Defining Marriage

Defining Marriage Words are a part of everyday life. Without them people would have a very hard time conveying a message or showing their feelings to the people around them. Words also provide the groundwork on how we interpret what is expectable and what is not. Although only eight letters, the word marriage carries a lot of meaning for millions of people across the world. Depending on who ask, they might also have a definition of what they think marriage means. I myself define a marriage as a formal relationship between a man and a woman that last until death.The Merriam Webster dictionary on the other hand would define marriage as â€Å"the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband and wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law. † On the other hand, thousands of men and women are set out to redefine marriage to also include same sex relationships as well. For myself and I’m sure millions of others across the world they do not think that a simple definition can confine someone from living in a regular recognized marriage like everyone else.How we define a particular word can have lasting effects and for the gay and lesbian community restricting them from the same basic rights that everyday couples take advantage of. In this exploratory essay I am dedicated to exploring the contested term â€Å"marriage† between the gay and lesbian community and many other people that have their own definition of marriage as well. Because the age we live in now, the commonly accepted definition of marriage between a man and a woman is keeping tens of thousands of same-sex couples by being federally recognized in a union.So what is marriage and why does it matter how people define it? I first started with Peter Pothan who wrote an article called â€Å"The Christian Concept of Marriage†. Pothan is a theological teacher and is currently the Assistant Director of the Distance Learning Department of Souther n Asia Bible College in Bangalore. He wastes no time clearly stating that he gets the definition of marriage from the bible. By referencing different parts of the Bible he is able to define what a Christian Marriage is and additional context as well. The first section that he references from the Bible is in Genesis 2:24.It states, â€Å"Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh. † By this Pathan concludes that a Marriage is between one man and one woman. Although he breaks the verse down into four parts, for this exploratory essay I want to focus the marriage portion on which I am better trying to understand. During Gods initial creation he only created one wife for Adam. Pothan uses this as a backbone that it is not only a relationship between a man and a woman, but it is also a monogamous relationship that must be maintained as well.Additionally, he uses biblical context to further go to say that marriage is only per manent as long as life last. Overall, Peter Pothan does not try to impose this Christian definition of marriage onto anyone, but merely uses evidence from the Bible to extract the definition of marriage. Several times during the article he consistently uses the Christian definition of marriage evoking that he is clearly not trying to impose a singular definition for the word. As a Christian myself I did find how he defined marriage very persuasive.He put very little opinion into interpreting what the Bible was saying and just tried to state the facts. I feel that most Christians would have a hard time disagreeing with what Pothan has to say. I also like he was not trying to impose the definition on anyone. Several times throughout the article he consistently use â€Å"Christian Marriage†. By this I felt that he clearly recognized that there is a dispute between what the definition of marriage truly is. On the other hand, I can also see one big hole is this definition. Althoug h the Bible is very widely used and accepted across the world not everyone is a Christian.Many of those who are not of the Christians faith can easily discredit this definition. Just like many words over time they can slowly evolve and continue to mean more things. It would only make sense to some that the definition of marriage would do the same as well. Many gays and lesbians would also clearly have a hard time accepting this as a definition of marriage. To them this would imply that they are not capable of leaving their mothers and fathers and cleaving to their partner. Overall, I am still very much caught in the crossfire of what marriage should or should not include.By going with the Christian definition of marriage I am essentially supporting the idea of taking away freedoms that many same-sex couple are not able to enjoy like regular couples. This I have a hard time accepting. My next article, â€Å"GOP’s Rob Portman announces support for same-sex marriage† by M atthew DeLuca is on the opposite end of the spectrum when it views the definition of marriage. Matthey Deluca, a writer for NBC News writes about Rob Portman’s view on marriage. The Ohio Senator Portman’s once hard stance that marriage is defined as a between a man and a women now has a change of views.At one point he even supported the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, which limits marriage specifically to one man and one woman. In this article, the Ohio Senator states that â€Å"I have come to believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn’t deny them the opportunity to get married. † He describes his change of views based on his 21-year-old son. In a talk with his son in 2011, his son, Will, told his father that he was gay.Portman not only said that his change of heart was due to his son, but also his Christian faith. He says the message of love and c ompassion from the Bible is also what swayed him to change his mind on this particular issue. This article shows how the definition of marriage can be based on equal rights that many feel everyone should have. As a result, the definition of marriage would have to be extended. Looking at this article, I feel somewhat drawn into Senator Portman’s view of marriage and how the definition should evolve to reflect the culture of America.It is more than just about a definition, but a way to make everyone equal under the law. With the way marriage is right now that is not possible. Same-sex couples that want to take the next step to a recognized marriage are not given the same rights that others couples receive. Portman, a Christian like myself, did choose to take a different angle on how he looks at the Bible. That just goes to show that there are people that are Christians that also support same-sex marriages and essentially want to change the definition of marriage to reflect a gr eater assortment of couples wanted to seek a civil union.Although I do understand where Senator is coming from I can’t say I fully agree that you can just change the definition of a word because of personal experience that was experienced. My last source I chose was an article called â€Å"Same-Sex Marriage and Equality† by Reginald William. This scholarly source was published on December 21, 2010. Williams is an affiliate of Bakersfield College that contests the views that many have that same-sex marriage is not an equal rights issue. I came across this article using the University of Oklahoma online library.William talks about several individuals and their views in particular that same-sex marriage is a not an equality issue. He describes that many claim this because both heterosexuals and homosexuals are not allowed to get married to the same gender. They are on the other hand â€Å"both† allowed to marry someone of the opposite sex. Williams describes this i dea as a basis for many that say this is not an equality issue. William on the other hand disagrees and fully thinks this is still very much about the lack of equality and supports same-sex marriage.Throughout his article he goes into painstaking detail to support his claim. In short, he says although the same rights are available to everyone, the rights available are only truly for heterosexuals couples. Although his claim is somewhat hard to grasp, I feel he overall makes some very important points that support the fact that there is a lack a social equality for same-sex couples. The question that is of real concern though is should this constitute us to redefine the term marriage so that same-sex couples can get married and be federally recognized.I have definitely learned that the definition of marriage matters greatly to the people you ask and it is more than a word that is used in a sentence. It not only has a strong definition that lasted through time, but as of right now is keeping many same-sex couples from being able to be apart of a civil union recognized by our government. Reviewing all of these sources and really letting the point the writers have sink in has made me consider many thoughts that I have not considered before.Although I do strongly believe that the definition of marriage should not change, I do feel that the people affected by the definition of marriage, such as same-sex couples, should have the same rights as a regular marriage if they choose. To me this is not about definitions at all by equal rights. Although I am sure many same-sex couples would like to be included in the definition of marriage, what they really want is to have the same benefits in their relationship as a heterosexual couple does.Even though many states have already started this journey for same-sex couples they are still far from putting them on the same playing field as a traditional definition of marriage and the rights they receive at the federal level. Work Cited Williams, Reginald. â€Å"Same-Sex Marriage and Equality. † Ethical Theory and Moral Practice14. 5 (2011): 589-95. Web. DeLuca, Matthew. â€Å"GOP's Rob Portman Announces Support for Same-sex Marriage. † NBCNews. N. p. , 15 Mar. 2013. Web. 21 Mar. 2013. Pothan, Peters S. â€Å"The Christian Concept of Marriage. † 2miles. org. N. p. , Sept. 2009. Web. 21Mar. 2013.

Strain Theories

Strain theories look through a structural scope to examine crime in society. When people fail to meet societal goals, they feel a strain in their lives. An increase in strain can lead to an increase in crime.Strain can be felt throughout any community, large or small. I’m from a town of 3,000 people in rural Iowa. Even though it is much smaller than a city such as Denver, problems with crime and delinquency still exist. A summer drought reduces the profits during harvest and leads to much strain throughout the community since agriculture is the main industry. This puts the whole town into a sort of slum, which leads to increased crime and delinquency. For example, low-waged employees steal from employers or neighbors due to their frustration over lack of income. Teenagers often commit more vandalism and petty thefts since their parents are spending more time at the bar to distract themselves from the harsh times and less time at home with family.According to Merton’s st rain theory, anomie is the inability to satisfy natural appetites such as wealth and social status. When people from my community feel anomie, they tend to fall into the â€Å"retreatism† category of the five adaptions. They consider the work they do in the fields or time with their family a lost cause and turn to alcohol for their problems. There are plenty of â€Å"regulars† at the local bar because that is a place where they can escape their problems and gossip about others. This illegitimate coping mechanism might make them feel good for a short time, but it does them no favor over the long run.Another vantage point of crime is through general strain theory, which focuses on negative relationships. Like I mentioned before, a drought is highly detrimental to agriculture and leads to a â€Å"blockage of a positively valued goal†. This might also fall under the anticipated strain category because farmers spend every day of the summer worrying about rain, and a lack of it builds up the strain they feel. This creates an overall low social control over teenagers and it becomes especially bad when parents take out their frustrations over money on their children, as this leads to a  high negative emotionality and low constrain- a.k.a. the perfect recipe for delinquency.The empirical article did a great job of summarizing strain theory. It reasoned that people feel negative emotions when they experience strain, and those negative emotions are likely to lead to illegitimate coping mechanisms. Once an individual begins using illegitimate coping mechanisms, it can be very difficult to change directions and use legitimate strategies. It truly becomes a test of character when people experience strain, and the unfortunate fact-of-the-matter is that there will always be those who chose the wrong path in life.

