Women In China Essays (433 words) - Chinese Women, Women In China

Women In China By Confucian theory, the woman is inferior to nearly everyone. She is to do as her husband wishes and in return receives little more than a pat on the back and is told Good job. Women's feet were bound as children, even though it caused severe problems later in life, because it was a sign of nobility. Through out China's history, women have been looked down upon by everyone. Even today, women are not equal to men in the home or work place. Are conditions under which women are treated getting better over time? It doesn't seem that people in China are treating women better than they were two hundred years ago. Women are unfairly laid off by employers in times of economic restructuring and are very often denied rights that have been passed by Legislation. There are many studies regarding unemployment in China. Conservative estimates are that between twenty-five to thirty million people are with out work in China. The staggering statistic is that nearly seventy-five percent of laid off workers were women. This is very illegal. Labor laws in China forbid disproportionate layoffs, but big business doesn't listen. These examples are just a few of many and only pertain to urban women. Women in rural areas are said to be even less equal than urban women. Mostly because of the wide spread poverty in the rural areas of China. Women are not offered the same schooling or job opportunities as men are in these areas. Government programs aimed at helping control poverty are failing quickly because of lack of funding. Studies show that in 1987, between one hundred and fifty and two hundred million women lived in areas designated as poor. This is a frightening number. Why should so many women live in poverty because of the arrogance of employers, so what if she's a girl? China's poor treatment of women isn't getting better. While the government tries to cover it up with false statistics and mislabeling of unemployed women, people are suffering. This doesn't only hurt the women of China, but the innovators of the future. There might be a girl sitting in her one room house in the most rural area in the country with better ideas the most recognized scientist in Hong Kong. The government has at least some power to do something about this major problem but doesn't. Why that is, the world may never know. Bibliography Human Rights in China Employment Threats to Women's Economic Independence http://www.hrichina.org/crf/english/99spring/e15_employment.htm Human Rights in China Rural Women: Less Equal than Urban Women http://www.hrichina.org/crf/english/99spring/e17_rural.htm Governmental Issues

