The Fuel Behind the Rapid Spread of Islam During

The religion of Islam is the second largest belief system in the world with over one billion believers. As of 2009, almost one quarter of the world's population follow after Islam, second only to Christianity. But roughly 15 centuries ago, this was not true at all concerning Islam. The populations that now embrace Islam have roots in a polytheistic society where Islam did not yet exist. Christianity was clearly the dominant religion of that time period and the wide influence of the Byzantine Empire ensured the continued influence of the Church. Some historians have noted that nothing substantial seemed to stand out culturally or militarily concerning the emerging Muslim population when compared with Europe. Simon Barton of the University of Exeter writes in his book review concerning the work, The Great Arab Conquests: How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live In: â€Å"Why did Islam prove so conspicuously successful in galvanizing the energies of its adherents? Why was it, given that the Muslims achieved no significant breakthrough in military technology that the well-established great powers with which they came into conflict – notably the Byzantine and Persian empires in the east – or the Visigothic kingdom in the west proved unable to halt their advance? † (Sidelko 2009, 466) The fact that the emerging Muslim society didn't appear to have an overwhelming advantage in the years leading up to the seventh century growth explosion of Islam begs the very question that Simon Barton just asked. In this paper, I will attempt to discuss some of the conditions that help account for the rapid spread of Islam during the 7th century, such as the political conditions surrounding the Byzantine Empire, conditions surrounding Orthodoxy and Catholicism, and conditions surrounding the introduction of Islam as a religion. From the 6th century leading into the 7th century, the Byzantine Empire became locked in a series of wars with the Persian Empire. These conflicts began around 500 A. D. , and lasted nto the first decades of the 7th century. These disputes brought about a great strain upon resources for both empires. Both lands were diminished and did not have enough time to lick their wounds before raids from Muslim groups started becoming more and more frequent. Although the Byzantine Empire seemed to have some form of victory over the Persian Empire, that notion became meaningless when Persian Empire under the rule of the Sasanian dynasty began to fall to the Arabs raiders who were becoming more organized as time progressed. Eventually, the Persian Empire was completely absorbed– just as the Oxford Islamic Studies Online article states, â€Å"The surprising speed at which the conquests took place can be attributed to the weakness of countries debilitated by long external conflicts (the Sasanian Empire) or by the fragility of internal structure (The Spread of Islam). † The Byzantine Empire lost much of their territory that they had claimed from the Persians. They simply were not ready for a fresh, new challenger after dealing with a century long war. This is one of the conditions that accounts for the rapid growth of Islam. Many Arabs had become fervent followers of Islam at this point and Muslims had gained established, strong leadership which was directing their growing forces despite Mohammad's death. With the gaining of new territory, the message of Islam would no doubt follow along. Without successes from the likes of Charles Martel, the Byzantine Empire could have ended up like the Persians. Again, the Oxford Islamic Studies Online article writes, â€Å"The eighth century saw further expansions eastwards as far as the river Indus and the Sind region and westwards through northern Africa to Spain and France where the over-stretched army was stopped at the battle of Poitiers by Charles Martel†. (The Spread of Islam) The Byzantine Empire was greatly diminished, but still managed, however, to stay intact enough to prevent total assimilation of the Arab conquest. During the time of the 7th century, Christianity was largely split into two main groups– Orthodoxy and Catholicism. These two counterparts of Christianity often times were at odds because of discrepancies over where the true source of Church authority actually resided within the Byzantine Empire. As a result, Christian fringe groups in countries such as Egypt or Palestine would be easily labeled as heretics and would find themselves disassociated from the Church. When the Arab conquest claimed these lands, they tended to show more tolerance for non Muslims in exchange for good citizenship within he new Islamic environment. Also, Islam was fresh and hadn't begun to suffer from its own power struggles from within the belief system. As Shenk writes, â€Å"One wonders what parallels to Muslim Spain might be found in the rise of an Islamic presence in the heart of the European Balkans. Bosnia's capital Sarajevo adds the intrigue of its location along the historic fault line between the two major branches of the Christian heritage in