Intro Geo 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Intro Geo 1 - Essay Example By forming this organization, the United States, Canada and Mexico looked to strengthen the already trade ties between the three nations. The elimination of trade barriers was seen as helping all three nations increase the economic opportunities available in their homelands, but no nation had to give up sovereignty. The EU expects formerly sovereign nations to now bow to a new governmental body in Brussels. This sort of arrangement would meet with incredible resistance in America. The United Nations as it currently is constituted would not be an effective mechanism to decide which countries can use military intervention in their behalf. The problem with the United Nations stems from the fact that the nations of the Security Council have most of the real power. Wealth, military might and resources are so incredibly concentrated in this handful of countries, that even if the rest of the world opposed an action by a Security Council state, there is little they really could do other than protest or make official statements denouncing the action. For the United Nations to be the safe keeper of the world’s militaries, there would need to be some mechanism to give small countries and equal voice with large, powerful countries (Sanders). This is unlikely to happen because it would require great concessions on the parts of powerful

Japanese Great Armor Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Japanese Great Armor Analysis - Research Paper Example The covering was chiefly worn by the higher positioning samurai on horseback. The lower positioning officers had covering that was like the Ã… -yoroi, however had less segments, was lighter, and failed to possess the embellishing markings of the higher positioning samurai1. The majority of the data thought about the Ã… -yoroi is taking into account the covering of the higher-positioning authorities since the shield was either given to a sanctuary as an offering or kept up by the relatives of the first wearer. Large portions of the first segments of the Ã… -yoroi still in presence have been supplanted after some time because of the things being lost or harmed. The few remaining cases of Ã… -yoroi are on showcase in galleries in a few distinctive nations. There are additionally a couple of cases of Ã… -yoroi in Shinto sanctums where they have been kept up and secured for quite a long time. Therefore, it can be said that the yoroi was for only the rich in the society and was seclud ed for the chosen few. It may have signified royalty as well. The essential parts of the Ã… -yoroi and other samurai protection are referred to altogether as the "hei-no-rokugu" or essentially "rokugu," which implies six articles of arms. The six noteworthy segments are the dÃ…  (midsection reinforcement), kabuto (protective cap), menpo (facial shield), kote(armoured sleeves), sune-consumed (shin covering), and the hai-date (thigh defensive layer). One particular propel over prior shields is that the kozane of Ã… -yoroi are initially bound together and afterward secured with polish, which improves imperviousness to corrosion. The dÃ…  of the Ã… -yoroi is one of a kind from later models in light of the fact that it is made out of two different parts rather than one piece with an opening as an afterthought or again of the dÃ…  to permit the samurai to put on the protection. The samurai class, speaking of a negligible seven to ten percent of the

Journal format Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal format - Essay Example I found it difficult to work with the child in that situation because I have an inborn knack for empathizing with people, most specially my young patients. I began to work with the patient by starting the child on 10 lbs. weights and then slowly increasing the weights until we reached the goal of 45 lbs. The child was obviously uncomfortable and in pain but I needed to continue with the task, offering the child words of encouragement and appeasement along the way in order to prod the child not to give up on the task. I also had an opportunity at this point to observe the nurses who were assigned to group and bedside reports. The nurse on duty for the night was quite helpful and did not mind having to teach me how to perform a head assessment on a patient. We spent the night with her teaching and me learning about how to calculate pediatric medication dosages, how to check the link for formularly medication, and other related tasks. I made sure to questions her about the diagnosis of patients but every time I asked about a patient, she would simply tell me to run a Google search. One of the patients was admitted with Jarcho-Levin syndrome, Vacterl syndrome, severe congenital scoliosis with history fa history of fused ribs, spinal bifida, and club feet. His VEPTR (Vertical Expandable Prosthetic Titanium Rib) was removed that day. I found his case quite interesting so I ran a Google inquiry on his illness and then asked my preceptor to clarify certain points pertaining to his case for me. What I did find out on my own however was quite interesting. I learned that the illness also went by other names such as costovertebral segmentation anomalies, spondylocostal dysostosis, spondylocostal dysplasia, spondylothoracic dysostosis, spondylothoracic dysplasia, were all very rare genetic disorders that are characterized by malformation of bones in the

Principl Fetures of Budgeting as a Plnning and Control System Term Paper

Principl Fetures of Budgeting as a Plnning and Control System - Term Paper Example    OperÐ °tionÐ °l control - the process of ensuring thÐ °t specific tÐ °sks Ð °re cÐ °rried out efficiently Ð °nd effectively. It is Ð ° very short term Ð °ctivity for junior mÐ °nÐ °gemen Ð °nd Ð °ddresses their tÐ °rgets for dÐ °y to dÐ °y Ð °ctivity both finÐ °nciÐ °l Ð °nd nonfinÐ °nciÐ °l. There Ð °re substÐ °ntiÐ °l differences between strÐ °tegic plÐ °ns Ð °nd long-term budgets--both in how they Ð °re creÐ °ted Ð °nd in the end products. Very few orgÐ °nizÐ °tions reÐ °lly need Ð ° multiyeÐ °r budget. In fÐ °ct, for mÐ °ny orgÐ °nizÐ °tions, including community bÐ °nks, they cÐ °n sometimes do more hÐ °rm thÐ °n good. How they differ. The function of the budget is to mÐ °intÐ °in, protect, Ð °nd Ð °llocÐ °te the orgÐ °nizÐ °tion's resources. The strÐ °tegic plÐ °n prepÐ °res the bÐ °nk to mÐ °ke future decisions, enÐ °bling it to tÐ °ke Ð °dvÐ °ntÐ °ge of opportunities Ð °s they Ð °rise Ð °nd to Ð °void or lessen t he effects of Ð °dverse developments. The most importÐ °nt difference between the two is in the wÐ °y they influence the bÐ °nk's decision-mÐ °king processes. Community bÐ °nks hÐ °ve two choices: they cÐ °n reÐ °ct to chÐ °nges in the mÐ °rketplÐ °ce Ð °fter they occur, or they cÐ °n Ð °ct now to shÐ °pe the environment they will fÐ °ce in the future. In budgeting, such criticÐ °l issues Ð °re predetermined, either Ð °s finÐ °lized decisions or Ð °s Ð °ssumptions. CentrÐ °l to budgeting is the tÐ °sk of forecÐ °sting levels of loÐ °ns, deposits, Ð °nd revenue. But forecÐ °sting is relÐ °tively unimportÐ °nt in strÐ °tegic plÐ °nning. SimilÐ °rly, the relÐ °tionship between costs Ð °nd revenue generÐ °tion must be Ð °ssumed in budgeting. In strÐ °tegic plÐ °nning, such relÐ °tionships Ð °re Ð °t best Ð ° secondÐ °ry considerÐ °tion.   True strÐ °tegic plÐ °nning encompÐ °sses no such Ð °ttempt to predetermine decisions. InsteÐ °d, it provides Ð ° guide or frÐ °mework within which future decision mÐ °king will tÐ °ke plÐ °ce. It emphÐ °sizes longer rÐ °nge objectives, not so much in terms of specific finÐ °nciÐ °l performÐ °nce, but in terms of where Ð °nd how the firm will position itself with respect to customers, regulÐ °tors, employees, product types, technology, Ð °nd the community. For exÐ °mple, Ð ° bÐ °nk locÐ °ted in Ð °n Ð °reÐ ° where the demogrÐ °phics Ð °re chÐ °nging substÐ °ntiÐ °lly mÐ °y need to reposition itself by developing new products Ð °nd services Ð °nd corresponding outreÐ °ch efforts to meet the shifting needs of the community.  

TMOQ Mid Term Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

TMOQ Mid Term - Essay Example The Americans were too busy focusing on American-Diem relationship but failed to read the ground level situation, which was so much about political and social unrest. The military in association with the Diem regime miscalculated proceedings and was caught totally unawares with the preparedness of the Guerillas. The war ended in total distress not only for the Vietnamese but also for the young Americans posted along the border line for several of the inexplicable moves by the government. The lesson is that a dynasty must move out, once the motto or the goal is substantially achieved; elongated presence could end up being detrimental, however big a power you are. The rage of being suppressed kept growing under Diem’s regime and the US government was also in the favor of the rulers; it supported South Vietnam in order to prevail its fall to communism. Diem and the Nhus were Catholic, where as most Vietnamese were Buddhists. Despite the Government’s resistance and opposition, more and more Vietnamese got attracted to Buddhism, leaving a sore point between the government and general public. All this happened, even though there was complete abandon on emergence of an opposition party by the government. Buddhists wanted to fly their flag on 2,587th birthday of Buddha but the Diem government not just prohibited it but also took an offensive action against the Buddhist demonstrators. The movement witnessed killing of nine demonstrators but the government never showed any indemnity or took up the responsibility despite the U. S. Ambassador William Trueheart request. Even though the government banned demonstrations; this made sure that the Buddhists crisis began to become revolutionary. The elusive question since the occurrence of the mass movement in Vietnam remains unanswered as there have been several versions from various critiques about the right and the wrong. In my opinion, the government could be said to acting unjustifiably at

Case analise Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Analise - Case Study Example However, the presence of a larger company developed to cater to the same market – You Bar – presented a challenge as the company was still in a stage of infancy (Shein, 2011). Another huge issue is the nature of the business which operates in the food sector rather than being a technological startup which comparatively attracts more investment. The company which caters to the organic market possesses a great potential for growth. The market segment catering to health conscious consumers of food is untapped and offering organic foods will help the company develop a hold. Hence, the company has a great potential for growth as consumer preferences have affirmed the need for having organic food products in the market, especially organic energy bars. The best possible way for Miller to achieve financing is to convince venture capitalists of the value of the company. Asking a bank for a loan without material assets will not be good option. However, Miller could use his persuasive presentation skills in order to convince venture capitalists to invest in the company. Additionally, Miller could have the startup entered into an accelerator that could give capital in return for a certain percentage of equity. In this way, the business could also get mentorship to enhance the business that could help the business grow. The valuation of Element Bars is indeed a difficult task due to the lack of any company owned equipment. The fact that the company uses ovens from a wedding baker and does not won its own equipment makes the calculation difficult (Shein, 2011). Also, the fact that the company is not a technological startup and an fact a business dealing in tangible food products necessitates the presence of a sizeable inventory or some equipments that are required during production. I would therefore estimate the net worth of all the production inputs and additional effort by the founders involved. As such its net worth should be

