Study of Brand Loyalty Towards the Organized Retail Stores

Insights into Indian English Fiction and Drama Edited by Capt. Dr. Arvind M. Nawale Access -An Academic Consortium Publication ISBN No. 978-81-921254-3-5 Aspects of Campus Novel in Makarand Paranjape’s The Narrator: A Novel Shridevi P. G. The Narrator: A Novel is the well-known critic Makarand Paranjape’s debut novel, published in 1995. It is a mishmash of several stories woven together and presented to us from view-points of several writer-narrators or character- narrators.This novel has attracted considerable interest in the academicians because of the unique narratology of the novel which is different from the rest of the Indian novels written in English. The novel is experimental, and breaks away from the conventional methods of story-telling used in Indian English Fiction. Throughout the narrative, the readers notice that there is little attempt to create an illusion of realism or naturalism. 1 With the use of multivoiced and polyphonic narration, as in the great e pics Ramayana and Mahabharata, the writer tries to relocate himself with the ancient Indian tradition of the narratology. The story of the novel can be divided into three main threads: The first is the story of Rahul Patwardhan, lecturer in English at Asafia University, Hyderabad who is suffering from creative schizophrenia since his childhood and, in the process has a libidinal alter ego, Baddy. The second is the story of Badrinath Dhanda, who comes out of Rahul through emanation. The final thread is that of the movie script, Manpasand. Campus novel is a kind of novel which originated in the West but is emerging as a very prominent sub-genre in Indian English Fiction.As David Lodge, a well-known practitioner of this sub-genre opines, Campus Novel is mainly concerned with the lives of University professors and junior teachers. 3 The present paper attempts to explore the aspects of campus novel in this novel. The novel centers around Rahul Patwardhan who is a lecturer in English at t he Asafia University, Hyderabad. His reputation as a lecturer is displayed when he meets his Head of the Department in the novel. The Head of the Department does not doubt him when he lies; asking for leave for four days on the pretext of illness and reading accepts it.This is because, this type of aberration was a recent development in Rahul’s character, and is therefore unknown to the Head of Department. The author presents the characteristics of a good lecturer through Rahul Patwardhan’s character. He is responsible about his duties as a lecturer: †¦. tomorrow was Monday. I had to teach. It was the beginning of a new week. I couldn’t afford to have a very late night today. But meeting him tomorrow would screw up Tuesday’s schedule. [TNAN 67] His anxiety to complete the syllabus is also depicted in the novel.He abstains from listening to the gory details of incest when Badrinath is narrating his story. When Badri goes on describing how the ugly wom en are better partners then the beautiful ones, Rahul is unable to contribute his view as he is a loyal husband to Neha and thus had slept only with her. It is the curiosity generated in him by his literary sensibility or on humanitarian inclination that he expresses his wish of meeting prostitutes. He thinks, What were these women like? What did they feel? What was the meaning of their lives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦I was interested in getting to see them at close quarters.I told myself I didn’t want the sex, but only the experience of meeting a prostitute, of talking to her, getting to know her. [ TNAN 168] Rahul immediately revolts at Badri’s mention of co-habition with college girls. â€Å"For heaven’s sake, Badri, I teach them myself†. â€Å"You never know†, he continued, â€Å"you may even meet one of your students! † â€Å"Please, Badri, stop it†. [TNAN 168] This conversation indicates Rahul’s strong professional ethics. He h as also followed certain principles in life which are unfortunately jettisoned after his acquaintance with Badri.He leaves a lot of food on his table, much against his principle of not wasting food He starts lying and finds people believing it easily He consumes beer He cohabits with a prostitute. This shows that he had been morally corrupted to a certain extent. This task of corrupting Rahul had been attempted several times by Baddy but all of them had been found fruitless. But years later Badri proves successful in this. The Novel sketches Rahul’s academic progress and his strict regimen for his Ph. D. , degree quite conspicuously. He would religiously enter the library every morning and work till the evening, often skipping his lunch.Sometimes, I wondered if I would ever get out of the library alive. I mean, I was losing all sense of time. I thought to myself that one day they would find my bones in the musty corridors, resting somewhere among the shelves full of books. [T NAN 75] He describes his guide as a ‘cool guy’ whose motto was â€Å"Do what you like, but show me the final draft within five years†. [TNAN 75] The under note of sarcasm does not go unnoticed in this line which highlights the negligence or failure of some guides to train their research scholars. The procedure of Ph. D. degree is also briefly explained.He says, â€Å"My five years in Hyderabad passed. I submitted my thesis in October 1986; the viva was held next year in April†. [TNAN 75] The whole description of this kind reminds one of Saros Cowasjee’s novel Goodbye to Elsa where similar kind of description of the research methodology is found. Rahul also writes an introductory guide to fiction entitled â€Å"Indian English Fiction – Theory and Practice† the first 500 copies of which are sold out in six months and it then goes into second edition. The relation between colleagues also forms an important aspect of the campus.Here this i s displayed through Rahul’s relationship with Raghavan. Their addressing each other with abusive words indicates their intimacy. Both were doing doctoral research. Though Rahul is younger of the two, he had got the job before Raghavan and thus was technically senior to him and which made Raghavan grumble. â€Å"We were, in a sense, rivals, but had never stopped being friends†. [TNAN 148] One interesting point found here is the absence of professional jealousy which is very common among colleagues and which is found in most of the campus novels like M.K. Naik’s Corridors of Knowledge, Ranga Rao’s The Drunk Tantra, Rita Joshi’s The Awakening –A Novella in Rhyme. Students are the inevitable and the most significant aspect of campus novels. Even in this novel, the behavior and misadventures of students are pictured in an amiable way. Rahul presents two sets of students – his classmates when he was studying and his students, after he becom es a lecturer. Rahul joins Tambaram College, which had a history of 150 years but had become a semiwild campus with the kind of behavior of the students.Music and drugs were the two things which dominated the college. â€Å"Bunking classes, acting wild, breaking rules, and doing the unconventional thing were considered hip. There was nothing worse than being a good boy; it was the most despicable way to live†. [ TNAN 55-56] The students think of themselves as the lost generation, India’s equivalent of the hippies. The senior students spent most of their time smoking and listening to music. The mention of a ‘drunken brawl’ among students is made in such a way that it is not very uncommon in colleges. In one such quarrel a student was stabbed.An instance of suicide committed by a student is also pictured. He had consumed downers and jumped off the top floor of the International Students’ Hostel because he had stolen a large sum of money from one of hi s friends and had blown it all on drugs. With these instances the novelist seems to be indicating the lack of discipline and control among the students. The novelist then describes the drinking bouts of the students and the way they acquired booze. The first of the two ways of getting booze was through someone in the Air Force Station which was quite near the college.When this became much difficult by the Commanding Officer’s instructions, the students were left with the second and the more strenuous way. The students would travel five long hours to Pondicherry and would lounge about the beaches the whole day, drinking and chattering continuously on all sorts of topics. They would then take the night bus back with one or two bottles of rum with them. They would try to trick the cops by using a very cheap bag and keeping it away from themselves. So that even in a surprise check they wouldn’t get caught.And if by chance they get caught redhanded, they would simply give i t away to the cop so that he would let them go. The students did not even hesitate to start ‘visiting’- a word used by the author for visiting a prostitute. And they were available right outside the college gates after dark. About affairs, the writer says that only rich guys could afford them by giving expensive gifts to the ‘chicks’ from the women’s college. Love affairs are an indispensable aspect of the campus and so forms one of the aspects of campus novel. But most of the campus novels exhibit a very frank treatment of sex. few examples are- Saros Cowasjee’s Goodbye to Elsa, K. M. Trishanku’s Onion Peel, Rani Dharker’s The Virgin Syndrome, etc. The Narrator also depicts sex quite freely. The novel abounds in extramarital relationships, child abuse, incest, sodomy, mental adultery, voluptuousness and pure love. Rahul’s students are brought in only in one scene but this one episode reveals a lot about the students of th e present generation. When Rahul enters 15 minutes late to the class, giving the reason that he had a late night, some students titter taking his words as an indication of a private encounter.Many students had left for coffee not to return to the class. Their lack of patience and audacity is expressed in the words-â€Å"Oh Sir, they went of for coffee when you didn’t show up until ten-fifteen†. [TNAN 96] and today’s teachers also seem to accept this kind of behavior. The novel can also be considered Crit-Fiction. â€Å"Crit-Fiction† is a kind of novel which is written by a lecturer or a professor. In the recent years many professors have started writing novels. A few examples of such Indian writers are Manju Kapoor, M. K. Naik, Amitav Ghosh, Anita Desai, Meena Alexander and others.As Elaine Showalter puts it, the novelist before writing his novel should create or imagine a world which has some kind of logical relation to the real world, within which he ca n explore the themes that interest him through the narrative. The university or college provides such a world ready-made – a small world which is a kind of microcosm of the larger world. An author’s writing will be realistic if it is inspired by his experience. The author Makarand Paranjape has been able to write about the campus so lucidly because he was a professor and has the first-hand information about the aspects of campus.It is quite interesting that in the novel The Narrator, the protagonist, Rahul Patwardhan is also a lecturer and he too is a writer. Finally one cannot afford to overlook the very unique and exalting theme of the novel which is the difficulty of writing a work of art. Rahul had such an extensive knowledge about the narratology or the art of the narrative, that he had become an inhibiting influence on Baddy, the other half of his split personality, as he shot down Baddy’s attempts of writing narratives. I knew too bloody much about the th eory to let even my imagination do the actual writing. TNAN 75] He discusses his difficulty with Dr. Jenny O’Sullivan, a visiting British Council scholar, who had come to visit Hyderabad, researching on a book to be set in India. I am too critical; I cannot get to put pen to paper without scratching out what I’ve written. [TNAN 258] By O’Sullivan’s suggestion, he finds out the solution: Every attempt at creation is founded upon a similar act of deconstruction. Writing, thus, is a cruel activity. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Before one writes one had to give birth to a writing self.This is the self which will then invent characters, situations, and themes. [ TNAN 269] The novel The Narrator: A Novel has many aspects of campus novel in it like the kind of life lead by a lecturer, his loyalty and involvement in his academic pursuits, his struggle to produce substantial literary works, his relations with his colleagues and students; the behavior of the students, their misad ventures; the lavish lifestyles of students who are not disciplined either by the parents or the authorities in the college, their love affairs etc. re delineated in a very conducive way. The protagonist’s views both as a student and then as a lecturer are involved in the novel. Makarand Paranjape has been able to throw sufficient light on all these aspects of campus life as he has been a professor and very well-acquainted with the campus. So with the points discussed so far, The Narrator: A Novel can be considered a campus novel. Works Cited 1.Rahul Chaturvedi, â€Å"Self as Narrative in The Narrator: A Novel: A Narratological Perspective†, The Criterion: An International Journal in English, ISSN 0976-8165 Vol. II. -Issue 1, 2011. 2. http://www. makarand. com/reviews/ReviewsofTheNarrator. html. 3. http://is. muni. cz/th/66512/ff_b/Bakalarska_prace_24. 4. 2006. doc 4. Makarand Paranjape, The Narrator: A Novel, (New Delhi: Rupa & Co. 1995), Hereafter cited as TNAN with page nos. in parentheses. 5. Showalter, Elaine- Faculty Towers: The Academic Novel and its Discontents; Oxford University Press, 2005.