the region, Orthodox and Catholic. In any number of centuries since the arrival of Slavic peoples in migrations dating from the sixth and seventh centuries (C. E. ), recruitment efforts based both in Rome and in Constantinople (Istanbul today) were zealous to secure the allegiance of the newly arriving tribes for their respective church orbits. † (Shenk et al 2006) This tolerance is described as a sort of legacy that some regions of the Muslim world have left behind. Many oppressed throughout history after the seventh century could flee to certain parts of the Muslim world for refuge. Muslims believed in one true God, and they determined that the rule of the land and Islam should be the same– one people, one government, and one religion without any distinctions. This characteristic, along with Muslims early tolerance of fringe Christian groups seems to have given Islam a subtle, but unique advantage over the appeal that Orthodoxy and Catholicism had towards other Christians. As a result of this, Islam was better able to retain more territories and perhaps even convert more people over to their faith. These conditions also help account for the rapid spread of Islam during the 7th century. Paul Sidelko s remarks in his review of Hugh Kennedy's book, â€Å"Whether it was demographic decline and internal political divisions that sapped the morale of many of Islam’s rivals, or the motivation, leadership and mobility that characterized the Muslim military machine, Kennedy wisely concludes that in the final analysis timing was everything. If Muhammad had been born a generation earlier, it is unlikely that he or his successors would have achieved what they did. (Sidelko 2009, 466) One cannot know for certain what would have happened if Muhammad started spreading Islam a generation earlier. But, I would tend to agree with Sidelko (and Kennedy's) notion that if Muhammad had lived to spread Islam in 300 A. D. rather than in 500 A. D. , Islam may not have spread so well. Also, nothing really stood out about early Muslim culture or technology during the times leading up to their conquest. â€Å"The main reason the early presence of Muslims is difficult to find in the archaeological record is not because we don't know where or how to look for it; it is because it isn't there. Outside of Arabia, Muslims have been a minority of immigrants at first and have tended to assimilate to the local material culture. Local converts to Islam have tended to keep their own material culture. † (Morony 2006, 437) Early Muslims simply didn't stand out even with the archaeological record. To me, this suggests that Byzantine Empire would have been stronger, and far more equipped to handle a growing adversary who was still a minority if Islam's rise happened earlier in history. The Persian Empire may not have yielded so readily, perhaps keeping Islam contained even further. And the conditions in Arab society may not have been quite so receptive to Muhammad's new religion. Muhammad faced opposition for many years before he was successful at gaining any traction for his Islamic teachings among the Arab people. One hundred years earlier may have been even more difficult to do– especially since the Arabs were polytheistic well before Muhammad started to spread Islam. There is also something to be said about how fervent the Muslims became about Islam once it finally started to become popular after Muhammad's death. The Arabs took with them a fresh faith with a fresh sense of fervency that was not equally matched the war torn Byzantine and Persian Empires. â€Å"For the first five centuries or so since the earliest, and most traumatic, encounter between Christendom and Islam in the second quarter of the seventh century, Christian attitudes to Islam had been compounded of ignorance, misperception, hostility and fear. † (Fletcher et al 2003). Such hostility and fear may not have been aroused by a younger, stronger Byzantine Empire. So then, the mere timing of the introduction of Islam seems to account for why this faith spread so rapidly during the 7th century. When one considers how the present is interwoven with the past, it is amazing to consider how the teachings of one man could spread so quickly across the world hundreds of years ago, and yet still maintain a quarter of the world's population as followers in present times. It is amazing to think that Islam perhaps wouldn't be prevalent at all if Muhammad or his successors were born too early or too late for the Muslim message to catch on due to unforeseen cultural influences. What if Muhammad had been born elsewhere? And to think– what if somehow the Byzantine Empire had found a way to better manage their constant fighting with Persia, or if the Catholic Church had exercised more tolerance like the Muslims first did after acquiring new lands that had a noticeable Christian population? A change in these factors could have certainly changed the course of history. But as things are, these conditions of the past are the reasons why Islam spread so rapidly centuries again, and is still one of the largest religions in the world today.

