, â€Å"Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them. † Ge. 19:6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him Ge. 19:7 and said, â€Å"No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. Ge. 19:8 Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof. † If biblical characters and the Mosaic Law subordinate women to men, you cannot expect a different perspective from the society where these belief systems are integrated. When Jewish and Muslim men became polygamous, nothing is wrong about it, but when otherwise you can surely expect a stoning. In some parts of part of Tibet, polyandry is not frowned up, but Tibet is a very small country whose religious influence is confined within its small borders. Hindu Universe, an internet website explained that in Hinduism the religious root of women’s oppression stems from the belief that the son and daughter are not inherently equal. Though many sages argued that since both come from the father’s body, there is no difference between the two, ritual status of the son is higher. Perhaps this belief that â€Å"if a man’s vitality is greater then a son would be produced, but if a woman’s vitality is greater then a daughter would be produced† is also responsible. Men looked upon their sons â€Å"as mirrors of the father†. A son therefore conducts the funeral ceremony of the parents. Though in absence of a son, a daughter can also perform them, it is only in absence of a brother. A daughter is seen as belonging ultimately not to her father’s family, but to her husband’s. So the first thing that must be done is to remove this idea that a son is more value and that daughters are born to go to another’s house. Conclusion There is something wrong with the way women were manipulated and controlled in the past apparently in compliance with the written and traditional beliefs. If this was not so, widespread women empowerment at present would not have been possible. The United Nations’ Millennium Declaration pledges explicitly â€Å"to combat all forms of violence against women and to implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) (Waldorf)†. And it further recognizes the importance of promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment as an effective pathway for combating poverty, hunger and disease and for stimulating truly sustainable development. Such declaration does not ensure that manipulation and control of women will cease in some corners of the world. Yet this global consensus is an indication that indeed misconceptions about gender roles are existing and should therefore be corrected. If this is a violation of Judeo-Christian, Hindu, Islamic, and other religious precepts, why then had this been adopted by many countries who had practiced the belief systems based on these religions? Why the shift to expanding women roles and even placing them in positions of leaderships in many countries? We can only conclude that this is an acceptance of women having been contained for so long. This is a silent acquiescence that indeed the forefathers and not the foremothers may have treated the children of Eve unjustly. References Buckley, Patricia. The Inner Quarters: Marriage and the Lives of Chinese Women in the Sung Period. Berkeley: University of California, 1993. Hinnels, John R. Ed. A Handbook of ancient Religions. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Hoodfar, Homa and Homa Hoodfar. More Than Clothing:Veiling as an Adaptive Strategy. Toronto: Women’s Press, 203. King, Ursula. Religion and Gender: Embedded Patterns, Interwoven Frameworks. Oxford: Blackwell, 1995. The Ages Digital Library. The Holy Bible. Albany: Ages Software, 1996. Waldorf, Lee. Pathway to Gender Equality. United Nations Fund for Women, n. d.

The Shame of Family Films

The The Shame of Family Films In the article â€Å"The Shame of Family Films† the author, Julia Baird, discusses how there is a lack of female heroines or female main characters in children’s movies. She then goes on to describe a study done by Stacy Smith and Marc Choueiti at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California, who analyzed 122 family films, including the fifty top-grossing ones during the years 2006 to 2009, ranging from G to PG-13. In the study they found that 29. 2 percent of the characters were female.They also found that one in four characters were portrayed â€Å"sexy, tight, or alluring attire†, which was compared to one in twenty-five male characters. The author then went on discuss how many women were found behind all these children’s movies. She referred to a study called The Annenburg Study that was commissioned by Geena Davis Institute and it found that the percentage of animators who were female, the percentage of women who form crowd scenes in family films, and the percentage of female narrators were all seventeen percent. Related article: Shame is Worth a Try SummaryThis article made me think back to the movies I watched as a child and I realized that a lot of those movies were also sexist. Many of the movies were and are made with traditional gender roles set in them. They portrayed a feeble main female character that was saved by a strong male character or a main character was a very strong minded male who was assisted by a female sidekick. I agree with Baird that there is a lack of heroines in children’s movies. Many children may continue to follow the traditional gender roles because of the movies they watch.Boys will think that they are suppose to be strong, powerful, and intelligent and the girls will think that they have to be weak and that even if they are strong and have power, a male will always have more power. I would like to see more female characters in children’s movies not abiding by the traditional gender roles because I think little girls should know that they can give boys a run for their money when it comes to becoming strong and powerful. I grew up with the traditional gender roles and I hated that I had to.I didn’t like when my brothers and I would play â€Å"doctor’s office† or â€Å"school†, I had to be the nurse or teacher when they were able to be the doctor or principal. It made me feel like I was second best compared to them and I don’t think any little girl should feel the way I used to feel. Every child should feel like they can become whatever he or she wants and should not limit themselves because of the gender roles many are taught as a child. Reference: http://www. newsweek. com/2010/09/22/why-family-films-are-so-sexist. html

Discussion topic Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Discussion topic - Assignment Example On the other hand, quantitative research method has a major merit in that it can be administered and evaluated very quickly and the responses tabulated very quickly. In addition, the numerical data obtained in this method facilitates quick comparisons between groups as well as the extent of congruence between respondents. This advantage is majorly used in nursing research when a comparison is needed after a new nursing intervention is initiated for example nursing rounding (Carr, 2014). Quantitative and qualitative research study methods have some of their limitation in nursing research. A study done by Carson (2011) on the strengths and weakness of research designs involving quantitative measures, found out that experimental research has several methodological limitations. These limitations were seen to jeopardize the internal and external validity of the research results thus limiting their applicability for practice. Some of the threats noted were sampling and recruitment. Sampling technique may have a problem in randomised control trials when the potential participants are not prepared to opt for treatment in randomised basis. Similarly, recruiting subjects to participate in clinical trials may be difficult. On the other hand, qualitative research has been noted to be time consuming and important issues may be overlooked during the study. in essence both methods are appropriate to conduct a research, and can contribute greatly to the scientific body of knowledg e (Carr,

Power of Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Power of Media - Essay Example Contrary to public perception, â€Å"convergence culture† is not limited to only participating in online voting or phoning in your votes for the latest talent competition on television. Although it is true that the activity is all-inclusive, it does not signify a convergence of any cultural sort. Rather, a mass protest rally in front of an embassy, declaring sentiments against a popular problem or plan of action could be more considered as an example of â€Å"convergence culture†. â€Å"Convergence culture† is the modern way by which our society is being shaped by a new generation of movers and thinkers. While we used to be a culture defined by what the powers that be in mass media such as radio and television say we should be, now we find that people have the actual ability to buck at such dictates already. Instead, people are dictating who they are and what they will be with the help of modern digital communication gadgets. Cellular phones now allow for mass sh aring of information between people faster than a television or news broadcast. Everything these days happens in real time, with various people sharing their experiences across the world by simply a point, click, and send on their phones, laptops, and other portable media devices. In such instances, this collective sharing of events, although depicting various points of view, all dictate the definition of what â€Å"convergence culture† is all about. Basically, â€Å"convergence culture† is not bound by the same restrictions that normal media practitioners must adhere to. Fan fiction writing and blogging are some examples of a method by which people continue to promote ideas and items that they have come to know and love but without the manipulative hand of the owners of the product. An act which, although frowned upon by most media big wigs, has proven to be the new way through which promotional activities can actually gain a longer life span that could oftentimes, su rpass the lifetime of the product or movie being promoted as well. It is because of this emerging power of the new digital media technology that the old guards, the newspaper and book publishers, the movie producers, and they're like, are all in a quandary as to how to position themselves in this new era of promotional activity and news sharing. You see, as Jenkins claimed in his paper, When people take media into their own hands, the results can be wonderfully creative; they can also be bad news for all involved. (par. 39). We have seen the ways through which the regular news sources have become all but obsolete in our modern world. The troubles in the Middle East that escalated in momentum and action this year alone showed that Twitter and Facebook are far more effective information dissemination tools when it comes to news reporting.

