Should the Stakeholders Investing in the Companys Assets Research Paper

Should the Stakeholders Investing in the Companys Assets - Research Paper Example The research includes a literature review to make the topic understandable. Red Bull should keep on investing in the formula one Championship for next year. Currently, Red Bull is one of the top Formula One racing tracks around the world. The Formula One circuit sports reporters regularly announce the standings and winning cars of each Formula One racing event. The sports writers’ informed the general public about the painstaking and scrutinizing victory of the Red Bull Formula One racing team to all racing and other sports fans in Sweden, in all Formula One race track, television, radio, and newspaper sports news. Red Bull is a beverage company that is strategically located in Sweden. As of 2007 alone, Red Bull sells 3.5 billion cans and bottles of its Red Bull products because the average Red Bull customer is not price conscious (Grisen, 2010). The Red Bull beverage company’s continued investment of next year’s Formula One events is part of the necessary promot ional aspect of the company’s overall marketing strategy. Simon Vigar reiterated (2008) just like in the prior years, the red bull name on one of the formula one race cars speeding past other competing cars often brings cheers, sadness, fear, and awe to the audiences watching the games. The Red Bull Formula One car is seen by thousands of fans visiting many Formula One grand prix circuits located around the world. During the live telecast and the news reports of the Formula One races, the Red bull name is seen by thousands of race track fans. Because of the sport news reports, the Red bull name will have free advertising in all the televisions, radio stations, and newspapers around the world. Thus, the cost of investing in the formula one circuit can be easily recuperated through the free news items found in the sports sections of the news papers, radio and television media around the world (Abele 2008). Business Question What strategies for developing a fast food chain? Aim – to identify the perception of product brand among the current and prospective clients Objectives: – to pinpoint the product brand store image held by this consumer group 1.To examine if there are different perceptions of product brand among the diverse age groups among the customers. 2. To determine which type of store brand is popular among the consumers. 3. To determine the competitors’ products and services with the aim of increase client base. Literature Review The marketing environment focuses on several theories. According to Hilton (2007), the SWOT analysis theory states that the company uses both internal and external resources in its decision making tools. According to the Managerial Accounting Studies, the theory states that the company must gather enough of its strengths to outsmart the competitors in terms of client generation and revenue increase. The theory states that the company should resolve all its weaknesses in order to have a successful bu siness or person endeavor. The company exerts all efforts to profit from its opportunities (Kumar, 2003). In addition, the company musters all its resources to hurdle all threats that come in the way of the way of the company’s achieving its aims and objectives. The marketing theory focuses on the four strategies. The company should focus on selling quality products and services (Czinkota, 2007). Product. Bucholz (2006) theorized that the company must implement some marketing changes to increase the clients’ demand for its products. The company must add additional shoe styles. The new shoe styles are based on the latest market segment trends. The company must increase the production of its ladies’

Oscilloscope and Function Generator Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Oscilloscope and Function Generator - Lab Report Example nd in trying to understand the fundamental functioning of the two, the variables that were measured include the period (in seconds), the frequency (in Hz), and the peak-to-peak voltage (in volts). This experiment verifies the relation between frequency and time as F = 1/T as evidenced by the results. in the functioning of these machines, these variables are used in varied ways. With frequency and time being reciprocals of one another, and this relationship is fundamental when displaying a current waveform or an AC voltage on the screen of an oscilloscope (Witte, 2002). This, in a nutshell, brings out the functions, as well as the difference of the function generator and the oscilloscope. Having understood the basic functioning of the function generator and the oscilloscope by using the numerical values of the time, period, and voltage variables, this experiment demonstrated the difference between these two machines, but also practically demonstrated each variable as an independent variable in different mathematical contexts. The functional difference, as well as the functional similarity of the function generator and the oscilloscope shed light on the practical functioning of the machines and the different variables they

