Action or Inaction and the Ethics of Choice Essay

One of Peter Singer’s four main principles of ethics is that we are just as responsible for our inactions as we are for our actions. This means that we as human beings have an ethical obligation to act if we witness something wrong happening. Even if we do not see it but we know it is going on, then once we possess that knowledge we have also incurred a moral duty to act. Without this obligation, we become a liability to the community because we are no longer taking responsibility for the well-being of others when it is in our power to do so. Examples of this are easily found in the modern media. The first example of such an understood and implicit responsibility would be in the case of Penn State and their football defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky. Jerry Sandusky committed horrible crimes, molesting and sexually assaulting numerous young boys who were looking to him to help them out of already bad situations at home via his charity, Second Mile. These were at risk youth. The head coach of Penn State’s football team, Joe Paterno, had been alerted to the crimes possibly being committed by his defensive coordinator but he had failed to act or contact law enforcement. The president of the university also was accused of knowing but taking no action. (1) In the eyes of the public, once the criminal trial began to get underway, the head coach and the president were both equally guilty for allowing such atrocities to go on under their noses. To the American people and the plaintiffs, simply saying, â€Å"It wasn’t me that hurt these boys.† was not enough to excuse their inaction. They had failed in their civic duty to protect the community and its children. To fail a society in this manner means you have become a hindrance and a liability to the people who once sustained you. It is no small question to wonder where the line is drawn between an obligation to action and the freedom to do nothing. Not only is it illegal to rob a bank, it is equally illegal to drive the getaway car. True, as a mere driver, you did not in fact steal money or hurt anyone. However, by your own inaction (you did not call the cops, you did not discourage the robbers), you have enabled harm to be brought to others. The consequences then are that had you acted, harm may have been avoided. Just as if you had held the gun yourself, your knowledge means that you acted to hurt someone else even if it was simply by not acting. Many cultures have shame and honor systems which detail explicitly the duties of a citizen to act and the restrictions on actions as well. American law makes very clear pronouncements about guilt by association, being an alibi, being an accomplice, and other specific things required by those who stood by. We as a people do not accept inaction as an excuse to avoid blame. Peter Singer’s specific principle denotes the ability to choose between action and inaction automatically confers upon the decider the weight of their choice. Once you are aware that you have a choice to make, you also should be aware that the choice rightly bears consequences. Surprisingly, many people find this unfair. They do not believe they hold any blame if they choose not to take action. If a woman is raped in a street in broad daylight with fifty witnesses, almost all the witnesses will feel that it was not their problem, not their responsibility to stop it or report it. When confronted later, they will squirm with shame, but as the well-known case of Kitty Genovese (2) proved, they do not honestly feel they did anything wrong. Therefore, the ethical idea of responsibility for both action and inaction is an idea that still needs advocates throughout the world. The social contract that exists between man and his government also extends to man and his fellow man. Works cited: 1.) Simon, M. (2012, November 7). Former Penn State president arraigned in Sandusky scandal – This Just In – CNN.com Blogs. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/07/former-penn-state-president-arraigned-in-sandusky-scandal 2.) Darley, L. (2010, August 19). Bystander Effect: The Case of Kitty Genovese. Retrieved November 8, 2012, from

Philippine Noon Time Shows Essay

For over a decade now, noontime TV shows have captivated the Filipino public, colloquially known asâ€Å"the masa†. These shows run for 2 hours a day, 6 days a week, usually from around 2 to 4 o clock pm. Their immense popularity is shown by the long lines of people that wait outside the studio hours before the program starts. All of them, hoping to get a chance to participate in the festivities which include playing games, singing, and dancing. Millions more watch through their television. All this translates into high TV ratings, eventually generating billions in revenue for the producers and executives. The host himself earns around 1 to 2 million pesos everyday. The audience mostly consists of people from the D and E demographics. Butch Stuart in his article â€Å"Mr Willie† describes them as â€Å"those who come from near or far away, many with borrowed transportation money, coming from all walks of masa life. Some of the groups that he mentioned were featured in these shows include: farmers, fishermen, GROs, bus drivers, people with missing teeth, people with special talents, single mothers, gay, graduates who failed their licensing exams, girls who can dance, boys who can sing, bibingka vendors, and, even, young girls with great looking legs.† Overseas Filipino Workers are also given special mention in the show. Those present in the audience see it as a welcome home celebration, or a way to re-immerse themselves in the Filipino culture. A euphoric upbeat atmosphere underpins the event. Mr Stuart describes it as â€Å"120 minutes of mindless choreographed entertainment – games, dancing, singing and laughter with ample opportunities for ogling†. These events don’t require any complex thinking from the participants. They were designed to be visceral and to conjure a response of raw emotion. Girls in scantily clad outfits are the ones who facilitate the celebration. They serve two purposes in the event. Firstly to captivate and attract through their revealing outfits. But they also carry out logistical tasks like accompanying audience members to the stage and dancing the tunes for everyone to mimic. The host ensures that all elements of the show are put together. To keep everything lively, his dialogue must always be fast paced. At times he gives off the impression of a cheerleader – always rousing the audience into states of excitement. He will always crack jokes left and right, and will never miss any opportunity even it means making fun of himself. For the show to be successful, the host must understand the sensibilities of the majority lower class audience. The interactive environment can only exist if he can connect with the â€Å"masa’s† humor. In Philippine society, no one has been more successful in doing this than Willie Revillame. A household name in television, he has amassed a massive amount of wealth from his noon time shows Wowowee in ABS CBN and later on, Willing willie on TV 5. Noon time shows rely on the D and E classes as their target audience. When criticism is mounted against these shows, producers are quick to respond that these journalists do not understand the plight of the poor. Some argue that these shows give the poor false hope. They line up for months waiting to be called on stage. Waiting to tell their life story. Waiting to play for a million pesos with house and lot. But the reality is that most of those who line up for the show never even make it to the studio. RESEARCH QUESTION: We would like to find out why Filipinos from the class D end E brackets are captivated with these noon time shows. It is the poor’s endorsement that sustains them. Companies who want to reach out to this consumer market donate lump sums of money for their products to be advertised on air. They know that the millions of impoverished families watching these shows will see their products. But the poor do more than just endorse. Often they peg their aspirations and dreams to the show itself. Watch any full show and you are sure to come across someone sobbing on air, talking about how his dream was to meet Willie in person. To answer the question of why the poor are so captivated, we will need to address more specific inquiries. Media for instance, is never a neutral medium. It has the capacity to shape public perception through its different portrayals of reality. After acknowledging that the poor are interested in these shows, we will look into what techniques and strategies these shows use to sustain that interest. It is easy to understand that someone who stumbles across ABSCBN may be mesmerized by the glitz and glamour of the wowowee show girls. But how do the producers maintain that interest for long periods of time when the programs in these shows tend to be repetitive? Further inquiries may also be raised concerning how we perceive and understand poverty as a social ill. Subconsciously or not, these shows frame this issue in a biased way. Critics are quick to pounce on Willie Revillame for taking advantage of the poor. In return, he retaliates by calling them apathetic and claiming that he truly empathizes with them. Both assertions are possibly right. These shows may be both half empty and full. But perhaps a better way to resolve this conflict is to look into the assumptions about poverty that these shows espouse. Even more questions can be raised regarding the link between poverty and gender in Philippine society. We question how structures of patriarchy are reinforced and reflected in the arrangments of these shows. Willie Revillame is notorious for using blatantly sexist language. In one account by Butch Stuart, Willie comments on the obesity of a middle aged woman who came up to hug him by saying, â€Å"Mas masarap yapusin ang mga dalaga†. But the epitome of this sexism is seen in the dancing girls that liven the show. Mr Butch Stuart describes them as if they were tools to tingle one’s sensations: â€Å"Tall, Pretty, Scantily Clad,Jiggling their cleavage breasts, bending, grinding and humping their loins, the tassels and trimmings of their skimpy covers swaying with their dancing, as they blow kisses, seamlessly sequing from program segments to ads, teasing men to the edge of one particular cardinal sin†. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: The group will use Marxist analysis to understand the dynamics that exist between the audience and the TV producers in these noon time shows. The paper on Marxism and method talks about the central scientific goals of Marxist analysis. The first of these is to provide a well founded and logically derived description of the central institutional feature of a market based economic system. The second goal is to historicize and to determine how these features came to exist. The last is to determine the social implications of these arrangments. We like this kind of theoretical framework for its rigid empiricism. Many frameworks start from the universal towards the particular. That is to say they start with an established principle and then go on trying to rationalize the real world to try to fit that picture. In contrast, Marxist analysis begins from the ground up. It first takes a look at what is observable like the relationships of people across the social strata, the relationships of people to capital, or the relationships of people to instiutions which did not exist apriori, but instead have a historical basis to them. After making repeated observations, Marxist analysis will then see if recurring patterns, outcomes, and courses of action exist. Only then will a theory be produced to account for these similarities. The Marxist approach is a scientific one. As Daniel little writes that Marxist analysis explain real world phenomena in terms of underlying causal conditions rather than crude associations among observable va riables. This process of analysis is significant in our research in that it requires us to look at the tangible motivations of those watching these noon time TV shows. It is no mere coincidence or stroke of luck that these shows continue to remain prominent. There are financial incentives that make thousands of people skip their work just to watch them live. There are also practical ways to explain why the poor would rather sing and dance away their problems to the tune of â€Å"boom tarat tarat†. Finally, it is an undeniable fact that the elites- namely the business tycoons, the tv executives, the celebrity personalities and everyone else on the upper echelons of the media industry, continue to benefit from a capitalist system that produces massive amounts of inequality. The mode of production, in this instance the noon time tv shows that generate the income, will cease to exist if there were no poor people to delude. We will also use the Gramscian concept of hegemony to describe the process in which the poor are made to passively accept their positions of status. Hegemony, is the process with which the dominant class projects and reinforces its ideologies through the use of cultural institutions. Chandler states that this represents not only political and economic control, but also the ability of the dominant class to project its own way of seeing the world so that those who are subordinated by it accept it as ‘common sense’ and ‘natural’. Gramsci would find the institution of the family to be repressive. By belonging into the family unit, we are socialized into aspiring for specific life goals. One of this is to be productive citizens ing specialized skill sets that can be used to earn profit. We see this as obvious. However, the fulfillment of this goal ensures the preservation of our inequitable social structure. The family and educational system ensures that when one profit minded factory owner dies, another one takes its place. DEFINITION OF TERMS: Marxism Marxism is defined as the political, economic, and social principles and policies advocated by Marx; especially : a theory and practice of socialism including the labor theory of value, dialectical materialism, the class struggle, and dictatorship of the proletariat until the establishment of a classless society. A body of doctrine developed by Karl Marx and, to a lesser extent, by Friedrich Engels in the mid-19th century. It originally consisted of three related ideas: a philosophical anthropology, a theory of history, and an economic and political program. Rational Choice Theory Rational choice theory is defined as An economic principle that assumes that individuals always make prudent and logical decisions that provide them with the greatest benefit or satisfaction and that are in their highest self-interest. Noon Time Variety Show Variety shows are defined as Theatrical entertainment consisting of successive unrelated acts, such as songs, dances, and comedy skits. In the context of this paper they are performed using the medium of the television. SCOPE AND LIMITATION: Our study will focus solely on Noon time TV programs in the Philippines. Other countries have their own formats for variety shows. These will not be covered by this paper. Our goal is to understand poverty particularly in the Filipino context. Therefore our analysis will focus more on the cultural nuances of Filipino society reflected in local variety shows. We will also not consider other reality TV shows that do not fall under the category of a variety show. That is, an event consisting of successive acts of singing, dancing and, games. The reason for this is that differences in show arrangements will make it difficult to conduct a consistent analytical approach for all reality tv across the board. For instance, Marxists themes of class inequality to an extent are less evident in weight lost shows such as the biggest loser than they are in wowowee. The selection of participants for both these shows are also markedly different making it difficult to conduct a unified analysis of the demographics. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: METHOD AND METHO http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marxism http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/367344/Marxism http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/rational-choice-theory.asp#axzz2JCDDzjcx

he Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Essay

Identity shows a person’s individuality. A person’s individuality can include how they dress, their beliefs, their personality traits, the way they speak, their culture, their education, etc. In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie and in my own life, it is evident that when exploring identity, a character must leave and return to his/her roots before truly understanding him/herself. Arnold finds out who he is by leaving and later coming back to Rowdy. In the last scene, before Arnold and Rowdy played their one-on-one basketball game, Arnold and Rowdy repair their lost friendship. It is then that Arnold thinks, â€Å"I would always love Rowdy. And I would always miss him too. † (230) This quote shows how Arnold realizes that he is different from Rowdy. To begin, he has always valued his friendship with Rowdy and so he says that he â€Å"would always love Rowdy. † Even when Arnold had a disagreement with Rowdy when heading to Reardan for a better education, he still thought of how Rowdy would defend him. However, by the end of the book, Arnold realizes that he will have to â€Å"miss† Rowdy because their dreams make them too different from each other. Therefore, Arnold discovers that his life can still include Rowdy, who has been his friend since the beginning, however, he cannot rely on Rowdy to be with him always. By the end of the book, Arnold has returned to Rowdy as a stronger and independent person. Similarly, I found my true identity after leaving and returning to my family. Growing up, I came from a home that was traditionally Chinese. We did not easily express our emotions, we were not allowed to date until after college, and being successful at school would ultimately bring honor to my family. Though these beliefs were deeply ingrained in everything I did, a rebellious side of me wanted to discover what it meant to be American as well. Why were the other families so expressive and communicative towards each other? What mattered beyond grades and doing well in school? These questions led me to leave my family and head to college eight hours away. There, I met many people who did not come from Chinese families. I noticed that some students were not as disciplined at school because their families did not stress education or some students were a little overly expressive with their feelings, which caused drama among their peers. I began to miss my house where my parents had instilled values towards having a good education and protecting our family’s privacy. When returning home, I was thankful for understanding my parent’s values and their intentions for my future. Arnold truly finds himself when he has accepted his origins and absorbed them into his perspective of himself. His reunion with Rowdy and the reservation show how he came full circle in finding himself. Even though Arnold wanted to both physically and emotionally remove himself from the reservation in order to pursue his dreams, he ultimately realizes that it is only when he acknowledges his heritage that he can move forward into adulthood.

The life of Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503) Research Paper

The life of Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503) - Research Paper Example Nicole in Carcere Where he served until 1471 and became cardinal bishop of portal and dean of Sacred College called Eubel Hierachia College. In 1457, he was the vice chancellor of the roman church. He had passion in card playing, he was self disciplined in eating and drinking and worked professionally in his administrative duties. He acted in evil ways whereby towards 1470, he broke the celibacy rule of roman priesthood when he began a relationship which led to bearing children with a roman lady Vanozza Catanei and fathered four children; Juan, Caesar, Lucrezia, and Jofre (Conte 317) He secured a two-thirds majority vote and was declared as pope in the morning of 14th august 1492, and acquired the name Pope Alexander VI. The election however was questionable but there was no evidence that Borgia had paid anyone for his election. The Romance expressed their acceptance and joy in bonfires, torch light processions, flowers and erecting triumphal arches with extravagant inscriptions. His coronation was then on 26th august. The roman city was said to encounter lawlessness at the time when Pope Alexander VI was appointed. This is well evidenced by the many assassinations that had already taken place. Thus after his appointment and coronation he went ahead to justify his good opinion to the people by putting an end to the lawlessness. He ordered for investigation whereby every culprit behind the assassination was to be hanged and his entire family brought down. He made four districts from the then city and put magistrates in charge of justice and order, further he appointed two days weekly when people would personally present their grievances to him (Gwynne 30). The method was within no time seen as efficient for justice restoration. He then turned to defense where he turned Mausoleum of Adrian into a fortress that would sustain a siege, fortified Torre di Nano thus secured the city from naval attacks. He transformed Leonine city to be the

Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Criminal Justice - Essay Example In the correction, responsibilities of prison are the safekeeping of inmates, maintenance and improving welfare of inmates. Safekeeping requires that inmates are controlled; securely locked away, while giving them some moments for recreation, counseling, and education. Despite welfare efforts, inmates feel dehumanized and suffer condemnation and rejection by society and as a result breed ill feelings. When subjected to solitary confinement, which is one of prison’s recourse, psychological effects results to â€Å"dissatisfactions in life, delusions, panic feelings, claustrophobia, depression and madness†. Imprisonment is a host to other related psychological problems that results to trauma, mental and physical illnesses to some. As of 2006, the Bureau of Justice System estimated that there are about 705,000 jailed persons who are mentally ill, and that its growing number affects the correction policy of the government(Pollard, Anita, n.d.) Inmates receive health care while incarcerated, but the problem begins when they are released. Many of them, after spending years in prison are unemployed, have no means of livelihood, experience difficulties in reintegration to society, and lack health care insurance. As psychological problems become statewide occurrences, and reintegration to society even becomes more difficult upon their release from prison, the government is looking for possibilities that they be covered by Medicaid to access health care. Likewise, as a standard procedure, inmates go into various forms of counseling and physical activities while in prison. As trauma becomes a psychological problem by many of the inmates, researches have been done by medical practitioners on how to address psychological problems of inmates. Trauma, that has been tangled with experiences of mental illness, substance abuse, and behavioral problems often results to psychiatric disorder. (Wallace, B.C and

Population Theories - Case Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Population Theories - Case - Assignment Example According to the article, most sociologists and demographers usually ignore the health records or data, but according to them, such data are usually important (Caldwell and Caldwell, 2006). Nonetheless, population changes and trend are usually affected by political, social, and economic ideologies and different countries usually experience different population changes and trend. The module presents different demographic doctrines and theories that explain two main levels of population theories. The primary concepts floated by these doctrines and theories is that they have biometric and mathematical reflection on changes that take place in biological components of population including fertility, mortality, and distribution that is usually defined by age and sex (Caldwell and Caldwell, 2006). The first doctrine; the Malthusian doctrine, was developed by Thomas Robert Malthus and was later advanced by Marxist perspective. According to the doctrine, rapid population growth is a common element among poor people who used to take children as source of their wealth (Charbit, 2009). Notably, this notion is usually predominant in developing nation. On the other hand, developed nations usually use different strategies to negate this notion thereby defining the changes in population growth rate in the developed nations. Additionally, the Malthu’s concepts also incorporated calculations population changes on the food supply. The concept is optimistic that the high the population the higher the social skill skin since people will tend to specialize and work hard to make a living on the constrained resources. However, with education and empowerment, social understandings have since changes and the number of children never reflect on social scale since in the developed nations wealth flow from parents to children; thus, people may tend to have few or no children and in this case having children is just a means of continuity (Caldwell and

Gun Control and Crime Problem in the US Research Paper

Gun Control and Crime Problem in the US - Research Paper Example Gun control has always been a very debatable and a complex topic, law-abiding citizens are expected to follow the law but these days law has become a donkey on which the rich people ride. In several Asian countries people get away with gun crimes because of their influence and authority, there have been several cases in the US also wherein the guilty have gotten away with heinous crimes. There are many who just cannot handle firearms safely and it is quite obvious that firearms are not meant for those individuals. It is also a fact that firearms can be used for protection and guns can be useful provided they are in the hands of right individuals but it is very difficult to determine who is right and who is not became many a time the so called right people end up doing wrong things. This is exactly why this topic is very debatable and complex. Mental illness is also a very big factor when it comes to gun control, mentally ill people can easily go and purchase guns and run riot in the street, the very same happened in Norway a few months ago, a mentally ill person had easy access to firearms and the same resulted in a massacre. It is extremely important to place restrictions but this is something which is implausible, there are hardly any laws when it comes to purchasing a firearm, yes, one needs a license to obtain it but everyone these days is fully aware of the fact that licenses can easily be obtained by bribing officials and this is especially true in several Asian countries.