The Marketing Mix Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Marketing Mix - Research Paper Example This paper will describe the four Ps in the marketing mix for Sun Chips by Pepsi Company. The product is one of the critical elements of the marketing mix. It places emphasis on the product design and how it meets the needs of the customers. With increasing competition in the business world, companies focus on unique product designs with features that appeal to the customers. The Pepsi Company has relied on innovation to make healthy products that are environmentally friendly as well. Moreover, the Sun Chips are unique because they are made from corn and wheat using the solar energy. The fact that the Sun Chips define a healthy snack available for many Americans makes it a preferred product by customers who are aware of their healthy eating needs. Notably, the Sun Chips pack its products in bags of a material that decomposes easily (Ferrell and Hartline 61). This exhibits the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability. Since Pepsi’s Sun Chips are as general foods, they are available in retail shops in different states. The availability of the product in close proximity to the customers is an advantage for the company. This is because customers in need of the product can purchase it at once at the nearest retailer shops. Moreover, customers can interact with the sales and the marketing team on the company’s website. However, this is convenient for wholesale buyers who need the product in bulk. The company owns its distribution channels, a factor that ensures that it has en evident control over the availability of its products in different stores (68). The Pepsi Company as relied on television advertising for a long time. However, it seems to be embracing technology by venturing into e-marketing as well as online promotions available at the company’s web site. This ensures that more people are aware of the company’s products a factor that is likely to increase sales. Effective promotion is of critical importance in an effort to

Assessment Accommodation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assessment Accommodation - Research Paper Example Accommodation is a word that can be described as an adjustment of the certain environment or a curriculum format to allow an individual to have an access to the learnings that he could gain from it or to somehow to complete the assigned tasks. An example of accommodation is the use of sign language in the teaching-learning process in order for the student to understand the lesson. If accommodation is known to be the â€Å"adjustment† or â€Å"alteration† of the curriculum to accommodate the student’s needs, the modification is the â€Å"change in the curriculum† for the students who cannot go with the actual comprehension process during the class discussion. An example of this is the reduction of the number of assignments for a certain student who has a lower level of comprehension compare to an average student. There are times when teachers commit the mistake of thinking she is in a classroom with the homogenous type of students. However, in reality, students, in general, are heterogeneous. Students have different needs and different weaknesses. Take this status-quo for instance: â€Å"Based on Census and Immigration and Naturalization Services records, it is estimated that there are79 million school-age language minority children in the United States. This bilingual population is distributed throughout the United States with heavier concentrations in the southwest and northeast. The highest concentration is in the large urban areas.† (http://www.teachervision.fen.com) You need to be sure that your student can understand the language or the vocabulary level that is being used in discussing the lesson. If not, it is important to teach them first the essential vocabulary that they need to understand.  Ã‚  

The Factors Surrounding the Marketing of Magnetically Powered Products Research Paper

The Factors Surrounding the Marketing of Magnetically Powered Products - Research Paper Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the legal-political environment is very strict because of the regulations advanced by government authorities.   There are no competitors at the beginning stage because it is an innovation. The economic environment negatively affects the purchasing power of consumers if it has high inflation and low employment rates. The product appeals to different market segments, which are families, youths and the old people. The youth would go for flashy vehicles that are unique and popular. Families need safe automobiles that are cheap to maintain. The social responsibility issues are environmental sustainability and public safety. It is not ethical to manufacture vehicles that do not guarantee safety to the consumer. Global marketing can be facilitated by the internet. The internet will allow billions of people to receive information about the product. Magnetically powered automobiles can be a breakthrough in the world where environmentally friend ly sources of energy are high demand. A market research analysis is conducted to project the performance of a product when it is introduced to the market. The research analyzes the factors that are likely to affect product performance in the market. The report presents a market research for magnetically powered automobiles. The high demand for hybrid automobiles that use electric power is a clear indicator that the industry is craving for efficient sources of energy. It analyzes different marketing conditions that will influence consumers to purchase these automobiles. The marketing mix includes all the decisions that are made to facilitate the introduction of a product in the market. It is all about getting the product in the right place at the right time and with the right price. It also involves the promotion. Magnetically powered automobiles are bound to perform well because they are unique. The product meets the customers’ need for a high-efficiency vehicle that uses env ironmentally friendly energy.

Business Plan Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business Plan - Term Paper Example We exhibit a more consumer friendly corporate persona, which makes us more attractive for an economy conducive to socially responsible business ethics. Hence we offer â€Å"green† products and services that are environmentally safe. This helps our company define further separate ourselves as an identity unique from our competition. The current market for our products can be easily converted to our firm because we offer competitive products that offer unique advantages for our customers, their customers, and the environment. We predict that we will be able to reach a global consumer base of satisfied and loyal customers that could permanently establish our company as a major shareholder in the industry. Business Description Clean Wheels has the potential to be one of the leading car wash companies in the area. The market is becoming increasingly stagnant as the market for stand alone brick and motor car washes dominate the industry. Our business structure utilizes a nationalize d networking system where we are able to independently contract workers in different parts of the U.S. to wash peoples cars on demand at their specific locations. These washes can occur while they are at work or at home. This makes access to convenient car washes more accessible. The most interesting aspect of this company is that it is able to outsource the major cost of equipment to the individual contractors who will fulfill the service. While the company merely maintains a website and call center to process the orders for washes, the network that the site leverages helps decrease the overhead cost. The internet is growing as a medium for individuals to shop through which poses a significant business opportunity to our company. By capitalizing on generating leads, we are capable of creating a new layer in the existing market which allows us to profit from the logistical centralization of the sales framework. Moreover, we are going to mandate that our drivers use specific soaps an d cloths in order to represent the overall branding strategy of going green. Consumers are increasingly loyal to companies that make attempts to respect the environment amid fears of reaching a point of no return. Industry and Market Analysis Market Summary: The national market for car wash companies is becoming increasingly competitive as the industry becomes consolidated in major markets and segmented where there are lower population numbers. Moreover, the internet is becoming a major destination for shoppers. Especially for affluent individuals who are likely to be the heavy users of the service that we provide. While our end user is the consumer who gets their car detailed, our direct customers are the contractors who are going to wash the cars. This makes our company increasingly dynamic in terms of our ability to create competition within different regions by allowing individuals to bid for our contracts. Market Demographics The profile for Soapy Rides' target customer consist s of the following geographic,   demographic, and behavior factors: Demographics Male:   female- 63%: 37%.   The reason for this discrepancy in the male to female   ratio is due to the fact that men on average care more about   their automobiles.   The data indicates that men are more likely to dedicate a portion of the budget to their cars with   accessories. Additionally they are more likely to