Duckback Marketing Plan Essays

Duckback Marketing Plan Essays Duckback Marketing Plan Paper Duckback Marketing Plan Paper Executive Summary Set up in 1920, Bengal Waterproof Ltd (BWL) has the distinction of being Indias first waterproof products company. BWL is famous for its Duckback brand, the company is a leader in the domestic market for protective wear and rubberised consumer durables. Besides millions of households, its customers also include government institutions and defence establishments. Ironically, its strong brand equity was also the reason for the companys lacklustre marketing initiatives. Meanwhile, consumer preferences have changed. Now, the company has had to re-engineer processes and introduce new products in the market. An investment of Rs 40 crore is on the anvil on manufacturing processes and on marketing initiatives. The company now proposes to set aside a sizable chunk of the proceeds from sales for brand-building and advertising initiatives. Duckback basically has two major segments- the luggage segment and the rain wear segement. Here we analyse the basic strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the company, followed by Porter’s five forces analysis. We proceed to find out its major competitors,substitute products, target markets and product lines in both the segements. And then we move on to propose a marketing strategy to improve its market share. Introduction Duckback was founded by Surendra Mohan Bose, who was a freedom fighter and in this connection he was also arrested in 1914. In 1919, he started Bengal Waterproof Works along with his three brothers in Kolkata. Initially, it only manufactured raincoats under the Brand Name ‘Duckback’. The name Duckback was conceived from the idiom ‘Like Water Off a Duck’s Back (water does not stay on a duck’s feathers and hence the name was perfect for a waterproofing solution). In 1938, Mr. Bose purchased the closed Dicon Rubber factory and in the same year, its entire manufacturing operations were shifted from Kolkata to Panihati in the 24 Parganas (North) district in West Bengal. In 1940, Bengal Waterproof Works was converted into a limited company and renamed Bengal Waterproof Ltd. ? S. W. O. T Analysis Strengths: Indias first waterproof products company 88-year-old company with a very strong brand recall The company is a leader in the domestic market for protective wear and rubberized consumer durables Customers like government institutions and defense establishments Excellent distribution channels and quality standards Catering to markets like the UK, Germany, the US and Canada. Best known for its traditional products such as hot bags, ice bags, rainwear and gumboots Low and affordable cost structure Weakness It has been in the soft luggage segment since 1986 although it has not enjoyed good shelf-space till now. Armchair Marketing lacklustre marketing initiatives. Opportunities New product offerings can help reposition the Duckback brand in the retail market. Large school bags market, mostly catered by local players till date. Tie up with some major multinational brands. South is a major market for the company Scope for market expansion in other regions of India. Threats Rainwear is a seasonal business – Major contributor to revenues. Weak brand name in the premium segment. Porter’s 5 Forces Model: The threat of substitute products: The existence of close substitute products increases the propensity of customers to switch to alternatives in response to price increases (high elasticity of demand). Duckback faces a very major threat for its rainwear product in the form of Umbrella. Buyer propensity to consume is low in luggage and rainwear segment. Buyer switching costs is very small. Perceived level of product differentiation is not much as far as hospital and rainwear industry is concerned. The threat of the entry of new competitors Profitable markets that yield high returns will draw firms. This results in many new entrants, which will effectively decrease profitability. Unless the entry of new firms can be blocked by incumbents, the profit rate will fall towards a competitive level (perfect competition). Barriers To Entry Rainwear industry largely being unorganized and involving very low cost for set up, barriers to entry are very low. On the other hand, for hospital equipments considerable amount of barriers to entry exist on account of high set up costs and requirement of high quality standardized products. In case of luggage industry it can be said that though low barriers to entry exist in the lower segment, high amount sophistication required in the premium segment make entry difficult for new entrants in this segment. Access to Distribution Channels: Incase of distribution channels for rainwear and luggage, the access to channels is easy. Hence new competitors can very easily enter into these segments. Though, distribution channels will be difficult to capture for the hospital equipment industry as this industry requires direct selling and contact with hospital administrations. Intensity of Competitive Rivalry For most industries, this is the major determinant of the competitiveness of the industry. Sometimes rivals compete aggressively and sometimes rivals compete in non-price dimensions such as innovation, marketing, etc. Number of competitors: For all the product lines of Duck Back, the number of competitors competing is very high, more in the unorganized sector than in the organized sector. Rate of industry growth: In case of Rainwear Industry, the rate of industrial growth is very minimal, making it highly unattractive for competition. Diversity of competitors: High diversity of competitors exist for the various product lines of the company. Level of advertising expense: Advertising expense in the rainwear and hospital equipment industry is minimal or almost nil, whereas in case of luggage industry as there are few major players catering to a major chunk of the market, a high advertising expense is incurred by the companies to show the differentiated f eatures of the product. The bargaining power of customers This force refers to the ability of customers to put the firm under pressure and it also affects the customers sensitivity to price changes. Buyer concentration ratio: As buyer concentration ratio is very low for all the product lines, customers do not enjoy any major power on suppliers in terms of price or type of products. Firm Concentration ratio: In case of luggage premium segment, a high concentration ratio exists which gives customers a very low bargaining power as not many options are available for the customers. Buyer switching costs relative to firm switching costs: Buyer switching cost are very low. Thus giving rise to high competition. Buyer price sensitivity: Low price sensitivity exist for the various products as all the products constitute very low proportion of the income of the consumers. The bargaining power of suppliers Also described as market of inputs. Suppliers of raw materials, components, and services (such as expertise) to the firm can be a source of power over the firm. Suppliers may refuse to work with the firm, or e. g. charge excessively high prices for unique resources. Presence of substitute inputs – There are number of substitute inputs available as firm can use Nylon, PVC, and other substitutes for manufacturing its products. Supplier concentration to firm concentration ratio Supplier concentration ratio is high as compared to firm concentration ratio, bargaining power of suppliers is high. Cost of inputs relative to selling price of the product – Cost of inputs is low relative to selling price of the product. Products and Corresponding Target Markets The product range of Bengal Waterproof Limited, sold under the Duckback trade name can be divided into the following segments: 1. Clothing waterproof and weatherproof 2. Footwear – industrial, protective and special purpose 3. Rubber products for industrial use 4. Rubber products for medical and laboratory use 5. Inflatable structures and goods 6. Soft luggage A detailed description of the target market based on different demographic parameters, industry and societal trends, and customer needs is analyzed and given below. 