Battle of Friedland in the Napoleonic Wars

Battle of Friedland in the Napoleonic Wars The Battle of Friedland was fought June 14, 1807, during the War of the Fourth Coalition (1806-1807). With the beginning of the War of the Fourth Coalition in 1806, Napoleon advanced against Prussia and won stunning victories at Jena and Auerstadt. Having brought Prussia to heel, the French pushed into Poland with the goal inflicting a similar defeat on the Russians. Following a series of minor actions, Napoleon elected to enter winter quarters to give his men a chance to recover from the campaigning season. Opposing the French were Russian forces led by General Count von Bennigsen. Seeing an opportunity to strike at the French, he began moving against the isolated corps of Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. Sensing a chance to cripple the Russians, Napoleon ordered Bernadotte to fall back while he moved with the main army to cut off the Russians. Slowly drawing Bennigsen into his trap, Napoleon was foiled when a copy of his plan was captured by the Russians. Pursuing Bennigsen, the French army became spread over the countryside. On February 7, the Russians turned to make a stand near Eylau. In the resulting Battle of Eylau, the French were checked by Bennigsen on February 7-8, 1807. Departing the field, the Russians retreated north and both sides moved into winter quarters. Armies Commanders French Napoleon Bonaparte71,000 men Russians General Levin August, Count von Bennigsen76,000 men Moving to Friedland Renewing the campaign that spring, Napoleon moved against the Russian position at Heilsberg. Having taken a strong defensive stance, Bennigsen repelled several French assaults on June 10, inflicting over 10,000 casualties. Though his lines had held, Bennigsen elected to fall back again, this time towards Friedland. On June 13, Russian cavalry, under General Dmitry Golitsyn, cleared the area around Friedland of French outposts. This done, Bennigsen crossed the Alle River and occupied the town. Situated on the west bank of the Alle, Friedland occupied a finger of land between the river and a mill stream (Map). The Battle of Friedland Begins Pursuing the Russians, Napoleons army advanced over several routes in multiple columns. The first to arrive in the vicinity of Friedland was that Marshal Jean Lannes. Encountering Russian troops west of Friedland a few hours after midnight on June 14, the French deployed and fighting began in the Sortlack Wood and in front of the village of Posthenen. As the engagement grew in scope, both sides began racing to extend their lines north to Heinrichsdorf. This contest was won by the French when cavalry led by the Marquis de Grouchy occupied the village. Pushing men over the river, Bennigsens forces had swollen to around 50,000 by 6:00 AM. While his troops were exerting pressure on Lannes, he deployed his men from the Heinrichsdorf-Friedland Road south to the upper bends of the Alle. Additional troops pushed north as far as Schwonau, while reserve cavalry moved into position to support the growing battle in the Sortlack Wood. As the morning progressed, Lannes struggled to hold his position. He was soon aided by the arrival of Marshal Edouard Mortiers VIII Corps which approached Heinrichsdorf and swept the Russians out of Schwonau (Map). By midday, Napoleon had arrived on the field with reinforcements. Ordering Marshal Michel Neys VI Corps to assume a position south of Lannes, these troops formed between Posthenen and Sortlack Wood. While Mortier and Grouchy formed the French left, Marshal Claude Victor-Perrins I Corps and the Imperial Guard moved into a reserve position west of Posthenen. Covering his movements with artillery, Napoleon finished forming his troops around 5:00 PM. Assessing the confined terrain around Friedland due to the river and Posthenen mill stream, he decided to strike at the Russian left. The Main Attack Moving behind a massive artillery barrage, Neys men advanced on the Sortlack Wood. Quickly overcoming the Russian opposition, they forced the enemy back. On the far left, General Jean Gabriel Marchand succeeded in driving the Russians into the Alle near Sortlack. In an attempt to retrieve the situation, Russian cavalry mounted a determined attack on Marchands left. Surging forward, the Marquis de Latour-Maubourgs dragoon division met and repulsed this attack. Pushing forward, Neys men succeeded in penning the Russians into the bends of the Alle before being halted. Though the sun was setting, Napoleon sought to achieve a decisive victory and was unwilling to let the Russians escape. Ordering forward General Pierre Duponts division from the reserve, he sent it against the mass of Russian troops. It was aided by the French cavalry which pushed back its Russian counterparts. As the battle re-ignited, General Alexandre-Antoine de SÃ ©narmont deployed his artillery at close range and delivered a stunning barrage of case-shot. Tearing through the Russian lines, fire from SÃ ©narmonts guns shattered the enemy position causing them to fall back and flee through the streets of Friedland. With Neys men in pursuit, the fighting at the southern end of the field became a rout. As the assault against the Russian left had moved forward, Lannes and Mortier had endeavored to pin the Russian center and right in place. Spotting smoke rising from a burning Friedland, they both advanced against the enemy. As this attack moved forward, Dupont shifted his attack north, forded the mill stream, and assaulted the flank of the Russian center. Though the Russians offered fierce resistance, they were ultimately compelled to retreat. While the Russian right was able to escape via the Allenburg Road, the remainder struggled back across the Alle with many drowning in the river. Aftermath of Friedland In the fighting at Friedland, the Russians suffered around 30,000 casualties while the French incurred around 10,000. With his primary army in shambles, Tsar Alexander I began suing for peace less than a week after the battle. This effectively ended the War of the Fourth Coalition as Alexander and Napoleon concluded the Treaty of Tilsit on July 7. This agreement ended hostilities and began an alliance between France and Russia. While France agreed to aid Russia against the Ottoman Empire, the latter joined the Continental System against Great Britain. A second Treaty of Tilsit was signed on July 9 between France and Prussia. Eager to weaken and humiliate the Prussians, Napoleon stripped them of half their territory. Selected Sources Battle of Friedland: French Order of BattleNapoleon Guide: Battle of FriedlandHarvey, Robert. (2006) War of Wars: The Epic Struggle Between Britain and France, 1789-1815. New York: Carroll Graf.