Access to the Bendee Essay Example for Free

Access to the Bendee Essay The availability of relevant local culture, indigenous practices and knowledge combined with new ideas in technology and science can generate successful sustainable community development through innovation. Indigenous knowledge will not only contribute to the success of intervention, but better still its sustainability into the future. Numerous indigenous communities worldwide have always developed, operated and acted to different life challenges using indigenous methods passed on from one generation to the next. Our main focus in this paper will be to study and design a simple bridge, highlighting the use of relevant traditional and indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage amongst the Aboriginal people and technology to create a way across the Nebine Creek. Introduction Access to the Bendee Downs site requires vehicles to cross the Nebine Creek which remains impassable during the wet seasons. The site is a ten hour car trip from Brisbane, the closest city with a major airport, and can be accessed via the Murra Murra Road off the Balonne Highway or the Munda Munda Road and east via Fernlee Road. See more: Analysis of Starbucks coffee company employees essay Nebine River is approximately twenty meters wide. The bridge design would respect the Nebine Creek’s cultural importance to the Kooma People; it provides a place where they can identify with their homeland and share their culture hence should be protected (EWB Challenge, 2010). The property has become a conservation icon for the region due to its conservation values. About 40km of the Nebine Creek flow through the properties and it has a 4km permanent waterhole behind the old homestead. During the rainy seasons, the wetlands render the river impassable yet still it hosts a vast diversity of birds and fauna hence rendering it regionally, nationally and internationally valuable (EWB Challenge, 2010). Our design had to borrow much from the indigenous knowledge of the local community in conserving the site to design a technologically sound bridge. The following were considered in the design process: †¢ The maximum load it can support at the middle. †¢ The maximum load divided by the weight of the bridge (a measure of efficient use of materials) †¢ Aesthetic appeal of the final project to give the conservation efforts a boost. †¢ The materials to be used. We settled on locally available materials like wood to make it affordable and to make use of indigenous knowledge. The design process was geared towards solving the problem of impassable road by building a beam wooden bridge that would be capable to allow even small vehicles to go across. This was supposed to present a creative solution and involve teamwork in implementing the design. Background Information Indigenous knowledge, sometimes referred to as ‘local knowledge’, ‘traditional science’ or ‘folk knowledge’ is a form of knowledge that is unique to a culture or society. It is passed from generation to generation by word of mouth and cultural rituals and has been applied in almost all forms of life including cooking, health care, agriculture, conservation, education and several other facets of life that have sustained societies the world over. The indigenous way of practical learning has been interrupted by the abstract form of formal and academic way of learning witnessed presently (Fien, 2010). As the indigenous knowledge disappears, with it goes the valuable knowledge about ways of living sustainably. In order to fulfil our objective of the design project, first we sought to find how the Aborigines lived and travelled in the past. This we did to help us understand the local conditions and provide a productive context for our design to help the community. Traditionally Aboriginal people carried as little as possible in their journeys and usually chose implements which were multi-purpose. They would revisit favourite campsites of previous years where they had left that were too heavy to carry. These items would be left closer to water so that it wouldn’t need to be carried far. The women carried items on their heads and would make a ring shaped cushion of human hair, manguri, to wear when carrying heavy loads such as a big wooden dish etc. Men sometimes after hunting would carry a kangaroo on their heads. They carried their babies in a pouch in the back of a possum skin cloak (Berowra Valley Regional Park, 2010). This knowledge was very important in choosing the best type of bridge. Types of Bridges Several types of bridges are in existence today such as: Beam Bridges, Box Girder Bridges, Arch Bridges, Truss Bridges, Suspension Bridges, Cable Stayed Bridges. Examples of these bridges are included in the appendix Beam Bridges A beam bridge is very simple. The farther apart its supports are, the weaker it becomes. Although the beam needs careful design, it is cheap and easy to manufacture but this compromises on its beauty. Box Girder Bridges This is similar to the beam bridge but with a girder, box shaped, which makes it stronger. The girder needs careful design; it is cheap and easy to manufacture but not very beautiful. The performance of a beam bridge can be improved by using supports i. e. arches, trusses, cables. Arch Bridges Being one of the oldest types of bridge, they have great natural strength. Instead of pushing straight down, its weight is carried outward along the curve of the arch to the supports at each end. These supports or abutments carry the load and keep its ends from spreading out. Although they are heavy, they are strong if well designed and can be very beautiful. Truss Bridges Truss bridges are mostly empty space, but very effective. They are made of thin triangulated assemblies of metal members. They have a very good strength to weight performance and can be incorporated into any design. They are usually very beautiful. Suspension Bridges A suspension bridge as its name suggests, suspends the roadway from huge main cables extending from one end of the bridge to the other. All the highly stressed parts of a suspension bridge are in tension apart from the towers. These cables which rest on top of towers are secured at each end by anchorages. They have a high aesthetic value, are light and strong. They span greater distances, are expensive and are susceptible to wobble if designed improperly. Cable-Stayed Bridges The cables are attached to the towers which bear the load alone. They are very beautiful and require less cable. They are easier and faster to build but require stronger towers. Core Material The design process Design of an arch bridge. Initially, a suspension bridge and other options were considered but because of the sandy nature of the place and foundation limitations, we decided on an arch bridge. We set to design a timber bridge over the Nebine Creek not only capable of carrying pedestrians and animals but also motor vehicles. This bridge would be built on concrete and stone abutments for the many girder span designed. Instead of pushing straight down, the weight of the bridge (mainly made of laminated softwood) is carried outward along the curve of the arch to the supports at each end. These supports or abutments carry the load and keep its ends from spreading out. The abutments should carry a span of 22 meters. Four pairs of wooden beams, running lengthwise to the in relation to the bridge i. e. ‘longitudinal’, will rest on hammerhead bearings. The wooden beams are made of wooden pieces put in layers and glued together to form a larger beam. The layers, which are glued laminated wooden beams to make them more durable, are laid horizontally to form the main beam. Each pair measures 1 meter by 0. 5 meters, 15 centimetres thick. The span is 22 meters. The beams are to be made of softwoods like pine which are readily available in the community. To hold the pieces together firmly, metal brackets would be used to bolt the pieces together. On top of the stringers, small pieces of timber would be laid across and a coating of asphalt pavement would provide the road wearing surface. Since the stream has high banks and can hold rising waters caused by a flash flood during the rainy season, a concrete and stone arch bridge was chosen. The goal was to maintain the level of the road to allow for maximum potential stream flow. Traditionally, each family amongst the Aboriginal people would have a canoe, made from a single sheet of bark heated under low temperatures and then bent into shape. These canoes were used for fishing and crossing rivers especially during the rainy seasons. A base of clay built in the bottom of the canoe, would be used to light fire to cook some of the fish caught from the river. The remainder of the fish would be brought ashore to be shared amongst the rest of the people. Crossing rivers, they would put logs across minor streams and sometimes large rocks would be used (Berowra Valley Regional Park, 2010). Examples of these are shown in the appendix. A simple model would be made of wood to test the usability of the bridge. A bridge plan diagram was drawn to determine the amount necessary; this was done by tracing on the arch at the bottom with a pencil. On the model, an allowance of 10 inches is left from the end of the boards on the bottom cut to allow plenty of support on the stringers to carry the weight of the bridge. The amount of arch on the model was determined by using tack and string to make the arch. Wood glue is used to attach the pieces together, the cut out pieces are attached to the top of the stringer with a bead of wood glue and small screws (they are put on the underside so that they do not show. The pieces are then brought together to form the model beam.

Do Violent Video Games Cause Youth Violence Media Essay

Do Violent Video Games Cause Youth Violence Media Essay During the last years, the popularity of violent video games has increased significantly. Consequently, parents and teachers have become worried that these violent videogames may contribute or cause youth violence. These games have been blamed for school shootings, juvenile crime and sexist violence. In addition, the criticism towards violent video games from the media, and the parental community are so continuous, the causal connection between the videogames and violence has been accepted as an absolute reality. But the truth is another. Patrick Kierkegaard, a PhD student at Nottingham University, revised the researches and investigations on this matter, and published his conclusions in the magazine International Journal of Liability and Scientific Enquiry. In his work, he questions if there is scientific evidence that states that violent videogames contribute to violence or aggressive behavior, and the truth of the matter is: there is none. He also notes that if a connection between playing violent videogames and the activation of the regions of the brain associated with violence is produced, is not grounds for establishing a strong, proven and evident bond between the players attitude while playing the game and his behavior in real life. Furthermore, he states that there is no relationship between juvenile violence and the increasing sales of violent video games. In fact the effect seems to be the opposite, it looks like violent video games have decreased violence, but this theory hasnt been proven either. Moreover, Kierkegaard shows concrete data and statistics, such as, the reduction of violent crime in the United States, since the 90Â ´s, particularly among the youth, while video games have gained a lot of popularity and use, and he adds with millions of violent video games sold, the world should be experiencing a breakout of violence, instead, violence has decreased (Kierkegaard). And then there is this: In 2005, the US had 2,279 murders committed by teenagers compared to 73 in Japan. Per capita, video game sales were $5.20 in the US compared to $47 in Japan. This example illustrates that there is no correlation between violent behavior and playing video games. Duke Ferris published an article in Game Revolution titled The Truth About Violent Youth and Video Games. The author, a video game programmer doesnt take an academic approach to this issue, but uses official sources to support his point. In his article he says that over 300 studies have been conducted to see the effects of violent media, 30 of them studied video games. The majority did not find anything, but some found a correlation between violence and violent media. Now, even if this was true, correlation is not the same as causation. The reason for these results, according to the author, is that violent people are attracted to violent media. Blaming violent media would be like going to the opera, noticing that most people there are rich, and concluding that opera makes people rich (Ferris). Another point that Ferris presents, is an analysis of the risk factors of youth violence by the Surgeon General of the United States of America. In this analysis violent media was classified as small effect size, and other factors such as, socioeconomic status, academic failure, poor parent-child relations, weak social ties, and just being male were rated as higher risk factors than violent media exposure. Additionally correlation between violent video games and youth violence was proven to be ineffective by judge Consuelo Callahan, in Video Software Dealers Association v. Schwarzenegger. In this trial, Schwarzenegger claimed that violent video games cause neurological and psychological harm, but the evidence presented was a study that showed just a correlation to which Callahan responded, In sum, the evidence presented by the State does not support the Legislatures purported interest. Nearly all of the research is based on correlation, not evidence of causation. (Callahan). Callahan also wrote that the research presented, did not show any link regarding causation of neurological or psychological harm by violent video games. The ruling favored the video software association. Steven Johnson wrote an article for Los Angeles times. In this article, he talks about Hillary Clinton vs. the Xbox: Game Over. In his article he commends Senator Clinton for proposing a $90 million study on the effects of violent video games on children, and for her courageous stand against Grand Theft Auto videogames, this obviously is sarcasm because then he says he would like Clinton to put her attention in another game whose nonstop violence has caught the attention of millions of children, this game, he writes, plants violent thought on its players and some of these players have gone to the real world and committed acts of violence and sexual assault (Johnson). He was talking about football. In addition he suggests that congress should focus in these facts: The last 10 years have seen the release of many popular violent games, including Quake and Grand Theft Auto, at this same time violent crime has decreased. According to Duke Universitys Child Well-Being Index, todays kids are less violent than kids have been at any time since the study began in 1975. (Johnson). In addition, Johnson believes that violent video games are actually good for peoples brain. For example he says that playing video games provides the player a cognitive training to the mind, and it develops mental skills as important as skills developed while reading books. The exercises that the internet, video games, and even movies offer, explain the increase in the intellectual coefficients of North Americans. Games and movies played and watched today would have been considered much complicated for the audience of thirty years ago, but now they capture the attention of millions of people. Finally, he sugges ts that violent videogames have been demonized by people who tend to generalize everything, just like the same thing when cars or rock and roll music first appeared. To conclude, the majority of violent video games players are old enough to understand the difference between the game and real life; therefore, they will not emulate the actions that the characters in their games do, nor will they rob banks, kill, or go to war. Its clear that violent video games do not cause violence. The real causes of violence are: depression, family problems, and just aggressive traits. The evidence that shows a correlation between games and violent video games are not effective to prove such games are harmful to children or cause violence. Parents and individuals who protest against these type of entertainment, should focus on the real causes of youth violence and not point fingers without informing themselves properly

