Charles Dickens Great Expectations Essay examples

Great Expectations Essay Topic: Why is Great Expectations called Great Expectations? There is an old clichà © that cautions readers not to â€Å"judge a book by its cover†, but rather, by its contents. While this piece of advice may indeed be true, one could ask if the same is true of judging a book by its title. The title of a book is in many ways indicative, not only of its contents, but perhaps more important, of its author’s message. A title serves to inspire the reader’s interest, while at the same time, to convey its central theme. Charles Dickens’ decision to entitle, what has become his most famous and celebrated work, Great Expectations, was a wise one, for it continues to communicate the book’s powerful and relevant†¦show more content†¦And if it is to gain her over, I should think - but you know best - she was not worth gaining over. Exactly what I myself have thought, many times. Exactly what was perfectly manifest to me at the moment. But how could I, a poor dazed village lad avoid that wonderful inconsistency into which the best and wisest of men fall every day?† (Page 129) Ironically, despite Pip’s new found material wealth, he is unhappy. It is only when Estella insults him that he becomes self-conscious and rejects whom he has become. He finally realizes that wealth cannot bring happiness. Sadly, Pip’s greatest expectations could have been fulfilled living as a â€Å"poor lad† with Joe and his sister, the journey to attain wealth was filled with disappointment. Conversely, Joe and Biddy are simple, honest people who comfortably accept their place is society. They are humble, happy and care for their fellow human beings. Joe tolerates Pip’s sister because his morals would not allow him to mistreat his wife. Likewise, Biddy is a loving, wise, girl who gives Pip astute advice. These characters’ expectations are realistic and reasonable. As a result, they fulfill their expectations with peace and contentment. When Pip finally comes home, after eleven years, he is able to return to his former self. His expectations have finally found their proper course. The last chapter begins with Pip reflecting, â€Å"For elevenShow MoreRelatedGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1113 Words   |  5 Pagesadventures that the male characters go on. This seems to be relevant in a lot of movies and books like the story Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. In Great Expectations there are multiple female characters like Estella, Biddy, and Miss H avisham who all play a large part in the main character, Pip’s life. One of the first that we meet the character Estella in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations is when Pip goes to Miss Havisham’s to play with her. The two kids play the game beggar my neighbor when EstellaRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1347 Words   |  6 Pagespoor status of the economy, social mobility does not seem to be occurring at high rates, with the poor getting poorer and rich getting richer. Despite this, social mobility is alive and well, and has been for centuries. In his novel, Great Expectations, Charles Dickens voices the concerns of many that lived in Victorian England during the 19th century by promoting such a desire to live life in a more prosperous social class. One of the most fundamental and reoccurring themes in the novel is that ofRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1426 Words   |  6 Pages Twelve-year-old Charles dickens gets ready for bed after a long day at the blacking house. These Victorian-aged memories will provide him with many ideas for his highly acclaimed novel Great Expectations. Set in 1830 England, Great Expectations is a coming-of-age story about a common innocent boy named Pip and his road to becoming a gentleman through the influence of others. Pip is influenced both positively and negatively by Estella, Herbert, and Magwitch. Estella left a huge impression on PipRead MoreGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens984 Words   |  4 PagesCharles Dickens utilizes his life for inspiration for the protagonist Pip in his novel Great Expectations. They both struggle with their social standing. Dickens loved plays and theatre and therefore incorporated them into Pip’s life. Dickens died happy in the middle class and Pip died happy in the middle class. The connection Dickens makes with his life to Pip’s life is undeniable. If readers understand Dickens and his upbringing then readers can understand how and why he created Pip’s upbringingRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations943 Words   |  4 Pages This is true in many cases but none as much as in Great Expectations. In many ways the narrator/protagonist Pip is Charles Dickens in body and mind. While there are many differences between the story and Charles Dickens life there remains one constant. This constant is the way Pip as the narra tor feels, because these feelings are Dickens s own feelings about the life he lead. Since Great Expectations was written towards end of Charles Dickens life, he was wiser and able to make out the mistakesRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens1375 Words   |  6 PagesGreat Expectations by Charles Dickens and The Talented Mr Ripley by Anthony Minghella present similar criticisms of society to a large extent. Both of these texts consider the criticisms of rich social contexts (wealth and status), societal morality (whether a society is good or not. Status [can lead to the wrong people being in a high position i.e. making bad decisions affecting the community/society] Appearance [society appears to be moral/good (if you’re from a higher status) {dickens criticisesRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1223 Words   |  5 PagesBeloved author Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth, England. Growing up in a life of poverty, his childhood hardshi ps provided the inspiration to write a myriad of classic novels including his 1861 seminole masterpiece, Great Expectations (â€Å"BBC History - Charles Dickens†). Great Expectations follows the life of an orphan named Pip, who’s perspective of the world is altered when he is attacked by an escaped convict in his parents’ graveyard in the town of Kent. Throughout hisRead MoreGreat Expectations By Charles Dickens924 Words   |  4 Pagesa character driven novel, or a mix of the two. In order for a novel to be character driven, it must revolve more around the characters’ individual thoughts, feelings, and inner struggles, rather than around the quest of the story. Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens, is a character driven novel. While the story does have a plot, it is not contingent upon that plot, but rather is reliant upon its characters and their natures. This is evident from the beginning of the novel. From the opening ofRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1669 Words   |  7 PagesCharles Dickens He was one of England s greatest authors of the 1800 s, better known as the Victorian era. The various themes and ideas of that time are perfectly showcased in his many novels and short stories, such as Nicholas Nickelby, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, and A Christmas Carol. Much of the inspiration for these works came from the trials and conflicts that he dealt with in his own life. His volumes of fictional writing show the greatRead MoreCharles Dickens Great Expectations1017 Words   |  5 Pagesexperiencer is somewhere else absorbing knowledge of a different setting.This abstract adventure is seized by author Charles Dickens in Great Expectations. Great Expectations is historical fiction giving readers comprehension of the Victorian Era.Upon the reading, readers begin to catch on the intended purpose and its significance. A person who lived during the Victorian Era was Charles Dickens himself.He grew up during a time where differences in social class were to an extreme degree.Dickens went through

Is aid good or bad Free Essays

Aid is a form of help usually given by the wealthy areas of the world to the poorer areas. Aid tries to help countries to develop and improve their standards of living and quality life. There are many advantages and disadvantages to giving aid. We will write a custom essay sample on Is aid good or bad? or any similar topic only for you Order Now The aid that we give can save lives in times of disaster! Giving aid can help to reconstruct livings and housing after a disaster. Aid can also provide medical training, medicines and equipment. This will improve health and standards of living because in other countries, medical care is very expensive and not very good. It is hard for them to get well trained staff, and the right equipment so if another country can provide this for them, they can give better quality medical attention to more people and for less money. This will save many lives because in a poor country, some people cannot afford to get help and they die, or they get attention but it is not helpful because they don’t have well trained staff, or the right medicine and equipment. Aid for agriculture will increase food production and the quality and quantity of food available. This will also improve health and standards of living for the people who don’t have food because there will be more available. Aid for industrial development will not only improve transport organisation, but it will also create jobs for those who are jobless and who need money for their families. However, there are some disadvantages of giving aid. Giving aid can cause on Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDC’s) to rely on richer countries to supply them with all that they need. Sometimes aid is a loan, not a gift, and poor countries may find it hard to pay back what they owe. They could get so used to just getting all they need for nothing and failing to progress themselves! Another disadvantage is that the people who need aid the most, may not actually receive it. For example if medical aid was given to a country, they might use it to get well trained staff, and lots of equipment and medicine, just making the prices higher, causing less people being able to afford it, which leads to less people with medical attention, and more people dying or politicians could use the aid for their own means or for political gain. Or, rather than the aid helping to create more jobs, they could just use it to benefit the people who already have jobs by paying them more. Giving aid could also lead to prices of food and water going up. This could happen if the country spends a lot of money on improving the quality of the food and water then the price ends up increasing. In conclusion, although aid is not always used in the right way, I think that it is a very good thing to give. If aid is shared equally then it is very useful and will really help the country develop and improve their standards of living and quality life. How to cite Is aid good or bad?, Papers Is aid good or bad Free Essays Aid is a form of help usually given by the wealthy areas of the world to the poorer areas. Aid tries to help countries to develop and improve their standards of living and quality life. There are many advantages and disadvantages to giving aid. We will write a custom essay sample on Is aid good or bad? or any similar topic only for you Order Now The aid that we give can save lives in times of disaster! Giving aid can help to reconstruct livings and housing after a disaster. Aid can also provide medical training, medicines and equipment. This will improve health and standards of living because in other countries, medical care is very expensive and not very good. It is hard for them to get well trained staff, and the right equipment so if another country can provide this for them, they can give better quality medical attention to more people and for less money. This will save many lives because in a poor country, some people cannot afford to get help and they die, or they get attention but it is not helpful because they don’t have well trained staff, or the right medicine and equipment. Aid for agriculture will increase food production and the quality and quantity of food available. This will also improve health and standards of living for the people who don’t have food because there will be more available. Aid for industrial development will not only improve transport organisation, but it will also create jobs for those who are jobless and who need money for their families. However, there are some disadvantages of giving aid. Giving aid can cause on Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDC’s) to rely on richer countries to supply them with all that they need. Sometimes aid is a loan, not a gift, and poor countries may find it hard to pay back what they owe. They could get so used to just getting all they need for nothing and failing to progress themselves! Another disadvantage is that the people who need aid the most, may not actually receive it. For example if medical aid was given to a country, they might use it to get well trained staff, and lots of equipment and medicine, just making the prices higher, causing less people being able to afford it, which leads to less people with medical attention, and more people dying or politicians could use the aid for their own means or for political gain. Or, rather than the aid helping to create more jobs, they could just use it to benefit the people who already have jobs by paying them more. Giving aid could also lead to prices of food and water going up. This could happen if the country spends a lot of money on improving the quality of the food and water then the price ends up increasing. In conclusion, although aid is not always used in the right way, I think that it is a very good thing to give. If aid is shared equally then it is very useful and will really help the country develop and improve their standards of living and quality life. How to cite Is aid good or bad?, Papers

Getting A Taste of Everything free essay sample

I reach for more enchiladas and Mexican rice in the humid air of Costa Rica as all my classmates stare at me in awe. They all wonder how I am able to eat so many different foods. The day after, I feast on noodles, dumplings, and pork buns in Chinatown, and the day after that, my mouth waters over Vietnamese noodles in Queen Village. At a Thai restaurant, the smell of the spicy Pad Thai and green curry fill my nostrils before I even taste it. My friend, Angel, watches me in shock as I chomp down platefuls of homemade Indian food at her dinner table. Ask any one of my close friends or even acquaintances; they will tell you that I am somewhat of a gourmand and have probably tried almost every type of food the world has to offer. My tongue tingles at the excitement of tasting new types of food, as I slowly relish each bite. We will write a custom essay sample on Getting A Taste of Everything or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Nothing fills me with more enthusiasm than trying new ethnic foods. Two years ago, my mother cooked a Malaysian curry dish for dinner; into which were mixed some furry, green vegetables that she had nicknamed â€Å"Lady Fingers†. Initially, the furriness of the vegetable and the awful name disgusted me. Nevertheless, out of curiosity, I decided to try it. I took a bite of the â€Å"Lady Fingers†, which was actually just okra, and to my surprise, it was delicious! Throughout the years, my curiosity for trying new types of food has crossed over to other facets of my life. My eagerness for trying new foods has been manifested in my eagerness to try new things and not be obstinate to any new experiences. During my sophomore year, I was able to discover my passion for science because of my unbiased attitude. My AP Biology teacher had purchased a tank full of live frogs and I had wondered why they were there until he told us we were going to dissect them. I shuddered in my seat as I listened to the crackle and crunch of the frog’s necks. Snap. Snap. Snap. The frog’s necks cracked one after another. My initial reaction to this frog dissection was absolute repulsion. However, I still decided to keep an open mind about the dissection. A warm frog was placed on our dissection pan along with all the dissection tools. My partner and I carefully made an incision on the frog’s skin with the scalpel. We cut open the rest of the body until we had a full view of all the organs. Instead of being completely disgusted, I was in awe at the supreme magnificence of the lifeless frog, yet still with a tiny beating red heart. All the different organs laid over one another to fit perfectly together in the five-inch body of the frog. The brilliance and splendor of life had presented itself before me, and from then on, I knew I had found my true calling in science. Without having an open mind and a curious approach, I would never have been able to lear n what my passions in life were. I know that being inquisitive about what life has to offer could without a doubt lead to finding something I don’t like, but it also can show the way to realizing what I enjoy doing most in life. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back!