Constructing Feminine Form for Masculine Sake Essay Example for Free

Constructing Feminine Form for Masculine Sake Essay Fashion provides one of the most ready means through which individuals can make expressive visual statements about their identities. (Bennett, 2005) Constructing Feminine Form for Masculine Sake. Does it make sense to say that sex is at the heart of identity today? The answer is surely yes, and more so than ever before. (Gauntlett, 2008). Introduction. Consider the cover of the December 2011 edition of FHM (Fig. 1). It portrays a constructed ideal of female attractiveness. Aimed at the male market it conveys the attributes of female form deemed attractive to men. Has this identity been constructed by women or imposed upon by men? Butler (1999) suggests ‘the female body is marked within masculinist discourse’ , and women have not had the freedom to create their own identity, ‘women with the ostensibly sexualized features of their bodies and, hence, a refusal to grant freedom and autonomy to women as it is purportedly enjoyed by men’ (Butler, 1999). Macdonald (1995) notes that this enforced construction is neither a new concept nor just present in magazines aimed at a male audience: The body has historically been much more integral to the formation of identity for women than for men. If women had defined for themselves the ideals of their bodily shape or decoration, this would not be problematic. It is the denial of this right in the western cultural representation, in medical practice and in the multi-billion dollar pornography, fashion and cosmetic industries, that has granted women only squatter’s rights to their own bodies. However for the purpose of this essay we will concentrate on the feminine identity constructed in men’s lifestyle magazines and identify from where this was created. Why we enjoy beauty. ‘It is suggested that what makes one thing beautiful and another less so is our psychological attraction, probably unconscious, to some quality in the former that is absent from the latter, combined of course with equally-implicit cultural biases.’ (Lakoff and Scherr, 1984) Considering this, it is hard to determine how a particular portrayal of the female form is universally attractive. However studying the following passage from Sigmund Freud’s study Civilization and its Discontents we can note the possibility that the images constructed of women in men’s magazines are not to portray beauty, but to invoke sexual feeling through lack of clothing and provocative poses: Psychoanalysis, unfortunately, has scarcely anything to say about beauty either. All that seems certain is its derivation from the field of sexual feeling. The love of beauty seems a perfect example of an impulse inhibited in its aim. ‘Beauty’ and ‘attraction’ are originally attributes of the sexual object. (Lakoff and Scherr, 1984) Another psychotherapist Lacan puts forward the idea ‘women are objects for men: men are objects for women: men are objects for men, and women are objects for women. Each of us can only ever be objects for another subject, however much we try. (Hill, 1997) With this in mind it can be said that all identity is constructed to receive the admiration of others, regardless of gender. (Gauntlett, 2008) states ‘sex as being at the core of identity’ further suggesting that male identity is constructed with the same intentions the female. Although ‘it has been women in particular who have been defined primarily in terms of their physical appearance’ (Negrin, 2008). The emergence of new men’s lifestyle magazines. It is interesting to note that men’s lifestyle magazines are not a new concept, neither has their content changed over time. The earliest attempt to launch a men’s lifestyle magazine in the UK was in 1935, it consisted of ‘heroic masculinity with style features and pictures of female nudes’. (Gill, 2007). The 1950’s saw the launch of Playboy, a lifestyle magazine aimed at an emerging class of men who enjoyed consumption as much as their female counterparts. The magazine ‘became the ‘bible’ for the men who dominated this class fraction; its individualistic, hedonistic, consumption-orientated ethic of personal gratification represented a rebellion against the ‘old’ figure of male as breadwinner and family provider and opened up a space of libidinous fun and lascivious consumption, albeit premised on troublingly sexualized and objectified representations of women. (Gill, 2007). The content of such magazines was not necessarily in place to objectify women but to protect the ‘new man’s’ masculinity. ‘Consumption for men was promoted in an atmosphere not threatened by suspicions of homosexuality’ (Gill, 2007) and said of Playboy ‘the breasts and bottoms were necessary not just to sell the magazine, but also to protect it’ (Ehrenreich, 1983.). If we look forward to the 80’s and 90’s we see a new generation of men’s magazines emerging, ‘constructed around an assumed white, working class aesthetic and sensibility, centred on football, (beer) drinking, and heterosexual sex. (Gill, 2007) In circulation terms, figures from 2006 show that over 370,000 copies of FHM are sold per month and almost 300,000 copies of Nuts per week. (Gauntlett, 2008). From this we can see the popularity of such publications and the importance of the portrayal of a new type of masculinity. Considering the content of these magazines; ‘numerous photo-shoots of semi-clothed and topless women appear in the UK magazines’ (Gauntlett, 2008), and speaking of the launch of Loaded ‘the sexual politics of the magazine were in place from the first issue, which featured photographs of Liz Hurley, a homage to hotel sex, porn channels etc., a ‘travel feature’ recounting cheap cocaine and cheap women, and the Miss Guyama bikini contest. (Gill, 2007). The magazines depict the rise of a new type of masculinity or the ‘new lad’, the figure of which ‘became embedded in advertising and popular culture- his multiple articulations in different spaces generating a sense of his solidity and ‘realness’, making him instantly recognizable as an embodiment of a type of masculinity’ (Gill, 2007). This new generation of ‘Lads Mags’ has often been attributed to two factors; firstly the ‘feminine backlash’ occurring in the 80’s. These new publications ‘constructed around knowingly misogynist and predatory attitudes to women, represents a refusal to acknowledge the changes in gender relations produced by feminism, and an attack on it. (Gill, 2007) served to reaffirm male dominance in the gender war and a refusal to change. They are considered by Whelehan ‘a direct challenge to feminism’s call for social transformation, by reaffirming – albeit ironically – the unchanging nature of gender relations and sexual roles.’ (Gill, 2007) Studying the content of these magazines in more depth there is an underlying theme where ‘’feminist’ becomes a pejorative word to label, dismiss and silence any woman who object to the lad mags’ ideology’ (Gill, 2007). Two examples of such; ‘an article concerned with the question of ‘how to get your girlfriend to come in your face’ (FHM, April 2000) any possible feedback is forestalled with the comment ‘now before I get any angry letters from feminists..I have asked women and they agree it can be an incredibly rewarding experience’. (Gill, 2007) and ‘a letter to FHM from a woman called Barbara who wished to object to the magazines portrayal of women as ‘weak, frail, ob edient, submissive and sexually available’ is dismissed as a ‘blundering rant’ from ‘Butch Babs’ (FHM, May 2000)’ (Gill, 2007.) Two prime examples of where the subject of feminism is dismissed before it has even been raised, suggesting the magazines know their content is anti-feminist, but either dispel the argument before it is raised or ridicule and patronise anybody that dares challenge their viewpoint. The second factor is again a backlash, this time on a type of masculinity, himself more aligned with the ideals of feminism, referred to as ‘The New Man’. (Gill, 2007). Trying to dispense with this, the ‘masculinity they constructed was regarded as true to men’s real selves, in contrast to the contrived image of the new man.’ (Gill, 2007.) As with the issue of feminism this form of masculinity was ridiculed and dismissed, leading the way for ‘laddish’ behaviour to be accepted. ‘New man was derided for his ‘miserable liberal guilt’ about sexual affairs and presented as insipid and unappealing. By contrast, new lad was presented as refreshingly uncomplicated in his unreserved appreciation of women’s bodies and heterosexual sex.’ (Gill, 2007) Are these the views of the average man? So we can deduce how these magazines and images within them came to be but where does this leave the average male? Are these depictions of woman the ‘ideal’ for men? ‘By men’s own admission, the playboy ideology has created conflicts both in men’s view of themselves and in their attitude towards women.’ (Lakoff and Scherr, 1984) Many men insist they do not subscribe to this scantily clad, temptress type identity as being their ideal. (Lakoff and Scherr, 1984) suggest what most men fantasize about is a woman they can connect with and that personality is more important than looks; ‘Many men spoke of movement, gracefulness, a direct look in the eyes, an aura of mystery, attributes which cannot quite be captured by a camera, as what they felt constituted female beauty.’ Their ‘observations seem to contradict what the media not only tell us men want but also what they propose women should look like.’ This seeming indifference to contrived images of female form could be the over production and readily available means to consume them. ‘we are so bombarded with visual images that men are taking refuge and looking for the real thing’ (Lakoff and Scherr, 1984) Also another factor is that as we are increasingly aware of artifice in the production of images it can cause the consumer to be disillusioned with them; ‘And its disappointing to find that the women, when interviewed, don’t sound that interesting really. And it’s disappointing because you see these gorgeous women who wouldn’t look twice at you, but then you remember that they probably look like people you know, really, and it’s the careful styling and makeup and photography that makes them so irresistible’ (Gauntlett, 2008) Where do women fit in? What we have to remember is there always a willing subject to construct identity upon. In this case, a women to present as the ideal to men. Whilst feminists may view the women featured in the magazines as ‘submissive, obedient and sexually available’, do the subjects themselves feel this is the case? Pre-feminist women were programmed to be as attractive as possible to their male counterparts. Anne Fogarty an extremely successful American fashion designer highlights the importance of dressing for men ‘when your husband’s eyes light up as he comes in at night, you’re in sad shape if its only because he smells dinner cooking’ (Fogarty, 1959). It is possible that even now women are still programmed by society to want to appear as attractive as possible to men. With the post-feminist shift in gender relations it is argued that women are now objectifying men in the same way that they have traditionally been; ‘looking at scantily-clad women was clearly quite wrong for a right-thinking man, but have started to change their views as time has moved on and gender relations have changed again (including the development of the new language in popular culture where women can treat men as disposable eye-candy too).’ (Gauntlett, 2008). This seems to have caused a sense of double standards when talking of the objectification of women; â€Å"I used to agree, and I mean I really did agree, with women who said that naked women in magazines was a bad thing. But now-a-days I can hardly remember what the argument was. Women can look at handsome men in films and magazines, and men can look at attractive womenit seems fair.† (Gaunlett, 2008) Another reason argued why women cultivate this identity is it can provide means to increase their economic and social standing; ‘denied access to power and status by legitimate means, they had to resort to using their looks as a means of furthering their aims.’ (Negrin, 2008). This was very true of the playboy era where working class women did not have the same opportunities for advancement as their male counterparts. Conclusion. So who is determining this supposed ideal of the female form? Psychoanalysis tells us we all respond to natural sexual urges and have the need to objectify other beings. Yet today’s men’s magazines were not primarily constructed to satisfy their sexual urges. The content was also put into place long ago, not to objectify women, but to protect masculinity from any suggestion of homosexuality. What better way to diminish these threats than by filling the pages with naked women? The tone of the ‘new generation’ of men’s magazines was constructed around a backlash to feminist principles and the emergence of the ‘sensitive, understanding man’. Again what better way to protect these new threats by objectifying women and distancing themselves to ‘new man’s’ ideals? As gender roles have shifted and the issue of equality is facing us, men do not feel that looking at women is a guilty pleasure, as women do it themselves towards men and are compensated for it by the advancement of their social and economic standing. It can be said that this construction of female identity truly is for masculine’s sake, not necessarily for their consumption and enjoyment, but to protect and cultivate the meaning and existence of masculinity, reminiscing of a time where men were secure in their place in society. Fig. 1. Bibliography. Halberstam, J. (1998) Female masculinity. Durham, N.C. ; London : Duke University Press, 1998.:. Bennett, A. (2005) Culture and everyday life. London: Sage, p.95 116. Berger, J. (1972) Ways of seeing : based on the BBC television series with John Berger / a book made by John Berger [et al.].. London: Penguin. Butler, J. (1999) Gender Trouble; Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. London: Routledge. Forgarty, A. (2011) The Art of being a Well Dressed Wife. 2nd ed. London: VA Publishing. Gauntlett, D. (2008) Media, Gender and Identity: An Introduction.. 2nd ed. Oxon: Routledge. Gill, R. (2007) Gender and The Media. Cambridge: Polity Press. Happysocks.com (2011) Happy Socks / FHM UK  « Happy Socks in the Press. [online] Available at: http://www.happysocks.com/press/?p=2851 [Accessed: 2nd June 2012]. Hill, P. (1997) Lacan for beginners. London : Writers and Readers:. Lakoff, R. and Scherr, . (1984) Face value : the politics of beauty . Boston ; London : Routledge Kegan Paul:. Macdonald, M. (1995) Representing Women:Myths of Femininity in the popular media. London: Edward Arnold, p.192 221. Meyers, D. (2002) Gender in the Mirror. New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.. Negrin, L. (2008) Appearance and identity: Fashioning the body in Postmodernity. Cowden: Palgarve Macmillan, p.33 52. Sturken, M. and Cartwright, L. (2001) Practices of looking: An Introduction to Visual Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press., p.72 108.