Hawker Centres in Singapore

Hawker Centres in Singapore This paper examines how the success of the hawker centers in Singapore has to do with several factors that we can acknowledge as well in Colombia, even though the two countries are so diverse in cultural aspects. The Hawker Centers have been part of the Singaporean culture since 1950, making them a deeply rooted tradition; that must be adapted in order to fit into the Colombian complex and diverse culture. Here we intend to show how the concept can be implemented in Colombia in a successful way that allows us all to identify ourselves with our roots and matching points as Colombians. INTRODUCTION Hawkers Centers are open-air complexes with many stalls that sell a wide variety of inexpensive food, resembling a food mall. These centers are the most popular and an emblematic place to eat in Singapore; and since the population of the country is so diverse, the food offered includes all the cultures (Chinese, Malay and Indian). People generally go to these places to find something they like and to enjoy the multicultural pluralism of this country, in a context where cultural differences are converted into cultural match points. The Hawkers Centers are considered the CULTURAL METAPHOR of Singapore. According to Martin Gannon, in these places one can find 5 characteristics that described the culture, those being: Ethnic diversity but unity, Efficiency, the power of women, and, Safety and  Synthesizing traditional and new values. Colombia is a multicultural society, and is subdivided in what we can call micro-nations, the most of them are located in the natural geographical regions, The Caribbean Lowlands which culture is the result of a mixture between indigenous and Africans, the Pacific Lowlands where the roots of African culture are exposed, the Andean Highlands where people reflects the strong influence of their Europeans ancestors, and finally the Orinoco savanna and the Amazon rainforest two regions evidencing the pre-Columbian identity of this salad Bowl called Colombia. Mil Sabores, una Identidad Hawker center will be a place where the 5 geographical and cultural regions of Colombia will be represented, and Colombians coming from all around the country will find in food the way to make the cultural differences a reason for unity instead of conflict. COLOMBIAN CULTURE We consider that Colombia is a Salad Bowl, composed by different subcultures which are difficult to classify, Estanislado Zuleta says that Colombia is divided in 3 main groups of people, the coastal, the caribeans, and the people from the high plateaus (altiplanos).bajucol-colombia The multicultural and multiethnic character of Colombia is explained by its history, the Caucasians and the Africans races were brought by the conquest, and these new races get mixed with the indigenous, given birth to new ethnic groups, making possible that today Colombia counting on a population of approximately 44 Million with have an ethnic composition of 58 percent mestizos, 20 percent Europeans, 14 percent mulattos, and the remaining of African descent and mixed African-Amerindian. The geographical regions of Colombia are another way in which we can classify the cultural differences. Due to the difficult topographical situation of the country there is a geographical isolation, each region has developed unique and diverse characteristics, making even more difficult to describe Colombia as one culture. The complex cultural diversity of Colombia is reflected by the different traditions, values, believes but also by the diversity of the gastronomy, the aesthetics such as the music, architecture, painting, dancing, theater and many others. The Andean region for example is cultures where there are strong remains of the European ancestors, people on this region have a strong character and are usually hardworking and big entrepreneurs. inside the region there are also differences and we can divide the cultural groups in the Paisas from Antioquia and from the coffee Region, the Santandereanos from Santander and Norte de Santander, a part of the Vallunos from Valle del Cauca and Cauca, the Tolimenses , the cundiboyacenses from the interior part of the country, the Pastusos form Narià ±o and finally the Rolos from Bogota. The Caribbean Lowlands is the product of a mixture between Indigenous and Africans, in this region you can find tropical and outstanding way of life, the region located in the north of Colombia is composed by the Costeà ±os from the Atlantic coast and the savannas of the north, the Guajiros are also part of this region and are in their majority from the Guayu indigenous group. Then is in Pacific lowlands where we find the strongest roots of the Africans, the region of the Afro-Colombians is characterized by its flavors, colors and ancestral rituals that even other Colombians are not familiar with. This particular region ins composed by the chocuanos from Chocà ³ and the afro-Colombians from Narià ±o. The Orinoco savanna located in the east part of the country is also a different world like every region in Colombia. The terrific landscapes of an eternal green that get mixed with the sky in horizon, and the virgin jungles are the homeland of the llaneros and of many Indigenous tribes that are protected by the forest as their natural barrier. Finally the Amazon rainforest is the natural guardian of the most traditional and ancestral values and beliefs of the pre-Columbian tribes, this region whose population is mainly indigenous is an amazing place, that can be described in only one word DIVERSITY. The most of Colombians are not familiar with this region, maybe because due to our high uncertainty avoidance, our aversion to risk and to what is different, we dont even dare to cross this forest rich in bio- and cultural-diversity. Colombians are so different, regionalist and in a way ethnocentric, we are aware of our differences and the majority is deeply identified with their regional culture and defend it from the others influence; we are a kind of a salad bowl where people is together but never melted. But despite all those differences there are some things that we love about this multiculturalism, things that constitutes the match point of our cultures, making possible that we all feel and enjoy being Colombians, those things are Food, Music and art. Hofstedes analysis The analysis for Colombia is very similar to other Latin American countries; where societies are slow to accept changes, are risk-adverse and have a high concern for rules. This can be because in Colombia the population is mainly catholic, which promotes the idea that there is an absolute truth. According to the analysis that Hofstede made, Colombia has one of the highest rankings in Masculinity, what this means is that there is high degree of gender inequality, and that men are the dominant within the society. Colombia has high uncertainty avoidance, which explains the low level of tolerance for the unknown and the foreigners; this also explains the need for rules and laws. Collectivism is very important for our culture, the family is very influential on each individual, and loyalty is required in order to maintain the harmony. Finally the high power distance shows the huge inequality of power and wealth in the society, which explains the high level of poverty. SINGAPORE CULTURE Singapore is a City State with a population of 4,5 millions, the territory is divided in 65 islands. Singapore has become the way to get into the Asian countries and the place where most of the companies want to have their headquarters because of Singapores economic and political security. This high quality of life is thanks Thomas Stanford Raffles, the founder of Singapore and who created the port that nowadays is between the first by volume and the second by containers busiest port of the world and also created a neighborhood for each ethnic group where each region could be governed by itself. Then lee Kwan Yew, the father of the modern Singapore has implemented a system that implemented the western democratic values but always maintaining the Asian identity. In Singapore people live in harmony, they are usually well educated and really smart. Although there are from different neighborhoods, languages and cultures, the interaction among them is really common, Chinese can marry Indians, in a Hindu temple located in Chinatown, is like a salad bowl of Malays, Indians, Chinese and Europeans. Singapore is a pluralistic place, where they interact between each other, but dont create just one culture, they are Chinese Singaporean, Indian Singaporean, Malays Singaporean, etc., they dont change their roots, although the bulk of Singaporeans do think of themselves as Singaporeans, regardless of race or culture. Each still bears its own unique character  [1]  .worldmap-singapore Each ethnic group has its own religion and its own festivals, but anyone can attend. The tolerance is really important and there is not discrimination toward people from another religion. For example the Chinese are predominantly followers of Buddhism, Taoism, Shenism, Christians, Catholics and some considered as free-thinkers (Those who do not belong to any religion). Malays have the Muslims and Indians are Hindus. There is a sizeable  number of Muslims and Sikhs in the Indian population  [2]  . Singapore has four official languages: Mandarin (comes from china), Malay (comes from Malaysia), Tamil (comes from Indian) and English (comes from Europe). The last one is the most used for communication and business, the others are talk only in their homes in order to keep the roots and traditions of their home culture. In Singapore almost everyone speak more than 2 languages. They have a dialect called Singlish is like a symbol for many Singaporeans and its an influence of Malay and Chinese that have change some words in the informal English language. Whatever the race or religion, the countrys communities unite as one nation, where most religious or racial gaps are being bridged  [3]  . The Hawker centers are considered by Martin Gannon the cultural metaphor of Singapore. There are five features of the hawkers that let us to identify the culture in Singapore. First, Ethnic Diversity but Unity, as we already said, Singapore is composed by three ethnic groups, so Chinese , Indian and Malays live in harmony and are treated as Singaporeans provided with the same rights and Obligations. In the hawker centers the different ethnic groups are represented, each one has a number of stalls depending on their percentage on the total population. The unity between the different cultures in Singapore is highly explained by the five principles imposed by Lee Kwan Yew: Nation before community and society before the self. Family as the basic unit of society Community support and respect for the individual Consensus, not conflict Racial and religious harmony  [4]   Second, Efficiency, in hawker centers there is an unspoken rule, servers and customers must be quick and efficient. Efficiency in Singapore is evident in communication in which people usually prefer quick aswers, and also in the cutting-edge technology present in the different aspects of daily life. Third, the Power of Women is an evident factor in the centers; the number of men and women working in the center is the same and are treated in the same way. Women also play important roles in business, and there are a lot of policies promoting equal opportunities in the workplace. Fourth, the safety is one of the most important aspects of the social system in Singapore, there are rules and regulations governing the simplest aspects of the peoples life, these regulations are also strict regarding the Hawker Centers. Fifth and finally, synthesizing traditional and new values, Singapore is trying to maintain their traditional Asian values while implementing efficiency and practicality. The hawker centers represent this because they offer traditional food, but also western food. HOFSTEDES ANALYSIS According to Hofstede Singapore is a country with a high power distance, where the even if poor people is not so poor, there is a big gap between the rich and the poor. There is also a high power on the leaders, and population is forced to obey the law. The individualism is very low, due to the Confucian values there is a tendency to collectivism, the country cares a lot about family values and cooperativism. The country has male values such as people being worth for themselves and every person should take after themselves, but regarding the role of women, there is an equality of gender and they have an important role in society. Finally, uncertainty avoidance is low, due to the multiculturalism, people is no afraid of what is different. But if we take into account the extreme regulations it should be a little bit higher. SIMILARITIES Colombia and Singapore are as different as a western and an Asian country can be. But even if those differences are so marked culturally speaking, we find some similar situations or conditions in which the two countries have simililarities. First taking the Hofstede dimensions of both countries as reference, it can be seen that three out of the dimensions evaluated are quiet similar, Colombia and Singapore present a high level of Power distance, in both countries the gap between rich and poor people is so big, it has be taken into account that the dimensions and the concept of the richness or the poorness is different in both countries. Individualism is very similar too, the collectivism characteristic of the Asian countries is also present on the Colombian culture. Masculinity is also high, evidencing two goal oriented cultures, were success is synonymous of recognition, but in terms of the role of women in society we can say that even if Colombia is one of the countries of lain America with more women participating in high rank positions, Singapore has advanced more regarding the equality of genders. Finally the difference in the uncertainty avoidance is evident, while in Singapore there is not aversion to new, unknow n or different things, Colombians are pretty scared of change; but in terms of norms we can say that both countries have a huge amount of rules and regulations that evince a high uncertainty avoidance. Then when we talk about similar conditions, we are referring to the multiculturalism. With similar conditions, we mean, respecting the proportions, that in both countries there is a lot of people from different cultural backgrounds living within one state that is trying to build one cultural identity respecting differences and enforcing thins in common. IMPLEMENTATION Business idea We have chosen to bring and to adapt the concept of the HAWKER CENTERS of Singapore, into our country. (Bogotà ¡) The Hawker center is going to be called MIL SABORES, UNA IDENTIDAD. It is going to be located in the North of Bogotà ¡, and it is going to be more fashionable and delightful than the ones in Singapore; this is due to the fact that people in Bogota believe in status, in differentiation and they are willing to pay the price if you are offering something containing this characteristics. The idea is to create a place with different food stalls according to the five Colombian regions which are: The Caribbean Lowlands, Pacific Lowlands, Andean Highlands, Orinoco savanna and the Amazon rainforest. Bogotà ¡ is the capital of Colombia, this makes it the city in which the best universities, jobs and opportunities are found; for this same reason people from all over the country goes there to achieve their goals, and prepare for the future. We can consider Bogota as a the Singapore of Colombia, where people from different cultural backgrounds live an interact with each other in a pluralistic environment. According to the quantity of people from each region living in the capital, a proportionate number of stalls will be installed. And besides this, a small number of stalls will be dedicated to International food, such as Arab, Chinese and Italian. The idea is to offer our customers dishes from their regions but also to offer them dishes that otherwise they wouldnt find so easily. So the experience of going to MIL SABORES, UNA IDENTIDAD is planned to be like a trip trough Colombia, where the costumer can interact with people from different regions and get to know their gastronomy and their culture. The place is going to be decorated with the most typical objects of each region and music from our artist will be played. REASONS FOR POTENTIAL SUCCESS We believe that this project, if implemented, would have success because although we have high uncertainty avoidance (according to Hofstedes) .We do enjoy to try and to get to know different aspects of other cultures. We can say that we are selective in our integration, and that is why we love to go in vacations to the coast and eat excessively, because we enjoy their food, that is very hard to find when being in the interior. Since we are offering the experience of feeling in a trip through out Colombia, some of the difficulties that Colombia has as a state are creating opportunities for our business to thrive. For example: The hard mobilization through our country. The dangers of making a road trip. The difficult economic situation. The unsanitary conditions of the food in some places. The long distances and the poor infrastructure. DIFFERENCIATION Our main concern is for people to believe that MIL SABORES, UNA IDENTIDAD is just like any regular food mall, but as soon as the customer enters in the building it will discover that this innovative project, is nothing like a regular food mall it is an experience for all your senses that you cant find elsewhere in Colombia. The mix of music, food and entertainment will allow the customer to feel in different places at the same time and to experience the richness of our folklore. TURISTIC ATTRACTION As international negotiators we appreciate the foreigners that decide to visit our country and that are interested in getting to know us. Because of this, we have decided to integrate everything that represents us in one single place. Coffee is one of the things that we are known for, so it is clear that we are going to take advantage of this, and build a coffee stall, with a variety of products that contain coffee, such as: caramel, candies, drinks. Etc. Finally we believe that a souvenir store is also required for foreigners, where they can find hand-made stuff from our natives and artisans, such as hammocks, jewelry, musical instruments, clothes etc. CONCLUSIONS We have concluded that with the correct adaptation, the concept of Hawker Centers could have success in Colombia. The implementation is based on the different regions, making this an inclusive project, taking advantage of the contrasting influences that have gathered in the country. The experience in MIL SABORES, UNA IDENTIDAD is going to be like a trip into the different Cities, where all the family can enjoy dishes of the diverse cultures, creating them a sense of awareness for the other. Finally this project is going to awake the sense of a national identity and the patriotism of the people for their country by focusing in how our differences can bring us together instead on breaking us apart.

