Traveling Around the Fashion Trends of Women 20th - 21st...

The word fashion trends mean a change of clothing style. The first fashion capital of the world was Paris, France. The ‘Belle Epoque’ was the very first fashion trend. In the early 20th century, women had a conservative figure to concentrate on their body figure. A new style was born in the roaring 20’s, was brought the beginning of modern fashion. The roaring 20’s was known for the flapper skirts, gathered skirts, pleated skirts, higher hemlines, and low-cut necklines. The era of the Great Depression became known for its sophisticated Garbo look, where nylon stockings became trendy. World War II is the start of the pants revolution of women. â€Å"The 1950’s were known for a tailored look and immaculate grooming† (Kichura 1). During this†¦show more content†¦Today, women are influenced to wear braziers, which are now known as bras. During the Great Depression, women needed to enter the work force, where they started to wear business suits and fitted jackets with shoulder pads. This generation, imitated the concepts of the clothing trends of women in the workforce. Today, this kind of garment is a formal attire of women. In 1960, ragged jeans became a clothing trend of women. As a result, this attire inspired both women and men to wear this clothing, so this became a unisexual trend. The boyish figure of the 20th century influenced women to replace corsets to bra, stretch bra, and girdles with suspenders. As a result, fashion designers incorporate these concepts to their designs. During the mid 60s and 70s women began to wear T-shirts with slogans, messages, etc. T-shirts continue to exist today for both women and men. Women in the 20th century also influenced the fashion trends of the 21st century in the sports arena. In the 20th century, women began to become interested and active in sports. In the early 1900s, women wore athletic garments, which made it easier for women to move around, while being acti ve. These sports clothing continues to be used today. In the early 1930s, the swimwear for women was born. Today, different varieties of swimwear exists. A fashion designer named Tomas Burberry created sport clothes, which allowed women to have greater ease ofShow MoreRelatedA Picatrix Miscellany52019 Words   |  209 Pagessome of them classical (pp.421-423). bB III. Excerpt from a Lecture on Alchemy Terence McKenna, Wetlands Preserve, 1998 â€Å"†¦Let me read you a passage from Giordano Bruno. This is a wonderful passage from the Picatrix. This was the book of 12th century magical texts that began to introduce these hermetic ideas and this passage is the core passage that inspired the Rosacrucians and numerous other utopian movements. 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The impact of outsourcing on HSBC, United Kingdom Free Essays

string(102) " by starting from scratch, it helped to build a relationship from the start with various departments\." INTRODUCTION 1.1 Research Title The impact of outsourcing on HSBC, United Kingdom 1.2 Research Question What is the impact of outsourcing on HSBC bank in the UK? 1. We will write a custom essay sample on The impact of outsourcing on HSBC, United Kingdom or any similar topic only for you Order Now 3 Research Objectives The objectives behind reviewing previous literatures and doing this project are: To discuss the concept of outsourcing To identify and understand the outsourcing strategy of HSBC bank, UK To analyse how outsourcing has impacted on the HSBC bank in the UK 1.4 Background and Definition HSBC Holdings is one of the largest banks across the globe. Pal and Pantaleo (2005) suggest that HSBC Holdings has over 9500 offices scattered in 80 countries. Outsourcing has been defined by many authors. Laabs, C. (1997) as summarised by Embleton Wright. (1998, p. 94) defines outsourcing as â€Å"†¦ having an outside vendor provide a service that you usually perform in-house†. (Gibson. 1996, p. 19) describes outsourcing as â€Å"The transfer of routine and repetitive tasks to an outside source†. Outsourcing arrangements are normally classified into two categories which are IT outsourcing and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). Examples of IT outsourcing are system analysis, data processing and security management among others. On the other hand, BPO are back office administration, call centres, document processing and management of other selected processes. Offshore outsourcing is a subcategory of outsourcing where banks outsource services to a third party in another country other than the one in which the bank is based. This relates to HSBC as it already has a number of processing centres in India and Malaysia according to Pal and Pantaleo (2005). As discussed by Rohde (2003), it planned to move some business tasks such as data processing and call centre enquiries to India, Malaysia and China by 2006. The next part of the paper draws on the critical literature review which explores the overall concept of outsourcing related to HSBC. It explores different sub sections which are discussed in detailed. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 History and concept of outsourcing This section provides some historical background of the concept of outsourcing. According to Jacques (2006), outsourcing also known as offshore outsourcing, started in the 1950s. At that time, manufactured products rather than services were mostly outsourced. Jacques further suggests that Nike and Reebok were among the first to subcontract their production of shoes to Taiwanese and Korean suppliers. However, Busi Mclvor (2008) and Lonsdale Cox (2000) argued that it is very difficult or rather impossible to determine the origin of outsourcing. Jacques (2006), Lonsdale Cox (2000), Jiang Quresh (2005) and Foogooa (2008) all agreed that the concept of outsourcing for services emerged in the 1990s. Services such as canteen management and security have however been outsourced since the early 1960s or even earlier. The size and array of activities has drastically increased in the last 15–20 years to add in logistics, IT, finance, accounting and personnel. Many banks and financial institutions have since been moving their payroll, IT systems and customer services offshore. The outsourcing industry is one of the largest industries in the UK. The country is home to practically one fifth of all outsourcing agreements. Goodman Fox (2008) suggested that outsourcing was originally used during the recession period by firms to cut costs and achieve productivity. It is now more often considered as a key part of organisational change programme and also a strategic activity. In the public sector, extensive outsourcing which is more generally known as contracting-out began in the 1980s. It first began in the local government and then continued to central government in the 1990s. The next section will draw on the benefits and drawbacks of outsourcing. 2.2 The reasons behind HSBC outsourcing This section will limit it discussion to the various reasons which forced the bank to outsource some work. As stated by Kripalani (2006), â€Å"HSBC decided to outsource mainly because the need to constantly improve technology was becoming difficult for the bank, drawing attention away from its core financial-services business.† However, Pal Pantaleo (2005) argue that increasing pressure from Citigroup to remain competitive on cost triggered HSBC to outsource. With a revolution in technology, banks should be able to provide fast and efficient technology. While almost all banking transactions are now done online, HSBC had to move to a new technology platform to remain competitive and become more efficient. Hence, the UK based bank had to outsource its IT support and software development in India and Malaysia. Being in the financial services industry, HSBC could not cope with the increasing new technologies adopted by other banks. The other reason behind the decision to outsource was indeed cost saving. Griffiths (2003) cited that HSBC justified its decision to slash jobs from the UK to Asia in an attempt to cut costs. HSBC goes on to say that labour costs in India for example is much cheaper than in UK. The cost to maintain IT and back office work in the UK is quite high. Labour cost is relatively much higher in the UK than in Asian countries and economies of scale make the cost cheaper in those countries. Kripalani (2006) contended that the bank wanted to get the job done as fast as possible even if it means putting more workers on the job. As a result the job is done much quicker as a lower cost.The HSBC bank also looked to India as the country’s reputation for quality software work was becoming increasingly known. Moreover, access to the huge and potential Asian market is made easier by outsourcing in those countries as the bank gets more familiar to the local laws and regulations. 2.3 The outsourcing strategy of HSBC Lee, Miranda and Kim (2004) divide IT outsourcing strategies into three categories which are degree of integration, allocation of control and performance period. According to Kripalani (2006), HSBC learned from its outsourcing experience to develop strategies. The first strategy is to start small. HSBC started out a centre with only 30 people and many mistakes were made in the beginning. The bank therefore learned from those mistakes. Furthermore, by starting from scratch, it helped to build a relationship from the start with various departments. You read "The impact of outsourcing on HSBC, United Kingdom" in category "Essay examples" The second strategy is customer involvement. While trying to upgrade its international financial processing system, HSBC found out that it is crucial that experts get involve rather than making a request on paper only.Thirdly, the use of a hybrid offshoring model is another strategy. Moreover HSBC bank built a sense of community within the organisation to work towards quality work. Finally HSBC made sure that quality is maintained as it is a key factor to successful business. HSBC in-house short-term jobs and outsource long-term work. It can be argued that all those strategies above might not be enough for a successful outsourcing. How about supervision and control? Another strategy pointed out by Farrell (2009) is that HSBC in the UK split its service into two, with ordinary account holders served by Indian call centres and premier account holder by UK call centres. 2.4 The impact of outsourcing on HSBC HSBC has a wholly owned BPO subsidiary in Kolkata which employs 2000 employees working on back-office operations. It also has a software development centre in Pune. According to Mann (2005), HSBC â€Å"revealed a 37% rise in pre-tax profit to ?9.2bn ($17.6bn) for 2004 – largely on the back of the company’s performance outside the UK.† Again quoting Mann (2005) â€Å"expansion for HSBC has not been without its share of problems.