Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Cardboard Box Essay Example

The Cardboard Box Paper What do the Sherlock Holmes stories tell us about Victorian Britain? The essay will examine how much the Sherlock Holmes stories can tell us about Victorian times. It will provide an overview of what Victorian Britain was like, as depicted by three Sherlock Holmes stories: The Cardboard Box, The Man with the Twisted Lip and The Speckled Beard. They were written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who was so popular and well respected for the writing of these books he was knighted for it. These stories were written during the 1880s to the early 1900s during Queen Victorias reign. The Sherlock Holmes stories fall under the detective genre which means there will be a mysterious crime, a charismatic investigator, the process of deduction and the revealing of the culprit and the motive behind it. The Victorians respected their class very highly and thought that whatever class you were born into was the class you should stay in. The vast majority of people lived in extreme poverty around 70% of people were working class, 20% middle class and a mere 10% upper class. The Sherlock Homes stories appealed to a lot of people, but particularly those in the higher class, because they often depicted upper class people where something had gone wrong or they had committed a crime and not lived up to the expectations of their class. This gave a secret element of thrill to those in higher society. The Man with the Twisted Lip would appeal to the Victorians as it delineated a higher class person who had another life as a professional beggar. This quote Isa Whitney, brother of the late Elias Whitney, D. D. We will write a custom essay sample on The Cardboard Box specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Cardboard Box specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Cardboard Box specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer , principal of the theological college of St. Georges was much addicted to opium. This tells us that although he was high class and well respected by his peers he was an opium addict, so he had a darker side to him, which appealed, because many Victorians behind their high class had a craving for the gothic. This identified that the story is about a higher class person who falls into disrepute and as it was mainly upper class people that read the books, like the other Holmes stories, we can assume that the Victorian upper class preferred to read about their own class. The Speckled Band is about an upper class family that have lost most of their money. This would appeal to the readers because its an upper class family that is on the brink of becoming a lower class. The Cardboard Box has a family of middle class women (3 sisters), granted middle class status, because their father was a general in the army. Two of the sisters loved a sailor called Jim Browner, one of whom married him. The third sister thought it was absolutely preposterous that they, a well respected middle class family, should have anything at all to do with a lower class sailor. One particular passage showed some of Jim Browners lower class qualities of being a vicious drunk the last six months that she was here she would speak of nothing but his drinking and his ways. This indicates that the people of Victorian Britain liked reading about this sort of thing, the mixing of two different classes because it should not be done and was a bit mischievous. In Victorian times there was a lot of poverty and crime about, with over 70% of all people in this time living in extreme poverty. In cities there were ghettos in which disease and crime were rampant. Victorian towns and cities were dangerous and full of beggars. With this there came a strong feeling of us and them between the classes, although all the other classes either frowned upon, hated or pitied the poor. In The Man with the Twisted Lip, there is a lot of poverty and crime depicted within it There is a trap door which could tell a few tales of what has passed through it upon moonless nights what! You do not mean bodies? Aye, Watson, bodies . This highlights that in Victorian Britain there was a lot of crime and murders, many of which went unnoticed by the police, largely because they were murders of the poor and were not to be bothered with. The other two stories do not depict as much poverty or say that much about the everyday crimes of that of Victorian London, other than focussing on the main crime the story is based on. Although in The Speckled Band, the step father to the two sisters was once very wealthy but had squandered away all his money that had been left to him by his ancestors, he once worked in India and in a fit of rage he beat his native butler to death, and narrowly escaped a capitol sentence.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The Hours Film Review Essays