Adoptees Must Have Access to Their Original Birth Certificates Essay

Have you ever been to a new doctor and filled out the required paperwork on family medical history? After moving recently, I went to a new doctor. I had to have all those papers filled out. It was easy because I know all of the information or can get it. Most people know who their biological family is and therefore also know about medical history. However, in the 1940s many birth certificates of adoptees were sealed. This continued to occur for four decades. Now depending upon the state the adopted person lives in and how the laws have evolved, they may not be able to easily access their original birth certificate just like everyone else. Adoptees should have total access to their birth certificate and family medical history because this information will help them to understand where they came from, as well as know of the likelihood of contracting various genetic diseases. Children need to know where they came from so they can avoid embarrassing and awkward situations later in life like Luke and Leia Skywalker from Star Wars. It will also give them a sense of belonging in the world. Full access to an original birth certificate is something many people take for granted. For those people who have been adopted a changed birth certificate is given with the adoptive parents names instead. As an adopted child grows older, most will become curious. For Jeffrey Hannasch his curiosity started when his daughter was born (Ensslin). He started out on a journey to find his parents. After finding some papers in his adoptive father’s possessions, he was able to find out his mother’s name. Some internet searching and letter writing later he was able to find out that she did not actually know who his father was. She also was shocked that he was... ...elease of the information (Access). Works Cited Bahrampour, Tara. "Invisible Ties to Faraway Lands." Washington Post 2012 Jan 22: A.1. Web. 28 Jan. 2014. Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2012). Access to Adoption Records. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau. Ensslin, John C. "Landmark Adoption Ruling a Bittersweet Victory for Falcon Man." Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO) 2009 Aug 02: N.p. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. Hamilton, James M. "Adult Adoptees Should Have Unconditional Access to Their Original..." MinnPost.com [Minneapolis] 14 Mar. 2013: N.p. Web. 20 Nov. 2013. O'Connor, John. "Unsealed Birth Records Give Adoptees Peek at Past." Daily Register 2013 Jul 28: N.p. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. Reyes, Emily Alpert. "Internet Lifts Shroud of Secrecy on Adoption." Los Angeles Times 2013 Dec 12: A.15. Web. 28 Jan. 2014.