Censorship And Right To Free Speech And Expression Philosophy Essay

Censorship And Right To Free Speech And Expression Philosophy Essay Right of free speech, one of the fundamental building blocks of a liberal democracy, has often been at odds with the hindrance posed by censorship to the unabated exercise of such right. While the use of censorship as a weapon to stifle counter opinions has indeed been granted socio-political legitimacy in regimes authoritarian as well as liberal, nonetheless, the intrinsic importance of the role played by censorship as a shield rather than a sword can hardly be neglected. In course of this paper, the author intends to emphasize that the very divergent nature of social mores in different jurisdictions and across different regimes worldwide strengthens the necessity for existence of censorship, albeit in varying degrees to suit the differing requirements of the aforesaid regimes. Any attempt to evolve a universalistic practice has scarce little options other than to turn into more of a farcical legitimization of Super Power Hegemonies, owing to the blatant disregard of the said inhere nt diversities that such universalism is likely to enforce. I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. Evelyn Beatrice Hall  [1]   Goebbels was in favor of free speech for views he liked. So was Stalin. If youre in favor of free speech, then youre in favor of freedom of speech precisely for views you despise. Otherwise, youre not in favor of free speech. Noam Chomsky  [2]   When compared with the suppression of anarchy every other question sinks into insignificance. The anarchist is the enemy of humanity, the enemy of all mankind, and his is a deeper degree of criminality than any other. No immigrant is allowed to come to our shores if he is an anarchist; and no paper published here or abroad should be permitted circulation in this country if it propagates anarchist opinions. Theodore Roosevelt  [3]   Free Speech and Censorship A Brief Introduction Free Speech is one of the constitutional guarantees of a liberal democracy a right recognized by all International Human Rights Documents. It is an amalgamation of the Right to Freedom of Conscience, Thought, Choice and the ultimate expression, without being subjected to arbitrary blocks on its enjoyment, in the form of Censorship. Censorship, on the other hand, is the process of imposing checks, direct or indirect, governmental or otherwise, on the exercise of ones Right to Free Speech. Apparently, this phenomenon can be perceived as a blunt curb on ones basic Right to Liberty, but on another plane, it can be looked at in the form of a necessary evil a limitation on ones Human Rights in order to uphold the Communitys Human Rights. The broad social purposes of censorship can be laid down as to ensure that ordinary members of the community are not affronted by the display of material to which a majority of reasonable adults would object, to maintain a level of public decency, and to avoid the undesirable social effects which may flow from the normalisation, by its use in entertainment or other dissemination, of undesirable material.  [4]   This paper aims to look at the interconnected nature of the two, keeping in mind the inherent diversities in different socio-political systems, and varied constructions of the two phenomena ultimately leading to the unmistakable impressions about the questions of Democracy, Politics and Power. In course of this article, the author has accepted as a foundational hypothesis the fact that throughout history and across jurisdictions, it has been noted that Censorship has been more often than not used to suppress counter-opinions be it political or religious; this practice has been conferred political and legal legitimacy in jurisdictions alike, be it the most Authoritarian or the most Democratic of regimes. Suffice to say that more often than not, Censorship has been used as a sword rather than as a shield. However, this does not take away the intrinsic value of the check. Indeed, the need for Censorship is evident from the divergent nature of the social mores, albeit differently in different jurisdictions trying to evolve a universalistic practice would thus disregard these inherent diversities, and would be more of a farcical legitimization of super power hegemonies. Categories of Censorship Paul O Higgins distinguishes Censorship into the following types  [5]  : Autonomous Self-censorship brought about by conscious or unconscious motives, which makes an individual wither to refrain from expressing his or her views or alter the same. Social Discouragement of the expression of certain ideas, either through socialization or sanctions, which lead to the emergence of taboos. Legal Enforcement of restraint by legal institutions such as the government, police and the courts prior censorship or penal censorship. Extra-legal Telephone Tapping, d-notices, limited release of information about defendant at trial. Voluntary When an institution with shared common beliefs lays down upon constituents limitations on what they should or should not say or do, without sanctions Press Council norms, etc. Subterranean When an individual or institution uses powers set aside for another purpose to impose censorship without direct government involvement political censorship. Free Speech and Censorship An International Human Rights Recognition Free Speech is an internationally guaranteed Civil and Political Right. However, this Right is subject to Reasonable Restrictions in the form of Censorship in most Human Rights Treaties and Systems. The main reason that can be attributed to such restraint is the requirement of public policy the apprehensions about the abhorrent effects that an unbridled exercise of this Right may produce. Given below is a list of the provisions from different Human Rights Treaties both International and Regional, which deal with the Human Right to Free Speech, and the operation of Censorship upon it. Article 19, Universal Declaration of Human Rights Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Article 19, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1) Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference. (2) Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice. (3) The exercise of the rights provided for in paragraph 2 of this article carries with it special duties and responsibilities. It may therefore be subject to certain restrictions, but these shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary: (a) For respect of the rights or reputations of others; (b) For the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals. General Comment No. 10 (29/06/83): Paragraph 1 requires protection of the right to hold opinions without interference. This is a right to which the Covenant permits no exception or restriction. Paragraph 2 requires protection of the right to freedom of expression, which includes not only freedom to impart information and ideas of all kinds, but also freedom to seek and receive them regardless of frontiers and in whatever medium, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice. Paragraph 3 expressly stresses that the exercise of the right to freedom of expression carries with it special duties and responsibilities and for this reason certain restrictions on the right are permitted which may relate either to the interests of other persons or to those of the community as a whole. Article 10, European Convention on Human Rights (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises. (2) The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties and responsibilities, may be subject to such formalities, conditions, restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society, in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, for the protection of the reputation or rights of others, for preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence, or for maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary. Article 13, Inter-American Convention on Human Rights (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of thought and expression. This right includes freedom to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing, in print, in the form of art, or through any other medium of ones choice. (2)  The exercise of the right provided for in the foregoing paragraph shall not be subject to prior censorship but shall be subject to subsequent imposition of liability, which shall be expressly established by law to the extent necessary to ensure: (a)  respect for the rights or reputations of others; or (b) the protection of national security, public order, or public health or morals. (3) The right of expression may not be restricted by indirect methods or means, such as the abuse of government or private controls over newsprint, radio broadcasting frequencies, or equipment used in the dissemination of information, or by any other means tending to impede the communication and circulation of ideas and opinions. (4) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2 above, public entertainments may be subject by law to prior censorship for the sole purpose of regulating access to them for the moral protection of childhood and adolescence. (5) Any propaganda for war and any advocacy of national, racial, or religious hatred that constitute incitements to lawless violence or to any other similar action against any person or group of persons on any grounds including those of race, color, religion, language, or national origin shall be considered as offenses punishable by law. Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression Freedom of expression in all its forms and manifestations is a fundamental and inalienable right of all individuals. Additionally, it is an indispensable requirement for the very existence of a democratic societyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Every person has the right to seek, receive and impart information and opinions freely under terms set forth in Article 13 of the American Convention on Human Rights. All people should be afforded equal opportunities to receive, seek and impart information by any means of communication without any discrimination for reasons of race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinions, national or social origin, economic status, birth or any other social conditionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Prior censorship, direct or indirect interference in or pressure exerted upon any expression, opinion or information transmitted through any means of oral, written, artistic, visual or electronic communication must be prohibited by law. Restrictions to the free circulation of ideas and opinions, as well as the arbitrary imposition of information and the imposition of obstacles to the free flow of information violate the right to freedom of expressionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Prior conditioning of expressions, such as truthfulness, timeliness or impartiality, is incompatible with the right to freedom of expression recognized in international instruments. These inherent variations in the level and nature of governmental control over Freedom of Expression also accounted for in the National Constitutions, Statutes and Judicial Decisions collectively constitute the subject-matter of an interesting study, especially in light of the fact that they are also indicative of the extent of democratization and totalitarianism inherent in these countries. Thus, the First Amendment to the US Constitution  [6]  and the Glavlit System of Pre-Censorship existent in former USSR and many East European Countries  [7]  , throw light on two different ends of the spectrum. Somewhere in the middle lies the Brit-ECHR system of giving a bag full of Rights, and then putting sufficient, and very often, more than sufficient, restrictions on their enjoyment. These variations are the results of the systems of governance and the Historical Evolution of Free Speech in these national jurisdictions inasmuch as they account for an enormous blow upon those who tend to argue about the Universalistic Nature of International Human Rights. Censorship and Free Speech A Nexus with Questions of Power, Authority, Liberty and Democracy: A Comparative Critique of World Systems and Disputes of Theories John Locke, one of the Founding Fathers of the Liberal View, advocated a Minimalist State intervention regime in his Life, Liberty and Property, which, according to him, were inalienable rights.  [8]  John Stuart Mills Theory of Marketplace of Ideas stated that if we suppress an opinion, it may turn out to be true. To assume otherwise is to assume that we are infallible, which is not the case  [9]  . According to O.W. Holmes, the best test of truth is the power of the thought to get itself accepted in the competition of the market, and that truth is the only ground upon which their wishes safely can be carried outà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ in Abrams v. U.S.  [10]  where, in his dissenting judgement, he also laid down that a governmental regulation on Free Speech is only justified where it is used to dispel a clear and immiment danger. Otherwise, the market should be left to determine the veracity of the assertion. This opinion of Holmes was later accepted by the US Supreme Court whe n it overturned Abrams  [11]  and upheld Holmes Clear and Imminent Danger Theory in Brandanburg v. Ohio  [12]  during the Vietnam War. According to Prof. Rodney O. Smolla  [13]  , Free Speech Serves Five Purposes in a Democracy: (a) As a means of participation, (a) Serving the purpose of Truth, (c) Facilitating majority rule, (d) Providing Restraint on Tyranny and Corruption by keeping the Government in Check, and (e) ensuring stability by allowing minority voices to be heard.  [14]   However, the Marketplace of Ideas rationale for Freedom of Speech has been criticized by scholars on the grounds that it is wrong to assume the assertion that all ideas will enter the marketplace of ideas, and even if they do, some ideas may drown out others merely because they enjoy dissemination through superior resources. The marketplace is also criticized for its assumption that truth will necessarily triumph over falsehood. It is visible throughout history that people may be swayed by emotion rather than reason, and even if truth ultimately prevails, enormous harm can occur in the interim. Alan Haworth, in his book Free Speech (1998)  [15]  , has suggested that the metaphor of a marketplace of ideas is misleading. He opines that Mills classic defence of free speech does not develop the idea of a market (as later suggested by Holmes) but essentially argues for the freedom to develop and discuss ideas in the search for truth or understanding. In developing this argument, Hawor th says, Mill pictured society not as a marketplace of ideas, but as something more like a large-scale academic seminar. This implies the need for tacit standards of conduct and interaction, including some degree of mutual respect. That may well limit the kinds of speech that are justifiably protected. Political Extremism and Censorship This is an issue that is very essential and relevant in the contemporary world the question whether one should allow a platform for Fundamentalist and Extremist Organizations like the Al Qaida to propagate freely their views through their Private Television the Al Jazeera TV, or ought there be governmental curbs on such broadcasting. An interesting debate on this subject had been voiced in the May, 1994 issue of The Guardian  [16]  , where two noted columnists argued on a similar issue related to providing a platform to the extremist British Nationalist Party. According to Seamus Milne  [17]  , who advocated a curb on the BNPs Right to Free Speech, the BNP necessarily violates the Human Rights of a large section of the population, and, by doing so, it has justified the abridgement of their Right to Freedom of Speech. The oxygen of publicity, if given to them, would help the spread of racism. On the other hand, Polly Toynbee  [18]  argued that the banning of a particular group may set a precedent by which any group that does not conform to a norm is rendered prone to a similar ban. According to him, Free Speech is not absolute but we must be free to speak our political minds, and listen to political opinions of others, however nasty.  [19]  This statement of his has an uncanny resemblance to the Marketplace of Ideas Theory, thereby highlighting its relevance in the contemporary world. Use of Offensive Language on College Campuses The issue was the imposition of a Speech Code banning the use of offensive language at Stanford University. According to Gerald Gunther  [20]  , Speech should not and cannot be banned simply because it is offensive to substantial parts of, or a majority of, a community. The refusal to suppress offensive speech is one of the most difficult obligations the free speech principle imposes upon all of us; yet it is also one of the First Amendments greatest glories indeed, it is a central test of a communitys commitment to free speech. However, Charles Lawrence  [21]  opined that restrictions reflected genuine demands from students from minority ethnic groups, who had through harassment been denied the Right to Equality of Education. Being a supporter of the Hobbesian Principle of a Right for a Citizen to expect from the State Security of Person, Lawrence was thus advocating the same guarantee from a Welfare State, be it at the cost of restricting the offensive operation of some others unrestricted Right. Pornography, Sexuality and Obscenity an analysis of the Changing Voices This is an area where views and opinions have a range encompassing a whole spectrum. For some, pornography is a threat to a moral order, whereas for others, it is a mark of emancipation from bondages. The Libertarians seek to uphold individual freedoms and oppose state interference. According to then, States authority to make laws is only pertaining to the Public Sphere and not on the individual choices and preferences in the Private Sphere (The First Amendment Assertion has been illustrated by Justice Thurgood Marshall in Stanley v. Georgia  [22]  where he says that if First Amendment means anything at all, it means that a state has no business telling a man, sitting alone in his own house, what books he must read or what films he must watch. This liberal fundament was also supported by the Wolfendon Committee Report in the UK. (H.L.A. Hart had also been a known supporter of a similar view and had argued for a separation of the private and the public spheres  [23]  ). Sexual repression is itself more damaging than sexual openness, according to the Libertarian view. However, according to Conservatives, Pornography is a threat to moral order and stability, and the material itself is disgusting and unworthy of publicity. Moreover, the Conservatives believe that State is empowered to pass laws controlling both Public and Private activities, as has been evident from Devlins dissent to the findings of the Wolfendon Committee  [24]  . If one looks at the Feminist Movements, and the jurisprudence emerging there from, history shows changes and evolutions at every stage. Traditionally, feminists have supported the liberal cause, celebrating the need to discover the body and sexuality as a tool of emancipation from bondages. In the 1970s, Realist feminists stressed that pornography was not only damaging to womens status in society, but also dangerous to their safety. Thus, pornography not only provides the foundations for, but also is, violence against women.  [25]  Hence, according to the Liberal Feminists, pornography is not essentially a question of mere censorship, but a question of the womens Human Rights as a whole.  [26]  However, the 1990s have seen a shift in the trend. Avedon Carol  [27]  has claimed that women are suppressed not because of pornography but because of censorship. Wendy McElroy  [28]  has warned that anti-pornography legislations might result in a backlash against Feminism. Jea n Seaton  [29]  has suggested that the Realist feminists run the risk of losing touch with the roots of feminism, in the Civil Liberties and emancipatory movements. Melissa Benn  [30]  argues that the problem is one of structural sexism, and censoring pornography would not solve the problem. Instead, anti-sexist laws need to be established. The underlining philosophy behind the divergent philosophies is the fact that while one looks at the issue of censorship, one can look at it from two distinct planes the Moralist plane, identifying the evils contained in what needs or needs not to be censored; and a Causalist plane  [31]  , which would need to look at the effects of the commission or omission of Censorship. The decades of the Feminist Movement indicated drastic shifts in views, from the Moralist Plane to the Causalist Plane, and vice versa thereby leading to the wide divergence in opinions. The Use or Non-Use of Censorship in Different Regimes This section is a skeletal overview of the existing politico-judicial approaches towards Free Speech and Censorship on select issues in the US, UK, former USSR and India, which would adequately throw light on the kind of governance and degrees of guarantee of Human Rights in the individual regimes. Interesting to note, the instances referred to would be more of acts of a Subterranean Censorship imposition of Censorship through means not directly aimed at doing so. Issue USA UK Former USSR India Speech that may lead to Rioting, i.e. localized violence Edwards v. South Carolina  [32]  : Clear and Present Danger Test. New York Times v. US  [33]  : Prior Restraints on Speech and Press are constitutionally very suspect. Wise v. Dunning  [34]  : Anyone who utters something that is likely to lead to violence can be punished. Street Corner Orator? Anti State Speeches? Unheard of. Reports about Soviet Police disallowing observance of Human Rights Dayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦tells a taleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ A/19 (2): Public Order a ground for imposing restrictions. S/144, CrPC a tool for imposing preemptive indirect censorship. Counter Doctrines and Subversive Groups Anti-Communist Activities in the 40s supported by legislations like the Smith Act and Supreme Court Decisions like Dennis v. US  [35]  where the evil produced by such Speech was Grave and not Improbable. However, situations changed post-Brandanberg. Concept of seditious libel R v. Aldred  [36]  . Any incitement to use force against State was seditious libel. Soviet Criminal Code punished Agitation or propaganda carried out with the purpose of subverting or weakening the Soviet Regimeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ essentially, anti-Communist Campaigns. Preventive Detention Act, s/124A of the IPC and, on a broader political plane, imposition of A/356 on grounds of Breakdown of Constitutional Machinery. Criticism of the Government and Public Officials New York Times v. Sullivan  [37]  : No punishment if actual malice cannot be proved. Initially, strong Contempt of Court Jurisdiction, even in case of Fair Criticisms of Judicial procedures and decisions R v. Editor of New Statesman  [38]  . However, standards of stringency notably lower now. No difference between criticism and subversion hence, repression was the result. Sullivan standards not followed. Contempt and Privilege very strong tools in the hands of the State. Moreover, imposition of MISA and Repressive Press Laws during Emergency. Sexually Oriented Materials Miller Test  [39]   liberal standards. Hicklin Test  [40]   Rigidity. Strict pre-Censorship of Pornographic Material by the Glavlit. Largely influenced by Hicklin gradual liberalization post Bandit Queen. The obvious conclusion that emerges out of an analysis of this Table is that the US is the Country which, through the Constitutional Assertion of the First Amendment and a liberal, yet vigilant judiciary, and a Democratic Governance system, been the highest protectors of the Free Speech Rights. Admitted that the events of 9/11 have forced the US to make more stringent laws often aiming to curb Personal Liberties, but still, it has been a guiding light in the direction ahead, at least it seems so. But, how true is this assertion? Is it, like much other propaganda, only an ideological and hegemonic whitewash of the only surviving superpower? The list of incidents below, which deals with Governmental acts of subversion of the voice of conscience in the US and other Western Countries is self-explanatory  [41]  : Voice of America, a federally supported international broadcasting organization, decided not to air a story that included parts of a rare interview with the leader of Afghanistans ruling Taliban, Mullah Mohammed Omar. Those who deny that the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Israel, its use of extrajudicial executions against Palestinian gunmen, the Israeli gunning down of schoolboy stone-throwers, the wholesale theft of Arab land to build homes for Jews, is in some way wrong would like all criticism of Israel to be labeled as anti-Semitic thus branding the critics statements as heinous and unworthy of consideration. Military autopsy reports provide indisputable proof that detainees are being tortured to death while in US military custody. Yet the US corporate media are covering it up. Dr. Elsebeth Baumgartner currently faces up to 109 years in prison in the U.S. state of Ohio for her criticism of, and accusations of corruption against, government officials in Ohio. In Canada, school teachers have limited freedom of speech, both on and off the job, regarding certain issues (e.g., homosexuality). Chris Kempling was suspended without pay for writing letters, on his own time, to a local newspaper to object to LGBT-related material being introduced into public schools. Kempling pursued the freedom of speech issue all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada without success. By the Official Secrets Act, the London government has the power, throughout the UK, to order that certain subjects are abs