LVMH: Corporate Structure and Business Plan

GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE The Board of Directors is the strategy body of LVMH Moet Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SA. The competence, integrity and responsibility of its members, clear and fair decisions reached collectively, and effective and secure controls are the ethical principles that govern the Board. The key priorities pursued by LVMH’s Board of Directors are enterprise value creation and the defense of the Company’s interests. LVMH’s Board of Directors acts as guarantor of the rights of each of its shareholders and ensures that shareholders ful? ll all of their duties.The Company adheres to the Code of Corporate Governance for Listed Companies published by AFEP and MEDEF. The Board of Directors shall have a maximum of 18 members, a third of whom at least are appointed from among prominent independent persons with no interests in the Company The number of Directors or permanent representatives of legal entities from outside companies, shall be limited to four . Apart from the selection of the Company’s management structure and the appointment of the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Of? cer and Group ManagingDirector(s), the principal missions of the Board of Directors are to: – ensure that the Company’s interests and assets are protected; – de? ne the broad strategic orientations of the Company and the Group and ensure that their implementation is monitored; – approve the Company’s annual and half-yearly ? nancial statements; – review the essential characteristics of the internal control and risk management systems adopted and implemented by the Company; – ensure that major risks to which the Company is exposed are in keeping with its strategies and its objectives, and that they are taken into account in the management of the Company; verify the quality, reliability and fairness of the information provided to shareholders concerning the Company and the Group, in p articular to ensure that the management structure and the internal control and risk management systems are able to guarantee the quality and reliability of ? nancial information published by the Company and to give a true and fair view of the results and the ? nancial position of the Company and the Group; – set out the organization principles and procedures for the Performance Audit Committee; – disseminate the collective values that guide the Company nd its employees and that govern relationships with consumers and with partners and suppliers of the Company and the Group; – promote a policy of economic development consistent with a social and citizenship policy based on concepts that include respect for human beings and the preservation of the environment in which it operates. The Board of Directors shall hold at least four meetings a year Decisions by the Board of Directors shall be made by simple majority vote and are adopted as a board. If they deem appropr iate, independent Directors may meet without requiring the presence of the other members of theBoard of Directors. For special or important issues, the Board of Directors may establish one or more ad hoc committees. Each member of the Board of Directors shall act in the interests and on behalf of all shareholders. Once each year, the Board of Directors evaluates its procedures and informs shareholders as to its conclusions in a report presented to the Shareholders’ Meeting. In addition, at least once every three years, a fully documented review of the work of the Board, its organization and its procedures is conducted. The Shareholders’ Meeting shall set the total amount ofDirectors’ fees to be paid to the members of the Board of Directors. This amount shall be distributed among all members of the Board of Directors and the Advisors, if any, on the recommendation of the members of the Directors’ Nominations and Compensation Committee, taking into account their speci? c responsibilities on the Board A specialized committee responsible for auditing performance operates within the Board of Directors, acting under the responsibility of the Board of Directors. The Performance Audit Committee shall be made up of at least three Directors appointed by the Board of Directors.At least two thirds of the members shall be independent Directors. The majority of the Committee’s members must have held a position as a Managing Director or a position involving equivalent responsibilities or possess speci? c expertise in ? nancial and accounting matters. The Board of Directors shall appoint a Chairman of the Committee from among its members. The maximum term of the Chairman of the Committee is ? ve years. Neither the Chairman of the Board of Directors nor any Director performing the duties of Chief Executive Of? cer or Group Managing Director of LVMH may be a member of theCommittee. A Director may not be appointed as a member of the Committee i f he or she comes from a company for which an LVMH Director serves as a member of a committee comparable in function. The principal missions of the Committee are to: – monitor the process for preparing ? nancial information, particularly the individual company and consolidated ?nancial statements, and verify the quality of this information; – monitor the statutory audit of the individual company and consolidated ? nancial statements by the Statutory Auditors , whose conclusions and recommendations it examines; ensure the existence, pertinence, application and effectiveness of internal control and risk