1. Clothing waterproof and weatherproof The product line under this segment is as follows: a)Raincoats: The product line depth under this category includes the conventional single piece raincoats, raincoats with leggings and hood, designer raincoats, feather weight raincoats. Target Market: i. Based on Geographic location The aim would be to target customers all over the country with special emphasis on the rainfall intensive regions – namely the western coastal region covering the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa and the eastern states of West Bengal, Orissa and Bihar. A potential market in the north-eastern region is not being exploited at the moment due to the prevalent unsuitable conditions which pose a difficulty in operationalizing the marketing plans. Any stabilizing in the future would present an opportunity to enter these markets. i. Based on profession The marketing efforts are to be concentrated on two segments – school children and the working class. This is because of the perception of raincoats as being ‘so-not-cool’ amongst the youth. For these two segments, the utility factor matters more than the appeal. Designer raincoats Raincoat : leggings and hood The designer raincoats and the feather weight raincoats would focus on school children; and the conventional single piece raincoats and the raincoats with leggings and hood would focus on the working class. These would cater to their need of travelling on a two wheeler or while commuting from their residence to the place of work via public transport, when it is raining. b)Umbrellas: Conventional black, designer umbrellas, travel umbrellas. The conventional black umbrellas are targeted at the consumers who need to carry an umbrella and maintain a formal look about them or for those who prefer the traditional looking umbrellas to the designer ones. Designer Umbrella The designer umbrellas are targeted at school children, the youth and women. These provide an opportunity to make a style statement while retaining the idea of an umbrella. Travel umbrellas focus on the need of customers to carry umbrellas in their bags. With an increase in the percentage of working women, it provides them with a convenient option of carrying an umbrella in their travel bags and purses. c)Wind cheaters: Derby super comfort jackets, all weather jackets Windcheaters This segment particularly focuses on the youth who need to make a style statement along with fulfilling the need of weather protection. The Derby Super Comfort jackets focuses on all weather protection, targeting the youth with its unique styling. The all weather jackets are designed keeping in mind the requirements of the general population who look to protect their clothing from rain and dust while travelling. 2 Footwear – industrial, protective and special purpose The different products in this category include: a)Safety and work footwear : The following industries are the ones which require footwear designed for specific purposes. i. Mining ii. Steel iii. Glass iv. Cement v. Electrical Within this category, Boot and shoe lining soles are also included. These products will not require much of a capital investment to produce nor do they require a high operational cost. However, for the industries which use them they form a critical component as worker safety is a primary concern for them. As such, we will be catering to a niche market where our advantage of being an experienced manufacturer will stand us in good stead, and higher profit margins can be expected as there are not many other competitors in this category. b)Dielectric and conductive footwear : These form an integral part in the operations of the semiconductor manufacturing industry and the electronics industry. The manufacture of special components requires that latex based products for insulating purposes. The high involvement of such equipment provides a viable economic opportunity for the company to invest in a larger scale of operations for this type of specialized footwear. Dielectric footwear Gumboots c)Special purpose footwear: These include footwear such as Gumboots, Super gumboots and snow ankle boots. The defence services also require boots for different terrains. Our aim would be to build the footwear which would be consistent with the production facilities and would not entail a huge investment. Duckback already has a relationship with the Indian Navy and the Indian Army because of its inflatable structures being used by these institutions. We would try to leverage this relationship to establish a foothold into the special purpose footwear. 4. Inflatable structures and goods: The primary market for these structures is the Defence Forces. The company makes a range of inflatable boats, assault boats and life jackets for the Indian Navy and the Army. With the Defence Sevices going for an upgrade in their equipment, there is a possibility of bulk purchase tenders coming in the market. Our focus would be to use the goodwill and experience gained in the previous transactions with them and to continue as a supplier to them and try to capture a larger share of the pie. Another niche market is making inflatable boats for recreational activities like adventure sports and whitewater rafting. With people becoming more aware of adventure sports and having a higher disposable income, this sector is expected to achieve a high growth and our aim would be to emerge as a major supplier for this sector. As a part of a promotional campaign, we can associate the Duckback brand name with a few adventure activities to achieve recognition amongst the organizers of such events, who are going to influence the buying process. In order to cater to the servicing requirement of inflatable boats and life rafts the Company should set up service stations in the dock areas. Inflatable Boats 5. Rubber products for medical and laboratory use One of the main reasons for which we suggest that BWL foray into this Industry are the high rate of growth coupled with the previous experience of the company in making the hospital equipment. With a large number of hospitals and healthcare centers being opened across the country, there lies a huge potential market for these products, on a large scale. The emphasis here is to identify the major players in the market and to establish a relationship with them on a long term basis. This means that BWL would focus on strengthening its relationship with the existing business consumers and try to forge a relationship with new n emergent players, on a B2B platform. There are various factors, which govern the growth of the medical and healthcare industry. Some of the key factors are: Continuous investments in research development has resulted in increased productivity and better quality of drugs, medicines, medical instruments, hospital equipment, and other medical supplies used in medical industry. Provides employment to large chunk of human population. Increased costs in the medical treatment in the developed nations have driven patients to migrate to Asian countries and India provides a cost-effective solution. Rise in ailments among the ageing population both in developed and developing nations has led to the increase in demand of variety of drugs or medicines. Innovative techniques of drug discovery and drug development, new cures and treatments, gene testing for insurance, genetic predictions of disease and related issue, human cloning and reproductive technologies are the other key drivers of the medical industry. SHARE OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES IN 2006 The division of the rubber equipment in the medical industry is indic ated by the pie chart shown above : The products in this category which lie in our region of interest include: CORRUGATED DRAINAGE SHEETS HOT WATER BOTTLES ICE BAGS AIR CUSHIONS MACKINTOSH SHEETING 6. Soft Luggage PART 1 Major Competitors: Samsonite VIP Future Prospects The future prospects for