† Due to outsourcing to cut down costs, HSBC had to face trade unions who were not happy with the increasing cutting down of jobs in the UK. Farrell (2009) stated that â€Å"HSBC ran into a row over its latest round of job cuts yesterday when the main trade union representing its staff claimed the bank’s announcement of 1,200 redundancies was fewer than half the real number.† Mann (2005) makes the point that concerns were raised in the UK about outsourcing banking services such as call centres in India due to quality standard. Moreover during the Asian crisis HSBC lost quite a lot of money due to outsourcing activities there. As said by King (2010), IT and outsourcing costs increased in 2009 due to progress in the bank’s standardisation plan. Research by Embleton Wright (1998) suggests that outsourcing brings benefits as well as drawbacks. They claim that the main advantage is cost saving. By outsourcing, small companies benefit from economies of scale whereas large companies benefit from the transfer of departments which are not performing well. They go on to suggest that other benefits are time saving to set up the department, hidden costs which are discovered, activities which are outside the company’s core business are taken care by experts, cash injection by selling assets when an activity is outsourced, greater flexibility in allocating human resources, accountability by the suppliers to provide agreed level of service which may not be controlled if activities are in-house, more free staffs in-house to do other important tasks, access to specialist tools, skills and technology, geographical problems may be reduced and finally outsourcing can improve quality due to the expertise of the provider. On the other hand, they also point out that the drawbacks include unsuccessful attempt to reduce costs, the surrender of control, difficulty and cost involve in bringing back a process in-house, morale of existing staffs may be affected due to cut in staffs, costly contracts and lost in quality. 3. CONCLUSION As in the previous sections, outsourcing has emerged from a practice mostly done to cut costs on a temporary basis to a strategy adopted by many companies around the world. HSBC bank in the UK outsources mainly to cut costs and remain competitive in the fast moving technology world. It mostly outsource its IT and back office work such as customer service and data processing. Having outsourced from the beginning, the bank has learned to adopt outsourcing strategies such as starting small, maintaining good relationship and quality.On balance it can be concluded that outsourcing has had a rather effective impact on HSBC by cutting costs but other risks such as increase in outsourcing costs should be managed. The impact on local employees’ morale has to be considered also. Moreover according to BBC News (2006), a worker in the data processing department in Bangalore has been taking money from customers’ accounts by hacking the system. Although the customers’ were reimbursed, it had a huge impact on the security of data held outside the UK. Nasscom, the trade body for the Indian IT and services sector, commented that they are aware that customers prefer to deal with call centres that are based in the UK rather than outside firstly because of the language difficulties and the opportunity to deal with the local branch. REFERENCE LIST Books Barrar, P. Gervais, R. (2006). Global outsourcing strategies: an international reference on effective outsourcing relationships. Hampshire: Gower Plublishing Limited. HSBC. (2007). HSBC’s Guide to Cash and Treasury Management in Asia Pacific 2008. Hong Kong: PPP Company Ltd. Jacques, V. (2006). International outsourcing strategy and competitiveness: Study on Current Outsourcing Trends : IT, Business Processes, Contact Centers†¦ Paris: Publibook. Kondabagil, J. (2007). Risk Management in electronic banking: concepts and bestt practices. Singapore: John Wiley Sons (Asia) Pte Ltd. Pal, N., Pantaleo, D. C. (2005). The agile enterprise: reinventing your organization for success in an on-demand world. New York: Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. Journals/Magazines Busi, M., McIvor, R. (2008). Setting the outsourcing research agenda: the top – 10 most urgent outsourcing areas. Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal. 1(3) p. 185-197. Embleton, P. R., Wright, P. C. (1998). A practical guide to successful outsourcing. Empowerment in Organization. 6(3) p. 94-106. Foogooa, R. (2008). IS outsourcing – a strategic. Business Process Management Journal. 14(6) p. 858-864. Gibson, V.M. (1996). Outsourcing can save money and efficiency. Benefits Administration. March. p. 19. Goodman, R, Fox, M. (2008). Outsourced and Business Services – A UK Success Story. BSA – The Business Services Association. November p. 6. Lee, J., Miranda, S. M., Kim, Y. (2004). IT Outsourcing Strategies: Universalistic, Contingency, and Configurational Explanations of Success. Information Systems Research. 15(2) p. 110-131. Lonsdale, C., Cox, A. (2000). The historical development of outsourcing: the latest fadIndustrial Management Data Systems. 100(9) p. 444-450. O’Riordan, A., Sweeney, E. (2007). An investigation into outsourcing practice in Ireland: a new direction in logistics and supply chain management. European TransportTrasporti Europei. 