Gran Torino Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Gran Torino - Movie Review Example When main hero Walt first comes to Thao’s house as a guest he feels alienated and doesn’t speak to anybody (Miller & Vandome & McBrewster, 56). So do all the other members of the family who ignore him. He only speaks with Thao and his sister who are young and therefore don’t feel so secluded. Now even starting with simple displays of respect we can already see that intercultural communication goes wrong in this scene when it can be done better. Asian people rarely shake hands and they traditionally prefer to present their respect in a form of bow. Walt wants to give everybody his hand to shake but he doesn’t succeed and afterwards even bows himself as he understands that it is he who is a guest and therefore should conform to the rules. But because Walt thinks of those people as guests in his country he can’t realize it at once and his intercultural communication evolves slowly with the flow of a storyline. Using this scene again it will be acceptab le to apply here interaction management too. If Thao’s elderly family members and Walt instead of defiantly not talking with each other try to maintain a conversation about, for example, their neighborhood in which all of them happen to live whether they like it or not it would be easier for them to become closer. Next example is a general relationship between Thao and Walt who are completely different in age, nation, culture, tradition and views. But paradoxically this difference attracts them because they are so different from everybody that they seek understanding.

Art History Essay Example for Free

Art History Essay This paper will attempt to give a descriptive analysis and comparison of two medieval sculptures viewed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The first sculpture entitled, â€Å"Virgin and Child;† attributed to Claus de Werve, a Netherlandish sculptor by Pierre Quarre a curator and chief of Musees de Djon and a leading authority on Burgundian sculpture. Claus de Werve was commissioned by the Duke and Duchess of the town of Poligny to create this statue for the convent which was headed by a Francisean nun named Colette between 1415-1417. The statue which is made of painted limestone is believed to be a gift that was commissioned for the convent. The second sculpture is entitled, â€Å"Mother and Child; Mali† which was created in Mali by the Bomana peoples. The statue of Virgin and Child is a religious humane figure of the Virgin Mother Mary and Jesus as a young boy which is associated with the Catholic Church and Christianity. This sculpture illustrates a mother and son involved in a tender moment. The statue is big in size and its dimensions are 53 x 42 x 28 inches and sits in the center of the Medieval Art exhibit in room 304 of the museum. The Virgin Mary in this sculpture appears very large in size as compared to the child. Her curly brown hair is positioned back away from her face, which is long and cascades down the sides of her face on to her shoulders. The skin of this sculpture resembles those associated with Caucasians with thin lips and long pointed noses. Her complexion or skin color I cannot tell because it is featured in a very dark room of the museum. On top of her head there appears to be a cloak or hood like garment that comes up to the middle of her head. She is wearing a long free flowing gown or dress underneath the cloak while she is sitting on a bench or piece of wood like structure. The child in this sculptured art has short curly brown hair and is wearing loose fitted clothing from that time period while sitting on the lap of the Virgin Mary. He appears comfortable as he sits in an angular position backwards gazing up into her face. As he sits on the lap of the Virgin Mother he gazes up into her face so matter of factly while he talks with her about the discoveries found in this book called the bible. The child appears to be pointing specifically to an important scripture or words of wisdom to emphasize perhaps to his mother the importance of learning this knowledge from the bible. The child’s actions and facial expressions appear to illustrate that he is the teacher and she is the student getting lessons on Christianity. Upon looking at the child’s posture the viewers can immediately assume that this child possesses a special quality or trait not found in other children. The facial expressions displayed on both mother and child signals a special unique moment that can only be shared between the two. The loving manner in which she firmly and carefully cradles her son with her left arm while holding the bible with her right lets viewers know that she wants to keep him safe from harm and prevent him from falling to the ground. At the same time her posture appears regal and straight as she looks down adoringly at her son with head slightly bowed while quietly and intensely listens to her son. On her face is a small smile that evokes pride for being selected as the chosen one to give birth to this special gift. The facial expressions of the Virgin Mary face appears to send encouraging signals to continue practicing his teachings so that she can perhaps help spread words of wisdom to others.. The second sculpture that will be discussed is entitled Mother and Child; Mali, which was created and carved out of wood by peoples living in Western Africa, called Bamana peoples. These individuals have artistic traditions in pottery, sculpture and beautiful cloths that are very distinct and connected to their cultural history that dates back to the 17th century. This group is located in the Bougouni or Diola area of Mali, which is located in western Africa. The Bamana individuals are part of the Mande culture and reside in the village of Bougouni. These individuals are taught while growing up to follow strict cultural practices regarding life experiences, such as hard work, responsibilities and taking care of a family. All members of this society have a specific purpose and it is up to all individuals who reside within this society to fulfill that purpose. One of the cultural practices of the Bamana peoples is to have large extended families. These extended families can grow as large as 100 to 1000 members. This may lead others to believe that most individuals within the Bamana society work together towards one common goal and the well being of all individuals regardless of blood ties. . Even though the Bamana society is mostly controlled by males, females or mothers are regarded highly and respected as individuals responsible for bringing forth life in their society. This respect is illustrated in the wooded sculptured entitled, Mother and Child; Mali. This figure was carved from wood by the elders of the Bamana village and symbolizes a mother or matriarchal figure that appears to act as a protector over her young child. The dark brown wooden sculpture is featured in the African and Oceanic section at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The sculpture is very tall and is approximately 49 inches tall. The material of this sculpture consists of dark brown wood that was just recently cleared by the museum according to one of the security guards there. At first glance when I approached this sculpture it reminded me of some sort of totem pole, because some of the body features are exaggerated on this sculpture. The torso and arms on the Mother and Child sculpture appear exaggerated and longer than most human figures. The female in this sculptured illustration appears to be seated on a throne like chair protecting her young. The female figure does not have on a top and her breasts are carved like two long triangles. On the female’s lower body a short cloth covers her hips as she sits on a bench cradling a small child. On the mothers right arm is an upper arm bracelet or rings and on her left arm there appears to be a sheath with a long knife concealed inside. On her head is a hat which is also cone shaped and inserted into the hat there appears to be sharp like objects sticking out. Along the sides of her head coming down from the hat are two thick braids that rest on her shoulders. The facial features portrayed on this sculpture feature big almond shaped eyes with a long thin nose and lips, which is consistent with the features found on the Bomana peoples living in that region or area. The facial expressions of the woman featured in this sculpture appear to be smiling as the figure looks out from above. Her posture as she sits on her throne like wooden structure is very straight and upright. The infant in this sculpture appears to be clutching or clasping at the mothers body for a secure place to hold onto. The infant featured is completely nude and his face against his mother’s torso as the legs straddles around the waist of the mother. A cloth like fabric appears to be at the waist of the mother separating the lower body proportions from touching. The mother sculpture is featured without any feet only legs and I do not know if the object was purposely created in that manner or if this art work was damaged and the feet destroyed. The similarities discovered in both sculptures depict the mother and child as aloving caring protectorate of the young. In both of these sculptures the mother is cradling the child in her arms on her lap while sitting down on a throne like structure. The child or son created in both works of art appears to be seated on their mother’s lap. addition the mothers size featured in both works are proportioned larger to the child displayed. others featured in both works of art portray the mother figure as a very large and powerful being in proportion to the child. Both appear to be seated on a throne like structure while holding or cradling a child in their arms. Both sculptures have a deeply rooted spiritual religious connection in their society. The Virgin and Child is a symbol of hope for all who live and believe in Christianity. The young child Jesus is known to all to be the one sent by god to save the peoples of the world from hell. While the mother and Child of Mali sculpture is also viewed and symbolizes the strength and power that a mother possesses. This art work also is connected to the Bamana society as a religious symbol of hope for the future, because without women in society there would be not be a future. These sculptures also evoke a sense of peace and serenity to individuals when viewing them. The difference viewed in both is that Mother and Child was constructed out of limestone polychromy and gilding, and the Virgin and Child; Mali was constructed from carved wood. The Virgin and Child sculpture appears to have life like features while the Mother and Child sculpture physical features appear to have been exaggerated with the long torso and large hands. One was created in France and the other in Mali Africa. One artist was used or named on the sculpture depicting the Virgin Mary while a group of Bamana elders are credited with the Mother and Child sculpture. The female body figure’s is completely covered in cloth. Only her hands, face and neck can be viewed, the child she is holding is also covered from head to toe in a loosely fitted garment, which may lead one to believe that the society in which these individuals resided are very conservative. The Mother and Child; Mali sculpture depicts individuals in a very primitive and natural manner. A society that does not place limits and is not afraid to display the beauty of human anatomy for all to see. The female in the sculpture has hardly any clothes covering her body and the infant is completely naked the physical features on the virgin Child sculpture although created thousands of centuries ago can still be viewed clearly. While the Mother and Child: Mali physical features of the figures appear to be weathering with time. This artwork in addition is only 500 years old. To conclude both sculptures reflect the ancient cultures by which they were made and focus on the importance of life in their societies during their respective time periods. They were selected because I enjoy observing art work that connects to my culture and history. It is very interesting to look through the eyes of the artist and view their interpretation of how the physical appearances of individuals during the biblical era were portrayed. I am a Roman Catholic and I was completely drawn to the sculpture at the museum, because it sort of reminded me of the statues in my church it immediately had this calming effect on me while I stood there staring at the piece attempting to sketch it for this assignment. As mentioned earlier in the paper I really thought the Virgin and Child; Mali was a totem pole because of its size and big wide eyes and head. However, after realizing that this sculpture stood as a symbol of motherhood in Africa I began to appreciate for bringing importance to all mothers in that society and around the world. Unlike the Virgin and Child sculpture it did not bring about a calming effect it kind of emitted power and strength. You got the sense that this mother would attack you in a minute if you attempted to bring harm to her child. All in all my experience at the Metropolitan Museum of Art was very pleasurable and in the future I plan to visit it again to look for other sculptures that I can connect with in the future. Through the eyes of other artist you can visualize history and the life of individuals who lived in the past.