The Hours Film Review Essays The Hours Film Review Essay The Hours Film Review Essay Essay Topic: Eva Luna Mrs Dalloway Everywhere we go, we constantly find ourselves furious and dissatisfied with film adaptations that never seem to serve us justice The book is just sooooooo much better!. But is it really fair to imprint this impression on all film adaptations of much-loved novels? The answer is NO. From the director of Billy Elliot, Stephen Daldry and his talented team on-and-off camera will prove you wrong.It is insanely difficult for most of us, to even begin to imagine the intolerable pain derived from those who endure immense depression or those who suffer from some form of mental illness. They are locked up in a jail that resembles their mind and are unable to break free. The Hours encapsulates this emotional stress endured by women across different eras to utter perfection.Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel written by Michael Cunningham, The Hours depicts the lives of three women in three generations along with the twisted struggles they experience imprisoned in their hopeless souls. Au stralian actress Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge, Rabbit Hole), captures the role of Virginia Woolf in 1925, working on Mrs. Dalloway (a stream-of-consciousness novel) about the hostess of society, whose artificial nature of perfection masks her inner turmoil. Julianne Moore (The End of An Affair) portrays stereotypical American housewife, Laura Brown residing in 1951 American suburbia a woman who feels compelled to maintain her loyalty towards her son and husband (John C. Reilly). What may seem like a contentful heart and cheerful face may possibly be something else underneath the surface. Critically acclaimed actress, Meryl Streep (Adaptation, Sophies Choice) as Clarissa Vaughan in 2001, neglects her partner for the chapter in her life that she is reluctant to close, whom is shared with AIDS sufferer, Richard Brown played by Ed Harris.Kidman stands taller than the rest, delivering an extraordinary Oscar-worthy performance of astonishing courage, revealing the destructive war between her intellectual mind and the chaos revolving around her personal world. Every gesture and every facial expression convinces the audience that this character was tailor-made especially for her. Streep reflects this level of performance and as always, handles her role carefully producing a believable performance as a result. Her switch between absolute lunacy to a cheerful hostess is measured to perfection. But there is always one that lets the team down. Moores approach to the complex character of Laura Brown shows that she is just another pretty lady in a pretty dress. The recurring empty face is a snooze-fest that blocks the audience from entering her state-of-mind. Last but certainly not least, it is not a surprise that the youngest member of the cast, young and adorable Ritchie Brown played by Jack Rovello, angelically lights up the screen, making us aww time after time, whilst stealing our vulnerable hearts with his truthfully honest words, and innocent stare. Cuuute.Perhaps o ne of the most memorable scenes from the film is the opening sequence, which immediately draws attention to Virginia Woolfs irreversible decision, intertwined with a beautifully written voiceover of a note devoted her husband that exercises our minds in preparation for the incoming wave of emotions. The three distraught women and their lives are carefully woven together into a fluid piece of artistic interpretation. But in the end every life must continue, no matter how dull it may be. Tensions crescendo. Fears arise. The once-somber mood is finally uplifted and brightened when a series of fresh, blooming flowers are shot to complete the sequence with an excellent finish.The emotionally driven power of the themes featured in The Hours automatically select the targeted age group to mature audiences, as the multi-layered plot is possibly too chunky to digest for younger audiences. A certain fascination with mortality is explored by the female trio, who are explicitly sensitive, posses sing a clear perception of the revolving world. Constant evaluations are made by each of the main characters, questioning their monotonic lifestyles. The common through-line can be identified between the victims.David Hares masterfully constructed screenplay for the film stays faithful to Cunninghams novel and the devoted fans that are attached to his work. Hare took confident risks, to approach his duty with maturity. The script produced is not afraid to treat its audience as if they were knowledgeable geniuses. The screenplay successfully communicates the moral of the narrative, that there is a never-ending variation of experiences throughout the course of ones life, where no two days are exactly same.The impeccable costuming, cinematographic and musical aspects of The Hours cover up the puzzling holes in the films plot. Costume designer Ann Roth, did a remarkable job in interpreting the personalities of the characters via fashion [which is essential in many ways], as well as pain ting of eras in which each scene is set in. Kidman sports a simple yet effective prosthetic nose, which allows the audience to see an unrecognisable actress, making her role that much more realistic. Seamus McGarveys artistically gorgeous cinematography, consisting of lingering shots on the deeply, afflicted faces of the three leading women, is probably recognised as the films prominent instrument.An immaculate motion picture is presented as a result of his skillful work. Philip Glass exquisitely composed score is one secret and powerful weapon, which successfully accompanies the story, setting a range of moods and expressing atmospheres in a way that dialogue is occasionally unable to do so. The melodic harmonies produced by an enchanting combination of piano and strings are a vital aspect of the film, establishing and developing the characters by pouring their emotions out. This is somewhat rare in a typical Hollywood film. It is truly the flawlessly calibrated finishing touch to the magnificent creation.Every single inch of detail and aspect of the film from the heart-wrenchingly convincing acting performed by the majority of the cast, to the astounding screenplay and the haunting score is attacked with intelligence, seriousness and meaningfully precise measures which ultimately produced an original and dazzling masterpiece that is The Hours. It goes without any doubt at all, that the film thoroughly deserves its showering praise and awards. The Hours is a definite must-see film of the year.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Rainy days and Mondays - Emphasis

Rainy days and Mondays Rainy days and Mondays How many words can you use to say, Rain all day? A wet start to the day with some heavier bursts of rain around. It is likely to stay wet for much of the day with further rain at times. Nice work, BBC Weather.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Consultancy Report for Anthonys Orchard Case Study

Consultancy Report for Anthonys Orchard - Case Study Example The trend analysis of the company’s key items in the income statement and the statement of cash flow. In addition, the company has three business units (the prepared apple products, pick your own apples and community events). An analysis will be included that evaluates the contribution of each of the business units to the company’s total revenue. Fourth, using the company’s sales, profit and costs, an analysis to assess the effects of the changes in sales and costs on the company’s profit will be included (CVP analysis). Fifth, based on the company’s budgeted income statement, statement of financial position and cash flow statement, a what if statement will be conducted to evaluate the effect on the company’s financial position, of changing some assumptions. In this section, investment appraisal tools such as ARR, payback period, the net present value and the internal rate of return will be consulted to aid decision-making concerning the proposed investment. Thereafter, using the basic rule for accepting or rejecting projects as stipulated by each of the mentioned appraisal tools, an investment advice will be provided. If the results of the appraisal, points that the project is worthy to be pursued, the company will need a substantial amount of funds to facilitate the acquisition of the equipment. Consequently, an analysis of the alternative sources of finance (including the advantages and disadvantages will be provided) to enhance the choice of a preferred source of finance based on the company’s capital structure. This section will include a balanced scorecard developed to aid the measurement of the company’s performance. In addition, the effect of expanding the company’s on the company’s performance will also be

