Cost Plus History Essay

The first Cost Plus opened in 1958, when a San Francisco businessman parlayed his passion for travel into an import business by selling a shipload of hand-woven wicker from a local pier. The furniture sold out within a few days, but the idea lived on. Now Cost Plus World Market’s store at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco is a favorite destination for tourists and locals alike. (Cost Plus World Market) With such a receptive audience eagerly awaiting his return, it only made sense to open a store. And in 1958 he opened the first store in San Francisco’s famed Fisherman’s Wharf and called it Cost Plus World Market. The store quickly became a destination for those who craved original and handmade items from around the world. Items were sold at cost, plus ten percent – hence the name Cost Plus World Market! (Cost Plus World Market) Since its opening more than four decades ago, the Company’s product categories have expanded to include: furniture, pillows, lamps, floor and window coverings, frames, baskets, garden, collectibles, tabletop and kitchen accessories, along with gourmet foods and wines. From a dining room table and chairs to the perfect Chardonnay to complement a meal, Cost Plus World Market is a complete value retailing resource which provides simple yet unique solutions for every entertaining and decorating need. (Cost Plus World Market) In 1996, the Company completed an initial public offering and trades on the NASDAQ national market under the symbol Cost Plus World Market. (Cost Plus World Market) As of January 30, 2010, the company operated in 268 stores under the name â€Å"World Market†, â€Å"Cost Plus World Market†, â€Å"Cost Plus Imports†, and â€Å"World Market Stores†. Cost Plus World Market) Cost Plus World Market buyers travel the world visiting remote villages, centuries-old factories and foreign bazaars searching for unique products to offer our customers. They get baskets from Bali, chocolates from Belgium, pottery from Portugal, and wine from around the world. These are just a few of the uncommon treasures that customers will discover on their adventure through our stores. Cost Plus World Market) Cost Plus World Market is a spirited, eclectic and wildly different retailer that turns shopping into an adventure by continually filling aisle after aisle with great finds at great prices from around the world. (Cost Plus World Market) Although I was not able to find Cost Plus World Market’s mission statement, I found what they call the Company Atmosphere. They want customers to expect an adventurous atmosphere when they enter into any of the store locations. They try to recreate a bazaar type atmosphere for those who want to look for items from different areas from around the globe. Cost Plus World Market changes their items they carry in the stores frequently, so products are always new and fresh. The stores offer a wide variety of goods that are imported from fifty countries around the globe. (Cost Plus World Market) Cost Plus World Market carries a variety of environmentally friendly items such as the plantation raised wood that many furniture products are made from as well as recycled glass goblets to name a few. Cost Plus World Market stores are located near major malls in thirty different cities. The target market is women from ages 25 to 55 years. World Market is a private label which most of the items have, with a few other labels. (www. hoovers. com) Cost Plus World Market Organizational Strengths Cost Plus World Market is considered 50 Countries Under One Roof. This is strength for the company for the people who do not ever get to leave and see other countries. They bring unique items from all over the globe that you cannot find in an ordinary retail or department store. Cost Plus World Market offers seasonal items that are unique and they sell them at reasonable prices. Many of the products that are sold at World Market are hand crafted by the local artisans in the different countries. (Cost Plus World Market)The company sells gourmet foods from different areas of the world not sold in your local stores. The wines that they sell include wine, micro brewed and imported beers, coffee, tea and bottled water. The wine assortment is moderately priced premium wines that are not readily available at a neighborhood wine or grocery store. The staffs are trained and can help with the different wines as to what the consumer is looking for with the budget they are working with. The company routinely shops a variety of retailers to ensure that its products are competitively priced. (Cost Plus World Market) Company strength for the company is that they are online, and since many people are connected to the internet they can reach many more consumers. Outside of the shopping the company has available on the website its Annual Report, Quarterly Reports, and Currents reports. The website gives information for the investors, merchandisers, etc. Cost Plus World Market offers different coupons for sales and percent off on the internet as ell. Since they shop the other competition retailers to make sure they have a competitive price you can feel comfortable that you will get the best price out there for unique items. Cost Plus World Market Organizational Weaknesses Cost Plus World Market has significant debt and may incur from this substantial debt added to it in the future. A good portion of the future cash flow for the companies operating activities will likely be dedicated to the payment of interest and the repayment of principal on the indebtedness. The company lenders have liens on the majority of the company’s assets. With this, the lender has a first priority including the company’s cash and inventory balances. (Cost Plus World Market) Cost Plus World Market can minimize this by making sure that they have the best prices of their competitors, advertise sales, new items, and the seasonal items they get in stock. Another weakness for Cost Plus World Market is that they incur major costs for the transportation of goods from foreign ports to the distribution centers and stores. They continually negotiate pricing for certain transportation contracts and with the rise in fuel costs vendors are expected to increase their rates, which in turn Cost Plus World Market will not be able to remain competitively priced to the consumers as they will have to compensate for the increase in transportation rates. (Cost Plus World Market) They can try to minimize this by negotiating a contract that holds a set transportation rate for a predetermined price to keep the costs competitive with the competition. Cost Plus World Market Organizational Opportunities Cost Plus World Market has an International, well established, sourcing network with long standing relationship with many of its vendors. They however do not hold long-term contracts with their suppliers as it is customary for this type of industry. The buyers often work with suppliers to produce unique products exclusive to Cost Plus World Market. The company believes that to keep the competitive prices, although there could be delays in changing suppliers, alternate sources of merchandise are available at comparable prices. Cost Plus World Market’s products are manufactured abroad in over 50 countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. (Cost Plus World Market) Another opportunity for the company is the use of technology with having the products available on the company website for those consumers which Cost Plus World Market is not in their local area. The company’s information systems allow all of the stores across to link to the headquarters in Oakland, California. They are able to keep track of all the stores, sales, inventory, what store the items are sold in, all of which is updated daily. This allows the store managements to keep track of their data and better other in-store administration capabilities. This will help to keep products stocked, decide which items sell better in which area so as to not waste money on items which do not sell in certain areas and sell better in others. This will also better the communication between stores and better control finances. (Cost Plus World Market) Cost Plus World Market Organizational Threats One of the main threats to Cost Plus World Market is the competition. The company competes against a diverse group of retailers from specialty stores to department stores. The competitions companies are such as Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Michaels Stores, Pier 1 Imports, Trader Joes, and William-Sonome. Cost Plus World Market competes with these types of companies for customers, prices, and assortment of products, brand name, recognition, store locations, and the qualifications of the management. Cost Plus World Market) Another threat for Cost Plus World Market is the occurrence or threat of international conflict or terrorist activities because the products that they sell are purchased in other countries and must be shipped to the United States. They need the items precise and on-time as much as possible to keep the stores stocked with the merchandise to sell. These threats or occurrences can cause critical downfall for the company, impact on the busines s, personnel and facilities, customers and suppliers and the general economic condition for Cost Plus World Market. Cost Plus World Market) Summary, Strategic Analysis and Suggestions Cost Plus World Market can maximize on their sourcing network with the vendors and suppliers overseas by when the fuel prices are high and scheduled to be on the rise. They could try for an extended contract with the vendors and suppliers to have a set rate for the shipping of the products to keep costs down to be competitive with competitors. This can keep them ahead of the competition and draw in new customers as well as keep the existing customers. Cost Plus World Market can continue to keep updating their information systems to keep all of the data accurate for finances, merchandise, suppliers, vendors, each stores information, and keep this all connected to the home office in Oakland, California. This is going to let them know where they stand and be able to better serve the consumers. To neutralize the threat of the competition, Cost Plus World Market can do all they can to keep the costs of the merchandise down below the competition, advertise their products, and keep the products fresh and new to keep drawing in current and new customers. They can continue to build relationships with the vendors and suppliers overseas to keep the products coming and unique for the consumers. To neutralize the threat of international conflicts or terrorist attacks, Cost Plus World Market can try all they can to keep a good bond with the overseas vendors and suppliers to keep business going and items to be shipped to the distribution centers. Many items are unique and exclusive to World Market regularly supplied by an international network of individual and regional artisans developed over the Company’s 50 years in the import business. The majority of the store’s furniture is constructed of environmentally friendly, farm raised wood while a number of items are made out of recycled glass and yet countless are constructed of environmentally friendly bamboo. The value, breadth and continual refreshment of products invite customers to come back throughout a lifetime of changing home furnishings and entertaining needs. (Wire) For consumers who want to shop in a store that is considered â€Å"50 countries under one roof† they will be more than pleased to step into any of the Cost Plus World Market Stores and find unique items to suit their personal tastes.