A Comparison of the Scop in Beowulf and Widsith Essays -- comparison c

The Scop in Beowulf and Widsith.      Ã‚  Ã‚   The scop in Anglo-Saxon times had a very defined role. A comparison between the scop in Beowulf and the scop in Widsith will more clearly define for us what that role was.    The 142 verses of Widsith are the oldest in the English language, and form the earliest output in verse of any Germanic people. Widsith contains a huge catalog of 70 tribes and   69 important people, many of whom are proven to have lived in the third, fourth and fifth centuries. The vast knowledge of history which was required of a good scop, just amazes the reader. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature(v1,ch3,s6,n30) states that so many princes and peoples are mentioned in the course of the poem that its importance for the history of the migration period can hardly be overestimated.   This Old English poem was transcribed by a monk around the year 1000. Widsith tells the story of   the scop Widsith, who accompanies Ealhhild, a Lombard princess, on her journey eastward from Angel to the court of Eormanric the Goth. Ealhhild, the sister of Aelfwine, King of the Lombards, is made to marry Eormanric. In this poem the geography and the chronology are not precise or accurate.    â€Å"At an early date Germanic kings began to keep professional poets, with functions not wholly unlike those of the poet laureate or official poet of later times† (Malone 75). This pretty well expresses the life of Widsith, except that he was not located at any one court, rather he travelled from the country of Egypt, India and Israel to Britain and to northern Europe, going from court to court. His home court, if it can be called such, was with King Eadgils. But Widsith travelled to all the â€Å"heathen† and non-heathen k... ...st was the theme of sacrifice. . . .† ( Malone 77).    It’s obvious from our brief comparison between the scop in Beowulf and the scop in Widsith that the scop in Anglo-Saxon times had a very defined role: He was singer, storyteller, public relations man, recipient of gifts, traveller, linguist, historian, and servant of the audience.    BIBLIOGRAPHY Chickering, Howell D.. Beowulf A dual-Language Edition. New York: Anchor Books, 1977. Ward & Trent, et al. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1907–21; New York: Bartleby.com, 2000 Malone, Kemp. â€Å"The Old English Scop and Widsith.† In Beowulf: The Donaldson Translation, edited by Joseph F. Tuso. New York, W.W.Norton and Co.: 1975. The Earliest English Poems, translated by Michael Alexander. New York: Penguin Books, 1991.

My Thoughts About Travelling

I want to travel. I want to travel to any places, especially those popular with backpack tour. I’ve been asked, why do you want to travel? Well, I told him that I want to learn new things. Things like what? Things where our own country and home doesn't have. What do you mean by that? Any difference of our country and other countries? Well, of course there are. At least I want to see how the people lives at other countries. I want to see what our differences are, and what our similarities are as well. I can know how does their country work and operate.Travelling is also, a way to relieve stress. So, why not travel? And also, you learn how to live in different conditions, in different ways, in different environment, surrounded by different people. You can learn how to communicate and interact with different people. You'll be amused by how other people respond to problems, what they think about issues. What do they think they should do to improve either themselves or the country? Travelling is also a challenge in a way, as it trains both our mentality and physicality.In my opinion, it can broaden our mind as we can gain experience from our travelling. There's a saying, which I guess everyone had heard of before: Don't be a frog in the well. Because if we do, we are limiting ourselves to many other part and aspects of life that could have gone much better than you can imagine, and that's if you choose to be that way, 'cause there's no certainty if you'll do better, because life, has its ups and downs, how you want it to be, all depends on how you want it to be and how u respond and handle it.True story. Alright, let's go back to travelling. Hmmm†¦ In a way, I do think that travelling brings out our true personality and character. Whether you're travelling alone or with some buddies, in travelling, most of the time, there's no doubt that you'll be letting yourself enjoy every moment of it. And that's where your true personality and character show itself. Hence, to be honest, I just realized that's what I want to achieve of all this time, finding my true self.And I believe that's what life's purpose, finding our own selves. So, I’m kind of out of juice after writing this passage, it's just what I thought about travelling. I just simply can't imagine any disadvantage of it, except that it requires a lot of money, but I still believe there's some way to travel without much costing. So, you got any suggestion for me? I really appreciate it. But, no matter how, I’ll still be travelling, no matter where it is. Thanks for reading.

Why was the Thirty Years War fought?

The Thirty Years War is a series of wars fought between 1618 to1648 for reasons that range from religious to territorial. It devastated most of Europe especially Germany and ended with the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. It began with the resistance of Protestant nobles in Bohemia against the Hapsburgs, the family which headed the Holy Roman Empire. Since its beginning, political affiliations among states played a role in the causes and the outcomes of the series of wars. When the war started, the German Protestants allied with Austria. They were defeated by another alliance, that of Brussel and Spain, which was sent by King Ferdinand II. In 1625, Denmark renewed the war but was defeated by General Wallenstein's army, also sent by Ferdinand. Wallenstein was a Bohemian, but who sided with the Roman Empire in return for the spoils of war. The final phases of the war were initiated by Denmark, Sweden and France, all of whom were led to the fray in concern with the increasing Hapsburg power in their territories. The Peace of Westphalia, two treaties which ended the war, returned the German states which were seized by the Holy Roman Empire in the duration of the war to their former rulers. It also allowed them to practice and choose their religions. Countries like Switzerland and Netherland were granted independence. The treaty introduced religious tolerance and ended religious warfare. Matters could have been resolved earlier during the conflict, avoiding the death and destruction that it inflicted upon the affected countries has the Holy Roman Empire been not driven by ambition and greed for more land. The reason why states waged the wars against the empire was their fear of the increasing power of the Hapsburg over Europe threatening their very borders. King Ferdinand could have also appeased the Protestants within Germany; that he would leave them alone, way before the war expanded outside Germany. Reference The Columbia Encyclopia, (2001) Sixth Edition, 2001-2007. Columbia University Press. Retrieved on May 21, 2008. http://www. bartleby. com/65/th/ThirtyYe. html.