Make one up Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Make one up - Essay Example Religion has turned out to be one of the most influential parties in the issue of abortion. The laws of the land cannot also be ignored as they try to harmonize social issues and accommodate or reject abortion. On the same note, the pagans’ say on the matter has as well counted. All these aspects combined make abortion a complex issue across all known divides. The most important aspect in this case, however, is what the Goddess says about abortion. The Goddess holds abortion as one of the many forms of sacrifice. In this case, sacrifice practices are seen as a way of choosing between life and death. Most importantly, sacrifices are important to the Goddess. The more sacrifices humans make to the Goddess, the happier and satisfied she becomes. Those who sacrifice are also viewed as persons who can make essential decisions in life. The Goddess accepts sacrifices of many forms, and those made through abortion are just part of the sacrifice system. Abortion is all about love. Women who engage in abortion make sacrifices to the Goddess. This is a sign of love to the Goddess. On the other hand, women abort for varied reasons, all of which seem to conform to the Goddess’s system of taking sacrifices. In doing so, these women show their love in the death of the fetus. They have predetermined reasons to do so, a phenomenon that is held to be better for the unborn. As a result, abortion in this case becomes a way of expressing love to the unborn by women who abort. While religion would not hold any of the above to be the truth, the religion of the Goddess holds that some religions do not do women any good. This is evidenced by â€Å"the militant wing that identified patriarchal religion as the root of the problem of women subordination† (Stewart 280). The Goddess upholds the freedoms and rights of women, thereby countering the problem of subordination of women that is said to exist in patriarchal religion. Expression of love to

Poverty Across the Globe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Poverty Across the Globe - Essay Example In addition to this, it is also an important goal and issue for several international organizations, such as World Bank and United Nations. Growth in poverty scale can hamper social and economic growth of a country. Therefore, it is important for each and every individual of a country to fight against poverty in order to ensure sustainable growth of the country. This essay will discuss nature, scale and significance of poverty. In addition to this, the essay will try to discuss and assess the policies and practical interventions of two international organizations in the response to poverty. United Nations and CARE International have been considered as two international organizations for the purpose of this essay. Poverty can be considered as greatest scandal of contemporary era. Nature of poverty can be determined through its specific characteristics. Economic aspects of poverty generally focus on the material needs of human beings, such as clothing, shelter, food and safe drinking water. However, the nature of poverty can be divided into six different aspects, such as situational poverty, generational poverty, relative poverty, absolute poverty, ritual poverty and urban poverty. Situational poverty occurs through a sudden loss or crisis. According to several researchers, the effect of this situational poverty is temporary. Typical events or reasons can create situational poverty, such as divorce in a family, serious environmental disasters and severe health issues in a society or community. On the other hand, generational poverty is identified in such families, where two or more previous generations have taken birth with the scale of poverty. It is true that, these families can find it difficult to face this particular situation due to lack of supportive tools and aspects. Absolute poverty generally includes a scarcity of some basic necessities, such as safe and pure running water, food and

Strategy for Sustainability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Strategy for Sustainability - Essay Example Identified Area for Improvement 14 5. Conclusion 16 6. References 17 1. Overview of the Paper and Briefing of the Selected Company The research paper is concerned with the presentation of materialistic evaluation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) of such a company that produces the particular report on the web. The objectives of the research paper will be fulfilled with reference to FirstGroup Plc. FirstGroup Plc is one of the top global operators of the transport services earning revenue of more than 6 billion pounds. The company began its operations in the north eastern part of Scotland twenty years ago. Along the UK and North America, FirstGroup is concerned with providing transport services to around 2.5 billion passengers per year. In these region, the total number of employees of the company stands at 125,000. FirstGroup operates with a collection of around 8,000 buses travelling in above 40 main cities and towns in the UK and North America. In Greyhound UK, the company also operates through the provision of regular services along London, Southampton and Portsmouth. FirstGroup proclaims itself to be the most popular transport service provider operating with complete safety, reliability, innovation and sustainable services. The company also presumes to be providing service with the mode of local approach but its presence can be experienced within the global environment (FirstGroup Plc, 2011). 2. Critical Evaluation of the Content of FirstGroup Plc CSR Report 2011 The contents that are included within the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report of a company are, to a considerable extent, dependent upon the size of the company and also upon the particular sector in which the company operates. These are also dependent upon the legal position of the particular company along with the market position held (Hurst, 2004). Notably, these facts can also be considered as obstacles to the CSR reporting activities executed by organizations (O’Rourke, 2004). It is for this reason that the larger companies operating with at least 250 workers are more likely to be conversant with the concept of CSR than the middle companies with not more than 250 workers (European Working Conditions Observatory, 2009). However, considering several aspects of each and every company, it can be inferred that importantly, the most essential environmental and social issues are definitely required to be included in the CSR reports of the companies (Corporatewatch, 2006). Comparing the completeness of the CSR report of FirstGroup of the year 2011, it is noteworthy to mention that the report is consisted of adequate social and environmental issues. In this section of the research paper, the issues will be critically evaluated in order to measure the effectiveness of the company’s report. The report has been started with the message from the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Tim O’Toole. This is a justifiable beginning because the trustworthy mess age from the most important stakeholder of the company generate creates belief among the other stakeholders. However, messages from other important stakeholders could have also been added for enhancing the value of the Chief Executive’s proclamation. In the following section of the report, a brief introduction to the company has been provided briefing certain fundamental facts like that of revenue, number of employees, company’s spending on goods and services, transporting figures and costs of the employees. It is credible that the company has chosen to highlight these good facts that have strong implication towards

Medieval Torture Devices Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Medieval Torture Devices - Research Paper Example The medieval age, also known as the Dark Age, was the lowest point of European advancement in terms of knowledge, academics, and technology (Wikianswers). It was in this stage in world history, tainted by dominance of the nobles and the medieval Christian churches, that unimaginable and inhuman torture devices were created and utilized by the ones in power. One such device that is very much known to everyone is Flagellation, more commonly referred to as Whipping. Flagellation was a common practice during the medieval times to administer justice in the form of torture to the convicts (D'Silva). It was fast, effective, and painful. It originated and used extensively during the Roman Empire Period, however, it still has gained considerable popularity to punishers during the medieval times (de la Sierra). Jesus Christ himself suffered from Flagellation before he was crucified on the cross. It was said that Christ was pinned to a column or any fixed object (Dewil), most probably for the p urpose of immobilizing him. The type of flagellant would sometimes differ on the crime committed or on the administering people (D'Silva). Often times, whipping does not lead to death. Should the authorities wish to punish the convict more because of added crimes, other forms of lethal punishments are utilized (de la Sierra). Another example would be the Iron Maiden, sometimes called the Virgin of Nuremberg. This type of torture mechanism is made up of a thick casket of iron shaped like sarcophagus with iron spikes protruding in the hallow insides of the device (Cork-Screw.com). Such device does not actually hit any vital organ; the spikes are strategically placed to prolong the pain and suffering. The casket of the Iron Maiden is so thick that neither a sound nor a single speck of light comes in and out of the device, even amidst the howling and shouting of the person inside the device. The casket stands to more or less 7 feet in height and could accommodate a full-grown man inside (de la Sierra). The person inside the Iron Maiden stays hanged right-side up due to the pierced irons on his body. Whenever the doors of the Iron Maiden are open and consequently closed, the iron spikes would pierce the same exact spot, covering the wound it inflicted and inflicting tremendous and unbearable pain, but not death (Cork-Screw.com). Eventually, the person suffering inside would not have much option but to die a painful and slow death. The iron maiden does not quickly kill the victim due to one reason: interrogation (Medieval Torture: Iron Maiden). The device was used to interrogate the victim for days and days until the victim either spills out the information demanded from him or her, or the victim dies. When the time to interrogate the victim comes, the doors will be opened, and subsequently closed afterwards. Once the doors are shut, the victim could hear nor see anything outside, causing sensory deprivation and psychological turmoil (Medieval Torture: Iron Maiden). Europe was not the only one with a period of stagnation, and definitely not the only one