any Company in the Luggage Industry look good majorly on account of high growth in the travel and tourism industry. The current industry size of the luggage industry id close to Rs. 00 crores and is expected to experience a growth rate of 15-20% in the current times. Another major point to be noted here is that the major growth that is expected to happen is in the premium segment of the luggage industry which is expected to grow at the rate of 30%. Target Customers Duckback can divide its target customers into various sergments viz. Lower segment customers, middle segment customers and upper segment customers. Based on the demand analysis of the industry, it can be said that Duckback need to focus on the upper segment customers on account of high demand in this segment. Duckback can also focus on the middle and lower segment of the market as this segment is still untapped by any major player and has been dominated by only the unorganized sector. Duckback can build its image in this segment and target customers looking for a durable but an inexpensive brand. Target market demographics Upper Segment: The target segment for this segment would be the upper middle class where people like to travel alot, abroad as well as in India and they look for convenient luggage which is easy to handle, safe and also looks attractive. Middle Segment: In the middle segment, one of the major target customer group are the sales persons that travel frequently and require bags that are durable, safe and easy to handle. This group does not much focus upon the aesthetics. Lower Segment: Duckback should try and withdraw itself from this segment altogether as this segment is dominated by the unorganized sector and catering to this sector would not go along with the image that is to be projected for Duckback. Products Positioning: Duckback has to focus on premium segment of the luggage industry with major stress upon four attributes viz convenience, variety, aesthetics and safety. The products offered in the various segments of the luggage industry will be positioned in different manner in the eyes of the consumer. Presently the image of Duckback is that of a product which is inexpensive, affordable and easily maintainable and which caters mostly to the lower class segment. Its competitors like VIP and Samsonite feel that though Duckback is a very reliable product, it would not prove to be much of a competitor especially in the premium segment. So, we should position Duck back as a lifestyle brand and not just any other bag. General Strategies: Presently, Duckback enjoys a good position in the eyes of the customers of the lower segment. So it should continue the same strategies and also work increasing its penetration in the lower segment. At the same time, it should also concentrate on embarking into the premium segment. It should position itself as a lifestyle brand and not just as any other bag. So for this, it should change its image into a much more trendy and suave baggage company. They can have luggage designed for the upscale market: with special features such as imported leather etc. They can come up with luggage made of floral upholstery fabric to appeal to the feminine buyer and impart a sense of aesthetics. The biggest challenge for them is to design luggage that looks sophisticated but at the same time is durable, withstands manhandling by dozens of baggage jockeys. So they can come up with suave designs to look good, and also include tougher ballistic nylon, retractable handles and wheels to ensure easy utility and durability. Soft Luggage: The product line of Duckback should include the soft luggage segment. The reason for this is that customers are now giving more emphasis on the convenience and the aesthetics attributes of the luggage. Hence they are preferring the soft luggage. All the major players are also shifting their focus to the soft luggage segment. Another reason that can be attributed to this is increase in the cost (approx. by22% in last 1 month and almost by 100% in past 1 year) of the polypropylene, a raw material (contributing to approximately 75% of the material) used for making of hard luggage. As a result, the hard luggage industry has in fact shown a negative growth of 15% in the past while soft luggage industry growing at a rate of in excess of 40%. Pricing Strategy: As Duckback has a huge section of its customer base in the lower income segment, its prices should not be too high compared to its competitors. As of now Duckback is considered to be a very affordable brand by its customers, so it should continue with these pricing strategy. And maybe it can come up with some discount schemes and gift incentives to increase its penetration in the lower income segment. And for the premium segment, if we price the premium item too low, customers will not believe the quality is good enough. Distribution Channels: Premium Segment: For the premium segment, the Company can have exclusive outlets at prominent malls, shopping centres etc. for its products as this will help Duckback distribute its products in the right kind of ambience along with showcasing of all its range together. This will promote in the strengthening of the image of the Company. Medium Segment: For the medium segment, besides exclusive outlets, use of local distribution channels will be more beneficial as it will increase the reach of the products to the entire middle class which generally picks up luggage off the streets. Direct B2B Selling: Another channel that can be used to widen the market of the products is the direct B2B Selling. Duckback can try and have direct tie ups with companies, schools, colleges, airlines, etc that give bags to their employees or as reward to their customers. This will help Duckback to reach a wide range of customers and be a known name. Promotional Activities Advertisement: Innovative Advertising using banners at airports, railway stations, metro stations etc should be used where the visibility of the brand is high amongst the target consumers. Television: Till now, Duckback has not tried to connect itself with the consumers directly. It has not advertising as a promotional tool. Its marketing strategy has concentrated more on B2B selling. But with its foray into the soft luggage segment, it needs to forge a relationship with the consumer and the first step towards this relationship building is to use a visual medium to connect to the minds of the consumer. Promotion: Various promotional strategies can be used by the company. Company can have stalls at International Trade Meets such International Conventions, Trade Meets etc, which display new product range of the company along with certain kinds of loyalty coupons given to the target customers. Road shows: Another way to increase the visibility of the product is to organize road shows at various prominent locations in various parts of the cities and showcase consumer centric products of the company such as luggage, rain wear etc. This will increase brand recognition among the consumers and thus would encourage repeat purchase. TECHNOLOGY ABSORPTION, ADAPTATION AND INNOVATION A continuous process should be carried out to improve the present technology for the existing products and also to introduce new products. The endeavor should be to increase the amount of R D involved in various projects and to introduce new technology to improve upon the current methods of production. Benefits derived as a result of the above efforts are expected to be : Reduction in cost. Higher production efficiency. Improvement in quality. Increased customer satisfaction. Also, the Company has not imported any technology during the last five years reckoned from the beginning of the financial year. This is an impediment to the growth of the company as the company is lagging behind in this aspect. A formidable threat the company faces is from the international market, especially China which can flood the markets with their low cost pro ducts. Technology import will impart us the ability to produce low cost products without compromising on quality.