Alice Walker’s The Color Purple: Analysis

Alice Walker's The Color Purple From reading the extract from The Color Purple, the reader is shocked almost straight away from how the character/narrator (who in this case is the author Alice Walker) is treated and brought up by her father. The way in which the story is told is in the form of letters and a kind of diary addressed to god as she is told â€Å"You better not tell anybody but god it'll kill your mammy†. The reader can almost sense that this was written and was never expected to be read or seen by anyone else, it feels very personal and private to the young girl just between her and god. The language she uses is appropriate in the way that you can imagine this fourteen year old black girl who is not very well educated, talking and writing this way. Putting her story across in a colloquial manner hammers home in a way the gravity of the young girls plight all the more as it talks to a broad range of readers and is understandable to all. Also the syntax with the short and punchy sentences again hits home and grabs the attention of the reader right away † My mama dead. She die screaming and cussing. She scream at me. She cuss at me. I'm big. I can't move fast enough†. The piece is extremely emotive and graphic with the images it invokes upon the mind of the reader. You can feel the beatings and torment she suffers on an almost daily basis. With this being a true story it feels all the more real to the reader as you can sympathise for this poor girl and the ordeals she is confronted with, it would be hard for a lot of people to empathise with her as it is an extremely harsh and dire time in her life and maybe through this work she has maybe helped people who are in a similar situation, which demonstrates how strong this piece is in creating the character/s. Again you can really feel for her plight throughout the extract it could be argued that writing a personal story is probably easier than that of a work of fiction, as there is no imagination required because the characters and story are already created. This said with the graphic detail in which the author/character/narrator puts her story across it shows a strength and humbles the reader for the way the author has opened herself to the world. This again gives the whole piece a sense of realness, which would be harder to convey if it were a work of purely fiction. The reader feels and cares about the character's well-being right away from the first three or four paragraphs as she endures being raped by her father and the beatings which followed. Alice Walker has created here an extremely emotional piece by the way she has put her own story in to words and by using her own personal experiences of suffering. She has created a very strong character/narrator, so that anyone who reads this piece can visualise and feel as if we the readers are god and she is talking solely to us.

Final project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Final project - Essay Example The belief’s name came from the word â€Å"Buddha† which means â€Å"the enlightened one†. He was able to achieve this after meditating under the Bodhi tree. After this monumental event, Buddha was able to have a band of followers and he started teaching the path towards awakening. â€Å"The Four Noble Truths† are fundamental to Buddhism. These are: â€Å"dukkha† or suffering, its origins, the path to stop it, and the truth regarding the path to stop it. This leads to the Eightfold path which is the way to freedom that was mentioned in the fourth noble truth. The path has three main divisions: wisdom, ethical conduct, and concentration. Specifically, the eight pathways state that one should have the right view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. Buddhists believe that reality should be viewed as how it actually is and not how it seems to be. There should also be an intention of repudiation of materialism a s well as nonviolence and freedom. Believers should speak in peaceful and truthful ways. Actions should be shown in diplomatic ways. A livelihood must be chosen basing on its nonviolent characteristics. Individuals should have ample effort to progress. The mind should be very much aware of the present and not shrouded with hatred. Lastly, proper meditation must be practiced. One of the Buddhism Temples in Massachusetts is located in Boston. At 930 Commonwealth Avenue, the Boston Center of Soka-Gakkai International-USA (SGI-USA) is situated. It is a Buddhist association for peace, culture, and education. Though the temple is near the street, the ambience is made serene with trees and other vegetation. Like any other church, they have weekly and other scheduled services. For instance, their calendar includes Sunday meditation and services, monthly Saturday evening services, and different night activities. They also seek to enlighten visitors with their 4-week-class, essentials of Budd hism. It focuses on their traditional texts, history, meditation practices, and others. To further ascertain knowledge regarding Buddhism, a temple-goer was interviewed. Ken has been attending regular services for a year. I was able to sit next to him during one of their Sunday services. He said that he became a Buddhist through a friend. He has been convinced to join this faith after becoming more well-informed about the practices and their elucidations. When asked about his prior religion, he said that he was an atheist. He added that he could have also been an agnostic. He agreed to be interviewed as long as the details of his personal life and identity will not be revealed. He was very cooperative and proved to have much knowledge about his belief. The steps of becoming a member of Buddhism are somehow vague. First off, there is still a debate whether it may be fully considered as a religion. Some authors say that several of its philosophical and empirical elements may classify it as more of a science than a religion. However, the traditions and rituals involved are much related to the definition of Buddhism. The commonly viewed paths to becoming a full-pledged Buddhist are the major teachings and the â€Å"Three Jewels†. The meaningful credos have two aspects: dependent origination and no-self. This means that a Buddhist must realize his connection to other beings, thus respecting them. Furthermore, one must understand that giving up of selfish desires is necessarily to truly attain liberation. In addition,

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

Case study - Assignment Example However, profit and loss account does not provide information about future. (1.b) Profit and Loss Account Review: When looking at the profit and loss account of the Modern Furniture of both years, there are some items that are worth considering for decision making. The gross profit has declined by 10.75% from 2011. The major reason is the increase in the inventory cost. The other important thing to notice is that, there is a sharp decline of 5.8% in the net profit from last year which clearly indicates that there are no effective controls over the cost. Specially, salaries, maintenance and cleaning costs have increased to a significant amount. In addition to the facts mentioned above the Modern Furniture has also paid a bank interest of ?5200 due to the bank overdraft facility availed by the business in 2012; whereas, there was no such facility in the previous year. Marketing cost has also increased to ?51,500 from ?45,000 which is normal in a growing business like Modern Furniture. (2.a) Purpose of Balance Sheet: As the profit and loss account shows the results of revenue and expenses for the whole year, the balance sheet reflects the financial position of the entity on a particular point of time including the details of total assets, liabilities and owner’s equity. ... It is a picture that shows the strength and weaknesses of the business. (2.b) Balance Sheet Review: There are many observations in the balance sheet. The liquidity position has deteriorated since last year. There is no cash balance available at the end of year 2012. Investment in the non-liquid assets such as inventory and prepayments has increased together with the investment in receivables since last year. In addition to this Modern Furniture has also availed the bank overdraft facility so, there are major problems regarding liquidity. The business is holding more inventory than the previous year due to the growth in the business. Higher inventory levels will counter the threat of stock out at the price of higher inventory cost. The business has also made heavy investment of ?70,550 in fixed assets keeping in view the future expected demand. The overall position of the business is reasonable except the liquidity issue which requires prompt action from the owner. To overcome the cur rent situation the business should make investment in the liquid assets such as cash and securities otherwise it will be difficult to pay the liabilities in due time. (3 a) Purpose of Cash Flow Statement: Cash flow is also one of the most important parts of the financial statements which reflect all the receipts and payments made by the company during the financial year. The purpose of preparing the cash flow statement is to ascertain whether there are sufficient cash flows available to finance the operations. Cash act as a blood to run any organization. If the business is unable to produce sufficient cash, there will be going concern threat due to severe liquidity problems. The most important of all three activities in the cash flow statement is the

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 120

Assignment Example 1. Many nursing homes have limited financial resources. Based on the information that you have learned from your reading assignment, what are two or three things that a nursing home administrator could do to enrich their nursing home environment? The nursing home administrator is answerable for the standard of consideration, concessions, and system administration inside the nursing home. Most executives have earlier preparing or work encounter in the medicinal services area. His or her part is discriminating to the organization and association of the nursing office. This sort of position joins together business and administration aptitudes with nursing and palliative consideration administrations. The fitting equalization of both natures of consideration and fiscal targets is the managers essential obligation. The most effective approach to turn into a nursing home manager is to get a combo of instruction and work encounter in a nursing home setting. Practically all managements will oblige post-optional instruction in administration, business, or a related field. A few schools offer courses or declarations in nursing home organization, however not many degrees are offered in this claim to fame (Gutkind, 2013). Hypotheses on maturing have been around as long as there have been individuals who age. We have contemplated the inquiries over and over. What is truly the strategy by which we age? Is maturing a malady process? Do eating methodology, nourishment, or air poisons influence maturing? Do our propensities and the way we handle ourselves have any kind of effect? What makes us age quicker than other individuals? Uniting different doctors to structure the Longevity Institute International, we attempted to create answers for overcome malady and incapacity. We likewise looked to run across approaches to advertise being sold to the extent that this would be possible, and to discover methods for delaying life. The Four Basic Theories of Aging includes the Free