70s Fashion Began Where the 60s Left Off

70s fashion began where the 60s left off. Mini skirts were popular and theflower power influence was everywhere. 60s' trends first adopted by the beautiful people filtered into mainstream wear. Trousers were flared and shirts had big collars. For men, the kipper tie was soon standard wear with a suit. These girls (above) are at a party in the summer of 1970. They show that the mini skirt was far from dead. 70s' fashion took on a multitude of different styles and influences. As well as the hippy style of the late sixties, there was nostalgia for the past. First for the 20s and 30s, then the 40s and 50s and finally the Edwardian era. There was also concern for the environment and strong ethnic influences. Men's fashion adopted a look that would have been considered too feminine a few years earlier. Shirts were tight fitting with big collars and were brightly patterned. There was also a trend towards unisex clothes. The formal suit was still expected to be worn to a dinner party in the 70s; for younger men it was usually only worn in the office or for formal occasions. Jeans, increasingly flared, were popular with men and women for everyday wear. By the end of the decade, change was on the way. Punk rejected everything that had gone before. Mini, midi or maxi The popularity of the mini skirt was challenged in the early 70s and a group of (male) truckers even organised a campaign to bring it back in 1970. However, the mini remained popular in the early years of the 70s, but women now could chose between, mini, midi, (mid-calf length) or maxi (full length) skirts. Hot pants, ultra short shorts, sometimes with a bib and braces, were a variation on the theme. The girl on the above, right, is wearing a pair of navy hot pants with long white socks. Her blouse is in a floral pattern and has a big collar with rounded corners. Longer dresses, inspired by the hippy era of the late sixties, were also in fashion, with paisley or floral patterns being popular. I lived in Portsmouth in 1970/71/72 and was aged 16-18 at that time so had the best of it. Hot pants, mini skirt/dress, long dress and maxi coat, wide brimmed hats, seed bead jewellery and a headband round my head!! I was a true hippy to begin with and went to the Isle of Wight pop festival in 1970. Chris Flares and platform soles Two trends defined the 70s in a fashion sense: flared trousers and platform soles. Flares were derived from the hippy fashion for loon pants of the late 60s. They were worn by men and women. The flare was from the knee and reached exaggerated proportions in the middle years of the 70s. The trousers were often hipsters, sitting on the hips rather than the waist, and tight fitting. The combination of flares and denim made flared jeans the fashion phenomenon of the decade. Platform soles were mainly worn by women and more fashionable men. There were health warnings about damage that could be caused to the back in later life, but the fashion did not last long enough for that to have an effect. There was an element of thirties retro in the style of some of the shoes, which echoed the thirties' love of two-tone or co-respondent black and cream or brown and cream colours. Bright colours also gave the shoes more of a space age look. Platform soles on eBay Nostalgia Nostalgia had a big influence on fashion in the 70s. Barbara Hulanicki's Biba label popularised a look derived from the 20s and 30s. There was a brief fashion for loudly checked tweed Oxford Bags for men and women from around 1972. These were usually worn with platform soled shoes in 30s style two-tone patterns. Biba took over venerable, old London department store, Derry and Toms, in 1973 and turned it into an Art Deco palace. The Biba store became a hip meeting place and a complete lifestyle emporium. The Biba look was a long cotton skirt, worn with a long sleeved shirt or smock, and topped with a floppy brimmed hat. Biba was ahead of its time in providing a complete lifestyle store. However, Biba did not make commercial sense; it was more of a place to hang out than to shop. A large part of the store's floor space was not used to sell merchandise. Big Biba, as the store became known, closed two years later. Laura Ashley, founded by Bernard and Laura Ashley in the 1950s, looked back further when they introduced British women to Edwardian style dresses and nineteenth century inspired floral prints in the mid-70s. Laura Ashley, unlike Biba, was commercially successful and is still going strong today, although sadly Laura Ashley herself met an untimely death in 1985. Formal occasions The 70s were more relaxed than the 60s. However, on formal occasions and in the office men still wore suits. The kipper tie, favoured by the fashionable in the late sixties, became a standard men's accessory. For women, long dresses were often worn for formal occasions. This wedding, left, is from 1970. The lady's floppy hat and long dress drew inspiration from the hippy era as well as nostalgia for the 1930s. The brown colour, also derived from the 1930s, was very popular throughout the 70s. Long hair was fashionable for both men and women. Beards were also popular. This again was a hangover from the flower power years of the late 60s. In many peoples' minds psychedelia was very much in, although the pop music scene had moved on by then. Jeans and the casual look In the more relaxed mood of the 70s, jeans were increasingly popular. Initially little changed from the sixties, but by the mid seventies most people were wearing flares. Printed t-shirts were also increasingly popular in the 70s, as were trainers and canvas shoes. Late 70s fashion By the end of the 70s, flares were still mainstream fashion. This group, left, shows two younger men with long hair. One wears a suede safari jacket with a wide collar and brown, flared trousers. This look was favoured by Brodie and Doyle in the TV series, ‘The Professionals'. The other young man with a short leather jacket and flared blue jeans is more casual and younger looking. The older man has a beard (a very fashionable look in the 70s) and wears a wet-look type anorak. The woman is wearing a suit. Flares, denim, long hair and cheesecloth shirts were the staple of 70s men's fashion throughout most of the decade. Inspired by the hippy movement of the late sixties, this look, echoing the hippy dream of Free Love and optimism, did not fit with the closing years of the 70s, but mainstream fashion was unable to change. 70s Punk fashion Punk came to most people's attention from 1977 onwards through the publicity surrounding the original Punk band, The Sex Pistols. The Sex Pistols' promoter, Malcolm McLaren, together with his partner, designer Vivian Westwood, created the original Punk look. Their shop at 430 Kings Road, originally named ‘Let it Rock', a Ted revival store, was called ‘Sex' at the time the Sex Pistols band appeared. The look was based on a sexual fetish for black leather, mainly for its shock value, combined with ripped t-shirts carrying slogans designed to provoke. McLaren and Westwood changed their shop's name again to ‘Seditionaries: Clothes for Heroes' at the end of 1976. The new name heralded a wholly Punk outlook. The stock featured bondage trousers, bondage dresses and a new t-shirt featuring the Punk message, â€Å"Destroy†. Punk was a rejection of anything that was considered good taste. Ripped and bleached clothes were part of the look, as was spiked hair, dyed in bright colours. Black make up and safety pins as earrings were often worn. For most Punks, quite a few of whom were unemployed, the look could easily be created from modifying second-hand clothes rather than from a trip to the Kings Road. Punk itself lasted into the early 80s. Its importance though, was as a catalyst for change in the fashion world. Punk rejected the flared jeans and cheesecloth shirts which were popular mainstream fashion. It rejected the hippy style and the hippy view of the world. Vintage Punk fashion on eBay Late 70s fashion trends The end of the seventies saw the appearance of a number of youth cults formed formed in the wake of Punk. Amongst those was a revival of the Mod style of the sixties, as well as the Teddy Boy look of the fifties. Mainstream youth fashion also changed dramatically; the 1980 film, ‘Gregory's Girl' illustrates how quickly. One of Gregory's mates, who is a year older, has left school and got a job as a window cleaner. He has saved his money to buy a white jacket with enormous lapels. Gregory's contemporary, Steve, has a white jacket with lapels an inch wide. There was always a particular way to wear a school tie. In 1979 the knot was tied very near the wide end. The 3 inch long tie was tucked into a pullover, to give the impression it was a kipper tie. From 1980, it was folded in half length ways to reduce the width and pressed with an iron so it stayed put. By 1980, school ties were often worn ‘back to front' so that the ‘thin end' was prominent. The fat end was tucked into the school shirt, behind the knot. A bit uncomfortable, but very trendy. Al I was coming into my teens in 1979, but the punk look was still very much for the minority and most kids still had longish hair, shirts with big collars and flared trousers, although the flares were becoming smaller. Locally the mod revival at the end of 1979 killed off this fashion rather than punk. By 1981 seventies fashions and music had become a total joke and almost no one under 50 would be seen dead in flares. Even punk was being classed as old hat and too seventies. Glenn A High fashion was very different at the end of the 70s. Ralph Lauren designed the clothes for the hit Woody Allen film, ‘Annie Hall' in 1977. There was a distinct 80s feel to the outfits worn by Annie (Diane Keaton), who wore crumpled socks, full skirts and layered jackets. Young people dropped flares and wide collars with breath taking speed. Older people were slower to change from the 70s look, but by around 1983, the archetypal 70s style was extinct. 70s fashion reference Fashion of the 70s is another great Taschen 25. It is packed with adverts from the decade. You will find flares, hot pants, platform soles, denim, slacks, microphone hairdos, wide collars and kipper ties. There is also a short introduction to fashion in the 70s. The book is colourful and very entertaining. The adverts are all American ones, but this does not detract much from a great piece of nostalgia.