Americas Fascination with Entertainment essays

America's Fascination with Entertainment essays At the end of the day, the typical American turns on the television when they get home and proceeds to flip through the channels until the sight of twenty guys standing around an attractive woman catches their eye. The guys are smiling ear to ear knowing they are going to have to out do the guys standing next to them. Entertainment has changed drastically since our parents were our age. In the 1960's, the entertainment industry was very small compared to today. There was television, radio, movie theaters, and going to sporting events. Conversation between family members was a main part of entertainment back then. Today, the industry has added computers, video games, Internet, pornography, and much more. America's fascination with the entertainment industry is influenced by childhood upbringing, boredom, the need to escape from reality, violence, and advertising because people want to be captivated and the time constraints Americans place in their lives. Childhood upbringing affects the enchantment the entertainment industry plays in a person's life. Many kids today are placed in front of a television set or computer when their parents need a "babysitter." Parents use the television and computer as a way to keep their kids out of their hair when they don't have time to mess with them. According to www.nccev.org, "56% of children ages eight through sixteen have a television in their rooms." The television in their room plays a role in how much television programs they watch unsupervised. Unsupervised television viewing allows the child to watch any program they desire. The parent needs to monitor the programs the child watches. The child could be watching adult programs with violence, nudity, adult content, and adult language. Kids are brought up in this day and age thinking when there is nothing to do, and they are bored to turn on the television. Boredom may be the force that causes the greatest fascination with ent...

Personal & Professional Development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Personal & Professional Development - Assignment Example Whilst undertaking this course, I undertook numerous exercises in seminars and took part in different activities, which as well has been of great help particularly in developing my personal attributes. The activity involved in was presenting the work to my group. During this activity, one of the most challenging issues that I noted was time management. In fact, for the first time as a postgraduate student, I came to recognize that time management is an important skill for all professionals (Cheng and Li-Fang 2004). Even now, I have been working hard to improve on management of time after going through different activities included in my log. To considerably improve my skills of time management, I have been consulting a number of published materials including books, professional practices as well as activities such as group participation. All these were also achieved with the help of a development plan ( Cho, Roberts and Patten 2010). I must say that, I have used my formulated developmental plan to improve my skills of managing time and this is evident in the way I have been accomplishing my assignments-finishing assignments early instead of waiting for the last day rush. As student in management class, particularly specializing in international business, I have immeasurably learned a number of important aspects, which will help me in making informed decisions particularly in cross cultures in future (Cummings and Worley 2009). Generally, this course has enabled me to learn more about varied practices in international management as well as other aspects linked to cross-culture and which will assist me to become a successful manager in an international context. In fact, having studied with various students who come from diverse ethnicities and cultures, I have, through my course, learned to acclimatize and adapt several things as well as ethics, which have helped me to

Compare and contrast an RFP with an RFQ. Briefly discuss under what Essay

Compare and contrast an RFP with an RFQ. Briefly discuss under what circumstances would you use each in an IT project - Essay Example A request for quotation is suitable for obtaining or sourcing supplies that are standardized as well as produced in a repetitive quality and quantities. It is used when the buyer has a list of pre-determined suppliers who have the technical specifications and commercial requirements for a product or service (Kappauf, Lauterbach & Koch, 2011). A request for proposal (RFP) is also a procurement document that a purchasing organization uses when it has a procurement problem, but it does not know how it wants to solve the problem. It is the most formal of a request in a procurement process and has strict rules for timeline, content, and vendor responses. Request for proposal focuses on more than just the cost or pricing of the project or supplies. The purchasing organization tends to seek more information about the manner in which the supplier or contractor will perform the contract. Apart from the cost of the project, the procurement department also seeks more concepts such as the ability of the supplier to meet the required quality as well as the technology a supplier uses. The buyer appraises a supplier or contractor’s ability and capability to perform the project on the basis of quality, financial capacity, technology level, and competence. The procurement department uses all these factors to select the best suppli er or contractor for the contract. A request for proposal tends to notify suppliers of the buyer’s intention to purchase certain goods or services. The buyer gets a formal submission from the selected suppliers to facilitate comparison of the proposals. A request for proposal tends to show that a buyer has a formal as well as a fair procurement process without favoring a certain preferred supplier (Stewart & Stewart,