Management Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 6

Management Portfolio - Essay Example Site work shall involve grading, drainage, and other on-site utilities that are necessary for the operation of the service facility. The project location consists of 100 acres of land. The scope of the project includes engineering, procurement, and construction for the site-work and two initial buildings. A soil investigation, legal boundary survey, and contour mapping is already provided by the owner, thus the present project contract will no longer cover these activities. Special procurement will include an overhead crane for the industrial building and an elevator conveying system for the administrative office building. The maintenance (or industrial) building shall have a 40-foot clear ceiling height, with a 20-ton overhead crane. The owner anticipates that 45 employees shall be using the building during the day shift and plans to expand work to include a night shift at some future time. A small office area and a shop with machining equipment will be located in the industrial building. A wash-down area is to be provided for washing and servicing of truck vehicles (Oberlender 2000, p. 329). Project management aims to execute, in the most effective and cost-efficient manner possible, the design and construction of civil works to the satisfaction of the customer. However, execution should not be undertaken at the expense of the health and safety of construction workers and the public, nor to the degradation of the environment. Thrusts towards green architecture and green engineering have brought to the forefront concerns on health, safety, and sustainability. However, while traditionally thought of as a secondary appendage to construction plans, measures to ensure health and safety have in effect contributed to the reduction of the financial costs of projects. Steps taken to prevent accidents and avoid community hazards and nuisance have effectively created savings to the firm in

Finance and Accounting Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finance and Accounting - Case Study Example On the other hand, other business majors such as marketing and management majors have a wider impact. Other business majors are not just responsible for the shareholders of the company but to all the stakeholders of the company and the society/community in which the company operates. Therefore, it would be wrong to say that one business major has a greater responsibility than another to behave ethically. They all are required to equally behave ethically under all circumstances. Case 4.5 – Wiley Jackson There are only 2 decision alternative available: one is to mention what had happened in detail and the second would be to answer it as a ‘no’ and hide the fact and hope that the charge would be expunged from the record before anybody could know. I would choose the first decision and mention in detail what had happened at the party and how it does not showcase my true personality and ethics. The second alternative is too risky and cannot be considered. Another factor adding to this is that Sally Jones from the company was also present at the party and was aware of what had happened. The first decision is the right thing to do and I am confident that the management at company will understand that the criminal charge was result of chance and in no ways is related to my character or work ethic. Case 4.7 – David Quinn â€Å"Client Confidentiality† in the context of a CPA’s ethical responsibilities means that an organization or an individual from the organization will not reveal any information about their client to a third party without the client’s consent. Only instance where the information can be revealed is when there is a clear legal reason. Yes, David violated the accounting profession’s client confidentiality rule as he disclosed personal information with respect to his client to his friends who were in no way related to the client or his company. The information which was shared with David was for the pur pose of his job (accounting) and was confidential information. He had no authority or reason to disclose this information to his friends. This is unethical behaviour on part of David is in clear violation of accounting profession’s client confidentiality rule. Case 6.1 – Leigh Ann Walker Yes, one can fulfil the responsibilities of a professional role while lacking personal integrity. Fulfilling a professional role does not always require personal integrity as an individual who is committed, knowledgeable and has the skills required by the job can fulfil the responsibilities. But such an individual will only be able to do an average job. To be exceptional at a professional role an individual must be able to take personal responsibility and think and act appropriately. This cannot be accomplished by an individual who lacks personal integrity. In the case of Walker, she can be expected to fulfil the responsibilities of her professional role in normal circumstance but in r eally challenging situations where there are conflicts of interest, then her ability is questioned. Therefore, it is possible that an individual lacking personal integrity can fulfil the responsibilities of a professional role but will not be able to an exceptional job at it. Case 6.4 – Tommy O’Connell The roles and responsibilities of a staff accountant and audit senior are very different from each other.

Federal Drug Policy Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Federal Drug Policy Paper - Essay Example Early intervention with teens and parents is recommended, and programs and grants in economically disadvantaged communities are being increased. Drugs are big business and dealers look for big markets. Many young people are introduced to drugs by a friend, but the belief that "everyone" is using drugs is a fallacy. The President's drug control policy is focused on use by young people, while drug use is often related to behavior problems as well; however, the strategy does not address this (General Accounting 2003). In fact, communities are encouraged to apply for grants to set up their own programs. In other words, the government prefers to pass the buck. According to the 2004 strategy, the drug treatment system is being expanded over five years and an increase in funds is proposed. It is also suggested that drug courts could be established at the county level with incentives for drug users in order to reduce recidivism. Once more, however, as in plans to stop drug use, the community is called upon to develop a residential, therapeutic community-type treatment campus. (Fraser 2006). Law enforcement often targets smaller issues, while larger issues get out of hand (Fraser 2006). The U.S. Government announced that it would no longer seize small shipments of Canadian pharmaceuticals at the border. Months of aggressive seizures resulted in 40,000 confiscations nationwide. Because of cheaper drugs in Canada, seniors complained about the seizures. As a deterrent to major drug cartels this action had no effect at all and only made it difficult for seniors to survive in a failing U.S. economy. It is said that the FDA and U.S. Customs illegally confiscated medications to boost U.S. sales of pharmaceuticals (Fraser 2006). Disrupting the Market Increased initiatives are intended to curtail Priority Target Organizations in the international drug trade, with more flight hours for patrolling regions with radar coverage, and with the Department of State Andean Counterdrug Initiative supporting Columbia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil, Venezuela, and Panama (President's National 2004). Unfortunately, an increase in budget in these areas might close down one area and cause another one is set up immediately (Friesendorf 2007). How Does Arrest of Drug Dealers Factor into the Policy The effort to curtail access to illegal drugs has been a government initiative for many years, but for every apparently successful effort, another drug trafficking organization arises, with bribery and money laundering as well as corrupt government practices creating a financial bonanza for those in the drug trade. Establishing increased enforcement is all very well if it is successful but too often it meets the barrier of corruption. The effort to limit agricultural sources has not been successful and interferes with a cultural way of life in which a country uses the plants it grows such as coca as medicine or in cultural rituals (Friesendorf 2007). Conclusion Government studies show that drug use initiation is highest among

Introduction To Surface Tension Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction To Surface Tension - Essay Example This is a new way of teaching which involves the use of screen casting and video podcasting. It's an instruction strategy to help build increased interaction with students during face to face class time. The method promotes the team and active learning since one has to attend the classroom and to ask a question at the end as a proof that he actually watched the video. Monetary policy system is the action taken by the currency bodies to determine the size and the growth rates of money supply which in turn affects the interest rates. It is affected by changing the bank reserves and by increasing the interest rates when the rates are manipulated. It is used to control the economy as in the case of the USA since it can cause inflation if the money supply to the economy is very high(stthomas.edu). Also when the growth of the money supply is very slow then the economy also slows down. It also has the effect on the exchange rates difference currency as in the dollar. For example, when the d emand for BMW cars increases then its demand in other countries and for this reason stimulus in one country equals to the stimulus in another country because the company will open another branch and employ more people.This can be well enlightened by the Hamada model which is used to define the effects of financial influence on a firm as quantified by the Hamada coefficient. The tax shield increases the value of the levered firm. Financial distress costs and agency costs lower the value of the levered firm.