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

You can choose a topic related to the theme listed below Essay

You can choose a topic related to the theme listed below - Essay Example According to Department for International Development report, migration to the urban centers is important in alleviating poverty (p. 13). This development has been good for the region as it has seen the turning of the region into a known economic power that is able to sustain itself and see the erection of various mega structures that are not found in any other part of the world. The development has come with various side effects some of which include population surge which is expected to rise more by 2020. The cities in the region are flocked with visitors from other parts of the world being many. With the population continuing to increase, questions of sustainable development arises as it is evident that after such, the population may be too much to handle, the traffic, and the industries. This essay will therefore explore city life in the gulf and evaluate the developments witnessed from sustainability point of view. Most gulf countries have witnessed the recent form of development with their urban centers growing and the population increasing double fold. However, as much as this is good for a developing nation or urban center in production of labor and market, it is also dangerous as at times the population may be a threat to sustainability. The quality of life in most of the gulf cities is at a critical condition with more people flowing in to have a share of the good economic run that is being witnessed at the period. Urbanization as indicated above is a result of good economic performance and an increase in the population. This leads to the formation of an urban center with the same social amenities that were available being used or being the center of more people who keep on streaming in. Planning is an important part of any society which may include a city or even a country. With the population increasing at such a rate, social life in the cities has become quite unbearable with more mone y needing to be put into

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Militant Nonviolence Essay Example for Free