U.S. vs Microsoft Essay -- Justice vs Microsoft

Microsoft Case Part I: The government has been looking into Microsoft since 1990, when the Federal Trade Commission first started examining charges of monopolistic behavior. In 1995, Microsoft and the U.S. Justice Department reached a settlement that required the company to change a variety of business practices, including key aspects of its licensing agreements with personal computer makers (2). Microsoft has grown into an enormous and powerful corporation by a combination of aggressive business practices and having written operating systems (DOS and Windows) for personal computers. From operating systems it branched out into other software which has, along with the operating system, become something of an industry standard. These software products include, but are not limited to, the Microsoft Office Suite and Internet Explorer browser. One of the leading questions is if this is a â€Å"good† state of affairs: should one company so dominate computing and the Internet when we rely so heavily upon it? The most recent lawsuit involves the Justice Department and 20 state attorneys general. They believe that Microsoft has used its monopoly in operating system software to protect its dominance and eliminate competitors. The government says that in the long run, consumers will be harmed, because there will be less competition and fewer choices. More specifically, the government contends that Microsoft has engaged in actions to preserve its Windows monopoly that violate antitrust laws. The government also maintains that the company has used the power of its Windows monopoly to attempt to monopolize the market for Internet browsing software. In addition, government lawyers allege that the company has committed other anti-competitive acts (2). In addition to the DOJ and the 20 states, several other players are part of the government team against Microsoft: Netscape/AOL, Sun Microsystems, Linux and the Open Source movement, and the Consumer Project on Technology. The keys concerns are illegal tying arrangements with Windows and Internet Explorer; illegal market division between Microsoft and Netscape; and predatory conduct/pricing between Microsoft and Netscape, MS Office and Word Perfect Office and Lotus Office Suite (3). Microsoft contends that it is simply trying to innovate its products. The company contends that its actions are legal and says that t... ... it has the ability to sell that software as it sees fit. Microsoft has a very large share of the operating system market, but Jackson is off base equating Microsoft to Standard Oil. As a consumer, I have a hard time getting upset with Microsoft in general. I like the idea of being able to go to most any computer in this country and immediately be able to use the software. Whether it be Windows or Office products, the look and feel are the same at home or at any workstation. Bibliography 1. Cringely, Robert X. â€Å"Hit Me, Slap Me, Make Me Write Bad Code†. I, Cringely – The Pulpit, (November 11, 1999). [http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit19991118.html] 2. Chandrasekaran, Rajiv. â€Å"U.S. vs Microsoft†. Washington Post, (January, 2000). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/longterm/microsoft/basics.htm] 3. Meeks, Brock. â€Å"Justice vs Microsoft†. MSNBC, (February 24, 2000). [http://www.msnbc.com/news/343334.asp] 4. Zittrain, Jonathan. â€Å"U.S. vs Microsoft: The Expert Opinion†. Chicago Tribune Internet Edition, (February, 2000). [http://chicagotribune.com/tech/news/ws/indx/0,1306,8297-16796,00.html]

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 32-33

Chapter 32 Stefan,† a disembodied voice whispered. I was in the labyrinth back at Veritas, the lush green hedges rising higher than my head, the sun beating down upon my shoulders. My collar was itchy and constrictive–for some reason I was in my Sunday best. From around the bend Damon approached, his blue eyes wide and innocent. â€Å"Want to race, brother?† he challenged. Of course I accepted. Suddenly, we were sitting on the porch swing, with Katherine wedged between us, mischief in her dark eyes, as she plucked petals from a daisy. Her leg was so close I felt it grazing mine. As her gaze shifted back and forth, I realized the game she was playing: The flower would determine which one of us she would choose. When she reached the final petal, her eyes locked onto mine, and I knew that I was the victor. She leaned in to kiss me, and I closed my eyes, anticipating the soft touch of her lips. But instead I felt a stake plunge into my heart. My eyes fluttered open, and there stood my brother, laughing as he dug the wood yet deeper into me, the flower petals crushed beneath my prone form. My head lolled to the side, and my eyes snagged on the girl who was bleeding to death next to me on the grass. Her hair was fire-red, and her skin was moon-pale beneath her freckles. Callie!I tried to shout. But Damon snatched up my words in his fist before sinking a knife over and over into Callies back. â€Å"Stefan!† a voice called again, louder this time. I recognized the lilting alto.Lexi. â€Å"Nooo † I moaned. I couldnt allow Damon to kill her, too. â€Å"Go away!† â€Å"Stefan .† She came closer still, kneeling down beside me, holding a goblet to my lips. â€Å"No,† I said again. She shook my shoulders violently. My eyes popped open. The walls around me were painted with cracked red paint, and I saw a gilt-edged portrait on the opposite wall. I sat up, touching my face with my hands, then glancing down. I was still wearing my ring. I touched the stone. It felt very real. â€Å"Lexi?† I asked thickly. â€Å"Yes!† She smiled, clearly relieved. â€Å"Youre awake.† I glanced down at my body. My arm still throbbed, and there was dried blood underneath my fingernails. â€Å"Am I alive?† She nodded. â€Å"Just barely.† â€Å"Damon?† â€Å"We didnt get him,† Lexi said darkly. â€Å"He ran off.† â€Å"Callie?† I asked. I didnt want to hear, but I needed to know. Lexi looked down at her fingernails for a long moment, then lifted her amber eyes to mine. â€Å"Im sorry, Stefan. We tried Even Buxton tried to save her â€Å" â€Å"But she was too far gone,† I finished for her. My head throbbed. â€Å"Where is she now?† Lexi pushed my matted hair off my temple. Her fingers were cool against my burning skin. â€Å"In the river. The whole citys looking for her † Lexis voice trailed off, but I understood everything that she wasnt saying. â€Å"Before you rest, you need to drink,† Lexi murmured, helping me sit up again. â€Å"Its your favorite, goats blood,† she said with a sad smile. I put my lips to the goblet. The brackish liquid tasted nothing like sweet, full-bodied human blood, but it was warm. And it contained something human blood never would: a dull spark of redemption. The more of this I drank, the less human blood would run through me. I wasnt naï ¿ ½ve, though. Guilt would always flow through my veins. Id killed too many in my short time as a vampire, destroyed too many lives. Whether or not I drank from her, Callies death was on my hands as well. I should have turned my back on her, told her I never wanted to see her. But Id been weak. â€Å"Good boy,† Lexi murmured as I finished drinking from the cup. I didnt feel good. I felt sick and scared and unsure of what to do. Damon was still out in the world, somewhere, and Callies blood was running through his veins. My stomach tightened. â€Å"I dont know what to do,† I admitted, searching Lexis eyes for answers. But Lexi was silent. â€Å"I dont know what to tell you,† she said finally. â€Å"But I do know youre a good man.† I sighed, ready to point out that I wasnt a man at all, I was a monster. But Lexi stood up and gathered the mugs from the night table. Chapter 33 When I woke up, I could tell from the light streaming through the crack in the curtains that it was daylight. I swung my feet onto the hardwood floor and grabbed the neat pile of clothes from the shopping trip with Lexi. It seemed like a lifetime ago. I put on a new shirt, slicked my hair back, and put the rest of the clothes in a makeshift carrying case formed from my tattered shirt from Mystic Falls–the only item I still had from my old life. I glanced around the room, my eyes taking in the familiar layers of dust in the corners. I wondered how many vampires had passed through this house and whether Lexi would find another young vampire to take under her wing. I hoped, for his sake as well as hers, that hed have a better time in this city of sin than I had had. Lexi was sitting in the living room. In her hands was the portrait of her brother. As soon as I stepped in, she glanced up. â€Å"Stefan,† she said. â€Å"Im sorry,† I cut in. And I was, for all of it. For coming to New Orleans. For disrupting her life. For bringing danger to the tiny spot of security the vampires had managed to carve out. â€Å"Im not. It was a privilege to have you.† Her gaze turned serious. â€Å"Im sorry about Callie–and about your brother.† â€Å"Hes not my brother anymore,† I said quickly. Lexi set down the portrait on the coffee table. â€Å"Perhaps not anymore. But as you said yourself, he was for your whole human life. Can you remember that and forget the rest?† I shrugged. I didnt want to remember Damon. Not now, not ever. Lexi crossed the room and put her hand on my arm. â€Å"Stefan, missing humans and your human life hurts. But it does get easier.† â€Å"When?† I asked, my voice cracking slightly. She glanced back at the portrait on the table. â€Å"Im not sure. It happens gradually.† She paused, then laughed, the sound so innocent and lighthearted that I wanted to sit down and stay at the house forever. â€Å"Let me guess. You want it to happen now.† I smiled. â€Å"You know me well.† Lexi frowned. â€Å"You need to learn to slow down, Stefan. You have an eternity ahead of you.† A silence fell between us, the wordeternityclanging in my ears. With a jerk, I pulled Lexi into a hug, inhaled the comforting aroma of our friendship, then sped out of the house without a glance back. Once outside, I chastised myself for my sentimentality. I had much to atone for, and feeling sorry for myself was self-indulgent. I paused at the spot on the street where Callie had died. There was no bloodstain, nothing to mark the fact that shed even existed. I knelt down, glancing over my shoulder before I kissed the pavement. Then I stood up and began to run, faster and faster. It was dawn, and the city was just waking up. Messenger boys zipped by on delivery bikes, and Union soldiers marched through the streets, their rifles nestled in their arms like infants. Vendors were already setting up on the sidewalk, and the air smelled like sugar and smoke. And, of course, like the tangy scent of blood and iron. I quickly reached the train station, where the platform was already bustling. Men in morning coats sat on worn wooden benches in the waiting area, reading newspapers, while women nervously clutched their purses. The entire station had an air of festive transience. It was the perfect hunting ground. And before I could help it, my fangs protruded from my gums. Bowing my face into my hands, I counted to ten, fighting the hunger that raced through me and waiting for my teeth to click back into their human form. The whistle blew, and the train roared into the station, kicking up a cloud of dust and breaking me out of my reverie. I followed the soldier on board, wondering if he and his lover would experience a happy ending. I took solace in knowing, at least, that should they not, it would not be because of me. I entered the coach compartment. â€Å"Ticket, sir?† a conductor asked, holding out his hand. I locked eyes with him, my stomach turning with disgust at having to rely on my Power. Let me pass.†I showed it to you,† I said aloud. â€Å"You must have forgotten.†