35. p. 64-80. Rohde, L. (2003). Bank Gets Earful for Exporting IT Jobs. CIO. 1st December. pp. 24-26. Websites BBC News (2006). Man held in HSBC India scamprobe . [Online]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5122886.stm [Accessed: 2 May 2011] King, L. (2010). HSBC profits increase, but so do IT and outsourcing costs. [Online]. Available from: http://www.cio.co.uk/news/3234073/hsbc-profits-increase-but-so-do-it-and-outsourcing-costs/ [Accessed: 10 March 2011] Kripalani. (2006). HSBC’s Lessons in Outsourcing . [Online]. Available from: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_05/b3969426.htm [Accessed: 10 March 2011] Mann, H. (2005). HSBC banking on global expansion . [Online]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4268223.stm [Accessed: 15 March 2011] Farrell, S. (2009). HSBC’s 1,200 job cuts spark row with union. [Online]. Available from: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/hsbcs-1200-job-cuts-spark-row-with-union-1654297.html [Accessed: 17 March 2011] Griffiths, K. (2003). HSBC to outsource 4,000 UK bank jobs to Asia. [Online]. Available from: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/hsbc-to-outsource-4000-uk-bank-jobs-to-asia-583652.html [Accessed: 17 March 2011] BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Jacques, V. (2006). International outsourcing strategy and competitiveness: Study on Current Outsourcing Trends : IT, Business Processes, Contact Centers†¦ Paris: Publibook. Pal, N., Pantaleo, D. C. (2005). The agile enterprise: reinventing your organization for success in an on-demand world. New York: Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. Journals/Magazines Busi, M., McIvor, R. (2008). Setting the outsourcing research agenda: the top – 10 most urgent outsourcing areas. Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal. 1(3) p. 185-197. Embleton, P. R., Wright, P. C. (1998). A practical guide to successful outsourcing. Empowerment in Organization. 6(3) p. 94-106. Foogooa, R. (2008). IS outsourcing – a strategic. Business Process Management Journal. 14(6) p. 858-864. Gibson, V.M. (1996). Outsourcing can save money and efficiency. Benefits Administration. March. p. 19. Goodman, R, Fox, M. (2008). Outsourced and Business Services – A UK Success Story. BSA – The Business Services Association. November p. 6. Lee, J., Miranda, S. M., Kim, Y. (2004). IT Outsourcing Strategies: Universalistic, Contingency, and Configurational Explanations of Success. Information Systems Research. 15(2) p. 110-131. Lonsdale, C., Cox, A. (2000). The historical development of outsourcing: the latest fadIndustrial Management Data Systems. 100(9) p. 444-450. Websites BBC News (2006). Man held in HSBC India scamprobe . [Online]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5122886.stm [Accessed: 2 May 2011] King, L. (2010). HSBC profits increase, but so do IT and outsourcing costs. [Online]. Available from: http://www.cio.co.uk/news/3234073/hsbc-profits-increase-but-so-do-it-and-outsourcing-costs/ [Accessed: 10 March 2011] Kripalani. (2006). HSBC’s Lessons in Outsourcing . [Online]. Available from: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_05/b3969426.htm [Accessed: 10 March 2011] Mann, H. (2005). HSBC banking on global expansion . [Online]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4268223.stm [Accessed: 15 March 2011] Farrell, S. (2009). HSBC’s 1,200 job cuts spark row with union. [Online]. Available from: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/hsbcs-1200-job-cuts-spark-row-with-union-1654297.html [Accessed: 17 March 2011] Griffiths, K. (2003). HSBC to outsource 4,000 UK bank jobs to Asia. [Online]. Available from: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/hsbc-to-outsource-4000-uk-bank-jobs-to-asia-583652.html [Accessed: 17 March 2011] How to cite The impact of outsourcing on HSBC, United Kingdom, Essay examples

The Teachings of Don Juan Review Essay Example

The Teachings of Don Juan Review Paper Essay on The Teachings of Don Juan Lets face it: if this book is not got it in 1968 and it is in the United States, it would be Carlos Castaneda little-known anthropologist, obsessive polubredovymi ideas about other realities. It is possible that he would be able to collect even a certain small group of his followers, but no more But The Teachings of Don Juan is not just made him famous (and rich), he soon acquired the status of cult writer. We must pay tribute to Castaneda it is this status not only took advantage of it he confirmed, and following his book (note very different from Teachings ) carry much more meaning and proper teaching to be honest, the Teachings of Don Juan can not be adequately perceived in isolation from subsequent creativity Castaneda, as the book itself more closely resembles a manual for Mexican drug. The Teachings of Don Juan is unlikely to flip the consciousness of todays reader, weary abundance of mediumistic inspirations, koi a torrent poured out on us from TV screens and bookshelves. And just remembering that its Castaneda! Can be seen in a drugged delirium spark spiritual insights, and preparation procedures (and use) Psychotropic substances perceived as magical rituals, filled with deep meaning. We will write a custom essay sample on The Teachings of Don Juan Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Teachings of Don Juan Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Teachings of Don Juan Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer But it all really? Or maybe all these meanings are conjectures and Teaching does not carry anything mystical and profound? These are questions unanswered. Like so many other questions about the work and life of this extraordinary man certainly PS For your information:. The Teachings of Don Juan is the thesis of Carlos Castaneda for the degree of Master of the University of California Anthropology. And he received this degree.