Connecting Woolf’s Feminist Principles Essay Example for Free

Connecting Woolf’s Feminist Principles Essay To some Virginia Woolf is a pioneer of feminism, to others she is a mere novelist whose works reflect the position of women within a society whose main discourse was aimed at female suffrage. What is certain is that today Woolf is known more for her literary works than for her essays on the inequalities between the sexes. Woolf, herself, helped found the division between her fiction and non-fiction writings by consistently belittling her political essays as a means to money while she referred to her novels as her true life’s work. Yet, in recent years, her two most well known non-fiction works, A Room of One’s Own (1929) and Three Guineas (1938) have been revived by intellectuals and labeled as inherently feminist works. This in turn has lead authors such as Rachel Bowlby to claim that the past review of Woolf’s work, in which there is a clear demarcation between the fantasy world of her novels and the very real world of her essays, is in fact misleading. Bowlby attempts to bring Woolf’s two worlds more closely together and in doing so supports the claim that the thread of early feminism is woven not only through Woolf’s essays but is in actuality deeply ingrained in her literary work. The aim of this essay is to take Bowlby’s analysis and apply it to two of Woolf’s works, one fiction and the other non-fiction, to determine if they are in fact more parallel than once was thought. By using Bowlby’s theory to discuss the common traits between the novel Mrs. Dalloway (1925) and the essay A Room of One’s Own (1929) many undeniableconnections will be made, validating that within both texts the determination for artistic creation and female independence that Woolf so idealized can be found. Bowlby’s Feminist Lens Rachel Bowlby in her essay A More than Maternal Tie: Woolf as a Woman Essayist (1997) attempts to characterize Woolf as an early feminist writer. By linking Woolf’s essays with her literary works she refutes the opinions of those intellectuals who see Woolf’s novels as quintessentially non-feminist. For Bowlby Woolf questions the patriarchical structure of society at the time in all of her forms of writing. Although the author does concede that there is a line to be drawn between the two. In her essay Bowlby makes clear first and foremost that Woolf marked her differing attitudes between her two works in multiple outlets, some of which were personal letters and correspondence. In fact, Bowlby claims that upon a first glance Virginia Wolf the essayist and Virginia Woolf the famous novelist appear to have little in common. She states that, â€Å"One is a key figure in the history of modernism, the other was principally a journalist, working to commissions for weeklies and other periodicals. One wrote for art, the other (much of the time) for money. One is Virginia Woolf, the other often published anonymously, in her many reviews for The Times Literary Supplement† (220). Woolf on numerous occasions referred to her essays as less important than her novels, which she often referred to as her life’s work (Bowlby, 1997, 220). Most importantly Woolf asserted on various opportunities that political arguments were well founded in journalistic writing but out of place in literature (Bowlby, 221). Despite this evidence Bowlby notes that Woolf’s writing style in both her essays and her novels shared various traits including the structure, constant deviations from the topic and the passionate undertone of the writing itself (222). Although she is quick to note that we should not â€Å"rush to the other extreme, and claim for the essays artistic value equal or superior to that of the novels† (Bowlby, 224) Apart from stylistic considerations Bowlby also notes other common traits most specifically Woolf’s fascination with literary ties. Central to Woolf’s novels are the ties that bind her characters together, whether they be social or family ties. Within her essays you can find similar ties. The most obvious of those presented in Woolf’s essays are the ties between writer and patron. Woolf uses the analogy of the relationship between mother and child to best describe the importance that a patron has for their writer (Bowlby, 224). Woolf also likened the relationship to that of twins claiming that it was a type of relationship that meant, â€Å"one dying if the other dies, one flourishing if the other flourishes† (qtd Bowlby, 224). Bowlby concludes that, Woolf, â€Å"among others, was interested in what kinds of connections might tie things and people together in new ways. Her essays, like her novels, try some out† (241). Woolf also made a strong paternal connection between her essay writing and the relationship with her father, Leslie Stephen. After her father’s death in 1904 Woolf, to a large extent carried on with his essay writing, publishing within a short time an article in a religious newspaper, The Guardian. Bowlby claims that Woolf saw the essay along paternal lines (228). She claims that, â€Å"If novels, as opposed to non-fiction, seem to be the area where Woolf more freely departed from paternal standards of writing, this is related also to the fact that the essay was her fathers genre: a man of letters par excellence, Leslie Stephen did not write creative literature† (233). This may have been a reason for which Woolf so clearly demarcated between the two. In fact we could claim that Woolf wrote her essays with patriarchy and masculinity taking the forefront, while in her novels they were merely the omnipresent backdrop to the feminine world she wrote within. Mrs. Dalloway Needed a Room of Her Own: Testing Bowlby While Bowlby provides ample examples of Woolf’s writing to back up her thesis the further investigation of two of Woolf’s most renowned texts, Mrs. Dalloway (1924) and A Room of One’s Own (1929) will serve to highlight some of the feminist traits shared in her essays and her literary works. A Room of One’s Own highlights the position of women writers and intellectuals within a system where men held the purse strings of education. The essay is based on Woolf’s lectures at the women’s college of Cambridge University in 1928 and woman artists and their financial struggle are at the core of the essay. Woolf questions whether it is possible for a woman to produce a quality of art as high as Shakespear’s. She contends that the limited financial means of women artists are to blame for women’s poor artistic record throughout history. In fact Woolf placed such importance on financial independence and women having a room of their own that she wrote, â€Å"of the two-the vote and the money-the money, I own, seemed infinitely more important† (Woolf, 1929, 37). At the heart of the essay is the belief that the artistic tendencies in women are as strong as they are in men. Given the right atmosphere they can only flourish. We can see this untapped potential in Mrs. Dalloway whose love of life and art are constantly referred to in the novel. The very nature of Clarissa’s social gatherings present the deviation of her artistic nature into acceptable pursuits. Littleton (1995) claims that Clarissa’s artistry are key to understanding her character. He states that, â€Å"Woolf is concerned, before anything else, with the absolutely private mental world of a woman who, according to the patriarchal ideology of the day as well as her own figure in the world, was not imagined to have any artistic feeling at all†(37). Clarissa’s very enjoyment of the world around her shows her artistic sensibility. At the opening of the novel Clarissa goes to buy flowers and her intense enjoyment of the busy world around her shows a sensibility to life in all its forms (Woolf, 1924, 4). Her irritation for Miss Kilman is instantly forgotten as she enters the flower shop and appreciates the beauty, scents and colors around her (13). It was enough to, â€Å"surmount that hatred, that monster, surmount it all; and it lifted her up and up† (13). It would be useful to use a quote from A Room of One’s Own to describe what is happening to Clarissa: â€Å"Who can measure the heat and passion of a poets heart when it is caught and tangled in a womans body? † (83). Indeed, to Woolf, Clarissa is an artist in her own manner and her natural artistic intuition can not be smothered by societies expectations. Nourishment of the female artist, or the lack there of, is clearly present in Woolf’s literary and non-literary works. While Clarissa’s proper artistic ambitions are well nourished in her organization of social gatherings where delicious food is in abundance it is interesting to note that the physical nourishment given to female intellectuals at female colleges is commented upon in Woolf’s essay. Upon describing the poor fare at female colleges Woolf asks, â€Å"Why did men drink wine and women water? Why was one sex so prosperous and the other so poor? † (25). The possibility and the danger of a reversal of the sexes is evident in the relationship between Clarissa and Septimus Smith. While Clarissa does the unacceptable and does not show her grief as is expected in a woman, Septimus takes on distinctly feminine traits of the time and lets his grief overwhelm him, eventually committing suicide, whereby the doctor chastises him for being a â€Å"coward† (105). Woolf clearly shows the possibilities of a female taking on a masculine trait, thereby showing the possibility of a reversal of roles. As Septimus hallucinates on his dead friend he is reduced to tears and great emotion in his mourning. He raises his hand, â€Å"like some colossal figure who has lamented the fate of man for ages in the desert alone . . . and with legions of men prostrate behind him he, the giant mourner, receives for one moment on his face the whole† (105). These types of emotions were more suited to female mourning supporting Woolf’s view that the roles of men and women within society could be crossed over.

The Production and Storage of Khoa

The Production and Storage of Khoa Khoa is a traditional dairy product which is produced in India by both organized and unorganized sector. It is the base for various traditional sweets manufactured in India. Apart from the traditional method of manufacturing khoa many methods were developed recently for the manufacture and storage of it. In the present essay I had mentioned about various technologies available for manufacture and storage of khoa. According to the National Dairy Development Board, India the annual production of milk during the year 2007-2008 is 104.8 million tonnes. India has two types of sectors for the marketing of milk and its products, one is organized sector and another is unorganized sector. The unorganized sector accounts for 88% of total milk production in India and it includes marketing of raw milk and traditional products such as locally manufactured ghee, fresh cheese, and sweets. The organized sector accounts for 10-12% of total milk production in India and it includes the dairy cooperatives and organized private dairies which produces Western-style dairy processed products based on pasteurization. The share of organized sector in the total milk production handling is increasing by the years (FAO, 2002). In India out of all dairy products consumed traditional products account for over 90 percent. In order to protect the surplus milk from spoilage simple processes were developed to produce products like curds (yoghurt-like fermented product), Makkhan (butter), Khoa (desiccated milk product), Chhana and Paneer (soft cottage cheese-like cultured product) and Ghee (clarified butter) (FAO, 2001). And nearly 7% of milk produced in India is converted to khoa (ICMR, 2000). KHOA MANUFACTURING PROCESS In India, khoa is traditionally manufactured by continuous boiling of milk in a shallow iron or stainless steel vessel to remove moisture and the process continues till the total solid level is attained in the range of 65 to 72% (Pal and Raju, 2006). As per the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA), India (1955) rules, khoa sold by whatever variety or name such as Pindi, Danedar, Dhap, Mawa, or Kava which is obtained from cow or buffalo (or goat or sheep) milk or milk solids or a combination there of by rapid desiccation and having not less than 30 per cent milk fat on dry weight basis. The Bureau of Indian Standards has given the requirements for three types of khoa, viz. Pindi, Danedar and Dhap in terms of total solids, fat, ash, acidity, coliforms and yeast and mold counts (Indian Standard (IS): 4883, 1980). A minimum fat level of 5.5 in buffalo milk is required to achieve the PFA standard. Khoa has been categorized into three major groups i.e. Pindi (for Burfi, Peda), Dhap (Gulab jamun) and Danedar (Kalakand) on the basis of composition, texture and end use. KHOA MANUFACTURING PROCESS CHEMICAL ASPECTS Khoa contain 75-80% moisture, 25-37% fat, 17 -20% protein, 22-25% lactose, and 3.6-3.8% ash (Aneja et al. 2002).The milk is subjected to high heat temperature during the manufacture of khoa which initiates number of physico-chemical changes resulting in characteristics sensory, textural and structural properties in khoa. The continuous heating will reduce water activity, inactivates various milk enzymes and destroy pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms apart from development of desirable flavors and texture. The heating process promotes the denaturation and coagulation of milk proteins and the process is more rapid due to frothing and incorporation of air by continuous stirring (Sindhu et al. 2000). The disruption of fat globule membrane and subsequent release of free fat that account for 44.8-62.8 percent of total fat in khoa occurs due to vigorous agitation during heating process of milk (Mann and Gupta, 2006). Adhikari et al. (1994) has studied the interaction between milk macrom olecules during heating of buffalo milk using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and observed casein-casein, casein-whey protein and casein-lactose interaction with gradual heating of milk. The khoa made with buffalo milk and milk of high total solid will have more brown colour in the end product and this is due to browning reactions (Gothwal and Bhavdasan1992). Patil et al. (1992) has investigated khoa microstructure using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and revealed that khoa consists of larger protein granules made up of partially fused casein micelles and non-micellar proteins. They also observed reduction in the size of protein granules and inter-granular space during working or agitation of khoa manufacture process and it also resulted in large amount of fat globules membrane fractions. FACTORS AFFECTING KHOA QUALITY Type of milk: Buffalo milk is generally used instead of cow milk for the manufacture of khoa due to its higher yield, softer body and smooth texture. The khoa manufactured from cow milk have dry surface, yellow colour, sticky and sandy texture (Pal and Gupta, 1985). Amount of free fat: An optimum amount of free fat is necessary for desirable body and textural properties of khoa(Boghra and Rajorhia ,1982). Total solid level: There is significant positive correlation between total solid level milk and instrumental hardness, gumminess and chewiness of khoa (Gupta et al., 1990). Working of Khoa: The formation of large lactose crystals can be reduced through working of khoa when compared to un-worked khoa and working results in no perceived sandiness upon storage. EQUIPMENTS USED IN KHOA MANUFACTURING PROCESS Khoa is generally manufactured by halwais in jacketed kettles, which has several disadvantages like poor and inconsistent quality and limited shelf life of about 5 days at 30Â °C (International Conference on Traditional Dairy Foods, 2007).Most attempts made for up-gradation of the technology of khoa are directed towards mechanization of the process and developing continuous khoa making plants (Aneja et al., 2002). Agrawala et al. (1987) has developed mechanized conical process vat for preparation of khoa. It consists of a stainless steel conical vat with a cone angle of 60ÂÂ ° and steam-jacket partitioned into 4-segments for efficient use of thermal energy and less heat loss. Due its batch type of operation, it is suitable only for making limited quantities of the product. National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) which is situated at Anand (Gujarat), India has developed an Inclined Scraped Surface Heat Exchanger (ISSHE) for continuous manufacture of khoa (Punjrath et al., 1990). Concentrated milk of 42 to 45% total solids is used as feed in this machine and its inclination permits the formation of a pool of boiling milk critical to formation of khoa. Thin Film Scraped Surface Heat Exchanger (TSSHE) system has developed by Dodeja et al. (1992) at NDRI for the continuous manufacture of khoa and it consists of two Scraped Surface Heat Exchangers (SSHE) which are arranged in a cascade fashion. In this machine milk is concentrated in first SSHE to about 40-45% Total Solids and finally to khoa in the second SSHE. But feed for this unit is buffalo milk and thus rendering it suitable for organized small and large dairies and entrepreneurs which is not in the case of Inclined Scraped Surface Heat Exchanger. The capacity of both TSSHE and SSHE is about 50 kg khoa per hour and many organized dairies have adopted these continuous khoa making machines. Three-stage continuous khoa manufacture unit has been developed by Christie and Shah (1992). It has three jacketed cylinders placed in a cascade arrangement which helps in easy transfer of milk from one cylinder in to other and it works as heat exchanger. The heat exchangers are installed with a mechanism of providing inclination and the slope allows the movement of the contents in longitudinal direction. The unit has a variable pulley drive which helps in speed adjustment and it is highly bulky requiring too much flooring area. (Pal and Cheryan, 1987) and (Kumar and Pal, 1994) have implemented Reverse osmosis (RO) technique for the manufacture of khoa from cow milk and buffalo milk respectively. This process comprises pre-concentration of milk (2.5-fold for cow milk and 1.5-fold for buffalo milk) using RO process followed by desiccation in a steam-jacketed open pan for the manufacture of khoa. The final product obtained by this membrane process was found to be identical to the conventionally prepared product. This process saves energy during the initial concentration of milk. In order to make this process continuous jacketed pan should be replace with SSHE. Different workers incorporated whey solids in the form of whey protein concentrate (WPC) in the milk and reported that increased addition of WPC in the milk resulted in large granulation in khoa and increased yield (Dewani and Jayaprakasha, 2002). FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY MANAGEMENT ISSUES DURING KHOA STORAGE Due to higher nutrients and high water activity (.96),Khoa is easily Susceptible to growth of bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus are the main contaminating micro organisms in khoa and they cause many food-borne diseases. To prevent and reduce microbiological hazard from khoa HACCP should be applied. The microbial quality of Khoa is initially good during production time and it will gradually deteriorate during storage and marketing. The main Critical Control Point for the deterioration was identified as airtight packaging. This problem can be solved through changing the packaging material to muslin cloth which allows free air flow, reduced the microbial proliferation (ICMR, 2000). METHODS TO INCREASE STORAGE LIFE OF KHOA The storage life of khoa is only two to three days, under ambient conditions, and 15-20 days under refrigerated conditions (Ramzan and Rahman, 1973). Rancidity is one of the reason which deteriorates quality of khoa and it adversely affects storage life of khoa (Bashir et al., 2003).Addition of potassium sorbate effectively improves the storage life of khoa at higher temperatures. Jha and Verma(1988) have observed increased storage stability of khoa for 40 days by addition of potassium sorbate. Other workers also stated that the storage life of khoa can be enhanced by using different types of food preservatives and antimicrobial agents (Wadhawa et al., 1993). At elevated temperatures the storage stability of freshly prepared khoa can be adversely affected. By measuring free fatty acids, peroxide value and iodine value we can determine storage stability of khoa. The free fatty acid, peroxide and iodine values for freshly prepared khoa were 0.025%, 0.38 meq/kg and 80, respectively. The increase in free fatty acid and peroxide value and decrease in iodine value are the indicators of development of rancidity in khoa during three months of storage at elevated temperature. By adding BHA and BHT we can retard the development of rancidity in khoa on storage. But, BHT will act comparitively better than BHA. Therefore, we can increase the storage stability of khoa by adding synthetic antioxidants like BHA and BHT at elevated temperatures (Rehman and Salariya, 2005). CONCLUSION Although so many technologies are developed for the production and storage of khoa, there is a still a need of investigation of chemical and physical aspects during manufacturing of khoa in order to understand factors responsible for quality. And all the known technologies of manufacturing of khoa should be transferred to small holder farmers who are the major contributors of milk production in India .So that they can increase their prices of products by producing products which will meet the modern quality standards.