Beauty Therapy Stone Therapy Assignment Brief Essay

Research the history and origins of stone therapy massage and how it may be incorporated with other therapy related treatments. Massage is one of the oldest forms of hands-on-healing known, people from virtually every culture have used a combination of touch, heat or thermotherapy and stones as therapeutic tools. The three main cultures, which have heavily influenced how modern-day hot stone massage has evolved, the Chinese, the Native Americans and the Hawaiians although Egyptian, Ayurvedic and many other traditional healing arts are also said to have used stones and heat. One of the first recorded uses of stones for healing was by Ancient Chinese a medical practitioner who regularly used various shaped stones known as Bian Stones to treat disease. The use of Moxabustion burning of the herb mugwort helped to add heat to these treatments. Native Americans are well known for their Sweat Lodges, which are similar to modern-day Saunas. The use of heated stones on the lower abdomen to relieve cramps was another common Native American practice. Most therapists who incorporate hot stones into their massage routine agree that the Hawaiians had a major part to play in how this form of massage is applied today. This is particularly true for Hahana Stone Massage. Customary uses included wrapping hot stones in leaves with certain therapeutic properties ti leaves and placing on sore muscles to reduce pain, like using a heat pack. . Modern-day hot stone massage therapy is a truly unique style of massage, has been gaining popularity through-out the world after being re-discovered in the United States in 1993. The story is that a massage therapist named Mary Nelson, who was suffering from repetitive use injuries in the shoulders and wrists, was having a sauna with her niece and which had stones in. Mary picked up some of the hot stones and started massaging her niece with them, she felt great. The first style of modern-day hot stone massages therapy was called ‘LaStone Therapy’. Almost every Spa in Europe, America and Australia  offers hot stone massage therapy on their treatment plans. There are a verity number of different styles of stone massage, hot stone massage and cold stone massage these can be incorporated into different treatments like body massage as a pre heat treatment to warm up the muscle to aid muscle manipulation, manicures placed in between the fingers, pedicures placed in between the toes, facials during the massage to aid lymph drainage over the face, sports or remedial massage to relieve muscle pain or tension in the muscle and Indian head massage to aid in relaxation. 2. Explain how you would prepare the treatment area for stone therapy massage taking into account the following aspects: heating, lighting, privacy, noise level, hygiene and finishing touches. When you enter the treatment room you should check the floor is clean and there is no oil spillages on the floor, if there is wipe up with warm soapy water and dry with paper towels, you should place clean bed sheet on the treatment bed, cover with clean towels and bed roll with modesty towels and a flannel available for wiping over the client feet at the beginning and end of the massage. The sides should be wiped down with surgical spirit, sink should be clean with hand soap available. You need to place an hand towel down or tissue to place the stone heater on, the machine should be clean and pat tested, a quick check of the wires and that the machine is in working order shouldn’t take more then a minute, all stones in the machine should be clean and oil free, you should have a bowl to fill the heater with water, the water should be level with the stones. You should turn the machine to pre heat for them to be at working temperature 55ï‚ °C for the treatment. You should pla ce a towel next to the machine for when you take the stones out of the heater, a bowl of cool water should be next to the towel ready incase the stone need cooling down before applying heat to the client, you should check the thermometer in the machine to see the temperature of the water, if the water is at working temperature change the machine to operating range to keep the stone at the correct heat. You would have a small bowl with tissue and a cotton bud in to patch test the oil the client has chosen. Tissue should be placed on the floor by the bed for when the client gets off the bed to stop then from slipping from any oil still on their feet. Heating: making sure the room isn’t to hot or cold for the client as to much heat can make client feel faint or even collapse, if the room in to cold the client may not receive the most of the benefits from the treatment and they may not fell comfortable. Lighting: there should be mood lighting or a dimmer switch to aid in relaxation during the treatment, as a bright light may cause the client to tense up and not relax which can ruin the experience for them. Privacy: the treatment should take place in a private treatment room so other client or therapist doesn’t disturb the client during the treatment so the client can relax and receive all the benefits of the massage. Some client can feel self-conscious about their body and a private room can make them feel comfortable and not exposed. Noise Level: there sound be no loud noises in or near the treatment room, relaxing music should be playing in the back ground to aid in relaxation but not to loud that it disturbs the client or any other client receiving treatments. Hygiene: all treatment room should be cleaned before and after client enter, the bed cover should be replaced with clean one, dirty towels should be placed into the wash with clean ones to replaced them, fresh bed roll placed on the floor and bed, sinks should be wiped down after every treatment, any oil spillages should be cleaned up with warm soapy water, bins emptied with fresh bin liners in, fresh clean dressing gowns in the room for client use, all side be wiped down with surgical spirit, all stone washed and dried after every treatment and stone heater cleaned after every treatment, therapists should wash hands before and after treatment, therapists should have excellent personal hygiene, sort nails free of nail polish, hair tided up, plain day make up, clean fresh uniform. Finishing Touches: to make yourself stand out you could place battery candles around the room, bath rose soap petals on the bed that the can take home  after the treatment, have an oil burner in the corner to have a relaxing and welcoming smell in the room, offer rose quartz water after treatment or herbal teas to complement the treatment. This will set you apart from other therapist as it is these things that clients remember about the treatment and what will bring them back in future and they will recommend you to friends and family 3. Describe how you would adapt a massage routine to suit the individual client’s physical characteristics to include each of the following: weight, muscle tone, age, health and skin condition. Every stone therapy massage is different as you would adapt the massage to suit the clients needs as everyone is an individual and have different problem areas needing more concentrating on or just having the massage to aid in relaxation, what ever the reason you would always be changing and adapting the massage in order to achieve the client outcome of the massage. There are many factors that could change the routine of the massage: Weight: weight of the client is a factor as this will determine the size of the stones, amount of oil needed and the area the therapist will be working on, you may find that people with endomorph body types maybe sensitive to heat and pressure but have good muscle tone as with someone with ectomorph body type maybe able to stand a lot of heat and deeper pressure. Muscle Tone: clients with good muscle tone will feel the heat off the stones in the muscle in which this will help eliminate any tension in the muscle fibres, younger clients tend to have better muscle tone than older clients as with age the elasticity in the skin and muscle tend to weaken in which when lying down you may not see a lot of muscle areas but more boney areas in which you have to be careful not to cause the client any discomfort as the massage is meant to be both relaxing and enjoyable. Age: age is a big factor in determining the pressure of the massage and the heat of the stones, younger client will have more elasticity and collagen in the skin which helps with the stone to stretch the skin and a smoother  gliding motion over the surface, they will be able to stand more heat on the skin and tend not to bruise from the pressure of the stones on the muscles, older clients have less elasticity and collagen in which during the massage the skin takes longer to go back during the massage in which the skin may bundle up and cause the client discomfort, the client may bruise a lot more easily and more quickly due to age and clients may be more sensitive to the heat from the rocks. Health: if the client is in good health they will and has a good diet stone therapy Skin Condition: 4. Describe in detail stone therapy massage techniques and how these may be adapted to suit your clients considering general body types, muscle tone and skin conditions. Body Types: Taking into consideration the clients body type, you may find they don’t have much muscle on their back if they have an ectomorph body, if they are mesomorph they will have defined muscles or if they are endomorph they may have a bigger frame but not a lot of muscle, client can fall into more than one of these categories, when starting the massage with effleurage you can manual and visually assess the client body type to get a good a idea of how much pressure you should apply during the massage although some clients with a small build may like a firm massage while others with a bigger build may not be able to handle the pressure. Muscle Tone: Effleurage: Effleurage is used for spreading the oil over the client’s body and warming the muscle and tissues, this technique is used to begin the end the massage. Begin with your hand and stroke with superficial effleurage along the area to be massaged first, this is a good movement to manual check the muscle  tone and skin condition of the client, while still doing effleurage pick up the stones and introduce the texture of the stone to the skin. Take care over bony areas and that you can do more transverse effleurage, down the body, working along the length of the muscle fibres. Stroking: A gliding stroke is often performed with the outer edge of the stone, which reduces the amount of pressure applied, and it is really useful for finishing the movement at a lymph node to aid drainage. Combing/ stripping: This is a deep, intense stroke using the stone on its edge, working the muscle along its entire length from its origin to its insertion. This helps pull the muscle fibres outward and removes tension, and is best performed when the stone has lost some of its heat, so use this after the first round of effleurage to create a deep release and stretch of soft tissue. Petrissage: Pressing and releasing of the tissue that you would achieve with the hands can be achieved with the stones either flat or for deep concentrated work using the edges. Though you do not have as much contact with the body as you do with manual massage and cannot judge the extra depth, which the stones give. These kneading movements can be very deep always be aware they can cause bruising, clients may think that pain is part of the treatment and that they must put up with it, there is a certain painful but relaxing feeling in having tension knots removed, it should not be continuously sore. The client should not feel tender afterwards, if they do this is a sign you are going too deeply into the tissue. Frictions: Frictions can be simulated with stones by using the edge of the stone, to give mild pressure for a soothing feeling or more concentrated pressure to stimulate the nerve endings. This will entirely depend upon the client, whether they just need tension released or deep tissue manipulation. Alternatively you may miss this movement out altogether if the client wants  to fall asleep. Piezoelectric effects or vibrations can be achieved with the stones very successfully. Vibrations can also be achieved by rhythmical tapping of two stones together creating sound – one stays in contact with skin while the other taps it at the top. This causes a transfer of energy to electrical vibration that should gently remind the client of the noise. This method is effective at removing tension knots. Stone placing: The stones are placed on or underneath the body, covered by a towel or sheet to prevent burning. Never place stones directly onto the vertebrae or placements before the massage, placement should be after the massage continuing the good relaxing work of the stones and keeps heat in the muscles. Holding: The heated stones can be held in the hands to keep the client warm during treatment or for any specific problems in any region. It is good to keep checking with the client that the stone isn’t to hot for them or burning their hands and keep referring back to the client to check that they are comfortable. 5. Research and explain two pre-blend aromatherapy oils used in stone therapy massage and the effects each blend will have on your stone therapy massage. Stimulating: is recommended for people who feel sluggish, tired and emotionally drained. The benefits and use of this pre-blend is used for strengthening the immune system, uplifting, relieves bloating and indigestion, helps with high blood pressure and asthma, ect. Essential oils: Lemon, Cedarwood, Juniper, Prunus, Citrus Peal, Peppermint and Juranium. Anti Stress: is recommended for people who feel stressed, used for stimulating the lymphatic system, helps reduces headaches, helps reduces cellulite, relieves aches and pains, helps reduce insomnia, respiratory problems, helps reduce panic attacks and anxiety, helps improve self esteem Essential oils: Sweet Orange, Sweet Almond, Lavender, Mandarin, Avocado, Weedjurm, Grapefruit, Petitgrain, Ylang Ylang and Margarin. The effects that the pre-blended oils have on the body when using with stone therapy massage, they will affect the body much quick and spreads though out the body much faster due to the heat stimulating the muscle fibres and blood circulation, the heat enhances the overall effect of the massage faster then manual massage as one movement with the stone massage is equal to ten movements with manual massage. Other benefits of pre-blended oils are: Dramatic improvement in general health and well being, increase in vitality, improvement in the colour and texture of the skin, positive effect on mood and thought, relieves stress, stimulates or soothes the nervous system, eliminates toxic waste from the skin and muscle system, stimulates blood and lymph supply, relieves muscular tension and warms the muscles. 6. Create a client information/after-care advice sheet, to explain the post-treatment restrictions, after-care advice and use of homecare products for stone therapy treatments. There are many physical and emotional benefits to regular stone massage. Stone massage will soothe away stress and tension, leaving you feeling peaceful, relaxed, revitalized and energized and it is becoming a very popular treatment, perfect for promoting a calm mind, balanced emotions, a stress-free body and for maintaining optimum holistic health. Stone massage feels wonderful and healing, it is relaxing and has a positive effect on the mind, emotions, nervous system, circulation and muscles. After your massage you will usually feel relaxed and be enjoying the benefits of the treatment, however to gain maximum benefit it’s a good idea to follow a few simple guidelines for at least 24 hours and preferably 48 hours after you receive your massage. Try to relax and avoid strenuous activity for the rest of the day Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol, fizzy drinks and those containing caffeine Eat light meals and avoid heavy or spicy foods Avoid heat treatments (hot baths, saunas etc) Avoid smoking or cut down as much as possible Following your massage you may experience some of the following symptoms for up to 48 hours Aches, pains or mild flu like symptoms Stuffy, runny or blocked nose Heightened emotions Tiredness or fatigue Increased visits to the toilet Slight worsening of symptoms Irritable or weepy Increased thirst These symptoms are quite normal and are simply a sign that your body is going through a healing process so try to embrace them as something positive and know they won’t last long. Bibliography http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/FEAndVocational/WorkBasedLearning/BeautyTherapy/Level3(NVQSVQ)DiplomainBeautyTherapy/Samples/Level3CandidateHandbooksamplematerial/Level3BeautyTherapyCandidateHandbookUnitB28.pdf

Islamic Law and its Hearings and Trials Assignment

Islamic Law and its Hearings and Trials - Assignment Example Basic principles of Sharia are to see the will of God done on earth and the will is meant to bring about compassion, kindness, generosity, justice, fair play, tolerance and care in general. The basic principles of Sharia Law include the right to the protection of life, the right to the protection of the family, the right to the protection of education and the right to the protection of religion. Moreover, the principles include the right to the protection of property and the right to the protection of human dignity (Janin and AndreÃŒ  30-41: 77). Sacred law operates slightly different from the secular law because the sacred law only applies to members of a particular religion, for instance, Islamic religion. However, secular law is superior to the sacred law and is applicable to a wider geographical region and on different people regardless of their religion. Moreover, a sacred law is only enforceable by the people belonging to a particular religion who may handle both civil and criminal cases of a particular religion. Most of the laws are created based on specific religious principles. Sharia Law, for example, is created as per Prophet Mohammed’s teachings and the Quran. The sacred law must always be consistent with the superior secular law. Secular law is made by the judges or created by the legislators and are found in every country worldwide. The judges or makers of the secular law only requires formal education and must not always belong to a certain group of religion. Because the society changes, laws also change to reflect the values of the people it governs. It is apparent that people’s’ values and ways of life change and the law is required to accommodate such kind of changes.  The attitudes and values of should be democratically reflected in the law. However, some laws do not change because they always remain relevant to the society’s way of life and values.

Shakesepeare English Lit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Shakesepeare English Lit - Essay Example Killings, blood, lust and madness is all that surrounds him and yet we are constrained to feel for him. Macbeth surely establishes himself as the darkest character and the blackest villain of literature. Macbeth is the classic flawed Alpha male. Directed by Roman Polanski, the 140 minutes of this version is exciting and fresh. Polanski’s Macbeth is the same account as William Shakespeare’s immortal play about a Scottish warrior whose wife’s desire for power transforms him into a brute and results in his final downfall. Polanski’s Macbeth is imbued with miserable locales and nudity which is generally not a trait of Shakespeare’s plays along with realistically violent murders and brutal blood shedding by the sensational Macbeth. He is intriguingly complex and ambitious. Since the beginning we hear of his great exploits on the battlefield. Finch gives a realistic performance of a one time good man turning into an unreasonable immoral madman. Polanski creates an impressive, harsh landscape. The castle looks as stark as one might imagine. ‘Blood will have blood’ he has taken quite literally. The tragedy with Macbeth is that he is impatient to wait and let things take their course. The hand behind the misery his life is that of his wife, Lady Macbeth. She is aware of her husband’s interior motives and madness and that his husband wants to attain the title of the king. She knows that he will go to any lengths of evilness to attain it. She continuously verbally assaults him about his manhood and in lieu drives away all the kindness from him. Francisca Annis, who has portrayed Lady Macbeth in this film, looks more simpering than sinister. Modernization of Shakespeare has always been a tricky affair. About 50 years ago the audience had greeted Joe Macbeth, the violent and gangster version of Macbeth, by the British director Ken Hughes. Two years back Geoffery Wright gave us his version of Macbeth which is an Australian film. He has dared to take the

Strategic corporate finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Strategic corporate finance - Essay Example Price-to earnings ratios as a method of share valuation aids in the determination of whether a company is undervalued or overvalued, however, P/E ratio has a number of limitations or pitfalls and is only valid in specific circumstances. Its usefulness is undermined by the following factors. The first factor is accounting. Earnings from which is it derived is an accounting figure that is determined under the guidance of accounting rules known as Generally Accepted accounting Principles, GAAP) that are subject to change and they usually vary from one country to another (Barnhart & Giannetti 2009: 79). Therefore, EPS can be squeezed, twisted and prodded into numerous numbers depending on how one decides to do the books. It is therefore subjective and the figures being compared may not be the same. The second factor that limits the usefulness of P/E ratio is inflation. During times of high inflation, P/E ratio tends to e much lower because the market normally views the earnings as bein g artificially distorted upwards (Ball 2012: 327). During such times, depreciation as well as inventory costs tends to be understated since the replacement costs of equipment as well as goods increase with the rise in general level of prices. Information therefore, makes it hard to value the shares because past information is often less useful today. P/E ratio cannot therefore give a clear picture regarding the valuation of the shares of the company in times of high inflation Another limitation is about market interpretations. The values of P/E can be interpreted in a number of ways, for instance, a low P/E ratio may mean that the company is undervalued. On the other hand, it may indicate that the market thinks that the firm in question is headed for trouble or problems in the near future. This implies that the earnings of the company will reduce lower than expected (Ball 2012: 330). It is clear that companies are able to manipulate