A Hero of Our Time Essay Example

A Hero of Our Time Essay Example A Hero of Our Time Paper A Hero of Our Time Paper Essay Topic: Literature On the surface A Hero of Our Time is a selection of short fiction stories set against a backdrop of a wild, untamed region; the Caucasus. In this exotic location, Lermontov provides authenticity to the military and cultural peculiarities which existed between the tsarist Russian army officers and the savage ethnic mountaineer tribesmen. Central to each of the stories is the psychological state of its main character, Pechorin and his effect on those he emotionally targets. In a relentless quest for power over everyone he meets in life, Pechorins purpose is to bend to my will everyone and everything near me o arouse in somebody love, devotion and fear what is this but the first sign and the greatest triumph of power? (164-5). Prior to the disclosure of Pechorins personal diaries, Lermontov provides a filtered version of Pechorin by the use of two narrators; an anonymous travelling narrator and Maxim Maxemich. The initial account of Pechorin in Bela is relayed through the eyes of Maxim who is fascinated by Pechorin. Maxim is depicted as the archetypal old Russian captain, a compassionate man who generously describes Pechorin as an excellent fellow, though a bit strange (27). Maxims friendship is rebuked when he meets Pechorin several years later in the story Maxim Maxemich. The narrator recounts that Maxim was going to fall on Pechorins neck [and] Pechorin rather coldly offered him his hand for a moment the captain was brought up short in amazement (86). Although Maxim relays that he spent almost one year in Pechorins company he clearly does not comprehend the complicated facets of Pechorins personality. An irregular chronological sequence also functions to gradually expose Pechorins complex and intricate character to the reader. The chronological order begins with the mystical story of Taman, the name of a coastal town on the Black Sea in which Pechorin is almost murdered. He travels through this town on his way from St. Petersburg to the Caucasus. In a linear sequence Taman would be followed by Princess Mary, Bela, The Fatalist and conclude with Maxim Maxemich. However, there is also another short but significant story, the Introduction to Pechorins Journal in which the reader becomes aware that the novel is relayed in this sequence because this is the order in which the travelling narrator becomes familiar with Pechorin. In this prologue, the narrator assures the reader that Pechorins self-analysis is sincere. At the same time, he questions whether the characters portrayed in Pechorins journals can excuse his behaviour on the assumption that he did not subscribe to the same principles or philosophies in which society is bound society will forgive and accept people if they are understood; we are almost always ready to forgive what we can understand (94). This chapter also discloses that the narrator has not published all of Pechorins diaries and that there is an abundance of information which is omitted; I have included in this book only matter which refers to Pechorins life in the Caucasus. There still remains in my hands a big note-book in which he tells the whole story of his life. I do not dare, for several important reasons, to take the responsibility of publishing it (94). The quote is intentionally ambiguous and allows the reader to deliberate on how Pechorins character may have otherwise evolved once he departed the Caucasus. This statement also presented Lermontov with an option to further develop Pechorins character in later works. On a deeper level this novel provides a sociological and political perspective of Russia in the 1830s; it offers an insight into the distinct ethnic divisions which existed during this period. In the introduction, Lermontov provides a hint of the conflicting philosophies which began to mark impending changes within Russia. He warns the reader that Pechorin is not just a study of a single individual, but a portrait rawn from the fully developed vices of our entire generation (16). The intellectual elite, aside from the dubious distinction of serving in the Russian military, had no meaningful role within Russian life and were in effect, superfluous. Similarly, Pechorin is depicted as an educated, wealthy individual, who has no clear purpose in Russian society this is evident from his self-analysis; my being has been corrupted by the world nothing satisfies me; I get used to suffering just as easily as I do to enjoyment, and my life becomes more empty every day (65). Pechorin illustrates his unceasing pursuit for happiness which only exacerbates his boredom with life; the moment I emerged from my familys tutelage I rushed wildly into every sort of pleasure that money could buy; and naturally I soon tired of such pleasures I quickly got bored with society I got transferred to the Caucasus [but] within a month I was more bothered by mosquitoes than by bullets (63). Essentially, Pechorin is a metaphor for the frustrated, educated quasi-European which seemingly has no purpose in true Russian society. In depicting this character as an example of Russian societys ills, Lermontov notes that the disease has been diagnosed, but how to eradicate it goodness alone knows! (17). Importantly, Lermontov consistently makes the ironic distinction between the stately, noble Russian and the