Living the Life of a Hospice Worker For a Week free essay sample

This paper presents an immersion essay about Alive Hospice, an organization catering to the needs of the dying. The following paper provides understanding of the organization, Alive Hospice, an organization that provides care while the patient enters end stages of disease and then goes through the process of dying. The writer examines what its volunteers provide for the terminally ill patients that it serves. In recent decades, medical science has advance to the point that people are living longer than ever before, and with that life comes a quality of life that is enjoyed well into the golden years. For those who are among the living the world is a beautiful place. However, for those whose lives are ending, the world can be a place filled with fear and uncertainty as one goes from doctor to doctor in search of hope and miracles. Then, when they announce the final curtain, that the patient is all out of options and the only path now is death, there are decisions to be made. We will write a custom essay sample on Living the Life of a Hospice Worker For a Week or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Many people are afraid of dying in the clinical setting of a hospital, but they are not sure there are options. There are.

Examples of Radiation (and Whats Not Radiation)

Examples of Radiation (and What's Not Radiation) Radiation is the emission and propagation of energy. A substance does not need to be radioactive in order to emit radiation because radiation encompasses all forms of energy, not just those produced by radioactive decay. However, all radioactive materials do emit radiation. Key Takeaways: Radiation Examples Radiation is emitted whenever energy is propagated.A substance does not need to be radioactive to emit radiation.Not all isotopes of element emit radiation.Common examples of radiation include light, heat, and alpha particles. Radiation Examples Here are some examples of different types of radiation: ultraviolet light from the sunheat from a stove burnervisible light from a candlex-rays from an x-ray machinealpha particles emitted from the radioactive decay of uraniumsound waves from your stereomicrowaves from a microwave ovenelectromagnetic radiation from your cell phoneultraviolet light from a black lightbeta particle radiation from a sample of strontium-90gamma radiation from a supernovamicrowave radiation from your wifi routerradio wavesa laser beam As you can see, most of the examples on this list are examples from the electromagnetic spectrum, but the energy source doesnt need to be light or magnetism to qualify as radiation. Sound, after all, is a different form of energy. Alpha particles are moving, energetic helium nuclei (particles). Examples of Things That Are Not Radiation Its important to realize isotopes are not always radioactive. For example deuterium is an isotope of hydrogen that is not radioactive. A glass of heavy water at room temperature does not emit radiation. (A warm glass of heavy water emits radiation as heat.) A more technical example has to do with the definition of radiation. An energy source may be capable of emitting radiation, but if the energy doesnt propagate outward, its not radiating. Take, for example, a magnetic field. If you hook up a coil of wire to a battery and form an electromagnet, the magnetic field it generates (actually an electromagnetic field) is a form a radiation. However, the magnetic field surrounding the Earth is not typically considered radiation because its not detached or propagating outward off into space. Source Kwan-Hoong Ng (October 2003). Non-Ionizing Radiations – Sources, Biological Effects, Emissions and Exposures (PDF). Proceedings of the International Conference on Non-Ionizing Radiation at UNITEN ICNIR2003 Electromagnetic Fields and Our Health.

5 Things We Wish Wed Been Told When Starting College

5 Things We Wish Wed Been Told When Starting College 5 Things We Wish We’d Been Told When Starting College Starting college can be tough. You’ve got new ideas to wrestle with, new friends to make, and you have to get used to looking after yourself. Here are 5 things we wish someone had told us when we first started college. 1) Don’t Buy Books! You might have been told to go out and buy all the books on your reading list, but this isnt usually necessary. Any college library worth its salt will have plenty of the required books. Just make sure you get there before the other students snap them up! And if you get really stuck, you can always get cheap hand-me-downs from last years students. 2) Choose One Club It’s really easy to get sucked into signing up for 10 clubs in the first week at college. Sure, archery, salsa dancing, the Russian food club and white water rafting all sound great, but will you really have the time? Better to wait a few months before buying any expensive equipment to make sure you are really committed, rather than spending loads of money on a wetsuit and sailing shoes in your first week only to use them about four times. 3) Start Writing Your Papers Early It’s so tempting to put off writing a paper until a week before it is due. However, you’ll save yourself a lot of stress and time if you start writing as soon as the title is set. If you get into the habit now, you’ll be an expert when you get into your final year. 4) Save the Introduction until Last Another great writing tip is, once youve planned your paper, to skip writing the introduction until last. This will help you help you write a really strong opening, since youll have a much better sense of what the paper is about. 5) Take it Easy on the Drink College is a time for partying, sure, but you will find that relentless drinking will take its toll sooner than you think. There’s so much to get used to in your first year of college, so it’ll be a hell of a lot easier without a constant hangover! Try alternating alcoholic drinks with soft drinks and having a few alcohol-free nights a week. It’ll help you stay emotionally balanced and make life much easier!

Food, Identity and Spaces Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Food, Identity and Spaces - Research Paper Example Before we can consider such situations, it is important to first delve into challenges that tourists face in unfamiliar culinary situations. The primary point of concern is: How does food, as much as it presents unique experiences to tourists, conflict with their culture and eating etiquette in unfamiliar culinary situations? Cultural Mismatch One of the primary challenges faced by people in unfamiliar culinary situations stems from cultural mismatch. Local food, according to Cohen and Avieli, is both an attraction and an impediment. The cultural points of difference are evident from the displeasure to the displaying of caged animals waiting to be killed and served to customers. Tourists not accustomed to this practice have often found it repulsively disturbing to the extent of losing their appetite altogether (Cohen &Avieli, 2004). Similar sentiments are shared by Chang, Kivela and Mak, whose study centred on the idea of travel dining with a specific focus on the Chinese experience, as an expression of engagement between tourists and other cultures. According to the line of argument developed in this study, which has singled out different types of tourists, allo-centric tourists are generally more willing to try novel food when it comes to unfamiliar environment. On the other hand, psychocentric tourists will tend to stick to familiar culinary patterns that fit into their culture. Clearly, there is an implied sense of intimidation when the latter are not willing to step out of their comfort zone and accept the concept of change. It can be concluded from this line of thought that cultural mismatch is a great impediment when it comes to experiencing unfamiliarity in foreign land. As such, the identity of the foreign food culture is unappreciated and thus compromised. On a similar note, the element of cultural mismatch is also present when â€Å"an immigrant to Canada, quickly finds his own ethnic identity challenged in terms of food. Offered a hot dog by his fr iend Romesh, Nurdin, a Muslim, knowingly takes the forbidden meat into his own body† (Padolsky, 2005, NS). In another study, Western European and Israeli tourists in the Asian regions where the cultures are radically different find it overwhelmingly difficult to adapt to local food due to cultural mismatch (Cohen &Avieli, 2005). Evidently, the three studies share similar sentiments on cultural challenges faced when experiencing unfamiliar culinary situation. Contrasting Eating Etiquettes Contrasting eating etiquettes also come out strongly on the three studies as a notable impediment to adapting to new types of food as people visit different cultures. A specific example is the aroused uneasiness by Westerners confronted by chopsticks when touring parts of Asia (Cohen and Avieli, 2004). There are also some peculiar food practices that separate the cultures of the East and the West. For instance, the differing methods used in food preparation are culturally dependent and therefo re, some methods may contrast with other cultures (Chang, Kivela & Mak, 2010). Culturally sensitive people would then find it difficult eating food prepared under such circumstances. The same line of thought seems to be shared by Podolsky when he claims that eating etiquettes vary from one cultural background to another. In his context, people find it difficult to adapt to new diets especially when the host’s eating etiquettes differ greatly from what they are accustomed to in their

The Influence of Japonism in Van Gogh's Works Essay

The Influence of Japonism in Van Gogh's Works - Essay Example Van Gogh was an enthusiastic buyer of Japanese prints, most of which he acquired from the shop of a man named Bing, a Paris-based dealer who specialised in Japanese art. Later, in the South of France, Van Gogh wrote his brother Theo (who was in Holland) to describe the reasons for his love for the art of Japan. He told Theo that Japanese art makes us â€Å"happier and more cheerful.† It is an art of great simplicity, for the Japanese artist can find beauty in â€Å"a single blade of grass† and can create pictures rapidly, â€Å"with a few confident strokes.† Van Gogh particularly admired the prints: â€Å"Japanese prints, coloured in flat tones, are admirable†. Many of Van Gogh’s own paintings contain allusions to Japan. For example, Japanese prints are depicted in the background of his portraits of Pà ©re Tanguy and Self-portrait with Bandaged Ear. Some of his paintings are very â€Å"Japanesey† in their subject matter, for example Branches of an Almond Tree in Blossom. But more important was influence which the Japanese prints had on the actual style of Van Gogh’s work. At first sight, his painting Emperor Moth has no obvious connection to the art of Japan, but if we examine it more closely we can see how deeply Van Gogh had absorbed Japanese aesthetic principles. He told Theo that he had encountered â€Å"a rather rare night moth called the ‘death’s head’, its coloration astonishingly distinguished: black, grey, white, shaded, and with glints of carmine or vaguely tending towards olive green†.... What also strikes us about the painting is its bold design and draughtsman-like qualities. The forms are edged with hard outlines, like the forms in a Japanese print. The painting has a decorative and semi-abstract quality, possibly reminding us of Japanese textile patterns, while the wings of the moth could almost make us think of the patterns on a kimono. The earlier letter to Theo had praised the â€Å"flat tones† of Japanese prints, and the painting is basically a flat design, without much perspective depth. The letter to Theo praised the rapid, calligraphic brushwork of Japanese painting, seen here in the rapid delineation of the grasses and the leaves. Van Gogh had also written to Theo about the Japanese love of nature and simplicity, seen here in his own painting of a single moth, set against a background of plants. Hokusai – most famous for his print of The Great Wave at Kanagawa - was a Japanese printmaker whom Van Gogh much admired, and we could compare Van Go gh’s Emperor Moth with prints like Hokusai’s Irises and Meadow Cicada and Hibiscus and Sparrow, which depict details of nature (illustrated in Fahr-Becker 154-155). Hokusai wrote that he wanted to understand â€Å"the nature of birds, animals, insects, fishes – the vital nature of grasses and trees† (Stanley-Baker 192), which reminds us of Van Gogh’s paintings of butterflies, clumps of grass, lilacs and irises, all of which he painted around the same time as his moth picture (McQuillan184). It is important that Hokusai devoted a great deal of attention not just to flowers but also to their stems and their leaves. This can be seen in Van Gogh’s Emperor Moth painting,