Health and Physical Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Health and Physical Education - Assignment Example (please circle) Individual Pairs Groups of ____6_______ Teams of____________ What do we do – what are the rules? How is the activity conducted? All groups divide into two groups of three, each going on the far side of one of the lines. Lining up, they take turns hopping like a kangaroo from one side of the play field across the line on the other side, releasing the next student to hop across to the other side. How do we include everyone? All children with the ability to hop would be able to participate, but should the class include a member who does not have the capacity to hop, the following modification can be made to the game: instead of hopping the game could be modified so that a ball is bounced as the child travels the distance or that they merely have to travel the distance, which at this point might be widened, passing an item from one person to the next in relay fashion. In this last form, any student that can move can participate, even, as an example, if they are in a wheelchair. How do we make it safe? Include the link to the most appropriate Curriculum Activity Risk Management Guidelines http://education.qld.gov.au/schools/healthy/ Go to this link and scroll down to sport. Select the category or activity that best represents your activities. You might need more than one category. http://education.qld.gov.au/schools/eppr/health/hlspr012/resources/trampolining.pdf While trampolining is a high risk and Kangaroo is a low risk, the same sort of use of the muscles exists, so some of the same risk factors will be included. Teaching the proper way to jump and how to hop from one point to the next would mitigate most of the risk in the game. Activity two:_____Bat and Ball Games____________________________________________ Organisation: How do we set up the activity? Set up a field similar to baseball with four bases at the corners of a diamond shape, but modified to be shorter distances for the age group that has been selected. Provide two fields of pl ay so that two teams of 6 each can be played at the same time. Two plastic bats and two plastic balls will be needed. How are students organised? (please circle) Individual Pairs Groups ________ Teams of___6_________ What do we do – what are the rules? How is the activity conducted? The modified rules of baseball are introduced with the introduction to running the bases after hitting the ball being at the core of the instruction. Children hit a tossed ball (instructors should pitch the ball) so that the opposing team runs to get the ball and then towards the bases. First one to get to the base is successful and the game continues. In other words, if the child who gets the ball beats the batter to the base, the batter is ‘out’. If the batter gets to the base first, they can continue forward from base to base as other hitters hit, each time over home plate counting as a score. The outfield does not exist in this modified version of the game. How do we include every one? Explain how you might modify this activity to ensure all students can participate. You are to imagine that your class has a child with cerebral palsy and think about the modifications that will be

The Theories of Milton Friedman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Theories of Milton Friedman - Essay Example Freedom constitutes of both economic and political freedom. (Friedman, 2002) For Friedman, the economic freedom does not just relate to the economic arrangements that are made between two parties voluntarily, but also is an indispensable means to the achievement of political freedom. Hence, freedom in this case might refer to a situation with a minimum government intervention so that the rights of any of the citizens are not in any way restricted and a free market is entailed. Appropriate as it might seem to Freidman, the notion of freedom he has may not exactly involve democracy. Democracy means the rule by people but when observed practically, the term is another word for majority rule. The basic of notion of democracy thus is that rational individuals may want to prefer freedom over absence of freedom and so the majority of the rational individuals would chose to vote for freedom. In this sense, the democracy may be linked to the freedom prescribed by Friedman. But on the other hand, a democracy may not coexist with a free system. This is so because total freedom may lead to anarchy as it would also include the freedom to restrict the freedom of others, a notion that is not followed in a democracy. As a result, the level and extent of freedom proposed by Friedman may not involve democracy. For Friedman, the distinction between a democratic or authoritarian government is irrelevant. This is so because his general characterization of the government is a body that intervenes in the economic system to restrict its freedom, and since economic freedom is related to political freedom, the freedom politically. It does not matter to him whether the country is ruled by one person or a group of people having the same ideas.

Suicide Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Suicide - Research Paper Example Sociologists have been trying to calculate the suicide rates for over a hundred years. Unfortunately the â€Å"shock-wave† that a single suicide generates is so powerful that the statistical rarity becomes disproportionate (Baudelot & Establet 2008). In countries like the United States, suicide is not as frequent amongst the civilians as it is amongst the people belonging to the military. Hence, the social stigma of suicide in the United States and the European countries remains a matter of fear and disgust combined with feelings of contempt and lack of compassion (Joiner 2010). Suicide may be rationally defined as a voluntary act chosen by an individual who wants to die because the situation he has caught himself in is irretrievable and cannot be transformed (Diekstra & WHO 1989). The disgrace it carries with it for the communities especially in the United States is due to the fact that it indicates not only immoral behavior on the part of that individual but also the family who falls victim of this crime. Most of the cases in the U.S. have been connected with wartimes and the percentage of suicide committed amongst the soldiers and the army men is higher than ordinary civilians. Suicide usually has a history in the family. There are several generations in the family who have been indulged in this course of action and hence it becomes rather difficult for the sociologist to come up with a sensible reason for such an act. Modern therapists and thinkers have however come to believe that suicide may be acceptable at some point in a person’s life. Survivors of suicide end up in alcoholism and other lethal activities which becomes a threat for the community. The rate of depression is extremely high in the United States. Researches associate the suicide rates to the ethnic groups that exist simultaneously among the natives. This is surprisingly one of the main reasons of suicide especially among adults or elderly people who have gone through traumas in their life which they cannot share with anyone. War, loss of a family member, depression, broken families and crashing businesses are some of the risk factors which influence suicide among this age group (Retterstol 1993). In places where there are broken families, a person wanting to commit suicide is disheartened by his own situation and position in the family. He is likely to compare himself with privileged people around him and ends up having a very low self-esteem like in many other cases. Broken families are usually a result of some tragic or tabooed incident in the past which give rise to feelings of anxiety and hopelessness. Similarly a person whose business is crashing is likely to be affected with the downfall more severely than his team of people. If he has a depressing personality he would shut himself from the rest of the world and let the feeling of failure grow inside him. Eventually he would grow tired of his life and end it himself (Retterstol 1993). As opposed to the causes of suicide seen in the United States, other countries which are categorized as the third world countries such as Pakistan are confronted with altogether separate sets of causes of suicide. Pakistan is a nation which never recovered from the trauma of partition in 1947. A series of events caused the citizens to believe that they are doomed for life. With the

From perspectives of grammar and culture, critically discuss Essay

From perspectives of grammar and culture, critically discuss similarities and differences betwwen English and CHinese with referecne to translation - Essay Example More so, translation may be regarded as the perception of an aspect of a certain language to another. This paper will discuss the similarities and differences between English and Chinese with reference to translation. Translation is essential in understanding different cultures among different races, religious and cultural groups in the world. Translation plays a key role in understanding significant elements of different language groups (Chang 2003. 38). Translation from English to Chinese and vice versa is, however, impaired as the two are of different language families, these are: Indo-European and Sino-Tibetan. We note that word and sentence order, while relaying the same message, varies from one language to another. Both Chinese and English use the Subject Verb Order logic in sentences. Whereas the syntax applied in one language may be smooth and clear, the same a translation of the message in a word-for-word system may result in the message becoming obscure or incomprehensible (Abacus 2006, 27). For instance, in Chinese, adjectives and adverbs are placed before the noun or verb being modified, while, on the other hand, in English, the modifiers are placed after the noun or verb they are modifying. A good example of the illogicalness associated with literal translations: the original English version: We are in the field practicing. The literal translation in Chinese is â€Å"We have football practice field.† The translated version, though acceptable in Chinese, is absurd and wrong in English. Moreover, translation of set statements where the word system is based on traditional use may distort the syntax of the statement when translated into another language. For instance, the traditional Chinese expression â€Å"fan-yan sheng-xi† literary translated to English means â€Å"multiply and live† (Chang 2003, 49). The translated version is incomprehensible in the English language, with a viable option being,† live and multiply†. This, however, dist orts the

Good Writing Essay Example for Free

Good Writing Essay You know it when you see it. It is not that hard to tell whether a piece of writing is good or bad, you just have to read it. And it is pretty important to be able to discern the difference, if you ask me. But things get more challenging if you have to explain why it is good. You might be called upon to write a report at school or you may fancy communicating your ideas online via a blog. And, of course, a well written CV with no spelling or grammatical mistakes is essential if you want a new job. Writing skills are an important part of communication and they have to be developed, since it is used in many areas of our daily life. Good writing allows you to communicate your message with clarity and ease to a far larger audience than through face-to-face or telephone conversations. If you want to write well†¦ read, read, and then read some more. Read good writing. Read bad writing. Learn to know the difference. Note for simplicity of style: noun, verb, object; noun, verb, object. It worked for Hemingway, who often said that his ultimate goal was to create the perfect sentence. Read some Hemingway, and not just his novels, but some of his early newspaper writing. Theres never been better news and feature writing, ever. When you read the works of these and other fine writers, notice the simplicity of their language and how they vary their sentence structure and length. Some sentences number two or three words; others run an entire paragraph. There are countless tips on writing well, but I leave you with this one: read first, then write. –Bill Reed Therefore, you need to take into account the next steps to produce good writing (in no particular order): 1. Clarity and focus: in good writing, everything makes sense and readers don’t get lost or have to reread passages to figure out what’s going on. Focused writing sticks with the plot or core idea without running off on too many tangents. 2. Organization: a well-organized piece of writing is not only clear, it’s presented in a way that is logical and aesthetically pleasing. You can tell non-linear stories or place your thesis at the end of an essay and get away with it as long as your scenes or ideas are well ordered. 3. Ideas and themes: is the topic of your paper relevant? Does your story come complete with themes? Can the reader visualize your poem? For a piece of writing to be considered well crafted, it has to contain clearly identifiable ideas and themes. 4. Voice: this is what sets you apart from all other writers. It’s your unique way of stringing words together, formulating ideas, and relating scenes or images to the reader. 5. Language (word choice): we writers can never underestimate or fail to appreciate our most valuable tools — words. Good writing includes smart word choices and well-crafted sentences. 6. Grammar and style: many writers would wish this one away, but for a piece of writing to be considered good (let alone great), it has to follow the rules of grammar (and break those rules only when there’s a good reason). Style is also important in ensuring that a piece of writing is clear and consistent. Make sure you keep a grammar book and style guide handy. 7. Credibility or believability: nothing says bad writing like getting the facts wrong or misrepresenting oneself. In fiction, the story must be believable (even if it’s impossible), and in nonfiction, accurate research can make or break a writer. 8. Thought-provoking or emotionally inspiring: perhaps the most important quality of good writing is how the reader responds to it. Does she come away with a fresh perspective and new ideas? Does he close the cover with tears in his eyes or a sense of victory? How readers react to your work will fully determine your success as a writer. 9. Sentence Fluency that is smooth and expressive: Fluent sentences are easy to understand and fun to read with expression. 10. Use transitional expressions to help readers understand where your message is going. Common transitional expressions include therefore, consequently, however, then, first, next, and although. To have a good writing not only is necessary to not make mistakes, but to follow some steps to enrich the work. And to achieve that, you need to have qualities in terms of patience and organization. In other words, a good writing is a complicated process that takes time. But if you follow the guidelines that are set out it will be easy and successful. For that reason, is very important to practice writing. [ 1 ]. Peha, Steve. Looking for Quality in Student Writing. Teaching That Makes Sense. 2003 . [ 2 ]. Writing Skills. SkillsYouNeed. 2012 . [ 3 ]. Reed, Bill. Developing Good Writing Skills. Academic Tips. 2008 . [ 4 ]. Donovan, Melissa. Eight Characteristics of Good Writing. Writing Forward. 2012 .