uneducated, savage nationalities which existed in the mountainous Caucasus region. This is particularly apparent in the story of Bela. Lermontov conveys the typical Russians feelings of superiority over the mountaineer tribes when Maxim Maxemich passes judgement on them by commenting that these Asiatics are miserable fellows hey are terrible robbers (21). Maxim further remarks that the Ossetes are a stupid race, they know absolutely nothing and they cant be educated (24). Similarly, in an attempt to win over Belas affections Pechorin shows his disdain for the Chechen race when he arrogantly questions Bela; Youre not in love with one of your own people, are you? (44). Pechorin clearly considers himself the better person. Lermontov also physically differentiates between Pechorin and Kazbich. He describes Pechorin as fair-haired [with] a white, well-bred forehead is moustache and eyebrows were black, a sign of breeding in a man (84-5). By contrast, Kazbich is depicted as having the most ruffianly appearance (31) along with a swarthy face [and a] ragged, dirty appearance (61). However, instead of portraying Kazbich as the savage murderer and Pechorin as the noble hero, Lermontov implies that the two men have in fact treated Bela in an identical manner and that there is no moral difference between them. Kazbich physically kills Bela, but Pechorin has already destroyed her on a moral level socially and culturally. In fact, there is a subtle inference that Kazbich in an ethical way is the more admirable man as he has sought revenge based on his strict cultural sense of right and wrong. On the other hand, Pechorin ruthlessly exploits and destroys Bela when he kidnaps her with no intention of marriage. In complete contrast to Bela, Lermontov departs from the wilderness of the remote Russian fort and into the aristocratic spa region of Piatigorsk, where Pechorin is based whilst on military leave. In short, the story unfolds as Pechorin meets Grushnitzki and prophetically declares; Nor do I care for him; I have a feeling that we shall one day meet on a narrow path, and that it will fare ill with one of us (119). The relationship between Pechorin, Grushnitzki, Vera and Princess Mary become emotionally entangled. Further, Pechorins calculated manoeuvres ensure that he emotionally seduces Mary and makes Grushnitzki look foolish. In the background is Vera, a former lover, now married but again willing to be seduced by Pechorin. The climax of this story is the duel in which Pechorin kills Grushnitzki; when the smoke cleared off, Gurshnitzki was not on the plateau. At the edge of the precipice there was only a slight column of dust to be seen. Everyone screamed simultaneously (221). There are also another two important incidents which occur in Princess Mary and provide the reader with different facets of Pechorins character. The first is in the form of his self-analytical confession to Mary; Everyone read in my face the signs of bad qualities which were not there at the time, though they came into being by suggestion. I was shy and was accused of craftiness; so I became secretive. I had a deep sense of good and evil, but nobody showed me kindness or treated me decently; so I became bitter and spiteful. And then despair was born in me, not of the kind that can be cured only by a bullet, but a cold, feeble despair, which hides itself under kindliness and an amiable smile (168-9). This speech is a turning point in the novel as the reader is persuaded to speculate on and sympathise with Pechorins character, however, rather than a genuine expression of his feelings, it is another tactic to influence control over Mary. This is evidenced by the preface to his dialogue in which Pechorin thought for a minute and then said, [pretending] to be deeply touched (168). Clearly Pechorin is acting out a role and at the end of the dialogue he admits that he did not continue [his] pathetic soliloquy (170). Further, his analysis of Marys reaction to him is that she is dissatisfied with herself and accuses herself of being cold. Tomorrow she will want to reward me. I know it all by heart. Thats why it is so boring (171). The second incident takes place when Pechorin receives a farewell letter from Vera letting him know that their affair was discovered by her husband and she has to leave Piatigorsk immediately; I prayed, cursed, wept, laughed nothing expressed the wild agitation of my despair (225). Pechorin tries to see Vera once more but his exhausted horse falls and Pechorin similarly collapses into the grass. As he lay there he wept bitterly not trying to keep back my tears and the sobs that tore my chest. All my hardness and coolness had vanished like smoke. If anyone had seen me then he would have turned from me in contempt (226). Unlike the earlier passage, this is an honest and unrestrained outpouring of emotion which humanises Pechorin. Furthermore, throughout the novel Lermontov demonstrates yet another facet of Pechorins character by illustrating his enchantment with nature. The descriptions of the panoramic landscapes which form the backdrop to the Caucasus are essential in providing an authenticity to the novel. Nature is depicted in a surreal form and a striking example of this is apparent when Pechorin, on his way to face Grushnitzki in a duel and all his senses stimulated, pronounces; I never remember[ed] a morning that was so blue or fresh. the mingling of the first