Greenhouse Gasses

Greenhouse Gasses Greenhouse Gases The results from the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are the cause of global warming. To make the world more habitable for humans and animals, the greenhouse effect is a naturally occurring part of the earth's climate. There is a natural balance in the incoming solar radiation that heats up the earth, which in turn emits an infer-red radiation. The maintenance of this natural balance, which keeps tempatures at a necessary level to support life, depends on continual process of generation and removal of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.Increased levels of greenhouse gases have come from the changes in living standards, industrialization and population growth. Most of the anthropogenic greenhouse gases have a long lifetime and they are accumulating in the atmosphere faster then they can be naturally removed. Due to the increased greenhouse gases from the earth ecosystem not being able to soak the gases up fast enough lead to the changes in climate patterns.Absorptions bands in the Earth's atmosphere create...The change that occurs will not be uniform around the world such that the raise in temperature will be smaller at the equator and greater at the poles and will be accompanied by an increase in average rainfall. Potentially serious changes have been projected such as floods, extremely high temperatures, and droughts. Projections also include less severe floods and droughts. With the variability of the regions other environmental consequences have occurred such as increased fires, pest outbreaks and changes to the spread of disease as well as the changes in the ecosystem composition, structure and functioning.The greenhouse gases are radioactively active gases that comprise on average less then one percent by volume of the atmosphere. The largest natural greenhouse gas is the water vapor that varies in concentration over short time frames. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and...

Profile of Civil War Lt General Ulysses S. Grant

Profile of Civil War Lt General Ulysses S. Grant Hiram Ulysses Grant was born April 27, 1822, at Point Pleasant, Ohio. The son of Pennsylvania natives Jesse Grant and Hannah Simpson, he was educated locally as a young man. Electing to pursue a military career, Grant sought admission to West Point in 1839. This quest proved successful when Representative Thomas Hamer offered him an appointment. As part of the process, Hamer erred and officially nominated him as Ulysses S. Grant. Arriving at the academy, Grant elected to retain this new name, but stated that the S was an initial only (it is sometimes listed as Simpson in reference to his mothers maiden name). Since his new initials were U.S., Grants classmates nicknamed Sam in reference to Uncle Sam. The Mexican-American War Though a middling student, Grant proved an exceptional horseman while at West Point. Graduating in 1843, Grant placed 21st in a class of 39. Despite his equestrian skills, he received an assignment to serve as quartermaster of the 4th US Infantry as there were no vacancies in the dragoons. In 1846, Grant was part of Brigadier General Zachary Taylors Army of Occupation in southern Texas. With the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, he saw action at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma. Though assigned as a quartermaster, Grant sought out action. After taking part in the Battle of Monterrey, he was transferred to Major General Winfield Scotts army. Landing in March 1847, Grant was present at the Siege of Veracruz and marched inland with Scotts army. Reaching the outskirts of Mexico City, he was brevetted for gallantry for his performance at the Battle of Molino del Rey on September 8. This was followed by a second brevet for his actions during the Battle of Chapultepec when he hoisted a howitzer to a church bell tower to cover the American advance on the San Cosmà © Gate. A student of war, Grant closely watched his superiors during his time in Mexico and learned key lessons that he would apply later. The Interwar Years After a brief postwar stint in Mexico, Grant returned to the United States and married Julia Boggs Dent on August 22, 1848. The couple ultimately had four children. Over the next four years, Grant held peacetime posts on the Great Lakes. In 1852, the he received orders to depart for the West Coast. With Julia pregnant and lacking funds to support a family on the frontier, Grant was forced to leave his wife in the care of her parents in St. Louis, MO. After enduring a harsh journey via Panama, Grant arrived at San Francisco before traveling north to Fort Vancouver. Deeply missing his family and the second child who he had never seen, Grant became discouraged by his prospects. Taking solace in alcohol, he attempted to find ways to supplement his income so that his family could come west. These proved unsuccessful and he began to contemplate resigning. Promoted to captain in April 1854 with orders to move to Fort Humboldt, CA, he instead elected to resign. His departure most likely was accelerated by rumors of his drinking and possible disciplinary action. Returning to Missouri, Grant and his family settled on land belonging to her parents. Dubbing his farm Hardscrabble, it proved financially unsuccessful despite the assistance of a slave provided by Julias father. After several failed business endeavors, Grant moved his family to Galena, IL in 1860 and became an assistant in his fathers tannery, Grant Perkins. Though his father was a prominent Republican in the area, Grant favored Stephen A. Douglas in the 1860 presidential election, but did not vote as he had not lived in Galena long enough to obtain Illinois residency. Early Days of the Civil War Through the winter and spring after Abraham Lincolns election sectional tensions heightened culminating with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. With the beginning of the Civil War, Grant aided in recruiting a company of volunteers and led it to Springfield, IL. Once there, Governor Richard Yates seized on Grants military experience and set him to training newly arriving recruits. Proving highly effective in this role, Grant used his connections to Congressman Elihu B. Washburne to secure a promotion to colonel on June 14. Given command of the unruly 21st Illinois Infantry, he reformed the unit and made it an effective fighting force. On July 31, Grant was appointed a brigadier general of volunteers by Lincoln. This promotion led to Major General John C. Frà ©mont giving him command of the District of Southeast Missouri at the end of August. In November, Grant received orders from Frà ©mont to demonstrate against the Confederate positions at Columbus, KY. Moving down the Mississippi River, he landed 3,114 men on the opposite shore and attacked a Confederate force near Belmont, MO. In the resulting Battle of Belmont, Grant had initial success before Confederate reinforcements pushed him back to his boats. Despite this setback, the engagement greatly boosted Grants confidence and that of his men. Forts Henry and Donelson After several weeks of inaction, a reinforced Grant was ordered to move up the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers against Forts Henry and Donelson by the commander of the Department of Missouri, Major General Henry Halleck. Working with gunboats under Flag Officer Andrew H. Foote, Grant began his advance on February 2, 1862. Realizing that Fort Henry was located on a flood plain and open to naval attack, its commander, Brigadier General Lloyd Tilghman, withdrew most of his garrison to Fort Donelson before Grant arrived and captured the post on the 6th. After occupying Fort Henry, Grant immediately moved against Fort Donelson eleven miles to the east. Situated on high, dry ground, Fort Donelson proved near invulnerable to naval bombardment. After direct assaults failed, Grant invested the fort. On the 15th, Confederate forces under Brigadier General John B. Floyd attempted a breakout but were contained before creating an opening. With no options left, Brigadier General Simon B. Buckner asked Grant for surrender terms. Grants response was simply, No terms except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted, which earned him the nickname Unconditional Surrender Grant. The Battle of Shiloh With the fall of Fort Donelson, over 12,000 Confederates were captured, nearly a third of  General Albert Sidney Johnstons Confederate forces in the region. As a result, he was forced to order the abandonment of Nashville, as well as a retreat from Columbus, KY. Following the victory, Grant was promoted to major general and began to experience problems with Halleck who had become professionally jealous of his successful subordinate. After surviving attempts to replace him, Grant received orders to push up the Tennessee River. Reaching Pittsburg Landing, he halted to await the arrival of  Major General Don Carlos Buells Army of the Ohio. Seeking to halt the string of reverses in his theater, Johnston and  General P.G.T. Beauregard  planned a massive attack on Grants position. Opening the  Battle of Shiloh  on April 6, they caught Grant by surprise. Though nearly driven into the river, Grant stabilized his lines and held. That evening, one of his division commanders,  Brigadier General William T. Sherman, commented Tough day today, Grant. Grant apparently responded, Yes, but well whip em tomorrow. Reinforced by Buell during the night, Grant launched a massive counterattack the next day and drove the Confederates from the field and sent them retreating to Corinth, MS. The bloodiest encounter to date with the Union suffering 13,047 casualties and the Confederates 10,699, the losses at Shiloh stunned the public. Though Grant came under criticism for being unprepared on April 6 and was falsely accused of being drunk, Lincoln refused to remove him stating, I cant spare this man; he fights. Corinth and Halleck After the victory at Shiloh, Halleck elected to take to the field in person and assembled a large force consisting of Grants Army of the Tennessee,  Major General John Popes Army of the Mississippi, and Buells Army of the Ohio at Pittsburg Landing. Continuing his issues with Grant, Halleck removed him from army command and made him the overall second-in-command with no troops under his direct control. Incensed, Grant contemplated leaving, but was talked into staying by Sherman who was quickly becoming a close friend. Enduring this arrangement through the Corinth and Iuka campaigns of the summer, Grant returned to independent command that October when he was made commander of the Department of the Tennessee and tasked with taking the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg, MS. Taking Vicksburg Given free rein by Halleck, now general-in-chief in Washington, Grant designed a two-prong attack, with Sherman advancing down the river with 32,000 men, while he advanced south along Mississippi Central Railroad with 40,000 men. These movements were to be supported by an advance north from New Orleans by  Major General Nathaniel Banks. Establishing a supply base at Holly Springs, MS, Grant pressed south to Oxford, hoping to engage Confederate forces under  Major  General Earl Van Dorn  near Grenada. In December 1862, Van Dorn, badly outnumbered, launched a large cavalry raid around Grants army and destroyed the supply base at Holly Springs, halting the Union advance. Shermans situation was no better. Moving down the river with relative ease, he arrived just north of Vicksburg on Christmas Eve. After sailing up the Yazoo River, he disembarked his troops and began moving through the swamps and bayous toward the town before being badly defeated at  Chickasaw Bayou  on the 2 9th. Lacking support from Grant, Sherman opted to withdrawal. After Shermans men were drawn off to  attack Arkansas Post  in early January, Grant moved to the river to command his entire army in person. Based just north of Vicksburg on the west bank, Grant spent the winter of 1863 seeking a way to bypass Vicksburg with no success. He finally devised a bold plan for capturing the Confederate fortress. Grant proposed to move down the west bank of the Mississippi, then cut loose from his supply lines by crossing the river and attacking the city from the south and east. This risky move was to be supported by gunboats commanded by  Rear Admiral David D. Porter, which would run downstream past the Vicksburg batteries prior to Grant crossing the river. On the nights of April 16 and 22, Porter two groups of ships past the town. With a naval force established below the town, Grant began his march south. On April 30, Grants army crossed the river at Bruinsburg and moved northeast to cut the rail lines to Vicksburg before turning on the town itself. Turning Point in the West Conducting a brilliant campaign, Grant swiftly drove back Confederate forces on his front and captured Jackson, MS on May 14. Turning west towards Vicksburg, his troops repeatedly defeated  Lieutenant General John Pembertons forces and drove them back into the citys defense. Arriving at Vicksburg and wishing to avoid a siege, Grant launched assaults against the city on May 19 and 22 taking heavy losses in the process.  