James Berardinelli Essay Example for Free

James Berardinelli Essay James Berardinelli, in his review of the film Good Will hunting, provided a very insightful detail of the movie in general and the characters that played it. I would say that in many instances I agree with him, especially when he said that the story was ordinary, because I also felt that way about it. Nevertheless, the simplicity made it more appealing to me because it does not make you think hard while watching; you just sit back, relax and take in the realities of life that the movie exposes. On the critics of the characters in the story, I believe that he had given quite a fair description of each of them. There were really astounding and outstanding performances but then there are also those so-so performances at one time or another but I think that everyone complemented each other, thus the film came out powerful despite the ordinariness of the story. In addition, I say that it was so keen of Berardinelli to identify the chemistry within the relationships of the actors on and off the camera, thus he was able to provide a critical analysis of the interaction of the characters. What I liked most about this critic is that he was able to exhaust and tackle almost all aspects of the film, not just focusing on the plot, the characters, the acting, etc. It is all-encompassing; thus, if you read it prior to watching the film, you will already have a clear idea of what to expect from the movie. Indeed, there are chances that you would disagree with the review; however, it provides a good example of what reviews should be like or the pattern that it should be done. In the end, what really matters is how one personally sees the film. The review showed one perspective and different people would have different reactions to it. For me, however, this review pretty much sums up what I felt about the film; thus I will give Berardinelli two thumbs up for being very critical about it.

Science Research Paper :: essays research papers

Corrosion and rubbing alcohol vs. corrosion and hydrogen peroxide â€Å"Are brass, lead, iron, and aluminum more likely to corrode in solutions of rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide?† a. Definition-corrosion, rust, oxidation Corrosion is the atmospheric oxidation of metals. Rusting is essentially a process of oxidation in which iron combines with water and oxygen to form rust. Rust is the reddish-brown crust that forms on the surface of iron. Rust, a chemical compound, is a hydrated ferric oxide Fe2O3 ·nH2O, where n is usually 11/2. The chemical mechanism of rusting is not fully known, but is thought to involve oxidation of metallic iron to ferrous ion, (Fe++) and reaction of the ferrous ion with oxygen and water to form rust. This reaction is catalyzed by water, acids, and metals (e.g., copper and tin) below iron in the electromotive series. Because iron is so widely used, e.g., in building construction and in tools, its protection against rusting is important. Although metals (e.g., aluminum, chromium, and zinc) above iron in the electromotive series corrode more readily than iron, their oxides form a tenuous coating that protects the metal from further attack. Rust is brittle and flakes off the surface of the iron, continually exposing a fresh surf ace. Rusting can be prevented by excluding air and water from the iron surface, e.g., by painting, oiling, or greasing, or by plating the iron with a protective coating of another metal. Metals used for plating include chromium, nickel, tin, and zinc. Zinc plating is called galvanizing. (www.encyclopedia.com/articles:2000). Many alloys of iron are resistant to corrosion. Stainless steels are alloys of iron with such metals as chromium and nickel; they do not corrode because the added metals help form a hard, adherent oxide coating that resists further attack. The iron hulls of ships can be protected against rusting by attaching magnesium strips to the underside of the vessel. An electric current is generated, with the magnesium and iron acting as electrodes and seawater acting as the electrolyte. Because magnesium is above iron in the electromotive series, it serves as a "sacrificial anode and is oxidized in preference to the iron. This is called cathodic protection, since the iron serves as the cathode and thus escapes oxidation. This method is also used to protect the pipes of electric generating plants where saltwater is used as a coolant.) (www.encyclopedia.com/articles:2000). The involvement of water accounts for the fact that rusting occurs much more rapidly in moist conditions as compared to a dry environment such as a desert.

Public Opinion and policy Essay

In Public Opinion: Democratic Ideals, Democratic Practice, Rosalee Clawson and Zoe Oxley interpret public opinion as an individual’s beliefs and preferences in regards to all governmental matters and policies.(424) These individual ideas collectively are viewed as the overall populations opinions summarized and can be reflected by a poll. By collecting these opinions through the polling process, lawmakers are likely to take these opinions into consideration when creating and/or regulating a policy. In 1824 The Harrisburg Pennsylvanian newspaper conducted one such poll where the readers were asked to return a postcard with their opinion about the presidential candidates; Andrew Jackson or John Quincy Adams. Jackson won the poll as well as the eventual election.(Franklin) This style of opinion polling has increased over the years and evolved into a more refined and accurate representation of the public. For instance, instead of submitting an untraceable, anonymous postcard, peop le are instead asked to submit a survey and are required to submit some personal information, which will remain anonymous, in order to prevent the chance of someone submitting more than one survey. Due to the availability of the telephones and the internet, we are able to survey a larger and more diverse group of citizens which will allow for more accurate results. As voters, we are able to have some control over who represents our opinions as well as who we believe will make decisions that are truly for the betterment of the people and society. By understanding the five linkage models established by Norman Luttbeg (Robert & Kent, 20-21) we are able to see how public opinion can sway the formulation of a public policy. 1. The Rational-Activist Model assumes that all voting citizens are level-headed, informed, involved and politically active individuals. This model presents the idea that if representatives do not make decisions to satisfy the demands of the people, then the people will replace that representative. This model is the least likely to be apparent since the majority of the public does not keep close tabs on political actions. The largest flaw with this model is that we are assuming all voters are educated and rational about a particular issue and/or candidate. 2. The Political Parties Model takes place when an individual has an overall agreement with the ideals of an individual party. Citizens identify with a party whose overall attitude and beliefs mesh with their own. A major flaw within this model is the idea that representatives feel  pressured to take actions that are for the betterment of the party but not always for the individual citizen. 3. The Interest Groups Model establishes that the public can express their opinions to lawmakers by forming a group who will advocate for a collective cause. The groups place pressure on the lawmakers and parties electorally by rallying behind those that will publicly promote them. As well as monetarily by donating funds to those individuals and/or parties. By understanding this particular model we are able to see the likelihood of one group being more represented than another in society. This would create strife among the people as the group who is the least wealthy would be more likely to be underrepresented even though that group could contain a more accurate representation of the overall public opinion. 4. The Delegate Model maintains that a representative is elected based on the candidates values but not necessarily their stance on the issues. This model varies from the Rational Activist model in that it places more responsibility on the candidate to follow the opinions of the constituency or face being replaced and not place the responsibility on the public to educate themselves. While the Delegate Model and the Rational Activist Model are very similar the key difference is in noting that this model places more pressure on a candidate to follow their constituency’s ideas even if the candidate believes that other options would be in the best interest of the constituents. 5. The Sharing Model speaks on the idea that a representative will act on their own belief that may not be in complete alignment with their constituency but due to the unlikelihood that the lawmaker will go directly against their constituency they are still placing public opinion in their favor. This model overwhelmingly displays that a representatives values and character may come more into consideration with a voter than that representatives stance on a particular issue. (WK 2008) When we say population we are referring to a large mass of people that represent the summation of a geographical area. (Robert & Kent, 28) Population can be that of a country, state, city or even a university leading to extremely large groups of people that would take too much time to poll individually. Within any given population we take samples, collect data from a subdivision of a population in an effort to estimate the overall opinions of the collective group. Within these subsets of populations the results may not be a completely accurate reflection of the overall population. Religion,  race and income are factors that can greatly sway the outcome but most instances are unintentional. (US History) A biased sample is where there has been a methodical selection of the participants in an effort to achieve a planned outcome. An unintentional occurrence might take place with a telephone sampling. The University of Texas at Austin elaborated on this bias in regards to telephone sampling. For instance, if the amount of people who are without phones, or those who simply don’t answer the phone are not considered this can greatly skew the results. Truly random samplings are where the participants are participating solely due to chance and where every varying subset of citizens h as an equal chance to be selected. (Rosalee & Zoe, 29-30) A sample will very rarely get the exact percentages as it is highly likely that they will miss a group of people since the entire population is not participating and we are taking smaller groups to represent the entirety. The confidence level is a mathematical probability measure that tells us how reliable our data is in terms of accuracy. We keep this probability to a manageable number by keeping the number of individuals polled low. Polls are kept to less than 1,000 respondents due to the margin of error as well as the fact that the accuracy improves only marginally with larger samples. (Robert & Kent 30) The 1936 poll conducted by Literacy Digest proclaimed that the Republican candidate was likely to be the overwhelming winner of the Presidential election when in actuality it was Franklin Delano Roosevelt that won the bid for President. Seeing as how this poll was conducted at a time where the majority of people were dealing with the aftermath of the stock market crash and the subsequent great depression we can infer that the majority of the people polled were people who had the funds to subscribe to a weekly magazine, owned a telephone and possibly an automobile. The Republican candidate was proje cted to be the winner most likely due to the affluent Republican participants of the survey. During this same election George Gallup’s American Institute of Public Opinion did project the winner to be Franklin Delano Roosevelt, which placed the Gallup poll into the spotlight. It is believed that the Gallup poll was able to accurately predict the outcome due to their preference of using a smaller and more diverse sample. (Polling the Nations) Ideologies are the beliefs of an individual about the various social, cultural, political and economic operations within a society. An individual forms opinions based on their beliefs, life experience, genetics and many factors that as a whole make up their political ideology. (Rosalee & Zoe, p62) The liberal ideology is based on the beliefs that government intervention in economic matters, as well as a basic belief in the equality of the people. While a conservatives ideology is based on the beliefs that there should be minimal government intervention in all matters, as well as an emphasis on tradition and individual responsibility. (Robert & Kent, p72-73) There are five main influences that will affect how a person develops their ideology; family, gender, religion, ethnicity, and/or region. All of these influences will combine, influencing the opinions and beliefs of the citizen. Since a person develops opinions based on the experiences and knowledge they have developed over the course of their lives, there can be instances where a person can completely flip-flop on their original ideals as time progresses and while this is highly unlikely it is still possible.( Pelin, Erik, Jackie†¦) For instance, a person who grew up in an affluential conservative household may find as they get older and more independent that their view of the world is vastly different from that of their families. This can also lead to strife amongst families in instances where there is an obvious divide on the ideals. A person who is witness to the exchange of ideas between the opposing sides is likely to be influenced by the attitudes and opinions of the peop le while also comparing those individuals’ ideals to their behaviors, character, and reliability. Conservatives and Liberals have very different ideological standpoints and many Americans tend to lean towards one or the other in regards to their personal beliefs toward public policy making and governing styles. However, it has been discovered that the majority of the present American public do not identify themselves as adhering to one strict ideology but instead place themselves somewhere in the middle. (Robert & Kent, p83) Conservatives have the highest percentage of individuals who are strict ideologues. (Gallup-a) But there are many individuals from either side that can be uncompromising  in their ideals and take their truth as the one and only truth. In understanding a person’s chosen ideology we are faced with an interesting fact; that while most people tend to identify themselves as conservative, the overall majority of the public tends to vote more liberally. (John, 2014) Conservatives are ideologically defined by their strict adherence to traditional values and practices as well as their support for little to no governmental regulation and their emphasis on individual citizens taking personal responsibility. Liberals are alternatively defined by their belief that the government should be active in the regulation of the people in order to protect the citizens from the possibility of unequal and discriminatory actions. (Rosalee & Zoe, p134) Liberals are also recognized by their beliefs in the overall equality of citizens, protection of liberties and progressive thinking that is based on the idea that there is overall an essential goodness to the mass populous. While there are vast differences between these opposing sides , it is possible to see how a person may agree with a conservative view of government while simultaneously believing in the humanist attributes of the liberal view. Individuals will usually develop an allegiance to a particular party (typically Democrat or Republican, though many other political parties have emerged), or will categorize themselves as being an independent of a specific party affiliation. An individual’s party identification gives us a better idea on how that person will vote in elections as people tend to follow their elected party’s specific views on an issue as well as electorally support a political leader of the party, but that is not always the case. Party identification has been described as being a psychological identification, or being the way an individual has come to their current attitudes towards public policy by way of their individual life experience, that will continue to influence how new information is processed. (Thomas & Geoffrey) If we were to question an individual’s likelihood to remain a steady voter for one particular party, the Michigan Model theory will give us such a theory to go on as this model emphasizes an individual’s party attachment is  predominately stable. One noticeable flaw in this theory is if a party were to change their stance on an issue that overwhelmingly goes against the beliefs or ideals of the individual, the voter may then vote against the party if not possibly switch parties altogether. But this is unlikely as the voter is more likely to respond to the performances of their elected representatives than to their ideologies alone. (Harold, David, Marianne & Paul) By looking at the present day Republican Party we are able to see they are typically very conservative in their views, which may be why more and more religious people vote in accordance with this party. The Republican party favors towards older, affluent and white males while the Democratic party tends to be more diverse. The Democratic Party contains a very diverse group of people and is weighted in the areas of women, race and sexual orientation. (Gallup-b) The majority of younger Americans also identifies with the Democratic Party. By seeing the makeup of these parties we can deduce that it is likely the Democrats are representative of a â€Å"new school† wave that is pushing for a more liberalistic approach. (Adam, 2014) The presidential approval rating is one of the main political opinion polls taken and focused on by the media. This ranking shows whether the public generally approves or disapproves of the job performance of the person holding America’s highest office. In studying the inconsistent falls and climbs of the approval rating there have been certain trends believed to be the cause of some high points during a presidential term. (Rosalee & Zoe, 109) The honeymoon effect is the first trend that will take place during the days after a President takes office. This effect refers to the initial phase after the swearing in of the president into the office. Since this man is entering office with a clean sheet, and has recently come off of an approval high as evidenced by his election, people are more likely to be optimistic towards actions taken by the president. Eventually there will come a time where a problem is encountered and the president’s plan of action will no doubtedly ups et a cluster of people. After this point there can be varying reasons for the day-to-day rising and falling of the approval rating. (Robert & Kent, 120) In some instances a presidents rating can climb when the nation has been confronted with a foreign event that involves America and possibly a crisis for the American people. This idea is referred to as the rally round the flag effect. Robert Erikson and Kent Tedin write in American Public Opinion (121) this effect is likely to occur due to the desire of the American people to feel united behind a leader. One of the most accurate examples of this would be the attitude of the American people after the attacks that took place on 9/11 and the subsequent skyrocketing in the approval ratings for President George W. Bush. Upon deeper evaluation of this occurrence: when there is more of a relative calming of the people and the effects of war, both financially as well as the casualties incurred, the approval ratings are then subject to drop, one could say when â€Å"reality† sets in. (Rosalee & Zoe, 111) The final source for the possible explanations behind drastic increases and decreases in a presidential approval rating is the state of the economy. An economy that is poorly performing will likely result in low approval ratings for the President and a prosperous economy to increase the approval rating. According to Kevin Hoover in his article â€Å"Phillips Curve†, during a low economic point there will be higher rates of unemployment and inflation. These two factors can have a substantial and negative impact on an individual’s livelihood. President Obama was elected during a time of economic strife due to many factors including a housing market crash as well as the weighing cost of the â€Å"War on Terror†. Even though Obama was not in the Presidential office during the onset of the war, nor was he to blame for the inevitable housing market crash, his approval rating suffered due to the onset of these events aftereffects. Bibliography Robert S. Erikson and Kent L. Tedin, American Public Opinion, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc., 2011 Rosalee A. Clawson and Zoe M. Oxley, Public Opinion: Democratic Ideals, Democratic Practice. Washington D.C., 2013 The University of Texas at Austin. â€Å"Biased Sampling and Extrapolation.† Last modified August 28, 2012. https://www.ma.utexas.edu/users/mks/statmistakes/biasedsampling.html Pelin Kesebir, Erik Phillips, Jackie Anson, Tom Pyszczynski, Matt Motyl, â€Å"Ideological Consistency across the Political Spectrum: Liberals are More Consistent but Conservatives Become More Consistent When Coping with Existential Threat† (February 11, 2013). http://ssrn.com/abstract=2215306 John Sides, â€Å"Why Most Conservatives are Secretly Liberals,† The Washington Post, March 6, 2014. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/03/06/why-most-conservatives-are-secretly-liberals/ Gallup-a. â€Å"Conservatives Remain the Largest Ideological Group in U.S.† Last modified January 12, 2012. http://www.gallup.com/poll/152021/conservatives-remain-largest-ideological-group.aspx Gallup-b. â€Å"Democrats Racially Diverse; Republicans Mostly White† Last modified February 8, 2013 http://www.gallup.com/poll/160373/democrats-racially-diverse-republicans-mostly-white.aspx US History. â€Å"American Political Attitudes and Participation: What Factors Shape Political Attitudes?† Last modified January, 2013. http://www.ushistory.org/gov/4b.asp Christopher Ellis and James A. Stimson, â€Å"Pathways to Ideology in American Politics: the Operational-Symbolic â€Å"Paradox† Revisited† http://www.unc.edu/~jstimson/Working_Papers_files/Pathways.pdf Harold D. Clarke, David Sanders, Marianne C. Stewart and Paul Whitely, â€Å"The Dynamics of Party Identification,† in Political Choice in Britain, edited by Harold D. Clarke (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 185-186. https://www.essex.ac.uk/bes/bookfiles/Sanders-ch06.pdf Franklin & Marshall College. â€Å"The First Political Poll.† Last modified June 18, 2002. http://www.fandm.edu/politics/politically-uncorrected-column/2002-politically-uncorrected/the-first-political-poll WK, Ph.D. Candidate, â€Å"The Role of Salience on the Relationship between Public Policy and Public Opinion† (Paper prepared for DC AAPOR Student Paper Competition, December 12, 2008) http://www.dc-aapor.org/documents/spc08wk.pdf