management systems, monitor the ongoing effectiveness of these systems, and make recommendations to the Chief Executive Of? cer concerning the priorities and general guidelines for the work of the Internal Audit team; – examine risks to the Statutory Auditors’ independence and, if necessary, identify safeguards to be put in place in order to minimize the pot ential of risks to compromise their independence, issue an opinion on the fees paid to the Statutory Auditors, as well as those paid to the network to hich they belong, by the Company and the companies it controls or is controlled by, whether in relation to their statutory audit responsibilities or other related assignments, oversee the procedure for the selection of the Company’s Statutory Auditors, and make a recommendation on the appointments to be submitted to the Shareholders’ Meeting in consideration of the results of this procedure; – analyze the exposure of the Company and the Group to risks, and in particular to those identi? ed by the internal control and risk management systems, as well as material off–balance sheet commitments of the Company and the Group; review major agreements entered into by Group companies and agreements entered into by any Group company with a third-party company in which a Director of the LVMH parent company is also a s enior executive or principal shareholder. Signi? cant operations within the scope of the provisions of Article L. 225-38 of the French Commercial Code require an opinion issued by an independent expert appointed upon the proposal of the Performance Audit Committee; – assess any instances of con? ict of interest that may affect a Director and recommend suitable measures to prevent or correct them. Compensation CommitteeThe Committee shall meet at least twice a year, without the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Of? cer and the Group Managing Director(s), before the Board of Directors’ meetings in which the agenda includes a review of the annual and half-yearly parent company and consolidated ?nancial statements. If necessary, the Committee may be required to hold special meetings, when an event occurs that may have a signi? cant effect on the parent company or consolidated ? nancial statements. Decisions of the Committee shall be made by simple maj ority vote and shall be deemed to have been reached as a board.The proceedings of each Committee meeting shall be recorded in minutes of the meeting. The Committee shall report on its work to the Board of Directors. It shall submit to the Board its ? ndings, recommendations and suggestions. The Committee may request any and all accounting, legal or ?nancial documents it deems necessary to carry out its responsibilities. The Committee may call upon the Company’s staff members responsible for preparing the ? nancial statements, carrying out internal control procedures, conducting internal audits, applying risk management or cash management procedures, nvestigating tax or legal matters, as well as the Statutory Auditors, to appear before it on any number of occasions to address issues in detail, without requiring the presence of the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Of? cer, or Group Managing Director(s) of LVMH. These meetings may also take place in the absence of thos e responsible for the accounting and ? nancial functions. After having duly noti? ed the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Committee may seek assistance from external experts if circumstances require. The Committee members and its Chairman may receive a pecial Director’s fee, the amount of which shall be determined by the Board of Directors and charged to the total ? nancial package allocated by the Shareholders’ Meeting. 1. Subject to the exceptions provided by law, the Board of Directors is composed of three to eighteen members, who may be individuals or legal entities appointed by the Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting. A legal entity must, at the time of its appointment, designate an individual, who will be its permanent representative on the Board of Directors. The term of of? ce of a permanent representative is the same as the legal entity that he represents. . Each member of the Board of Directors must during its term of of? ce own at least ? ve hundred (500) shares of the Company. If, at the time of its appointment, a member of the Board of Directors does not own the required number of shares or if, during its term of of? ce, it ceases to be the owner thereof, it shall dispose of a period of six months to purchase such number of shares, in default of which it shall be automatically deemed to have resigned. 3. Nobody being more than seventy years old shall be appointed Director if, as a result of his appointment, the umber of Directors who are more than seventy years old would exceed one-third of the members of the Board. Directors are appointed for a term of three years. The duties of a Director shall terminate at the close of the Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting convened to approve the accounts of the preceding ? scal year and held in the year during which the term of of? ce of said Director comes to an end. A salaried employee of the Company may be appointed as a Director provided that his employment contract antedates his appointment and corresponds to a position actually held.In such case, he shall not lose the bene? t of his employment contract. The number of Directors bound to the Company by an employment contract may not exceed one-third of the