Excessive Salaries in Professional Baseball Essay -- MLB Sports Athlet

Abstract This paper addresses the issue of the extreme increases in salaries of major league baseball players. It looks at the effects of these increases on all areas of the game, from competitiveness, to fan appeal, to financial issues. It also looks at the different perspectives of all involved, including the owners, players, and the fans. Also shown in the paper are the possible solutions to the problem of baseball salaries, along with some of the possible negative outcomes in the future if nothing is done Baseball’s Skyrocketing Salaries It can no longer be said that baseball is just a game. Actually, it has been many years since that statement could be considered true. Only recently, however, did the entire nation, not just sports fans realize the extent to which this fact is true. Athletes, for the most part, have always been paid better than the average American; but now, with Alex Rodriguez’s new contract, he is truthfully worth just as much as the entire franchise that he plays for.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Baseball salaries have skyrocketed out of control, and something must be done before the integrity of the game, and eventually, the game itself is destroyed. There are many reasons why this will happen, and this claim will be supported by the viewpoints of all involved, players, owners, and fans. Many of the cold, hard facts related to this salary increase will be shown, along with exactly what has caused this exponential increase in pay.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While the outcry against the outrageous contracts that the players receive only recently become national news, the anger towards the players for this dates back to the beginning of the game. However, since the creation of free agency in 1976, the increase in pay has become out of control. In order to see this, one only has to look at the first two years of free agency, where salaries doubled (Bodley, 2000, par. 17). Additionally, the average salary is currently forty times higher than it was in 1976 (Fisher & Heller, 2001, par. 4).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Baseball was the first sport to have free agency, and as it currently stands, the last to control it. All other major sports, basketball, football, and hockey, have plans in place in order to keep a check on salaries. As a result, they are not facing the crisis that Major League Baseball will soon have to deal with. These sports all have a form of a salary cap or some revenue sha... ... Fisher, E., Heller, D. (2001). Financial House of Cards. Insight on the News, 25 paragraphs. Retrieved February 24, 2001 from Friends University Library on-line Database: http://library.friends.edu:2059. Fuhr, J. (1999). Stee-rike Four! What’s Wrong With the Business of Baseball? Atlanta Economic Journal, 27(2), 38 paragraphs. Retrieved February 24, 2001 from Friends University Library on-line Database: http:library.friends.edu:2066. Noonan, D. (2000, December 8). Show me the Most Money. Newsweek, 57-58. Ozanian, M. (2000, June 12). Too Much to Lose. Forbes, 12 paragraphs. Retrieved February 24, 2001 from Friends University Library on-line Database: http://library.friends.edu:2059. Saraceno, J. (2000 December 13). Blame Owner: Don’t Envy A-Rod’s Green. USA Today, 26 paragraphs. Retrieved from Friends University Library on line Database. http://library.friends.edu:2059. Sullivan, R. (2000, December 25). Big Bucks and Baseball: The Idea of Overpaying for an Athlete’s Services didn’t Start with A-Rod, and it won’t stop with him. Time, 5 paragraphs. Retrieved February 24, 2001, from Friends University Library on-line Database. http://library.friends.edu:2059.

Introduction to Environmental Health and Risk Assessment Essay

Asbestos is considered a Public health hazard. As such there have been a number of scientific measures adopted to manage this risk to environmental health and safety. In this discussion the author would advance that the best way to manage asbestos is by applying the asbestos code designed for that particular location. It is believed to be safe since it is a code which has been researched prior to its design and many of the major risk factors were considered. It follows distinct guides such as ‘elimination/removal (most preferred); isolation/enclosure/sealing; engineering controls; safe work practices (administrative controls); personal protective equipment (PPE) (Asbestos control measures, 2010). As it pertains to this project the risk management plan to be adopted is the elimination and removal option which would be discussed in more detail. Justification for the decision In order to justify why it is believed that the elimination and removal option is the best under any circumstances to mange asbestos risks ,the reader must understand what it really does. First the removal has to be conducted by a certified environmentalist who is knowledgeable in the practice and would conduct the process according to the environmental heath and safety code pertaining to that procedure. Therefore, it excludes the infiltration of a novice undertaking the risk management technique. Asbestos is a very serious environmental hazard as such any attempts at control must be scientifically monitored. As was previously mentioned these are scientific interventions which are implemented after decades of well evaluated research, ‘environmental data, community health concerns and health outcome data†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. nvironmental data are reviewed to determine whether people in the community might be exposed to hazardous materials from the NPL facility. ’ (ATSDR, 2009). The removal boundaries are carefully defined; security signs and appropriate displays are erected for the public to recognize that the environment is being targeted for asbestos removal. This protects the community during the process since they would not enter the dangerous boundary zones. It is total illumination. Besides; the electrical equipment are removed and all appliances which are used to provide electrical power must be turned off. These add to the asbestos risk when elimination and removal are done. It cannot be overemphasized that this ensures complete elimination and security after the process is completed. Hence, here is the justification that this is the best option for removing both friable and non friable asbestos. It is highly recommended as a risk management device. How will elimination and removal provide a greater amount of protection from the inherent risks associated with Asbestos? Obviously, it is irradiation of the risk itself. It is like conducting a root cause analysis whereby the foundation of the factor is upturned to ensure that is has been destroyed completely. Isolation/enclosure/sealing; engineering controls; safe work practices (administrative controls); personal protective equipment (PPE) (Asbestos control measures, 2010) are all palliative measures. These do not stand the test of time because they act simply as control measures. There is still asbestos in the atmosphere. Of major significance is that the effects of asbestos do not manifest immediately. It takes years. During that time no one knows how effective these control measure might be. There is never a sure way of evaluating their true effectiveness until an entire community becomes ill from this exposure which was supposed to be controlled. Therefore, it is the author’s belief that the best ways to avoid any predisposed effects and provide optimum safety is by elimination and removal. An Outline of the selected method used to evaluate results of the option chosen to implement Asbestos risk management. The implementation task in itself offers a process of evaluation which is to determine the presence of asbestos in the air after the elimination process has been completed. This is a scientific evaluation. There are mainly three types of asbestos. Prior to the elimination procedure the environmentalist would have evaluated the types to determine whether it was white (chsorile); blue (crocidolite) or brown (amosite). The Environmental Protective Agency (EPA) has devised a scientific methodology to evaluate asbestos removal. It has been researched and found to be an appropriate measuring instrument. This entails the adoption of an alternative test which will evaluate the removal procedure used to determine how effective it was in estimating how much asbestos was really removed. Precisely, it attempts to remove some types of asbestos harbored in buildings. The interior of the building is wet, and then demolished without excluding whatever other types of asbestos may be present. Enough water is applied to trap any asbestos which might have escaped the initial reatment. This exercise is monitored and the amount of asbestos present in the atmosphere is evaluated. It is usually tested against a previously conducted irradiation treatment. (U. S Environmental Protection Agency. Asbestos Project Plan, 2010) This is a feasible way of evaluating the results of a previously conducted asbestos removal exercise. The environmentalists can also re-measure the asbestos content scientifically. However, this method even evaluates the specific instrument used and just not the degree of substances removed.

Fast Food Nation Synthesis

Sarah Whitaker Mrs. Kurtz A. P. Language and Composition 6 February 2013 The Meatpacking Industry: One of the Most Dangerous Jobs in the U. S. A report from the American Meat Institute shows that the U. S. is home to about 6,000 meatpacking plants. Millions of jobs all over the country are made through meatpacking plants. These low paying, risky jobs are swept up by men and women, these people unknowing of what exactly they have gotten themselves into. The meatpacking, today, has become one of the most dangerous jobs in America.As found by Steven Greenhouse of the New York times, â€Å"†¦the nation’s meat packing industry has such bad working conditions that it violates basic human and worker rights. † Ever since the publication of the famous book by Upton Sainclair–The Jungle— people all over the world have found it necessary for inspections to be considered and for changes to be done with little success. Workers in today’s plants seem to have the same problems that were faced almost 100 years ago.The Appleseed Center For Law found an estimated â€Å"total of 62 percent of those interviewed said they had been injured on the job in the past year, a rate seven times higher than the government’s official statistic for slaughterhouse workers†¦. †, as found in Reprt:Line Speed, Injuries Increase for Slaughterhouse Workers. So what happened to the much needed safety laws? It’s simple really, they just aren’t being followed. Many workers today, who live in horrible working conditions day by day to make their living for them and their families, are not being treated as they are meant to be and this has only made the industry bigger.One person quits or gets hurt and another is there, easily filling the new open position. Complaints don’t help either, as found by Gail Eisnitz, also cited in Reprt:Line Speed, Injuries Increase for Slaughterhouse Workers, â€Å"Slaughterhouse workers talk of a production system that moves to fast†¦despite numerous complaints to management—as well as countless injuries—the companies refuse to make changes because slowing the process would mean not making as much money. † As found in Eric Schlosser’s ook Fast Food Nation the underlying fact is that with power and money there comes damaged morals. The big business owners just don’t care! Now that the secrets are out and the industry is â€Å"naked† to the public now, the people are not calling the industry â€Å"The Jungle of the 2000s†, an article put out by the Associated Press States. Martin Cotez as interviewed by the Associated Press says, â€Å"You know what I like to say to the newcomers? They don’t kill cows. They kill people. † This, a response to his own story description, just puts a whole new label on the industry; murderers!Sinclair’s book published so long ago still seems to have barely effected the ind ustry of today. As discussed in Fast Food Nation, Schlosser also speaks of the injury of workers throughout chapter 8, effectively titled â€Å"The Most Dangerous Job. † One example of the horrible working conditions also comes from Fast Food Nation, Jesus â€Å"A soft spoken employee of DCS Sanitation Managerment, Inc† Talks of an experience he had on one of his cleaning duties, â€Å"One night while Jesus was cleaning, a coworker forgot to turn off a machine, lost two fingers, and went into shock.An ambulance came and took him away, as everyone else continued to clean. He was back at work the following week. ‘if one hand is no good,’ the supervisor told him,’use the other. ’† Not only did the supervisor not care, a person was injured and still returned to the job he obviously needed. So what needs to be done? Obviously whatever it is, its not happening. So even though the demand for food is high in this nation, what’s more imp ortant, our food or our citizens? increased demand at slaughterhouses has caused a rise in work related injuries† according to a report by a Nebraska-based non-profit. People in these plants are getting hurt not only because it’s what the job demands but because the more we as consumers want, the more the big industry owners will demand more work. So what will we as American citizens do? Work Cited â€Å"American Meat Institute. †Ã‚  American Meat Institute. Web. 8 Mar. 2013. â€Å"Report: Line Speeds, Injuries Increase for Slaughterhouse Workers. † Digging Through the Dirt, 8 Oct. 2009. Web. 7 Feb. 2013. Greenhouse, Steven. † Meat Packing Industry Criticized on Human Rights Grounds. † The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 25 Jan. 2005. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. â€Å"Dangers, tensions lurk in meatpacking industry†. Associated Press. Breaking News & Top Stories World News, US & Local: NBC News, 24 Apr. 2006. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. â€Å" Safety and Health Guide for the Meatpacking Industry. † Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. Schlosser,Eric. Fast Food Nation. New York: Harper And Perennial,2005. Print.