Social Relationships Essay Example for Free

Social Relationships Essay The way in which we shop, and the items, products or services we buy reflect a great deal about modern western society. We define ourselves by the job we do, the house we live in, the things we own and the way we look. Since the 1950’s mass consumer societies characterised by bigger credit facilities, more consumer choice and a central role for consumption in every day life have flourished in the western world (Dittmar, 2008). In these societies consumer goods play a strong role: ‘we value and buy them as a means of regulating emotions and gaining social status and as ways of acquiring or expressing identity and aspiring to an ’ideal’ self’ (Dittmar 1992, 2004). It is proposed that the mass society in which we live arose from the ‘disruptive consequences of industrialisation and urbanisation†¦(which) have destabilised and eroded the societies and values which previously held them together’ (Strinati, 2004, p5). This implicates urbanisation in the decline in religion and tightly knit village communities resulting in ‘atomisation’; dissolving peoples relations to one resembling atoms in a chemical compound. This suggests in turn that these people are lacking in ‘meaningful or morally coherent relationships’ (Strinati, 2004, p6). Mass society theory also suggests that there are fewer and fewer institutions which people can turn to so that they can find their identity and morally appropriate values which to live by. The moral benchmarks set up by religion and community have been kicked out from underneath the public by globalisation and technical advances, it is consumerism that has filled the void. Consumerism, like all ideologies, must be internalised to be effective, its values must become that of the individual. One of the many ways in which the ideology of consumerism is internalised is through advertising and exposure to the mass media. Our exposure to mass media has increased dramatically over recent years and starts at a very young age. In her book ‘Born to Buy’ (Schor J 2004), Juliet Schor highlights the deliberate commercialisation of children by the media in order to turn them into materialist and buyer. The purpose of this is two fold, children may either buy the product themselves or ask their parents for it, and will then grow up to be a materialist. Items are advertised as must haves for any cool kid, that those without this product are a loser. Advertisers study children in great depth to see how to make them as susceptible as possible to their adverts; using questionnaires, child psychology, in depth interviews, observational research and even MRI scanning of the brain itself. Adverts aim to sell a specific product, making the child think ‘buying/having this product will make me happy/cool/pretty ect’. If this behaviour becomes normative a born to buy consumer is created. The success of the commercialisation of the youth is staggering: more than half of nine to fourteen year olds in a large study in America agreed that ‘when you grow up, the more money you have, the happier you are’ and over a third ‘really like kids that have very special games or clothes’ (Schor J 2004 p37). For the culture of consumerism to exist, it must be supported by individual human beings who follow the beliefs and practices of that culture. It also follows that in a culture of consumption individuals are exposed to enormous pressure to conform to the beliefs and practices of this culture (Kasser et al 2003). The culture of consumption must therefore be appealing to at least some individuals – it must offer them something. Kasser et al believe that the development of a strong materialistic value orientation (MVO their definition of the culture of consumptions constellation of aims, beliefs, goals and behaviours) arises because ‘experiences that undermine the satisfaction of psychological needs can cause individuals to orient toward materialism as one type of compensatory strategy intended to countermand the distressing effects of feeling of insecurity’ (Kasser et al 2003 pg13). The paper goes on to claim that people develop a strong MVO to ‘compensate for worries and doubts about their self-worth, their ability to cope effectively with challenges, and their safety in a relatively unpredictable world’ (Kasser et al 2003 pg14). This, combined with the mass society theory could indicate that consumerism is a replacement for the security and self-assurance once offered by religion and community, institutions and ideologies that have been eroded by globalisation, scientific and technological advancement and modern political movements. This rise in retail therapy is encouraged by modern institutions that directly benefit rom buying; mugs saying ‘keep calm, go shopping’ objectifies the message the mass media wish to perpetuate. Cultural and historical changes have clearly aided the rise of the culture of consumption. Firstly, greater expendable income brought about by the low cost of keeping oneself and family alive and the minimum wage have allowed even poor families to own flat screen TV’s. Since the industrial revolution, the production line and the division of labour people also have more free time in which to spend money. For women, it is arguable that post feminism has been instrumental in creating the allure of things. Feminist values of equality coupled with post-feminist ideals of claiming power over men through sexuality and looks means it is acceptable for woman to be in a high powered job, have an opinion, rule a household and be a sexual predator but only if she is wearing Gucci shoes and is completely hairless from the temples down. Success for the modern woman goes hand in hand with the ability to shop. It is argued that materialism arises from insecurity; as Kasser et al surmise ‘perhaps materialistic pursuits have been evolutionarily ingrained within humans as a way to feel more secure and safe (e. g. Hungry? Get food. Being attacked? Grab and club)’ (Kasser et al 2003 pg16). This suggests that the allure of things originally arose because we needed the ‘thing’ in question. This is definitely not the case nowadays; the reasons to have things have changed. We buy things to belong, to compete, to show others we are rich or loved, we buy things because they are there or even because a certain celebrity endorsed or owns the product. Shopping has even become a leisure and lifestyle activity where shopping malls become a place for socialising (Underhill 2004). As well as changing the reasons we shop the culture of consumption has also driven changes in the practice of shopping. Films can now be rented or bought from ones TV set, internet ordering and delivery is now a service offered by almost every shop. This feeds the culture of consumption and the power offered by advertising as there is no need to leave the house, an advert can pop up whilst you are checking your emails and a few clicks later an item you had never even heard of before is being delivered to your door the next day. The removal of this physical aspect of shopping makes it ‘very easy to spend a lot†¦(it) detaches you from a sense of actually spending money’ (Dittmar et al 2004 pg429). If we accept that we live in a culture of consumption we must give some thought to the potential risks of such an ideology. Kasser and Ryan (2001) showed that people who rate extrinsic materialistic values as high compared to others such as self-acceptance or community feeling have a lower quality of life. More directly Cohen and Cohen (1996) discovered that adolescents who admire others because of their possessions are at an increased risk for personality disorders. While these harmful effects are possible causes, not results of materialism, it is still very likely to be a link between them. Kasser et al suggest that ‘people experiencing higher levels of insecurity may be more susceptible to the influence of environmental messages concerning the benefits of acquisitiveness, which may in turn make them feel increasingly insecure, and so on in a vicious cycle’ (Kasser et al 2003 pg17). Potential threats of the consumer culture have been highlighted in modern fiction. In the film ‘Fight Club’ a man who is a ‘slave to the IKEA nesting instinct’ (Fight Club 1999) develops insomnia and then multiple personalities which rebel against the consumer society and attempts to bring it to its knees. The converts to this anti-consumer way of thinking are told You are not your job. You are not how much you have in the bank. You are not the contents of your wallet. You are not your fucking Khakis. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world. (Fight Club 1999). The film predicts that when people realise that they have been conned into believing that ‘things’ make them happy and that they would all become rich and famous there will be a uprising against the ideology (Fight Club 1999). There are other, more directly harmful effects of the culture of consumption which are caused by a change in the ‘things’ it is possible to buy. With advancements in cosmetic surgery it has become possible to buy thinness through liposuction, to buy a larger bust and buy fuller lips, it is now becoming inexcusable to be ugly. Levine and Murnen (2009) believe that the mass media is instrumental in driving this process in order to profit from the advertisement potential of making people believe that ‘owning’ the perfect body is ‘a central determinant of ones identity (Levine and Murnen 2009). Aside from the bvious dangers of surgery further risks of eating disorders and low self-esteem are risks inherent in an ideology where the body becomes a modifiable product. This issue is of such concern that in 2000 the British medical association reported that there ‘is a great deal of theorising and media criticism available but far too little systematic research’ (BMA 2000) in regards to the effect of the media on female body image perspectives and a summit in June 2000 the British government confirmed both general concern about self-starvation and the need for more research into the role of the media. This is likely caused or at least aggravated by the idea that buying certain beauty products, diet plans or advice from magazines will help one obtain the ‘ideal body’. High street shops also perpetuate the idea as larger cloth sizes are sectioned off or even in a different shop entirely (for example Evans and Bravissimo). The more ‘fashionable’ the shop the smaller the size available. Shops such as Miss Selfridge have sizes as low as a 4 in their standard adult section but go no higher than a size 16. New clothes are modelled by women no more than a size 4 and size 12 is described as ‘curvy’. This suggests that belonging to the culture of consumption is increasingly requiring a thin and beautiful body. The practice of shopping objectifies many aspects of the culture of consumption in which we live. The Culture of consumption arose with little resistance as it was replacing the supporting institutions of community and religion which had been eroded by the mass society. The changes in shopping behaviour, the reasons why people shop, the things they buy in the culture of consumption are potential cause for concern. Nowadays consumerism has become internalised due to exposure to mass media advertising from an early age. This has created a materialistic society where people believe that objects help them find and define themselves by material things and other people’s perceptions of them. Nowadays people have more expendable income. They no longer buy things in which they need they buy things they want. People buy things to show off. They like and admire people for ‘things’ they own and it is these people who are more at risk of personality disorders (Cohen and Cohen 1996). Shopping nowadays is becoming more and more than simply shopping for physical objects. With the rise in both minor and major cosmetic surgeries more and more people are trying to acquire nonphysical things such as ‘beauty’ or ‘thinness’. People will always want to belong to something, religion, community, a football team or nation. Outsiders on an evolutionary basis did not have the protection of the pack and were more at risk meaning we are evolved to conform. However all ideologies carry risks and global consumerism may not be the worst. Unlike other some other ideologies it does not require the overthrow of governments or the enslaving or murder of people. The security and self-assurance provided by owning things is useful for people in the western world following the rapid collapse of institutional religion and community in the 20th century. There do however need to be checks on the rampant and aggressive push of consumption and the allure of things which we are experiencing nowadays, people need to not be brainwashed into thinking that the ‘things’ are how we define ourselves and make ourselves happy.