Homelessness and Children Essay -- essays research papers

Around the world millions of children are found homeless, sleeping in the streets, under bridges, or on deserted properties. Their days are spent hustling by prostitution or petty crimes. They prey on each other as well as people passing by that they manage to steal from. Yet still this is home to these children, where they are deprived of the most basic human needs, housing, food, and clothing. Since they have no family or relatives and no hope for the future, they have been tagged â€Å"Nobody’s Children† or â€Å"Throw away Kids†, living each day as if it were the last, causing them to become outlaws, which as a result is a threat to the security of the community we live in. There are various reasons that children are found homeless, ranging from their own desire to leave home to become independ...

The Innocence of Yesterday :: Ethnicity Race Racism Essays

The Innocence of Yesterday When my dad sees a black person, he always says, black dude. He says it with a bitter taste in his mouth. He utters it to me as if to make sure that I take note that the person is black and therefore also a dude. There is no purpose in his saying this, yet he says it without concern for what it reveals about his racial attitudes. Or rather he does not care what others think of his stereotypes. He may be the only person I know who speaks his mind so recklessly, but stereotypes are pervasive throughout society. All of us attach images and experiences to people we have never met. When I was a child, I absorbed negative views on every race and culture. Hispanics are lazy. Jews are untrustworthy. Blacks are inferior. Indians are dirty. Asians are cheap. When I discovered that I was Asian, I did not know what to think about that. Until elementary school, I did not notice the color of my skin. I, like everyone else I knew, was colorblind. The notion of race did not exist. My friends had brown, blonde, and black hair, and mine was black, too. Straight, poofy, and always gelled to a gleam, my hair should have tipped me off that I was not like everyone else. I assumed that everyone in my family just happened to be born with abnormal hair. There was no reason to think that my friends at school were different from the miniature community of my home. Before school, my mind was innocent of discrimination. I cannot recall one moment where I looked at a person of color and thought of a racist stereotype. I was in a protected state of naive bliss, unaware that the fragile shelter of my colorblindness was soon to collapse. Discrimination forced itself into my life. I remember the first time I felt discrimination. It caused my chest to ache. I was seven, and one of my friends put his index fingers on the corners of his eyes and tugged outwards. He said, "hey Dexter, look. I'm you." I laughed at first. Then the little gears in my head clicked into place, and I stopped. I turned to the mirror behind me and gasped in disbelief. Almond-shaped eyes stared back. It was true. I looked around me, and almost all the kids were white.

Are People Unwise to Pursue Love Even When They Know It Will Cause Them Pain? Essay

Love is an important aspect of life, as it is a powerful bond of closeness, trust and understanding. History, literature and science are filled with examples of people aspiring after their love when consequences can be seen easily. These historical figures achieved great height and are remembered by people. Loss and pain are inevitable, and they are worth it when love, whether of a person , a cause or a country, is pursued. Facing pain is not unwise but rather heroic. Love can be sudden attraction that could pull people in, even when they know this love will not last and is forbidden. Marie Curie was a passionate physicist and chemist who is famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity, as she was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. Her husband was also an instructor at the school of physics and chemistry; it was their mutual interest in natural sciences that drew them together. However only after eleven years of marriage, Pierre was killed in a road accident, leaving Marie devastated by his death. After five years of his death, in 1911 it was revealed to the public that she was having an affair with physicist Paul Langevin, who was already a married man and a former student of Pierre’s. After the news broke, the Swedish Academy of Sciences even banned her from receiving her Nobel Prize. Marie challenged the Academy and attended the ceremony and this perhaps was her most courageous act. If then she had retreated, her career would have been over. She did not fear and staunchly believed that eventually her reputation and honor would be restored. Marie Curie, knowing the consequences of what her love might lead her to, decided to pursue it publicly, knowing it will risk her entire career. We can certainly not call her love unwise. It is a passionate love and it is to be remembered for ever. Even though pain of loss is an unavoidable consequence of love, it should not stop people from being in love. Life is followed by opposites: if we gain success then we also must be ready to lose something we possess. If we have good morals, then they will be ultimately challenged by corrupt forces. However these negative forces should not be a reason to stop us from reaching our goal and cherish every moment of love we can pursue. Recently I have received heartbreaking news from a relative saying his friend’s partner passed away from a fatal car accident. The woman clearly loved the man a lot, even after he was gone she suffered mental depression for several weeks. But the times they were together were the most prized moments of his life. They had a wonderful journey in life together, and even though they are forever apart, he can keep the thought of his wife in mind to gather courage and overcome difficulties in life. This shows determination and also shows that love is never unwise to pursue as long as it is true love. There is no doubt that a life pursuing love is greater than one that is blend. Love is a natural emotion that every living creature experiences. It will only be selfish and an act against way of life to deny the wonderful experience of closeness, peace, and happiness that everyone is meant to have. History, literature and life itself bear witness to that idea every day.