Militant Nonviolence Essay Erik Erikson, the world-renowned author of the book Gandhi’s truth has also been popular because of his stages of psychosocial development (Niolon, 2007) . The said stages are enumerated in this manner: Infancy (Birth – 18 months) wherein the main psychosocial crisis is trust vs. mistrust, Toddler (1 1/2 – 3 years) which usually involves autonomy vs. shame doubt, Play Age (3-6 years), usually involving the psychosocial crisis of initiative vs. guilt, school age (7-12 years), which often related to industry vs. inferiority, adolescence (12-19 years), identity vs. role confusion, young adulthood (20-34 years old), intimacy vs. isolation, adulthood (35-60 years), generativity vs. stagnation, and finally, late adulthood (60 years and above that is usually associated with the psychosocial crisis integrity vs. despair (Niolon, 2007) . This paper shall look into the book authored by the same person, entitled Gandhi’s truth, a book that has been said to be the acclaimed study of Mahatma Gandhi, taking the psychoanalytic theory developed by its author into consideration. This non-fictional literary work shall be analyzed based on the theory developed by the same psychoanalyst together with the discussions obtained from the book Development and Aging by Papalia, Sterns, Feldman and Camp, including topics such as health and aging, intelligence and its measurements, creativity, mature thought, wisdom and moral intelligences; education, work and leisure, etc. It has been a known fact that humans face their decline when they reach a certain age. It is often heard from different people that this kind of decline happens as most people are not as productive as they were once was in their childhood or early adulthood. This is also most prevalent in most senior citizens (Godrej, 2002). Apparently, for most studies, development stops at a certain stage . On the contrary, Erikson’s theory disproves the fact that development stops. In fact, it continues throughout the life cycle. According to the psychoanalyst and author of the very popular book, older people are not finished developing. Older people are said to come up to terms with their own morality, making them look deeper into their while lives. More often than not, they look back to the good times with gladness, at their hard times with self –respect, and finally, look at their mistakes and regrets with forgiveness (Lasch, 1969) . It is doing so that they rediscover integrity as they get ready for whatever challenges that life and death could bring upon them. On the other hand, those who remain isolated to the hurts and sadness that their life brought to them, shall be dissatisfied with the life that they have led and would easily get depressed. These are the concepts being described by Erik Erikson in his stages of psychosocial development. He has reflected these said concepts onto the life of Mohandas Gandhi, more popularly known as Mahatma or the great soul, the father of the Indian Nation. Almost everyone on the face of this planet has heard about the contributions of one of the humans who has been said to lead a great life to the history of India and the whole world (Anderson, n. d. ). He was generally known, as mentioned, as the father of the Indian nation who continuously fought for the independence of his nation from the British colonizers, despite the consequences he faced, despite his old age. Erikson’s Gandhi’s truth is generally a psychological reconstruction of Gandhi’s early years in Kathiawar on the Arabian Sea as well as his exile in London and South Africa. In the same manner, it provided an in depth analysis of the 1918 textile workers’ strike in Ahmedabad where Gandhi was first seen to practice his doctrine of Satyagraha or non violence (Lasch, 1969) . Erikson looked into the other aspects of this great man’s life that influenced his adoption of Satyagraha. The said author looked into the precocious and relentless conscience of the great soul by looking onto these said events which included the way Gandhi nursed his father, the civil servant whose career and health declined during his son’s youth, which helped him, set the pattern for a leadership that could defeat a superior opponent nonviolently (Lasch, 1969). Gandhi’s unsuccessful and premature marriage’s effect on his adoption of Satyagraha was also examined. Generally, this unsuccessful marriage of his left him in horror of his sexuality (Anderson, n. d. ). At the same time, it encouraged him to develop the religious and spiritual aspect of his life that played a very important role in his battle for the independence of his beloved country (Lasch, 1969). Of course, this has been the reason why Mahatma Gandhi started his quest for sainthood which had taken a political form. Gandhi’s leadership in the said textile strike has also been reexamined. It is where Erikson focused his study on the life of the great soul, in relation to that of his developed theory (Anderson, n. d. ). According to the said author, this has been one of the most unusual exercises in nonviolence though it led to the victory of Mahatma and the textile workers. This does not only reflect Mahatma Gandhi’s doctrine of nonviolence but his faithfulness to dharma (Lasch, 1969) . Aside from the religious life led by Mohandas K. Gandhi, more popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, his spatial intelligence and creativity should be reconsidered. These two has contributed so much to his doctrine as he was able to devise ways, using his intelligence as a wise man in devising ways to battle their colonizers (Lasch, 1969). Generally, his spatial intelligence allowed Gandhi a better and quicker ways of correcting mistakes than other forms of political action. Gandhi’s doctrine aims to cure men of their righteous and fanatic moralism that has been said to be the cause of violence that are quite irrational (Anderson, n. d. ). It is obviously seen that Gandhi’s actions as an aged man has not declined due to the challenges he experienced during his childhood and young adulthood (Chawla, 2001). In the same manner, his doctrine of non-violence or Satyagraha has not only been affected by his deteriorating health but of his beliefs, religiousness and faithfulness to dharma that has contributed so much in his fight for the freedom of his motherland, India, the land which had been infamously known for its division brought about by differences in religion (Anderson, n. d. ). Basically, the analysis of this book, together with the psychoanalytical theory developed by Erik Erikson, has provided the psychological foundations of what has been known all over the world as great leadership and non-violence. It showed how Gandhi’s previous experiences affected his life as an aged man. As Erikson suggest, the spirit that Gandhi had ever since his childhood has influenced standardization (Anderson, n. d. ). Every individual is then encouraged to follow his own path, a path that is based on his insights with regard to the realities of the world that he is living in as well as the realities by which he or she knows his or her own self. If this perceptions turn out to be true, then the path he has taken shall be the path of truth. This is what the life of Gandhi, based on Erikson’s book showed us. His perceptions that have been developed and continuously developing throughout his own life has influenced the development of a doctrine and philosophy that has gained him the title of a great soul (Chawla, 2001) . It is through this that he was able to influence not just his countrymen but the whole world as well. Eventually, looking into the brighter side of life can do so much good to a person who is in the last stage of his psychosocial development. In Gandhi’s case, he did not allow his weaknesses to serve as barriers in his fight, instead, he utilized them in such a way that his opponents looked onto it as his strengths (Anderson, n.d. ). References Anderson, H. (1971. ) Gandhis Truth: On the Origins of Militant Nonviolence. Theology Today. Vol 28. No. 2 Retrieved December 18, 2007 from http://theologytoday. ptsem. edu/jul1971/v28-2-bookreview10. htm Chawla, A. (2001). MOVING BEYOND GANDHIS TRUTH. Retrieved December 18, 2007 from http://www. samarthbharat. com/truth. htm ERIKSONS THEORY OF PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (2007). Retrieved December 18, 2007 from http://www. fractaldomains. com/devpsych/erikson. htm Erikson, E. (1969). Gandhi’s Truth. Journal of Religion and Health. Volume 9, Number 3. Godrej. F. (2002). Gandhi’s Truth: Nonviolence as Epistemological Arbiter. Retrieved December 18, 2007 from http://www. allacademic. com/meta/p65025_index. html Lasch, C. (1969). One Mans Quest for Sainthood and the Revolutionary Philosophy to Which It Led. Retrieved December 18, 2007 from http:// www. nytimes. com/books/99/08/22/specials/erikson-gandhi. html Niolon, R. (2007) Erickons Psychosocial Stages of Development. Retrieved December 18, 2007 from http://www. psychpage. com/learning/library/person/erikson. html

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Hajj :: essays research papers