Counseling via Internet a good idea Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Counseling via Internet a good idea - Coursework Example The quick advancement and utilization of the Internet to convey data and foster correspondence has brought about the making of new types of counseling ("The practice of Internet counseling"). Nowadays there is a variety of tools that enable to conduct counseling through the technology advancement – though the telephone or Internet. There are many ethical issues that Internet counseling raise. First of all, confidentiality is one of the core principles in counseling. Is there a guarantee for the client that all the messages remain confidential? Psychological diagnostics may be not so effective as live communication nd counseling. Another issue is that Internet counselor has to be competent and licensed anyway – how frequently Internet counselor is eligible to work with the clients? How can the client to be sure the name corresponds the real person who is the counselor (Hughes, 2000)? In my opinion, counseling practice conducted through the Internet is possible, still I would prefer traditional way to do it. First of all, real presence of another human being heals. It is better for the client to receive an actual help. I believe professional would manage to do online-counseling as well. Yet all the ethical and professional questions have to be satisfied. Hughes, R. S. (2000).  Ethics and Regulations of Cybercounseling. ERIC/CASS Digest.  Greensboro, NC: ERIC Counseling and Student Services Clearinghouse. (ERIC ED446326), Retrieved from https://www.counseling.org/Resources/Library/Selected%20Topics/Cybercounseling/Hughes-Digest-2000-03.htm The practice of Internet counseling .  National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. and Center for Credentialing and Education, Inc.  , Retrieved from