The Old, Bald, Toothless Angel

The supposed angel in the story A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez differs from the usual conception of angels with the following characteristics: its physical appearance, its effect upon the community, and the paranormal occurrences of its presence. The usual conception on the images of angels are romanticized – images of blonde children with small, white wings and rosy cheeks. However, the ‘angel’ in Marquez’s story is described as an old man, dirty, smelly, and possesses rotting wings. â€Å"He was dressed like a ragpicker. There were only a few faded hairs left on his bald skull and very few teeth in his mouth, and his pitiful condition of a drenched great-grandfather had taken away any sense of grandeur he might have had. His huge buzzard wings, dirty and half-plucked, were forever tangled in mud† (Marquez, 387). In addition, the use of the word ‘enormous’ used to described the old man’s wings are strewn with mud and rotting, full of small insects and parasites. The characters in the story immediately perceive the old man to be a fallen angel, because of the state of his wings. Also, the enormity of the wings give emphasis on Marquez use of the magic realism genre in the story. The shape and size of the wings may be exaggerated in a realistic point of view but the use of enormous gives the reader a more realistic approach to the old man. It also presents an ordinary experience on part of the characters – since Pelayo and Elisenda did not express shock of the old man’s appearance but of his condition – lying in the mud and in a downcast state. As the story revolves on the theme of magical realism, the characters in the story do not express shock over the old man’s appearance. They exhibit behaviour as though they see kinds of magical creatures often in their lives. Indeed, the first reaction of the couple is more a contradiction toward the whole theme of the story – a realistic perspective. They deduced that the old man may be a castaway from a ship across the sea that was wrecked by some storm. They based their judgement when they tried to ask the old man and responded in a strong sailor’s voice with a foreign dialect. However, the couple was not convinced and decided to ask a woman who had experience with such matters. The old woman needed only a glance and immediately concluded that the old man was an angel sent to take the couple’s ailing child (Marquez, 388). Thus, the themes of magic and realism come together from different point of views. The old man’s effect on the community, upon hearing the suggestion of the old woman, also became magical in one point. As exhibited by the behaviour of the townspeople in the story, they immediately associate the angel with various miracles and scenarios – that the angel was sent to be the leader of the world, to be a five star general in order to end wars, and such. The angel is also viewed by the community not as a supernatural creature but rather as a circus animal. After all the commotion the old man brought to the community, the couple decided to charge a fee for everybody who wanted to see the angel. Its popularity declined when a circus act visited the town with a spider-lady as its main attraction. The people favored the spider-woman over the angel as the spider had a personal story on why she turned to such while the angel did nothing but sit on the chicken coop. Marquez presents an alternative conception of the angel – that the spider, with all its grotesquery and exhibiting usual emotions like pain and emotional suffering, greatly amused the people rather than an old, mute angel rotting in its place. People favored amusement, even if the object is supernatural in nature. Apart from this, Marquez presents the angel to be a mere object of interest for only a limited time until the townspeople shifted their attention toward the spider. Angels are often regarded to be holy beings, that are capable of miracles, and provides ‘good’ in people’s lives. But the angel in the story remains isolated from the community and only act as though he had no care of his condition. His characteristics were also a downfall toward the perception of the community – he was old, toothless, with rotting wings and a pronounced stench. Even though the old man was first conceived as an angel, people did not pay the same amount of attention compared to the spider-woman, who exhibited an emotional plight that greatly amused the people. The paranormal presence of the angel did not stir bewilderment on the characters of the story – instead they presented keen interest and ill-disguised curiosity. Also, their immediate association of the old man as a universal solution to all their worldly-problems became the definitive character of the angel. Yet, they did not bother to place the angel in greater prominence, as they ignored him until one day, he grew new wings and began to fly toward the ocean horizon. The disappearance of the angel also coincided with the growth of Pelayo and Elisenda’s child, and deduced that the angel took away the child’s sickness. And because of the fee they charged to see the angel, the couple became rich from their profits. Marquez persuades the reader into a personal interpretation of the old man – just like the people in the story. He presents the old man with its characteristics and it is up to the reader to decide whether it is an angel or not. However, Marquez also utilizes several peculiar situations and characteristics that coincide with the angel’s presence in the story. His enormous wings is the main point. It appears as though it was nothing out of the extraordinary; that the characters in the story were accustomed to seeing wings deeply implanted in a person’s structure. Also, as the angel grew another set of wings, it could have been assumed that it would resemble the pearly-white color of a real angel but the old man’s wings were that of a scarecrow (Marquez, 392). Marquez leaves room for interpretation on the part of the reader as to what the old man really is. He presents a wholly different perspective of an angel, as presented by the examples of the people in which the old revolved upon. It may be an angel or just an old, toothless man with enormous wings.