The first World War Essay Example for Free

The first World War Essay Part way through the Second World War Hitler occupied nearly all of Europe, including France. He decided to take Britain next. His first plan failed. So he resorted to the blitz. The blitz was the constant bombing of major cities in Britain, along with other targets such as food and railways. But this wasnt Hitlers ideal way to take Britain. But to understand why this and everything else previously occurred, we need to go back to the end of the First World War, when the allied countries, Italy, America, France, Britain and Belgium put together the treaty of Versailles. This treaty blamed Germany for the war, and made them pay compensation to the allied countries for the cost and damages expenses of the war. Their army was reduced to 100,000 men and 10% of their land was taken away. Soon after the end of the war came the Wall Street crash, this came as a result of the treaty of Versailles. The German people were in a mess, as was their country. They were looking for a strong leader who felt the same way as they did, and would promise them improvement. Hitler fitted the bill. In 1933 Hitler became the chancellor of Germany, and from then on he worked solely for war. He even went behind the backs of the allies to do so. He wanted to regain the land that had been taken from them, and he wanted to take extra to make room for his perfect race. So, in short, he built an army and marched to war. Hitler developed a tactic known as Blitzkrieg which means lightning war. This was a two way attack that surprised the enemy into submission. He would bomb the city he was advancing on at the same time as advancing on foot, then moving onto the next target very quickly. This resulted in a large amount of Europe being taken very quickly with these tactics. But the beginning of the Second World War was only signalled when Hitler decided to invade Poland, as Poland was allied with both France and Britain. The rest of Europe soon fell to the Germans, and now only two countries remained to be taken; Britain and Russia. Hitler chose Britain, as he had already made an agreement with Russia that stated that they would not attack each other. This meant that Hitler would only be attacking one country at once as Russia would not attack, just so long as he didnt invade them. Hitlers approach to invading Britain was slightly different to his approach with the rest of Europe, as the British channel separated Britain from him. So he decided to put into action operation sea lion. Operation sea lion required the Luftwaffe to bomb the British air bases, thereby gaining air superiority, and thus being able to cross the British channel safely. And so The Battle of Britain began. Over a period the Luftwaffe were defeated, due partly to the superiority of the British aircraft, such as the supermaire spitfire and the hawker hurricane. The invention of radar also played a big part, as it allowed British aircraft to see the Luftwaffe in advance. This forced Hitler to change his tactics and so he decided to use the blitz. On the 7th of September 1940 the continuous bombing of all major cities and some other targets began. On the first night alone over 2000 died or suffered from injuries. By doing this, Hitler aimed to shock Britain into surrender, as he believed that Britain didnt want a war. So his targets were designed to cause as much damage and unrest as possible, aiming for densely populated areas, such as cities, (but especially ones with ports) food supplies and factories. The blitz only stopped after the d-day landings, so Britain was bombed for 8 months. In which time many children had been evacuated, gas masks handed out, shelters had become many peoples second homes, and 40,000 men, women and children had died. 2 million were homeless. In bombing Britain, Hitler concentrated on several targets. A port, railways, food supplies, factories, etc. any city by the sea was heavily targeted, as they had every single one of the above. Coventry, Plymouth and Bristol were three heavily targeted cities. Coventry was bombed because it was the centre of Britains arms trade and machining industry. As it was quite a small city, the 450 German bombers in the raid caused enormous damage, totally demolishing the majority of the city centre. 554 people were killed and 865 were seriously injured. 30,000 fire bombs fell cut from the daily verald. This counter propaganda was released along with RAF Strikes Berlin and Coventry, Not a mortal blow. 450 bombers, and yet the factories were back to full production in only 6 weeks. Several other major attacks on Coventry took place, such as the one on November 14 1940. On this day, the Luftwaffe had pulled all the stops out. The raid was made by 515 German bombers, two thirds from Luftwaffe 3 and the rest from the pathfinders of Kampfgruppe 100. The attack, code-named Operation Moonlight Sonata, was intended to undermine Coventrys ability to supply the Royal Air Force and the British Army by demolishing factories and industrial infrastructure, although it was clear that the damage to the city, including monuments and residential areas, would be considerable. The initial wave was of 13 specially modified Heinkel He 111 aircraft of Kampfgruppe 100, which were equipped with X-Geri t navigational devices, accurately dropping marker flares at 19:20. The British and the Germans were fighting the Battle of the Beams and on this night the British failed to fully disrupt the X-Geri t signals. However, the cathedral was heavily bombed, which enticed Britain to retaliate by bombing Berlin, a very historical city in Germany. Plymouth was one of the United Kingdoms principal naval dockyards. The city was extensively blitzed during the Second World War, to the extent that approximately twice the amount of housing stock that existed prior to the war was destroyed during it (as a consequence of rebuilt houses being successively hit). Although the dockyards were the principal targets, civilian casualties were inevitably very high. The first bomb fell on the city on Saturday 6 July 1940 at Swilly, killing 3 people. The last attack came on 30 April 1944. Altogether 1,172 people were killed and 3,269 people were injured these figures do not include the many service casualties. At one point the population fell from 220,000, at the start of the conflict, to 127,000. Probably the worst single raid of the blitz was on a central area of the town called Portland Square. On the evening of the 22 April 1941 the communal air raid shelter took a direct hit, killing 70 people. As a result of one of the first raids, 26 people were killed, 60 houses demolished, 400 houses seriously damages and 2,000 slightly damaged. The citys electricity was restored in the afternoon, but gas was not available until 3 weeks later. After raids, locals teamed together and sang the national anthem as they dug out survivors. As this helped maintain and lift moral, it was strongly encouraged. On Monday 6th January meat rations were reduced from1s 10d to 1s 6d. Then on the Thursday of the same week, their majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited Plymouth and toured the service establishments. Then, the very next day, Mr Winston Churchill visited Plymouth and Britains reconstruction chief recommended they plan boldly, and plan now! To conclude, my answer to the question why did Hitler bomb British cities? is Hitler bombed Britain to try and force them into surrender. Because he couldnt risk sending his fleet across the British channel he tried to take out our air bases, but because he failed to gain air superiority he changed tackics. He was hoping that the British civilians could be so demoralised by the relentless dropping of bombs that they would force Churchill to surrender. But he failed. What effect did the blitz have on Britain? In the summer of 1939, the British government were making plans. Hitler was still making threats and war seemed imminent. And so they began to plan for the event of war, majoring on air defences. And so, when the attacks did come, the nation was prepared. Taking into account that aerial attacks would, undoubtedly kill many civilians, the government began to evacuate children out of the cities, thereby protecting the future generations. Many young children were evacuated prior to the first bombings. The government had portrayed the idea that when your children arrived in the country they would be brought into loving homes and would be looked after as if they were part of the family. They sent out propaganda films showing children running in and out of the woods and having school lessons on fields with butterflies. However, the real events were quite different. When the children arrived in the village they would be staying in, they would be lined up and hand picked. The larger, healthier children were picked first, leaving the scrawnier, dirtier children to be picked last. Many parents didnt like the thought of their children going to stay with strangers, and in many cases, quite rightly so. Some children received regular beatings from their new families and some were even sexually abused. And so, when the parents began to get letters from their children, or in some cases no letters came, the parents began to call their children home, but by that time, some had already run away. However, after the first air raid, many parents saw the sense in evacuation and sent their children back into the countryside. The blitz had another major effect on Britain: the government foresaw that if the Germans bombed them, then they would easily find their targets, as they would be lit up like a spot light, so they introduced the blackouts. At first, everything was totally blacked out. From street lamps to torches, everything was gone. However, this did cause a few problems, such as there was a large increase in the amount of Car crashes, so slits were introduces to help combat that. It worked too, as there were fewer crashes and the desired effect was still accomplished. The blackouts also had the effect of giving that illusion that the bombers were in the wrong place. In addition to getting rid of the lights in the cities, they also would place lots of lights on top of hills all around, giving the wrong impression again, and therefore minimise damage. For 8 months the blackouts plunged Britain into darkness, and the near constant darkness didnt help with moral. But is was necessary as it not only protected the cities, but airbases and in coastal regions a shore-side blackout of city lights would also help protect ships from being seen and attacked by enemy submarines farther out to sea. Overall, the blackouts played a vital part in keeping Britain in the war. War is notorious for causing civil panic, and as a result lower moral and more deaths. The government needed to educate. That way, when first raids did come, the people didnt simply run around like headless chickens, but they all knew exactly what they had to do, and proceeded to do it. To educate the people they introduced drills and news reels before films. The news reels acted as an education program, stating the procedure that would take place in the event of a raid. The drills were a practical procedure that everyone learnt. You were taught the different signals, stating the different type of raid (e. g. Gas, fire bomb, etc). These drills had a major effect in the long run, as they save many lives and helped to keep the country orderly when under attack. Rationing was another dramatic change for Britain. At the beginning of World War II, the UK imported 55 million tons of foodstuffs per year (70%), including more than 50% of its meat, 70% of its cheese and sugar, nearly 80% of fruits and about 90% of cereals and fats. One of the principal strategies Germany used was to attack shipping bound for the UK, restricting British industry and potentially starving the nation into submission. In order to deal with the extreme shortages the Ministry of Food instituted a system of rationing. It was introduced on the 8th of January 1940, with bacon, butter and sugar being rationed. Next then came meat, tea, jam, biscuits, breakfast cereals, cheese, eggs, milk and canned fruit. Each person would register with their local shops, and was provided with a ration book containing coupons. The shopkeeper was then provided with enough food for his or her registered customers. When purchasing goods, the purchaser had to hand over the coupon as well as the money for the purchase. Strict rationing caused many people to buy food on the black market and thus having a negative effect on British society. Everyone was issued the same amount of food, (per person, so bigger families didnt go without). The typical weekly ration per person was Bacon 6oz Cheese 4oz Butter 4oz Eggs 2 Milk 1 pint Tea 3oz Sugar 12oz Dried milk 4 pints Dried eggs 12 per eight weeks Sweets 3oz Food like bread, fish, fruit and vegetables were not rationed, but the queues were very long. Initially, this benefited the poorer families, as they were entitled to the same amount to food and therefore ended up eating more than they had done prior to the war. The way the government ensured that people got their fair share was to issue ration books. Each was different, depending on you age, for instance, babies were blue, childrens green, and adults brown. The general public were also encouraged to convert their gardens into allotments, thus providing more food for each family. Clothes were also rationed from June 1941. Each person was issued with 66 coupons per year, with which they had to buy all their cloths. For example, a coat would cost 14 coupons and its money value. Petrol was very hard to come by, so most people cycled or walked, as fuel was used for emergency purposes or government needs. As the war developed, almost everything was rationed. Towels, cutlery, furniture, sheets were all in short supply. In 1942, even soap was rationed. Without rationing, Britain would have almost certainly have fallen to Germany. It was only because everyone knew that they were getting the same amount of food as their neighbour that a civil revolt didnt break out and Britain didnt surrender. In the 20th centaury, many houses were small, and fairly basic. They werent very sturdy either. And if a raid came, and a bomb landed on your house, then you would be dead.