Settling into a siege, his army was reinforced and tightened the noose on Pembertons garrison. Waiting out the enemy, Grant forced a starving Pemberton to surrender Vicksburg and his 29,495-man garrison on July 4. The victory gave Union forces control of the entire Mississippi and was the turning point of the war in the West. Victory at Chattanooga In the wake of  Major General William Rosecranss defeat at  Chickamauga  in September 1863, Grant was given command of the Military Division of the Mississippi and control of all Union armies in the West. Moving to Chattanooga, he reopened a supply line to Rosecrans beleaguered Army of the Cumberland and replaced the defeated general with  Major General George H. Thomas. In an effort to turn the tables on  General Braxton Braggs Army of Tennessee, Grant captured Lookout Mountain on November 24 before directing his combined forces to a stunning victory at the  Battle of Chattanooga  the next day. In the fighting, Union troops drove the Confederates off Missionary Ridge and sent them reeling south. Coming East In March 1864, Lincoln promoted Grant to lieutenant general and gave him command of all Union armies. Grant elected to turn over operational control of the western armies to Sherman and shifted his headquarters east to travel with  Major General George G. Meades Army of the Potomac. Leaving Sherman with orders to press the Confederate Army of Tennessee and take Atlanta, Grant sought to engage  General Robert E. Lee  in a decisive battle to destroy the Army of Northern Virginia. In Grants mind, this was the key to ending the war, with the capture of Richmond of secondary importance. These initiatives were to be supported by smaller campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley, southern Alabama, and western Virginia. The Overland Campaign In early May 1864, Grant began marching south with 101,000 men. Lee, whose army numbered 60,000, moved to intercept and met Grant in a dense forest known as the  Wilderness. While Union attacks initially drove the Confederates back, they were blunted and forced back by the late arrival of  Lieutenant General James Longstreets corps. After three days of fighting, the battle turned into a stalemate with Grant having lost 18,400 men and Lee 11,400. While Grants army had suffered more casualties, they comprised a lesser proportion of his army than Lees. As the Grants goal was to destroy Lees army, this was an acceptable outcome. Unlike his predecessors in the East, Grant continued to press south after the bloody fight and the armies quickly met again at the  Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. After two weeks of fighting, another stalemate ensued. As before Union casualties were higher, but Grant understood that each battle cost Lee casualties that the Confederates could not replace. Again pushing south, Grant was unwilling to attack Lees strong position at  North Anna  and moved around the Confederate right. Meeting Lee at the  Battle of Cold Harbor  on May 31, Grant launched a series of bloody attacks against the Confederate fortifications three days later. The defeat would haunt Grant for years and he later wrote, I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made...no advantage whatever was gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained. Siege of Petersburg After pausing for nine days, Grant stole a march on Lee and raced south across the James River to capture Petersburg. A key rail center, the capture of the city would cut off supplies to Lee and Richmond. Initially blocked from the city by troops under Beauregard, Grant assaulted the Confederate lines between June 15 and 18 to no avail. As both armies arrived in full, a long series of trenches and fortifications were constructed that presaged the Western Front of  World War I. An attempt to break the deadlock occurred on July 30 when Union troops assaulted after the  detonation of a mine, but the attack failed.  Settling into a siege, Grant kept pushing his troops further south and east in an effort to cut the railroads into the city and stretch out Lees smaller army. As the situation at Petersburg became drawn out, Grant was criticized in the media for failing to achieve a decisive result and for being a butcher due to the heavy losses taken during the Overland Campaign. This was intensified when a small Confederate force under  Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early  threatened Washington, DC on July 12. Earlys actions necessitated Grant sending troops back north to deal with the danger. Eventually led by  Major General Philip H. Sheridan, the Union forces effectively destroyed Earlys command in a series of battles in the Shenandoah Valley later that year. While the situation at Petersburg remained stagnant, Grants broader strategy began to bear fruit as Sherman captured Atlanta in September. As the siege continued through the winter and into the spring, Grant continued to receive positive reports as Union troops had success on other fronts. These and a deteriorating situation at Petersburg led Lee to assault Grants lines on March 25. Though his troops had initial success, they were driven back by Union counterattacks. Seeking to exploit the victory, Grant pushed a large force west to capture the critical crossroads of Five Forks and threaten the Southside Railroad. At the  Battle of Five Forks  on April 1, Sheridan took the objective. This defeat placed Lees position at Petersburg, as well as Richmond, in jeopardy. Informing President Jefferson Davis that both would need to be evacuated, Lee came under heavy attack from Grant on April 2. These assauls drove the Confederates from the city and sent them retreating west. Appomattox After occupying Petersburg, Grant began chasing Lee across Virginia with Sheridans men in the lead. Moving west and harried by Union cavalry, Lee hoped to re-supply his army before heading south to link up with forces under  General Joseph Johnston  in North Carolina. On April 6, Sheridan was able to cut off approximately 8,000 Confederates under  Lieutenant General Richard Ewell  at  Saylers Creek. After some fighting the Confederates, including eight generals, surrendered. Lee, with fewer than 30,000 hungry men, hoped to reach supply trains that were waiting at Appomattox Station. This plan was dashed when Union cavalry under  Major General George A. Custer  arrived in the town and burned the trains. Lee next set his sights on reaching Lynchburg. On the morning of April 9, Lee ordered his men to break through the Union lines that blocked their path. They attacked but were stopped. Now surrounded on three sides, Lee accepted the inevitable stating, Then there is nothing left for me to do but to go and see General Grant, and I would rather die a thousand deaths. Later that day,  Grant met with Lee at the McLean House  in Appomattox Court House to discuss surrender terms. Grant, who had been suffering a bad headache, arrived late, wearing a worn privates uniform with only his shoulder straps denoting his rank. Overcome by the emotion of the meeting, Grant had difficulty getting to the point, but soon laid out generous terms which Lee accepted. Postwar Actions With the defeat of the Confederacy, Grant was required to immediately dispatch troops under Sheridan to Texas to serve as a deterrent to the French who had recently installed Maximilian as Emperor of Mexico. To assist the Mexicans, he also told Sheridan to aid the deposed Benito Juarez if possible. To this end, 60,000 rifles were provided to the Mexicans. The following year, Grant was required to close the Canadian border to prevent the Fenian Brotherhood from attacking Canada. In gratitude for his services during the war, Congress promoted Grant to the newly created rank of General of the Army on July 25, 1866. As general-in-chief, Grant oversaw the US Army role during the early years of Reconstruction in the South. Dividing the South into five military districts, he believed that a military occupation was necessary and the Freedmans Bureau was needed. Though he worked closely with President Andrew Johnson, Grants personal feelings were more in line with the Radical Republicans in Congress. Grant became increasing popular with this group when he refused to aid Johnson in deposing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. U.S. President As a result of this relationship, Grant was nominated for president on the 1868 Republican ticket. Facing no significant opposition for the nomination, he easily defeated former New York Governor Horatio Seymour in the general election. At age 46, Grant was the youngest US president to date. Taking office, his two terms were dominated by Reconstruction and mending the wounds of the Civil War. Deeply interested in promoting the rights of former slaves, he secured passage of the 15th Amendment and signed laws promoting voting rights as well as the Civil Rights Act of 1875. During his first term the economy was booming and corruption became rampant. As a result, his administration became plagued by a variety of scandals. Despite these issues, he remained popular with the public and was re-elected in 1872. Economic growth came to an abrupt halt with the Panic of 1873 which keyed a five-year depression. Responding slowly to the panic, he later vetoed an inflation bill which would have released additional currency into the economy. As his time in office neared an end, his reputation was damaged by the Whiskey Ring scandal. Though Grant was not directly involved, his private secretary was and it became emblematic of Republican corruption. Leaving office in 1877, he spent two years touring the world with his wife. Warmly received at each stop, he aided in mediating a dispute between China and Japan. Later Life Returning home, Grant soon faced a severe financial crisis. Having been forced to cede his military pension to serve as president, he was soon swindled in 1884 by Ferdinand Ward, his Wall Street investor. Effectively bankrupted, Grant was forced to repay one of his creditors with his Civil War mementos. Grants situation soon worsened when he learned he was suffering from throat cancer. An avid cigar smoker since Fort Donelson, Grant had at times consumed 18-20 a day. In an effort generate revenue, Grant wrote a series of books and articles which were warmly received and aided in improving his reputation. Further support came from Congress which restored his military pension. In an effort to aid Grant, noted author Mark Twain offered him a generous contract for his memoirs. Settling at Mount McGregor, NY, Grant completed the work only days before his death on July 23, 1885.  Memoirs  proved both a critical and commercial success and provided the family with much-needed security. After lying in state, Grants body was transported south to New York City where it was placed in a temporary mausoleum in Riverside Park. His pallbearers included Sherman, Sheridan, Buckner, and Joseph Johnston. On April 17, Grants body was moved a short distance to the newly constructed Grants Tomb. He was joined by Julia following her death in 1902. Sources White House: Ulysses S. GrantCivil War: Ulysses S. GrantLibrary of Congress: Ulysses Grant