Malaysia’s financial service Essay Example for Free

Malaysia’s financial service Essay 1.0 Introduction Maybank was established in 1960, Maybank has grown into an international brand. Malaysia’s financial services leader with presence in 20 countries operating from 2,200 offices, with a workforce of over 47,000. Corporate responsibility is integral to the way they do their business. For more than 50 years ago, they have believed in an actively practiced ‘Putting People First’. To be Maybank customers, investors, partners, employee or even the community. In 1990, Maybank has set up the Tabung Kebajikan Kumpulan Maybank (TKKM), a trust fund through which Maybank could reach out to various communities to bring about good social. Over the years, TKKM has evolved and grown. Beginning with medical and social welfare, the fund soon found other ways in which it could contribute to positive change by nurturing continuing economic and community development, heritage preservation and environment conservation. In 2010, in conjunction with the group’s 50th anniversary, the Maybank foundation replaced TKKM as a guidance of hope for all those who are isolated and disadvantaged. As Maybank new vehicle for Corporate Responsibility, the Maybank foundation aims to expand their impact across the region, touching lives wherever they are operate, and empowering communities to build a better future both for present and future generations. http://maybankfoundation.com/history.html Maybank Group offers a comprehensive range of products and services that includes commercial banking, investment banking, Islamic banking, offshore banking, leasing and hire purchase, insurance, factoring, trustee services, asset management, stock broking, nominee services, venture capital and Internet banking. 1.1 Introduction Maybank’s mission is to humanize financial services across Asia, by providing access to financial services to the people at fair terms and pricing, and to be always at the heart of the community. Maybank vision is to be the leading financial solutions provider in the target markets and communities they commit to save. http://www.maybank.com/en/about-us/who-we-are/overview.page The target market would be for resident that has identity card of themselves and local, it can be adult, youth and young kids for their saving money. The resident can be a consumers, investors, entrepreneurs, non-profit organizations and corporation any purpose can using the Maybank without worrying. . 2.0 Comparison with others competitors 2.1 SWOT analysis Strength (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })() Strength of Maybank is the leading regional market. It is the largest bank in Malaysia in terms of number of branches where is it was 384 domestic branches and 190 international branches and office of the Maybank. Maybank is the largest listed on the Malaysian stock exchange, Bursa Malaysia, with market capitalization of over RM54 billion as end of March 2011. Capital adequacy, Dividend Yield, Return on Assets and return on Equity are substantially higher than the industry and sector average. A Higher returns is according to its financial report Maybank showed low overhead and cost. Maybank has a customer base of more than 21 million. The user of friendly website, www.maybank2u.com.my is the pioneer for internet banking in Malaysia and easy to be used, it does not wasting people time to go to the bank to make their business. With maybank2u people can do their business smoothly without worrying their busy time. Maybank is the largest Banking Service Provider in Malaysia with their ATM Machines widely available all over Malaysia even the international money transfer service was owned by a Maybank Malaysia, its available through Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and Pakistan. Maybank product line is diversification from loans, financing, deposit, insurance to investment Banks, over 100% increase in Sales Performance at branches increased product penetration in Maybank’s corporate client product portfolio. Weaknesses Weaknesses of Maybank is too much of Banking Operation are focused in and around Malaysia and Singapore, hence limited global penetration and too much revenue comes from retail banking and Islamic Banking, less revenue comes from other offerings. Revenue Concentration with all the good branding, Malaysia is still low of the customer satisfaction rating. They are rated at number of 17out of 17 banks in Malaysia for the customer service in year 2010. Maybaks has no continual evaluation and updating of human resources practice and policies. The workers collateral agreement has been passed due from March 2010. The increase of none Interest expense, Maybank has a reputation for the new product development and creativity. However, they remain vulnerable to the possibility that their innovation may weaken overtime due to homogeneous product service. Maybank has a strong presence in the Malaysia, as they need to look for a portfolio of other countries in order to spread business risk. Mayban k tends to invest in countries which have none stable economic presence such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines. Maybank share price is low than other banks and have to pay a huge amount of money to stakeholder. 2.2 SWOT analysis Opportunity Maybank growing global Islamic Finance Market as a Maybank Islamic Berhad on track to record RM1 billion in pre-tax profit for 2012. The wider regional Islamic Finance Market to Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, China, the Philippines and the Middle East. Maybank were the business expansion that can explore and exploit are sized up and its growth potential assessed in the profile. The strategic Restructuring scout for the potential investments and acquisition targets, with detailed insight into the company’s strategies, financial and operational performance. Maybank high opportunity is to expand into countries like Laos, once the banks gets the license to operate and to grow in investment banking in Hong Kong. Growth in internet banking will increase the customer base. Maybank is exploring the international banking opportunity in Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia to achieve its plan to become Regional Financial services leader in 2015. Threats 2.2 Marketing strategies Marketing strategies is the Maybank employee promotes their product from old product to new product to everyone. Which is they promote at a shopping mall, where a lots of people and easy to get a customer. They promote by using a card or giving a short talk about their product such as in terms of giving loan with smaller interest. There are many types of the product for the Maybank to promote for the customer. Undisputed No. 1 Retail Financial Services Provider in Malaysia In Malaysia, Maybank is aiming to maintain their top ranking, in terms of overall market share, across their core retail financing products including mortgages, automobile financing, credit cards, unit trust financing, and individual deposits. Maybank is intending to reinforce their leadership position in touch points and distribution network as a key community destination and focal point. The Maybank Customer Value Proposition centers on convenience and serving the needs of the community and they are committed to the values of a One Stop Shop, Needs Based Selling and World Class Services. They will leverage on a shared distribution model across all parts of the Group network, and will customize and differentiate their products by segment to meet the needs of their four different types of customers: High Net Worth, Affluent, Mass and SME. The Group will also capitalize on technology and innovation to achieve high performance in processing times and customer service. Leading ASEAN Wholesale Bank and eventually to expand into the Middle East, China and India Maybank is aim to become the leading ASEAN wholesale bank which will involve enhancing to corporate relationship model. Strategic initiatives will include Improving domestic and regional market position for corporate and non-retail deposits; Building a regional investment bank, increasing contributions to revenue from non-domestic markets and increasing the fee to income ratio contribution. Maybank also aim to expand to the Middle East, Chi na and India. Undisputed Insurance and Takaful Leader in Malaysia and Emerging Regional Player Maybank is seek to be the domestic insurance champion and an emerging regional player by 2015 through the growth of their life, general insurance and takaful business, carried under the Etiqa brand. For general insurance and takaful, the Group will keep pace with industry growth while maintaining a healthy portfolio mix and supporting a better combined ratio compared to the market. To achieve organic growth in life or family business, they are aggressively growing the Assets under Management (AUM) of their life or family funds through product innovation. The strategy of the Maybank asset management subsidiary is to build a leading asset management brand by providing strong investment management support for Etiqa funds, wholesale funds and institutional mandates as well as by leveraging on Maybank’s extensive distribution network. Truly regional organization, with ËÅ"40% of pre-tax profit derived from international operations by 2015 Maybank goal is to become a truly re gional organization with approximately 40% of loans and pre-tax profit derived from international operations by 2015. This will be driven by their key markets of Indonesia and Singapore. At the same time, Maybank are developing a presence in the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and China by building scale and scope in these growth markets. Global leader in Islamic Finance Maybank target is to have one third of their domestic financing backed by Islamic financial assets by 2015. To achieve this, Maybank Islamic banking operations will take full advantage of Maybank’s huge domestic branch network as well as its electronic banking platforms and the various distribution outlets of Maybank strategic partners. Maybank also aim to grow their Islamic business in markets like Indonesia and Singapore. Our Islamic banking operations, meanwhile, will focus on delivering innovative and globally accepted products and services that differentiate they Maybank from other Islamic financial institutions. http://www.scribd.com/doc/106370482/Swot-Analysis 2.3 Pricing strategies http://www.onlinebanksguide.com/maybank/loan.html Maybank provides various types of loans to both the personal and business banking customers. The available loans include personal, home, car, ASB and government guarantee loans as well as the Maybank Mikro and Islamic Mikro for a small business enterprises and self-employed individuals. Apart from Malaysia, various types of loans including personal, car, education and home or housing loans are also available in Singapore and consumer loans in Philippines. Maybank Loan ASB Maybank ASB loans or financing are provided for purchasing ASB unit trust. ASB are available in two types namely ASB financing and ASB financing I. Both are offered with a minimum loan amount of RM 10,000 and up to a maximum of RM 400,000. The details of pricing, payment, period and other requirements can be obtained from the website. Maybank Loan Car Maybank car or auto loans are available for purchasing and financing on new or second hand cars. On the other hand, these loans can also be used for financing on reconditioned or modified the motor vehicles. In addition, the Islamic and conventional car loans are available with the margin of finance value up to 90% of the seller’s invoice at the maximum and the maximum repayment period of to nine years. Maybank Loan Home Maybank home loans are provided for buying a new house or financing on various types of properties under construction or completed properties. These loans are available as the following types. * Maxi Home * Maxi Home–i with variable and fixed rate option * Home Equity-i Maybank Loan Rate Maybank loan rates are varied from one type to another and the interest rate also depends on the type of the loan and amount borrowed from the bank. For the home loans, the rates are available in various options including the variable and fixed rate packages. In fact the home loans are offering at the lowest rate of 4.50% for the first 3 years. Maybank Loan Calculator Maybank provides various types of web based calculators to calculate the monthly repayment, maximum repayment amount, maximum financing amount for the home loans and monthly installment for car or auto loans. These calculators are available as home loan, Islamic home loan and hire purchase calculator. 2.4 Product concentration 2.5 Types of short term and long term loan available Business loan http://www.maybank2u.com.my/mbb_info/philippines/public/personalList04.do?channelId=FIN-FinanceprogramId=FIN05-CorporateComLoanchCatId=/mbb/Personal/FIN-Finance Floor Stock Financing A revolving facility providing finance for auto dealers working capital requirements to support purchase of inventory of new vehicles for a short term period Salary Loan Salary deductible loans for any legal purpose granted to qualified employees of companies accredited by the Bank. Revolving Credit Line Loan granted for purpose of working capital, where the amount paid is made continuously available provided it does not exceed the approved credit line. Short Term Loan Term loans are granted for the purposes of project financing, capital assets acquisition, or business expansion 3.0 Conclusion Assignment 2 1.0 Question 1 Calculate the future value of RM1, 000 invested today for three years at 10% (i=0.10) interest rate per annum? Simple interest FV = P (1+ (I x n) ) P = amount borrowed / principal I = interest rate N = number of years FV 1st year = RM1,000 (1+ (0.10 x 1) ) = RM1,000 (1.1) = RM1,100 FV 2nd year = RM1,000 (1+(0.10 x 2) ) = RM1,000 (1.2) = RM1,200 FV 3rd year = RM1, 000 (1+(0.10 x 3) ) = RM1,000 (1.3) = RM1,300 1.1 Question 1 Compound interest FV = P (1+i)n FV 1st year = RM1,000 (1+0.10)1 = RM1,000 (1.1) = RM1 100 FV 2nd year = RM1 100 (1+0.10)2 = RM1 100 (1.21) = RM1 331 FV 3rd year = RM1 331 (1+0.10)3 = RM1 331 (1.331) = RM1 771.561 2.0 Question 2 PV= FV1+in PV = RM100 1(1+0.05)1 + RM100 1(1+0.05)2 + RM1000 1(1+0.05)3 PV = RM100(1.05) + RM100(1.05)2 + RM1100(1.05)3 PV = RM95.24 + RM90.70 + RM950.22 PV = RM1 136.16 3.0 Question 3 Simple interest FV 1st year = RM10 000 (1+ (0.06 x 1) ) = RM10 000 (1.06) = RM10 600 FV 2nd year = RM10 000 (1+(0.06 x 2) ) = RM10 000 (1.12) = RM11 200 FV 3rd year = RM10 000 (1+(0.06 x 3) ) = RM10 000 (1.18) = RM11 800 FV 4th year = RM10 000 (1+(0.06 x 4) ) = RM10 000 (1.24) = RM12 400 FV 5th year = RM10 000 (1+(0.06 x 5) ) = RM10 000 (1.3) = RM13 000 3.1 Question 3 Compound interest FV 1st year = RM10 000 (1+0.06)1 = RM10 000 (1.06) = RM10 600 FV 2nd year = RM10 600 (1+0.06)2 = RM10 600 ( 1.1236) = RM11 910.16 FV 3rd year = RM11 910.16 (1+0.06)3 = RM11 910.16 (1.191016) = RM14 185.19 FV 4th year = RM14 185.19 (1+0.06)4 = RM14 185.19 (1.26247696) = RM17 908.48 FV 5th year = RM17 908.48 (1+0.06)5 = RM17 908.48 (1.338225578) = RM23 965.59 4.0 Question 4 5.0 Question 5