Tristram Shandy: Postmodern texts

Tristram Shandy: Postmodern texts Does Tristram Shandy demonstrate that there can be postmodern texts before Postmodernism? Laurence Sterne’s Tristram Shandy dominated the London literary marketplace during its serial publication from 1759-1767.   Like his contemporary writers, Sterne engages in debates concerning what we would now regard as the disciplinary boundary between literature and philosophy which has established its canonical status as a work of postmodern fiction.   It is difficult to ascribe, as many scholars have, to Tristram Shandy the title of ‘postmodern’.   To characterize this novel through a future literary movement which defines itself through the rejection of the principles of the previous movement is incongruous.   How can a novel which precedes postmodernism by over a century and a half reflect the cultural and political formations which sparked the movement itself?   However, Tristram Shandy does contain fictional and narrative elements which clearly invite comparison with the fiction of the postmodern movement. Born into the Augustan Age, Sterne’s discordant writing makes him seem out of place in his own era   Differing drastically from the contemporary imaginative literature of Defoe, Richardson and Fielding and the philosophical writing of Johnson, Tristram Shandy has been explained by critics as an example of ‘process writing’, a text presented in the very act of creation and change.   This analysis can be applied to Sterne himself; moving away from the Augustan poets and the sentimental writers, Sterne’s writing is termed postmodern because it is a rejection of realism, turning from the objectivity of external truth to examine inner states of consciousness.   Sterne’s novel clearly exhibits the postmodernist theory of metafiction, in which the writing self-consciously points to itself as an object in order to question the relationship between reality and fiction.   Sterne was certainly not alone in critiquing methods of narrative construction an d exploring the fictionality of the external world, but what sets Tristram Shandy apart from its contemporary fiction is the use of language as an arbitrary system.   The elements of Tristram Shandy which inspire comparisons with the postmodernist movement are clear: questioning the relationship between text and the self, and an argument for the constitutive power of language.   Postmodern scholars question the fundamental representation of identity and history itself, that is, history as what ‘really’ happened as opposed to history as an objective ‘narrative’ of what happened.   Sterne has a clear understanding of how some element of self-definition and identification is involved in the fictional writing process, and freely admits the element of autobiography in his writing.   ‘Tis †¦ a picture of myself’ he tells David Garrick in regards to Tristram Shandy (Letters 87).   The autobiographical element in Sterne’s writing suggests multiple definitions of the same reality, which depend upon perspectives rather than objective truth.   This comes across as a convoluted and fragmented narrat ive that confuses fiction and reality, narrative and truth. Tristram himself says of his father’s masterpiece, the Trista-paedia, ‘My father spun his, every thread of it, out of his own brain, or reeled and cross-twisted what all other spinners and spinster had spun before him’ (Sterne 93).   Sterne, like his character Tristram, spins his own narrative in an intricate and complex web, so convoluted and transparent that it is difficult to tell where it ends and he begins. Tristram Shandy clearly embodies this ambiguity between reality and representation through language.   James Swearingen writes that in Tristram Shandy ‘language does not just facilitate communication: it establishes the phenomenal horizon in which speakers and things spoken about are constituted’(Swearingten 117).   Tristram constructs his biography through textual language, which reveals itself to be an ambiguous rather than a concrete medium.   He admits that he is better associated with the text itself than the subject to which it refers.   Tristram’s escape from his inevitable death is described as a journey in which ‘life follows the pen’ (Sterne 754).   Once again returning to the autobiographical element of Sterne’s writing, if Tristram’s journey follows the pen, then he, like Sterne, is creating and documenting his own existence, shaping his narrative according to his liking rather than according to objective truth. At the same time that Sterne celebrates the constructive power of language, he reveals its ultimate failure.   Sterne was ‘concerned almost exclusively with the problem of communication among men’ wrote John Traugott, illuminating both the genius and failure of Sterne’s text.   When words fail, as they sooner or later do, communication becomes the business of sensibility.   ‘My uncle Toby looked brisk at the sound of the word siege, but could make neither head nor tail of it’ (Sterne 312).   Traugott concludes that Tristram Shandy seeks to re-establish a community where reason, in the form of language, threatens to destroy it (Traugott 15).   Rather than basing a notion of community upon concrete notions of order and hierarchy, the Shandy world is built on the unstable base of subjectivity.   ‘In Sterne’s world, each individual consciousness establishes itself at the centre of a universe of feeling and ignores any such thing a s objective reality, until the subject of Tristram Shandy finally seems to be the nature of fiction itself’ (Byrd 59).   Virginia Woolf has noted Sterne’s unexpected prose as a means of exploring a materialist critique of the conventions of the novel itself.   The jerky, disconnected sentences are as rapid and it would seem as little under control as the phases that fall from the lips of a brilliant talker †¦ The order of the ideas, their suddenness and irrelevancy, is more true to life than to literature †¦ Under the influence of this extraordinary style the book becomes semi-transparent.   The usual ceremonies and conventions which keep the reader and writer at arm’s length disappear (Woolf 79) Stylistically, Sterne’s novel deconstructs the narrative and linguistic form of the novel in favour of multiplicity and ambiguity. Indeed, the author’s preface is found in volume three, chapters are disordered, and symbols and blank pages are found throughout the book.   Playing with novelistic conventions, Sterne draws attention to the instability of the written form itself, paralleling the ambiguity of the text with the ambiguity of the self. Sterne uses reflection to expose the constructedness of his narrative, encouraging the reading to approach it not as subjective truth but as an aesthetic.   This is clearly apparent in the treatment of various forms of madness within the novel.   Madness figures prominently in Tristram Shandy.   The metaphor of madness appears in many critical discussion of the novel because helps to underscore the link between Sterne and his contemporary Augustan satirists, for whom the classical idea of madness as supernatural inspiration is missing.   Indeed, Sterne seems to anticipate the Romantic poets who, by contrast, represent madness as a sign of alienation, in which the faculty of imagination is the source of anxiety rather than creative freedom. In Tristram Shandy many kinds of madness are manifest.   Characters such as Toby and Walter serve simply as the necessary comic eccentricity, similar to the figure of Yorick to whom Tristram refers throughout his story.   Tristram, howe ver, cites John Locke as an explanation of why ‘my poor mother could never hear the †¦ clock wound up, but the thoughts of some other things unavoidably popped into her head’ (Sterne 39).   The ‘sort of unreasonableness’ which Locke describes is, ironically, the driving force behind Tristram’s unorderly pattern of narration.   Tristram clearly expresses Sterne’s own narrative technique: ‘By this contrivance the machinery of my work is of a species by itself; two contrary motions are introduced into it, and reconciled, which were thought to be at variance with each other.   In a word, my work is digressive, and it is progressive too, -and at the same time’ (Sterne 95).   Sterne questions what it means to live in a world in which the boundaries of the self and the body politic are redefined.   Challenging the conventions of body narrative form and philosophical notions of the self, Sterne questions, ‘is a man t o follow rules or rules to follow him?’ (Sterne, 583) One bibliographer described Tristram Shandy as ‘postmodernist in every sense except the moment in which it was written,’ and most critics have agreed.   However, despite the similarities between Sterne’s own engagement with philosophical and literary critique in his novel, it is impossible to call Tristram Shandy a postmodernist text, if purely for semantic reasons.   It is tempting to explain instances of extraordinary forms of artistic and critical reflection with the tools of the present, but this is a fallacy.   Sterne’s novel engages with the epistemological, philosophical and literary crises of his time, and cannot possibly be explained with a theory born out of the crises of the twentieth century.   As Tristram’s mother exclaimed, ‘L—d! †¦ what is all this story about? –‘ It is, and will remain, ‘A COCK and a BULL, †¦ And one of the best of its kind, I ever heard’ (Sterne 615). Works Cited Byrd, M. (1985) Tristram Shandy London: George Allen Unwin. Swearingen, J. (1977) Reflexivity in Tristram Shandy: An Essay in Phenomenological Criticism New Haven: Yale University Press. Sterne, L. (1967) The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, London: Penguin Classics. -(1775) Letters to his Friends on Various Occasions, London. Traugott, J. (1954) Tristram Shandys World: Sternes Philosophical Rhetoric. Berkeley: Univ. of California Press. Woolf, V. (1932) The Common Reader: Second Series. London: Hogarth Press.

War and Media Essay -- War Television Essays

War and Media Perhaps one of the greatest impacts on the lives of the peoples of Earth is that of our own self-destruction; of wars, death, and decay. It is therefore very reasonable to suppose that at the forefront of these events would be the media, capitalizing on their ability to bring to the people, those less immediately afflicted by war, news and developments concerning the actual war, statistics, and shocking images from inside the various war zones. Though many may think that the purpose of this type of reporting is for the intellectual benefit of the viewers, some have argued that it is instead a sort of real-life â€Å"reality television show.† Tom Engelhardt wrote in an article entitled â€Å"The Gulf War As Total Television,† found in The Nation, that the Gulf War â€Å"†¦proved promising exactly because the boundaries between military action and media event broke down in such a way that military planning could become a new form of media reality.† (Engelhardt, 108) If one follows this dissertation, we seem to pick up on how the Gulf War was actually a sort of ploy by the government and the newly conglomerated media industries to boost ratings and provide high-rated entertainment as opposed to news coverage. It is known that at this point in history the broadcast industry was in very real danger of falling through, even though they had mass financial support by various companies across the US, due to the cable industry and the then newly formed Fox network. This makes a lot of sense when you look at how the broadcast networks were planning taking back the industry, by getting in with the governme nt and making the production of a lifetime. â€Å"The history of the war has always been suppressed in the national... ...p://www.bsu.edu/library/doresearch/resourceguides/terrorism.html> Cohen, Jeff. â€Å"Stenographers to Power: The Gulf War As a Case Study in Media Coverage.† Stenographers to Power. Ed. David Barsamian. Monroe ME: Common Courage Press, 1992. 139-162. Engelhardt, Tom. â€Å"The Gulf War As Total Television.† The Reference Shelf: The Media & the Public, Vol. 66, Num. 5. Ed. Casey Ripley, Jr. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1994. 108-115. Johnson, Peter. â€Å"Media, War and Scrutiny.† USA Today 17 Oct. 2001. 34 pars. 19 Nov. 2002 Kennedy, William V. The Military and the Media. Connecticut: Praeger, 1993. Neuharth, Al. â€Å"Media Mesmerize with Attack Coverage.† USA Today 13 Sept. 2001. 14 pars. 19 Nov. 2002 War and Media Essay -- War Television Essays War and Media Perhaps one of the greatest impacts on the lives of the peoples of Earth is that of our own self-destruction; of wars, death, and decay. It is therefore very reasonable to suppose that at the forefront of these events would be the media, capitalizing on their ability to bring to the people, those less immediately afflicted by war, news and developments concerning the actual war, statistics, and shocking images from inside the various war zones. Though many may think that the purpose of this type of reporting is for the intellectual benefit of the viewers, some have argued that it is instead a sort of real-life â€Å"reality television show.† Tom Engelhardt wrote in an article entitled â€Å"The Gulf War As Total Television,† found in The Nation, that the Gulf War â€Å"†¦proved promising exactly because the boundaries between military action and media event broke down in such a way that military planning could become a new form of media reality.† (Engelhardt, 108) If one follows this dissertation, we seem to pick up on how the Gulf War was actually a sort of ploy by the government and the newly conglomerated media industries to boost ratings and provide high-rated entertainment as opposed to news coverage. It is known that at this point in history the broadcast industry was in very real danger of falling through, even though they had mass financial support by various companies across the US, due to the cable industry and the then newly formed Fox network. This makes a lot of sense when you look at how the broadcast networks were planning taking back the industry, by getting in with the governme nt and making the production of a lifetime. â€Å"The history of the war has always been suppressed in the national... ...p://www.bsu.edu/library/doresearch/resourceguides/terrorism.html> Cohen, Jeff. â€Å"Stenographers to Power: The Gulf War As a Case Study in Media Coverage.† Stenographers to Power. Ed. David Barsamian. Monroe ME: Common Courage Press, 1992. 139-162. Engelhardt, Tom. â€Å"The Gulf War As Total Television.† The Reference Shelf: The Media & the Public, Vol. 66, Num. 5. Ed. Casey Ripley, Jr. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1994. 108-115. Johnson, Peter. â€Å"Media, War and Scrutiny.† USA Today 17 Oct. 2001. 34 pars. 19 Nov. 2002 Kennedy, William V. The Military and the Media. Connecticut: Praeger, 1993. Neuharth, Al. â€Å"Media Mesmerize with Attack Coverage.† USA Today 13 Sept. 2001. 14 pars. 19 Nov. 2002