Four Common Idioms from Shakespeare

Four Common Idioms from Shakespeare Four Common Idioms from Shakespeare Four Common Idioms from Shakespeare By Maeve Maddox What do the following examples from the Web have in common? Changing my mind  is not something that happens often.  Its a simple case of  me  stating  my  point and  refusing to budge an inch  from it.   US Recovery Cold Comfort for Unemployed Are your kids  eating  you  out of house and home  during the summer? . I made the mistake of buying him an egg salad sandwich, even though  in my heart of hearts I knew  he wouldnt like or eat it. Each one contains a phrase from Shakespeare that is still in widespread use. refuse to budge an inch In the frame story of The Taming of the Shrew, drunken Christopher Sly has been thrown out of an inn. An inn employee threatens to call the law on him, but Sly refuses to be intimidated by the threat. He tells the employee to call whom he will, but that he’ll â€Å"not budge an inch.† Sly uses the expression literally: he will not physically move from the place where he immediately falls asleep. In modern usage, the idiom is usually used figuratively with the meaning, â€Å"stand firm,† â€Å"refuse to change one’s mind on a matter.† cold comfort Shakespeare uses this expression in two plays: The Taming of the Shrew and King John. In the Shrew, Grumio uses the expression in a lengthy and bawdy punning exchange with another servant. In King John, the king, dying of poison, suffers from a burning fever. When his attendants inquire how he feels, he responds hyperbolically, personifying Winter and chiding them for not asking winter: to make his bleak winds kiss my parched lips And comfort me with cold. I do not ask you much; I beg cold comfort; and you are so strait And so ingrateful you deny me that. In modern usage, â€Å"cold comfort† is used figuratively in contexts in which something that is good in one sense is not adequate consolation for those who do not benefit from it. For example, the news of a drop in unemployment is â€Å"cold comfort† to people who remain unemployed. to eat one out of house and home In Henry IV, Part 2, Hostess Quickly of the Boar’s Head tavern has called the law on Falstaff because he has run up an unpaid bill of 100 marks. When the Lord Chief Justice asks for details, she says, â€Å"He hath eaten me out of house and home; he hath put all my substance into that fat belly of his.† In modern usage, the expression seems to be especially common in reference to teenagers. in my heart of hearts Shakespeare puts the expression in Hamlet’s mouth, although without a plural: Give me that man That is not passion’s slave, and I will wear him In my heart’s core, ay, in my heart of heart. Hamlet is praising Horatio for being the kind of man who can be trusted. In modern usage the phrase â€Å"heart of hearts† means, â€Å"the seat of one’s truest feelings.† The expression is especially popular on dating sites. For example: The most important question to ask yourself is this:  In your heart of hearts, do you believe that he or she is the one and only? Happy Birthday, Shakespeare! He was not of an age, but for all time!- Ben Jonson (1572-1637) William Shakespeare Born: April 23, 1564 Died: April 23, 1616 Related posts Shakespeare’s Vocabulary Book Titles From Shakespeare Sources of Titles Drawn from Shakespeare 20 Movies Based on Shakespeare Plays The Most Unkindest Cut of All Thou Lily-livered Boy Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Fly, Flew, (has) FlownFlied?44 Resume Writing Tips7 Proofreading Steps

The Byronic Hero Destiny and Russian Romanticism Essay Example

The Byronic Hero Destiny and Russian Romanticism Essay Example The Byronic Hero Destiny and Russian Romanticism Paper The Byronic Hero Destiny and Russian Romanticism Paper Essay Topic: Eugene Onegin Irena Curic dr. sc. Janja Ciglar-Zanic, red. prof. English Romanticism 08 January 2013 The Byronic Hero and Russian Romanticism Introduction George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, or simply Lord Byron, was a British poet of Scottish descent who is today considered to be the most influential British poet of the Romantic period (Catherine B. ONeill calls him the best-known nineteenth-century British poet outside England).His adventourous character and wild but appealing works made him famous throughout Europe. He died in Greece during the countrys war of Independence and became a legend. He was only 36 when he died but his influence was massive. His works, mostly Childe Harolds Pilgrimage and Don Juan, but also Mazeppa, the Corsair and the Prisoner of Chillon were read among the intelectual elite of the whole Europe and many poets and intelectuals became inspired to write their own works in style of Byron.It was the idea of national identity, so popular in the 19th century, that Byron s upported during his life, and the fact that he wrote about the exotic lands and their pains under the tyranny of the oppressors that made him especially popular in moulding of the new nations and their identities in southern and eastern Europe (Hocutt: Byrons influence as individual and author seemed always to have greater impact outside of England than within his prudish homeland. While imitators and admirers of Byron the individual and author could be found throughout Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, and Russia, little more than harsh criticism for his works and exile for his lifestyle emanated from his sometimes beloved, sometimes criticized native Britain, even after his death. ). Apart from his political influence, he was just as appealing to the youth who saw his quests and deeds as an impetus to rebel. In the eyes of his time, Byron was primarily looked upon as an outlaw, an immoral man. He had an affair with his stepsister and was openly sceptic of religion and political institutions.His works were filled with descriptions of decandence and abomination. His demonic heroes with weak moral compass became iconic for the writers who would be influenced by Byron. Catherine B. ONeill wrote: Childe Harold took the world by storm because of many features that we now think of as characteristic of Romantic poetry: the subjective experience of the natural wor ld, the high degree of identification between the author and the hero, the motif of a journey that is simulatneously literal and psychological, and, primarily, the isolated heros mysterious disenchantment and heartache. The Byronic hero had become a specific literary type of hero who very much resembles the writer alone. It is usually a young male (although there are female examples) who is constantly bored and unsatisfied. His spleen drives him to a constant search for new sensations, which rarely give him pleasure. He prefers solitude to the company of others and feels much more connected to nature than to people: Now Harold finds himself at lenght alone, And bade to Christian tongues a long adieu; Now he adventurd on a shore unknown, Which all admire, but many dread to view:His breast was armd `gainst fate, his wants were few; Peril he sought not, but neer shrank to meet, The scene was savage, but the scene was new; This made the ceaseless toil of travel sweet, Beat back keen winters blast, and welcomd summers heat. He finds particular characteristics of savageness to be more truthfull than society of his day which he finds corrupt and dishonest: The royal vices of our age demand A keener weapon, and a mightier hand. He takes great pleasure in satirizing contemporary events and social currents: Prepare for rhyme-I`ll publish, right or wrong: Fools are my theme, let Satire be my song. It is no secret that Byron shaped his demonic hero on his own character and his own experiences. The real background of his poems makes his scenes and adventures seem more vivid and close to the reader. So it is no wonder that his straightforward style and his hatred of censorship met with such international adoration. Byron in Russia When Byrons works conquered Europe, his influence very quickly reached Russia where his works, especially Childe Harolds Pilgrimage, inspired two of the greatest Russian Romantic writers – Alexander Pushkin and Mikhail Lermontov. When his work came to Russia, it became an instant hit among Russian authors.Even the very young authors, who would later shape the Russian realism, like Turgenev, read and admired Byrons work. Daniel Hocutt writes that Most Russian writers viewed Byrons work in one of two ways: late sentimentalists admired his vivid and tender sensitivity; later Romantics emphasized their heros bleak colouring and rebellious passions . Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin was the first Russian author to publicly praise Byron and openly imitate his style. E ugene Onegin: the first Russian Byronic hero? Alexander Pushkin was the first authentic Russian Romantic poet and the leader of the National Romantic movement.He appreciated Byron and used the motive of the Byronic hero in his best known work Eugene Onegin. Pushkin imitated high Byronism in his narrative poems and lyrics written in Southern Russia between 1820 and 1824 Readers compared Pushkins and Byrons lives, focusing on sexual scandal, exile, and advocacy for Greek and other nationalist movements. Pushkin briefly encouraged such comparisons, announcing in 1822 that his new poem-in-progress, Eugene Onegin, was in spirit of Don Juan, but he quickly backtracked when his satire suffered from comparison to Byrons. Eugene Onegin, the protagonist of the work, is a young man who suffers from the typical Romantic boredom, the spleen. The work begins when Eugene grows bored of St. Petersburg (city, the very place of corruption) and wants to run away from his life there. He has even grown t ired of women and has given up his books. After death of his uncle, he goes away to the countryside. There he meets a young woman Tatyana who falls in love with him. However, being a cold Romantic outsider, Eugene politely turns her down only to fall in love with her in the end of the story.But then it is her turn to turn him down because she has a husband and does not want to compromise her pride and reputation. Although Pushkin tried to make his main character resemble a Byronic hero (Eugene even has a picture of Byron on his shelf), when he gave him the power to confess his feelings and change his nature, he moved away from the original, thus creating a specific type of a Russian Romantic hero: a hero with pretensions to change his miserable destiny. A true Byronic hero would carry on with his fate, without trying to change it and would most certainly continue running away from his emotions.Byronic Hero of our Time Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov was killed in a gun duel, much like his predecessor Pushkin, at an early age of 27. It is interesting that they both had their main characters fight duels in their books. Of course, Onegin and Pechorin both managed to save their lives. Mikhail Lermontov had a much more complicated relationship with his British idol. First, he admitted resemblance to Byron in his poem Dont think me worthy of pity and then stated that he is not Byron but a true Russian poet in his poem No, Im not Byron:No, Im not Byron; I am, yet, Another choice for the sacred dole, Like him a persecuted soul, But only of the Russian set. I early start and end the whole, And will not win the future days; Like in an ocean, in my soul, A cargo of lost hopes stays. Who, oh, my ocean severe, Could read all secrets in your scroll? Wholl tell the people my idea? Im God or no one at all! However, he is the Russian author who managed to come the closest to the original idea of a Byronic hero through the character of Pechorin in his work Hero of our Time.Although he made a whole list of Byronic references, such as doctor Verner having a limp, or Princess Mary reading Byron among other authors, it is the protagonist, Grigory Alexandrovich Pechorin that captur es our imagination from the first page. He suffers from spleen, enjoys danger and seduction of beautiful women. He does not do it purely for the fun, which we can clearly see from his journal, but is afraid of commitment and therefore runs away from his feelings.He chooses to stay unhappy in order to keep his freedom: Id make any sacrifice but thistwenty times I can stake my life, even my honor, but my freedom Ill never sell. Why do I prize it so much? What do I find in it? What am I aiming at? What have I to expect from the future? Nothing, absolutely nothing. Its some innate fear, an inexplicable foreboding . . . Conclusion Russia of the early 19th century was a gloomy and turbulent place. It was a time of growing nationalist ideas and revolutionary thoughts, a time of lord Byrons literary influence. Byrons struggles and support for national and regional independence movements influenced Decembrists and other revolutionaries in the 1820s. One such revolutionary was Alexander Pushkin, most famous of the Russian Romantic poets, who was exiled to his mothers estate as a result of his involvement in and support of the 1825 uprising. Pushkins impact on Russian Romanticism cannot be minimized, particularly as it relates to Mikhail Lermontov, the last famous Russian Romantic writer. Voraciously reading Byrons poetry and prose in the original, in translation, and in loose interpretation, these Russian writers dedicated themselves for over a decade to write as Byron wrote and to live as Byron lived. Both Pushkin and Lermontov thoroughly read and enjoyed Byrons work and each of them by being a bit of Byronic her oes themselves, helped to shape a new type of a Russian Romantic hero.