warmth of [the suns] rays with the cold of the dying night induced in all my senses a delicious languor. At the lightest breath of wind thick bushes that grew in the crevices sprinkled us with silver drops. How eagerly I watched every dew-drop quivering on the broad vine-leaves and reflecting countless rays of rainbow light! (209-10) . For Pechorin, nature is an antidote to the world of civilisation completely removed from St Petersburg society. Lermontovs style ensures that he utilises various graphic devices in his depiction of nature. One of these devices is his generous use of colours including silver and gold to accentuate brilliance and richness. The descriptions of the sublime scenery swiftly situate the reader into a breathtaking setting; On every side there were inaccessible mountains, reddish rocks grown over with green ivy and crowned with rows of plane-trees, yellow precipices scored with ravines and, high, high up, a fringe of snow, golden in the sunset. Below, the Aragva united with a nameless stream, forced its way with a roar from a black, misty gorge, and lay there, a silver thread, with shining, snake-like coils (19). Snakes, clouds and mist are also consistently used to depict movement and an example of this is highlighted at the beginning of the novel; A pale moon was shining in the west, about to go behind some black clouds which hung over the distant peaks, like tattered curtains. the pale glow in the east spread over the purple heavens, lighting up gradually the steep mountain slopes covered with virgin snow. On either side were dark, mysterious chasms into which the mist whirled and writhed like a snake, creeping along crevices of rock, as though it felt and feared the coming of day (49). As a concluding chapter to the novel, A Fatalist is unquestionably appropriate. Although not the chronological conclusion, this chapter nevertheless, plays the role of the novels epilogue and it is not surprising that predestination or fate provides the theme to this story. The opposing forces of free will versus fate preface several incidents in which one of the characters, Vulich tempts fate by attempting to kill himself with a loaded gun, however the gun does not fire and he escapes death only to be murdered later that night by a drunk Cossack soldier. Uncharacteristically Pechorin performs a heroic deed and also tests fate by disarming the murderer at great risk to himself. Although Pechorin is uncertain of his attitude towards fate, he is convinced that fatalism does not subdue a person into pursuing a passive existence, rather it makes ones character even more decisive and courageous as he remarks; After all this, how can I help being a fatalist? And yet, how can a man tell whether he is sincerely convinced or not? We so often mistake for genuine conviction the imposture of our emotions or the blundering of our judgement. I like to have doubts about everything, a propensity which does not preclude determination. On the contrary, so far as I am con cerned, I can always go forward more resolutely when I know what to expect. After all, nothing can happen worse than death, and death cannot be avoided (246). The irony of this story is that although Pechorin is not entirely convinced about fatalism, Maxim, whilst not fully realising its meaning,ostensibly believes in fate. Once Pechorin relays the story of Vulich and explains the significance of the word predestination, Maxim notably exclaims, Yes it was bad luck on the poor fellow. But what devil made him talk to a drunken Cossack at night? Well, obviously, it must have been written at his birth (247).

Author Scams and Publishing Companies to Avoid

Author Scams and Publishing Companies to Avoid Authors Beware: Scams and Publishing Companies to Avoid Becoming a published author is a fantasy shared by almost all writers. And as with almost any widely-shared ambition, there are also folks out there looking to make a quick buck by exploiting those dreams - whether they involve securing a book deal or going the indie publishing route.The publishing world has its fair share of scammers and disreputable companies. At Reedsy, we regularly hear from authors who, despite being well-informed and educated people, have fallen prey to these scammers. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at common writers scams and show you how to identify the publishing companies to avoid on your journey to publication.If you are wondering about the legitimacy of a certain company, leave us a comment below or drop us a line at service@reedsy.com.  We'll get back to you right away. Authors beware! Do you know the most common publishing scams? Vanity Pressesâ€Å"Oh, my! There’s a publisher who wants to release my book!†Not all publishers are created equal. For every Random House, there is some guy in a random house, convincing authors that they hold the key to publishing success. But before you sign on the dotted line, stop for a second and ask yourself and look at what they’re offering. What is a vanity press and why are they bad? Most reputable publishers share the same business model: the publisher acquires the rights to publish and distribute the book by paying the author an advance. The publisher will then cover the costs of editorial, design, and marketing. Once the book is published, the author will receive a royalty of every copy sold (after the author’s total royalties have covered the advance).