Various factors which will affect the grain markets

Various factors which will affect the grain markets Stopford (2009, p.1) says that forecasting is not an impossible task, but successful forecasting calls for a bit of smoke and mirrors. Forecasting is important because it helps the business to prepare for the future. This essay will forecast the grain shipping markets by analysing various factors which will affect the grain markets. This essay will forecast for the next 3 months as current grain crop year finishes in June 2010. The grain trades are unpredictable, with the tonnage requiring shipment hugely dependent on the size of harvests in the producing regions, and in those consuming countries whose imports largely depend on the size of their own crops. It is a trade where the flexibility of sea transport really counts. This essay will look into various supply and demand factors affecting the shipping industry by giving previous statistical data and then analyse and forecast the data for the supply and demand factors. BACKGROUND OF TOPIC The history of grain trade is as old as the birth of civilisation. International shipment of grain was also present during the ancient Greece and roman empires. In the modern days grain trading plays an important role in the global economy and governments have a special claim over the grain. Grain has an economic and political importance and is also one of the major issues while policy making (Atkin, 1995). Grain in essence means wheat, corn (Maize) etc. Soya bean is also considered grain as categorised in International grain code. Soya bean market will not be considered in this essay. Grain is shipped mainly my handy size and panamax size ships, very rarely capsize ships are used. (Atkin, 1995 and Genco Shipping, 2010) There are mainly five big players in the grain industry such as Cargill and they account to almost three-quarters of the world grain shipment (Atkin, 1995). Grain is traditionally exported from America and Argentina while importing nations are Japan, Middle East natio ns. Grain trade routes have changed in recent times because of industrialisation and technology advancement. The changes in trade routes are because of availability of information from leading indicators and traders can forecast the grain production. Some of the key leading indicators are the Baltic dry index which gives the reflection of the freight rates of commodities (Iron ore, coal, grain) that are shipped around the world. Another good indicator for grain is the IGC grain freight index (FAO, 2009). It is similar to BDI but is calculated only for grain cargo. Grain trading information is available on the FAO, Grain council, UNCTAD and USDA websites. Source: Noble group, 2010 FORECASTING AND ANALYSIS OF GRAIN MARKET Forecasting shipping market is concerned with the futures of the markets as a whole. Forecasting looks at the external environment in which a shipping company operates. The main objective is to examine the world grain market and prepare a forecast for the next three months. Overall supply and demand factors statistical analysis will be done and how these factors will affect the freight rate markets will be analysed (Stopford, 1997). Prior to making an analysis it is very important to understand the business cycle of shipping industry. As per Stopford, 1997, p.42 it is a process by which the market co-ordinates supply with changes in demand by means of familiar cycle of booms and slumps. When forecasting the shipping market understanding of business cycle is very important. There are four stages of cycle as shown in the diagram (Stopford, 1997). Traders should understand the stages of shipping cycles and accordingly plan their decisions. Stages in Dry Market cargo cycle Source: Stopford, 1997 Key Indicators Baltic Dry index (BDI) is a key indicator for bulk trade and is an economic indicator for future trades. The business cycle is analysed by using the BDI. BDI shows for all dry bulk cargoes and for all trade routes. Another key indicator is the Grain Freight Index (GFI). It takes into consideration only grain cargoes. It is composed of 15 major grain routes, representing the main grade trade flows. Cape size vessels are not included only handy size and panamax vessels are included in the calculation of GFI. (FAO, 2009) Source: FAO, 2009 CURVE OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND IN TRAMP SHIPPING Shipping industry is a derived demand. There are various factors which affect the shipping markets. The supply demand model explains the various factors which affect the shipping industry. The graph below shows the supply and demand curves in tramp shipping. Demand for shipping grain in short term is in-elastic as grain is a basic necessity. But if the price of shipping increases then in the longer run the importer looks for alternative options (Volk, 2002). Supply is mainly related to number of ships in the market, and available ships for transporting cargo. Normally in liner trade the supply curve starts off with minimum rate and in good market conditions where supply of ships is less than demand the curve rises, but it remains there for a short span (Volk, 2002). Analysis of these supply and demand factors is very essential to understand the shipping market and prepare a forecast. Source: (Volk, 2002). The graph shows the relationship between demand and supply in grain trading. Increase in demand during bad market conditions (D1 to D2) does not have influence on freight rate (P1 and P2) as sufficient tonnage is available. The increase in demand (D3 to D4) leads to a significant rate increase (P3 to P4) (Volk, 2002). ANALYSIS OF DEMAND SIDE FACTORS The world economy The world economy plays a very important role in influencing the ships demand. There is a very close relationship between countries becoming wealthier and increase in demand for grain transport by sea. Hence understanding of the global economy is important to judge the trends in the grain trade. (Stopford, 1997).The world GDP is increasing every year and as per statistics from IMF in 2008 the world GDP increased by 3.0 % and in 2009 it decreased by -0.8%. In the emerging economies like China 8.7% and India 5.6% GDP growth is enormous and the countries are developing fast (IMF, 2010). As can be seen from the diagram below, as the countries develops economically the demand for commodities traded by sea increases. It is a cyclic process where the increase in seaborne trade helps the countries to economic growth and the world markets grow. More over globalisation has also resulted in growth of seaborne trade. (Stopford, 1997). Source: Author generated China and India also have a very high population. The capacity of developing countries especially China and India to consume basic foodstuff such as bread have increased. Hence it has directly affected the global consumption of grain and hence the increase in trade (Atkin, 1995). As countries get wealthier they also tend to change their dietary patterns. The demand for meat is increasing every year. This is directly affecting the coarse grain trade (USDA, 2008). Almost 70% of coarse grain consumption is in the form of animal feed (Atkin, 1995). Seaborne commodity trades Grain accounts to about 7% of the world seaborne trade as per Clarksons (2008 cited in Scott, 2010). Grain trade is driven by production and consumption trends in different areas of the world, by the local weather conditions and crop yields and changing pattern of food consumption. Grain is also used for making bread or pasta or feed to animals to produce meat (ICS, 2004). Grain is grown very widely around the world. In the northern hemisphere there is USA, Canada European union and in the southern hemisphere there is Argentina and Australia. Hence harvests are crops reach seaborne trade throughout the year (Genco Shipping, 2010). Most of the grain grown in China and India is used for local consumption and hence it does not affect the seaborne trade. Countries like USA produce grain for exporting stock up the grain in SILOS which also helps the grain trade to flow throughout the year (Atkin, 1995 and IGC, 2010). Worlds grain trade has increased over the year s, as per current data the trade has increased from 215 million tons in 2005/06 to 239 million tons in 2007/08 (FAO, 2009). Source: Clarkson 2008 cited in Scott 2010. There are seasonal variations due to climatic conditions and difference in productivity of soil (Atkin, 1995). Seaborne grain trade is also affected by natural calamities, earthquakes such as one in Haiti in 2010. Other Factors such as a drought or flood in China may force the country in the one or other year to import grain from the USA (Volk, 2002). Over the years the grain production is associated with instability in production. This is result of extensive spread of high yield seeds and cultivation technology. This has resulted in farmers in different regions are exposed to similar problems like fertilizer prices, crop disease (Atkin, 1995). The seaborne trade of grain also depends upon which part of the world is good harvest of which type and quality of grain (Atkin, 1995). Majority of the produced grain crop is used for domestic consumption as is the case with India and China. Countries such as USA and Australia produce grain only for exporting (Atkin, 1995). As per statistics from IGC total grain production for year 07/08 was 1697 million tons out of which only 239 million tons was traded in the world market (FAO, 2009). Grain statistics is calculated for the crop year starting from June every year. Hence the data available for forecasting will be only till June 2010 because of the harvest season. (Scott, 2010) As grain production depends upon so many factors it is difficult to get an outlook in future because of the current growing season in the northern hemisphere which is influential in forecasting of grain. International grain council publishes its grain forecast only after June every year (Scott, 2010). Average haul Demand for sea transport is directly related to distance over which the cargo is shipped. Sea transport demand is measured in tonne mile. Ton mile = Tonnage of cargo shipped x Average distance over which it is transported Source: UNCTAD, 2009, p.30 As seen from the above table the world seaborne trade for grain in ton-mile has increased over the years from 475 billion ton-mile in 1970 to 2,029 billion ton-mile in 2008. The average haul for grain has increased over the years which are directly affecting the demand for ships (Platou, 2010). Transport of grains and soybeans were also longer in 2009, mainly due to increased Asian sourcing from Atlantic exporters. (Platou, 2010, p.22). Political events and Agricultural policies Political events indirectly affect the demand for transport of grain cargoes. The impacts of wars will affect the trade for a short term. Political embargo such as, The grain embargo, introduced by the United States on the USSR after the invasion of Afghanistan, reduced Russian grain supplies by about six million tonnes in 1979/80. This affected a change in the grain trade as Russia had to buy grain from other nations such as Canada, Australia and EU (Tarrant, 2002). Agricultural policies in countries also affect the world grain market. Policies made directly affect the production of grain and it also protects the farmers from the world market conditions (ATkin,1995). India had imposed a grain export ban because it wanted to use the produced grain for its internal market. India which is the second largest producer of wheat is now planning to lift the ban on exports because this year wheat output is going to be more than required for local consumption. Hence in the interest of the country India will open its grain markets to the world. (Hellenic shipping news, 2010). Key players in grain trade There are five major international grain trading companies. These players account to three-quarters of the grain shipped internationally. Hence these companies have the power to manage the physical flow of grain from farmer to consumer (Atkin, 1995). The shipping part of grain is very complex and is also very risky. Grain is traded extremely widely and hence informational network need to operate on a global scale. The big grain companies have information systems which provide them information from every country. Their agents are located in every significant grain producing, exporting, and importing nation, monitoring the weather, economic trends, crop conditions and political development. Hence the economics of scale deter new entrant from entering into the grain market. Hence these big companies can be influential in affecting the markets (Atkin, 1995). ANALYSIS OF SUPPLY SIDE FACTORS The supply side factors mainly consist of the ships which are available and operating in the market. The supply of ships is mainly controlled by four decision makers, Ship owners, charterers, bankers and various regulatory authorities which make rules. The