The Flea by John Donne and The Altar by George Herbert

The Flea by John Donne and The Altar by George Herbert Compare and contrast the The Flea by John Donne and The Altar by George Herbert. The Flea by John Donne, published in 1633, is an erotic metaphysical poem in which the concept of a flea serves as an extended metaphor for the relationship between the speaker and his beloved. In comparison George Herbert’s The Altar, also published in 1633, demonstrates through the conceit of an altar how one should offer himself as a sacrifice to the Lord. This essay will compare and contrast; the poetic techniques, the shape of the poems and the use of meter. This essay will also highlight how these features link in with the main themes of sexual desires, religion and repetition to evoke the meaning of each poem. Both poets present the speaker differently through the use of poetic devices. For example, the metaphysical conceit in The Flea begins when the speaker states ‘And in this flea, our two bloods mingled be’. (4) This metaphor suggests that the speaker believes the mixing of two bloods is similar to the consecration of marriage and this is the argument the speaker sets up to woo his lover. The speaker uses direct address when he says ‘how little that which thou deniest me’. (2) By using the determiner ‘little’ it shows how he is trying to convince his lover of the unimportance of sexual intercourse. In addition, the possessive pronoun ‘me’ suggests he is trying to assert his authority, thus highlighting his sexual desire even more. In complete contrast, the speaker in The Altar is ambiguous as Herbert refers to a ‘servant’, (1) which implies anybody could be speaking it; whether it is the poet, the reader or even a priest, as it seems to be in the form of a prayer. Furthermore, the speaker illuminates they are addressing someone of higher importance as he refers to the ‘Lord’ (1). In addition, the adjective ‘broken’ (1) is an expression of a heartfelt sense of inadequacy and so this further captures Herbert’s meaning to define man’s place before God. It is important to take in to account how Donne and Herbert have a distinct contrast in how they use religion as a theme to evoke the meaning of their poems. Following on from this, Donne uses the general insignificance of a flea to be the primary image of the poem thus revealing his humorous and witty tone; as it contrasts with the act of intercourse, which is of monumental importance to many religious people back in the seventeenth century. Unlike Donne, Herbert uses the conceit of an altar to show how one should offer himself to God. Through his conceit, Herbert highlights the importance of devoting oneself to God, whereas Donne only uses religious imagery in order to win over his lover. In The Flea, the metaphor ‘three lives in one flea spare’ (10) contradicts what the speaker believes to be of unimportance. The speaker tries to manipulate his lover by suggesting she is going against the sanctity of marriage if she kills the flea. The image of ‘three lives’ equates to the three persons of the Holy Trinity; the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. By incorporating this imagery, Donne effectively uses Biblical referenc es to shape his argument and tries to seduce his lover in a crafty manner. However in The Altar, the metaphor ‘A HEART alone / Is such a stone’ (5/6) demonstrates how devout the speaker believes he is without offering himself fully to God. The noun ‘HEART’ is in bold and is placed near the centre of the poem, which illuminates that the heart should be central to what is being done. In addition, this suggests if the heart was to be taken out, the altar would lose its significance. This metaphor also symbolises the fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden; the sin that he committed represents the heart that has died. This again links in with the idea that one should offer himself as a sacrifice to God. Both Donne and Herbert’s poems create an effective visual image with the purpose of linking back to the meaning. The repetition of the shape in The Flea and the indentation of the last three lines of each stanza refer back to this three in one imagery. This repetition suggests a habitual routine that the speaker is a product of as he is determined to persuade his lover to agree in sexual intercourse. Furthermore, the speaker says ‘three lives’ (10) and ‘three sins in killing three’ (18) which are of high importance. This repetition of the three in one imagery suggests each stanza mirrors the concept of the flea, the lover and the speaker or even more importantly the Holy Trinity. In the same way the theme of repetition and religion has come across in The Flea, The Altar also creates a visual impact. Like Donne’s repetition of the shape of the stanzas, Hebert’s poem also repeats the shape of the first four lines with the last four lines. This creates a sense of how the spiritual world will always overrule the material world. The speaker in The Flea gives reference to material things such as sexual intercourse in order to win over his lover. However in the first four lines of The Altar, the speaker gives reference ‘workmans tools’ (4) to suggest that material goods will never be on same level as the spiritual world. Micah Krabill states Herbert has ‘made an external altar for the reader; by approaching the poem, the reader approaches the altar.’ (Krabill, 1998) Following on from this, Herbert purposefully sets the shape of this poem like an altar so that the reader places themselves before God, which links back to Krabill’s statement of how the reader approaches the altar. Herbert gives reference to a ‘broken ALTAR’ (1) which is clever as the poem is in the shape of a broken altar. This evokes the meaning of how the pathway to God is not always easy. Herbert further emphasises the significance of religion when the shape moulds to the centre at ‘A HEART alone’ (5), thus highlighting how the heart is at the centre of the sacrifice given to God. The repetition of the shape of the last four lines links in with the visual shape in The Flea as it suggests the speaker is prepared to offer himself fully at the end of the poem. The meter of each poem are similar in that they fall in to the iambic rhythm, however they create different impacts. The Flea alternates between iambic tetrameter and iambic pentameter for example ‘Though use make you apt to kill me, / Let not to that, self-murder added be’. (16/17) However the last three lines in each stanza alternate between tetrameter for line seven and then pentameter for lines eight and nine. The alternate meter and having three couplets and one triplet in each nine line stanza links back to the idea of the speaker’s manipulative motive and scheming behaviour in order to engage in sexual desires throughout the poem. In comparison with the complexity of his argument, the rhyme scheme follows an aabbccddd pattern in which every last word of each line, with the exception of ‘maidenhead’ (6) and ‘innocence’ (20), all has one syllable. For example, ‘me’, ‘thee’ and ‘three’ all addres s the speaker, his lover and refer back to the three in one imagery. By having one syllable for every word, it links back to the simplicity of what the speaker wants. Like Donne’s poem, The Altar engages in an alternate iambic pentameter and iambic tetrameter for the first two couplets. The poem then changes to iambic dimeter for four couplets and then the last two couplets mirror the alternate meters in the first two couplets. Similarly to The Flea, the alternate meter’s highlight the speaker’s character. The immediate switch from iambic tetrameter to iambic dimeter speeds the pace of the poem up; the middle section illuminates the speaker’s message in how he believes one should offer himself to God. The last couple of iambic dimeter is, ‘Meets in this frame / To praise thy name’ (11/12) which is of high significance. Herbert cleverly uses a punning reference to the ‘frame’ of the poem and also a person’s state of mind. Following on from this, the alternate meter’s also fit in with the visual shape of the poem which is effective as it links in with the metaphysical conceit of an altar that Herbert uses throughout. Both poets use various meter’s to demonstrate either the duplicitous motive of the speaker in The Flea or to strengthen importance of the message in The Altar. Both Donne and Herbert structure their poems effectively using the metaphysical conceits of a flea and an altar to highlight the message that is intended. Without fail, both poets are able to use the shape of their poems and also various meters’ in order to create different impacts upon the reader. The Flea and The Altar are seen as completely different poems due to the erotic and seductive behaviour of the speaker in the first poem, yet the latter is in complete contrast as the speaker addresses God in a respectful and dutiful manner. Nevertheless, both Donne and Herbert highlight similar themes such as sexual desires, religion and repetition in order to bring to light the meaning of both poems effectively. Bibliography Krabill, M. (1998). Visual Metaphor. Interpreting English Literature: Milton, Herbert Donne. Retrieved from http://finneganswake.net/academia/visualmetaphor.html (Accessed 10th March, 2014)