Buddhism and Vegetarianism

Buddhism and Vegetarianism All Buddhists are vegetarians, right? Well, no. Some Buddhists are vegetarians, but some are not. Attitudes about vegetarianism vary from sect to sect as well as from individual to individual. If you are wondering whether you must commit to being a vegetarian to become a Buddhist, the answer is, maybe, but possibly not. It is unlikely the historical Buddha was a vegetarian. In the earliest recording of his teachings, the Tripitaka, the Buddha did not categorically forbid his disciples to eat meat. In fact, if meat were put into a monks alms bowl, the monk was supposed to eat it. Monks were to gratefully receive and consume all food they were given, including meat. Exceptions There was an exception to the meat for alms rule, however. If monks knew or suspected that an animal had been slaughtered specifically to feed monks, they were to refuse to take the meat. On the other hand, leftover meat from an animal slaughtered to feed a lay family was acceptable. The Buddha also listed certain types of meat that were not to be eaten. This included horse, elephant, dog, snake, tiger, leopard, and bear. Because only some meat was specifically forbidden, we can infer that eating other meat was permissible. Vegetarianism and the First Precept The First Precept of Buddhism is do not kill. The Buddha told his followers not to kill, participate in killing, or cause to have any living thing killed. To eat meat, some argue, is taking part in killing by proxy. In response, it is argued that if an animal were already dead and not slaughtered specifically to feed oneself, then it is not quite the same thing as killing the animal oneself. This seems to be how the historical Buddha understood eating meat. However, the historical Buddha and the monks and nuns who followed him were homeless wanderers who lived on the alms they received. Buddhists did not begin to build monasteries and other permanent communities until some time after the Buddha died. Monastic Buddhists do not live on alms alone but also on food grown by, donated to, or purchased by monks. It is hard to argue that meat provided to an entire monastic community did not come from an animal specifically slaughtered on behalf of that community. Thus, many sects of Mahayana Buddhism, in particular, began to emphasize vegetarianism. Some of the Mahayana Sutras, such as the Lankavatara, provide decidedly vegetarian teachings. Buddhism and Vegetarianism Today Today, attitudes toward vegetarianism vary from sect to sect and even within sects. On the whole, Theravada Buddhists do not kill animals themselves but consider vegetarianism to be a personal choice. The Vajrayana schools, which include Tibetan and Japanese Shingon Buddhism, encourage vegetarianism but do not consider it to be absolutely necessary to Buddhist practice. Mahayana schools are more often vegetarian, but even within many Mahayana sects, there is a  diversity of practice. In keeping with the original rules, some Buddhists might not purchase meat for themselves, or choose a live lobster out of the tank and have it boiled, but might eat a meat dish offered them at a friends dinner party. The Middle Way Buddhism discourages fanatical perfectionism. The Buddha taught his followers to find a middle way between extreme practices and opinions. For this reason, Buddhists who do practice vegetarianism are discouraged from becoming fanatically attached to it. A Buddhist practices metta, which is loving kindness to all beings without selfish attachment. Buddhist refrain from eating meat out of loving kindness for living animals, not because there is something unwholesome or corrupt about an animals body. In other words, the meat itself is not the point, and under some circumstances, compassion might cause a Buddhist to break the rules. For example, lets say you visit your elderly grandmother, whom you have not seen for a long time. You arrive at her home and find that she has cooked what had been your favorite dish when you were a child- stuffed pork chops. She doesnt do much cooking anymore  because her elderly body doesnt move around the kitchen so well. But it is the dearest wish of her heart to give you something special and watch you dig into those stuffed pork chops the way you used to. She has been looking forward to this for weeks. I say that if you hesitate to eat those pork chops for even a second, you are no Buddhist. The Business of Suffering When I was a girl growing up in rural Missouri, livestock grazed in open meadows and chickens wandered and scratched outside hen houses. That was a long time ago. You still see free-ranging livestock on small farms, but big factory farms can be cruel places for animals. Breeding sows live most of their lives in cages so small they cannot turn around. Egg-laying hens kept in battery cages cannot spread their wings. These practices make the vegetarian question more critical. As Buddhists, we should consider if products we purchase were made with suffering. This includes human suffering as well as animal suffering. If your vegan faux-leather shoes were made by exploited laborers working under inhumane conditions, you might as well have bought leather. Live Mindfully The fact is, to live is to kill. It cannot be avoided. Fruits and vegetables come from living organisms, and farming them requires killing insects, rodents, and other animal life. The electricity and heat for our homes may come from facilities that harm the environment. Dont even think about the cars we drive. We are all entangled in a web of killing and destruction, and as long as we live we cannot be completely free of it. As Buddhists, our role is not to mindlessly follow rules written in books, but to be mindful of the harm we do and do as little of it as possible.

Bipolar Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bipolar Disorder - Essay Example A patient may experience high moments in life that is indicated in extreme joy and energy. On the other hand, the patient may undergo low moments that manifest in depression. However, depression is indicated by symptoms that stay for long and influence an individual’s daily tasks. Generally depression is a mood illness triggered by an incorporation of environmental, biological, genetic and psychological aspects. Depression influences the body and mind-affecting physical, feelings, and behavior and thoughts states. A patient with bipolar disorder faces mood swings that manifest in feelings of loneliness, helplessness, weakness, sadness and depression. The tell signs and symptoms of depression include lack of interest in hobbies, feeling irritable and sad. The illness can also inhibit eating and sleep, can be the root for unexplained stomachaches and headaches. Depression can also result to aspiration to be alone, aggression, quarrelsome conduct that put pressure on relationship s with friends and families. The illness also interferes with the ability of the individual to recall events and concentration which affects the academic performance. In other cases patients have ideas of committing suicide or death (Leonard & Jovinelly, 2012). All these symptoms are different for various people. From the mentioned symptoms, the patient in question suffers from bipolar disorder as per her high and low moods as witnessed by the family. The mentioned patient developed a depressed mood over a period of one week, thus is not suffering from major depression as in major depression the signs and symptoms persist for a minimum of two weeks and above (Moragne, 2011). To treat bipolar disorder, bio-psychosocial approach is used. The patient has to be enrolled in a comprehensive case management program where he/she will access care, receive evidence-based pharmacotherapy and psychoeducation. Moreover, the family is to take part in this treatment program so that each

Interview Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Interview Analysis - Essay Example In some instances, the teacher encountered difficulties training children who were blind since only a minimal number of languages are in Braille. At such times, the teachers were forced to seek the services of Braille translators who, in turn, used computers. However, technological advancements have significantly reduced this problem since technology affords ELLs suffering from diverse disabilities the opportunity to learn at a similar pace as those without disabilities. From the interview, it became quite clear that ELL students’ learning capabilities are profoundly impacted by their cultural backgrounds. This is primarily because the cultural worlds in which culturally diverse students live encourage different attitudes, beliefs and emphasize diverse learning skills. As a consequence of this diversity, the impact on the learning abilities of ELLs is rather massive. A vast majority of schools often fail to pay close attention to the differences between children, for instance, their beliefs, traditional practices and experiences, and this, in turn, proves detrimental to the students’ abilities to learn since it reduces the teachers’ capabilities to teach them effectively (Shatz & Wikinson, 2011). ... This is primarily because technology has the distinct capacity to ease the process of educating disabled ELLs and make it easy for them to benefit from the technology, particularly in terms of understanding lesson content and facilitating effective assessment. The school, in this case, makes use of a number of procedures and policies, which have proven to be effectual in terms of teaching ELLs. The school typically begins by identifying students who fit the ELL threshold. After identification, the school’s policy requires teachers to assess such students, taking into consideration both their preferential language and English language proficiency. In essence, the school conforms to standard strategies for the identification and assessment of ELLs (Shatz & Wikinson, 2011). In addition, the school makes use of language assessments regarding both the students’ English and preferred languages to ascertain the students’ individual abilities, as well as development in a ll relevant areas of learning such as reading, listening, writing and speaking (Shatz & Wikinson, 2011). However, in order to supplement information acquired from these assessments, schools and teachers typically seek information from bilingual clinicians, parents and guardians and bilingual and ESL teachers, as well as other education stakeholders who provide sociocultural information, as well as academic test data. This information is of critical importance to the education of ELL since it enables teachers appreciate the students’ strongest and weakest points and tailor instruction to maximize learning effectiveness. Notably, a vast majority of ELLs present similar challenges in terms of their learning abilities. Teachers encounter

Cold War and Consumerists Mass Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cold War and Consumerists Mass Culture - Essay Example . The constraints resulting from World War Two and Great Depression led to a frustrated consumerism situation even more than the capitalist system rejection. The new consumerism had led most Americans and policy makers to believe that the under consumption situation in the country was the main cause of the slump. The government policy after the war had encouraged mass purchasing power instead of coming up with measures to equalize the wealth distribution. Consumer society had become a positive communism answer during the cold war. Despite the relations between freedom and consumption in these years, consumerism of the post war era was domesticated rather than hedonistic. It focused more on the nuclear family and suburban homes (Chafe 107). The period between 1960 and 1980 witnessed a number of challenges and changes making the consumer society stronger than ever. Among the challenges included the counterculture challenge on consumerism premises. The specter scarcity brought into question the cornucopia performance upon which the consumer society depended on. The consequent of this challenge was that consumption ended up being more ubiquitous. The socially and individualistic fragmenting consumerism existing today is believed to be rooted on the critique of consumerism that took place in 1960’s. The countercultural figures critiqued idealized and conformity indicates that most Americans preferred to achieve the authenticity through consumption (Breines and Breines 78). Consumerism began to modify its mass production practices in favor of segmented and flexible production in the demographically distinct markets. Consumerism has since then become adoptable to the hip and green. A good example of this is the energy situation crisis in 1970’s when politicians considered the shortage as being as a result of over production. This was rebuked as being naysayers. Consumerist trends toward fragmentation and individualistic consumptions have accelerated in the recent years leading to market triumphant. The resulting radical faith in the market virtues led to politicians to put moral gloss on the market culture unfettered growth in the 1980s. Consumerism also helped in the integration of the diversity of the inhabitants youth mass culture and cynical marketers through the equal division of multicultural segmented demographic units. This led to the shift from a spirited and integrative public popular culture to an increasingly solipsistic and privatized commercial culture in the early twentieth century (Bloom and Breines 142). Consumerist during this era adopted an ideological medal that adopted an unquestioning approach towards the production uses. This resulted to an increase in self-conscious ness in the manipulation

The Ancient Art and Its Forms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Ancient Art and Its Forms - Essay Example The first Indian art is believed to be 5,000 years old, which included stone carving and bronze castings. With a great history of Hinduism and Buddhism, the Indians produced many religious pieces of arts. People in ancient Central America around Mexico region began their artistic work 1000 years BC. The region is famous for the production of wonderful ceramics with kilns burning it over 900Â °C (Henry M, 2012, p. pg 123). The Christian era began during the ancient times and is believed to have continued evolving until the modern times. The most striking features of this period include monuments produced by Indians, Egyptians, Romans and many other groups. However, we shall concentrate on two striking monuments like the Minoan Snake Goddess and Totem Pole. Minoan Snake Goddess is an ancient cultural piece of art that depicts the Goddess holds two snakes in each hand. The first production of Minoan Snake goddess dates back to 1600BCE. The piece of art resembles a totem pole by the manner in which it is decorated. An interpretation of the open breast reveals the fertile nature of the Goddess. The snakes are a symbol of renewed life since the snakes are regarded as immortal whenever they shed their skin and renew their strength. The above pieces of art resemble each other in the manner in which they are decorated (Richerson, 1992). They are also symbols of religion. Indians in their temples use the Minoan Goddess symbol. The two pieces of art are 3-dimensional carvings mostly done using the stone. Indians used the stone to produce most of their ancient art and so was Minoan Snake Goddess. Use of colors was highly emphasized ancient artists because colors and decorations brought out the beauty aspect of the intended art. Use of line and shape has also been used in the two pieces of art. Shapes like triangle and cube boxes have been employed in the Minoan Snake Goddess. The same also applies to the Totem Pole piece of art.