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare and How It Caused Germany to Lose WWI

Unrestricted Submarine Warfare and How It Caused Germany to Lose WWI Unrestricted submarine warfare is the practice of using submarines to attack and sink all forms of enemy shipping, whether they are military or civilian. It is most closely associated with the First World War when Germany’s decision to use USW brought the US into the war and led to their defeat. The Blockades of World War 1 In the build-up to the First World War, Germany and Britain were involved in a naval race to see how many bigger and better battleships could be created. When this war began, many expected the resulting navies to sail out and fight a great naval battle. In fact, this only ever almost happened at Jutland, and that was inconclusive. The British knew that their navy was the only part of their military who could lose the war in an afternoon and decided not to use it in a massive battle but to blockade all the shipping routes to Germany and try and starve their enemy into submission. To do so they seized the shipping of neutral countries and caused a lot of upset, but Britain was able to soothe ruffled feathers and come to agreements with these neutral countries. Of course, Britain had the advantage, as it was between Germany and the Atlantic shipping routes, so US purchases were effectively cut off.Germany also decided to blockade Britain, but not only did they cause upset they caused th eir own destruction. Basically, the German above sea fleet was restricted to cat and mouse operations, but their submarines were told to go out and blockade the British by stopping any Atlantic trade reaching them. Unfortunately, there was one problem: the Germans had bigger and better submarines than the British, who were backward in understanding their potential, but a submarine can’t easily board and sail off a vessel like the British ships were doing. The Germans thus began sinking the ships coming to Britain: enemy, neutral, civilian alike. Unrestricted submarine warfare, because there were no restrictions on who to sink. Sailors were dying, and theoretically neutral nations like the US were livid.In the face of opposition from the neutrals (like the US who threatened to join the war), and demands from German politicians for the submarines to be brought under control, the Germans changed tactics. Unrestricted Submarine Warfare In early 1917, Germany still hadn’t won the war and there was a stalemate on the battlefields of Western Europe. But Germany knew they were out producing the allies when it came to submarines and were still having success with their more careful policy. High command wondered: if we began unrestricted Submarine warfare again, could our blockade force Britain to surrender before the US was able to declare war and get their troops over the seas? It was an incredibly risky plan, but German hawks believed they could starve Britain out in six months, and the US wouldn’t make it in time. Ludendorff, practical ruler of Germany, made the decision, and in February 1917 unrestricted submarine warfare began.At first, it was devastating, and as supplies in Britain dwindled the head of the British Navy told his government they could not survive. But then two things happened. The British began using the convoy system, a tactic used in Napoleonic times but adopted now to group travelin g ships into tough groups, and the US entered the war. The convoys caused losses to reduce, German submarine losses increased, and the specter of US troops finally broke the German will to continue after their last throw of the dice in early 1918 (a move which occurred as the Germans tried a last land tactic before the US arrived in force). Germany had to surrender; Versailles followed.   What should we make of unrestricted submarine warfare? This hinges on what you believe would have happened on the Western Front had the US not committed soldiers to it. On the one hand, by the successful allied attacks of 1918 US troops hadnt arrived in their mega millions. But on the other, it took the news that the US was coming to keep the Western allies functioning in 1917. If you had to pin it on one thing only, unrestricted submarine warfare lost Germany the war in the west, and so the whole war.

Thomas Jefferson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Thomas Jefferson - Essay Example In fact, the same historical figure who penned the words â€Å"all men were created equal† owned 200 slaves and more importantly violated his republican political philosophy during his presidency. There have been varied views on the question of the contradictions seen in the greatest of the American Fathers. However, one most justified position to hold would be to see Jefferson taking a part in the American trait of being in conflict rather than perceiving him as a marked contradicting figure. Such a position is partly on the basis of the contradictory views and conclusions on the contradiction of Jefferson, the one time political giant of our Nation and partly on the awareness of American trait of conflicts. Thus, it is of pertinent value to comprehend the interpretations of the historians who consider Jefferson as a person of contradictions. According to Christopher Hitchens who writes of how historians view Jefferson, â€Å"it would be lazy or obvious to say that he contained contradictions or paradoxes. This is true of everybody, and of everything. It would be infinitely more surprising to strike upon a historic figure, or indeed a nation, that was not subject to this law. Jefferson did not embody contradiction. Jefferson was a contradiction, and this will be found at every step of the narrative that goes to make up his life. (Hitchens, 2008). It has ever been remarked that Jefferson was in two minds about slavery throughout his career which can be seen as evidence for his conflicts. On the one hand, as a young politician, he held his views for the prohibition of slavery in new American territories and, on the other, he never freed his own slaves which made him a contradiction in hi mself. The significant question ever have been â€Å"How could a man responsible for writing the sacred words "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal" have been a slave owner? He never resolved his internal

Engliash Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Engliash - Essay Example I rushed to school and sneaked into class without being noticed by the teacher. When I got into the class, I started sipping my coffee slowly. I would peep through the window to make sure there was no teacher coming into class. After some time, I started reading a storybook and forgot I was still holding the coffee mug. I did not notice the principal get into class, and none of my classmates warned me. All I realized was that someone had forcefully taken the coffee mug from me. When I looked up, the principal was standing right in front of me. The look on his face scared me. He forced me out of class and made me stay out until teatime. I thought that was all but the worst was yet to come. During teatime, he made me stand in front of the entire school and drink about two liters of coffee from a bucket. I had to do this since I did not want to be sent home. I had misbehaved several times the previous semester and had promised my parents to be disciplined. After finishing the coffee, which was the largest amount I had ever drank I became the subject of gossip for the entire week. Some student referred to me as a glutton and even my friends avoided walking with me for the rest of the semester. It was the most shaming and worst high school