supply of shipping capacity depends upon the judgment made by these players. To understand this first we will discuss the supply side factors and how they are influence by the freight rates. World fleet Historically grain cargo is carried onboard general cargo ships. By the late 1950s bulk carriers appeared into the shipping market. Eventually there where ships built which could carry grain cargo. These ships construction was such that they had self trimming holds which would make them safer to carry grain in bulk. The use of large bulk carriers was instrumental in growth of bulk trade. For grain transportation handy max and panama ships are normally used, but on some occasions cape size bulk carriers are also used (Stopford, 1997). There has been rapid change in the size of the bulk fleet and with new technology and designs such as self un-loaders coming up investors have to make complex decision when ordering new ships. As can be seen from the table the bulk merchant fleet has grown from 276 m dwt in 2000 to 418 million dwt in 2009 (UNCATAD, 2009). The panamax ships have increased from 65.4 m dwt in 1999 to 121.1 m dwt in 2009 while the handy max market has increased f rom 45.3 m dwt in 1999 to 91.9 m dwt in 2009. (Clarksons, 2010 cited in Scott, 2010) Source: (Lloyds Register Fairplay cited in UNCTAD, 2009) Fleet productivity Fleet productivity is calculated to understand the condition of the current markets. The fleets operating performance changes in response to market conditions such as E.g. If market is favourable then a grain carrier ship after completing its loaded voyage can carry cargo during its return voyages. This will increase the productivity of ships. As can be seen from the graph below the ton-mile per deadweight of the bulk fleet has not changed over the past couple of years. This is mainly because of good market conditions in the last three years. Source: UNCTAD, 2009, p.94 Ship building production New ships added into the fleet plays an important part in the supply and demand markets. This helps to level out the demand or it can also cause oversupply of ships. New ships added into the market do not create a short term effect but it is a long term effect. For ships to be built and to deliver time taken is as much as from 6months to 4years. Hence orders for ships are placed as per the estimate demand for cargo. During the bulk carrier building boom in mid-1980s bulk carriers had developed a dominant role in shipbuilding, which resulted in overproduction and surplus of ships. The dry-bulk market new building market has been comparatively stable as compared to the tanker markets (Stopford, 1997). The graph below shows the delivery of new build ships over the years has increased and was at its peak in 2007 and 2008 when the market was booming. This also shows that investors can be driven by market sentiments and buy ships in the current booming market at sk y high prices and fail to understand that ships will be delivered after 2 to 3 years time. Source: UNCTAD, 2009. Scrapping The fleet size also depends upon scrapping and loss of ships. Scrapping also balances the size of fleet in the market. Scrapping of ships is mainly depended upon the market conditions and also factors such as age, scarp prices, current earnings of ships, and change in regulations (Stopford, 1997). Scrapping of ships is normally a decision made in interest of the business. The futures market is also taken into consideration when making such decision (UNCTAD, 2009). As seen from table below percentage of scrapping of ships was very less in the booming period from year 2005 to 2008 as compared to years 2000 to 2004. This clearly shows that scrapping is mainly decided according to market conditions. Source: UNCTAD, 2009. * Vessels over 10000 dwt Freight rates Freight rates influence the supply of sea transport. The shipping business depends upon freight rates and it is the ultimate market regulator. (Stopford, 1997) In grain trading freight rate plays an important role in the marketing chain of grain market. Grain is a bulky and low value commodity, hence transportation costs account for a substantial part of the price of grain. The ocean freight rates for grain are variable and volatile. They are not co related with the price of grain. This is mainly because grain prices cycles are mainly driven by weather conditions, agricultural policy and general economic development (Atkin, 1995). While freight rates are derived by market conditions, supply and demand factors. One of the main factors of grain market is unlike other cargoes where geographical regions are defined grain imports are done by a range of countries with varying capacity. Hence grain markets are mainly spot charter markets, where freight rates are fixed on spot . Normally in grain trading tramp steamers are hired on a voyage charter basis. Freight rates are determined by the overall balance in supply/demand of vessels and cargo (Atkin, 1995). FORECASTING OF GRAIN TRADE World economy The worlds GDP as per statistics from IMF shows 3.9% increase for the year 2010 (Clarksons, 2010 cited in Scott, 2010). This is more due to the growth in emerging economies which is expected to rise by 6 percent. Advanced economies are expected to rise by 2% in 2010. Due to strength in demand from emerging economies commodity prices are expected to rise a bit (IMF, 2010). Global Population is going to grow at an assumed average of about 1.1 percent per year. Population in developing countries are going to increase more than the population in the developed countries. With fast industrialisation and urbanisation of developing countries and increase in young population in developing countries the demand for grain is going to see and upward trend (ERSUSDA, 2008). Seaborne commodity trade Grain production will be mainly dominated by USA followed by Argentina which is the second largest and then Canada and Australia. The world main grain exporters and importers are shown in the graphs below. Exports of grain will be dominated by USA where as Imports will be mainly from the Asia/Pacific region followed by Latin America Africa and Middle East (Genco Shipping 2010 IGC, 2010). As per International grain council for the crop year 2009/10 wheat and coarse grain trade may fall by 17.6 million tonnes or 7% to 230.8 million tons (Scott, 2010). Source: IGC, 2010 Source: IGC, 2010 Source: IGC, 2010 Wheat and Corn (Maize) are the major grains which are traded in the global market and they account for almost 89% of the world grain trade (IGC, 2010). Wheat and Coarse grain outlook Wheat crop production has touched a record high in Russia, Algeria and Australia. Also world wheat stocks in the five major exporting nations have forecasted an eight year high. As per estimates wheat imports will be reduced due to good harvest in importing countries such as Middle East and North Africa (Scott, 2010). Worlds corn harvest will remain unchanged for the year 2009/10. The projected corn trade for 2009/10 (October-September) is at 84.9 million tons which is lot lower than 2007/08 which is 101 million tons. Imports by Vietnam and China are increased slightly but it is not going to affect much in the world trade (USDA, 2010). The corn trade is going to increase because of more shipments to Canada, Brazil and Syria. Exports from Argentina and Brazil are going to increase due to good harvest. This is going to affect the USA corn exports which will be less this year (IGC, 2010). Moreover USA is using corn for industrial purpose to produce ethanol which will also have an impact on its corn exports (USDA, 2010). Grain imports into Asia (Excluding Japan) are also expected to be slightly lower in 2009/10 by 2%. Pakistans imports may fall by almost 87% as compared to last year due to good domestic harvest (Scott, 2010). European Union imports will also be down by 20% because of good domestic crop availability. Middle East imports are also expected to be lower by almost 19% (Scott, 2010). Japan imports over the years are showing a downward trend which will continue for the remaining part of the year. South Koreas wheat and coarse grain imports may be 9% higher as there is increase in demand for feed grain (Scott, 2010). Overall wheat and coarse grain trading is going to see a decline till the end of June 2010. This effect is mainly because of less demand for wheat in the market. As per Scott (2010) global seaborne trade for grain will pick up from Mid-2010 onwards. Domestic crop in the northern hemisphere is the key influencing factors, because of the current growing season it is very difficult to forecast grain trade after June 2010. Policy effects Due to rising food prices of grain over the years some countries have adopted protective policies to support their local farmers and their consumers. Some exporting countries have made restrictions on export of grain to support their internal market. Argentina, Russia and Kazakhstan have imposed tax on grain especially wheat and corn exports. China went a step further they eliminated the subsidy which was given for grain exports and have levy a tax for grain exports. Argentina and Ukraine have established quantity restrictions on wheat exports. As export countries have taken protective measures to reduce rising grain prices in 2008, importing countries have also taken measures to reduce grain prices. Countries such as Indonesia and Serbia have reduced their import tariffs on wheat imports. This decrease in export quantity by countries and import countries subsidising tax on imports will create a surge in demand in grain market. But rising fuel cost for shipping grain will increase the price of grain (USDA, 2008). World fleet As per Clarksons the worlds fleet is going to increase by 11.4 % in 2010 as compared to the last year. The handy max market is going to increase by 14.2% in 2010 from precious year and the panama market is going to increase by 7.59% in 2010. (Clarksons 2010 cited in Scott, 2010) This is going to create and oversupply of ships in the market. Due to the large number of ships in the new building order books, but low freight rates and demand for ships it is getting increasing difficult to project the growth of fleet ahead (Platou, 2010). Port congestion is not likely to affect the grain market in the current economic conditions. Source: Platou report, 2010 As seen from the graph the oversupply of ships and falling demand is affecting the utilization rate of bulk carriers. As most of the grain trading is done in the spot market the oversupply of ships is going to affect the freight rates (Singh, 2009). The handy size market will not be affected by much because the growth of handy size is limited. The number of Handy size ships built in 2010 will be higher but that is likely to be offset by scrapping of ships (Clarksons 2010 cited in Scott, 2010). Ship Owners are also converting single hull tankers to bulk carriers because of changes in regulations in tanker markets. This is also going to increase number of ships in the market (Scott, 2010). Shipbuilding As per Clarksons new ships joining the world fleet are going to increase the fleet by almost 61.9 million dwt by 2010. This is a very significant rise in deadweight to the world fleet (Clarksons cited in Scott, 2010). The ships whose delivery was delayed in 2009 are also going to hit the shores by 2010. Hence that may also result in rise of tonnage (Fairplay, 2010) As per estimates the new building which has been ordered have to be cut back by 40% so that the supply will balance the demand side by 2012 (Platou, 2010). Scrapping As per Clarksons (2010) cited in Scott (2010) an estimated on 11 million dwt tons of ships will be scrapped in the year 2010. But scrapping of ships is mainly a function of earnings hence it will mostly depend upon the freight rates earned by ships (Platou 2010). In the handy size market in 2009 5.3 million tons was scarped and this trend is going to follow in 2010. (Scott, 2010). CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS The grain trade is going to experience a decline in the crop year 2009/10. This decline is mainly because of good wheat harvest in most parts of the world, coarse grain trade will be following previous trends. In addition to good harvest the surplus of ships in the market is going to lower down the freight prices in the grain spot markers. Rising fuel prices may have an effect on freight rates which may offset the cheap freights offered by ships. In the near future grain trade routes will remain the same. The production of ethanol from corn will affect the grain exports from USA, but good harvest in Argentina and Brazil will nullify the effect. The world wheat production has a current surplus in the market which will lower down the price of wheat. Hence it is likely that in spite of surplus wheat and less demand from importing countries, importing countries may take advantage of low prices and will import more wheat and increase their wheat stock.