Dyslexia and Multisensory Teaching Approaches

Dyslexia and Multisensory Teaching Approaches Multisensory learning involves using two or more senses during the learning process. For example, a teacher who provides lots of hands-on activities, such as building a 3-dimensional map enhances their lesson by allowing the children to touch and see the concepts she is teaching. A teacher who uses oranges to teach fractions adds sight, smell, touch and taste to an otherwise difficult lesson. According to the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), multisensory teaching is an effective approach to teaching children with dyslexia. In traditional teaching, students typically use two senses: sight and hearing. Students see words when reading and they hear the teacher speaking. But many children with dyslexia may have problems processing visual and auditory information. By including more of the senses, making lessons come alive by incorporating touch, smell and taste into their lessons, teachers can reach more students and help those with dyslexia learn and retain information. Some ideas take just a little effort but can bring about big changes. Tips for Creating a Multisensory Classroom Writing homework assignments on the board. Teachers can use different colors for each subject and notations if books will be needed. For example, use yellow for math homework, red for spelling and green for history, writing a sign next to the subjects students need books or other materials. The different colors allow students to know at a glance which subjects have homework and what books to bring home.Use different colors to signify different parts of the classroom. For example, use bright colors in the main area of the classroom to help motivate children and promote creativity. Use shades of green, which help increase concentration and feelings of emotional well-being, in reading areas and computer stations.Use music in the classroom. Set math facts, spelling words or grammar rules to music, much as we use to teach children the alphabet. Use soothing music during reading time or when students are required to work quietly at their desks.Use scents in the classroom to convey differe nt feelings. According to the article Do scents affect peoples moods or work performance? in the November, 2002 issue of Scientific American, People who worked in the presence of a pleasant smelling air freshener also reported higher self-efficacy, set higher goals and were more likely to employ efficient work strategies than participants who worked in a no-odor condition. Aromatherapy can be applied to the classroom. Some common beliefs about scents include: Lavender and vanilla help promote relaxationCitrus, peppermint and pine help increase alertnessCinnamon helps to improve focus You may find that your students react differently to certain scents, so experiment to find which works best using a variety of air fresheners. Start with a picture or object. Usually, students are asked to write a story and then illustrate it, write a report, and find pictures to go with it, or draw a picture to represent a math problem. Instead, start with the picture or object. Ask students to write a story about a picture they found in a magazine or break the class into small groups and give each group a different piece of fruit, asking the group to write descriptive words or a paragraph about the fruit. Make stories come to life. Have students create skits or puppet shows to act out a story the class is reading. Have students work in small groups to act out one part of the story for the class. Use different colored paper. Instead of using plain white paper, copy hand-outs on different color paper to make the lesson more interesting. Use green paper one day, pink the next and yellow the day after. Encourage discussion. Break the class into small groups and have each group answer a different question about a story that was read. Or, have each group come up with a different ending to the story. Small groups offer each student a chance to participate in the discussion, including students with dyslexia or other learning disabilities who may be reluctant to raise their hand or speak up during class. Use different types of media to present lessons. Incorporate different ways of teaching, like films, slide shows, overhead sheets, P owerpoint presentations. Pass pictures or manipulatives around the classroom to allow students to touch and see the information up close. Making each lesson unique and interactive keeps students interest and helps them retain the information learned. Create games to review material. Create a version of Trivial Pursuit to help review facts in science or social studies. Making reviews fun and exciting will help students remember the information.   ReferencesDo scents affect peoples moods or work performance? 2002, Nov 11, Rachel S. Herz, Scientific AmericanInternational Dyslexia Association. (2001). Just the facts: Information provided by the International Dyslexia Association: Orton-Gillingham-Based and/or Multisensory Structured Language approaches. (Fact Sheet No.968). Baltimore: Maryland.

Who We Are As People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Who We Are As People - Essay Example Who we are as people is a broad field of analysis of human life and all that is attributed towards it. The bible explains the origin of human life in the book of genesis. Charles Darwin is a scientist who wrote about the origin of man. In his manuscript, man evolved from a single cell. The replication of these cells led to the development of the first species of man. Religious societies have their own way of interpretation creation. However, the method is based on strong belief as it cannot be physically proved. The book of genesis contains the whole story of creation. The religious view of creation believes that human beings were created by a supreme being. Religion concept Religious and scientific aspects of life agree on one common understanding of human traits. They both believe that human beings are supreme creatures. According to the bible, God created heaven and earth and placed inside all the life components that exist. He created man on the last day and rested. Man is consid ered to be a special creature as he was given the breath of life by God Himself. God also appreciated his last creation as he made. This portrays that the last creature was special. Man was made in the image of his creator which was different case with the rest of God’s creation. According to science, man has the most complicated brain. Human beings are the most intelligent creatures. ‘In the text Metamorphoses’ God created heaven and made it a home the stars, He created the sea and made it a home for the fish and finally the earth which he made it to be a home for the wild animal. However, He was not impressed as none of the creatures had higher thought to rule over His creation. Finally, He made man whom he gave the ability to rule over His creation. They have the ability to reason thus differentiate between logic and illogical situations. Man was given the ability to raise his head high and face the sky while the wild animal and flying creatures all bow and fa ce down as a sign of respect for humankind. Technology concept Technology is another aspect that makes human beings special creatures. They have the ability to discover. Human beings are flexible to the inevitable change. They have the ability to manipulate change in order to match their needs. Human beings have a life span and are able to work with nature to ensure their life span is within the life expectancy radar. Self identity Self identity is one of the most important aspects in human life. This is ability to have a sense of belonging. Human beings ought to belong in a certain group or groups. Living things have the ability to correlate but human beings have a special ability to connect as well as correlate with each other (Chapeyama, 24). The idea of connection and correlation provide human beings with the advantage to advance in technology. Self identity is associated with behaviour and intension. Human beings have the power to chose and make decision. Self identity promotes self confident thus the ability to rule or make self decisions. Moral differences Human beings have moral differences which makes have admiration and develop interest in a variety of things. In the context ‘Metamorphoses’ the creation period is referred to as the golden age since there was no law, coercion, no fear nor punishment and no use of threatening or insulting words. This is an indicator that humankind have morally evolved and transformed to evil and unethical ways of life. The earth was smooth without a mark of plough. Currently, the situation has change and human beings are forced to work in order to obtain food. This notion is explained in the book of Genesis, ‘In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you

Rising Unemployment Puts Strain on Social Security Fund Article

Rising Unemployment Puts Strain on Social Security Fund - Article Example However, with the recent financial crisis, the number of jobholders has been diminishing significantly leading to severe unemployment problem which in turn resulted in the reduction in inflow to social security trust fund. The origin of problem due to rising unemployment has been vividly described by Lori Montgomery (2009) in the article entitled â€Å"Rising unemployment puts the strain on Social Security fund† in Washington Post. Montgomery describes the negative impact of the U.S. recession on the Social Security trust fund that affected the social security benefits for nearly 51 million retirees and other recipients. More alarmingly, due to the existence of this situation, total surplus funds at the moment may get eroded by end of 2010 far earlier than expected period. The main concern is that a lot of necessity exists at the moment for the US government to spend on infrastructure and human resource development and the shortfall of social security fund is expected to make the financial balance sheet worse. In general, the Treasury Department borrows money from the Social Security trust fund to finance government operations and this option will no longer be available in nearby future due to this recent crisis. This would certainly force US government to borrow an additional $700 billion over the next decade from other countries like China and Japan. Another concern is that by 2017, the Treasury would have to start repaying the billions it has borrowed from the trust fund over the past 25 years, which forces the government to widen its external debt. This would force the US government to enhance the tax rates considerably on the limited number of employees. Recent Congress budget presentation in August 2008 revealed that the earlier projections were satisfactory, but the condition changed towards negative trend very rapidly with loss of more than 4 million jobs coupled with the recession.  

Ethical Considerations Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 44

Ethical Considerations - Case Study Example Bad relations lead to often conflicts among people. In addition, the supervisor should have come up the training program to impart knowledge to all the officers on the diversity management. This will enable all the officers to appreciate globalization and more so, to maximize different knowledge, skills, and abilities from different people. With this knowledge of understanding others, he could have requested people to keep quiet instead of commanding them. By so doing, there could be no violence between the two parties. The supervisor should have given Burn an assistant officer with whom they could work together. This could reduce the possibility of Burn conflicting with the people in the party since the other officer could prevent the conflict. During research on the weakness of the officer, the supervisor should observe privacy. This is the natural right of an individual that is the foundation of legal right. This is very important to all persons because it is the necessary condition of all other freedom and personal autonomy. The administration should understand that there is the relationship between privacy, freedom and human dignity. The supervisor shouldn’t have deployed Burn to a smaller area. This is viewed as discrimination. This brings a lot of dissatisfaction among the officers or any employee leading to increased conflict as a way to release the stress. To reduce this supervisor could conduct regular training to the officers (McCarthy, 2005). The policies that the supervisors shou ld put in place include communication policies, motivational talks, training policies and dismissal policies showing the procedure through which an officer may be dismissed. Through these, officers could behave ethically at all times. In my opinion, the officers, the supervisor and the people partying are all liable for their negligence.