A Respectable Trade and Amistad Essay -- Slavery Slaves History Papers

A Respectable Trade and Amistad An unfortunate part of history and labor involves European, American, and African slave traders engaging in the lucrative trade in humans. The movies, A Respectable Trade and Amistad show two slightly different slants to the same evil side of the concept of slavery. They point to an all too realistically gruesome picture of this despicable economic system. Although slavery contains some similarities to capitalism, it contains in it many differences as well, making it a distinct system from others that have existed. Slavery. The term and all that it embodies inspires revulsion, anger, and sadness. The history of this nation is intertwined with slavery-as many things are the result of African-American sweat and blood-(brought to these shores in slave ships). The institution of slavery had a significant impact on this society's institutions, such as the family, and on its social thought, law, and economy. Slavery was a form of dependent labor that can be differentiated from other forms by the fact that in any society the general consensus is that it was considered to be the most degrading and most sever. It can be characterized by a relationship that was founded on the notion of dominance and power. To mention briefly, humans have created other forms of dependent labor as well: serfdom, indentured labor, and peonage. However these are not the same as slavery. A "serf" was usually subject to the law, and thus had some rights of his or her own. A serf was also usually bound to the land in comparison to the slave who was usually bound to his master and thus had to live where the master told him to and could be sold whenever the master wanted to sell them for money. The serf als... ...clopedia Britannica. "Slavery." Wysiwyg://35http://www.britannica.com/b†¦16,117527+1+109538,00.html?query= slavery G, Brianne. B, Scott. M, Lindsay. "The Three Passages into Slavery." http://www.benjaminschool.com/hagy1/webpages/three_passages_into_slavery.htm McCormick, Erin. Zamora, Jim Herron. "Slave Trade Still Alive in U.S." San Francisco Examiner. February 14, 2000. http://www.trafficked-women.org/examiner.html Robinson, B. A. "A Brief History of the 'Peculiar Institution:' Slavery in North America." 2000. http://www.religioustolerance.org/slavery.htm "Slavery." http://www.usbol.com/ctjournal/Slavery2.html S. Trey. "Treatment of Slaves." http://www.benjaminschool.com/hagy/webpages/life_on_a_plantation.htm "Understanding Slavery: The Lives of Eighteenth Century African-Americans." http://www.sciway.net/hist/chicora/slavery18-1.html

Essay example --

MSA University Faculty of pharmacy Pharmaceutical Microbiology PM 203 Name: Dina Ahmed Abd El Fattah Hegab ID# 111797 Group: C Under Supervision of: Dr. Reham Wasfy â€Æ' Disinfectants Disinfectants Can be applied to any non- living objects ; as this substance can destroy the microorganisms living on its surface. The Bacterial spores is kind of resistant to the Disinfection , it doesn't necessarily kills it, thus not necessary kills all the microorganisms. Unlike the sterilization – that is extreme physical (and/or) chemical process that kills all types of life- it is less effective in results. Disinfectants are not like any other antimicrobial agent as antibiotics that kills the microorganisms living inside the bodies or the antiseptics that kills the microorganisms on a living tissue it is even not like biocides that don't just kills the micro organisms, but also kills all types of life. Disinfectants simply cause damage to the microbe cell wall or it interferes with its metabolism. More about Disinfection†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Disinfection are by nature toxic to human beings and animals, as most of the modern Disinfection contains the substance bitrex which is considered to be the bitterest substance ever, this substance is used as a safety measure and is added to discourage the ingestion. Disinfectant Types can be divided into two main groups; which are oxidizing and non- oxidizing. 1- Oxidising disinfectants : It works by the oxidization of the microorganism's cell membrane; this leads the cell to death. In the oxidizing disinfectants both the components oxygen and chlorine exists heavily, as they are both strong oxidizers. 2- Non-oxidising disinfectants: It operates by disturbing the phospho-lipid molecules that make- up the ... ... to be kept in a temperature of 16  °C to 18 °C for 24 hours then leave it to be chilled for 1 hour before starting the test. References: 1- Holchem- leader in the speciality chemical manufacturing industry Available at : http://www.holchem.co.uk/disinfectant-types.aspx 2- Holchem- leader in the speciality chemical manufacturing industry Available at : http://www.holchem.co.uk/disinfectant-tests.aspx 3- The Egypt Germany disinfectant company Available at : http://egypt-germany-disinfection.com/index.php/products/ahd-2000-menu-item 4- The Egypt Germany disinfectant company Available at : http://egypt-germany-disinfection.com/index.php/products/2013-02-02-09-45-28 5- Wikipedia, Available at : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disinfectant 6- The Egypt Germany disinfectant company Available at: http://egypt-germany-disinfection.com/index.php/products/lysoforminspezial

How and why does Iago convince Othello of Desdmona’s infidelity?