How to Say Hello in 30 Different Languages

How to Say Hello in 30 Different Languages SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips It’s estimated that there are anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 different language dialects currently spoken around the world. If you’re a world traveler or just interested in other cultures, you might be interested in learning to say hello in different languages. While we won’t cover all 5,000 here, we will teach you how to greet people in 60 different ways. How to Say Hello in Different Languages The chart below outlines how to say hello in thirty different languages. Language Informal Greeting Formal Greeting Arabic Ahlan Asalaam alaikum Bulgarian Zdrasti Zdraveĭte Chinese NÇ  hÇŽo NÇ n hÇŽo Dutch Hallo Goede dag English Hey Hello French Salut Bonjour Gaelic Hug Dia dhuit German Hallo Guten tag Greek Yasou Kalimera Hebrew Shalom Shalom aleichem Hindi HÄ“ NamastÄ“ Icelandic Hallà ³ Gà ³Ãƒ °an dag Indonesian Salam! Selamat siang Italian Ciao Salve Japanese YÄ , _YÃ…  Konnichiwa Khmer Suosdei Suostei Korean Anyoung Anyoung haseyo Polish Hej Cześć Polish Cześć! DzieÅ„ dobry! Portuguese Oi Ol Romanian Hei BunÄÆ' ziua Russian Privet Zdravstvuyte Spanish  ¿Quà © tal? Hola Swahili Hujambo Habari Swedish Hej God dag Tahitian Ia ora na Ia ora na Turkish Selam Merhaba Vietnamese Cho Xin cho Welsh Helo Shwmae Zulu Sawubona Ngiyakwemukela When to Use the Formal or Informal Version of â€Å"Hello† Think about how you say hello to your friends versus how you say hello to your friends’ parents. When you’re speaking to older people or people that you don’t know very well, you’ll want to use a more formal version of a greeting. Formal greetings are appropriate in most business situations or situations where transactions are occurring, such as at a store or in a restaurant. If you’re not sure, it’s a good idea to wait until someone speaks casually to you before speaking casually to them. Pay attention to what the people around you are saying. What makes something formal or informal varies by language and location. You’ll likely find that people start to use casual greetings over time, once you get to know them more. When in doubt, use a formal greeting. Final Thoughts Learning to say hello in different languages is a fun way to get to know the local culture when you travel. Use these greetings on your next journey abroad. What's Next? Interested in learning Japanese?Learn how to say "good morning" in Japanese, plus nine other key greetings. Want to learn the longest word in Italian? Check out our article on how to say "hello" (and other things) in Italian (coming soon). What's the best foreign language to take in high school?If you're wondering which language to study, check out our guideon which foreign language you should learn in school.

Biography of Mohandas Gandhi, Indian Freedom Leader

Biography of Mohandas Gandhi, Indian Freedom Leader Mohandas Gandhi (October 2, 1869–January 30, 1948) was the father of the Indian independence movement. While fighting discrimination in South Africa, Gandhi developed satyagraha, a nonviolent way of protesting injustice. Returning to his birthplace of India, Gandhi spent his remaining years working to end British rule of his country and to better the lives of Indias poorest classes. Fast Facts: Mohandas Gandhi Known For: Leader of Indias independence movementAlso Known As: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Mahatma (Great Soul), Father of the Nation, Bapu (Father), GandhijiBorn: October 2, 1869 in Porbandar, IndiaParents: Karamchand and Putlibai GandhiDied: January 30, 1948 in New Delhi, IndiaEducation: Law degree, Inner Temple, London, EnglandPublished Works: Mohandas K. Gandhi, Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Freedoms BattleSpouse: Kasturba KapadiaChildren: Harilal Gandhi, Manilal Gandhi, Ramdas Gandhi, Devdas GandhiNotable Quote: The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members. Early Life Mohandas Gandhi was born October 2, 1869, in Porbandar, India, the last child of his father Karamchand Gandhi and his fourth wife Putlibai. Young Gandhi was a shy, mediocre student. At age 13, he married Kasturba Kapadia  as part of an arranged marriage. She bore four sons and supported Gandhis endeavors until her 1944 death. In September 1888 at age 18, Gandhi left India alone to study law in London. He attempted to become an English gentleman, buying suits, fine-tuning his English accent, learning French, and taking music lessons. Deciding that was a waste of time and money, he spent the rest of his three-year stay as a serious student living a simple lifestyle. Gandhi also adopted vegetarianism and joined the London Vegetarian Society, whose intellectual crowd introduced Gandhi to authors Henry David Thoreau and Leo Tolstoy. He also studied the Bhagavad Gita, an epic poem sacred to Hindus. These books concepts set the foundation for his later beliefs. Gandhi passed the bar on June 10, 1891, and returned to India. For two years, he attempted to practice law but lacked the knowledge of Indian law and the self-confidence necessary to be a trial lawyer. Instead, he took on a year-long case in South Africa. South Africa At 23, Gandhi again left his family and set off for the British-governed Natal province in South Africa in May 1893. After a week, Gandhi was asked to go to the Dutch-governed Transvaal province. When Gandhi boarded the train, railroad officials ordered him to move to the third-class car. Gandhi, holding first-class tickets, refused. A policeman threw him off the train. As Gandhi talked to Indians in South Africa, he learned that such experiences were common. Sitting in the cold depot that first night of his trip, Gandhi debated returning to India or fighting the discrimination. He decided that he couldnt ignore these injustices. Gandhi spent 20 years bettering Indians rights in South Africa, becoming a resilient, potent leader against discrimination. He learned about Indian grievances, studied the law, wrote letters to officials, and organized petitions. On May 22, 1894, Gandhi established the Natal Indian Congress (NIC). Although it began as an organization for wealthy Indians, Gandhi expanded it to all classes and castes. He became a leader of South Africas Indian community, his activism covered by newspapers in England and India. Return to India In 1896 after three years in South Africa, Gandhi sailed to India to bring his wife and two sons back with him, returning in November. Gandhis ship was quarantined at the harbor for 23 days, but the real reason for the delay was an angry mob of whites at the dock who believed Gandhi was returning with Indians who would overrun South Africa. Gandhi sent his family to safety, but he was assaulted with bricks, rotten eggs, and fists. Police escorted him away. Gandhi refuted the claims against him but refused to prosecute those involved. The violence stopped, strengthening Gandhis prestige. Influenced by the  Gita, Gandhi wanted to purify his life by following the concepts of aparigraha  (nonpossession) and  samabhava  (equitability). A friend gave him Unto This Last  by  John Ruskin, which inspired Gandhi to establish Phoenix Settlement, a community outside Durban, in June 1904. The settlement focused on eliminating needless possessions and living in full equality. Gandhi moved his family and his newspaper, the  Indian Opinion, to the settlement. In 1906, believing that family life was detracting from his potential as a public advocate, Gandhi took the vow of  brahmacharya  (abstinence from sex). He simplified his vegetarianism to unspiced, usually uncooked foods- mostly fruits and nuts, which he believed would help quiet his urges. Satyagraha Gandhi believed that his vow of  brahmacharya  allowed him the focus to devise the concept of  satyagraha  in late 1906. In the simplest sense,  satyagraha  is passive resistance, but Gandhi described it as truth force, or natural right. He believed exploitation was possible only if the exploited and the exploiter accepted it, so seeing beyond the current situation provided power to change it. In practice,  satyagraha  is nonviolent resistance to injustice. A  person using satyagraha could resist injustice by refusing to follow an unjust law or putting up with physical assaults and/or confiscation of his property without anger. There would be no winners or losers; all would understand the truth and agree to rescind the unjust law. Gandhi first organized satyagraha  against the Asiatic Registration Law, or Black Act, which passed in March 1907. It required all Indians to be fingerprinted and carry registration documents at all times. Indians refused fingerprinting and picketed documentation offices. Protests were organized, miners went on strike, and Indians illegally traveled from Natal to the Transvaal in opposition to the act. Many protesters, including Gandhi, were beaten and arrested. After seven years of protest, the Black Act was repealed. The nonviolent protest had succeeded. Back to India After 20 years in South Africa, Gandhi returned to India. By the time he arrived, press reports of his South African triumphs had made him a national hero. He traveled the country for a year before beginning reforms. Gandhi found that his fame conflicted with observing conditions of the poor, so he wore a loincloth (dhoti) and sandals, the garb of the masses, during this journey. In cold weather, he added a shawl. This became his lifetime wardrobe. Gandhi founded another communal settlement in Ahmadabad called Sabarmati Ashram. For the next 16 years, Gandhi lived there with his family. He was also given the honorary title of Mahatma, or Great Soul. Many credit Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore, winner of the 1913  Nobel Prize for Literature, for awarding Gandhi this name. Peasants viewed Gandhi as a holy man, but he disliked the title because it implied he was special. He viewed himself as ordinary. After the year ended, Gandhi still felt stifled because of World War I. As part of  satyagraha, Gandhi had vowed never to take advantage of an opponents troubles. With the British in a major conflict, Gandhi couldnt fight them for Indian freedom. Instead, he used satyagraha  to erase inequities among Indians. Gandhi persuaded landlords to stop forcing tenant farmers to pay increased rent by appealing to their morals and fasted to convince mill owners to settle a strike. Because of Gandhis prestige, people didnt want to be responsible for his death from fasting. Confronting British When the war ended, Gandhi focused on the fight for Indian self-rule (swaraj). In 1919, the British handed Gandhi a cause: the Rowlatt Act, which gave the British nearly free rein to detain revolutionary elements without trial. Gandhi organized a hartal (strike), which began on March 30, 1919. Unfortunately, the protest turned violent. Gandhi ended the  hartal  once he heard about the violence, but more than 300 Indians had died and more than 1,100 were injured from British reprisals in the city of Amritsar.  Satyagraha  hadnt been achieved, but the Amritsar Massacre  fueled Indian opinions against the British. The violence showed Gandhi that the Indian people didnt fully believe in satyagraha. He spent much of the 1920s advocating for it  and struggling to keep protests peaceful. Gandhi also began advocating self-reliance as a path to freedom. Since the British established India as a colony, Indians had supplied Britain with raw fiber and then imported the resulting cloth from England. Gandhi advocated that Indians spin their own cloth, popularizing the idea by traveling with a spinning wheel, often spinning yarn while giving a speech. The image of the spinning wheel (charkha) became a symbol for independence. In March 1922, Gandhi was arrested and sentenced to six years in prison for sedition. After two years, he was released following surgery to find his country embroiled in violence between Muslims and Hindus. When Gandhi began a 21-day fast still ill from surgery, many thought he would die, but he rallied. The fast created a temporary peace. Salt March In December 1928, Gandhi and the Indian National Congress (INC) announced a challenge to the British government. If India wasnt granted Commonwealth status by December 31, 1929, they would organize a nationwide protest against British taxes. The deadline passed without change. Gandhi chose to protest the British salt tax because salt was used in everyday cooking, even by the poorest. The Salt March began a nationwide boycott starting March 12,  1930, when Gandhi and 78 followers walked 200 miles from the Sabarmati Ashram to the sea. The group grew along the way, reaching 2,000 to 3,000. When they reached the coastal town of Dandi on April 5, they prayed all night. In the morning, Gandhi made a presentation of picking up a piece of sea salt from the beach. Technically, he had broken the law. Thus began an endeavor for Indians to make salt. Some picked up loose salt on the beaches, while others evaporated saltwater. Indian-made salt soon was sold nationwide. Peaceful picketing and marches were conducted. The British responded with mass arrests. Protesters Beaten When Gandhi announced a march on the government-owned Dharasana Saltworks, the British imprisoned him without trial. Although they hoped Gandhis arrest would stop the march, they underestimated his followers. The poet  Sarojini Naidu  led 2,500 marchers. As they reached the waiting police, the marchers were beaten with clubs. News of the brutal beating of peaceful protesters shocked the world. British viceroy Lord Irwin met with Gandhi and they agreed on the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, which granted limited salt production and freedom for the protesters if Gandhi called off the protests. While many Indians believed that Gandhi hadnt gotten enough from the negotiations, he viewed it as a step toward independence. Independence After the success of the  Salt March, Gandhi conducted another fast that enhanced his image as a holy man or prophet. Dismayed at the adulation, Gandhi retired from politics in 1934 at age 64. He came out of retirement five years later when the British viceroy announced, without consulting Indian leaders, that India would side with England during  World War II. This revitalized the Indian independence movement. Many British parliamentarians realized they were facing mass protests and began discussing an independent India. Although Prime Minister  Winston Churchill  opposed losing India as a colony, the British announced in March 1941 that it would free India after  World War II. Gandhi wanted independence sooner and organized a Quit India campaign in 1942. The British again jailed Gandhi. Hindu-Muslim Conflict When Gandhi was released in 1944, independence seemed near. Huge disagreements, however, arose between Hindus and Muslims. Because the majority of Indians were Hindu, Muslims feared losing political power if India became independent. The Muslims wanted six provinces in northwest India, where Muslims predominated, to become an independent country. Gandhi opposed partitioning India and tried to bring the sides together, but that proved too difficult even for the Mahatma. Violence erupted; entire towns were burned. Gandhi toured India, hoping his presence could curb the violence. Although violence stopped where Gandhi visited, he couldnt be everywhere. Partition The British, seeing India headed for civil war, decided to leave in August 1947. Before leaving, they got the Hindus, against Gandhis wishes, to agree to a  partition plan. On August 15, 1947, Britain granted independence to India and to the newly formed Muslim country of Pakistan. Millions of Muslims marched from India to Pakistan, and millions of Hindus in Pakistan walked to India. Many refugees died from illness, exposure, and dehydration. As 15 million Indians became uprooted from their homes, Hindus and Muslims attacked each other. Gandhi once again went on a fast. He would only eat again, he stated, once he saw clear plans to stop the violence. The fast began on January 13, 1948. Realizing that the frail, aged Gandhi couldnt withstand a long fast, the sides collaborated. On January 18, more than 100 representatives approached Gandhi with a promise for peace, ending his fast. Assassination Not everyone approved of the plan. Some radical Hindu groups believed that India shouldnt have been partitioned, blaming Gandhi. On January 30, 1948, the 78-year-old Gandhi spent his day discussing issues. Just past 5 p.m., Gandhi began the walk, supported by two grandnieces, to the Birla House, where he was staying in New Delhi, for a prayer meeting. A crowd surrounded him. A young Hindu named Nathuram Godse stopped before him and bowed. Gandhi bowed back. Godse shot Gandhi three times. Although Gandhi had survived five other assassination attempts, he fell to the ground, dead. Legacy Gandhis concept of nonviolent protest attracted the organizers of numerous demonstrations and movements. Civil rights leaders, especially Martin Luther King Jr., adopted Gandhis model for their own struggles. Research in the second half of the 20th century established Gandhi as a great mediator and reconciler, resolving conflicts between older moderate politicians and young radicals, political terrorists and parliamentarians, urban intelligentsia and rural masses, Hindus and Muslims, as well as Indians and British. He was the  catalyst,  if not the initiator, of three major revolutions of the 20th century: movements against colonialism, racism, and violence. His deepest strivings were spiritual, but unlike many fellow Indians with such  aspirations, he didnt retire to a Himalayan cave  to meditate. Rather, he took his cave with him everywhere he went. And, he left his thoughts to posterity: His collected writings had reached 100 volumes by the early 21st century. Sources Mahatma Gandhi: Indian Leader. Encyclopaedia Britannica.Mahatma Gandhi. History.com.