Inuit Culture and Society Essay -- Culture

When you mention Alaska and the Arctic Circle, one envisions igloos, dog sleds, and invariably, Eskimos. However, little do most know, that what most refer to as Eskimos is actually a generalization representing three distinct groups. In order to understand the societies that live in this region and acknowledge their cultural differences we must explore the different groups that inhabit this region of which there are two: the Inuit, and the Yupik. For the purposes of this discussion we will focus on the lives of the Inuit. The Inuit are a group of people often mischaracterized as Eskimos. They lived in the area of central and northeastern Canada and Greenland. There has been much discussion of the orignination of this group of people but the most recognized theory is that they crossed from northern Asia across thin bridge of land over the Bering Strait sometime around 6000-2000 BC. Many people mistakenly think that the Inuit and Native Americans are one in the same. It seems that the Inuit most likely came from Asia more likely than the Native Americans. Although both probably came to the Americas through the Bering Strait. Biological, cultural and dialect differences show the different origin. Much of this theory is supported due to the close resemblance of the Inuit to the Mongoloid races of Eastern Asia. Because of the harsh land and climate of the Arctic, this area was probably one of the last regions to be inhabite d making the Inuit on of the earth’s younger cultures. A large portion of the Inuit culture was developed based upon the need to survive. Migratory societies such as the Inuit were driven by the need for food to feed its members, by the availability of trade to secure resources not normally available ... ...es, J. Sidney. (2012). Inuit, . Retrieved March 11, 2012, from http://www.everyculture.com The Inuit Culture. (2009). Retrieved March 10, 2012, from http://www.mythicjourneys.org Frederic V. Grunfeld (Ed.), Oker: Spiele der Welt II. (in German) Fischer, Frankfurt/M 1984. ISBN 3-596-23075-6 Betty Kobayashi Issenman: Sinews of Survival – The Living Legacy of Inuit Clothing. UCB Press, Vancouver 1997. Pulaarvik Friendship Kablu Centre (2007). Retrieved March 7,2012, from http://www.pulaarvik.ca Maas, David. "Alaska Natives," in Native North American Almanac, edited by Duane Champagne. Detroit: Gale Research, 1994. Craig, Rachel. "Inupiat." Native American in the Twentieth Century: An Encyclopedia, edited Mary B. Davis. New York: Garland Publishing, 1994. Ernest Burch Jr., Werner Forman: The Eskimos. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman 1988, Macdonald/Orbis, London 1988