The Challenges And Opportunities For The Pacific Islands Politics Essay

The Challenges And Opportunities For The Pacific Islands Politics Essay When hearing the word Pacific Islands our minds wander off and mirror images of swaying palms, idyllic beaches, tranquil waters, cheap holidays and smiling locals. Beyond these characterisations, the Pacific island region is also known for its immense complexity and intriguing diversity. This is partly symbolised by the areas landmass fragmentation into thousands of scattered islands spread over the South Pacific. In line with this, my essay assesses some challenges to and some opportunities for the Pacific Island states since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Prior to this assessment, a regional profile is presented. Secondly, there is a brief explanation of the Pre- and Post-Cold War Pacific Island history. Thereafter, this essay addresses its core issues through the identification and assessment of some relevant Post-Cold War challenges to and a number of opportunities for the Pacific island region. To conclude I reiterate the essays major points of analysis. Pacific Island states in the post-Cold War World Regional Profile The Pacific Island region, which consists of 14 Island states and 21 political entities, is unique in many ways. Firstly, the South Pacific, which stretches from Australia and Papua New Guinea in the West to South America in the East, makes up one third of the earth. Simultaneously, this massive area is only home to 0.5% of the world population. Secondly, the region shows its uniqueness in a political sense through its distinctive cultures which gravely impact national and regional Pacific politics. This cultural diversity is reflected in the regions 3 main cultural groups: Melanesia in the West, Americanised Micronesia in the North and Polynesia in the South and East. Finally, according to Graham this aid dependent region, is exclusive and unseen due to its vast distance from global metropolitan centres, fragile ecosystems, limited resource base and the cultural clash between traditional lifestyles and the individualistic orientation of cash economies. The Pacific Islands in the pre and post-Cold War era Pre-Cold War era In the early twentieth century, the Pacific Island region entered a new era after its colonisation by the Western Powers. Over the next 50 years, the region, which was subjected to various territorial power shifts and the Japanese Invasion during World War II, remained under control of the Western nations. These latter established the South Pacific Commission, an advisory body on economic and social matters and more importantly a first form of regional cooperation, in 1947. Despite their decolonisation in the 1960s and 1970s, the newly emerged fully independent or self-governing island nations, maintained close connections due to a lack of economic self-sufficiency with their former Western colonisers, in particular Australia, New Zealand and the United States. In the early 1970s, the regional cooperation was further expanded through the establishment of the South Pacific Forum, a 16-member consisting advisory body on political matters. In the same decade and basically throughout the Cold War the aforementioned 3 regional powers used a strategic denial tactic against growing Chinese and Russian regional interests. While those three external regional powers were able to rebuff Soviet and Chinese overtures as well as control the region through the provision of development and financial aid assistance in the 1970s, the Pacific Island nations became more unsettled as a myriad of conflicts emerged in the following decade. Hence, the volatile 1980s, which resulted in increased domestic and regional political instability, were characterised by a series of illustrious events: military coups in Fiji, New Caledonian violence, temporary cession of the NZ-US ANZUS relationship, lawlessness in Papua New Guinea, a civil war on Bougainville and so forth. Post-Cold War era Since the end of the Cold War and the disappearance of the superpower rivalry by around 1990, the Pacific Island region has been confronted with numerous changes. For instance, the collapse of the Soviet Union resulted in an increasingly multi polar world and made international and regional organisations more influential. Furthermore, the economy started to play a pivotal role in international affairs. Contrastingly, the strategic value of the region for superpowers such as the US and the UK dwindled at first. However, after a growing Chinese interest, in particular the United States reviewed its regional strategy and policies. Some of these changes also created tensions and fuelled political instability at times. Corollary, the end of the Cold War also gravely affected the interests of the ANZAC countries. Due to the global emphasis on economic rationalism, the regions largest aid donors were pressured to lessen their unilateral involvement. After signing a number of agreements in t he beginning of the new millennium, the Pacific Island forum leaders implemented The Pacific Plan for strengthening Regional Cooperation and Integration in 2005. Overall, these numerous changes, which not only had a great impact on the region, have resulted in a series of challenges and opportunities for the Pacific Island nations. Challenges Environmental One of the key challenges for the Pacific Island environment is the issue of Climate Change. In an era characterised by increasing sea levels and the warming of the globe, the world was forced to commit itself to sustainable development. In response to the looming scenarios and dire implications of this phenomenon, international and regional organisations have prioritised the Pacific Island situation due to its above average rising sea levels. This latter has placed more stress on systems already under a lot of pressure. For instance, as a result of global warming, in the short term, the pacific islands could become prone to devastating storms. This could then lead to the contamination of the regions drinking water by sea water and ultimately to the inundation of many Pacific Island entities. Being fully aware of this, the South Pacific Forum has lobbied to raise international awareness and has aimed for the implementation of a framework convention on climate change. Unfortunately, a t present the involved small island states have yet to reach a consensus due to a negative cost-benefit analysis. However, unless a large-scale cooperation is established, the further existence of many low-lying islands will indeed be at stake. Another important environmental and economic issue concerns the resource management of Fisheries. In particular the Pacific Island tuna fishery, one of the worlds largest, is of vast importance to the region. Despite the region having a rich and extensive marine life, its lack of funds to develop and protect its 200 mile exclusive economic zones (EEZ) has created a major regional challenge. While having ensured the property rights over its marine resources, due to poor management and lacking funds, the island nations only receive a small proportion of the tuna fishery revenue. Moreover, tuna stocks face depletion due to unregulated fishing and open access. This results from the fact that the commercial fishing industry in the region is in hands of transnational companies and foreign fishing fleets. Therefore, to maintain this major source of income for future generations, it will be vital to safeguard a fairer distribution of the tuna fishery benefits and to prevent the depletion of its marine resources. Some of the other important regional environmental challenges are coastal area management, forestry, biodiversity, unregulated mining and domestic waste and problems of sanitation and water pollution. Political One of the main political challenges is to establish good governance to eliminate or at least minimise internal and external conflicts. Unfortunately, due to its late decolonisation from the Western Powers and its current heavy dependency on foreign aid the regional island states lack political and constitutional tradition. As a result, the Pacific Island region has an abundance of young island states facing internal instability. Furthermore, given the withdrawal of most Great powers from the region, the island states face a tremendous task of dealing with plentiful political challenges: high crime rates, numerous ethnic conflicts, corruption, drug trafficking, border disputes and so forth. Physical/Economic The Pacific Island region has a relatively weak economy. It is generally believed that the areas geographic remoteness, small size and small population base are the main reasons for this feat. Furthermore, its poor transport and communication links, heavy dependence on foreign states and limited resources have further affected the regions low economic growth. This latter has a clear impact on the regions low levels of employment which has led to poverty, social instability and crime. Furthermore, the employment challenge faced by the region is massive due to the rapid population growth in Micronesia and Melanesia. In order to overturn this doom spiral, higher economic growth will need to be created by adequate government spending on healthcare, urban infrastructure, waste management and environmental adaptation systems. Opportunities While the region faces a high number of challenges, one can be optimistic as there are definitely some growth opportunities for the region. One of these is the effect current Chinese investment has on the Pacific Island economy. Ever since the late 1990s Chinas influence in the South Pacific has grown rapidly. Regardless what Chinas motivations are, from the Pacific Island nations point of view any financial assistance can be an opportunity for the region. At present, China has already offered high amounts of financial and development assistance to enhance trade, improving local infrastructure, develop natural resources such as mining and petroleum and so forth. Another regional opportunity for growth lies in the regions tourism industry. Despite its high potential, the regions weak infrastructure, costly transportation, social and political instability, high crime rates and disease risks have slowed down tourism growth. To overcome these obstacles and truly capitalise on this massive opportunity, local governments and regional mechanisms need to address these above mentioned external constraints, develop national tourism policies in terms of its environmental impact, invest in tourism-related training to boost employment and improve marketing and data. Politically, establishing effective political leadership resulting in sustained growth is considered as a regional opportunity. This latter can only be accomplished through reforms. For instance, if one can strengthen the electoral systems and parliaments and involve the civil society in politics it will have a hugely positive effect on the government performance which will reverse the current doom spiral by minimising the numerous challenges the region is currently facing. In conclusion, it is evident from the above analysis of the Pacific Island region that due to slow growth various challenges are looming for the South Pacific nations. While there are a multitude of opportunities and despite foreign financial and developmental aid, without rapid economic growth the island nations will be unable to meet the various regional economic/physical, political and environmental challenges. Besides creating economic growth, it will be vital to manage its resources such as fishery, forestry, mining and tourism. In order to do so, vast and dramatic changes in political governance will be required. It remains to be seen though whether a combination of regional cooperation and local political stability through good governance will result into a major turning point in the Pacific Island history.