Is Freedom of Speech Really Free Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is Freedom of Speech Really Free - Essay Example Kersch (2003, p.2) writes that, â€Å"American’s belief that freedom of speech is part of their national birthright, a birthright that sets the United States above other nations, has been a constant throughout U.S. history, as many foreign visitors have observed. But the scope of that freedom has shifted radically over the course of U.S. history.† This is a very sad and eye-opening statement which can better be understood after reading the following incident. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, delivered a speech recently in Washington, D.C. regarding the disappointment she was having in foreign leaders about respecting people’s freedom. Ray McGovern, who was a former CIA employee and a peace activist, attempted to make a protest against Hillary’s speech. He was put to silence after guards grabbed him; pulled him off cruelly; abused and double-cuffed him with metal handcuffs; and put him in jail, bleeding. Ray was abused because he opened his mouth while the Secretary of State was strongly assuring the citizens about the freedom of expression, in her speech. Ray shouted, â€Å"So, this is America?† while the cops dragged him away. The video footage can be seen on YouTube and the report by O’Connor (2011) can be read online. Is this the freedom of speech that our politicians guarantee us when they take our votes? This is nothing other than mere hypocrisy. Brad O’Leary’s book, Shut Up America!: The End of Free Speech, (2009) has beautifully explained that restrictions on freedom of thought and expression is very dangerous for our sustainability as a nation. He writes that, â€Å"In the 2008, Presidential Election, Congress issued no complaints about the content of television and print coverage of the race for the White House. But today’s congressional leaders want to punish talk radio for its critical coverage of television and print media bias† (p. ix). He asserts that today we do not enjoy f ree expression of ideas. A specific agenda is always forced on us making us believe that we are so unenlightened and provincial that we cannot understand our own good. They make us believe that we are not smart enough to be able to understand the difference between biased ideas and agendas and we cannot sort out things ourselves. We are told that we cannot form good opinions without their support, so we have to adopt their ideas and perspective to survive freely. â€Å"This group sees Americans as petulant children who refuse to eat their vegetables, and their solution is to forcefeed us what we clearly and definitely have rejected†, asserts O’Leary. A University of Florida student named Andrew Meyer asked some questions of Senator John Kerry in 2007 during a forum. He was constantly and excitedly trying to ask Kerry why he approved the 2004 election even after numerous reports of disenfranchisement of black voters and pre-prepared electronic-voting machines. Meyer was thought of being impolite and obnoxious. The police attacked him and eventually forced him to submit after Tasering him (FOXNews, 2007). Tasering means applying electric shock by means of a weapon which is used by police to control suspects. In the YouTube video, Meyer can be heard howling with pain, "Don't Tase me, bro, don't Tase me". What does this incident tell us about the freedom of speech? Is it really free? Certainly not. We can no more raise our voices. We cannot ask questions of our officials. We cannot say that we are not satisfied. We

Human status in regards to Aristotle and Kant Research Paper

Human status in regards to Aristotle and Kant - Research Paper Example onal ideas of separation of mankind into various groups by the nature or in Gods will: Greeks and barbarians, elected and not elected, devout and not devout, civilized and uncivilized etc. The aspiration to prove the unity of the human race was always resisted by aristocratic, hierarchical, nationalist, racial, class and other theories. Understanding of mankind, and, therefore, the general concept of a person was finally developed only in the XIX century. All the second grade theories have one common feature: some part of mankind is recognized as superior. However, there classical theories, which allow us to understand the real essence of humans and their status in this world in the given work two views on humans’ status will be considered: the view of Kant and the view of Aristotle. German classical philosophy is presented by such thinkers as I. Kant, I. Fichte, F. Schelling and G. Hegel, who lived and worked at the end of XVIII - the first half of the XIX centuries. One of the main tasks of the German classical philosophy is to overcome the contradictions of XVII—XVIII centuries’ philosophy, which was expressed in opposition to rationalism and empiricism, exaggeration of a role of natural sciences and excessive optimism of Enlightenment. This movement is characterized by the revival of interest in history, art, mythology, as well as by the criticism of natural science direction in modern philosophy. All these are caused by a great interest to the problem of a person put in a new way. The German classical philosophy replaced an individual ideal of free identity of Renaissance by the collective ideal of free mankind expressed by the ideas of Enlightenment and the slogans of The Great French revolution. Protestantism is the religious fundamental of German classical philosophy. In Kants work there are two periods: critical and subcritical. During the subcritical period (1756-1770) the interests of Kant were mainly connected with logical problems and natural

Business environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Business environment - Essay Example The following graph shows the example of perfect competition Monopoly: Monopoly is totally opposite to perfect competition. In perfect monopoly, only one manufacturer or supplier exists but in reality, such sort of market hardly exists because in such an advanced arena there must be a substitute of each product. There is a dominance of one firm on overall market, such firm can influence prices, lack of substitute, very high barriers to entry (Wilkinson, 2005). Example of such market structure can be a cable company in India, electricity supplier in many countries including Pakistan, and British Telecom. The following graph represents the monopoly market: Monopsony: In monopsony, firmshavethe power to employee factors of production and each firm employee a miniature amount of employees in order to influence the rate of wages. In such market, only one buyer of a particular sort of laborexists. Firms are wage makers because labor has fewer options (McConnell, 2012). Due to the highest bargaining power, firms have lower manufacturing cost and, therefore, largest profit margin.Example of such firms is the electricity generator because it can negotiate a lower price of gas and coal supply contract. Low cost airline gets favorable price for new fleet, food retailers use their bargaining power when purchase items from milk producer, farmer, and other dealers. The following graph shows the example of monopsony market. Oligopoly: In oligopoly, competition exists between few firms. May the industry have the largest number of firms however;few larger firms dominate the overall industry. Firms are liable to manufacture or supply differentiated or standardized products, such firms have to face high entry barriers, have medium power to affect the market price (Wilkinson, 2005). Example of oligopolistic market is the sports apparel industry. Multiple manufacturers exist in sports apparel industry, but some majors like Adidas, Puma, and Nike are dominating the overall