Becker’s Rational Theory

Gary Becker is both a sociologist and economist although he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 for his rational theory for economics.   The lecture he gave for the Nobel was divided into six points: his economic approach to life, his view of the discrimination against minorities, his theories on crime and punishment, his understanding of human capital, his perspectives on family ties and how he believes people will accept the theories he had proposed. Becker’s ideas are refreshing, if not altogether new and worth understanding. First of all, he distinguishes his analysis from the Marxian perspective.   He explained that the communist concept is purely based on utilitarian terms while his concept of rationality is a method of analysis and not an â€Å"assumption about particular motivations.† (38) His approach is founded on the idea that time has its own cost.   He argues that many human developments have been made to extend life expectancy but no one can alter the pace of time from twenty-four hours to another pattern.   Thus, time has its cost and also affects the choices that people make because of its price. Becker takes hiring of workers and discrimination into a new light with his idea that the employers may usually be the source of discrimination but in truth, the employees and customers of a company also contribute to the decisions being done on employment. He cites that some workers refuse to be assigned under a woman and certain clients may prefer to deal with white instead of black sales agents. One of his theories on discrimination is that when the quantity of the majority of a prejudicial relationship is greatly higher, the income of the mentioned party will be much higher while those of the minority group will be very limited.   However, Becker also believes that if the prejudicial group is smaller in quantity compared to the group they have chosen to outcast, then the prejudice will be harmful to the prejudicial people. Becker also controversially cites that the popularized beliefs of employers, teachers and other persons of influence on the community can create stereotypes that are harmful or counter-productive.   He bases his assumptions on the premise that education is an investment because previous studies show that putting more time and money in getting academic training boosts a person’s chances to become economically successful. Stereotyping people causes these minorities to lessen their educational investments both academically and career-wise.   This makes them less productive to society. It is worthy to note that Becker highly believes that education is a very good investment for the economy and that learning can be hindered by prejudice. Another institution Becker chose to analyze is society’s view on crime and punishment.   Becker sought to explain that crimes like stealing may not seem to cost the society very much but criminals also invest on weaponry and premeditated planning which could have been put to better communal use.The Nobel winner explained that in the mid-twentieth century, crimes were viewed as originating from mental illness and social oppression to the point that criminals were made to look like victims of society. These, therefore, affected social policies by giving criminals more rights, reducing the chances of apprehending and convicting criminals while lessening the security of the rest of the innocent. In his economic point of view, Becker believes that policies must be geared towards higher costs of punishment for criminals to deter them from making their crimes a livelihood.   He believes that to lessen crime, the economic and social environment formed by public policies (e.g. expenditures for punishments, employment opportunities, educational programs) must be taken into consideration.   If the legal jobs were paying much higher than what would have been gotten from a quick crime, then it would lessen the probability of criminal acts. It was Becker’s ideas that have inspired Law Professor, David Friedman (1995) to propose other ways of fighting and preventing crime.   Based on the Nobel awardee’s theory, the professor suggests that instead of paying policemen regular salaries, these officers should just get what has been collected from the criminals he had apprehended and caused to be convicted. In this scenario, the victim shall pay for the investigation of the crime to the police so that investigative jobs will be allocated well to the uniformed men. According to Friedman, this will lessen the cost of taxes that ordinary law-abiding citizens pay for protection and judicial courts. When the criminal is able to pay the damages he had brought about, then the victim and police have been paid. In this way, the policeman are not   tempted to accept bribes from criminals while the cost of implementing justice is greatly lowered. Another point of view was given by Dr. Mark Thornton, Senior Fellow at the Ludwig von Mises Institute, this time contradictory to Becker’s.   After his winning the Nobel, Becker became a staunch believer in the legalization of drugs to lessen its harmful impact on society.   On the other end is Dr. Thornton who made a paper entitled, Harm Reduction and Sin Taxes: Why Gary Becker is Wrong, to state his points.   According to Becker, legalizing drugs would bring in positive results if excise taxes will be created to make the price of these drugs less affordable.   However, according to Dr. Thornton, the taxes will still not eliminate the consumption of dangerous drugs but will only encourage production and consumption of more potent forms of these drugs.   Marking legal drugs as harmful will only make these even more attractive to young teens and adults.   Putting excise taxes will make the drug too costly for those who truly need it which might lead to consumers preferring a less expensive yet more harmful kind of solution and the formation of a black market.   Thornton further argues that there is no proper way to calculate the tax rate. (12) I In Thornton’s light, he reveals that Becker’s ideas may be highly theoretical but not practical because it does not take its effects on society as critically as it should. One subject that may give Becker a Marxian link is his use of the term â€Å"human capital.†Ã‚   Although the term he uses is Marxist, he does not intend it to mean something utilitarian.   Instead, Becker chose to use the term as a name for an analysis that bases its assumptions on how individuals choose their education, career training, medical care and other additions to knowledge and health by weighing the benefits (cultural and non-financial) and costs (value of time spent on these founding investments). (43) Becker identifies two theoretical concepts used in human capital analysis which are the general and specific training or knowledge.   Becker believes that general training is simply knowledge of how to make things work but specific training or knowledge refers to an individual’s skill in climbing up and down the authority structure of the company he or she works for and includes the talents that may be necessarily giving this employee more value to the company. With this proposition, human capital becomes an asset of a company as part of accounting principles. He further explains human capital investment in the light of marital relationships. He believes in the idea that marriages are unions that are based on the theory that putting together two people’s resources would make them stronger economically. Thus, divorce rates are affected by the financial stability of husbands and wives.   This also explains why the rich have lower divorce rates compared to couples who are problematic in their finances. Although romantics may want to challenge this idea, the statistics will provide Becker with more evidence rather than refute his contentions. Human capital is founded on the idea that education is an investment. Becker offers his human capital analysis to explain the gender gap in earnings of men and women.   Traditionally, women were more likely to get poorly-paid jobs because they spend time taking of children first before they can invest more attention to getting better education or training.   However, the decline of family size in the past decades, growth of divorce rates that leave single mothers to work for a living, increase in the fulfillment of job vacancies brought about by industrialization and legislation has been able to give women more opportunities for career and financial stability. Becker believes that his rational choice way of analyzing life can also explain the formation, dissolution and structure of families. The family is the oldest and most basic of all institutions. Becker already mentions that marriage is a union that is made between individuals who believe that staying together would benefit them both. Divorce, then, would be made if the two individuals believe that economic stability would be achieved without the other. One of the controversial principles regarding family and economics came from Malthus who believes that fertility would rise as incomes increase and would decline as incomes decrease.   This theory failed when the modern era showed that as industrialized countries were becoming super economic powers, birth rates started to dwindle. According to Becker, the only problem with the Malthusian principle is that it was not adaptable to modern life. Modern people put great value in time and so taking care of children costs greatly. Parents also recognize that the success of their children are based on the good quality education and training they are able to get. This raises the cost of investments even more which leads to couples having fewer children. This explanation also addresses why more and more women are entering the labor force. With fewer children to tend to, women are freer to pursue their careers. Becker also sought to analyze why there are societies wherein gender roles seem to attribute to women the child-rearing and agricultural activities compared to the men who are delegated to do the fighting and market work.   He believes that these are because of biological differences and cultural conditioning. He incorporates his human capital analysis by saying that any investment in education requires practice and that since men have more time to delve into the sporty and marketing skills, they are the ones given the gender role.   Women, on the other hand, are too busy with children to develop their own talents and skills and would do better in simply doing what else should be done to uphold the family. Becker believes that the way one is raised has a lot of bearing on how one thinks and acts as an adult.   Choices adults make in life are based on their childhood experiences.   Therefore, the family is a very important institution in society because the preferences that are at work in his rational theory are formed when people are growing up. Another aspect of family life Becker chose to single out was the issue of altruism.   Based on the â€Å"Rotten-Rid Theorem,† selfish individuals use altruistic behavior to ensure their own welfare. Therefore, parents and children can strive to uphold altruism within their families because of their own selfish purposes. For example, parents who are not planning to leave bequests to their children strive to uphold love, guilt and assistance among family members to ensure their welfare once they grow old.   By imbibing values such as caring, older children are made to feel guilty when they cannot take good care of their old parents. Parents who do not plan to leave bequests to their kids tend to strive to work or assist their children in housekeeping to compensate for their lack of financial contribution. With children who have been taught to give back something in return while they were young, the kids will be obliged to take good care of the old parents. Parents who are not planning to leave bequests can also give their children the best investment they can have – education – to ensure that when they are already old, the young ones will be able to provide for their needs. With these in mind, Becker makes a funny proposal for parents to have contracts with their children to oblige them to take care of the old couples once they are too weak to work. With his analysis of familial relationships, Becker also realizes that social institutions like homes of the aged are contributing to the breakdown of families. With the government taking care of what could have been someone’s responsibility, the family members communicate less and become estranged from each other. Other sources of this problem are greater geographical mobility, increased wealth due to better national economy, better capital and insurance markets that create financial endowments for these responsibilities, higher divorce rates that separate family members from each other and even health care which also takes care of things so that people can continue to work instead of taking care of each other. Becker concludes his lecture by summarizing the main points he had so far mentioned.   He also predominates any oppositions to his claims by saying that since his concepts are based on economic or rational choices towards behavior, many critics have already raised issues about individuals not acting consistently all the time and that behaviors are not always forward-looking (especially the ones of criminals). Becker counters these allegations also by explaining that his rational choice theory is not simply an economic approach limited to the micro level.   He believes that the theory can be a very good and powerful tool to use to understand and derive implications on the macro level. Backer believes that using assumptions about technology and other determinants of opportunities, market and non-market situations, laws, norms and traditions can help obtain better results about group behaviors. Becker’s ideas are truly remarkable. Some are simply a review of what has been happening to society (e.g. family dissolution) while others like his view of crime and punishment are refreshing and obviously revolutionizing social policies and perspectives. His view on crime, particularly, raises many controversial questions towards practicality especially because it concerns the security of many innocent people. Controversial or not, his rational choice theory shines a new light towards how humans keep adapting to the society he is forming at every moment and this makes him worth of the Nobel Prize. Works Cited Becker, Gary. â€Å"The Economic Way of Looking at Life.† Nobel Lecture. 09 December 1992 Economic Sciences.(1992): 38-58. Friedman, David. â€Å"Rational Criminals and Profit-Maximizing Police: Gary Becker’s Contribution to the Economic Analysis of Law and Law Enforcement.† 23 March 2008. < http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Academic/Becker_Chapter/Becker_Chapter.html> Thornton, Mark. â€Å"Harm Reduction and Sin Taxes: Why Gary Becker is Wrong.† 23 March 2008.         