History Of Sustainable Development Environmental Sciences Essay

History Of Sustainable Development Environmental Sciences Essay Definitions of SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. Balancing the fulfillment of human needs with the protection of the natural environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but in the indefinite future The integration of environmental, economic and social considerations as the key to ensuring we maintain our quality of life and continue to create jobs, without compromising the integrity of the natural environment or the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. What is sustainable development? It is a system of resources to get human needs while protecting the environment.So the man can have their needs not only present but also future Problems Sustainable Development(As a solution) position for Engineers Conclusions Component of SD Outdoor Space à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Community Green Space Supports Walk able Urbani Water à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Drilled wellsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Dug wellsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rainwater harvesting through a system of cisterns and catchments http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Rain_Water_storage.JPG/220px-Rain_Water_storage.JPG A 35,003 liter rainwater harvesting tank in Kerala Waste executive à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Recycling à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Use of landfill to power sewage treatment plant Building Materialsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ filling: Recycled fiberglass insulation ,Double-paned windows Interior Products à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Energy Star appliances, Compact fluorescent light bulbsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Countertops made of recycled materials: glass, aluminum, paper, etc.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Recycled Sustainable Forms of Energy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Solar energy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Biomass energy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Hydroelectric power à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ wind energy Main targets of SD 1. Education sinking school drop-out rates below 10% 2. Poverty / social omission at least 20 million people in the world are effected due to poverty and social omission 3. Employment 75% of the 20-64 year-olds to be employed 4. RD / modernization 3% of the EUs GDP (public and private combined) to be invested in RD/innovation 5. Climate change / energy greenhouse gas emissions 20% (or even 30%, if the conditions are right) lower than 1990; 20% of energy from renewable; 20% increase in energy efficiency at least 40% of 30-34-year-olds completing third level education 6Aspects of Sustainable Development Social Environmental political economical Cultural 7 Dimensions of Sustainable Development Principles of Sustainable Development Developing Human abilities people are at the core of development initiatives Holistic Science and Appropriate Technology the search for solutions to the complex milieu of development problems has to be undertaken with the perspective that situates specific problems in the larger social and ecological context. Cultural, Moral and Spiritual Sensitivity nurturing the inherent strengths of local and indigenous knowledge, practices and beliefs while respecting the cultural diversity, moral norms and spiritual essence of Filipino society Self-strength of mind Respecting the right and relying on the inherent capacity of the country and its people to decide on the course of their own progress National Sovereignty self-determination at the national level where the norms of society and the specifics of the local ecology inform national governance. Includes human and environmental security as well as achieving and ensuring security and self-reliance in basic staple foods. Gender Sensitivity recognizing the important and complementary roles and the empowerment of both men and women in development Peace, Order and National Unity securing the right of all to a peaceful and secure existence Social Justice, Inter- Intra-Generational and Spatial Equity ensuring social cohesion and harmony through equitable distribution of resources and providing the various sectors of society with equal access to development opportunities and benefits today and in the future Participatory Democracy ensuring the participation and empowerment of all sectors of society in development decision-making and processes and to operationalize inter-sectoral and multi-sectoral consensus Institutional Viability recognizing that sustainable development is a shared, collective and indivisible responsibility which calls for institutional structures that are built around the spirit of solidarity, convergence and partnership between and among different stakeholders. Ecological Soundness recognizing nature as our common heritage and thus respecting the limited carrying capacity and integrity of nature in the development process to ensure the right of present and future generations to this heritage. Biographical Equity and Community-Based Resource Management recognizing that since communities residing within or most proximate to an ecosystem of a bio-geographic region will be the ones to most directly and immediately feel the positive and negative impacts on that ecosystem, they should be given prior claim to the development decisions affecting that ecosystem including management of the resources. Global Cooperation building upon and contributing to the diverse capacities of individual nations Conclusion For the development process of (social,economic and political)in the modern society,sustainable development is more applicable process. R D Planning, design, implementation/manufacturing, operations maintenance HISTORY OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT The first idea about sustainability is emerged during the 1970s and1980s.The topic,How human behavior damage the environment and putting humans at risk is marked first in1972. In 1980 The International Union set the world conservation strategy for the conservation of nature with World Wild life Fund and the UN Environment program,and released the idea of environmental protection in the self interest of the human species In 1987,Brundtland commission released OUR COMMON FUTUTRE,a report that covered the about the environment and poverty in many parts of the world. World attention on sustainability peaked at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development, in Rio de Janeiro. It brought together the heads or senior officials of 179 governments, and included the Earth Summit, the largest-ever meeting of world leaders. Rio produced two international agreements, two statements of principles and a major action agenda on worldwide sustainable development. Sustainable design what is Sustainable design? The attitude of designing physical objectives to build environment and agree to service mainly with social environmental and economic sustainability. Theory The main target of the sustainable design is to remove widely, environmental collisions through skilled sensitive design.Manifestations of sustainable design bond the people with the environment,effecting the environment minimally,by requiring no non renewable resources Beyond the elimination of negative environmental impact, there must be projects that are meaningful innovations that can shift actions. A active balance between economy and society, planned to create long-term contact between user and object/service and lastly to be polite and mindful of the environmental and social differences Sustainable design principles http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/CalifAcadamyOfSciAug28-2008img0640.JPG/290px-CalifAcadamyOfSciAug28-2008img0640.JPG Examples :- The California Academy of Sciences ,San Francisca,california, Its a sustainable building designed by Renzo Piano There are some reasons ,While the practical purpose varies among disciplines, Low-impact materials: choose non-toxic, sustainably produced or recycled materials which require little energy to process Energy efficiency: use built-up processes and produce products which require less energy Quality and durability: longer-lasting and better-functioning goods will have to be replaced less frequently, sinking the impacts of producing replacements Design for reuse and recycling: Products, processes, and systems should be planned for performance in a commercial afterlife. Design Impact Measures for total carbon footprint and life-cycle assessment for any resource used are increasingly required and available. Many are complex, but some give quick and accurate whole-earth estimates of impacts. One measure estimates any spending as consuming an average economic share of global energy use of 8,000  BTU (8,400  kJ) per dollar and producing at the average rate of 0.57  kg of CO2 per dollar (1995 dollars US) from DOE figures. Sustainable Design Standards and project design guides are also increasingly available and are vigorously being developed by a wide array of private organizations and individuals. There is also a large body of new methods emerging from the rapid development of what has become known as sustainability science promoted by a wide variety of educational and governmental institutions. Biomimicry: redesigning industrial systems on biological lines enabling the constant reuse of materials in continuous closed cycles Service substitution: shifting the mode of consumption from personal ownership of products to provision of services which provide similar functions, e.g., from a private automobile to a carsharing service. Such a system promotes minimal resource use per unit of consumption (e.g., per trip driven).[11] Renewability: materials should come from nearby (local or bioregional), sustainably managed renewable sources that can be composted when their usefulness has been exhausted. Robust eco-design: robust design principles are applied to the design of a pollution sources). Applications Applied fields. Sustainable architecture design Sustainable landscape Sustainable graphic design Sustainable agriculture design Urban design Urban planning Engineering Industrial design Interior design Fashion design Human Computer interaction Sustainable design is the most important solution to global environmental damages. increment of human population, continuous development of economic activities decrement and failure of natural resources hurt the ecosystems and loss of biodiversity. The Whole earth effected,increment of goods and services is consistently outpacing gains in efficiency due to the restrictions of sustainable design. As a result, the net effect of sustainable design to date has been to simply improve the efficiency of continuously increasing impacts. The present situation, that targets on the efficiency of delivering services and products is not a solution for this problem. The basic dilemmas contended: the increasing complexity of efficiency improvements; the difficulty of implementing new technologies in societies built around old ones; that physical impacts of delivering goods and services are not localized, but are distributed throughout the economies; and that the scale of resource use is growing and not stabilizing.

Examination of Heathcliffs character in the plot of Wuthering Heights :: English Literature

Examination of Heathcliff's character in the plot of Wuthering Heights WutheringHeights centers around the story of Heathcliff. The first paragraph of the novel provides a vivid physical picture of him, as Lockwood describes how his "black eyes" withdraw suspiciously under his brows at Lockwood's approach. Nelly's story begins with his introduction into the Earnshaw family, his vengeful machinations drive the entire plot, and his death ends the book. The desire to understand him and his motivations keeps us engaged in the novel. His many levels cause us to delve deeper than expected, and the introspection allows us to fully explore not only Heathcliff but also the novel itself. Heathcliff, however, defies being understood, and it is difficult for us to resist seeing what they want or expect to see in him. The novel teases with the possibility that Heathcliff is something other than what he seems; that his cruelty is merely an expression of his frustrated love for Catherine, or that his sinister behaviors serve to conceal the heart of a romantic hero. We expect Heathcliff's character to contain such a hidden virtue because he resembles a hero in a romance novel. Traditionally, romance novel heroes appear dangerous, brooding, and cold at first, only later to emerge as fiercely devoted and loving. However, Heathcliff does not reform, and his malevolence proves so great and long-lasting that it cannot be adequately explained even as a desire for revenge against Hindley, Catherine, Edgar, etc. As he himself points out, his abuse of Isabella is purely sadistic, as he amuses himself by seeing how much abuse she can take and still come cringing back for more. The author does the same thing to the readers to us that Heathcliff does to Isabella, testing to see how many times the reader can be shocked by Heathcliff's gratuitous violence and still, masochistically, insist on seeing him as a romantic hero. Heathcliff drives the plot, as without Heathcliff we would not have any of the problems needed to be dealt with. Heathcliff is connected in some way to almost everyone in this novel, and unfortunately in some way he deals with them negatively. Heathcliff helps to attach all of these stories together, as he is the reason such misfortune happens to everyone and thus he sits at the crux of the basic plot. He remains throughout the novel to be somehow involved in most happenings, whether it is part of the present day with Mr. Lockwood or when Nelly recalls of his doings back in the day when Catherine was still alive.He Considering this historical context, Heathcliff seems to embody the anxieties that the book's upper- and middle-class audience had Examination of Heathcliff's character in the plot of Wuthering Heights :: English Literature Examination of Heathcliff's character in the plot of Wuthering Heights WutheringHeights centers around the story of Heathcliff. The first paragraph of the novel provides a vivid physical picture of him, as Lockwood describes how his "black eyes" withdraw suspiciously under his brows at Lockwood's approach. Nelly's story begins with his introduction into the Earnshaw family, his vengeful machinations drive the entire plot, and his death ends the book. The desire to understand him and his motivations keeps us engaged in the novel. His many levels cause us to delve deeper than expected, and the introspection allows us to fully explore not only Heathcliff but also the novel itself. Heathcliff, however, defies being understood, and it is difficult for us to resist seeing what they want or expect to see in him. The novel teases with the possibility that Heathcliff is something other than what he seems; that his cruelty is merely an expression of his frustrated love for Catherine, or that his sinister behaviors serve to conceal the heart of a romantic hero. We expect Heathcliff's character to contain such a hidden virtue because he resembles a hero in a romance novel. Traditionally, romance novel heroes appear dangerous, brooding, and cold at first, only later to emerge as fiercely devoted and loving. However, Heathcliff does not reform, and his malevolence proves so great and long-lasting that it cannot be adequately explained even as a desire for revenge against Hindley, Catherine, Edgar, etc. As he himself points out, his abuse of Isabella is purely sadistic, as he amuses himself by seeing how much abuse she can take and still come cringing back for more. The author does the same thing to the readers to us that Heathcliff does to Isabella, testing to see how many times the reader can be shocked by Heathcliff's gratuitous violence and still, masochistically, insist on seeing him as a romantic hero. Heathcliff drives the plot, as without Heathcliff we would not have any of the problems needed to be dealt with. Heathcliff is connected in some way to almost everyone in this novel, and unfortunately in some way he deals with them negatively. Heathcliff helps to attach all of these stories together, as he is the reason such misfortune happens to everyone and thus he sits at the crux of the basic plot. He remains throughout the novel to be somehow involved in most happenings, whether it is part of the present day with Mr. Lockwood or when Nelly recalls of his doings back in the day when Catherine was still alive.He Considering this historical context, Heathcliff seems to embody the anxieties that the book's upper- and middle-class audience had