Cell phone Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cell phone - Assignment Example In this light, deciding not to buy the cell phones for children has its advantages and disadvantages. Also, deciding to buy cellphones for the students has disadvantages and advantages that ought to be considered. Those against the idea of cells for students argue that they are disruptive and affect their concentration. On my part, I support the idea of equipping the students with the cell phones. There are several reasons for this stand that cannot be overlooked. For instance, the cell phones provide an easy channel of communication between parents and their children. In this light, the gadgets help ensure that parents can check on their children when they are not around. Secondly, I believe that the use of cellphones among the children from an early age helps open up their minds and increases the chance of innovation and the invention of technological gadgets. Moreover, the cell phones provide a source of leisure for the students and are crucial for their growth and development. However, this point may be invalidated on the basis that cell phones cause disruption among the pupils. Another point in support of cellphones for school-going children is that they help the students to research and learn new things through the Internet. The case study explains the effects that the cell phones have on students in Uganda who area allowed to use the cells not only at home but also in school. In the research conducted by Richard and his subordinates, the school allows students to carry their phones to school. According to the study, the availability of cellphones is a source of security for the students, which in turn helps boost their classroom confidence (Twebaze and Richard 23). Moreover, the students involved in the case study argued that keeping close contact with their parents at home helped give them the motivation to work hard. Richard adds that â€Å"cell phones not only allow the students to talk to their parents but also gives them a chance to expand

Turkey military and islamists Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Turkey military and islamists - Research Paper Example retained the leadership for three consecutive terms without being overthrown by the military or being removed through the intervention of a constitutional court since multipartism in 1946. The conflict between political parties and the military have destabilized Turkey’s leadership over a long period. The fight between the constitution and Muslim religion has characterized the politics of Turkey. Turkey is officially a secular state as per the provisions of the constitution and their traditions. The constitution governs the activities of the political parties; it provides that any anti-secular political party can be banned by the constitutional court. An Islamic movement started finding its way in the country’s politics in the 1980s in an effort to fight for the economic inequality in the country. The movement has stood in favour of Islamic democracy based on the Islamic Sharia law and has attempted to bring these aspects in the Turkish politics. The military has intervened severally to bring down the extremism by some of these parties. The current leadership by the Justice and Development party has veered off from the stands that were upheld by the previous regimes. The party has Islamic roots but its ideologies have helped it in retaining leadership in the country that h as seen intensive military confrontation with the Islamic parties. Erdogan has been pro-west and has distanced his party from any religious inclination, an aspect that has helped the party remain in harmony with the constitutional provisions. The history of the rise of Islamic politics and the military engagements dates way back in the early 20th Century. Kemalism is an ideology that has been developed from the founder of the country, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk . In the process of its development, the country made a number of changes including an education system that focussed on the pre-Islamic civilizations of the Turkish people. The reforms that were made did not deter the people from

Cell phone Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cell phone - Assignment Example In this light, deciding not to buy the cell phones for children has its advantages and disadvantages. Also, deciding to buy cellphones for the students has disadvantages and advantages that ought to be considered. Those against the idea of cells for students argue that they are disruptive and affect their concentration. On my part, I support the idea of equipping the students with the cell phones. There are several reasons for this stand that cannot be overlooked. For instance, the cell phones provide an easy channel of communication between parents and their children. In this light, the gadgets help ensure that parents can check on their children when they are not around. Secondly, I believe that the use of cellphones among the children from an early age helps open up their minds and increases the chance of innovation and the invention of technological gadgets. Moreover, the cell phones provide a source of leisure for the students and are crucial for their growth and development. However, this point may be invalidated on the basis that cell phones cause disruption among the pupils. Another point in support of cellphones for school-going children is that they help the students to research and learn new things through the Internet. The case study explains the effects that the cell phones have on students in Uganda who area allowed to use the cells not only at home but also in school. In the research conducted by Richard and his subordinates, the school allows students to carry their phones to school. According to the study, the availability of cellphones is a source of security for the students, which in turn helps boost their classroom confidence (Twebaze and Richard 23). Moreover, the students involved in the case study argued that keeping close contact with their parents at home helped give them the motivation to work hard. Richard adds that â€Å"cell phones not only allow the students to talk to their parents but also gives them a chance to expand

As momentum gathers Essay Example for Free

As momentum gathers Essay As we know from Act 1 John has committed adultery with Abigail Williams, at this stage Elizabeth has not forgiven him, sees Abigail as a threat, and does not trust John She has an arrow in you yet John  John does try to make it up to Elizabeth but is it only when they are both threatened with death/imprisonment that they both really show their love for each other.  JohnI will fall like an ocean on that court! In addition, when they are both in prison He pats her hand; she covers his hand with hers. Salems problems begin when Abigail along with her cousin and friends are seen dancing and practicing voodoo in the forest. In an attempt to get them selves out of trouble (as both are very sinful actions) the girls accuse others in the community of witchcraft. As momentum gathers, villagers turn against each other in a desire to save themselves but also use the situation in a vicious attempt to settle old scores. John having spoken to Abigail Williams before the accusations started knows that Abigail has lied, because when he told her that the town was rumbling witchcraft and replied oh posh! We were dancin in the woods last night and my uncle leaped in on us. She took fright thats all. John hesitates to speak out because he is afraid of publically admitting his adultery and the effect it will have on his good name and his relationship with his wife and friends. Here he is showing no goodness at all because he is putting his self-preservation above honesty and what he knows he should morally do. His fear is allowing unjust and untrue accusations to continue.  By the time he comes to his senses and tells the truth many people have been imprisoned including his own wife (who is there because of Abigail Williams maliciousness and desire to have John to herself) and some have already been hanged. It is too late to undo the wrong and too late to stop it continuing. John and Elizabeth are re-united in prison after three months separation and their relationship has changed. It is now honest and they both have more goodness. Elizabeth forgives John for his adultery by admitting that she was cold within the marriage I counted myself so plain, so poorly made, no honest love could come to me! I never knew how to say my love. It were a cold house I kept! You take my sins upon you She also goes against her strict religious principles and lies thinking this will save her husband but it has totally the opposite effect. John does not think he is worthy enough to die like his friends because he still feels guilt for his sins I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint. It is a fraud. My honesty is broke, I am no good man, Nothings spoiled by giving them this lie that were not rotten long before So he begins by confessing that he saw the devil but then Elizabeth forgiveness makes him realise that this is the wrong moral decision because it would be calling his friends liars. He will now die but has chosen the truth at last For now I do think I see a shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs There is a moral story though out the play. If John Proctor had told the community in the beginning that Abigail Williams was lying before the situation had escalated I think the fate of the whole of Salem would have been very different. If he had not have committed adultery he would not have hesitated. He did not have the courage to be judged for his sin and as result allowed innocent people to suffer. I think that John and Elizabeth Proctor are heroes because they were killed for their friends and religion and were killed for something they did not do but still took the punishment.  To summarize I would say that John now has his Goodness because he has told the truth at last and Elizabeth feels she has no right to influence his morally correct decision in any way. He can therefore he can die a good man, with his conscience clear, ready to meet God.