Discuss the importance of ethics in business in light of the recent Assignment

Discuss the importance of ethics in business in light of the recent global financial crisis (GFC) - Assignment Example assessment item they should attach all supporting documentation to the completed Request for Extension form which is available from a Student Centre, the UWS website or from the ‘Support’ folder in the BAS vUWS site. Requests for extension must be submitted no later than three working days prior to the due date of the assessment task to Parramatta Campus, School of Marketing, Building ED (Reception) or Campbelltown Campus, School of Marketing Building 22A (Bev Booth). After that period, requests for extensions will not be accepted and students will need to apply for special consideration. If students need to apply for a special consideration, they should attach all supporting documentation to the completed Application for Special Consideration form which is available from the Student Centre, the UWS Website or from the ‘Support’ folder in the BAS vUWS site. Applications need to be submitted to the Student Centre at Parramatta or Campbelltown A student who submits a late assessment without approval for an extension of the due date will be penalised by 10 per cent per day up to 10 days, i.e. marks equal to 10 per cent of the assignment’s weight will be deducted as a ‘flat rate’ from the mark awarded. For example, the essay development assessment task that is worth 20 marks will have 2 marks deducted from the awarded mark for each late day including Saturdays and Sundays. Assessments will not be accepted after the marked assessment tasks have been returned to students who submitted the task on time. Linking different pieces of information in a structured manner is important. The simplest way to ensure that your work is structured in such a way is to prepare an essay plan before you start. Essay plans help with structuring by organising information so that each concept flows logically from the one preceding. An essay plan also can help you work out how you will answer a question and which information you will use. With regard to the recent economic

IPhone 6 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

IPhone 6 - Research Paper Example As such, Apple discharges an item when it’s great and complete (Boxall para2) Apple usually releases a new iPhone around September (Lutlow para3). This time, it is said that Apple is going to break that cycle. It is said because the iPhone 6 is to a great extent a complimentary item to the iPhone 5S, giving individuals a decision of screen sizes, the debates I going on in the market place that Apple will be releasing another model of smartphone shortly (Lutlow para4). So far it is speculated that the release date of iPhone 6 would be around May, June and July. The information is conflicted so nobody knows the actual launch date (Johnson para1). In May it was generally reported that Apple will propel the iPhone 6 in August. (Judge para2) Inventory network sources in Taiwan affirmed a 4.7 inch rendition of the iPhone 6 might propel in August with a bigger 5.5 inch new model in late September (Johnson para1) Approximately 80 million iPhone 6 handsets will be handled before the end of 2014, as indicated by sources identifying with the Economic Daily News. (Johnson para3) An August launch might be a break from custom for Apple, the iPhone 5, 5s and 5c all released in September. Usually the design of a product that is used by Apple is applicable for two iterations, before it brings out something different and new. (Lutlow para2) It can be seen in iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s and now Apple is going for a new look for iPhone 6, which is understandable (Lutlow para1). According to one rumor the designs of iPod Nano and iPhone 5C are taken by Apple for the iPhone 6. (Goodwin para3) Another rumor was published in the Japanese blog Macotakara which stated that Apple will replicate the colors of iPhone 5C, which will give people the choice of selecting colors for their phones (Goodwin para3). The body of iPhone 5C was made of plastic which might not be the reasonable choice for iPhone 6 since it’s a high-end smartphone. (Epstein para2) This

Discuss the importance of ethics in business in light of the recent Assignment

Discuss the importance of ethics in business in light of the recent global financial crisis (GFC) - Assignment Example assessment item they should attach all supporting documentation to the completed Request for Extension form which is available from a Student Centre, the UWS website or from the ‘Support’ folder in the BAS vUWS site. Requests for extension must be submitted no later than three working days prior to the due date of the assessment task to Parramatta Campus, School of Marketing, Building ED (Reception) or Campbelltown Campus, School of Marketing Building 22A (Bev Booth). After that period, requests for extensions will not be accepted and students will need to apply for special consideration. If students need to apply for a special consideration, they should attach all supporting documentation to the completed Application for Special Consideration form which is available from the Student Centre, the UWS Website or from the ‘Support’ folder in the BAS vUWS site. Applications need to be submitted to the Student Centre at Parramatta or Campbelltown A student who submits a late assessment without approval for an extension of the due date will be penalised by 10 per cent per day up to 10 days, i.e. marks equal to 10 per cent of the assignment’s weight will be deducted as a ‘flat rate’ from the mark awarded. For example, the essay development assessment task that is worth 20 marks will have 2 marks deducted from the awarded mark for each late day including Saturdays and Sundays. Assessments will not be accepted after the marked assessment tasks have been returned to students who submitted the task on time. Linking different pieces of information in a structured manner is important. The simplest way to ensure that your work is structured in such a way is to prepare an essay plan before you start. Essay plans help with structuring by organising information so that each concept flows logically from the one preceding. An essay plan also can help you work out how you will answer a question and which information you will use. With regard to the recent economic

Paul Smith Logo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Paul Smith Logo - Essay Example The design would consider the size shape and orientation of every element constituting the logo. The color would emphasize on the variations and the meanings when interpreted. The analysis would also focus on the message communicated by the trademark, the context on which they apply and use (Meroni & Sangiorgi 2011). Design The layout of the logo displays a number of variant characters, each acting to form a coherent structure of the emblem. The orientation of every element of the logo displays a convergence of meaning and its intent to the appreciator. The name â€Å"Paul Smith† is indicated at the central position of the logo and occupies a better area of the logo indicating that the writing is one of the main reasons for the logo. For instance, the average range of the area occupied by the writing is 40 – 75%. The proportion of the writing depends on the item onto which the logo is embedded. The writing is the main feature that whoever sees the logo would acknowledge (Middleton C & Herriott 2007). The writing and the background of the logo is modified to attain a rectangular shape. The length of the rectangular shape containing the logo is about twice the breadth. According to Harvey 2005, the disparity in proportionality is critical to show the main intent of the sign. The logo graphics are variant and have either posed the logo in two dimensions or three. The woven logo tends to have depressions forming the three dimensional aspect whilst the printed or painted signatures express two dimensionality. The front styles and sizes are different but maintain conspicuous nature and visibility to attract attention of the eyes. Placement on websites and advertising has been easing by the logo since the logo tends to communicate all the information about the company. The logo has a rich visual text relationship because the logo design has ensured that the name is extremely visible. The logo has ensured maximum visibility through the difference between the color used in writing and the background. Concerning the expression of the logo, the emblem symbolizes the general nature according to its structure. Firstly, the name on the logo is hand written in spite of any graphics used in improving it. The writing indicates simplicity and normalcy of the company products. The logo tends to display the sense that even the best things of the world originate from the simplest items. Color The logo exposes an extreme complexity in color since it appears in a multicolor system. The logo was designed to express a total of twenty eight colors. Nonetheless, the colors have then been trimmed to fourteen in number. Basically, the logo depends on the occurrence of two contrasting colors. The numerous colors are also critical on the logo because the design intends to address many persons in the world and who also have variant preferences. Thus, an individual must get the preferred color (Harvey 2005). The variation of the colors composing the emblem ranges from slight difference to the most conspicuous differences. The difference in colors appears in a system exposing the particular color and the partial concentrated color of a similar nature either besides it or at a different point of the logo. The logo symbolizes the basic components of a fashion emphasizing that a fashion depends on the difference between two materials provided that the arrangement of the items is logical. The logo takes different

Foreign pronunciation Essay Example for Free

Foreign pronunciation Essay In his book Foreign Accent: The Ontogeny and Phylogeny of Second Language Phonology, Roy C. writes that first language transfer is very influential and one of the most important components at the beginning stages of foreign language acquisition. (p. 31) At this point the scientist implies learning phonology, which usually takes place at the beginning of the course of a foreign language study. Another researcher, Trubetzkoy, stresses that the perception of the foreign language is filtered through the sieve of a learner’s mother tongue. (From Roy 2001, p. 31) In phonology this filter resultes in producing an accent, which drew the pronunciation of the foreign language near the pronunciation of the mother tongue. The examples can be found in adopting English pronunciation all around the world: â€Å"a French accent may be recognizable from word final stress patterns and uvular /R/; a German accent by the lack of /w/—/v/ distinctions; a Spanish accent by the rhythmic characteristics and lack of vowel reduction; an American accent by the /r/ and marked vowel reduction; and a Japanese accent by the lack of r/—/1/ distinctions. † (From Roy 2001, p. 31) According to Weinreich (1953), there are different types of negative transfer in phonology. The researcher Weinreich proposes to differentiate the following seven types: Sound Substitution. It occurs when a learner uses the nearest equivalent of his/her mother tongue to pronounce a sound of the foreign language. For instance, English sounds /? ? / are usually mispronounced by foreign learners. Spanish learners substitute them with dental /? ?/, French pronounce /s z/ instead of them; Hindi speakers use their retroflex /? ?/ (although Hindi also has similar sounds / ? ?/). Phonological Processes. This concerns all allophones and allophonic processes. For example, German learners of English have a tendency to devoice the final voiced consonants: ha|t| instead of ha|d|, |bik| instead of |big|. English speakers, in their turn, are more likely to use a velarized or dark [l] for final clear [l] in French or Spanish words: eel [il] instead of. il [il] â€Å"he†, 1 [el] instead of el [el] â€Å"he†. Underdifferentiation. It takes place, when a learner misses some differentiations in foreign sounds due to the fact that his/her native language does not have these differentiations. For instance, English has /i/ and /? /, but French learners usually use one /i/ for both; English /? / and /? / can be pronounced as one /? / by a Portuguese speaker. Over-differentiation. This process is opposite to what under-differentiation is. In the case of over-differentiation the native language of a learner contains differentiations, which do not exist in the foreign language. Though, as Weinreich points out, over-differentiation does not lead to some gross phonetic mistakes, â€Å"it results in a different mental representation. † (From Roy 2001, p. 32) To illustrate over-differentiation, Roy C. brings the following examples: â€Å"English /d/ and /? / are separate phonemes whereas in Spanish they are allophones (/d/ [? ] after vowels). An English speaker thinks of the [d] in dia â€Å"day† as a different sound from the [? ] in nada â€Å"nothing, † whereas the Spanish speaker thinks of them as one sound, because they are allophones of the same phoneme. † (From Roy 2001, p. 32) Reinterpretation of Distinctions. It is related with the theory, which divides features into primary and secondary, or distinctive and redundant. For example, in American variant of English the qualitative tense/lax distinction is primary and the quantative is secondary. Native English speaker does not even hear the length of sounds, but the sound |i| in beet and bit will never be confused. In contrast, length in German words is primary and their quality is secondary, as it is seen in bieten [bi:t? n] â€Å"to offer, and † bitten [bit? n] â€Å"to ask†. Consequently, a German learner will think that in English words beet and bit the length is more important that the quality of the vowel. Phonotactic Interference. This process takes place when a learner modifies syllable and word structures in the foreign language in order to fit the patterns in his/her native tongue. For example, Brazilian Portuguese very often pronounce the words ping pong and picnic like pin[gi] pon[gi] and pic[i] nic[i] because the syllables |in| can not be placed at the end of Brazilian words. Prosodic Interference. It takes place, when a learner substitutes prosodic patterns in the foreign language with those of his/her mother tongue, in spite of the fact that the prosodic patterns of the both languages are completely different. Thus, a French student would incorrectly stress the last syllables in English words because in his/her native language all the words have the last syllables stressed. An English student can pronounce Chinese sentences using English intonation patterns. As the book Foreign Accent: The Ontogeny and Phylogeny of Second Language Phonology states, the finding of Weinreich, and all the similar ones, help to predict the areas which will cause difficulty in learning a foreign language. Weinreich’s differentiation of negative transfer types prompted other researches on the same topic. Thus, Moulton (1962) presents error types (from Roy 2001, p. 33), based on the linguistic and socio-linguistic contrasts between English and German. According to Moulton, while learning a foreign pronunciation, students make the following types of errors: phonemic errors phonetic errors allophonic errors distributional errors