Brutus versus Cassius in Shakespeares Julius Caesar :: essays research papers

Brutus vs. Cassius In the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is the story of Julius Caesar’s death that took place 1500 years ago. Caesar, during the time, was escalading in power and was to become emperor. The public was mostly pleased with having Julius Caesar as their emperor but there were people who were outraged and were determined to stop this from happening. The conspirators, as they were called, were a group made up of senators and men of high status in Rome. The two most important men were Marcus Brutus and Cassius. These two men planned and killed Julius Caesar and later led a civil war against Octavious Caesar, Marc Antony and Marcus Lepidus. Although both Brutus and Cassius had their hearts set on the same goal they show distinct contrast between their traits and their moral fiber. Brutus is a character of fierce loyalty and nobility towards Rome. He is a man honored and admired by everyone. He gets too preoccupied with his political life and doesn’t give enough attention or love to his wife. Brutus is also a man of strong pride and self confidence which led to the fate of this tragic hero. Brutus’ honor is displayed during his speech at Caesar’s funeral, â€Å"Who is here is so rude that would not be a Roman? If any speak, for him I have offended†(3.2.29-32). Although Brutus has strong honor, he is also over confident. This is shown to us when he tries to befriend Antony. â€Å"O Antony, beg not your death of us! Though now we must appear bloody and cruel, as by our hands and this our present act you see we do, yet see you but our hands. And this bleeding business they have done†(3.1.177-181). Brutus is clouded by his exaggerated poise and can not realize that Antony will be livid and will not listen. Brutus could not see the harm being caused, instead he was a man thinking for the good of Rome. Cassius is a character far less great then that of Brutus. Cassius is an envious and corrupt man who is also politically astute and thinks inward instead of out like Brutus. Cassius’ motive for killing Julius Caesar is because he is jealous of Caesar’s political position and for him to obtain more power. Brutus versus Cassius in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar :: essays research papers Brutus vs. Cassius In the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is the story of Julius Caesar’s death that took place 1500 years ago. Caesar, during the time, was escalading in power and was to become emperor. The public was mostly pleased with having Julius Caesar as their emperor but there were people who were outraged and were determined to stop this from happening. The conspirators, as they were called, were a group made up of senators and men of high status in Rome. The two most important men were Marcus Brutus and Cassius. These two men planned and killed Julius Caesar and later led a civil war against Octavious Caesar, Marc Antony and Marcus Lepidus. Although both Brutus and Cassius had their hearts set on the same goal they show distinct contrast between their traits and their moral fiber. Brutus is a character of fierce loyalty and nobility towards Rome. He is a man honored and admired by everyone. He gets too preoccupied with his political life and doesn’t give enough attention or love to his wife. Brutus is also a man of strong pride and self confidence which led to the fate of this tragic hero. Brutus’ honor is displayed during his speech at Caesar’s funeral, â€Å"Who is here is so rude that would not be a Roman? If any speak, for him I have offended†(3.2.29-32). Although Brutus has strong honor, he is also over confident. This is shown to us when he tries to befriend Antony. â€Å"O Antony, beg not your death of us! Though now we must appear bloody and cruel, as by our hands and this our present act you see we do, yet see you but our hands. And this bleeding business they have done†(3.1.177-181). Brutus is clouded by his exaggerated poise and can not realize that Antony will be livid and will not listen. Brutus could not see the harm being caused, instead he was a man thinking for the good of Rome. Cassius is a character far less great then that of Brutus. Cassius is an envious and corrupt man who is also politically astute and thinks inward instead of out like Brutus. Cassius’ motive for killing Julius Caesar is because he is jealous of Caesar’s political position and for him to obtain more power.