Distributed System Failure Types

Distributed Systems A distributed system is a computer system that consists of a collection of computers that share certain characteristics. The first characteristic that these computers share is the use of a common network. Another trait of this system is the computers share software that enables the computers to coordinate their activities, often across large distances. The sharing of system resources is another characteristic of distributed systems and those resources are usually available from an integrated computing facility. Fault ToleranceIn a distributed system, fault tolerance is something that needs to be taken into account to prevent catastophic situations and data loss. Fault olerance is simply the ability of a system to continue operating in the event of undesired changes to the external environment or internal structure of the system occurs. Types of failure There are several key types of failure related to distributed systems. The first of these is hardware failure. Ha rdware failure refers to the failure of any single component within the system. The second type of failure within a distributed system is network failure.Network failure is the failure of any single link within the entire distirbuted system network. The third type of failure within a distributed system is application failure. Application failure occurs when an application stops working or fails to operate correctly within a distributed system. The last type of failure in a distributed system is the failure of synchronization. The type of failure occurs when data on different point of the system are not synchronized correctly. Hardware Failure Within a distributed system there are many different types of hardware.If any one of the hardware components within a distributed system should fail, the failure could affect the distributed system as a whole. Taken in the most literal sense, individual keyboards, mice, monitors, and computers are all hardware and failure of any one of those wo uld affect the distributed system because it could cause a single node to be unavailable for use. This is an example of failure that has a very minimal impact on the performance of the overall system. On the flip side of that, the failure of a server within the distributed system would have a tremendous affect on the performance of the system as a whole.Fault tolerance requires the distibuted system to have redundant hardware capabilities so that no single component could fail and have a detrimental effect on the system. Network Failure One of the key characteristics of a distributed system is the use of a network as a common link to share applications, data, and resources. As with hardware failures, network failures can occur on different scales. One example of a network failure would be the loss of a wireless access point in a location where there is no capacity for a wired connection.Loss of wireless connectivity could potentailly affect many users depending on the situation. Ano ther example of a network failue would be the loss of a router. The loss of a router on a large network would have a negative impact on all users and equipment connected to it. Fault tolerance would require redundant routes to allows users to maintain their connection in the case of a failed router and the availability of wired connections or duplicate wireless access points, in the case of the failure of a single wireless access point. http://www. answers. com/topic/fault-tolerant http://www. answers. com/topic/distributed-system

Downstream Petroleum Industry

Downstream – From Refinery to Customer The downstream sector encompasses the refining, storage, distribution and marketing of petroleum products: †¢Refining Process: Crude oil is processed and refined into more useful products; †¢Storage: The products from the refining process are stored at depots via pipeline, land (trucks & rail) and sea (barge/vessel). These storage facilities are also called tank farms or terminals †¢Distribution and Marketing: Petroleum products are distributed from storage locations to the end-user directly or through retail outlets The major products produced by a refinery are, Kerosene, Premium Motor Spirit (â€Å"PMS† – Gasoline), Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel), Fuel Oils, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Lubricating Oils, Naphtha and Tar Figure 1. – Schematic Representation of the Downstream Business ? The Nigerian Downstream Sector The Federal Government of Nigeria (â€Å"FGN†) participates in the activities of the oil industry (upstream and downstream) as well as actively supervising it due to its strategic importance to the economy. In the downstream industry, FGN regulates and participates through the following agencies / bodies: Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (â€Å"NNPC†) –NNPC has powers and operational interest in refining, petrochemicals, product transportation and marketing. NNPC has nine wholly-owned subsidiaries, two partly owned subsidiaries and nineteen associated companies that manage the upstream and downstream activities. Those relevant to the downstream business are the Pipeline & Products Marketing Company (â€Å"PPMC), Kaduna Refining & Petrochemicals Company Limited (â€Å"KRPC†), Warri Refining & Petrochemicals Limited (â€Å"WRPC†) and Port Harcourt Refining & Petrochemicals Limited. Department of Petroleum Resources (â€Å"DPR†) – DPR is an arm of the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and has responsibilities for the following: †¢Issuing of permits and licenses for all activities connected with petroleum exploration, production, refining, storage, marketing, transportation and distribution; Acting as an agency for the enforcement of the provisions of the petroleum Act, NNPC Art or any other enactment. Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) – The PPPRA came to being from a Special Committee that was set up to review Petroleum Products Supply and Distribution (SCRPPSD) drawn from various stakeholders and other interest groups to look in to the problems of the downstream petroleum sector. The functions of PPPA are: †¢To determine the pricing policy of petroleum products; To regulate the supply and distribution of petroleum products †¢To create an information databank through liaison with all relevant agencies to facilitate the making of informed and realistic decisions on pricing policies †¢To moderate volatilities in petroleum products prices, while ensuring reasonable returns to operators †¢To establish parameters and codes of conduct for all operators in the downstream sector. Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) – The PEF fund board was established to equalize the transport cost arising from the distribution of petroleum products to all parts of the country i. . the cost of transporting products from source to point of sales. This is to ensure that petroleum products are made available in all retail outlets at uniform prices in Nigeria, and to avoid shortage of petroleum products. Petrole um Subsidy Fund (PSF) – is a pool of funds budgeted by FGN to stabilise the domestic prices of petroleum products against the volatility in international crude and products prices. CBN is the custodian of the fund, while PPPRA administers it. Claims from / payment into the fund is subjected to duly verified volume of products lifted out of the approved depot and sold in-line with recommended open market prices. ? Marketing Companies The Nigerian downstream industry is comprised of two groups of marketing companies: Major Marketers – The companies in this group include AP Plc, Conoil Plc, Mobil Oil Plc, OANDO Plc, Total Nigeria Plc and Chevron Oil Nigeria Plc and accounted for 71% of total petroleum products sold. They belong to trade association called Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN). Independent Marketers – The Independent marketers, comprises largely indigenous petroleum marketing companies. The FGN introduced the Independent Marketing Scheme in 1978 because of petroleum products shortage of the 1970s and the lack of sufficient investment by major marketing companies in the rural areas. This led to the establishment of the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in 1982. Membership is open to every independent marketer duly licensed and authorised to operate by the NNPC or other appropriate organisation in charge of this function. The trade group of these companies is referred to as the independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN). Examples of Independent marketers are Zenon Petroleum, Capital Oil & Gas and Ascon Oil & Gas. OANDO Marketing Limited (â€Å"OML†) Oando Marketing Limited one of the companies within the Oando Plc group, is a leading oil and gas marketing company with over 500 retail outlets and a commercial clientele base that cuts across all industry sectors such as manufacturing, construction, oil & gas and telecommunications in Nigeria and the West Africa sub region. OML has been in the business of marketing and supply of petroleum products since 1956. OML markets a wide range of products including Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO also known as Diesel), Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), Aviation Turbine Kerosene(ATK), Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO), Lubricating Oils and Greases, Insecticides, Bitumen, Chemicals, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG, also known as Cooking gas) and Oando insecticide Products and Uses AGO – fuel for some vehicles and marine vessels as well as for powering generators; PMS – fuel for most vehicles; DPK – fuel for cooking stove and used as a solvent to produce specialized products for road construction; ATK – fuel for aircraft; LPFO – fuel for power generation and for heating; Lubricants – lubricating oil for vehicles and equipments; Bitumen – used in the construction industry for paving roads; LPG – used as cooking and heating gas. Departments The departments in OML can be classified under the following: Core – Retail, Commercial, Marketing, Operations & Logistics and Engineering & Terminal. Support – Finance, Corporate Services (HR, HCM, Legal and Procurement & Services), ICA, EHSQ, Service Standards and Corporate & Marketing Communications. ? Retail Business Management and sales of Oando products to customers via sales outlets (over 500) nationwide is the function of the retail department. The sales focus is centred on the Total White Products (PMS, AGO and HHK), while Lubricants, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Insecticide sales provide a diversified revenue source for the team. Structure Sales is managed by Branch Managers located across the country, with each having responsibility over specific territories referred to as branches. Their activities are coordinated by Branch Coordination Managers and the department is led by the Chief Sales Officer – Retail, with overall responsibility for all activities. Retail Outlets †¢Company Owned Service Station (â€Å"COSS†) – The stations under this category are owned by OML and dealers are appointed to operate the stations on OML’s behalf. †¢Third Party Owned – These are outlets owned by third parties, which carry OML’s colour and brand. OML’s main responsibility is to supply these outlets with petroleum products and on their part the owners of the outlets agree to operate in accordance to standards agreed by both parties. There are two types of third party outlets: oGallonage – The stations and equipment under this category are fully owned by the third parties, while OML brands the outlets and supply products to it. oLoan Delivery and Equipment (â€Å"LDE†) – Here, OML provides equipments such as pumps, generators and canopies, as well as branding and supply of products. The retail outlets also serve as business opportunities via Non-Fuel Revenue (NFR) activities (such as Quick Service Restaurants) that maximize the returns on shareholders investments, improve asset utilisation and maximize our medium-long term capital gains. Commercial Department The core function of the commercial department is the sale of products (AGO, PMS, DPK, ATK, LPFO, Lubricants, Bitumen and LPG) to large volume end users hinged on effective relationship management. Sales are usually made in bulk to clients most often on pre-determined trade terms basis. Structure Sales is managed by Branch Managers located across the country, with each having responsibility over specific territories referred to as branches. Their activities are coordinated by Commercial Service Managers, based in the head office in Lagos. The department is led by the Chief Sales Officer, with overall responsibility for the activities above as well as for the below-mentioned specialized units: †¢Marine Unit – sale of petroleum products to (and management of relationship) upstream oil & gas companies as well as their service providers; Aviation Unit – sale of ATK and management of relationship with airlines. Services The commercial department offer a arrange of services in conjunction to the products it markets as it realized that customers want much more than just the products. Examples of such services include: Vendor Managed Inventory (â€Å"VMI†) Scheme – The Oando In-Support scheme (our in-house model of the VMI) is a means of opt imizing customers supply chain, whereby Oando becomes responsible for maintaining the inventory level of petroleum products at its customers’ location. The major benefit of this to the customer is that it can focus on its core function while Oando manages petroleum products inventory. For Oando, the VMI scheme allows it to secure Oando Sea Station – This is a Ship-to-Shore and Shore-to-Ship service station that provides fuels and lubricants for shipping companies, marine logistics companies operating in the Niger-Delta coastline as well as energy services organizations providing support to the upstream exploration and production companies operating in deep water coastal shores of Nigeria. Supply Contract – This service allows customers the opportunity to enjoy a fairly stable price regime at a committed volume over a period of time. It is a modified form of In-support suitable for customers whose operations cannot permit full inventory take over. Marketing The core function of the marketing department is to initiate business deals and provide platforms to enable the sales departments (retail & commercial) effectively achieve their goals and objectives. Structure The department is led by the Head, Marketing with overall responsibility for the following units: Lubricants Unit: The Lubricants unit is responsible for marketing Oando’s lubricants by creating product awareness through marketing promotions and supporting sales drive of lubricants in line with Oando’s goals and objectives. The unit also develops a high calibre technical sales support function while ensuring product quality assurance, cost management and service delivery to customers. A core responsibility of this unit is constantly identifying and initiating new/additional product lines for various target consumer markets. LPG Unit: – The LPG Unit is primarily aimed at sourcing for product, providing support and devising innovative selling methods to the sales team to ensure they meet their volume and margin targets as well as satisfying their customers’ needs. The team also provides the sales team with market intelligence to ensure that they strategically positioned to make sales. The unit, in addition, serves as an interface between the sales team and other support units within the organization i. e. Logistics, CCU, Engineering and EHSQ. Non-Fuel Revenue (NFR) Unit: – The Non-Fuels Revenue (NFR) unit is a strategic initiative developed to complement the shrinking margins on sales of fuel products and tap into the emerging opportunities of Non-fuel business from Retail outlets. Non-fuel offerings in retail outlets can also serve as a customer pull to increase fuel sales. Some NFR offerings include: Quick Service Restaurants (â€Å"QSR†), Automatic Teller Machines, Rent contribution from dormant assets (warehouses and offices), Income from Telecom Mast sites, revamp and increase lube bay rentals & lubes contribution to stations and car wash operation. Bulk Products Unit – The Bulk unit is responsible for developing and executing marketing plans to support the sales team in achieving their objectives in the sales of Bitumen and LPFO. The unit provides useful information about the construction sector of the economy, market trends, competitors’ activities and consumer preferences that helps in taking business decisions. It also provides back-end support for improving the quality of service delivery in our Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) concept. ? Operations & Logistics Department The Operations & Logistics (â€Å"O&L†) department is primarily responsible for product sourcing and distribution to customers. O&L is also responsible for product storage via warehouses and LPG Plants, and Lubricants blending via the Kaduna Lubricants Plant (â€Å"KLP†). Management of products at the terminals is handled by Engineering & Terminals department. Structure The department is structured into four units, each with a head responsible for activities in the unit. Overall departmental responsibility is with the General Manager, Operations & Logistics. Logistics oInbound – supply planning and product receipt; oTrade Procurement & Products – product sourcing; oOutbound – handles product received from NNPC depots; oFleet – Management of relationship with transporters. †¢Customer Care Unit oScheduling – handle delivery request and schedule the trucks; oDispatch – prepare the trucks for trips; oFleet – work with th e transporters; oCall Center – handle inquiries and complaints. †¢Warehouse & LPG Plant oWarehouse – storage locations for Lubricants and Oando Insecticide before final distribution to customers. Lubricants are received at the warehouses from KLP, while with Oando Insecticide (currently being imported), product is received into Apapa for distribution other warehouses. Currently, OML has 14 warehouses across the county. oLPG Filing Plants – storage locations for LPG. Currently OML has 7 plants across the country. †¢Kaduna Lube Plant – consists of two blending plants both located in Kaduna with combined capacity of 55 million litres per annum producing various range of lubricant products for commercial and retail customers. Terminals & Engineering Department The Engineering & Terminals department is responsible for managing infrastructural assets across board inclusive of the operations at storage terminals. Structure There are two main units: †¢Terminals – are storage locations (exclusive of warehouses and LPG Plants) where products are received, stored and eventually distributed. The following are the terminals owned by OML: oApapa Terminal 1; oApapa Terminal 2; oApapa Joint Venture (with Total Nigeria Plc); oOnne Terminal, Port Harcourt; oPort Harcourt Terminal. Each of these locations is headed by a Terminal Manager TM who reports to the Head of Terminals & Engineering. OML also stores product at third party locations such as Lister. Currently, Oando Terminals has capacity for holding various products as follows: oPMS – 80 Million Litres; oAGO – 33 Million Litres; oLPFO – 5. 67 Million Litres; oHHK – 5 Million Litres; oBitumen – 10,000 Metric Tonnes. †¢Engineering – execution of capital projects and maintenance of equipments and facilities. The activities in this unit are grouped as shown below: oProject – oversees capital projects less than N100M oRetail Network Maintenance – oversees maintenance and deployment of retail outlet equipment Retail Facility Maintenance – oversees maintenance of retail outlet infrastructure oTerminal & Depot Maintenance – oversees maintenance of facilities and equipments at terminals and depots Support Departments Environment, Health, Safety, Security and Quality Assurance (â€Å"EHSSQ†) – reduce operational and accident cost, elimi nate down time, ensure total compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements, deliver world class quality products and services to enhance customer satisfaction, while guarantying sustainable development in line with the Oando vision. Internal Control & Audit (â€Å"ICA†) – safeguarding OML’s assets, ensuring operational efficiency, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations and ensuring the accuracy and reliability of financial reporting. Service Standards – ensures and monitors service standards across various locations. Finance – provide OML with financial support for business and operational planning. OML Finance (head office) is divided into three main units namely: oTreasury; oManagement Information System; Financial Control. Corporate Services – supports OML business via the following services: oLegal – provide OML with cost-effective and efficient legal services support to and manage the inherent risks in OML’s businesses; oProcurement – assist OML in the acquisition of goods and services; oHuman Resource – provide OML with effective people management solutions. Marketing Communications – promote OML’s marketi ng initiatives through strategic product promotion and sales promotion.