Francisco Pizarro Essay Example for Free

Francisco Pizarro Essay Francisco Pizarro was born in 1474 in Trujillo, Spain. In 1502 he arrived in the Spanish colony of Hispaniola where he later joined the expedition to settle Panama in 1519. I can say that Pizarro’s victory over the Incas is considered to be the most shocking and the most incredible military accomplishments in history. Pizarro wanted to be famous, so he thought it would be great to conquer the great Inca Empire. His own personal goals were to become wealth and to be known as great. This time, he intended to conquer the Incas just as Hernando Cortez had crushed Mexicos Aztecsand he couldnt have picked a better time. In 1525, Pizarro and two ships set sail for Peru. He returned to Panama, where he lived, with gold, llamas, and Indians. In 1528, Francisco Pizarro returned to Spain to get permission from Charles V, king of Spain, to conquer Peru for Spain. Charles supplied him with funds for the expedition. Pizarro returned to Panama and organized the expedition. He had a tiny army of 100 foot soldiers and some 60 cavalry. In 1530 he reached Peru and went to inland in Andes, to in town where the Inca ruler, Atahualpa, was staying. However, Atahualpa was in a civil conflict with his half-brother, Huascar and he had just recently won the war against his brother when Pizarro arrived, and the empire was still unstable. Pizarro ambushed the ruler, forced him to collect an enormous payment, and then executed him. Although the Incas mounted significant resistance to Pizarro, they were soon broken. Soon, by November 1533 the conquistadores were in control of Cuzco, the Inca capital.

Shakespeares Macbeth - Relationship between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Macbeth is a play about death, deceit, and corruption. At the center of all this is Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth. As the play progresses, their relationship changes dramatically as a result of how each of them handles their emotions following King Duncan's murder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the beginning of the play, Lady Macbeth is a strong, domineering person. She seems able to coerce Macbeth into doing things that he would not do on his own. She seems willing to trample anyone in order to get what she wants. She seems ready to kill. She would have no problem dancing on the backs of the bruised for the same reason stuck up rich people today don't care about the starving kids in Africa--she has never seen or experienced it. When reading Macbeth's letter that told of the witches' prophecy she said, "Yet do I fear thy nature; it is too full o' the milk of human kindness to catch the nearest way." She wanted to take the quick and dirty route to royalty (murder), but didn't think Macbeth was up to it. She has never killed anyone (as far as we know), so she doesn't understand why it would be so difficult.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Macbeth is a battle-hardened soldier who is no stranger to danger. He has killed more than a few men, women, and children in his day. We're informed of that at the opening of the play when a sergeant tells of how Macbeth hunted down Macdonwald and "unseamed him from the nave to the chaps and fixed his head upon our battlements." But Macbeth knew the difference between right and wrong. Macdonwald was a traitor and fully deserved to be cut in half. Killing Duncan was a different story. Murdering a good king/friend in order to gain wealth and power is not very P.C. and is downright immoral. When Lady Macbeth brought up killing the king he was hesitant to talk about such a thing, then blew her off and said, "We will speak further." Of course, being the whipped little mama's boy that he is, he was talked into her fiendish conspiracy plan.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When it came right down to it, Lady Macbeth couldn't kill Duncan. She says, "Had he not resembled my father as he slept, I had done't." Of course that is a bunch of BS; in reality she was just too fainthearted to get the job done.

Politics of Plato and Aristotle Essay

Plato and Aristotle are variably considered as some of the greatest political thinkers and philosophers the world has ever produced. It is worth noting that at one time Aristotle was a student of Plato therefore their political thoughts are almost similar yet there exists great discrepancies in their teachings. Nevertheless despite the fact that their thoughts were coined in the 4th century they still remain popular even today. In many history circles these two great political philosophers are regarded in different ways based on their political and philosophical view. Whilst Plato is variably regarded as the â€Å"first writer of political philosophy†, Aristotle on his part is considered to be the first political scientist. (Landman T 34) Abstract reason that was based on moral knowledge was the ground within which Plato based his theories making a departure from Aristotle who based his theories on experience where he envisaged applying them on concrete living. Within the political teachings of Plato the most central theme or discourse is the Republic which primarily deals with the soul that describes justice as the definitive human form. According to Plato, Justice is central to the establishment and the eventual strengthening of the regime attaining happiness in the process. For Plato a perfect society is the focal point, and in his book ‘The Republic†, he strives to create an outline of a society that is utopian in nature disregarding the tension of political life. In this outline he therefore sought to achieve a perfect society where present inherent problems are eased by curing the human personality and the society at large. According to Plato, politics is regarded as an attempt by man to bring orderliness or disorderliness in the regime or his social life. To bring order and law in the society politics is regarded as the main means to achieve this end because the Republic is a political. (Landman T 38) Aristotle on the other hand expressed his political thoughts through his writing, Politics. Unlike Plato his concern is more directed towards the regime rather than the individual and justice is the highest goal. Ultimately according to him people must live together leading to a more united regime, thus the family is highly stressed in his philosophy because this is where people originate from. Two main fields define Aristotle’s political science and include ethics and political philosophy. (Landman T 41) The politician’s task according to Aristotle is to give laws and to tailor the regime’s constitution, after this the next pertinent step for the politician is to sustain and maintain this constitution to ensure the political system is maintained. Aristotle was on the view that the regime makes up what is called a community which is generally established for some particular good. (Keyt D. & Miller, F 69) Both Aristotle and Plato had different views about appropriate leadership to govern the regime. For Aristotle the most beneficial leadership for the regime is a kingship, which is followed by Aristocracy, then Polity, Democracy, Oligarchy and finally Tyranny as its extreme. (Lord C 122). However according to Plato the highest or the most beneficial is the Timocracy which is followed by Oligarchy, then Democracy and Tyranny at the bottom. Plato had a more pessimistic view of the change in regime which he regarded as a linear circumstance that is uncontrollable which is always deteriorating. Thus a regime can never improve in any way. Aristotle on the other hand is of a divergent opinion that is optimistic and considers change as a non-linear progression that can sometimes go from worse to better and vice- versa, where the regime has a probability of rehabilitating itself.