Impact on international business negotiations

Impact on international business negotiations Cultures Impact On International Business Negotiations International Negotiations And Culture Nowadays there is not product or service that does not have any international mark in its story. According to Thomas, D. (2008:3) â€Å"virtually all business conducted today is global business. It is difficult to identify a product or service that is not somehow influenced by a cross-border transaction of some kind†. Czinkota et al. (2009:53) suggests that when a firm expands its operations across international borders, it acquires new customers and new partners in new environments. It is essential for the company to understand cultural differences and the way they manifest themselves and to determine similarities across cultures and exploit them in the formulation of strategy. The success in new markets is determined by the capability of the firm to adapt to the new culture. Patience, flexibility and appreciation of others beliefs are essential qualities. Unlike economic, legal, and political aspects of the country, which are recognizable, cultures effects are mostly hidden and difficult to observe. For this reason, Thomas (2008:11) states that culture is the aspect of the management context most often neglected. Even large multinational corporations like Unilever need to observe the cultural features in a new market before launching a product. For example, when Unilever decided to enter the Indian market, it began its business by spending weeks living in rural villages to spend time with locals and come in touch with their uses and customs. Doing this, it discovered that to sell soap to Indian women it had to develop differently its product. Because of the use of the women of this region to use the same soap for body washing as for shampoo, Unilever developed a low-cost soap that could be used for body and for hair. (Johnson et all. 2006:302) To deal with culture it is necessary to understand what it is and what it is made of. ASPECTS /COMPONENTS INVOLVED IN PARTICULAR INTO THE BUSINESS WORLD, IN RELACION CON EL MUNDO COMERCIAL Definition Of Culture Czincota et al. (2009:54) defines culture as an â€Å"integrated system of learned behaviour patterns that are characteristics of the members of any society†. Any society has interrelated and interdependent features that characterize the direction and guidance in all phases of human problem solving. Culture is dynamic in time and develops through interactions among groups of people, societies, regions and nations. The key to success in international operations is to adjust and adapt to a specific culture in order to understand and later satisfy its specific needs. This activity is called â€Å"process of acculturation†. Reseacrh in this field has demonstrated that culture affects peoples behaviour. Its internal elements as values and attitudes can influence the way a person approach new products and some companies might find necessary to adapt dramatically its goods to the societys requirements. These elements are: language (verbal or nonverbal), religion, values and attitudes, manners and customs, material elements, aesthetics, education and social institutions (Maureen 2005: 42; Czinkota et al. 2009: 57). THE LATES PROVIDED A VERY USEFUL DEFINITION OF THESE ELEMENTS THAT CAN BE SUMMARIZED AS FOLLOW: 2.1. Language has been described by Czincota et al. (2009: 58) as the mirror of culture. Language capability serves three distinct roles in international business. Firstly, business meeting are aids by language knowledge. Speaking the national language would make the people more comfortable and inclined to make a deal. Secondly, it provides access to local society. It is reccomendable to become part of the market rather than observe it from the outside. Finally, language capability is increasingly important in company communications because using an interpreter takes long time and the manager could not be sure the message has been translated correctly. The company has to pay also attention at the different translations that a word could have in countries with the same language. For example, Goodyear has identified five different terms for the word â€Å"tyres† in the Spanish-speaking Americas: cauchos in Venezuela, cubiertas in Argentina, gomas in Puerto Rico, neumaticos in Chile and llantas in most of the other countries. Dealing with language invariably requires local assistance. Manager also must to analyse and becoming familiar with nonverbal language. Key topics are: time, space, material possessions, friendship patterns and business agreements (Czinkota et all 2009: 60).Following, this aspect will be applied at the Spanish culture. 2.2. Religion has an impact on international business that is seen in a cultures values and attitudes toward entrepreneurship, consumption and social organization.(SINTASSI) Although the impact of religion may be indirect in Protestant northern Europe, its impact in countries where Islamic fundamentalism is on the rise may be profound. .(Czinkota et all 2009: 60). 2.3. The differences in cultural values and attitudes affect the way planning is executed, decisions are made, strategy is implemented and personnel are evaluated. In some counties many middle-aged bureaucrats and company officials believe that buying foreign products is unpatriotic.(Czinkota et all 2009: 63). 2.4. Manners and customs: understanding manners and customers is especially important in negotiations, because interpretations based on ones own frame of reference may lead to a totally incorrect conclusion. To negotiate affectively abroad, all types of communication should be read correctly. For example, gift giving is one area where preparation and sensitivity are called for. (Czinkota et all 2009: 65). 2.5 Material elements: material culture refers to the results of technology and is directly related to how a society organizes its economic activity. Many US exporters do not understand the degree to which Americans are package conscious; for example, cans must be shiny and beautiful. (Czinkota et all 2009: 67) 2.6 Aesthetics: each culture makes a clear statement concerning good taste, as expressed in the arts and in the particular symbolism of colours, form and music. What is and what is not acceptable may vary dramatically even in otherwise highly similar markets. In Spain, for example, sex is a big selling point while Japanese in order to preserve the purity of their women use foreign models to make the point in provocative adverts. (Czinkota et all 2009:67). ESEMPIO PUBLICITA PROVOCATIVA IN SPAGNA 2.7 Education: education levels effect various business functions. For example, a high level of illiteracy suggests the use of visual aids rather than printed manuals. (Czinkota et all 2009: 68). In Lanzarote the labels of many products are written in Castellano, English and French to adapt to the mix of nationalities population †¦ of the island. (COME FACCIO LA REFERENZA?) 2.8 Social institutions: It affects the way people relate to each other. The family unit, which in Western industrialized countries consists of parents and children, is extended in a number of cultures to include grandparents and other relatives. This affects consumption patterns and must be taken into account, for example when conducting market research. social organization also determine the roles of managers and subordinates and how they relate to one another. In some cultures, managers and subordinates are separated explicitly and implicitly by various boundaries ranging from social class differences to separate office facilities. (Czinkota et all 2009: 68) Controllato Fino A Qua Spanish Culture This chapter analyses the main characteristics of Spanish culture paying particular attention at the Lanzarotes context. To understand a culture, one must first understand the people – where they come from, who they are the values and traditions they live by, as well as their customs and etiquette. (Graff 2006: about the series). Spain is a land of contrasts. A fascinating mixture of cultures, architecture, landscapes and climates, it is a country begging to be explored and offering newcomers as wide a choice of lifestyles, business opportunities and entertainment as any other country in Europe. (Graff 2006: vi) Spaniard love to gather together and talk. They are sociable people, generally vivacious, ready to enjoy a party and join in celebrations. They are passionate about their family, their conviction and their arts, but also enjoy modest pleasures such as a good meal with friends. Spanish temperament is strongly individualistic. (Graff 2006: 30) In Spain there is the usage to kiss people on the cheeks when meeting at an event or in the street. Foreigners must be aware of this customs and adapt to it. Women will kiss the men and the other women, but men will only kiss women. It is possible that at the end of a friendly conversation a man may give another man a big hug that it is just an expression of friendly feeling. (Graff 2006: 32) Settling In Spanish bureaucracy is a critical factor for foreigners and locals. Because of the slow administrative system, it could take also a day to get a simply permit. Patience will be tried to the extreme on occasion, and it must be learnt to remain calm and reasonable under quite severe stress. Spaniards find these long waiting a chance to do conversation and make new friends. (Graff 2006:57) Food And Entertaining Spaniards have a real veneration for food. A meal it is an expression of community spirit, to everyone meeting to enjoy the food and the company (Graff 2009:97). Language There are different languages and dialects spoken throughout the country. The local languages may create difficulties to foreigner when travelling from a region to another as road signs might be written in the local language. Castilian is the official language of Spain used by the majority of the mass media and also in official documents. However, Catalan, Galician and Basque are widely spoken in their regions (Graff 2006:140). Non-Verbal Communication Spaniards use non-verbal language more than British people. Particularly when speaking with foreigner, Spanish people wave their hands to describe or to emphasise what they are saying. Handshakes are never prolonged and only used at first introductions, after which kissing becomes the accepted form of greeting (Graff 2006: 143). MAÑANA Punctuality In order to do not have unpleasant hours of waiting it is necessary to understand what Spaniards mean with maà ±ana, (tomorrow). According to Spanish courtesy it is more acceptable to keep scheduling an appointment maà ±ana, even knowing there are just a few possibilities it will happen, instead of refusing it (Graff 2006: 145). Spaniards do nothing in a hurry. While they expect foreign visitors to be punctual for business meetings, they are lax about their own punctuality for social occasions or business appointments (Bosrock 2006: 399) Meetings And Business Lunches Spaniards prefers to do business face to face. For this reason, when it is possible, they like to arrange a meeting in a cafà © or a restaurant. Business meeting are frequent occurrences and likely to be noisy affairs where a foreign could probably be constantly interrupted. These kind of lunches tend to become lengthy affair. It is so advised to do not schedule any important appointment after the lunch (Graff 2006: 151). (Bosrock 2006: 393) Because of the richness of Spanish culture and history it is recommended to know some of the basic fact. Applying this to the Spain it results an useful list..: Its official name: Spain The collective name of its people: Spanish/Spaniards The language(s) spoken: Castilian (official), Basque, Catalan, Its presidents name: Zapatero Its political system: democracy Its currency: Euro Whether it belongs to the European Union (EU): yes Main events of the past century, (the more details you know, the better your conversation will be.) Current issues and event (Bullfighting, ETA, ) (Bosrock 2006: 20) What To Wear According to Bosrock 2006 (397) â€Å"appearance is extremely important to Spaniards, and they will judge you on how you look. Wearing high-quality designer clothing and accessories will suggest professionalism and social standing. Spaniards dress well, and their casual attire is smart casual It is recommendable to be aware about the Spanish tortura de la galanteria when loud comments are made about someone appearance as walking by someone Spanish. This must be taken as something simply complimentary (Graff 2009:152). Business Dealings With Spaniards Graff stances that ‘most foreigners say that they find doing business with Spaniards â€Å"straightforward† generally speaking. The ‘problems seem to arise from the Spaniards wish to enjoy what he happens to be doing at any particular moment with the frequent result that he will completely forget an appointment made a few days ago in order to pursue the business being discussed with the client sitting in front of him. One of the chief complaints voiced by many foreigners id ‘unpunctuality and, as this aspect of Spanish existence is much in evidence in all the spheres; you will need to learn how to deal with: Sudden change of plan Being stood up with no excuses whatsoever offered Business meetings dragging on with the result that you too, will be late for your next appointment (Graff 2006: 153). Spanish Corporate Culture (Bosrock 2006:400) Structure: conflict and stress exist in business between the old bureaucratic, authoritarian management style that managers over age fifty use and the new, more participative management style that younger managers use. The boss asserts authority and solve problems but in the real organizational structure that is social, people on the third or fourth level may have more actual power then those at the top. While subordinates accept criticism from the boss, theyre likely to resent criticism from colleague or outsiders. When reprimanded, a person often wont admit fault. Communication (Bosrock 2006:400) large companies conduct business in English and Spanis, but Spanish usually predominates. Check ahead to see whether youll need an interpreter. Spaniards may hesitate to express disagreement to your face; they believe that open disagreement is disrespectful, instead, they will discuss their disagreement with others, who will eventually pass it on to you. (Smiles dont always mean you have done well) Be Aware Spaniards are very proud people. Dont mistake their self-relaince and sense of worth as intolerance. Never embarrass anyone. Expect delays and procrastination. Spanish bureaucracy menas odd office hours, plenty of paperwork, seemingly random rules and regulations, and unhelpful staff. Spaniards dismissal of rules and regulations produces a constant crisis atmosphere Spaniards loyalty lies with people, not institutions. Especially For Women Spanish society is aggressively pursuing equality between the sexes. Nevertheless, machismo persist. Few working women are on the fast track; female lawyers and doctors are extremely rare. In addition, society expect even working women to be the primary caretakers of the family and home. progress for professional women has been slow, but educationally qualified women are gradually gaining acceptance in the business community. While Spaniards accept foreign businesswomen, its important that women immediately establish credentials and ability. Spanish men are charming. Be especially careful of making eye contact with Spanish man, whi may interpret