My Nursing Philosophy

As I sit here pondering how I would communicate my values and beliefs, I think of my current job as a personal trainer, similar to nursing, on a daily basis I help individuals with their personal health both inside and out. In my job there is no room for my values or beliefs, just facts, education and being a good listener. I believe the day I become a nurse the only â€Å"values and beliefs† that I will need are those contained in the oath I take the day I become a nurse, and those legally expressed in my Nurse Practice Act. Injecting my beliefs into my practice as a nurse will most likely violate my oath and responsibilities to my patientsMy Nursing Philosophy By Christina Rivera Professional Issues NU 116 Maria Prior As I sit here pondering how I would communicate my values and beliefs, I think of my current job as a personal trainer, similar to nursing, on a daily basis I help individuals with their personal health both inside and out. In my job there is no room for my val ues or beliefs, just facts, education and being a good listener. I believe the day I become a nurse the only â€Å"values and beliefs† that I will need are those contained in the oath I take the day I become a nurse, and those legally expressed in my Nurse Practice Act.Injecting my beliefs into my practice as a nurse will most likely violate my oath and responsibilities to my patients. While I hold true to my values and beliefs when it comes to nursing, I strongly believe that putting peoples basic needs at the top the priority list when it comes to nursing is what separates good nurses from great nurses. I believe that a nurse should always act in a professional manner and act in accordance within the scope of practice. Nurses should possess qualities such as; Empathy and being able to identify with others; be caring, compassionate and committed. A urse should be ethical and non-judgmental, be honest, confident and trustworthy. Being physically fit is important, as the job i s very demanding. Last but not least a good nurse should also be an advocate for their patients and have their best interests at heart, be a good listener and communicator. My personal definitions of client, health, environment and nursing are: A client is a person with needs, whether it is medical, physical, psychological, or self-esteem. It is a nurse’s duty to make sure each person feels they have received the best health care and feel like a human being.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the definition of health â€Å" is a state of complete physical, social and mental well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity†. To me health is all relative to the well being of the body. This not only includes the physical but the mental as well. Health is not only when you are sick, but also having your physical and mental health being is a good stable condition. My definition of environment does not just describe the physical area where a perso n lives; it also includes the individual emotions and thoughts.It will be my duty as a nurse to be positive with all services, and to include family and friends whom are close to the individual regarding their health. Nursing is someone who cares for people who are sick in every way and sometimes all a person needs is someone to talk to. A nurse does not only help individuals, they also help families achieve health and prevent disease. A scientific definition of nursing is â€Å"observes, assesses, and records symptoms, reactions and progress of patients†. My personal nursing philosophy is I believe it is beneficial to the patient to be treated as an uman being rather than just another patient. Allowing the patient to feel that the nurse really care about their feelings and overall health. People are at their most vulnerable state when in a hospital or nursing home, this is the time for the nurse to be reassuring and make the individual feel as comfortable as possible is one the most important aspects of nursing. References Definition of World Health Organization, Retrieved Feb 06, 2012 from http://apps. who. int/aboutwho/en/definition. html. Scientific definition of Nursing from Wiki pedia, Retrieved Feb 06, 2012 from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/nursing