Consumerism and Fashion in Singapore

Consumerism and Fashion in Singapore Everlasting consumerism has shaped the way 21st century landscape looks like. It creates unlimited demand of products and stores in any possible space. Retail design is responsible to convert this possible space into a consumerism space. It is where people encounter strong force to see and buy products. A perfect example to show evidence exists in fashion world. There is strong indication of tense competition happens between clothing manufacture to win the market. In relation to that, the store has become one key aspect or rather a strong statement to create brand awareness among public. The question arise is how, in a relatively over-saturated market, a store can be possibly designed to convey strong message to draw the crowd of consumerism into the space. 1.1. Consumerism Today The idea of consuming has changed over the past decades. Back to the early human civilization period, most of the activities were needs-driven actions. Earlier, as hunter gatherer, human hunted animals to be able to eat. Followed by agricultural period, farming and plant cultivation were done to produce their food. Consuming was a mere activity that must be done in order to survive. In Industrial and technological age, the way people consume things has changed. As more diverse product being produced and diverse ways of distribution being invented, there are pleasure factors of consuming in form of choices. People find excitement in choosing what they want to consume. This leads to modern consumerism where the concept of consuming goes beyond the needs of survival. 1.2. Shopping as Modern Consumerism Shopping is the 21st centurys representation of human consumerism. People find delights surrounded by range of different shops and brands. To be able to choose and compares is the highlight of modern life consumerism. In forms of choosing, buying, and using, shopping has catered these needs. Shopping can be seen as in a positive way of fulfilling peoples needs and wants. But apparently, it has developed so fast, in terms of activity, space, and products. And over the past decades, it becomes major aspect in human life. Museums, libraries, airports, hospitals, and schools are becoming increasingly indistinguishable from shopping. Their adoption of retail for survival has unleashed an enormous wave of commercial entrapment that has transformed museumgoers, researchers, travelers, patients, and students into customers (Koolhaas cited in Luna, 2005, p.26) Shopping is arguably the most universal activity nowadays. The way designer design space has to follow this idea as well. Space has to be designed in such a way to accommodate this, to enable people to shop anywhere, anytime. 1.3. The Existence of Fashion Retail Fashion retail perhaps is the best example to portray the modern consumerism. It shows how people eagerly choose what they wear under the spotlight of diverse fashion brands. If the case is taken to a higher level, it demonstrates obviously how people decisions are led by choice instead of needs. High class fashion brands such as LMVH, Gucci, and Prada exist to serve beyond peoples demand of clothing. They meet peoples desire for choices for range of luxury products. 1.4. Fashion of Singapore Singapore cityscape pictures clearly the existence of international fashion brands. They, indeed, has become one strong attraction point of Singapore for both local costumers and tourists. Singapore is one of the main competition arenas for these giant fashion brands in Asia. To be able to meet customers demand, every brand has to come up with high-end design for its retail. Design and technologies are optimized in its use to boost the shopping experience that lead to brand awareness. All these things have to be done so that people will choose certain brand and not others. Orchard Road is a good example depicting the competition among these brands. Interior design, facade treatment, display technologies are being optimized to attract pedestrians along the road. 2. Retail Rebirth People find pleasures in choosing what they want. Retail has two different approaches in response to the demand. Firstly, they must be able to provide a range of products for customers to choose. Secondly, the retail itself subject to competition. That means it is also considered one of so many choices in the market. In this matter, the retail has to prove to the market that it is worth chosen. The brand, the products, and the store has to work together to stand out and creates strong awareness in the marketplace. Retail has to rebirth, leaving old conservative way of promoting brands, and creating fresh interaction between products and customers. 2.1. Brand Manifestation With a strong competition in the fashion market, a strong distinctive image of a brand is required to create public awareness. The case is not only competition among products but also continues to the environment where the products being promoted. At this stage, a store has become key tool for the brand to create its images. A flagship store is designed to represents the identity of the brand indeed. For new customers, the store become the first things that attracts them before they go further down to the products being offered or even before they see the window displays. 2.1.1. Design for the Brands Architecture and interior design are responsible to create environment to deliver products to customers. Fashion retail, regardless of style, trends, or brand identity, should be able to create customer awareness and stimulate them to come and choose it instead of other shops. This is the fundamental function of retail design before it goes down into a deeper and more specific case-based function. On higher level, the architect or interior designer must understand the nature of fabric and how individual fashion designer, that is being represented, has their personal technique to treat it. This unique quality is the one that gives character to a brand. The character, then, must be translated into the space in order to create strong statement of the brand. 2.1.2. Emphasizing Character In order to be distinctive in an over-crowded market, a strong character of the brand is required. This character is projected from the way the brand carry itself to the market. It consists of range of products and service being offered, and the environment of where the commercial activities take place. Retail design has to be able to create the atmosphere that bridge customers and products. The store acts as a package and shelter, literally and metaphorically, to the brand. The character will only be emphasized if there is unity between the brand, the product, and the store. 2.1.3. Characterizing Structure A store as a physical shelter might be more than enough to envelope the commercial activity happening under it. But in fashion world, it goes further than functionality. More than just a place to display the product and providing circulation for people to walk and browse the product, the retail has to relate itself to the product and the company philosophy. In other words, the store has to establish relation, in form and purpose, with the clothes. The physical structure, that provide commercial environment, has to blend in with the clothes and create overall unity. Only by this way, the customer will see the bigger picture of the brand, and not loose pieces of the brands. One ideal example of harmony between brand and store is shown in Calvin Klein store located in Avenue Montaigne, Paris. Its store, designed by John Pawson in 2002, made a good illustration of how the character of the clothes -especially the early Calvin Kleins work- has been translated into the retail space. (Klein) has said It s important not to confuse simplicity with uninteresting, and executes his simplified, refined, sportswear-based shapes in luxurious natural fibers, (Stegemeyer, 2004, p.130) It is the idea of simplicity that is consistently conveyed through the brand, products, and store. Straight lines and clear space sequences brings out the clarity of the clothes, creating a clean and subtle ambiance of the store. The desired simplicity atmosphere is reinforced through neutral colour that is achieved by materials and lighting installation. 2.2. Design Distinction A character manifestation to a space is inevitability essentials to create strong brand awareness. However, regardless of the brand that is being represented, fashion store can be distinctive by itself. It is a second step after establishing strong representation of the brand. This is about different approach from the experience side, exploring the interaction between products and customers in a conducive controlled environment. In other word, it redefines the way people shop inside a store, creating a fresh shopping experience. 2.2.1. New Fashion Stores Fundamental With Singapore landscape that has been over-crowded with shopping malls and retail stores, the creation of retail store should be more carefully considered. When the market is driven by consumerism, the rate of retail formation will continue to rise up. However, any retail creation should consider avoiding similar addition to the existing scene that might create saturation to market. It is a strategy to evade the similarity and, at the same time, open up a chance to stand out in the marketplace. To address the issues, the store must cater certain factors in its design approach in spite of the brand it conveys. 2.2.2. Flexible Frequent Space Retails should be able to update themselves frequently. It has to be able to adapt to new products, seasonality, and customer trends. There is a high level of experimentation in retail design. It relates to fashion, and fashion changes constantly, is surprising and wants to create experiences (de Wild, 2009, p.14) In advance level, apart from the temporary things, it has to change in order to create different interaction between customers and product in each encounter. In other word it needs to shift, not just in terms of layout, but in a bigger store scheme. By applying this concept, it is not only the window displays that change every time new products are launched, but the whole store represent the display that able to change entirely. The idea can be achieved by applying modular system for the furniture, placing digital multimedia interface, using less heavy fixed display furniture, and installing replaceable lighting systems. 2.2.3. Centre of Social Activities The new concept of retail store is not merely about catering commercial activities -selling, advertising, and buying. It is to incorporate retail space and communal space to be a social meeting point. With the global trend of privatization, I think we are most interested in the idea of shopping as a new kind of public space. How can we enrich these experiences? Can we bring new content, information, ideas and visual experiences to shopping in a thoughtful and dynamic way? (Seller, 2009, p. 23) The idea is to facilitate people do many other inspiring activities in their shopping time. This idea can be done by open-space concept store, creation of different communal spaces inside the store, and even distribution between product display and decorative items -plants, resting furniture, etc. The ideal integration of social space and commercial space is when people are able to rest and relief without any pressure to buy while they are unconsciously take pleasure in the products and tempted to buy. 2.2.4. Cultural Relevance Local relevancy is important to make a store appears hospitable. Establishing relation with the local culture is crucial to relate the global brand to smaller local market. Selling products is not about bombarding potential customers with the global products. Instead, it has to be relevant to the context and understand local customers. This can be manifested through adaptive re-use of local landmark as retail space, renovation of historical aged building, and design fusion between brand character and local culture. The new concept store is about being able to combine the attractiveness of the brand with local taste to create strong invitation and also sense of belonging to customers. The design approach mentioned above can be applied into a store regardless of brands and products. The purpose is to create new way of shopping. Back to the statement earlier where people find satisfaction to be able to choose, it is how the choosing activity can be more valuable and rich in experience. When this approach merged with the brand character, it becomes a holistic package that convey strongly to the marketplace. The mission is accomplished when people find delight in choosing and be able to trustfully choose the brand. 3. Conclusion The consumerism-driven market will make people enthusiastically choose the products they want. With an over-saturated market in Singapore, an unconventional design is required to for a fashion retail to be distinctive and thus, win the market. Firstly, the store has to manifest the brand that it represents. The store design must convey the brand and products philosophy to create holistic picture and strong brand awareness. Secondly, in terms experience, it must create refreshing and enriching way of shopping. In attempt to achieve the experience, store needs to be designed with consideration of three approaches (flexible frequent space, center of social activities, and cultural relevance). The new retail store requires constant changing in order to provide up to date shopping experience for customers. A store has to be a social assembly more than a commercial place, providing a tranquil customer-oriented atmosphere. Additionally, it is necessary for a store to have a connection with local context and create a sense of belonging in customers mind. Bibliography Antonini, Alessandra. 2008. Design Boutiques. Barcelona: Links Design Council, 2009. Retail Design. [Online] (Updated 26 Oct 2008) Available at: http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/About-Design/Design-Disciplines/Retail-Design/ [Accessed 17 January 2010] de Wild, Femke. 2009. Retail Future. FRAME. Issue 69, Jul/Aug, p.14. EnterpriseOne, 2009. Recent Retail Trends Future Developments. [Online] (Updated 01 Jan 2010) Available at: http://www.business.gov.sg/EN/Industries/Retail/StatisticsNTrends/FactsFiguresNTrends/retail_overview_trends.htm [Accessed 12 January 2010] Harvard Design School. 2001. The Harvard Design School Guide to Shopping. Cambridge: Taschen Pawson, John. Calvin Klein Store Paris [Photographs][Online] Available at: http://www.johnpawson.com/architecture/stores/calvinklein/paris [Accessed 5 April 2010] Luna, Ian. 2005. Retail. Architecture + Shopping. New York: Rizzoli Manuelli, Sara. 2006. Design for Shopping. London: Laurence King Mostaedi, Arian. 2004. Cool Shops. Singapore: Page One Pawley, Martin. 2000. Fashion + Architecture. London: Wiley-Academy Riewoldt, Otto. 2000. Retail Design. London: Page One 2002. Brandscaping. Berlin: Birkhauser Sellers, Susan. 2009. 24, Inc on interview with Idn. Idn vol 15 number 6, pp.22-23. Singapore Department of Statistic. 2009. Yearbook of Statistics Singapore. Statistics Singapore [Internet] (Updated 13 Aug 2009) Available at: www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/reference/yos09/yos2009.pdf [Accessed 10 January 2010]. Stegemeyer, Anne. 2004. Who s Who in Fashion. New York: Fairchild Publication.