Relationship Between Schistosomiasis and Hepatitis C

Relationship Between Schistosomiasis and Hepatitis C Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease in tropical and is associated with a variety of clinical syndromes that may lead to severe morbidity (Bahgat et al., 2010). Due to control program over the last decade, a decline in the prevalence of human schistosomiasis in Egypt has been reported (Barakat et al., 1998; Bahgat et al., 2010); however, the disease is still endemic in many foci (El-Sahn et al., 2002; Bahgat et al., 2010). The common used method in the diagnostic of schistosomiasis is stool examination, using the Kato-Katz method (Carvalho et al., 2011); However, this method presents limitation for the detection of positive individuals, when the intensity of infection is low; it is less effective in determining the prevalence in low endemic areas (Feldmeier and Poggensee 1993; Kongs et al., 2001; Carvalho et al., 2011). And a relatively time consuming nature of this method in application for epidemiological assessment and clinical use (Van Etten et al., 1994; Hamilton et al., 1998; Corachan , 2002; Van Dam et al., 2004). And it is difficult to detect ova in rectal biopsy specimens in chronic infections due to the intense fibrosis present around the eggs (Attallah et al., 1999). Several schistosome serodiagnostic assays designed for the detection of specific anti-schistosome (antibodies) (Doenhoff et al., 1989; Maddison, 1987; Attallah et al., 1999). Prepatent and early infections may not have stimulated a detectable antibody response and Positive tests do not necessarily denote an active (living) infection. Antibody tests are also prone to cross reactions with other infections (Strrouk, 2001). HCV is a serious public health prob ­lem affecting 170 million carriers worldwide. It is a leading cause of chronic hepatitis (Thong et al., 2014). In Egypt, the older generations have a higher HCV prevalence than younger ones. Geographically, areas near the Nile River continue to exhibit very high rates of infection (Sievert et al., 2011). Chronic HCV infection may cause liver cirrhosis and (HCC) over the course of two or more decades (lee et al., 2008), and is the primary cause for liver transplanta ­tion worldwide (Thong et al., 2014), There is no vaccine available for prevention of HCV infection due to high degree of strain variation (Ashfaq et al., 2011). A previous study by Albeldawi et al (2010) reported that the patients with risk factors for HCV infection and abnormal liver enzyme levels, HCV infection is probable but not certain. In the present study 275 serum samples were tested for anti-HCV antibodies and 205/275 only contain anti-HCV antibodies with percent (74.5%) and the remaining 70 samples (25.5 %) were negative for anti-HCV antibodies. Anti-HCV antibodies alone cannot discriminate patients who are infectious from those who have resolved the infection. The active infection confirmed by detected HCV-NS4 antigen in serum samples using ELISA according to Attallah et al., (2012) in which sensitivity and specificity of this method to detect HCV-NS4 antigen were high (90 and 96%, respectively), HCV-NS4 antigen was detected in 205( positive for anti-HCV antibodies) against 32 healthy (negative control) by using ELISA with detection rate 85.0% for CHC patient positive for anti-HCV antibodies, and 0.0% detection rate for healthy control, this mean that 174/205 only has Anti-HCV and HCV-NS4 (HCV patient) , there was extremely statistically significant between (pGhany et al (2009) reported that ALT value differs by age, race, and gender, and by body mass index, it has been suggested that the upper limit of normal (ULN) for ALT should, in fact, be 30 IU/L for men and 19 IU/L for women, but many laboratories continue to set the ULN of ALT at about 40 IU/L. In the present study, 174 HCV have high increased in transaminase enzyme as ALT, AST, and there was extremely statistically significant between (p As is customary the transaminase enzymes are biomarker of liver health. Elevated serum levels of ALT during chronic hepatitis C are associated with an increased risk of liver fibrosis progression (Hui et al., 2003; Maasoumy and Wedemeyer, 2012); lower progression rates of fibrosis were reported in patients with normal ALT levels (Mathurin et al., 1998; Maasoumy and Wedemeyer, 2012); However, there are reports of marked fibrosis (5%-30%) and even cirrhosis (1.3%) in persons with normal ALT values (Ghany et al., 2009). Normal ranges of ALP were 40-129 U/L for males and 35-104 U/L for females, ALP is elevated in a variety of diseases as bone disease, bile duct obstructed and liver disease (Bodlaj et al., 2010), and in current study ALP was elevated in CHC patient and there was statistically significant between (p0.05) platelets in CHC patients and negative control, Furthermore, T. Bilirubin was elevated in CHC patient and there was statistically significant between (p0.05) between INR-prothrombin time in CHC patient and control. A Previous study by Attallah et al (1999) reported that Schistosoma circulating antigens were used for the detection of active infection. And the detection of Schistosoma antigens was initially based on the use crude soluble egg antigens (SEA) and soluble adult worm’s protein (SWAP) (Dunne et al., 1984). And another study reported that the circulating antigens could be released from the schistosome surface or gut to the blood circulation of infected host and consequently excreted in urine (Deelder et al., 1994; Attallah et al., 1998). Several investigators have isolated and characterized many of the schistosomiasis antigens in different developmental stages of the parasite that have a potential application in immuno diagnosis (Attallah et al., 1999). And more than 100 schistosome antigens have been identified (Siddiqui et al., 2011). In The present study we aimed to detect the 63-KDa circulating antigen of Schistosoma parasites in serum samples by SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting, and ELISA technique, The antigenic target was identified by western blotting technique by using specific Mab; an intense sharp band was appeared in serum samples of infected patients with S. mansoni at 63-kDa, and no reaction with healthy sample. Consistent with these findings previously study by Attallah et al (1999) also identified a 63-kDa antigen in different extracts of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae, adult worms, and eggs and in the urine of S.mansoni-infected individuals by specific monoclonal antibody in urine patient sample. ELISA is a serological test useful for epidemiological studies, due to its high sensitivity for the diagnosis, depending on the S.mansoni antigen used in the test (Sorgho et al., 2002; Ishida et al., 2003; Alarcà ³n de Noya et al., 2007;Luo et al., 2009; Carvalho et al.,2011), and the possibility for automating the process (Carvalho et al.,2011), previous study Attallah et al (1999)used the Fast Dot-ELISA as a diagnostic tool for the detection of 63-kD circulating antigen and sensitivity of this assay was 92% among proven S. mansoni-infected individual, the specificity was 84%, PPV = 94%, and NPV = 81%. In the current study, the cutoff of 63-KDa of Schistosoma antigen was calculated, and the cutoff level = 0.33, mouse monoclonal antibody specific to S. mansoni was used as a probe in ELISA to detect 63-kDa S. mansoni antigen in serum samples from CHC patients, the 63-kDa S. mansoni antigen was detected in 118 out of total 174 chronic hepatitis C patients with detection rate (67.8%) All of the 32 controls were negative for 63-kDa S. mansoni antigen with detection rate (0.0 %) and there was extremely statistically significant between (PS.mansoni antigen in CHC patient and control. In the present study we determined the relation between 63-KDa S. mansoni antigen and laboratory parameters in the 118 serum samples from CHC patients determined, and serum ALT levels tended to increase as the level of 63-KDa antigen increased and there was extremely statistically significant between 63-KDa and ALT, serum AST levels tended to increase as the level of 63-KDa antigen increased and there was extremely statistically significant between 63- KDa and AST. Furthermore, there was negative correlation between serum albumin and 63-KDa antigen, but there was extremely statistically significant between 63-KDa and serum albumin, serum ALP levels tended to increase as the level of 63-KDa antigen increased but this was not statistically significant, total bilirubin levels tended to increase as the level of 63-KDa antigen increased but this was not statistically significant, there was negative correlation between PLTs count and 63-KDa antigen and this was not statistically significant, INR-prothrombin time levels tended to increase as the level of 63-KDa antigen increased but this was not statistically significant. Both HCV and schistosomiasis are highly endemic in Egypt and coinfection is frequently encountered (Abdel-Rahman et al., 2013). The prevalence of HCV/S.mansoni association ranged from 0.8 to 50.0% among the studies, with the highest ranges in Egypt (10 to 50%) (Van- Lume et al., 2013). A previous study by Blenton et al (2002) mentioned that Coinfections might influence disease expression. HCV has been implicated in some studies as a factor influencing the severity of schistosomiasis (Mohamed et al., 1998; Blenton et al., 2002). And, in turn, an influence of schistosomiasis on HCV severity has been suggested (Kamal et al., 2000; (Blenton et al., 2002). Another study suggests that Schistosomiasis weaken anti- HCV immune responses and worsen liver disease (Kamal et al., 2000; Kamal et al., 2001; Osada and Kanazawa, 2011). It is worthy to notice that another study by Abdel-Rahman et al (2013) reported that HCV/schistosomiasis coinfected patients have more rapid progression of hepatic fibrosis than those with HCV mono-infection encountered, the effect of such coinfection on hepatic and response to therapy remain unclear. In light of the previous by Bahgat et al (2010) real time PCR findings from, soluble egg antigen (SEA) should be considered as a potential stimulatory factor for HCV RNA that may have influenced the early detection of HCV RNA as SEA can stimulate viral replication. The higher morbidity that is observed in patients coinfected with schistosomiasis and HCV is related, at least in part, to direct stimulation of viral replication by SEA. Another study by Vanlume et al (2013) reported that when schistosomiasis and hepatitis C association is established, the clinical course develops into severe hepatocellular damage. Viral persistence and hepatic cirrhosis can develop faster than in mono-infected people. The association between schistosomiasis and hepatitis C has been studied by many investigators due to its important but, the object of current study was undertaken to determine a correlation between HCV and schistosomiasis infection in relation to evaluation of HCV-NS4 in CHC patient only and S.mansoni/HCV co-infection , from our finding r = 0.407, this means that, there was positive association was observed between 63 KD-a S. mansoni antigen and HCV-NS4 antigen, and there was extremely statistically significant between (p S. mansoni antigen and HCV-NS4 antigen, it is of interest that our study is the first to focus on the relation between 63-KDa S. mansoni antigen and HCV-NS4 antigen. In present study, we made comparison between investigated blood markers in CHC patient co-infected and HCV only, from our finding there was increase in activities of ALT, AST in CHC patients co-infected than HCV only, On the other hand, there was decrease in serum albumin level, platelets count for CHC patients co-infected compared with non-infected with S. mansoni group and there was extremely statistically significant between (pS.mansoni/HCV) co-infected and non-infected with S. mansoni (HCV only), but this was not statistically significant between ALT in CHC patients (S.mansoni/HCV) co-infected and non-infected with S. mansoni (HCV only). The transaminase enzymes are indicator of liver fibrosis, this may be that co-infection accelerate tissue damage and liver fibrosis, there was no statistically significant between ALP in CHC patients (S.mansoni/HCV) co-infected and non-infected with S. mansoni (HCV only), this was no statistically significant between bilirubin in CHC patients (S.mansoni/HCV) co-infected and non-infected with S. mansoni (HCV only), there was no statistically significant between Albumin in CHC patients (S.mansoni/HCV) co-infected and non-infected with S. mansoni (HCV only), there was no statistically significant between PLTs count in CHC patients (S.mansoni/HCV) co-infected and non-infected with S. mansoni (HCV only). In the previous study by reported that S.mansoniinfection is known to induce hepatocellular injury, which in turn, leads to the release of enzymes from the injured hepatic cells into the blood circulation (Dkhil,  2014). In current study, showed that an increase in the level of HCV-NS4 antigen in patient with S.mansoni/HCV than level of HCV-NS4 antigen in  patient with HCV only. In conclusion, the 63-KDa was the antigenic component of S.mansoni, our study showed increased activity in transaminase enzyme and decreased activity in Albumin and PLTs in S.mansoni/HCV coinfection than HCV only, and 63-KDa antigen S.mansoni has a positive correlation with HCV-NS4 antigen