Leonardo Da Vinci: Science and Paintings

Leonardo Da Vinci: Science and Paintings Leonardo was a polymath which means he was very knowledgeable and had a large number of expertise’s in many different subjects, a polymath is also known as a renaissance man which Leonardo was titled by many people. He was the first to combine math and science together. Da Vinci started the science revolution which revolutionized the way that scientists researched their information ever since. Leonardo Da Vinci is widely known as one of the greatest painters of all time and has created many iconic and famous paintings.He used his knowledge of science and his artistic talent together to enhance his artwork. He used objects and pieces of objects that would affect the way light appeared on some of his work and used his study of land to enhance and create nature backgrounds and paintings. Leonardo never finished his work in a short period time he always took a few years or more to complete them in means for his most famous pieces. The Mona Lisa is one of the most famous pieces of his collection. Mona Lisa is the best known, most visited, most written about, the most sung about and the most replicated art painting in the world.Mona was a painting of another man’s wife that had been asked to be painted. Leonardo never returned the painting back to the couple even though he was paid to do the painting. This painting was started in 1503/1504 and was worked away at slowly until 1519. The Last Supper is another very famous painting of his. This painting is the most reproduced religious painting of all time. The painting showed Jesus and his twelve disciples eating supper when he announced that one of the disciples would betray him. This painting was started in 1495 and was completed in 1498.

First Battle of Bull Run

First Battle of Bull Run The Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the American Civil War, and it occurred, in the summer of 1861, when many people believed the war would probably only consist of one big decisive battle. The battle, which was fought in the heat of a July day in Virginia, had been carefully planned by generals on both the Union and Confederate sides. And when inexperienced troops were called upon to execute the fairly complicated battle plans, the day turned chaotic. While it looked for a time like the Confederates would lose the battle, a fierce counterattack against the Union Army resulted in a rout. By the end of the day thousands of demoralized Union troops were streaming back to Washington, D.C., and the battle was generally seen as a disaster for the Union. And the failure of the Union Army to secure a quick and decisive victory made it clear to Americans on both sides of the conflict that the Civil War would not be the short and simple affair many assumed it would be. Events Leading to the Battle After the attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861, President Abraham Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 volunteer troops to come from the states which hadn’t seceded from the Union. The volunteer soldiers enlisted for a term of three months. Troops began arriving in Washington, D.C. in May 1861, and set up defenses around the city. And in late May portions of northern Virginia (which had seceded from the Union after the attack on Fort Sumter) were invaded by the Union Army. The Confederacy set up its capital in Richmond, Virginia, about 100 miles from the federal capital city, Washington, D.C. And with northern newspapers trumpeting  the slogan  Ã¢â‚¬Å"On to Richmond,† it seemed inevitable that  a  clash would occur somewhere between Richmond and Washington in that first summer of war. Confederates Massed In Virginia A Confederate army began massing in the vicinity of Manassas, Virginia, a railroad junction situated between Richmond and Washington. And it became increasingly obvious that the Union Army would be marching south to engage the Confederates. The timing of precisely  when the battle would be fought became a complicated issue. General Irvin McDowell had become the leader of the Union Army, as General Winfield Scott, who had commanded the army, was too old and infirm to command during wartime. And McDowell, a West Point graduate and career soldier who had served in the Mexican War, wanted to wait before committing his inexperienced troops to battle. President Lincoln saw things differently. He was well aware that the enlistments for the volunteers was only for three months, which meant most of them could be going home before they ever saw the enemy. Lincoln pressed McDowell to attack. McDowell organized his 35,000 troops, the largest army ever assembled in North America to that time. And in mid-July he began moving toward Manassas, where 21,000 Confederates had assembled. The March to Manassas The Union Army began moving south on July 16, 1861. Progress was slow in the July heat, and the lack of discipline of many of the new troops didn’t help matters. It took days to reach the area of Manassas, about 25 miles from Washington. It became clear that the anticipated battle would take place on Sunday, July 21, 1861. Stories would often be told about how spectators from Washington, riding in carriages and bringing along picnic baskets, had raced down to the area so they could watch the battle as if it was a sporting event. The Battle of Bull Run General McDowell conceived a fairly elaborate plan to attack the Confederate army commanded by his former West Point classmate, General P.G.T. Beauregard. For his part, Beauregard also had a complex plan. In the end, the plans of both generals fell apart, and actions by individual commanders and small units of soldiers determined the outcome. In the early phase of the battle the Union Army seemed to be beating the disorganized Confederates, but the rebel army managed to rally. General Thomas J. Jackson’s brigade of Virginians helped turn the tide of the battle, and Jackson that day received the everlasting nickname â€Å"Stonewall† Jackson. Counterattacks by Confederates were helped by fresh troops who arrived by railroad, something entirely new in warfare. And by late afternoon the Union Army was in retreat. The road back to Washington became a scene of panic, as the frightened civilians who had come out to watch the battle tried to race homeward alongside thousands of demoralized Union troops. Significance of the Battle of Bull Run Perhaps the most important lesson from the Battle of Bull Run was that it helped erase the popular notion that the rebellion of the slave states would be a short affair settled with one decisive blow. As an engagement between two untested and inexperienced armies, the battle itself was marked by countless mistakes. Yet two sides demonstrated that they could put large armies in the field and could fight. The Union side sustained casualties of about 3,000 killed and wounded, and Confederate losses were about 2,000 killed and wounded. Considering the size of the armies that day, the casualties were not heavy. And casualties of later battles, such as Shiloh and Antietam the following year, would be far heavier. And while the Battle of Bull Run didn’t really change anything in a tangible sense, as the two armies essentially wound up in the same positions as where they had started, it was a powerful blow to the pride of the Union. Northern newspapers, which had bellowed for a march into Virginia, actively looked for scapegoats. In the South, the Battle of Bull Run was considered a great boost to morale. And, as the disorganized Union Army had left behind a number of cannon, rifles, and other supplies, just the acquisition of material was helpful to the Confederate cause. In an odd twist of history and geography, the two armies would meet about a year later in essentially the same place, and there would be a Second Battle of Bull Run, otherwise known as the Battle of Second Manassas. And the outcome would be the same, the Union Army would be defeated.