Macbeth- The Witches Essay

It could be said that the witches in ‘Macbeth’, are possibly some of the best known characters in Shakespeare’s work. With famous words like ‘Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble’, it is true to say that they have probably heavily influenced the depiction of witches in later works to a great extent. The play derives from a time when witchcraft was something of great public concern. Extreme persecution of anyone found to be practising something that could be interpreted as ‘black arts’ was common in Stuart society. (Old women who kept cats were in extreme danger of meeting the requirements for stereotypical ‘witch’) The play, which tells the fate, of the Scottish royal family, had real-life connections with the Scottish royal family at the time. The character Banquo was supposedly a relative of King James who was the King of Scotland. (Although it has been discovered that he never existed, he was made up at the birth of the Stuart dynasty) The heavy influences of the witches on the play, also matched King James’s interest in Demonology. So the question has been asked was ‘Macbeth’ written for King James? Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries ‘witches’, were terrifying but also fascinating to the general public. During this time hundreds of witches were persecuted, and were hung or burnt at stake. Witches were so greatly feared, because of the apparent ‘powers’ which they possessed, which allegedly included; the ability to fly, the ability to raise storms and control the weather, possession of people, and an ability to kill livestock. However curiously inspite of these powers of ‘deadly destruction’, people took a great interest in the lives and ways of witches. (Rather like Macbeth when he meets them for the first time) Thousands of pamphlets were printed and sold with incredible sales; on a par with those achieved by a popular magazine or broadsheet today. These pamphlets contained gory accounts of witch trials, or sad stories from the victims of ‘witchcraft’. It is quite possible that these pamphlets were a catalyst for the probl em with witches, by making everyone paranoid of ‘supernatural threats’. The cruel and unjust persecution of the witches was based on stereotypes. You may well have found yourself persecuted as a witch for example if you were; physically deformed or scarred in any way, old (especially if you were a woman, as many of the women persecuted as witches were old women who kept cats which were apparently familiars), mentally ill, or even if you just didn’t fit in. In 1604, when Parliament passed an act, making the practice of witchcraft punishable by death, the situation got even worse. In ‘Macbeth’ the witches appear four times; Act 1 Scene 1, Act1 Scene 3, Act 3 Scene 5, and Act 4 Scene 1. Although the originality of the appearance in Act 3 is controversial. It is thought that this scene and the character Hecate (who also briefly appears in Act 4) were not written by Shakespeare and that they were written into the script at a later date. In Act 1 Scene 1, the witches open the play in what is described in the text as a desolate place. The scene is brief, in the conversation that the three witches have, they decide to meet Macbeth on ‘the heath.’ In Act 1 Scene 3, the three witches have gathered on the heath, and are awaiting Macbeth who is returning from battle. When Macbeth and his companion Banquo come by they move from their place of hiding and greet Macbeth: FIRST WITCH: All hail Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Glamis. SECOND WITCH: All hail to Macbeth, hail to thee, thane of Cawdor. THIRD WITCH: All hail Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter. (Act 1, Scene 3, lines 46-48) After the witches have given this prophecy, Banquo criticises the witches and makes jokes at them calling them â€Å"not like the inhabitants of this earth.† Macbeth however is intrigued but before he can find out anymore the witches vanish. Act 3 Scene 5, is the controversial Hecate scene. In the scene Hecate does most of the talking, and she warns that they should not have done what they did to Macbeth. In Act 4 Scene 1, the scene begins with the witches entering and casting a spell. Then Macbeth (who is now King) enters and confronts the witches, demanding to know more about his future. In response the witches show Macbeth three apparitions which reveal his fate. The three apparitions tell Macbeth this: â€Å"Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware Macduff.† (First apparition) â€Å"None of woman born shall harm Macbeth† (second apparition) â€Å"Macbeth shall never be vanquished until great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane shall come against him† (third apparition). Macbeth is pleased by what he hears. The witches then show Macbeth a ‘show of eight kings’, after Macbeth sees this he is angered, and curses the witches, but soon after they vanish. Right from the very first scene the witches make a dramatic impression on the play. To audiences the first scene has a wonderful way of captivating them, generating attention and interest in the play from the first word. The odd setting and droning language of the witches makes the dialogue interesting and unusual. On stage or in the cinema, use of smoke, lightning and thunder effects give an exciting feel to the opening moments. The short length of the scene means that the audience is listening all the time. (Research has shown that most audiences will stop listening after about a minute unless there is something to draw their attention back to the story) Another point about the first scene is that after all the smoke and thunder, the play moves to another much more friendly place, with a normal conversation, between normal people. The comparison between the witches’ supernatural appearance, and the normality of human life, is an excellent way of showing the contrast between ordinary and extraordinary, and good and evil. Which is a contrast that appears throughout the play. One place where these contrasts appear between ordinary and extraordinary is in the witches. Aside from adding their weird supernatural side to the plot they also contribute in a manner that brings the whole story together. If you took the witches away from the play then this is what the storyline looks like: Macbeth an ambitious thane, is returning from a hard fought battle, when he is told that he is to receive the title of thane of Cawdor. Seeing the potential of this new position, Macbeth sets his sights on higher things. Macbeth successfully assassinates the king with the help of his wife, and scares away the heirs to the throne. On the throne Macbeth is a harsh King and, as questions arise about the Duncan’s murder, he becomes a tyrant and many former friends are killed. Eventually his crimes are too much and Macbeth is overthrown and killed by the true heir to the throne. Much as this is a fairly good storyline, when you add in the witches it becomes a great story. (Indeed Macbeth is recognised as a theatrical masterpiece) The witches add many new dimensions and contrasts and raise many questions. Like is fate fixed? What is the balance between good and evil? What the witches do is enter the play and tell Macbeth his prophecy, by doing this they set Macbeth off exploiting an ambitious flaw in his personality. One question that surrounds the play is whether the witches possess Macbeth and make him commit the crimes, or whether they merely use an ability to predict the future, to set Macbeth off. After this Macbeth’s ambition drives him on to commit many murders and a regicide. Well there is certainly evidence within the play that Macbeth is possessed. When he meets the witches for the first time he is obsessed with them and maybe this is the beginning of his possession. Macbeth also shows stereotypical signs of possession in his behaviour and speech: in Act 1 Scene 3 when Macbeth first comes across the witches Banquo says â€Å"look how our partner’s rapt† because Macbeth appears to be entranced; which was a typical sign of possession. Also he shows an inability to pray, in Act 2 Scene 2 he says â€Å"Amen, stuck in my throat† being unable to pray was linked to the fact that according to 17th century folk-lore the possessed was being controlled by a minion of Satan. However there is also a possibility that Macbeth is in fact only ‘inspired’ by the witches when he hears his fate. Then the witches coax him on with illusions, and tricks. Like the appearance of the dagger that leads Macbeth to King Duncan’s room in Act 2 Scene 1, Banquo’s ghost in Act 3 Scene 4, and perhaps the possession of Lady Macbeth. If this is the case then one has to ask would Macbeth have become King anyway if he just waited, and that his fate was fixed that he did become a legitimate King. However his knowledge of his fate led him off course. Whichever way (if either of them) it is definite that the witches were a changing part of Macbeth’s psychology. As has been mentioned, when Macbeth’s fate is prophesised by the witches in Act 3 Scene 1, he is entranced. Perhaps this due to a possession, perhaps this is due to some form of euphoria that has come over him after he finds out that he will become King. Either way he is very serious about the witches’ prophecies and he holds a high view of the witches as they can provide him with information about his future, which to Macbeth sounds very promising. This stands in direct contrast to Banquo’s opinion of the witches; he criticises the witches and ignores their predictions. Later on the scheme of events has played out and Macbeth is on the throne, again by possession or by ambition. By now Macbeth is starting to realise the potential mess he has got himself into, and so he goes to find the witches. After receiving new information, Macbeth is fooled by the witches, into thinking he has some sort of immortality. However he does not ignore their advice and he still respects what they say, so he is not feeling so powerful that he feels he can ignore the apparitions and the witches. For example in response to the apparition’s warning, â€Å"beware Macduff,† Macbeth has Macduff’s family murdered. However the sense of immortality soon fades. When he finds that Malcolm and his allies are marching to Dunsinane Castle, he realises the tricks that the witches have played on him. He sees that the apparitions were meant to fool him into thinking he was invulnerable to death, and he refers to the witches as â€Å"juggling fiends†. Macbeth realises the trap that he is caught in, and sees that he was part of the witches’ game. At this point whatever is driving Macbeth; possession or hatred dies and turns to hate for life. Although Macbeth may have been possessed he did not ask to be, however his wife Lady Macbeth did. Similarly to Macbeth though she could either be controlled by ambition, thinking that she was possessed or actually under possession. Her need for power begins when she reads Macbeth’s letter In Act 1 Scene 5, she (like Macbeth when he first hears the news of his destiny) is fascinated. In the same scene as she receives the letter she calls upon the power of the spirits to ‘un-sex’ her and â€Å"fill me from the crown to the toe topfull of direst cruelty.† (Lines 37-52) She demands that her emotional weakness is removed and that she is filled with the evil intent to murder the king. It shows from this time until Duncan’s murder that she has indeed been filled with this evil. It is she who really pushes Macbeth to murder Duncan, possibly with a little help from the witches. However almost immediately after the King is murdered, this evil leaves her. In Act 2 Scene 2, an owl shrieks, and Lady Macbeth is terrified. Just earlier that evening she had been driving and pushing Macbeth to murder the King, who had just given Macbeth a title for being faithful to the crown! Indeed she becomes so unhinged that she goes completely mad. Some productions of Macbeth have Lady Macbeth playing one of the witches. Some people have also suggested that maybe Lady Macbeth is one of the witches, and that there has been a disagreement among the witches, and the tragic events of Macbeth are in fact the witches punishing Lady Macbeth. The witches stand out in ‘Macbeth’ in many ways, not only in character, and appearance, but also in the way that they speak. Most of the play is written in iambic pentameter, or blank verse. The witches however speak in trochaic verse, which not only has a different rhythm to iambic pentameter, but rhymes as well. The fact that the witches are the only characters to rhyme their speech makes them stand out; the droning chant in the first scene is made really eerie by use of rhyming language, with long syllables. The frequent use of antithesis, which is the use of opposites in the same sentence, is also common within the language of the witches. For example in Act 1 Scene 1 â€Å"when the battle is lost and won† This use of contradictive language sounds unusual, and therefore alienates the witches further. Sometimes the witches also speak ‘as one’; they often chant lines as a group, particularly â€Å"Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble†. This can appear eerie to watchers, as it conveys strength in the form of unit efficiency. Sometimes the witches seem to have a telepathic ability, for example when Macbeth demands to know more about his destiny, in Act 5 Scene 1 the script looks like this: FIRST WITCH: Speak! SECOND WITCH: Demand! THIRD WITCH: We’ll answer. Of course a telepathic ability is certainly not normal, and therefore this also adds to the eerie feel that surrounds the witches. ‘Macbeth’ is a not only an excellent play, but also manages to bring into question various philosophical and moral issues. The supernatural edge to Macbeth makes you wonder about witches and the power of evil. Are there forces of evil, which can influence us? Are good and evil internal or external? The main issue surrounding Macbeth is that of fate. Is it fixed, is our path in life set or can we change or at least influence it? What is the relationship between fate and time? If one’s fate is discovered, will it influence us to either strive for this future, or if we don’t like what fate holds in store, will we try to change it? However you perceive ‘Macbeth’, I believe it is summed up like this. Whatever it was that drove Macbeth, ambition, possession or something else entirely, it poisoned him. People are around whose ambition will be a threat to society, and if you feel it exists, then witchcraft is also a threat to society. Yet de spite of these threats, the forces of good are on the side of the innocent. Order will be restored to its rightful owners.