The Hajj: Pilgrimage Mecca is also known as Makkah and its full name is Makkah al-Mukkaramah. Mecca is a city in the Hijaz region of western Saudi Arabia. It is known as the holiest site in the Islamic religion. The history of Mecca goes back as early as the fifth century. It was an independent and powerful city in pre-Islamic times. It is the religious center for Islamic people and it houses the Kaaba and the Great Mosque. It is also the birthplace of Muhammad, the first capital of caliphate, and the center of present day mosques. In 630 Muhammad and some of his followers went into the city of Mecca and captured it. Mecca is said to have started one of the most important religions in the world and it brings together the Islamic religion. When people think about Mecca one of the first things that might come to their heads is the pilgrimage or the black stone. Muhammad is one of the reasons that Mecca is what it is today. Muhhamad was a prophet born 570 in Mecca. He was orphaned as a child and sent to ended up living with his uncle. Muhhamad would get away from everything by going to the desert to meditate. One night while alone at Mt. Hira he was visited by an angel named Gabriel. After this Muhhamad began to accept Allah and started to believe. Some of the things Muhhamad believed was Jihad, holy struggle. He also began to believe you live for Allah. He believed all those who did would be rewarded and the rest punished. Not everyone believed the way Muhammad did. People at first thought that his teachings were a threat to the religious and material order. He was accused of making up what the Angel Gabriel had told him. He got followers from the poor and people who thought they were being unequally treated. Muhha mad took these people and then left and went to Medina to find more followers. He then returned to Mecca later and took over the city and converted everyone to Islam. In the Islamic faith there are five pillars that they must follow to their best ability. The Salaht, the Hajj, they must give to the poor, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and repetition of the creed, "There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." These pillars are more like obligations in the Islamic religion.

Monday, November 11, 2019

International Law Case Brief Essay

Facts: George Christian Hanna (23 years old) is a stateless person trying to find a country for refuge. In 1954 the United Nations addressed the problem of â€Å"stateless† persons to solve the problem when one seeks refuge within a country; however, Canada is not a signatory. Spending most of his life as a ship-bound passenger, Hanna does not have a homeland. Hanna applied for refuge from The â€Å"Gudveig† a Norwegian motor-ship in which he was treated as a â€Å"stowaway† and imprisoned for more than 16 months. During these 16 months aboard the ship, Hanna made at least three trips to Canada. Hanna found himself in Canada looking for immigration status after being released by the act of habeus corpus. Immigration was not given and an order of deportation was handed down. The order was appealed on the basis that the order is defective, incomplete, and impossible to interpretation or enforcement and beyond the authority of the immigration officer. Issue: Is the deportation order made by the immigration officer (acting as a special inquiry officer) legal and made within the means of his power? Decision: The deportation order would force Hanna to be imprisoned aboard The â€Å"Gudveig† for an indeterminate amount of time. The circumstances that this deportation order created are not acceptable and the order was found to be illegal and Hanna was to be released from detention. Reasoning: The deportation order included four directives. Directive No. 2 thru No. 4 was discredited by the court and No. 1 was the only directive considered and it went as follows: that Hanna be deported to the place whence he came to Canada. The court found that this meant many different things and that it was not possible to find where Hanna came from before he stepped into Canada. The fact remains that Hanna is a â€Å"stateless person† and there is no mutual agreement on where he is actually from. The court was not  satisfied with the affidavit of the immigration officer which fixed his birthplace as Djibouti in French Somaliland. Also the court was not satisfied with the Norwegian lawyers claims that he is an Egyptian who was born in Alexandria. Other interpretations such as the port in which this journey began in Eritrea and the port which Hanna came to Canada from in Beirut, Lebanon did not satisfy the court because even is the Lebanese authorities agreed Hanna stowed away from their port, they country is quite foreign to him. The court noted that it had referenced other authorities cited by counsel where deportation orders were made without all the facts being present. None of those orders though were comparable to the Hanna case, because this deportation order was not to deport to a country but back into detention aboard a ship. The immigration officer delegated to the owners of The â€Å"Gudveig† the responsibility for interpreting the deportation order, which brings the court to believe that he himself (immigration officer) does not know what the order means. This fact alone is enough for the court to reason that the order is illegal. The judgment was found in the favour of Hanna because the deportation order was impossible to interpret and enforce.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Is Booking Travel over the Internet Causing the Decline of High Street Travel Agents? Essay