African American Influences On American Popular Music Cultural Studies Essay

African American Influences On American Popular Music Cultural Studies Essay These days, it’s not uncommon to hear the fusion of different styles of music. In fact, American music is more integrated than before and showcases different music from around the world. Melding different styles of music was popularly done as early as the twentieth century with the growth of American popular music. One style of music that had major influence on popular music was African American music. At the time, American popular music was burgeoning with different styles of music; each style was distinct in its own right with different rhythms, melodies, textures, and performance styles. From 1930 to 1970, popular music can be traced to black music of the nineteenth and twentieth century as evidenced by the metric organization, scales, instruments, and performing styles that originated from African music. By recapitulating the influences of African American music on popular music, the impact that black music has had on various musical genres is shown. African American musi c was brought by slaves to the Americas and later adapted to European styles. Later, African American music would incorporate highly syncopated music and the features of ragtime. These features set the stage for more music to be created, and in time many of the characteristics of black music were embedded into other musical genres. In particular, the 1930’s-1940’s Big Band era; 1930’s country music; 1950’s-1960’s rock, used observable components of African American music. The music was not only influenced by the musical structure of black music, but by the performing styles of musicians. To adopt many of the African-American features, many musicians of the time had to re-invent or improvise the old with something new. These components lead up to the merging of different styles with African-American music. For many people, jazz is pleasant and enjoyable. One of the reasons it is because there are so many different sounds that come together to form t his music. In the Big Band era of the 1930’s, jazz, or swing, had become popular and incorporated the African elements of syncopation and riffs. Riffs, rhythms, and syncopations are just a few characteristics of African American influence on virtually all music, and jazz music in particular took this influence to a different level. (Campbell 70). What changed was that previously, in the early nineteenth century, ragtime was essentially syncopated music but was more in accordance with marching and piano music. Jazz is highly improvisational, which give way to more sounds and changes in rhythm, melody, and texture. The structure and metric organization of the jazz band was also influenced by African American music. In no other musical genre can one find the â€Å"call and response â€Å"style of music that was originated from African American music, and many genres have since borrowed from this method. Many jazz bands used â€Å"call and response† between the players a nd their instruments. This made the music much livelier, adding to the energy created by the fast- paced flow of jazz that appeared in the twentieth century. Four-beat counts were used in jazz music characteristic of black music in the earlier part of the twentieth century. This was the main foundation for jazz which also used percussions found in ragtime and African drum dance.

Cold War America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cold War America - Research Paper Example identity, by divergence with the corresponding fabrication of patriotism, which comprises of the social conditioning and personal bearing that underwrite a country’s decision and actions. Nationalism is studied through two perspectives that are psychological and political or social perspective.The former point of view encompasses personal attachment to religion or a person, the need to interact and communicate or a desire to belong. This perspective depicts the elementary human motivation. The latter perspective talks about Primordialist perspective; here nationalism is explained as a shadow of the antique and opinionated evolutionary attitude of mankind to merge into different groups or colonies that share the same propinquity of birth. The second perspective describes nationalism as a novel episodes pre-requisite of existence of modern society. Henceforth, this paper is set about study the role of nationalism in modern Europe on multiple levels, how it is being manifested in the regime and what are some aspects of the character of the issue in Europe. Starting with the evolution of nationalism in Europe, a wave of romantic nationalism swept the major countries of Europe such as Germany, Italy and Romania. Here, the role of Napoleon played a crucial role, since his code and intellectualities became an influential ethics for the European. Furthermore, taglines for liberty, freedom, equality and brotherhood started sweeping into the ideologies of the people. Apart from this, national awakening emerged as a result of theories of national identity, self-expression for nationhood and attachment to the culture. Other than Napoleon, G. W Friedrich Hegel proposed the idea that where religion and dynastic duty were on downswing, there nationality is an essential backbone for structuring of societies (McKay, Hill & Buckler. et al 2013). The eruption of Nationalism was not only on one level, but many. Many researches and studies show that in the 19th century in Europe,