PR Plan for MS Clothing The WritePass Journal

PR Plan for MS Clothing Introduction PR Plan for MS Clothing ). Audience The audience is potentially one of the hardest things to identify, in terms of this overall PR plan, as Marks Spencers clothing covers such a potentially wider audience. It is suggested in this case, however, that by focusing on ladies wear, the overall agenda for the clothing department can be considered and looked at in the long run (Hackley, 2009). The target audience for this plan therefore is to focus on the fashion conscious, yet affluent 20 – 40 year old category. Attempting to compete with the prices of disposable fashion outlets is simply impractical; therefore, the focus needs to be on the high income a professional, fashionable women who also want their clothes to be excellent quality and durability. Message Linked to the chosen audience is the message that MS clothing products are providing quality, durable essentials that offer a sophisticated and professional look, with a touch of fashion that is not a disposable, cheap fashion product. One of the key problems which have been identified within the MS clothing range in recent years is that the cost of the product has simply not warranted the quality of fashion being provided, and the balance between quality and cost needs to be redressed (Parrish, 2010). Maintaining a strong quality is important. Yet, it is necessary for the fashionable element of the product to be brought to the forefront of this message, and this needs to be delivered clearly to the young, affluent audience. In order to achieve this MS is going to focus on the younger audience by   engaging with young workers and students. Offering discounts and selecting the relevant media publications that aim at these people will be a crucial part of delivering this message.   Communication Strategies Bearing in mind the message and the target audience in question, the choice of communication strategy will be particularly important when it comes to successfully providing this shift in emphasis and new marketing strategy. Given the chosen audience, the communication strategies also need to be aimed at a younger audience, using factors such as the internet and e-mail marketing, in order to portray a younger, more cutting-edge image. Establishing affiliations with third parties and appropriate magazines will also be important for encouraging potential consumers to view Marks Spencer clothing in a slightly different light. Events such as fashion shows and launches of product ranges in locations that are going to be targeting this new audience. Working with Universities and popular work areas in central towns will assist in this matter. Celebrity endorsement is also potentially going to assist in shifting the perceptions of Marks Spencer away from products which are slightly old and staid. By partnering with the appropriate celebrities and also appropriate events, the general perception of the company can be changed, over time, and this needs to be a relatively mid-term agenda for MS. Resource and Budget The overall size of MS and the ability to draw on financial resources from other departments such as the food and home department provides evidence of real opportunities in regard to spending a large amount on this revised PR and marketing approach that would be impossible for other organisations without the backing of these departments. In order to completely reinvent the perception around an organisation the size of MS will require a consistent and large resource, over a relatively prolonged period of time. In addition, however, it is proposed that a six-month time horizon be looked at, with the majority of the focus being placed on shifting the emphasis and eventually reinventing the product range. It is therefore suggested that a team of four marketing professionals should be given the agenda of achieving this plan as part of a specific six-month project (Hallbauer, 2008). Initially, it is proposed that a budget of  £260,000 will be provided on the basis of  £40,000 per month to cover the advertising in key locations and in order to ensure that the manpower is available in every store across the country. It is also recognised that having a strong celebrity endorsement may be very beneficial, the budget may need to be adjusted to reflect this. Evaluation Methods By looking at the current difficulties being faced by the MS clothing range, it can be seen that it is largely attached to the perception of individuals and the demands of the potential target audience. With this in mind, evaluating the marketing and PR agenda will not only involve looking at quantitative figures such as the change in sales, but more crucially at the changing perceptions of customers and potential customers. Also for this reason, at least initially, the necessary way to evaluate the PR agenda will be to undertake an analysis of customer perceptions and satisfaction of products. After the initial six-month period, it is anticipated that there will be shifting sales figures and therefore the evaluation methods used would need to alter to take this into account. It is, however, recognised that this marketing agenda will not completely change the fortunes of the company in a matter of weeks and evaluation methods need to be reflective of this gradual shift, if the agenda is not to be deemed a failure, at a fairly early stage (Newman Cullen, 2002). References Hackley, C, (2009) Advertising and Promotion: An Integrated Marketing Communications Approach, SAGE Publications Hallbauer, S, (2008) Retail Marketing and New Retail Idea – Marks and Spencer, GRIN Verlag MacDonald, G, (2011) For MS’s Bolland, Success is in the Detail, Retail Week, Available at:  retail-week.com/city/for-mss-bolland-success-is-in-the-detail/5025603.article Marks and Spencer (2014) Available at: http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/investors/press_releases/only_m_s_marks_spencer_invites_you_to_meet_britains_leading_ladies Newman, A Cullen, P, (2002) Retailing: Environment Operations, Cengage Learning Parrish, E. (2010) Retailers’ use of niche marketing in product development. Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 546-561