Shakespeare is often referred to as the greatest playwright that ever lived. His comedies have made many laugh, his tragedies many have cried over and romances that have touched millions. Shakespeare's writing although hundreds of years old are always relevant to our lives because that is what they are about, life. Shakespeare deals with all aspects of human nature and flaws. He greatly exaggerates a particular flaw in each of his tragic heroes. This flaw brings about their downfall. In the course of one conversation Iago convinces a man who loves his wife completely that she is in fact having an affair with one of his most trusted subjects without using one shred of proof or any real basis. This is a man who can make the most innocent of people guilty and the most loved, hated. He uses many tactics to persuade Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio, the reason, is revenge. Iago is a very cunning and manipulative man. He is also often irrational and erratic. He will go to any means to get what he wants and in this case he doesn't mind ruining three people in the process. At the beginning of the play we hear of Iago's rage at the fact that Cassio was made lieutenant instead of him. Iago feels that he was the better candidate and deserves the position. Iago isn't hard pushed to find a way of getting revenge. Othello often says that without Desdemona he would be in chaos, â€Å"But I do love thee; and when I love thee not, chaos is come again. † Iago uses this, because he wants to create chaos, which is one of the major themes of the play. Other major themes include relationships, jealousy, love and deceit. Luck provides him with the opportunity to stage an affair between Cassio and Desdemona, driving Othello to insanity and resulting in the death of Desdemona and Othello. Iago becomes very jealous of Othello because of his position in the Venetian Army. He is also sexually attracted to Desdemona but that is not a real reason for hating Othello, his mind concocts stories which he believes are true and thus making himself think acceptable to take revenge on Othello by sleeping with his wife. Iago believes that Othello has slept with his wife Emilia, â€Å"leapt into his seat†, he wants revenge for this too, â€Å"not out of absolute lust†. He wants to sleep with Desdemona for revenge not just for pleasure. He appears to be sexually frustrated as he also presumes that Cassio has also slept with Emilia, â€Å"I fear Cassio with me nightcap too†. Throughout the play he often refers to sex as lustful and nothing to do with love. This is emphasised in his disbelief that Othello and Desdemona's relationship is based on love. Through this we have to consider the reasons why he feels this way. Can he not love someone? He finds it easy enough to kill his own wife at the end of the play, yet is constantly reaffirming his â€Å"love† for Othello. We know he uses this as a tactic for Othello to gain faith in Iago, but could there be more? This plot is an obsession for Iago, his jealousy rules him. Could this mission be his only love? To understand how Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio we must look at the events beforehand which Iago directs to his own advantage. It starts when Cassio and Desdemona greet each other; Iago forms the plan that Cassio will be target. Cassio and Desdemona are friendly to each other and Iago can see how this could appear to be more than just friendship. Didst thou not see her paddle with the palm of his hand? † In Elizabethan times this was deemed as highly intimate and personal, this would have been an activity that only a couple would engage in. By claiming that Cassio was stroking Desdemona's hand, he is suggesting that they are a couple or intimate with each other. Iago sees the opportunity and uses his knowledge of Cassio to get him into a fight with Roderigo. Iago knows that this will outrage Othello and Cassio will want to redeem himself. Iago has planted the circumstances for Cassio to plead with Desdemona so that she will speak to Othello on Cassio's behalf. Iago knows that Desdemona will take up Cassio's plight for she is a good person. â€Å"I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me†. Desdemona doesn't realise that Iago is abusing her goodwill so that it will bring about her own downfall. Othello doesn't see it as strange that Desdemona is supporting Cassio for he knows what type of person she is. It is Iago that uses this as a basis for an affair between Cassio and Desdemona. Iago fools many of the main characters. He only gets away with this because they trust him and this protects him from any questioning. His cunning means that the events can occur, building the play. He uses this to his own benefit, talking Cassio into pleading with Desdemona and inducing Othello to believe that Desdemona is having an affair. Throughout the play Iago is described as an â€Å"honest† man, which to the audience seems ironic because really everything the man says they know to be a lie. Desdemona describes as, â€Å"o that's an honest fellow†, Othello thinks â€Å"This fellow's of exceeding honest,† and Cassio too sees him as honest, â€Å"†¦ honest Iago. † It surprises the audience that the characters are so blind to Iago's faults but then we must understand that he has never done anything that could make them doubt him. He is an idyllic picture, a man who is loyal and trustworthy, they could never imagine that he is capable of deceit. Iago's effectiveness at noticing innocent situations and making them look suspect is another way in which he gets Othello to believe in Desdemona's unfaithfulness. When Othello first enters the room at the start of Act III Scene III, Cassio hurriedly leaves the room after speaking with Desdemona. Cassio does this completely innocently, he leaves because he doesn't want to annoy Othello any more than he has already, he feels disgraced and is ashamed, and he cannot face Othello. Iago successfully twists this situation- â€Å"That he would steal away so guilty like- seeing you coming. † Iago explains Cassio's guilt as that he has been sleeping with Desdemona. Of course the reader knows that is not true, but to Othello, the way that he hurries away, once pointed out to him by Iago, does look very suspicious. This is even more enhanced in Othello's mind when immediately afterwards Desdemona starts defending Cassio and pesters Othello to re-instate him. This combined with Iago's perverting of the situation looks very abnormal to Othello. Iago convinces Othello that Desdemona is sleeping with Cassio by very through very calculated steps. In each instance he builds on Othello's insecurities and his trust in him. He is successful in commanding the lack of evidence to his own advantage. Othello trusts Iago as he sees him as a loyal subject. Iago starts by questioning Cassio and Othello's relationship. He does this by asking suggestive questions, â€Å"Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady know of your love? † By doing this he is making Othello consider their past and what effect it could have on the present. When Othello questions him further he refuses to answer a question directly. â€Å"Honest my lord? † By doing this it is as if he is trying to protect Othello, by keeping something from him. This will make Othello want to know the truth even more as it is human nature to be curious; after all we all want to know details especially if you know that really you shouldn't hear it. For Othello to believe in what Iago is about to tell him Othello must trust him. Iago needs to know that his news will not be instantly dismissed, he does this by the affirmation of his love. † My lord you know I love you†. This is his basis, if you genuinely trust someone you believe in what they tell you. Othello and Iago had fought together in wars and it is most likely that they had often held each other's lives in their hands. So Othello would never believe that Iago would turn against him so suddenly, especially as for the large majority of the play, Iago looks to be nothing more than a completely loyal servant to Othello. He refuses to tell Othello what he's thinking. â€Å"Utter my thoughts? Why say they are vile and false? † He doesn't want to say anything bad or untrue, after all he is Othello's loyal servant and would not want to hurt him. He also doesn't want to leave himself out for blame by playing this way he can say that Othello pressurised the information out of him even when he wasn't sure it was true. Iago is good at planting ideas. † O beware my lord of jealousy†. Iago suggests what Othello should be thinking and feeling. Even if Othello wasn't previously jealous because maybe he didn't believe fully, now Iago has told him exactly what he should be feeling. By warning Othello has in fact put it in his utmost mind. Iago plays on the fact that Othello is not of Venetian society. He explains that there are differences in social attitudes. † In Venice they do not let God see the pranks they have not shown their husbands†. Othello cannot question this as he is from a different background and already feels compromised. Although when in Venice, he appears to be a strong-minded character, proves to have low self-esteem, this low opinion of himself may stem from being racially self-conscious. But some may argue that race would not have been an issue, it is more to do with the fact that he comes from a different society, an outsider who knows little of how their expectations. Although no mention is ever made of it, Othello views himself as different, which he is, from the rest of Venetian society. In was shock to everyone and probably even Othello that one of the most eligible women in Venice has fallen in love with him. So when Iago starts telling Othello of a relationship between Cassio and his wife, the rumours about Desdemona and the fact that she had refused men of higher status than Othello, â€Å"Not to affect many proposed matches of her own clime, complexion and degree†¦ † he believes it may be true. Also he reminds Othello of what her father said when he first found out about Desdemona planning to marry Othello without his consent- â€Å"Look to her Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: She has deceived her father and may thee†. To which Othello replies â€Å"My life upon her faith†. Much of Othello deals with pride and reputation, for Othello now to hear about Desdemona's unfaithfulness, after he replied so convincingly that he trusts her completely, would certainly start to worry him. After all, if what Iago had been telling Othello was true, then Othello had been made to look a complete fool by Desdemona in a very short period of time. Iago often uses very crude language and often refers to animal imagery. He belittles Othello and Desdemona's relationship, regarding it in its most instinctive form, a sexual relationship, â€Å"†¦ you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse;† Othello however approaches it as serious and loving relationship, â€Å"†¦ Nor to comply with heat the young affects in me defunct and proper satisfaction; But to be free and bounteous to her mind. † That is why the audience is particularly amazed that Othello resorts to animalistic images too. Othello refers to Desdemona as â€Å"haggard†, a hawk that cannot be tamed. He also refers to himself as a â€Å"toad†; this is a far cry from the man who stood in front of the Duke and other important men of Venice declaring his love. Shakespeare uses this technique to show us that Othello has lost his confidence and is no longer self-assured. As he becomes more and more angry his control through his speech begins to slip, no longer does he speak in long flowing sentences but now in exclamations, which hints at his loss of capability to loose his temper. He is also speaking in a similar way to Iago, This may symbolise that he has come to think in the same manner. These images show us the depth of Othello's jealousy, the woman he loved he now disparage. When Othello begins to fall into the trap that Iago has set out, there is only one thing that would convince him completely. The principal method that Iago uses to convince Othello of Desdemona's infidelity is by using one of Othello's most treasured possessions and telling Othello that his wife, Desdemona has given it away to her lover, Cassio. The handkerchief was the first gift he gave to Desdemona, so it possesses enormous sentimental value to Othello. Finding out that Desdemona has given it away shows her as inimical. It must have hurt and angered him, after all the woman he loves and is married to has given away without a care for him, would almost certainly anger him, for in Othello's mind she has thought the handkerchief to be a meaningless piece of cloth. Iago tells Othello that he saw Cassio wiping his mouth with it, much like a rag. † I know not that; but such a handkerchief- I am sure it was your wife's- did I today. See Cassio wipe his beard with†. This enough proof for Othello to be convinced that Iago is telling the truth and for him to kill both Desdemona and Cassio. Within these three says let me hear thee say that Cassio's not alive. † And, â€Å"I will withdraw to furnish me with some swift means of death for the fair devil. † The fair devil refers to Desdemona. This oxymoron suggests that Othello still sees her as divine and yet he has lost his faith in her. Of course, the main way Iago fools Othello is by pure luck. That luck being that a lot of the things that Cassio and Desdemona say and do fall right into the trap and further convince Othello of a relationship between the two of them. When he first sees them together and Cassio scurries away, Iago jumps on the opportunity. Another example of this is found further on in the play when by controlling the circumstances Iago gets Cassio to talk disparagingly about Bianca, while Othello thinks the conversation is about Desdemona. The luck of this situation is gargantuan; one mention of the name Bianca and Othello would realise that Cassio was really speaking about her, fortuitously for Iago, Cassio does not mention Bianca's name once in the entire conversation. Shakespeare often presents the true feelings of the characters through soliloquies. Through Iago's soliloquy we see that Iago is an opportunist and amoral. The Moor already changes with my poison†¦ † This line shows that Iago's plan is having the desired effect. Other characters in Shakespeare's plays have shown conscience to the fact that they are doing wrong, and have felt some remorse, we can see this in Macbeth's soliloquy, â€Å"First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed; then, as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, not bear the knife myself. † But Iago shows no wavering, he is convinced that this is the right thing to do, â€Å"Burn like the mines of sulphur,† he wants Othello to fall from grace as revenge for instating Cassio over him. It is most disconcerting to think that Iago almost takes pleasure from Othello's torment, â€Å"Nor all the drowsy syrup of the world, shall medicine thee to that sweet sleep which thou ow'dst yesterday. † Othello is the typical â€Å"tragic hero† that Shakespeare incorporated in many of his works, a man who sets out to do his very best, but through one flaw he is bought down. This has an enormous effect on the audience. The audience know that he is a good man, but circumstances are working against him, leaving the audience frustrated at his own idiocy for not realising and making the amendments. Often as the audience we feel like screaming at him for being so blind to the facts, we are drained of our emotions. Shakespeare intended this; he used the ancient Greek method of Catharsis. Shakespeare had to make the main character likeable enough for the audience to warm to him and suffer his pain, but still make sure that in the end his tragic flaw shone through. Othello's main flaw is his jealousy. Othello's other flaws are pride and gullibility. Iago however can not be blamed for everything; he did not murder Desdemona nor kill Othello. The characters must have a motive of their own and therefore is there not a basis for Othello to be pushed into murdering his wife? Many would say that by removing Iago the couple would live happily ever after, but mustn't there be a reason for why Othello was pushed so readily into murder. Othello acts like a confident man when in Venice, he has the support of his wife and men like Cassio. Remove the safety of that support and you would find a man alone in a foreign country which has different values and expectations, maybe in reality Othello knew that he could not belong in Venetian society and not with Desdemona. Our view of Othello progresses as the play develops. The first mention of Othello is by Iago; he presents him to the audience as someone with poor judgement as he has promoted the wrong person and through repellent sexual images, as someone grotesque. Yet others, like the Duke see Othello as â€Å"†¦ valiant†¦ † From the beginning Othello is authoritative and confident, but without the knowledge that Desdemona is faithful to him, he collapses. Othello's lack of judgement is shown when he lets suspicion of Desdemona having an affair with Cassio take over his mind, stopping all rational thought. He asks the opinion of Emilia (Desdemona's handmaid and Iago's wife) â€Å"You have seen nothing then? † Even though she replied â€Å"Nor ever heard, nor ever did suspect† he does not believe her because his poisoned mind can't accept it. This is an issue that reigned in the Elizabethan times, people of his social status could not loose their power, it disrupted the hierarchy and made those below them feel uneasy. Society was very structured and those at the top would have a ripple effect on everyone below. We also notice in Shakespeare's plays that the tragic hero is always a man of position, Kings, noble men or army officials. This is so that they have a position to fall from, there would be no point in having an ordinary man in a story like this, the tragic hero is meant to be almost perfect, but not quite. This can be linked to the tragic hero King Lear; he is far too trusting and divides his country between his two treacherous daughters, which inevitably leads to his death. Through King Lear Shakespeare looks at madness and through the character of Othello he shows us how the people we surround ourselves with can create this. In the play, â€Å"King Lear†, King Lear has to deal with betrayal by his daughters in a similar way to which Othello is betrayed by his trusted friend, Iago and he believes his wife too. Like Othello Lear looks for justice instead of the revenge that Iago seeks. â€Å"It shall be done; I will arraign them straight. Come, sit thou here most learned justicer. â€Å"(King Lear, Act 3 scene 6) it indicates that a desire of order and justice is starting to replace the chaos and thoughts of savage revenge in Lear's mind; it marks the start of his journey away from insanity. This insanity is similar to what Iago creates in Othello, he creates jealousy and through that chaos. All of the main themes are present in Act III Scene III. The fight of good against evil is represented in Othello's struggle with Iago. The theme of chaos verses order is shown through Othello's gradual recede in anguish. Othello's overpowering jealousy blinding him from the truth and Iago's revenge which bring about the chaos and evil. Despite wanting to kill his wife Othello's love for her still remains. In his soliloquy before killing Desdemona he states his love for her, however Othello thinks murder is the only punishment worthy of betrayal â€Å"yet she must die, else she'll betray more men†. Othello's jealousy is now at peak level, he still can't show rational thought and is blind about the true horror he is about to do. Even when he speaks to her and she denies ever giving Cassio the handkerchief he doesn't believe her, â€Å"Yes, presently; therefore confess thee freely of thy sin; for to deny each article with oath cannot remove nor choke the strong conception that I do groan withal. Thou art to die. † It is ironic that Othello believes every lie that Iago fed him and yet cannot believe a single truth that the woman he loves tells him. â€Å"I never did offend you in my life; never lov'd Cassio but with such general warranty of heaven as I might love; I never gave him token. † After killing his bride he is brought out of his trance and realises the mistakes he has made. Iago's scheme is brought out into the open. Emilia brings out the scheme when the truth is told about the true goings on. At this point in the play Othello's heroic qualities are put on show for the audience once more. â€Å"Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate, nor set down aught in malice: then, must you speak of one that lov'd not wisely but too well; of one not easily jealous, but, being wrought, perplex'd in the extreme. † Having realised the horror of the situation he takes full blame for his actions and commits suicide and lies next to his beloved bride to die. Iago is a man who is out for his own gain, and there are many people in our society who are like him. He is a character who knows how to direct circumstances to his own purpose, unfortunately the other character do not see this and are spun into his web of lies. By luck and tactics like planting ideas and evidence he is able to persuade Othello into thinking that Desdemona is having an affair and get his revenge. Through this catharsis we realise that in Iago Shakespeare has created that ultimate embodiment of evil and malice.