Is booking travel over the internet causing the decline of high street travel agents? During the decade leading up to 2007, ways of buying tourism products as changed a lot. Ten years ago people choosing a holiday more often than not a package holiday, by going to the travel agent and choosing one from a number of brochures and after chatting with the travel agent. Many people still chose this method but a lot more people are buying packing holidays, more people now buy online, or over the telephone, through teletext. People tended to find it cheaper to and more flexible to buy their flights from one internet site, their accommodation from another and book a hire car with another site, rather than buying a package holiday out of a tour operator’s brochure. They are not always financially, protected when booking travel separately. Holidaymakers are â€Å"turning their backs on the traditional high-street travel agent in favour of booking trips online†, reports sundayherald. com. Between 2000 and 2004 there was an 11% drop in the number of bookings made at travel agents, with only 47% of overseas holidays now being reserved through a high street travel agency, according to figures from market researchers Mintel. Many people book breaks by phone, and just 31% of overseas trips were booked in person in 2004,† says the report. â€Å"The research shows that traditional sun, sand and sangria package holidays are the main type of trip booked on the high street, with just one in five d omestic trips booked at travel agencies. Richard Cope, international travel analyst at Mintel, reportedly said consumer confidence in the internet was driving people away from booking in person. â€Å"Mintel’s research shows that almost one in five UK holidays are now booked online, with consumers becoming increasingly confident about making their own travel arrangements. † Mintel figures also indicated that, overall, more holidays are being taken. In 2004 65% of British people went on holiday, compared to 62% in 2000. Some 44% of holidaymakers now take more than one holiday a year, up 14% since 2000. Altogether, Britons took 43 million holidays abroad in 2004. http://www. m-travel. com/news/2005/10/number_of_booki. html Technological changes within tourism surround several different factors from medical advances to the innovative space tourism. Similar to tourism, technology is an ever changing and sometimes unstable business. Better communication, transport and safety have encouraged new consumers to the industry. Improvements in water supply, medicine and knowledge have meant areas are opened up which were not possible before technological advances. In today’s society in which a consumer wants easier, quicker and cheaper service only technology has helped tourism fulfil the customers demand. Another massive effect on tourism is the rapid increase in online booking that has given consumers more opportunity to make a holiday. Through technological advances, online booking has been one of the biggest factors in affecting tourism, leisure and recreation in today’s world. There were 37,600,000 Internet users in the United Kingdom (representing 62. % of the population) in March 2007, according to Internet World Stats. This was up by 144. 2% compared to 2000. (Internet World Stats, March 2007) and a new Google Survey has shown that surfing the web has topped watching television as Britain’s favourite past time. On average residents in the UK spend 164 minutes online every day compared to 148 minutes watching television (Daily Mail, Friday 10th March 2006). This shows how much the internet is now an integral part of life and has had an effect on other aspects influencing the tourism business. More and more people are now booking their holiday on the internet, as many people are looking for a better priced deal than they’re being offered by their travel agent. Both holiday and airline bookings have not dramatically rose in sales from the travel slump of 2001-02 due to the massive consequences of September 11th and the threat of terrorism which has increased (it saw similar slumps although smaller after the Madrid bombings and 7/7 terrorist attacks). The Iraq war, the SARS/bird flu epidemics and very consistent hot European summers have persuaded the usual long haul travellers to stay at home. This has seen a loss in sales and therefore profits causing one of the hardest aviation crises of the industry. The number of job cuts that were announced in 2003/04 was well over 100,000 according to BBC News, November 2005. Routes had been slashed and several European carriers were barely clinging to life. The turmoil in the industry went from Aer Lingus to XL Airways, but times were changing and the industry needed something new. Survival tactics started to emerge and online travel started to show evidence of bucking this gloomy trend. The Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), as cited in a May 21, 2002, Financial Times article had cited for many years that online spending was increasing and predicted it to triple at the end of the decade. Looking at e-commerce data overall, the firm counted travel as the biggest online sector, followed by electronic products and apparel. IMRG also said British shoppers were buying larger and more expensive goods online, such as furniture and kitchen appliances. This showed a large gap in the sub-market that needed to be exploited. Online Travel Spend ($bn) Europe N. AmericaU. K 20002. 4 6. 4 0. 20015. 8 11. 00 1. 8 200212. 7 18. 7 3. 7 Source: Datamonitor At the start of the boom these were seen as survival tactics by the airlines and the government also pushed for more progress in online booking to make the travel industry more prosperous. The economic realities forced travel companies to be more efficient in running their business. Websites, for example were able to promote the latest ticket prices, particularly at a time when they were being slashed on a day-to-day basis which was used to tempt travelers back into the air. Similarly travel sites e-mailed a wide ustomer base with relative ease to promote special deals. It is seen as the cheapest method of booking a holiday, the LogicaCMG (a marketing body) has said that phone bookings typically cost about ? 30 to service. By contrast net bookings cost around 75p. One of the biggest online travel sites Expedia, took an initial knock from 11 September, but then saw its transaction volumes recover by 80-85% during October. â€Å"Like every travel company, we experienced a downturn, but we then recovered a lot more quickly than the traditional industry† said James Vaile, managing director of Expedia in the UK. Online travel sites are also well positioned to exploit the recent procrastination by consumers in booking holidays. People are booking later than usual in recent years and the internet is seen as the obvious and natural place to hunt down last-minute bargains. As this bar chart shows travel sales online rose rapidly from 2006-2007 and it is expected to continue to rise to over $30 billion. The consumers weren’t only using the internet to book their holidays but also to research and gain knowledge of the destinations they wanted to go to. The search engines were flooded with searches over cheap flights, accommodation and new destinations (as shown in the rankings). From the bar chart below it shows that web-search is the preferred method of obtaining travel information with it being preferred nearly twice as much as personal recommendation, the second most preferred method. This is then followed by TV programmes, but the travel agents became the fourth option of consumers to collect travel information. Web-searches are high due to people liking to make their own decisions at their own pace and this can’t be done in travel agents where they are pushed, poked and pressured. This is unpleasant for the consumer and has changed the trend in which consumers went to travel agents for advice, whereas now they would rather use the internet. As this pie chart to the left shows the internet has had a huge impact on the booking of a holiday, with 79% of all booked holidays using the internet in the process. Also, the internet has seen a large increase in the number of â€Å"last minute† business as many tourists feel it is better-placed and they can search for the best priced, most suitable holidays or excursions. Furthermore, since the growth of the internet, online advertising has been used as a huge marketing tool, where holiday and travel providers can target large quantities of potential customers and keep advertising costs low. This has also been used to great effect as they appear to be a successful method and an efficient way of gaining business from the wallet-conscious consumers, whereas high street advertising receives less notice. Moreover, the internet has caused the high street travel agencies to close, therefore creating job losses within the businesses. This is mainly due to the fact that more people are booking direct with the holiday providers, thus cutting out the middle man and saving money by doing the research and booking themselves. This is usually done by using the internet or telephone booking where the overhead costs are much lower as an outlet has to be staffed and incur running costs such as electricity bills and also because of the larger volumes of people that are able to access the service. A recent example of this is was in 2001, when Airtours, the UK’s largest tour operator had to cut one-in-seven of its high street branches in an effort to return to profitability. According to finance director David Jardine, around 120 shops going under the name â€Å"Going Places† were closed as the business stated that they were finding there was an â€Å"increasing trend in customers wishing to book direct†. On the other hand, online companies such as Expedia. com have seen their profits on the rise over the past few years as would be expected, although they had not anticipated such a large growth. For the last three months of 2001, Expedia saw its net income surge to $19m according to BBC News, compared with a loss of $2. 6m in the same quarter of 2000 and also the firms evenues were in excess of $80 million for 2001, over double that for 2000, showing how quickly it has established itself as an efficient internet booking service. So in conclusion online booking for travel has dramatically changed tourism in the world. It has provided a less time consuming, cost effective and an overall efficient/productive method in organising tourism which has seen triggered a rapid rise in sales. Airlines are now recovering after effects that were unforeseen. BAA Limited, formerly the British Airport Association said seven UK Airports handled a total of 11. m passengers in August 2006 making it a record summer with the highest number of passengers ever recorded over a two month period. BAA also revealed here was a 6. 8% increase in passenger traffic for the 12 months to August 31st 2006. Bigger discounts and better security could tempt more people to book holidays online, a LogicaCMG survey (http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/technology/3939035. stm) found. However, the future of online booking although seen as prosperous can also turn, but due to the recovery in airline business they are starting to hit back. Prices are starting to rise and now you must book early to get the best price. The same survey revealed that online discounts were still not high enough to tempt potential customers onto travel websites and that the process was still too complicated for some consumers. A serious issue with online booking is the fear of fraud. Consumers are not convinced that any personal and financial information they hand over would be kept secure by online travel shops and this is slowing the potential growth that could occur otherwise. The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) sees the online travel market having a long way to go before it replaces high street travel agents. ABTA estimates that by the end of 2007 online travel will be 17% of the UK’s ? 28bn travel market but this growth will only occur if trends continue as it relies on steadily growing numbers of people happy to book holidays online and as well as improvements in technology and the creation of better websites by travel firms. Issues over security, faults and complications need to be solved if this method of booking is to prosper. The travel industry although brash will always be around due to the need and want of consumers to travel. â€Å"For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Explore the methods Shakespeare uses during Richard’s opening soliloquy to reveal his true character