A & P - John Updike :: essays research papers

Sammy vs. the Grocery Store In the story, â€Å"A & P†, John Updike differentiates the views of Sammy and the store with many eye-catching techniques. By presenting the store as the antagonist, the reader gains Sammy sense of view about things through his close detail and humor of situations. Well before the dramatic opportunity presents itself for Sammy to quit his job, his narrative voice has established his individualism, imagination and his subversive sense of humor that already set him at odds with his jobs dull routine. The three girls entering the store in bathing suits and â€Å"walking against the usual traffic† coming down the aisle symbolize Sammy’s individualism. Because of the girl’s different appearance from the usual shoppers in A & P, Sammy couldn’t help but stare. This type of dress was not part of the â€Å"A & P policy† especially since â€Å"the women generally put on a shirt or shorts or something before they get out of the car into the street†. An example of Sammy’s imagination is exemplified through his description of the other shoppers in A & P. Sammy refers to the shoppers as â€Å"sheep† twice in the story. Once as he views the customers continuing to push their carts down the aisle only glancing slightly at the girls and continuing to shop. Sammy â€Å"bets you could set off dynamite in an A & P and the people would by large keep reaching and checking oatmeal off their lists and muttering†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The second time is when the girls go to the check out lane and Lengel starts to explain the policy. â€Å"All this while, the customers had been showing up with their carts but, you know sheep, seeing a scene, they had all bunched up on Stokesie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sammy’s narration of the lady at the front counter presents an example of his defiant sense of humor. The phrases â€Å"a witch about fifty† and â€Å"if she’d been born at the right time they would have burned her over in Salem† demonstrates the intolerance Sammy has developed toward the â€Å"A & P policy†. The song Sammy hears by the register as he rings up a purchase represents his oddity from his jobs dull routine. A & P - John Updike :: essays research papers Sammy vs. the Grocery Store In the story, â€Å"A & P†, John Updike differentiates the views of Sammy and the store with many eye-catching techniques. By presenting the store as the antagonist, the reader gains Sammy sense of view about things through his close detail and humor of situations. Well before the dramatic opportunity presents itself for Sammy to quit his job, his narrative voice has established his individualism, imagination and his subversive sense of humor that already set him at odds with his jobs dull routine. The three girls entering the store in bathing suits and â€Å"walking against the usual traffic† coming down the aisle symbolize Sammy’s individualism. Because of the girl’s different appearance from the usual shoppers in A & P, Sammy couldn’t help but stare. This type of dress was not part of the â€Å"A & P policy† especially since â€Å"the women generally put on a shirt or shorts or something before they get out of the car into the street†. An example of Sammy’s imagination is exemplified through his description of the other shoppers in A & P. Sammy refers to the shoppers as â€Å"sheep† twice in the story. Once as he views the customers continuing to push their carts down the aisle only glancing slightly at the girls and continuing to shop. Sammy â€Å"bets you could set off dynamite in an A & P and the people would by large keep reaching and checking oatmeal off their lists and muttering†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The second time is when the girls go to the check out lane and Lengel starts to explain the policy. â€Å"All this while, the customers had been showing up with their carts but, you know sheep, seeing a scene, they had all bunched up on Stokesie†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Sammy’s narration of the lady at the front counter presents an example of his defiant sense of humor. The phrases â€Å"a witch about fifty† and â€Å"if she’d been born at the right time they would have burned her over in Salem† demonstrates the intolerance Sammy has developed toward the â€Å"A & P policy†. The song Sammy hears by the register as he rings up a purchase represents his oddity from his jobs dull routine.

Dostoevsky as Performer Essay -- Russian Literature Christianity Relig

Dostoevsky as Performer Storytelling and reading aloud played a valuable part in young Fyodor's life, influencing his own later successful writing endeavors as well as his performance of literature. His nanny and wet nurse introduced the Dostoevsky children to folklore and lives of the saints through the stories they told. Nanny Alyona Frolovna "told the children stories of ancient Russia, of Saint Sergey of Moscow subduing a bear by the power of his holiness, of heroes and legends and folk tales, Christianity and Russian myth intertwined"; the stories were so vivid and frightening that the children had trouble sleeping (Gunn 10). During the winter their former wet nurses would make a ceremonial visit to the Dostoevsky family, staying two or three days and spending the afternoons telling stories. Such is the power of the spoken word that these women, according to Leonid Grossman, "awakened the boy's interest in the oral poetry of his people and at the same time fostered the development of that beautiful lan guage--freeflowing, emotionally charged, profoundly Russian and memorably expressive--in which, in time, his worldfamous books would be written" (10). Joseph Frank attributes these storytellers' tales of the saints with feeding "Dostoevsky's unshakable conviction that the soul of the Russian peasant was imbued with the Christian ethos of love and selfsacrifice" (1976, 49). The Dostoevsky children were also entertained and educated with oral readings by their parents, especially during the long evenings of the Russian winter. As the family gathered in the parlor, the physician father would read aloud before dinner when he was not occupied with his patients, and the children often went to sleep with the sound of one of th... ...Indianapolis and New York: BobbsMerrill, 1975. Gunn, Judith. Dostoyevsky: Dreamer and Prophet. Oxford: Lion, 1990. Hingley, Ronald. Dostoyevsky; His Life and Work. London: Paul Elek, 1978. Kjetsaa, Geir. Fyodor Dostoyevsky, A Writer's Life. Trans. Siri Hustvedt and David McDuff. New York: Viking, 1987. Levin, Iurii. "Dostoevskii and Shakespeare." Dostoevskii and Britain. Ed. W.J. Leatherbarrow. Oxford and Providence, RI: Berg, 1995. 3981. Magarshack, David. Dostoevsky. New York: Harcourt, Brace, & World, 1963. Miller, Robin Feuer. "Dostoevskii and the Tale of Terror." Dostoevskii and Britain. Ed. W.J. Leatherbarrow. Oxford and Providence, RI: Berg, 1995. 13958. Mochulsky, Konstantin. Dostoevsky; His Life and Work. Trans. Michael A. Minihan. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1967. Seduro, Vladimir. Dostoyevski in Russian Literary Criticism

Assumptions on Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis

Cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis is used to expand and update the information obtained from breakeven analysis. It is necessary to underline that the critical part of the analysis is defined as the point where total costs equal total revenues or, in other words, when fixed and variable costs equal total revenues. Actually, at this point the company is claimed not to experiences losses and gains. This breakeven point is an initial examination and CVP analysis follows it.Cost-volume-profit analysis shares similar important assumptions as breakeven analysis. These assumes are: †¢ The behavior of revenues and costs is claimed to be in linear throughout the relevant activity range. It means that the concept of volume discounts on either sales or purchased materials. †¢ The only factor affecting the costs is considered changes in activities. †¢ Costs are classified as variable and fixed and such classification is precise. †¢ No ending finished goods inventories are obs erved as all produced units are sold.†¢ The sales mix is constant when the company is selling more than one production line and sales mix is defined as the ration of each production line to total sales. One more essential assumption is that in case a unit is produced in a particular year, it should be sold this year as unsold units are distorting the analysis. Unsold products are marked in books and defined as finished goods inventory. Further, such units are re-classified as assets and they are transferred to the next year.However, the risk that these goods won’t be salable the next year because of deterioration and obsolescence is very high. CVP can be also used to develop probability distributions in manufacturing firms and in restaurant industry. CVP analysis is rather simple and it is often used too explore the potential profit and pricing decisions. References Caldwell, Ch. W. , & Welch, J. K. (1989). Applications of Cost-Profit-Volume Analysis in the Governmental Environment. Government Accountants Journal, Summer, 3–8. .