Is Trial by Jury an Efficient and Just System Essay

Is Trial by Jury an Efficient and Just System - Essay Example Const., amend. VII). Many states have considered the right to a trial by jury so important that it is written into state constitutions as well (Saks). It is, therefore, not an exaggeration to say that the right to a trial by jury is considered a fundamental right of the American legal and judicial system. A trial by jury has its roots in Great Britain, where juries were used to provide protection against the harsh judgments of those that were in the favor of the King, and therefore handed down relatively harsh judgments for relatively small crimes (Graham, 2009). That system has grown, from Britain, to the United States, where in 2006 an estimated 154,000 jury trials were held nationwide (Mize, Hannaford-Agor & Waters, 2007). However, this does not mean that the system itself is perfect; indeed, if incarcerated criminals were questioned, most would likely say that the judicial system had not done what they hoped it would do. Trials by jury take time to put together, and can be expens ive to everyone involved (VanKoppen, 2009). Trials by jury also have the benefits, however, of fairness and impartiality, the bigger availability of resources, and because juries do not have the same concerns over image or power as a judge does. For these reasons, a trial by jury is an efficient and just system in proving guilt or innocence. One reason that trial by jury is an efficient and just system is that juries are chosen based on their ability to be impartial and fair towards the one who stands accused. This is proven during the jury selection, when both lawyers ask questions and ensure that each person impaneled on the jury can be fair and impartial during the trial (Saks). Potential jurors that have a problem with certain sets of circumstances, such as racism or even possibly voting for the death penalty in capital cases are dismissed (Saks). In this way, fairness towards the accused is ensured. In contrast, a judge must go through no such procedure. The role of a judge was created for the very reason of protecting an accused (Graham, 2009). It is taken for granted that a judge will be impartial; even though the Constitution does not say that a judge must be, it is the right of every American to enjoy such a privilege at trial (Siegel, 2010). However, this is not always the way that the judicial system works. Corruption is not unknown, and judges have, in the past, been bought or bribed to render decisions. Consider Operation Greylord, a Federal probe that exposed widespread corruption in the Cook County, Illinois court system in 1983 (Bogira, 2005). Judges had been found to be extorting money from prosecution and defense lawyers, as well as taking money directly in exchange for certain verdicts (Bogira, 2005). Had a jury trial been the route taken, instead of the judge being able to be bribed, twelve people would have had to be bribed or replaced. While it is true that jury tampering can certainly occur, it stands to reason that it is much harder to tamper with and convince twelve people to vote a certain way, as opposed to one judge. Juries, whether they are made up of six

Is judicial review consistent with democratic ideals Term Paper

Is judicial review consistent with democratic ideals - Term Paper Example For Marx and Engels, there is no supernatural being, only matter exists and as such, humans are alienated from material conditions. In this case, alienation is only eliminated when true freedom is achieved The first premise of this theory therefore, is the existence of living human individuals who then engage in economic activities for their subsistence and in the process develop relations that form the basis of legal and political superstructures. However, to achieve freedom societies go through conflicts or class struggles whereby the ruling class is overthrown and new order established. So according to the Communist manifesto by Marx and Engels â€Å"the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.†1This struggle or historical process ends when man achieves true freedom through a socialist state or communism. The theory is well expounded in the Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy written in 1859 by Marx. While this t heory has gained a lot of prominence over the years, it has been under scrutiny for decades owing to the failure of communism in the Twentieth Century such as in the Soviet Union and emergence of states that do not conform to Marx’s theory such as in China. The insistence on the role of economic forces in shaping history has also been disputed by sociologists over the years. Despite all these criticisms, it is apparent that historical materialism can withstand the test of time and continues to be relevant even today. This paper will discuss the primary features of the theory as an account of historical development and change. It will also evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the theory in explaining historical development. To do this, I will utilize the works of Marx and Engels such as the German ideology, communist manifesto, a contribution to the critique of political economy and theory of surplus value. To understand the theory of historical materialism, it is essentia l to understand the theory upon which it is based and that is the dialectics by Geog Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. Hegel was a German philosopher interested more on ideas as opposed to the reality thus the use of dialectical methods. This dialectical method is the foundation of Marxism. According to Hegel, there exists a supernatural being beyond the reach of human beings. Humans are separated from this supernatural or Absolute and can thus only perceive the world through economic and material lenses and reality is turned upside down by perceptions.2 According to Hegel, humans can only be reunited with the Absolute through a historical process and once they are reunited, it is the end of history. This progressive movement towards the Absolute is aided by the dialectical process which according to Shimp involves increasing awareness thus gradually replacing man’s perception of reality with newer and truer forms.3 For dialectical process to work there must be contradictions which he refers as thesis and antithesis. The thesis is higher in rank than the antithesis but in the process of competition, the antithesis overthrows the thesis and a new thesis or synthesis is achieved. The thesis and antithesis are not opposites in the real manner but are oppositions such as a master and servant and wherever there is a thesis, there must be an antithesis. As such, when a new thesis is established, a new antithesis emerges to compete with the thesis and the process