Explore the methods Shakespeare uses during Richard’s opening soliloquy to reveal his true character Explore the methods Shakespeare uses during Richard's opening soliloquy to reveal his true characterShakespeare wrote Richard's opening soliloquy when ElizabeththeFirst was on the throne.She was the great grand-daughter of Henry of Richmond. The soliloquy was set in 1845, during the War of the Roses which was between the families of York and Lancaster. Shakespeare varies the techniques he uses to describe Richard as he uses groups of three, alliteration and metaphors to create a monstrous image of Richard in the minds of the audience.Initially, in the opening section of the soliloquy, Shakespeare presents Richard as a proud man because he is celebrating his family's victory over Lancaster. This is evident in the opening section of the soliloquy when it says 'Now are our brows bound with victorious wreaths, our bruised arms hung up for monuments'. This shows how pleased Richard is for the victory. Also Shakespeare uses alliteration in 'brows bound' to create extra effect.Earlier in th e soliloquy, Richard the Third seemed more joyful as he was still celebrating the victory. This is apparent when it is said that 'Now is the winter of our discontent made glorious by this sun of York'. Shakespeareusesa metaphorhere to highlight Richards view on Edward (brother of Richard), the metaphor used is 'sun', which is what Richard refers his brother to. Shakespeare implies that Richard is referring his brother as 'sun' because he wants to emphasize how bright his brother possibly is. In addition, also within 'Now is the summer of our discontent', could mean that the time of unhappiness is past therefore Richard initially comes across as a proud man. At this stage in the soliloquy, the audience would view Richard as a pleased man.As we go through the soliloquy, the audience has a different reaction...