Hamlet vs Othello

How the protagonists deal with their difficulties: Hamlet vs Othello In William Shakespeare Hamlet and Othello, the author creates two similar yet vastly different protagonists. The major source of contrast lies within each characters approach to decision making and premeditated action. As David Nichol Smith puts it, Hamlet â€Å"is not a character marked by strength of will or even passion, but by refinement of thought and sentiment. †(Smith 288) This very refinement of thought is what characterizes both Hamlet’s indecision and forces him to act when he renounces indecision. In contrast Everything about Othello’s mind, on the contrary, is direct, healthy, objective; with an openness and docility of childhood he loses himself in external things; his thoughts are occupied with objects, not with themselves and he reproduces in smooth transparent diction the truth as revealed to him from without; his mind, in short is like a clear even mirror which, invisible itself renders back in its exact shape and colour whatever stands before it; so that we get from him not so much his impressions of things as the things themselves that impress him. Hudson 316-317) This child-like and gullible thought process unveils to us the true nature of Othello, the expert at war but the novice at life, who like a mirror believes and acts on the will and impressions of others rather than contemplate both the true reality of things and the people who speak against them. These distinctions allow the reader to see that â€Å"in Hamlet grace and reason are jangles. In Othello t he mildness that complements a soldier’s courage is baffled. †(Howarth 14) Here is the essence in the difference between Hamlet and Othello. Hamlet makes his decision through prolonged self reflection that continues to the point where action is never done in an expedient faction, while Othello makes his decision through the ideas given to him by others which leads to rash, emotionally charged action. These differences in decision making can be seen through the different difficulties that each protagonist faces with their lovers, friends, and antagonist. In both literary works, the protagonist falls in love with the daughters of two politicians. Both fathers have the power to influence the fate of the main characters. Unfortunately, the fathers are very protective of their daughters and also have a formal relationship with the protagonist which causes them to interfere with the young lovers. Upon finding out about his daughter’s relationship with Hamlet, Polonius informs King Claudius in hopes of creating a better position in the court. Hamlet discovers Polonius’ plot to use their relationship as a means to obtain a higher position with the King, thus suspects Ophelia of being untrue in her love and devotion for him therefore ending said relationship. Without knowing so, Polonius has interfered in their relationship. In Othello’s case, Barbantio interferes by warning Othello of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness by foreshadowing, â€Å"Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: She has deceived her father, and may thee. † (Shakespeare 50) Like Polonius, Barbantio has also indirectly interfered with the new lover’s relationship serving as reinforcement to Iago’s later deception. In contrast, the protagonists deal with the fathers in different ways. Hamlet sees Polonius as a selfish and ignoramus, Othello, to a certain extent, respects Barbantio because of his seniority and service to the state. When dealing with Polonius, Hamlet drives a rapier through a curtain and kills the old statesman without remorse. This is one instance when we see Hamlet act uncharacteristically by using force rather than rational thought. In contrast we see Othello have the same change from normal action as he uses calm reason and his words to deal with Barbantio and not his usual rash, emotional, and physical action that characterizes him later in the piece. So in this case we see both protagonists acting differently from both their natural character and from each other. This shows that both characters are capable of acting outside of their perceived personalities to deal with people of seniority that are so close to their lovers and have such a profound effect on their love. Both protagonists have friends whose loyalties are questioned in the plays. For Hamlet, his friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, return from university upon the request of King Claudius. While for Othello, his second in command, and best friend Cassio is accused of infidelity with Desdemona. For both plays, the friends are originally perceived by the protagonist as trustworthy and loyal but the events of the play reveal otherwise. This deception causes the protagonists to question their allegiances. Hamlet maintains his application of trust and thought and reason by keeping his friends in a state of ignorance to his true motives. While Othello, instead, acts rashly, inflamed with the fury of his passion and committed to the death of his once loyal friend. Othello stays true to his character while we see Hamlet’s progressing willingness to violence over rational thought while sentencing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their death. In both cases we see the protagonists unwillingness to commit these acts of violence themselves and feel contempt to delegate these extremely actions to others. Love is a fickle thing. William Shakespeare holds true to this statement in both plays as both protagonists struggle to maintain their relationship with their lovers. Both Hamlet and Othello are considered to be tragic heroes, in which their actions and decisions lead to their eventual downfall. In this case, their decisions have led to the inevitable deaths of both Ophelia and Desdemona. Upon discovering the daunting task of avenging his father, Hamlet has deemed â€Å"the garden of his own life having now become a desert† (Hudson 95) in which he refuses to entangle Ophelia. He had established a trusting relationship with Ophelia up until the point where Polonius intrudes and breaks the final bond between them. Thus, Hamlet distances himself, isolating Ophelia and treating her crudely, as a means to cope with the loss of the love of his life. Hamlet is left to give up Ophelia because he â€Å"sees no escape for himself†(Hudson 95) and thus refuses to place her into the same desert of a life he lives. In a sense, Hamlet treats Ophelia â€Å"rudely and unkindly in order to save her† (Hudson 111). The series of events eventually leads to Ophelia’s delusional perception of reality upon losing Hamlet and her unavoidable death. Othello, on the other hand, takes a more drastic route. After hearing of Cassio and Desdemona’s supposed affair, Othello decides to murder her for her infidelity instead of banisher her like she begged for. After Iago starts to spout lies about the affair, he asks Emilia to steal Desdemona’s scarf and it winds up in Cassio’s hands. Othello, after seeing this â€Å"proof† of infidelity, no longer has any doubts about the affair and Iago’s accusations. Therefore, Othello’s motive is revenge while Hamlet’s motive is protection. While we see the different ways in how each protagonist deals with characters of both minor consequence and characters as significant as lovers, one of the most revealing parts of both works is the protagonist’s dealings with the antagonist. For Hamlet this is the King Claudius and for Othello it is his 2nd man Iago. Hamlet from the beginning of the piece hates Claudius and sees him as his natural enemy because he is his father’s murderer. This has a deep contrast with Othello who from the first instances of the play sees Iago as a trustworthy friend. When dealing with Cladius, Hamlet does one thing throughout the entire piece; he thinks of what to do. For a major portion Hamlet only thinks and reflects on what action to take and takes action only in the instance when he has the players perform the Murder of Gonzago. Showing to a greater extent that Hamlet â€Å"is the prince of philosophical speculators and because he cannot have his revenge perfect, according to the most refined idea his wish can form. He declines it altogether† (Smith 289-91). Othello during the entire play does nothing at all in respect to Iago other than trust him completely. This shows â€Å"Othello’s longing for passivity† which makes him only listen to Iago rather than confront both his wife and his lieutent. (Barthelemy 79-80) Aside from this difference in both the perception of the antagonist by the protagonist along with the type of action taken towards them, both plays are similar in that both Hamlet and Othello reach a turning point in which the way they deal with the difficulties the antagonist represents changes completely. For Hamlet this is the image of the soldiers of Norway going to war that is marked by his soliloquy in which he swears to have bloody thoughts (thoughts of action) or to not think at all. For Othello this is the realization of Iago’s deception when he has killed his wife in his home. Both protagonists take the same action, violence. While with Othello we see the opposite of what may be considered characteristic for a military leader, his nonfatal sounding of Iago shows that he wants him to suffer rather than to die an immediate death, much more thought out then his rash decision to kill his lieutenant. This is where Othello’s tragedy is â€Å"that he was unusually open to deception and, if once wrought to passion, likely to act with little reflection, with no delay, and in the most decisive manner conceivable† (Barthelemy 25), such as the murder of his wife. Hamlet also makes an uncharacteristic decision in the final part of the play. Hamlet grabs his sword and he drives it through Claudius as his last action before the poison in him takes his life. So in both plays the protagonist deal with the antagonist in the same way, with the use of violence. In conclusion, we see in either character the image of ourselves that helps us to understand better the ways in which each character deals with the difficulties set before him. In Othello, we see the general who is deceived coming to the realization of a betrayal that has taken what he loves the most from him. Here the reader can understand both the feeling of betrayal and loss that make Othello’s final action much more understandable and allows the reader to make their final opinions of the tragic fall of the Moor, an ending as dark as his flesh. With Hamlet, we see loss in a larger sense without the realization of betrayal, something known from the beginning of the piece. Hamlet not only loses his life or just as single betrayal but what comprises of his entire world comes to an end. In Hamlet, the reader sees the death of logic and reason that makes way for the primal action of violence that adds to a deeper meaning towards his change of character. Hamlet vs Othello How the protagonists deal with their difficulties: Hamlet vs Othello In William Shakespeare Hamlet and Othello, the author creates two similar yet vastly different protagonists. The major source of contrast lies within each characters approach to decision making and premeditated action. As David Nichol Smith puts it, Hamlet â€Å"is not a character marked by strength of will or even passion, but by refinement of thought and sentiment. †(Smith 288) This very refinement of thought is what characterizes both Hamlet’s indecision and forces him to act when he renounces indecision. In contrast Everything about Othello’s mind, on the contrary, is direct, healthy, objective; with an openness and docility of childhood he loses himself in external things; his thoughts are occupied with objects, not with themselves and he reproduces in smooth transparent diction the truth as revealed to him from without; his mind, in short is like a clear even mirror which, invisible itself renders back in its exact shape and colour whatever stands before it; so that we get from him not so much his impressions of things as the things themselves that impress him. Hudson 316-317) This child-like and gullible thought process unveils to us the true nature of Othello, the expert at war but the novice at life, who like a mirror believes and acts on the will and impressions of others rather than contemplate both the true reality of things and the people who speak against them. These distinctions allow the reader to see that â€Å"in Hamlet grace and reason are jangles. In Othello t he mildness that complements a soldier’s courage is baffled. †(Howarth 14) Here is the essence in the difference between Hamlet and Othello. Hamlet makes his decision through prolonged self reflection that continues to the point where action is never done in an expedient faction, while Othello makes his decision through the ideas given to him by others which leads to rash, emotionally charged action. These differences in decision making can be seen through the different difficulties that each protagonist faces with their lovers, friends, and antagonist. In both literary works, the protagonist falls in love with the daughters of two politicians. Both fathers have the power to influence the fate of the main characters. Unfortunately, the fathers are very protective of their daughters and also have a formal relationship with the protagonist which causes them to interfere with the young lovers. Upon finding out about his daughter’s relationship with Hamlet, Polonius informs King Claudius in hopes of creating a better position in the court. Hamlet discovers Polonius’ plot to use their relationship as a means to obtain a higher position with the King, thus suspects Ophelia of being untrue in her love and devotion for him therefore ending said relationship. Without knowing so, Polonius has interfered in their relationship. In Othello’s case, Barbantio interferes by warning Othello of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness by foreshadowing, â€Å"Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see: She has deceived her father, and may thee. † (Shakespeare 50) Like Polonius, Barbantio has also indirectly interfered with the new lover’s relationship serving as reinforcement to Iago’s later deception. In contrast, the protagonists deal with the fathers in different ways. Hamlet sees Polonius as a selfish and ignoramus, Othello, to a certain extent, respects Barbantio because of his seniority and service to the state. When dealing with Polonius, Hamlet drives a rapier through a curtain and kills the old statesman without remorse. This is one instance when we see Hamlet act uncharacteristically by using force rather than rational thought. In contrast we see Othello have the same change from normal action as he uses calm reason and his words to deal with Barbantio and not his usual rash, emotional, and physical action that characterizes him later in the piece. So in this case we see both protagonists acting differently from both their natural character and from each other. This shows that both characters are capable of acting outside of their perceived personalities to deal with people of seniority that are so close to their lovers and have such a profound effect on their love. Both protagonists have friends whose loyalties are questioned in the plays. For Hamlet, his friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, return from university upon the request of King Claudius. While for Othello, his second in command, and best friend Cassio is accused of infidelity with Desdemona. For both plays, the friends are originally perceived by the protagonist as trustworthy and loyal but the events of the play reveal otherwise. This deception causes the protagonists to question their allegiances. Hamlet maintains his application of trust and thought and reason by keeping his friends in a state of ignorance to his true motives. While Othello, instead, acts rashly, inflamed with the fury of his passion and committed to the death of his once loyal friend. Othello stays true to his character while we see Hamlet’s progressing willingness to violence over rational thought while sentencing Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their death. In both cases we see the protagonists unwillingness to commit these acts of violence themselves and feel contempt to delegate these extremely actions to others. Love is a fickle thing. William Shakespeare holds true to this statement in both plays as both protagonists struggle to maintain their relationship with their lovers. Both Hamlet and Othello are considered to be tragic heroes, in which their actions and decisions lead to their eventual downfall. In this case, their decisions have led to the inevitable deaths of both Ophelia and Desdemona. Upon discovering the daunting task of avenging his father, Hamlet has deemed â€Å"the garden of his own life having now become a desert† (Hudson 95) in which he refuses to entangle Ophelia. He had established a trusting relationship with Ophelia up until the point where Polonius intrudes and breaks the final bond between them. Thus, Hamlet distances himself, isolating Ophelia and treating her crudely, as a means to cope with the loss of the love of his life. Hamlet is left to give up Ophelia because he â€Å"sees no escape for himself†(Hudson 95) and thus refuses to place her into the same desert of a life he lives. In a sense, Hamlet treats Ophelia â€Å"rudely and unkindly in order to save her† (Hudson 111). The series of events eventually leads to Ophelia’s delusional perception of reality upon losing Hamlet and her unavoidable death. Othello, on the other hand, takes a more drastic route. After hearing of Cassio and Desdemona’s supposed affair, Othello decides to murder her for her infidelity instead of banisher her like she begged for. After Iago starts to spout lies about the affair, he asks Emilia to steal Desdemona’s scarf and it winds up in Cassio’s hands. Othello, after seeing this â€Å"proof† of infidelity, no longer has any doubts about the affair and Iago’s accusations. Therefore, Othello’s motive is revenge while Hamlet’s motive is protection. While we see the different ways in how each protagonist deals with characters of both minor consequence and characters as significant as lovers, one of the most revealing parts of both works is the protagonist’s dealings with the antagonist. For Hamlet this is the King Claudius and for Othello it is his 2nd man Iago. Hamlet from the beginning of the piece hates Claudius and sees him as his natural enemy because he is his father’s murderer. This has a deep contrast with Othello who from the first instances of the play sees Iago as a trustworthy friend. When dealing with Cladius, Hamlet does one thing throughout the entire piece; he thinks of what to do. For a major portion Hamlet only thinks and reflects on what action to take and takes action only in the instance when he has the players perform the Murder of Gonzago. Showing to a greater extent that Hamlet â€Å"is the prince of philosophical speculators and because he cannot have his revenge perfect, according to the most refined idea his wish can form. He declines it altogether† (Smith 289-91). Othello during the entire play does nothing at all in respect to Iago other than trust him completely. This shows â€Å"Othello’s longing for passivity† which makes him only listen to Iago rather than confront both his wife and his lieutent. (Barthelemy 79-80) Aside from this difference in both the perception of the antagonist by the protagonist along with the type of action taken towards them, both plays are similar in that both Hamlet and Othello reach a turning point in which the way they deal with the difficulties the antagonist represents changes completely. For Hamlet this is the image of the soldiers of Norway going to war that is marked by his soliloquy in which he swears to have bloody thoughts (thoughts of action) or to not think at all. For Othello this is the realization of Iago’s deception when he has killed his wife in his home. Both protagonists take the same action, violence. While with Othello we see the opposite of what may be considered characteristic for a military leader, his nonfatal sounding of Iago shows that he wants him to suffer rather than to die an immediate death, much more thought out then his rash decision to kill his lieutenant. This is where Othello’s tragedy is â€Å"that he was unusually open to deception and, if once wrought to passion, likely to act with little reflection, with no delay, and in the most decisive manner conceivable† (Barthelemy 25), such as the murder of his wife. Hamlet also makes an uncharacteristic decision in the final part of the play. Hamlet grabs his sword and he drives it through Claudius as his last action before the poison in him takes his life. So in both plays the protagonist deal with the antagonist in the same way, with the use of violence. In conclusion, we see in either character the image of ourselves that helps us to understand better the ways in which each character deals with the difficulties set before him. In Othello, we see the general who is deceived coming to the realization of a betrayal that has taken what he loves the most from him. Here the reader can understand both the feeling of betrayal and loss that make Othello’s final action much more understandable and allows the reader to make their final opinions of the tragic fall of the Moor, an ending as dark as his flesh. With Hamlet, we see loss in a larger sense without the realization of betrayal, something known from the beginning of the piece. Hamlet not only loses his life or just as single betrayal but what comprises of his entire world comes to an end. In Hamlet, the reader sees the death of logic and reason that makes way for the primal action of violence that adds to a deeper meaning towards his change of character.