Henry James The Aspern Papers -- Henry james Aspern papers Essays

Henry James' The Aspern Papers The Aspern Papers by Henry James illustrates a classic opposition throughout the story: the underestimation of the old by the young. The narrator, Aspern’s publisher, sets himself to the task of retrieving several mysterious â€Å"papers† from a former lover of his idol, and goes in with the easy confidence of a young man who never dreams that anyone, much less an elderly lady, could be not one, but in fact several, steps ahead of him at all times in his hunt for literary gold. The relationship between Miss Bordereau and the narrator is that of the cat and the mouse, with the narrator believing he is the cat, and Miss Bordereau knowing that she has the upper hand by the simple fact of possession. The narrator is certain the love letters exist, but Miss Bordereau has no intention of turning over her private affairs to an impudent stranger who does not even have the decency to be straightforward and ask her about the letters– instead he concentrates on her niece, M iss Tina, and in effect seals his own destiny with that choice, leading to the option of marriage or losing the papers completely. From the first meeting between the narrator and Miss Bordereau, it seems that the old woman has a very clear idea of the character of Aspern’s publisher and knows precisely what he is after. Although the narrator has some doubts as to the success of his admiration for her garden, her niece, and her home, stating that â€Å"She listened to me in perfect stillness and I felt her look at me with great penetration,† overall he never doubts his eventual success until his final defeat at Miss Bordereau’s deathbed (James, 16). He does try to act natural and jovial in her presence, but there is always an underlying t... ...they will willingly hand him the letters with their blessing. In an obvious reversal of this prediction, however, is Miss Bordereau’s response to the narrator’s asking to push her wheelchair from the balcony overlooking the garden– â€Å"Oh yes, you may move me this way– you shan’t any other!† (James, 66). Miss Bordereau is always moving beyond the reach of the narrator, but he does not realize just how far beyond his reach the beloved papers are until the conclusion of the story: Miss Bordereau is dead, Miss Tina is no longer a pliable tool, and the papers have been irrevocably turned into unreadable ash. The relationship that he sought to form between himself and Miss Bordereau through the intermediary of Miss Tina has left him with nothing and has left Miss Bordereau laughing in her grave at the young, overconfident literary who thought he could get the better of her.