Ansell Condoms Case Study Essay

Question 2: What are the pros and cons for Ansell acquiring a European competitor? In your opinion, is it a good idea? Pros Ansell will be able to get a greater share of the market in Europe. Acquiring a new company in Europe will help to build their portfolio. They should be able to increase their number of recognisable brands. Ansell will be able to acquire the new companies existing contracts and contacts. It will help to create a reduction of overcapacity in the industry. Increase sales/revenue. Cons It was mentioned that the companies that Ansell are thinking about taking over are in some financial difficulty at the moment so Ansell will have to take on that difficulty. There is an increased change of job cuts. It will be hard for Ansell so see all of the hidden liabilities the company may possess. Ansell will more than likely have to pay goodwill for the acquisition. Conclusion Overall in my opinion it would be a good idea for Ansell to try and acquire a European competitor because although there is some financial risk and it could be a difficult process I think that the pros that I mentioned above will outweigh the potential cons. Ansell will need to get a strategy in place to make sure that the takeover goes as smoothly as possible. Learning Points: * Condom market is extremely competitive This case study shows us that the condom market is extremely competitive with five main companies competing with each other and a large number of smaller companies continually trying to gain a greater market share. * Acquisition of European competitor good for Ansell It would be a good idea for Ansell to take over one of their smaller European competitors to try and increase their market share and increase their number of recognisable brands around the world.