Thesis Online

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One Hundred Years of Solitude Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

One Hundred Years of Solitude - Essay Example This town seemed to be isolated from the outside world and the people who lived there were alienated from the rest of the world and suffered greatly, each in their own world. The primary intention of the author for using the theme of solitude was to make a protest against the Western world for denying the colored race access to the resources of the developed world. Religion, especially organized religion, which is one of the main themes in the novel, is regarded with much skepticism and therefore becomes the subject of satire and jokes. Gabriel’s novel has some of the most unsympathetic characters which he uses deftly to depict his thoughts and ideas on Solitude and religion and how it leads to their destruction. One such character is Fernanda del Carpio, who was portrayed as a staunch, religious and fervent catholic, who is intent on sending her own child to a convent and forgetting about her. Fernanda del Carpio was the wife of Aureliano Segundo and mother of Renata Remedios , Jose Arcadio II and Amaranta Ursula. She was one of the last descendents of a very impoverished royal family of a dreary dying town. However, even though their family was quite poor and had no money, her father always stressed that she was a queen and this belief she had right unto her death. Fernanda always clung to her strict medieval code of ethics and made life quite miserable for the â€Å"common† Buendias. ... One of the longest living members of the Buendia family, Ursula Iguaran, represents the Biblical Eve. She is witness to the birth of the most new generation of the Buendias. She is perhaps the strongest of all the Buendias. Ursula is treated with dignity and respect as she follows the path of God in a moral way rather than in the conventional manner. She raised the child of a stranger as her own daughter and showed true Christian spirit by welcoming dozens of strangers to her table. The strength shown by Ursula in binding the family and being their mainstay is truly praiseworthy. In trying to keep the family together she is sometimes quite harsh. The idea that terrified Ursula most was that any kind of incestuous relationship would lead to the birth of pig-tailed progeny. She is a contradictory character as she is terrified of incest which is the ultimate in family bonding, yet she always works towards binding the family. Solitude also contributed to the overall vision of Macondo, fr om the author’s perspective which he used as a lens through which we could view human history and human nature. He portrays the town of Macondo from the time it was founded, right to the time it was destroyed. Through the novel, the author depicts prosperity and growth that gradually leads to war and strife and eventually the downfall and destruction of the town. Jose Arcadio Buendia who was the founder of Macondo and patriarch of the Buendia family, was a natural explorer. In this story he is representative of the biblical Adam. As in the Bible, Adam lost his innocence so also did Jose and his family lose their innocence in pursuit of knowledge. He is representative

Effects of graduating from college in a bad economy Essay

Effects of graduating from college in a bad economy - Essay Example dual works in the long run as compared to the number of working hours and probability of gaining employment during good economic conditions in the long run (Liu 2). The immediate to short term effects are that fresh graduates fail to obtain positions that are highly desired by them if they graduate in a recession and shifting between jobs is even quite difficult (Oreopoulos 23). They even fail to bargain for higher paying jobs as they fail to gain employment in high paying positions. For example: Kahn figured out that those who graduate during recessionary period earn around 3 to 5 percent less over a period of 20 years (Kahn 310). Those individuals who gain graduation during recessionary sessions do not face difference in gaining job opportunities and working hours in the long run as compared to their peers who graduate during booming conditions. In the short run they experience failure to find high paying jobs, desirable positions, failure to switch jobs and demand low wage rates. Oreopoulos, Philip, Andrew Heisz, and Till . Wachter. The Short and Long-Term Career Effects of Graduating in a Recession: Hysteresis and Heterogeneity in the Market for College Graduates. Cambridge, Ma: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2005. Internet resource. SABLIK, TIM. "Are New Graduates Left Behind in a Recession?." Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012.