Marketing strategy Essay

Nike Inc. founded in 1964 by Bill Bowerman and Philip Knight is global leader in sportswear and footwear industry. With Nike occupying around 45% of global market share in footwear and apparels and moving further ahead, much of the organisational success can be credited to its marketing strategy that have helped the organisation achieve revenue worth billions every fiscal year ($18 billion being in 2008). Nike Inc. UK has a major market in the UK for fitness trainers and shoes provided for health and fitness purpose benefits to the consumers. Nike understands the importance of market analysis and marketing strategy based upon those analytical processes. Considerable amount of research and analysis have been carried on in understanding consumer needs, UK’s environment and potential opportunities. This report consists of situational analysis SWOT of Nike in UK and also presents situational analysis suggestion of ways in which competitive edge can be gained against its rivals with segmentation, targeting and positioning of the products. The importance of marketing objectives has also been highlighted in the report and thus provides Nike with a glimpse of marketing environment in UK and the expectations with role of marketing mix (4P’s). Introduction Nike has predominantly been successful in shoe manufacturing and distribution among the shoe manufacturers with its superior quality, high tech, ultramodern shoes that meet on going demand of the market and its trends. From professional athletics to most common need for fitness trainers, Nike has got fitness shoes and trainers in all shape, sizes and colours. Some of the most famous Nike trainers and fitness shoes are Nike + (spelled as plus), Air Jordan, Nike Shox, Nike Lunar glide, Nike Air Zoom, Nike 360 and many more. Nike is the sole distributor of Nike trade mark represented on each of these and many of its fitness trainers sold globally. High quality material, design and cut and technological enhancement of the shoes as per requirement of various activities thus make Nike the best choice for fitness trainers and shoes. Marketing Analysis and strategic evaluation of a company is an important component of any organisational success. Without well-structured marketing strategies and road maps to planning and achieving them, no organisation can be at the point where they want to be. Nike in UK covers a fair amount of market share and revenue for the organisation. The huge market diversity, brand awareness in market and consumer base loyal to high quality products therefore help to its cause. On the other hand, UK market is generally health conscious and trendy. Trainers and fitness shoes are therefore in much demand over last few years within the country itself. Marketing Audit (Nike Inc. UK) Nike Inc. UK follows management strategies that combine with six of the most important external factors that can have an impact on the organisation. PESTLE is a situational analysis tool that can be used by firms to determine their position against possible external influences such as politics, economy, society, technology, environment and law. Nike and its positional stand against background of UK market can therefore be analysed in the following way: Political Factors Nike Inc. has a considerably stable political environment and an economy welfare provided by the state. Considerable amount of legal requirements were accomplished by Nike during its entry in the UK as an organisation completing all political alignments. Considerable amount of fitness shoes and trainers are imported in UK which is sold all over. However, Nike might have to face challenges if government drafts policy or quotas on Nike shoes that can be imported from its production sites such as Asia-Pacific. Economic Factors UK economy has been unstable in recent years. The double dip recession few years back, inflation rate fluctuating abnormally, growing living costs, income tax rate increments and other economic factors directly or indirectly affected Nike’s performance in the UK with comparatively weak sales figure. Economic balance, employment rate and PDI all must be stable and firm enough in the economy to help a business sustain. Nike therefore needs strategic move that can guarantee its sustainability in such circumstances. Social Factors UK market comprises of people from multiple culture, religion and ethnic backgrounds. Therefore, Nike needs to understand the social system and practice of all these people whenever approaching them. Sales and marketing of the fitness shoes should be therefore based upon social acceptance of methods, people’s lifestyle and their way of thinking. For instance, consumers in UK who purchase fitness trainers are pretty health conscious and the numbers are growing as well. Hence, Nike needs to provide more health benefitting shoes and apparel. Similarly, social responsibility image of Nike has to be significantly boosted with accusations of running sweatshops in Nike factories in Asia which it has tried to improve with facilities, factory improvements and commitment towards further improvement. Technological Factors Technological factors are an important aspect that needs to be considered by Nike Inc. UK . Technological advancements in fitness shoes need to be updated and research and development of such apparels have to be advanced. With fitness shoes that are designed such for injury prevention, sole strengthening, speed sports, less sweating and many other features the advancement has been unimaginable. UK customers are updated and spend good time researching on features and quality of the product they want. Nike therefore has to be technologically capable of providing customer satisfaction. Environmental Factors Nike needs total understanding of UK market as consumers are concerned about how products they purchase can make an impact upon environment. Production materials, process and sites can be harmful to environment in many ways. This can be a grave concern for environmental activists and hence persuade consumer thoughts. Nike has to be able to inform the consumers in UK with their continuous efforts in making Nike shoe production environment friendly and use of raw materials and the production process least harmful to nature. Legal factors Nike has to oblige with all the legal regulations and in relevance with companies operating in the UK. They must consider their business privileges as well as legal responsibility in concern with marketing, promotion and sales in the Kingdom. Some of the legal acts that they need to consider are regarding press, trade acts, acts on sales and supply of goods, adverts and campaigning, television adverts, environmental acts and so on. Without its compliance of local laws and acts Nike would suffer a huge blow in gaining consumer trust as they cannot operate with efficiency. SWOT ANALYSIS FOR NIKE FITNESS SHOES Strength: Nike is a global leader in shoe manufacturing and has been in market for very long time. There is a considerable amount of customer trust and loyalty based upon the very fact that Nike has been able to provide highest quality fitness shoes with modern techniques and design over years. The research and development investment in Nike is huge. The very reason has pioneered Nike in producing ultra-modern technology in fitness shoes. Shoes with air compressed soles for low pressure on soles, ankle protecting designs, speed boosting trainers etc. have all been Nike’s brilliant ideas in meeting with modern demands of consumers. Beside innovations, Nike also provides consumers with choice of designing their own shoes in the UK. Nike has a global presence and their revenues are worth billions . Distribution channels for Nike are well established and it has diverse range of products to cater the consumers with. Weakness: Nike Inc. UK has had to compete fiercely against several of its competitors in recent years with economic downfall regarding price of the product. Several of Nike’s fitness trainers are comparatively expensive than other brands. With buyers focusing their mind on cost efficient purchase, Nike prices are a thought for many. On the other hand, Nike’s sweatshop factories in Asia which are not owned by Nike themselves but subcontracted had tarnished Nike image among many people. Nike has considerably put much effort in improving the working condition and lives of its workers thereby. Opportunity: UK market has lots of potential opportunities for the Nike. With numerous amounts of health conscious people and growing sport enthusiastic generation of youngsters, Nike has the opportunity to grab market by launching shoes and trainers as per the consumer needs. Use of internet is wide and common in the UK and e-commerce has been developing in a tremendous pace. Nike can use this opportunity to promote, inform and cater its consumers with its fitness trainers. Threats: Nike has been competing fiercely with rival companies such as Adidas, Puma, Asics, Umbro and others for fitness shoe production and distribution in UK market. Besides, challenges from competitors, forged Nike footwear relatively cheap and of low quality are circulated by counterfeiters in market which has hampered Nikes reputation and brand. On the other hand growing economic uncertainty, government cuts and rising inflation have been challenging Nike sales. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Competitive advantage can be defined as strategic advantage a company holds against the competitors in the industry. It can be marked as the positional state of company when it is able to create a benchmark in terms of profit in the industry. Nike has the competitive advantage over its rivals through wider market coverage, higher gross revenue and customer loyalty as well. Nike fitness trainers with their high quality design and attributes have been able to outperform other shoe makers. Nike therefore wants to hold this competitive advantage over its rival sustainably. Competitive advantage can be achieved either by, Cost advantage techniques when production is made in massive quantity and products sold in relatively cheaper price or differentiation techniques of producing unique featured products against competitors and providing relative value to the good priced. In 2003, Svend Hollenson provided seven key factors that provide organisations with competitive advantage. Nike with all these consideration and seven key factors can boost its performance therefore in market. The seven factors are: Economy of scale: Economies of scale refers to the term when production cost of a company is relatively lower than its sales revenue and earnings made are from massive sales. These companies produce goods on regular basis and avoid shortage in the market. Economy of scope: Economies of scope relates to the idea that cost of production can be further reduced by other organisational means such as joint administrative firms for different products, similar storage for different goods and cost effective methodologies used in production to distribution. Strategic thinking: The core competence of any business to succeed in modern business world is strategic thinking. With enormous amount of competition and impediments that can affect the business, Nike should be able to analyse its internal and external environment, assess operational lapses so as they can provide effective strategy to eradicate arrears and achieve their objectives. Use of local market: Global companies such as Nike have ample opportunity to provide their range of products to local market in the UK. With well informed and health conscious consumers growing on daily basis, Nike can exploit the opportunity to provide its trainers in all parts of the country. Nike’s product range and standards are well accepted and with more quality products coming in it can boost with learning of local market and advantages it can take from. Ability to provide global services: Nike has been able to provide its product and service throughout the globe. With communication, transportation and various technological developments that have made international trade reliable, company such as Nike have been able to market and cater their business worldwide. Use if information technology in global service is an essential tool which has been used by Nike to deliver its goods and services. Competitive advantage (Company specific): Every organisation should have a distinct and unique feature which provides a competitive edge over its rival companies. Nike has been providing high quality footwear from their founding days. Superior technology, design and features of Nike footwear are second to none. This very reason has made Nike achieve higher market share globally than its competitors by building excellent customer relationship. Human resource (competitive advantage): Nike and its success can be credited on high level to the employees of Nike who with their commitment, skills and attitude have made tremendous development and market coverage for them. Human workforce is an essential element of any business where firm should be able to provide the employees with business specific skills. This helps organisation achieve most out of the available workforce. SEGMENTATION, TARGETING AND POSITIONING (STP) The marketing strategy of a company starts from mission and vision statement to selection of market and then positioning of the plans and objectives of the product in the market. Philip Kotler (1994) provided segmentation, targeting and positioning as the essence of strategic management for any organisation. Here, in terms of Nike Inc. UK, we can suggest following steps to be followed for strategic move: Segmentation: Research on existing market, types of customers and distribution of similar market should be carried out. Targeting: A target market (generally mass and more productive) which has to be served has to be analysed. Positioning: The plans are carried out to be performed in the target market and all the activities positioned. Nike Inc. UK should be able to research and develop the segments within UK market where consumers with similar characteristics can be served. The three approaches of market segmentation such as differentiated, undifferentiated and concentrated can be used to determine segments and plan accordingly by Nike. Nike can distinguish its market with several features and variables which determine the general concept about products that Nike offer, fitness shoes in this case. Socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, occupation, income and family etc. can be considered. It may also be based on geographic information such as area, area density, household and neighbourhood, market size and more. Behavioural data can be assessed to determine customer loyalty, buying trends, user choice and others. Psychographic studies would help Nike understand consumer lifestyle, fashion choices and many more. Nike and its segment targeting approach in the UK Socio demography: Nike Inc. UK provides fitness shoe and trainers in wide range and designs to offer different kind of customers. Trainers and shoes come in all shape, size, specification and quality. Trainers in multiple ranges for men, women and kids are available in the UK market. Sizes are marked effectively for fit in purpose and available readily in all the sales stores. Fitness trainers for men range from ? 38 least for Nike Zoom to ? 120 highest for Nike Trainer 1. Women have wide range of choice as well from Nike Air Cardio designs costing mere ? 28 to ? 140 for Nike Air Max+ 2011 id. Kid products range from ? 18 to ? 100. Geography: Nike has made its presence felt in all the major towns and cities in the UK. The points those are most likely to be consumer targeted have been covered as market by Nike. However, reaching the country sides would be a challenge and point of thought if Nike wants to expand its business all over the nation. Nike provides point of sale services in London, Birmingham city, Glasgow, Manchester city, Edinburgh and many other cities. However, internet usage is the only medium for other geographic parts to purchase Nike trainers. Customer Behaviour: It can be important for Nike to realise the importance of customer behaviour in UK. To learn more about consumer preferences and expectation, it is important to communicate with them and share their experiences. Customer loyalty can be earned by providing customers with benefits and services such as after sales, exchange facilities, warranty and making them feel cared for. Nike has to develop such credentials to learn more about customer status and capacity. Consumer psychograph: Nike has so far been successful in providing trainers and fitness shoes to varying demands of consumers that are available in the UK. Prices of the trainers range from ? 28 to ? 140 which shows that Nike has its focus on all sets of customer status. Some exclusive products are also sold in the market that focuses on trendy, fashionable and youthful nature of trainers and fitness shoes for the consumers. POSITIONING OF MARKET Nike Inc. has been very successful in positioning itself as a global leader in athletic footwear market. Even in UK, Nike has been really successful in covering huge market, enormous amount of consumer trust and therefore considerable amount of revenue for the company itself. Technological advancement, high quality materials, innovation and design in Nike footwear are what even the competitors try to imitate. Even though several European brands provide Nike with stiff competition in the UK, Nike has been efficacious in fending off challenges and come up with even better trainers and footwear as per the demand of demanding health conscious population. With a very competitive pricing strategy that is in concern with market expectations, Nike provides footwear of different sizes, design and price for different market segments. Nike has invested considerable amount of time and money on research of UK market since years which has made it one of the most trusted and loved brand in the UK. Such strong position and market share therefore is a positive sign for Nike in days to come. NIKE AND ITS MARKETING OBJECTIVES AND GOALS IN THE UK Nike has been established as a reputed business enterprise in the UK for years now. Their capability and product effectiveness are reflected in choice of people in using Nike fitness trainers before any available option. SMART based goals and objectives which relate to features of objective setting such as specification, measurement, attainment, realisation and time are necessary for Nike to implement in their strategies. Here, we analyse how Nike’s objectives can be related to the SMART approach. SPECIFIC: Nike is the leading women fitness provider in UK with revenue grossing worth 200 million dollars in 2010. Nike Inc. wants to double the gross amount by the fiscal year of 2014. MEASURABLE: Nike targets revenue of $27 billion by the end of 2015 as well as cumulative cash flow increment to $12 billion. ACHIEVABLE: Nike wants to provide UK consumers with 100% cotton used fitness trainers based upon consumer survey in coming years. Nike Inc. has plans to endorse its own athletics footwear during the 2012 summer Olympics in London by sponsoring all the American athletes participating in the games. REALISTIC: Nike Inc. UK wants to increase its market coverage in the UK which is 18% now to 25% within 2013 as Nike footwear have had tremendously appreciated response and promotional endorsements are to be boosted during Olympic games. TIME BOUND: All afore mentioned plans and objectives of Nike Inc. UK are to be completed in certain time allocated for each objective completion. MARKETING STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS OF NIKE INC. UK Nike Inc. UK would have to define its objectives and the process of determining the achievement of those goals. Out of various strategic plans available, Nike Inc. UK can use growth strategies using both product and market. Figure source: http://highn. me/ansoffs-matrix-planning-for-growth/ Nike Inc. UK can develop its strategies by using various methods of strategic moves such as Market Penetration: by providing competitive prices against others, promotional campaigns, enhancing customer support and care etc. Market Development: by getting into newer geographic area, building newer distribution channels, creating new product dimension, creating new market segment etc. Product Development: by producing exclusive products, creating a new trend, using technological advancements in product, diversifying product ranges etc. Diversification: by producing new merchandises than usual for instance sweat free socks for Nike trainers, or other products to match Nike footwear and apparels such as caps, jogging scarfs etc. THE MARKETING MIX (4P’S) FOR NIKE INC. UK Nike Inc. UK and their marketing strategies may be subject to changes from external forces of environment such as politics, economy, society, technology, environment and law. The company however has no control on these factors and have to make adjustments on several occasions. The 4 p’s are variables that the organisation can control within its own marketing strategy and is generally known as 4 p’s of marketing mix. Here, we analyse Nike Inc. and its marketing mix. Product: Nike should be able to provide product variety to the consumers in UK. With people interested in different sports, Nike can make an impact on market here. The quality and features of the new trainers have to be of highest quality, design and durability. Latest trends and technology used in performance enhancement, accident prevention and safety of athletes should be made available in Nike trainers. Sizes and shapes have to come out in all different ways and the products need to be attractively packaged as well. Price: Nike needs to focus on all kinds of customer and research on the customer behaviour or purchasing pattern in the UK. Though Nike already provides trainers from as cheap as ? 28 to ? 140 and more, the prices need to be justified. List of the prices and their features marked with products can be helpful. Price discounts on times can be helpful for boosting business. Place: Nike should focus on locations where footwear can be retailed, distributed or sold more efficiently. Study of market is necessary to determine where Nike can make best out of its sales. Placement in this case may be stores around sport clubs, distribution to other sellers and others. Information technology has covered almost the whole part of UK which can be utilised by Nike to exploit the market and attract the customers. Promotion: Nike Inc. has used several of global athletes as brand ambassadors for the company. Their very link with the company and attachment has provided lime light to the Nike trainers as well. The company can advertise its trainers through media; create sales promotion from time to time and even sponsor future sport events to promote their products as well. Conclusion/Recommendation: Marketing Strategy is an important aspect in achieving the organisational goals and objectives. Only with considerable investment in analysing Nike Inc. ’s strength, weakness, opportunity and threats can the organisation implement marketing strategies. Nike enjoys good market presence and customer loyalty in the kingdom and thus can improve further. From the report, we can recommend some of the following aspects for Nike; The emerging youth culture and trend is an opportunity for Nike to market its products. More technological use in trainers, design can be improved so as to promote fitness trainers. Health benefits associated with fitness Nike trainers should be made aware to the consumers. Use of information technology can be great way to market coverage for Nike trainers and their distribution.