Othello Essay

William Shakespeare’s Othello is essentially a play about human passions, which, when unleashed, can be blind and destructive. Iago can be considered the most important character in the text, as it is him who manages to manipulate all the characters in the play by making use of their own weaknesses, so as to make them serve his own purpose of revenge. Iago’s motivations are multiple. He repeatedly states his hate for â€Å"the Moor†, and sets to destroy him and the other characters in the play. To achieve this, Iago makes use of the passions that he intuitively perceives as very prominent in the other characters: he uses Othello’s love for Desdemona and manages to drive him to believe she is unfaithful, he uses Desdemona’s generosity to determine her to speak to Othello in behalf of Cassio and so on. Thus, love and hate are the main human passions, but, from both of these, a third passion is often born: jealousy. Iago triggers Othello’s jealousy, and as he does so, he is motivated by his own jealousy. In Othello, Shakespeare shows how jealousy drives men to acts normally unconscionable. Jealousy motivates Iago to lie, cheat and steal his way to the chief lieutenant’s position. Without jealousy, men would be content in their environments and no conniving would occur. Jealousy is the strongest and the most powerful emotion in man. The most important feature of Iago is his permanent dissembling and his distortion of reality. This is the tool that he uses to deceive the others and to make them comply to his plan. Iago’s permanent dissembling is very important for understanding the motivations behind his acts. Even from the first scene of Act I, Iago declares that he acts so as to reach his own goals, and he is not devoted to any other person or sentiment than to himself. Thus, as Iago emphasizes, he only dissembles that he â€Å"follows† Othello as a servant, but in fact, only follows himself and is only faithful to his own motivations: â€Å"Others there are/ Who, trimm’d in forms and visages of duty,/ Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,/ And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,/Do well thrive by them and when they have lined/ their coats/ Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul;/And such a one do I profess myself. For, sir,/ It is as sure as you are Roderigo,/Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago:/In following him, I follow but myself;† (I. i. 49-59) Iago is motivated by his own designs and plans to destroy the Moor. Whatever the motivations that lie behind his hate for Othello, Iago makes it clear that he is only faithful to himself, and disregards any other feelings or principles that might stand in the way. At first sight, his almost diabolic plans seem to make of Iago a very cold and calculated character, since he manages to dissemble everything and to deceive everyone, while hiding his true nature and motivations. Iago is indeed Machiavellic in pursuing his purposes, and he states this himself, when he says that he will wear his heart upon his sleeve- a phrase that has a double meaning: firstly, he implies that he will play the others as he pleases, always taking the advantages as in a game of cards, and then that he will do this without any feeling or â€Å"heart†: â€Å"But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve/ For daws to peck at: I am not what I am. †(I. i. 65-66) However, as it shall be seen, Iago can not be considered as a mere cold blooded and Machiavellic character that acts only to reach his own abstract goals. Although his first motivation is to serve his own purposes and ensure his own comfort and pleasure, Shakespeare actually lets the reader see that Iago is motivated by his own passions, and most of all by jealousy, in his actions. The first hint in the play that corroborates this assumption is the fact that Iago’s manipulation of the other characters seems to spring from his own knowledge of the passions that impulse them. Iago’s is jealous of everyone else, and thus knows this feeling better that everyone and is able to use his knowledge to drive Othello to mad jealousy. He manipulates all the other characters as well, by using their own passions and a subtle distortion of truth: he uses Desdemona’s good heart to make her plead for Cassio in front of Othello, and thus drives her to perdition through her own actions, then he uses Cassio’s admiration for Desdemona and his desire to get his position back as a lieutenant to make him ask Desdemona for help, and so on. Even to achieve smaller purposes he always makes sure that the other characters are driven by some passion, so as to play them as he likes (as when he calls Barbantio, Desdemona’s father, and makes Roderigo tell him about his daughter’s corruption by Othello, and thus drives him into a rage). As such, Iago is a true Janus figure, a double faced character who dissimulates his own jealousy and passions to manipulate the other’s feelings: â€Å"Iago is like Janus, the two-faced god by whom he swears (â€Å"By Janus, I think no† [1. 2. 32]), in that he speaks with a double tongue. He alters his version of the truth to suit the occasion. To Roderigo he presents a Desdemona who is sexually susceptible, while to Cassio he offers a jaundiced view of â€Å"good name† — no longer the â€Å"jewel† of the soul that he praises to Othello (3. 3. 156) — when he asserts that â€Å"reputation† is an â€Å"idle and most false imposition† (2. 3. 267-68). Although Iago does tell a few direct lies, such as the presumably fabricated â€Å"dream† of Cassio, his speciality is more often â€Å"false interpretations of factual data† or the manipulation of empirical data to his advantage. †(Hall, 73) Some of Iago’s main motivations for his plans can be plainly read in his own statements and soliloquies in the text. Thus, the first motivation that comes into sight even at the beginning of the play is his jealousy of Cassio’s promotion as Othello’s lieutenant. Iago’s rancor drives him to call Cassio an incompetent lieutenant and to state that the place should have been his. He thus evinces the first sign of his over powering jealousy- he desires another man’s position and cannot stand to feel left aside: â€Å"As masterly as he: mere prattle, without practice/ Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election/ And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof/ At Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds/ Christian and heathen must be be-lee’d and calm’d/ By debitor and creditor: this counter-caster,/ He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,/ And I–God bless the mark! –his Moorship’s ancient. †(I. i. 25-32) The second important motivation to determine Iago’s actions is again jealously. This time, it is jealousy of Othello, as he thinks that the latter has engaged in an adulterous relationship with his own wife, Emilia. The statement appears twice in the play, and Iago emphasizes that his revenge will be the â€Å"wife for wife†, that is, he will make Othello pay with Desdemona wife for taking his own wife Emilia: â€Å"I hate the Moor, / And it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets / [He’s] done my office. † (I. iii. 386-88) I do suspect the lusty Moor/ Hath leap’d into my seat; the thought whereof /Doth (like a poisonous mineral) gnaw my inwards; /And nothing can or shall content my soul /Till I am evened with him, wife for wife. † (II. i. 295-99) The jealousy that Iago feels in both cases, for Cassio’s promotion over him and for Othello’s affair with Desdemona is unfounded as such. Emilia herself declines later in the play having had any kind of adventure with Othello. Therefore, it becomes obvious that these reasons that Iago takes up to pursue his revenge are more or less fabricated. He is indeed jealous both of Cassio and Othello, but his jealousy springs from an even deeper fountain than what that to which he admits: he is in fact eaten by envy for all the other character that is more successful than him or has more advantages than he does. Iago’s main motivation for his actions arises from an almost chronic jealousy of everyone and everything that main constitute a threat to his own ego: â€Å"Audiences accept the sincerity of his explosive â€Å"I hate the Moor† (1. 3. 377), his resentment at being passed over for promotion to lieutenant despite his being senior to Cassio (1. 1. 32-33), and his fear of being cuckolded (1. 3. , 378-79; 2. 1. 307). At the same time, they probably intuit other motives that drive his campaign of hatred: an underlying racial animosity toward Othello and bitterness at â€Å"class privilege,† a pervasive envy of anyone who is more successful than he is, and a need to assert himself through exercising power over the people who threaten his ego. †(Hall, 74) The love for his own self and his egocentrism are recurrent elements in Iago’s speech. This does not mean merely that he tries to preserve himself from harm and injury or that he always pursues his interests and ambitions. As already seen, Iago is indeed a character that always seeks his own interest. This can be easily inferred from the fact that he seems to act, as he himself states, to protect what is of his own right: his wife, and the position of lieutenant that, as he implies, should be rightfully his. However, Iago acts out of jealousy and a desire to possess everything that others possess, and not to protect his property. His idea is that the love for oneself should always come first, and annihilate any other principles, and this is one of the crucial reasons for his villainous actions: â€Å"[†¦] and since I could distinguish/ betwixt a benefit and an injury, I never found man/ that knew how to love himself. Ere I would say, I would drown myself for the love of a guinea-hen, /I would change my humanity with a baboon. † Since Iago’s love for himself drives him to jealousy of everyone else, he has no moral principles of his own. He mocks at love, virtue and honesty, reputation, and believes that the only true motivation for action should be that of pursuing one’s strict interests. In his conversation with Cassio, Iago advocates that reputation does not count for anything, and that a bodily injury would have been much more serious a wound: As I am an honest man, I thought you had received/ some bodily wound; there is more sense in that that/ in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false/ imposition: oft got without merit, and lost without/ deserving: you have lost no reputation at all,/ unless you repute yourself such a loser. (II. iii. 270-275) Not only does Iago despise any moral principle or value, but he is jealous of them when he sees that the others have them. Another motivation for his actions is thus the jealousy that he feels at the beauty he sees in the others’ lives. This is his case against Cassio who has a â€Å"daily beauty in his life† that makes Iago â€Å"ugly†: [†¦ ] if Cassio do remain,/ He hath a daily beauty in his life/ That makes me ugly; and, besides, the Moor May unfold me to him; there stand I in much peril:/ No, he must die. But so: I hear him coming. (V. i. 18-22) Thus, most of Iago’s motivations are determined by jealousy and envy. His jealousy is not limited to Othello’s taking of his wife or to Cassio’s taking of his position as a lieutenant, as he woul d have us believe. He is jealous of all the things or persons that are good or beautiful. As such, Iago has been many times seen as the personification of evil. He is almost a devil, who tempts the passions and weaknesses of other people, a true artist of evil. As Joan Lord Hall affirms, Iago seems at time to act as the principle of pure evil that does not need motives: â€Å"Whereas the original Vice sporting his â€Å"self-proclaimed, ebullient villainy† does not need motives, Iago is not wholly convincing when he provides them. †(Hall, 78) Iago himself, after having devised his diabolic plan, proclaims himself the author of the evil that shall follow: â€Å" I have’t. It is engender’d. Hell and night/ Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light. † (I. iii. 424-425) Although it is clear that Iago is evil, it is still obvious that he has his reasons for being evil, and that these are almost pathologic. He hates everyone else and is jealous of everything, and these are the main things that make him be evil. As Hall observes, Iago is indeed a passionate character, and he is animated by a pathological form of jealousy: â€Å"His intrigues thus serve to shore up the terrible emptiness of his â€Å"inner abyss. † The actor of Iago, though, may prefer to portray him as a smoldering volcano of aggression and pathological jealousy rather than as an emotionally dead human being. (Hall, 79) Thus, Iago denigrates both love and virtue in his conversation with Roderigo, trying to persuade him that Desdemona could be his in spite of her seeming love for Othello and of Othello’s love for her. Love is but a â€Å"sect or scion†, something that arises in the senses and that can be controlled with the help of the will. This crude and naturalistic definition of love that Iago gives, is certainly rooted into his own jealousy at not being able to partake of this feeling or of any other: but we have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal/ stings, our unbitted lusts, whereof I take this that/ you call love to be a sect or scion. (I. iii. 354-356) Iago cannot feel anything else except his own jealousy. This is why he imitates the feelings of Othello, and states that one of his reasons for his acts is his own lust for Desdemona. The position is however obviously false, as he only feels jealous of Othello and Desdemona’ love: Now, I do love her too;/ Not out of absolute lust, though peradventure/ I stand accountant for as great a sin, But partly led to diet my revenge,/ For that I do suspect the lusty Moor/ Hath leap’d into my seat; the thought whereof/ Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards;† ( II. i. 312- 319) As Hall proposes, the ultimate reasons for Iago’s behavior can be rooted in his acute jealousy, which obviously is almost paranoid. He does not feel jealousy for his wife as such, but for every man that might be happy with a woman: â€Å"If we find in Iago’s soliloquies interior development rather than casual motive-hunting, then the character is suffering from acute jealousy and sexual paranoia. He appears to distrust his wife intensely. Resentful of Cassio’s attentions to Emilia at the harbor, he later wonders if Cassio has usurped his â€Å"nightcap† (his place in bed). In his very first soliloquy, he broods on the rumor that Emilia has slept with Othello. †(Hall, 79) The most interesting part in the play for this point is Iago’s conversation with Othello, and his â€Å"advice† to the latter against jealousy. Thus, Iago induces Othello’s jealousy by denigrating jealousy in front of him in such a way that it becomes obvious that he speaks from personal experience, and that he knows the feeling all too well. Thus, Iago appears as a character who acts out of extreme jealousy, while he manages to target the jealousy of Othello and make him be the one that actually performs the evil: â€Å"O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;/ It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock/ The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss/ Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;/ But, O, what damned minutes tells he o’er/ Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves! † (III. iii. 188-193) Iago’s ultimate silence at the end of the play helps the conclusion. He has been trying to manipulate everyone through his speech and lying and to reach his goals, but at the end he is silenced by Desdemona’s last speech of love. His jealousy is thus smothered by the power of true love: â€Å"Thus defeated a second time, what further silence can Iago seek to impose, except upon himself? His characteristic movement, from awareness of inadequacy to anger to denial, here reaches its logical conclusion, in a denial so complete that it blocks access even to a language formed from pain or anger. †(Zender, 328)