Monday, November 4, 2019

British Airways have a wonderful Employer Brand

British Airways have a wonderful Employer Brand 1. Introduction of British Airways: British Airways have a wonderful Employer Brand and are one of those companies that virtually everyone wants to work for. Consequently, the difference that we bring is around the intelligence of candidate screening and filtering – helping candidates know if a particular job is appropriate for them, right from the start. And enabling the recruitment team to spot the best people and fast track them through interview to offer, for a rapid contribution to the business. British Airways is the UK’s largest international scheduled airline, flying to over 550 destinations at convenient times, to the best-located airports. Whether customers are in the air or on the ground, British Airways takes pride in providing a full service experience. The British Airways Group consists of British Airways PLC and a number of subsidiary companies including in particular British Airways Holidays Limited and British Airways Travel Shops Limited In an incredi bly tough trading environment we have to focus hard on pulling ourselves through the immediate crisis, while prepare the business for the better economic times. Our aim to fill the drive and competition of the Olympic spirit into the way we work and perform as a team, and it puts our customers at the heart of our culture. The structure of the world’s leading global premium airline focuses on the improving operational performance and financially fit. To achieve the strategic goals we need to measure our HR performance across the business and to make our managers accountable for delivery of our targets. In order to become the leading global premium airline, we need to look at the way we work as well as what we are doing as a business. Reuters reported one source as stating that under the plan ‘British Airways would have a 100% economic interest in a subsidiary that is KLM which will have some ingenious bits and pieces in the way it is structured to satisfy Dutch corporate governance rules and the aero-political implications of foreign ownership.’ Furthermore, BA would own only 49% of voting shares, with the remaining 51% held by Dutch investors and financial institutions brought in as ‘friendly’ shareholders who would hold an ‘A’ share equivalent that had no real economic value. BA meanwhile would own a ‘B’ share which would have no nominal value or voting rights, but which would capture some 99% of the economic interest. It is not certain yet whether the proposed structure would satisfy the requirements of certain bilateral treaties that have ‘ownership and control’ clauses. United Airways, a US carrier, has said that the USA might be willing to waive any objection to KLM ceasing to be Dutch and still maintain its position under a bilateral agreement with the Netherlands if Britain agreed to open the British trans-Atlantic aviation market, according to Reuters. 2. Strategy & Objectives: Pro vide a human capital management (â€Å"HCM†) solution for the recruitment process that mirrors the full service experience enjoyed by passengers. A more sophisticated, cost effective HCM solution to reduce the time attract and retain new employees and improve the candidate experience. Support opportunities at a number of levels – from school leavers to experienced professionals, with positions ranging from engineers to customer services.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

The analysis of the strangers Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The analysis of the strangers - Movie Review Example He was almost sure that she would accept it. At the same time, a stranger, blonde woman appears looking for Tamara. She even comes back a second and third time, but this time wearing a mask. It would be difficult to imagine someone would be in the surrounding .This introduces the theme title of the movie which is later followed by encounters with strangers and strange occurrences (Bertino 100). The moral lesson in this scene is that sometimes who we don’t get what we are almost sure of getting. The events that follow frighten James and Kristen and the viewer too. Their means of escape or calling for help are destroyed and the person responsible is nowhere to be seen vandalized car, with slashed tires, missing phones and the appearance of a track hauling at James all create a theme of terror (Bertino 100). The couple finds a gun in the bedroom and it create some relief of having self defense. Instead James ends up shooting his friend Mike. To torment James the unseen stranger p aints the word ‘killer’ on the glass window. It is the dull lighting in the room, the messed up appearance of everything in the house and outside that creates horror. The main actors are breathing deeply with a feeling of hopelessness with the sound track playing strongly in the background. Not being in control and lack of means of escape creates a feeling of helplessness. The moral ideas here are that we should be aware of our surrounding. What may harm you could be staring at you but you are in a position to stare back. Sometimes the enemy uses one’s weaknesses and mistakes to disorient your actions. Whenever one makes decision calm and trying to settle into the context is key to avoid serious mistakes that may harm. The next day, Kristen and James are tied up by the tormenting strangers and amidst her crying she asks why they chose them. The response is cold words â€Å"because you were home† given by the stranger wearing a doll face mask (Bertino 100). The viewer is left wandering what these words meant. Could it be the house they are in belonged to the strangers who are now starting to appear as if they are ghosts? Or could it be these are stalkers who followed them from the wedding reception? The strangers remove their mask to reveal their faces to the couple, but the faces do not appear on the screen creating even more suspense and fear on the itchy feeling on the viewer. The masks used by the attackers could represent the idea of trying to evade reality which comes back to torment you ‘because you were home† to all these destruction. The moral lesson in the theme is that prior reflection on actions and decisions before time catches up with us and the mask is removed but before the removal you could be dead or in life threatening situations. Along the way, the group meets with some two boys distributing religious material, and when the doll face is asked if she is a sinner she just carelessly responds â€Å"someti mes† and the pin up girl tells her not to worry â€Å"it will be easier next time â€Å"these words create the feeling that Doll face could have been familiar with either Kristen or James and the idea of killing the was hanging heavy on her neck (Bertino 100). What will be easier? When is the next time? From his theme we learn that even criminals regret the torment they have caused, but the satisfaction of being in control is overwhelming and they have a