Jones Electrical Essay

As we can see from the figures and the information given in the present case, the company is very profitable due to the ambition and well management done by its owner Mr. Jones. In this regard, we can see in â€Å"Table 2 in the spreadsheet†, that the company is taking advantage of the 2% discount offered by suppliers saving around $75,000. 00 per year. We have to pay especial attention to the agreement reached with the former Co-owner of the company, Mr. Verden. This agreement is affecting the cash flow of the company since the interest expenses raises by around $12,000. 0 more per year, this together the financial interest of the Metropolitan’s Bank loan makes that the company needs a larger amount to finance its debts, that by the way regarding the agreement with Verden should not being paid by the company but by Jones personal income since this agreement was not reached between the company and Verden but between Verden and Jones. Furthermore, we are assuming that the company is paying this agreement since the Metropolitan’s interest rate if not will be of 12,45% per year which it seems to be very high for a bank of this kind. See Table 3 On the other hand, we have see that other and perhaps the most important factor making the company running out of cash is the fact that Jones uses to pay the invoices within 10 days so he can take advantage of the 2% discount instead of waiting the net payment due in 30 days while his accounts receivables are paid in average every 42 days. It is not necessary to explain what paying around hundred suppliers every 10 days represent to cash flows if the company is receiving payments every 42 days, this means that the company pays 4 times at 1 time receiving. This is, for sure, the main reason why the company is losing liquidity and need to borrow money to banks. See Table 5. Furthermore, we can see that the average rotation on accounts payables is 22 days as we can see from Table 10, this breaks the balance between the account receivables and accounts payables, this means that the company need to finance the difference (in this case 20 days approx. ) of working capital and the only way to finance it is through the company’s operations, by shareholders or with external resources which in the present case is through a bank loan. It would be also interesting to see what it the company’s financing policy on accounts receivables, this means what discount the company gives to its buyers and compare it with the discounts it receives from suppliers. Finally in order to overcome this situation the company need to review its financing policy and reduce the finance it gives to its clients so the rotation in accounts receivables period approaches to the rotation on accounts payables and thus correct the difference of approximately 20 days that is making the company look for further financing in external sources. . – Is Jones’s estimated that a $350,000. 00 line of credit is sufficient for 2007 accurate? From my point of view it seems to be accurate for the year of 2007. This answer is based of the calculation on working capital (see Table 8) and even stressing the methods used to calculate it, such as through the net operating working capital, which takes only into account the ways that the company has to generate cash and it most liquid debts, it means inventory, account receivables and account payables, we found that the figures were much better. See Table 11) On the other hand, if we take a look to the liquidity ratio (see Table 9) we found that the company’s ratio is above minimum relation required which is 1:1, this means that the company is producing enough cash to pay its debts. Nevertheless, as we said before, there a disparity in the financing policy of the company regarding the recovery period (account receivables) and the rotation on payables accounts that makes that the company requires external financing despite of having excellent numbers on the paper. Finally, I consider that the new credit line will be enough to pay the former credit with Metropolitan bank and there will still be $100 thousands dollars available that can be used by the company along the year since the restriction imposed by the bank are meet as we can see in Table 4 besides the company will be receiving payments during the year that will allow it to cover its debts and take advantage of the supplier discounts. Nevertheless, I insist in the fact that the company should revise its financing policy and the rotation of account receivables. . – What will happen to Jones’s financing needs beyond 2007? The financial needs of Jones Electrical will increase unless they change their policy on financing buyers while paying faster to their suppliers. This in deed is what is making that the company requires additional founds. On the other hand, the company has been growing constantly. In deed, according to the net income estimation for 2007 (see Table 7) the com pany increases its profits $25 thousand dollars more than the previous year. This is an evidence of how the company is been management and of its willing to grow year after year. Nevertheless, the first quarter of 2007 the working capital only has increased by $7 thousand dollars, which is the difference between the current assets and current liabilities but the importance of this is that according to the rotation on receivables and payable accounts, shown in Table 5 and 10, leads us to the conclusion that the company will have to pay its suppliers twice before it enters a single dime from its buyers. This clearly is the only reason and explanation to the question arose at the beginning of this analysis: â€Å"Why this profitable company needs a bank loan? † and the answer is found in tables 5 and 10, which is traduced into â€Å"an inadequate financing policy regarding receivables and payables accounts†. Finally, as a conclusion we can say that the company will still be needing more and more external resources to finance its buyers purchases due a inadequate financing policy that provoke unbalance in the requirements of working capital.

Destruction of the Old Order in King Lear Act I

In the first act of King Lear Shakespeare turns the order of world of the play upside down. By the end of the first act virtually every character's station in life has been changed significantly. Lear has given away his power, he has destroyed his family by disowning one daughter and angered another, and he has banished his most trusted advisor. When the play begins, Lear is King of England. He has long ruled and apparently has done so competently. He holds all power in England. Although Lear has advisers, notably Kent and Gloucester, it is clear that Lear is in charge and he keeps his own counsel and makes his own decisions. The play opens with his two advisers, the Earls of Kent and Gloucester being surprised that Lear no longer appears to prefer Goneril's husband the Duke of Albany over Regan's husband Duke of Cornwall. â€Å"I thought the King had more affected the Duke of Albany than Cornwall† (I.i.1-2). Due to his failure to keep his advisers involved in the decision making process, he at times makes rash decisions such as the disowning of Cordelia (I.i.113-116), the dividing of his kingdom between Goneril and Regan (I.i.127-138), and the banishing of his best and most loyal advisor Kent (I.i.173-178). By the end of Act I Lear seems impotent. He is no longer the powerful King of England. He is no longer recognized as King. Goneril has instructed her servant Oswald to â€Å"[p]ut on what weary negligence you please† (I.iii.12) toward Lear. When the once powerful Lear asks Oswald â€Å"Who am I, sir?† (I.iv.78) the servant insolently replies â€Å"My lady's father† (I.iv.79) enraging Lear that a servant should treat him not as king, but as the father of the servant's lady. His power, status, and social standing have collapsed. As a father Lear doesn't fare much better than he did as king. At the play's beginning he is an all-powerful patriarch and expects everyone to completely agree with and cater to his every whim. In many ways he is like a spoiled child. He seeks and demands constant, undivided attention. Lear solicits affection from his daughters â€Å"[w]hich of you shall we say doth love us most,† (I.i.51). When the attention is positive and according to his wishes he exhibits an almost childlike happiness. Although it is evident Goneril and Regan are engaging in hyperbole, Lear is pleased and rewards his two elder daughters with one third of England each. When he asks his favorite daughter Cordelia how much she loves him he is disappointed with her answer and throws a tantrum, â€Å"[h]ere I disclaim all my paternal care† (I.i.113). By the end of the first act Lear's demands have not changed. When Goneril argues with him and complains about the behavior of his knights, Lear has another fit of anger and runs away from Goneril to Regan as if he were a schoolboy running away from home. He no longer is the proud father of three daughters, but has banished Cordelia, angered and run away from Goneril, and pins his hopes on his middle daughter Regan. When Act I ends Lear is no longer the center of social attention. When he first appears on stage the stage directions indicate that a flourish is sounded and Lear enters with his three daughters, his two sons-in-law and an unspecified number of attendants. In the final scene his presence is not announced with a flourish. His daughters and sons-in-law are not present. Lear's only attendants are the banished Kent (disguised as Caius) and Lear's jester known only as â€Å"Fool.† Lear is not alone in his foolish behavior toward his children. Gloucester behaves similarly to Lear. He is used to his power and makes rash, unwise decisions. When the play opens Gloucester appears to be somewhat ashamed of his second son, Edmund who is a bastard for he keeps him away from court, â€Å"he hath been out nine years, and away he shall again† (I.i.32-33). Gloucester's older son Edgar is clearly his favorite. Yet he is quick to believe Edmund when Edmund plots against Gloucester. Edgar clearly mirrors Goneril, as Gloucester is quick to believe the false accusations made by Edmund and force Edgar into hiding. Edgar also mirrors Kent in that he returns in Act II dressed as Poor Tom of Bedlam. As Tom Edgar accompanies his father and helps him just as Kent helps Lear. Cordelia's status changes greatly in the first act. Initially she was Lear's favorite daughter. She went from a highly sought after bride-to-be with a large dowry to a woman with no dowry who is refused by the Duke Burgundy and accepted, without dowry by the King of France. When she refuses to kowtow to Lear with false praise her status is destroyed. Although she clear loves her father she is banished and forced to leave England. By the end of Act I Lear is no longer the proud, powerful King of England. By his own hand he has destroyed his kingdom and his family. Shakespeare has stripped Lear of his armor and has exposed Lear with all of his vulnerabilities and foibles. By removing the old order in the first act, Shakespeare provides a vehicle for the readers and members of the audience to explore the real nature of the characters behind the facades each character displays in public life when the play begins. Each of the characters will reveal his or her true nature throughout the remainder of the play. These revelations provide the tension and the interest of King Lear. Works Cited The Tragedy of King Lear. The Riverside Shakespeare. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. 1974. 1255-1295.