your gaze as flirting. Although its rare to whistle at women, staring is common and acceptable. If someone stares at you, just ignore it. For dinner, dont dine alone in restaurants or bars. Its acceoptable for a foreign woman to invite a Spanish man to a business dinner, but she may have trouble paying for the meal. Spanish men expect to pay. If you want to pay, arrange payment with the wait staff beforehand. Working Hours Dati Popolazione Lanzarotegna Da Wikipedia that a company should understand before initiate any negotiation. Bases Of Negotiation In An International Business In markets such as China and Taiwan, companies such as KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), McDonalds and other fast food entities dramatically changed eating habits, especially of the younger generation. The example of KFC in India illustrates the difficulties that companies may have entering culturally complex markets. Even though the company opened its outlets in two of the Indias most cosmopolitan cities (Bangalore and New Delhi), it found itself the target of protests by a wide range of opponents. KFC could have alleviated or eliminated some of the anti-Western passions by tailoring its activities to the local conditions. First, rather than opting for more direct control, KFC should have allied itself with local partners for advice and support. Second, KFC should have tried to appear more Indian rather than using high-profile advertising with Western ideas. Indians are ambivalent toward foreign cultures and its ideas may not always work well there. Finally, KFC should have planned for competition, which came from small restaurants with political clout at the local level. (Czinkota et all 2009: 56) Main Issues About International Relationships In Lanzarote On May 2009, the only English magazine on Lanzarote island, The Gazette, carried out a research about customer services quality on the island. It found out the quality level was very low due to the attitude of certain shop assistants and their unwillingness to assist customers and solve their problems. One factor that The Gazette suggested to take into account was the cultural divide. It took as example the fact that the Spanish do not say â€Å"please† and â€Å"thank you† as much as the British do. As explained in the article titled â€Å"Service not included!†, in Britain it is common to sat these words around four or five times during the most simple transaction in a shop. As a result, what is normal in Lanzarote may seem brusque to a visitor on the island. (The Gazette 2009) Products are not just products: they become what they are as the result of their integration into particular context. For example, MD Food, a Danish producer of dairy products, marketed Havarti cheese in Spain that was physically the same marketed in Denmark. However, it did not think about the different uses and criteria of evaluation of the two different countries. While the cheese in Denmark may be eaten on black bread accompanied by milk, the souths European eat it on white bread and take it with wine. (Maureen, G. 2005) For this reason, it is highly recommended to carry out a research based on the probable use the consumer may do of a product. How To Do Business Across Culture Mention Artic spa (book about how an Artic spa should be sold) First thing to ask yourself: â€Å"Are my actions considerate and respectful?† (Bosrock 2006: 5). According to the article â€Å"Going native† published on The Gazette on April 2009, English people living on the island should â€Å"go native† and live day at the Spanish way in order to fully integrate with the local culture. The article suggest to firstly start the day with a traditional Lanzarotes breakfast, dress like local, and not like tourists, have fun like local and get ones self attitude right. (The Gazette: April 2009) How can a company explain and predict the behavior of people in a specific country ? From the management perspective, first at all, managers must ensure smooth interaction of the business with its different constituents and must assist others to implement programmes within and across markets. (Czinkota et al 2009: 73) The international managers task is to distinguish relevant cross-cultural and intra-cultural differences and then to isolate potential opportunities and problems. A good example is the Indian subculture in Britain McDonalds in Europe is an excellent example of how an organization has used an appreciation of culture as a competitive business advantage. When McDonalds restaurants first approaches France did have hard work. French activists attempt to destroy a McDonalds restaurant under construction. The French are a nation for whom good food and quality dining are cultural icons akin to the Eiffel Tower. Yet somehow McDonalds is thriving in France, with revenues second only to those in the United Estates . The company has about 950 restaurants in France, and in 2006 its sales in France grew by 8 percent, which is a pretty good growth for a county that treasures fine dining (Solomon and Schell, 2006)p.7 While maintaining a global brand, it has adapted it to be respectful of local tastes and values. Some of the restaurants have leather upholstery, and some have fireplaces and candles.( Solomon and Schell, 2006) it also developed relationship with local suppliers. McDonalds is thriving in Europe b ecause it gets the culture right. According to Maureen G, (2005) cultural differences are known to affect peoples purchasing behavior. For example, Scandinavian countries have much faster take-off rates for adopting new technical products such as DVD recorders or third generation mobile phones, than those of the big European economies such as Germany and Britain. For these reason technical products companies as Nokia could find Scandinavian countries a good place to test new products. One way is to employ foreign people of the same foreign country the company wants to expand in. in this way the company itself could use these international employees as example of what the new customers will be and in this way find out how they could approach the companys new product (before launching it on the market) Another way could be to organize long-term â€Å"holiday† abroad for some of the employees. In this way these employees will learn how the new potential customers behave and what they would really aspect from a product. In these period it could be possible to test and make changes to the product. (Maureen 2005: †¦) Bosrock suggests to approach international travels with the same attitude and behaviour used when attending a party in ones bosss home. the invited person would be sensitive, would dress appropriately and bring a suitable gift (Bosrock 2006: 4). To achieve success in international business negotiation it is imperative to show respect and consideration to others but to do this it is firstly necessary to learn about those people and their cultural features. The best method to learn is to observe, ask, listen and mainly try and make errors. (Bosrock 2006: 5) The Ten Things To Do Before Visiting A Host Country 1. Recognize and respect uniqueness. 2. Need basic knowledge of each countrys culture and history will greatly benefit you 3. Build relationships. 4. Never compare countries to one another or to your country. 5. Never judge another countrys political or social system. 6. Be patient. Business may be very different from your countrys. 7. Be flexible. adapt to the environment. Dont pretend others to adapt to your style. 8. Always be sincere. 9. Ask, look and listen. 10. Assume the best about people and their actions. Most behaviour is rational once we understand its rational. (Bosrock 2006: 6) Sources Of Cultural Knowledge Books, Movies, Exchanges, The concept of cultural knowledge is broad and multifaceted. Cultural knowledge can be defined by the way it is acquired. Objective and factual information is obtained from others through communication, research and education. Experiential knowledge, on the other hand, can be acquired only by being involved in a culture other than ones own. The more a manager becomes involved in the international arena, the more he or she is able to develop a meta-knowledge; that is, ground rules that apply whether in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, or Asuncià ³n, Paraguay. Market-specific knowledge does not necessarily travel well; the general variables on which the information is based to. (Czinkota et all 2009: 73) In a survey of managers on how to acquire international expertise, they ranked eight factors in terms of their importance (see appendix 1). The managers emphasized the experiential acquisition of knowledge. Written materials played an important but supplementary role, very often providing general or county-specific information before operational decisions were made. Interestingly, many of todays international managers have pre-career experience in government, the Peace Corps, the armed force or voluntary work. Although the survey emphasized travel, a one-time trip to New York with a stay at a very large hotel and scheduled sightseeing tours does not significantly contribute to cultural knowledge. Travel that involves meetings with company personnel, intermediaries, facilitating agents, customers and government officials, on the other hand, does contribute. HOWEVER, FROM THE CORPORATE POINT OF VIEW, GLOBAL CAPABILITY IS DEVELOPED IN MORE OAINSTAKING WAYS: FOREIGN ASSIGNMENTS, NETWORKI NG ACROSS BORDERS AND THE USE OF MULTi-country, multicultural teams to develop strategies and programs. At Nestlà ©, for example, managers move around a region (such as Asia or Latin America) at four- or five-year intervals and may serve stints at headquarters for two to three years between such assignments. Such broad experience allows managers to pick up ideas and tools to be used in markets where they have not been used or where they have not been necessary before. In Thailand, where supermarkets are revolutionizing consumer-goods marketing technique perfected elsewhere in the Nestlà © system are being put to effective use. The experience the, in turn, are used to develop newly emerging markets in the same region, such as Vietnam. (Czinkota et all 2009: 73) Other oversights may lead to more costly mistakes. for example, Brazilians are several inches shorter than the average Americans, but this was not taken into account when the US store Sears erected American-height shelves that block Brazilian shoppers view of the rest of the store. (Czinkota et all 2009: ) International business success requires not only comprehensive fact finding and preparation but also an ability to understand and fully appreciate the nuances of different cultural traits and patterns. Gaining this interpretative cultural knowledge requires ‘getting ones feet wet over a sufficient length of time. Over the long run, culture can become a factor in the firms overall success. (Czinkota et all 2009: 75) Research has shown that the take-off point for new products (i.e., when initial sales turn into mass-market slaes) is six years, on average, in Europe. However, in northern Europe new products take off almost twice as fast as they do in southern Europe. (when will it fly? The Economist , 9 August 2003, 51) It is important to position the product as a continuous innovation that does not require radical changes in consumption pattern. (Steenkamp and Hofstede, 1999) Since the United States higly regards individualism, promotional appeals should be relevenat to individual empowerement. also messages should be informal and friendly. In opposite situations, marketing communications have to emphasize thet the new product is socially accepted. However, if the product is imported it can sometimes utilize global or foreign cultural positioning. For example in China, individualism is often used for imported products but almost never for domestic ones. (Czinkota et all 2009: 77) Understanding the implications of the dimensions helps businesspeople prepare for international business encounter. For example, in negotiating in Germany one can expect a counterpart whi is through, systematic, very well prepared, but also rather dogmatic and therefore less flexible and willing to compromise. Efficiency is emphasized. In Mexico, however, the counterpart may prefer to address problems on a person and private basis rather than on a business level. This means more emphasis on socializing and conveying ones humanity, sincerity, loyalty and friendship. Also, differences in the pace and business practices of a region have to be accepted. (Czinkota et all 2009: 77) Adjusting to differences requires putting ones own cultural values aside. The following analytical approach is recommended to reduce the influence of cultural bias: 1. define the problem or goal in terms of the domestic cultural traits, habits and norms. 2. Define the problem or goal in terms of the foreign cultural traits, habits and norms. Make no value judgements. 3. Isolate the self-reference criterion influence in the problem and examine it carefully to see how it complicates the problem. 4. Redefine the problem without the self-reference criterion influence and solve for the optimum-goal situation. This approach can be applied to product introduction. If Kellogs Co. Wants to introduce breakfast cereals into markets where breakfast is traditionally not eaten or where consumers drink very little milk, managers must consider very carefully how to instill the new habit. In France, Kelloggs commercials are aimed as muchat providing nutrition lessons as they are at promoting the product. In Brazil, the company advertised on a soap opera to gain entry into the market because Brazilians often emulate the characters of these television shows. ( Czinkota et al 2009: 78) The increase in the overall international activity of firms has increased the need for cultural sensitivity training at all levels of the organization. Further, todays training must encompass not only outsiders to the firm but also interaction within the corporate family as well. However inconsequential the degree of interaction may seem, it can still cause problems if proper understanding is lacking. Consider, for example, the date written as follow: 11/12/04. A European will interpretate this as the 11th of December; an American as November the 12th. Some companies try to avoid the training problem by hiring only nationals or well-travelled individuals for theit international operations. This makes sense for the management of overseas operations but will not solve the training need, especially if transfers to a culture unfamiliar to the manager are likely. International experience may not necessarily transfer from one market to another. The foster cultural sensitivity and acceptanc e of new ways of doing things within the organization, management must institute internal education programmes. The programmes may include: 1. Culture-specific information (data covering other countries, such as video pack and culture grams); 2. General cultural information (values, practices and assumptions of countries other than ones own)and 3. Self-specific information (identifying ones own cultural paradigm, including values, assumptions and perceptions about others). One study found that Japanese employees assigned to the United States get mainly language training as preparation for the task. In addition, many companies use mentoring, whereby an individual is assigned to someone who is experienced and who sends time advising and explaining. Talks given by return