Directors in of? ce. The Board of Directors shall elect a Chairman, who must be an individual, from among its members. It shall determine his term of of? ce, which cannot exceed that of his of? ce as Director and may dismiss him at any time. The Board shall also determine the compensation to be paid to the Chairman. The Chairman of the Board of Directors cannot be more than seventy-? ve years old.The Board may always elect one or several Vice-Chairman(men). It shall determine their term of of? ce which cannot exceed that of their respective of? ce as Director. The of? cers of the meeting are the Chairman, the ViceChairman(men) and the Secretary. The Secretary may be chosen from outside the Directors or the shareholders. The Board determines its term of of ? ce. The Secretary may always be re-elected. The Board, convened by its Chairman, meets as often as required by the interests of the Company. The Board of Directors sets guidelines for the Company’s ctivities and shall ensure their implementation. Subject to the powers expressly granted to the Shareholders’ Meetings and within the limits of the corporate purpose, it addresses any issue relating to the Company’s proper operation and settles the affairs concerning it through its resolutions. In its relations with third parties, the Company is bound even by acts of the Board of Directors falling outside the scope of the corporate purpose, unless it demonstrates that the third party knew that the act exceeded such purpose or that it could not have ignored it given the circumstances, it being speci? d that mere publication of the Bylaws is not suf? cient proof thereof. The Board of Directors performs such monitoring and veri? cations as it deems appropriate. Each Di rector receives all necessary information for completing his assignment and may request any documents he deems useful. The Company shall be audited, as provided by law, by one or more Statutory Auditors legally entitled to be elected as such. When the conditions provided by law are met, the Company must appoint at least two Statutory Auditors. Each Statutory Auditor is appointed by the OrdinaryShareholders’ Meeting. One or more supplementary deputy Statutory Auditors, who may be called to replace the regular Statutory Auditors in the event of death, disability, resignation or refusal to perform their duties, are appointed by the Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting. Shareholders’ Meetings shall be convened and held as provided by law. A Shareholders’ Meeting is chaired by the Chairman of the Board of Directors or, in his absence, by the oldest ViceChairman of the Board of Directors or, in the absence of the latter, by a Member of the Board for that purpose.If n o chairman has been appointed, the Meeting elects its Chairman. The voting right attached to a share is proportional to the share of the capital it represents. When having the same nominal value, each share, either in capital or redeemed (â€Å"de jouissance†), gives right to one vote. However a voting right equal to twice the voting right attached to other shares, with respect to the portion of the share capital that they represent, is granted: – to all fully paid up registered shares for which evidence of registration under the name of the same shareholder during at least three years will be brought; to registered shares allocated to a shareholder in case of increase of the capital by capitalization of reserves, or of pro? ts carried forward or of issue premiums due to existing shares for which it was entitled to bene? t from this right. The Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting makes decisions which do not amend the Bylaws. It is convened at least once a year, withi n six months from the end of each ? scal year to vote on the accounts of that ? scal year. In order to pass valid resolutions, the Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting, convened upon ? rst notice, must consist of hareholders, present or represented, holding at least one-? fth of total voting shares. The deliberations of an Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting, convened upon second notice, shall be valid regardless of the number of shareholders present or represented. The resolutions of the Ordinary Shareholders’ Meeting are approved by a majority of the votes of the shareholders present or represented. The copies or abstracts of the minutes of the Meetings shall be validly certi? ed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Of? cer, or the Secretary of the Meeting. Ordinary and Extraordinary Shareholders’ Meetings shall xercise their respective powers as provided by law. The dividend payment terms are de? ned by the Shareholders’ Meeting o r, if the Meeting fails to do so, by the Board of Directors. However, dividends must be paid within a maximum period of nine months after the ? scal year-end, unless such period is extended by Court order. (The reference for the Company is the AFEP-MEDEF â€Å"Corporate Governance Code for Traded Companies†. ) Main SHAREHOLDERS Christian Dior, the luxury goods group, is the main holding company of LVMH, owning 42. 36% of its shares, and 59. 01% of its voting rights. 5] Bernard Arnault, majority shareholder of Dior, is Chairman of both companies and CEO of LVMH. the only declared major shareholder in LVMH was Groupe Arnault, the family holding company of Bernard Arnault. The group's control amounted to 47. 64% of LVMH's stock (with 42. 36% held through Christian Dior S. A. and 5. 28% held directly) and 63. 66% of its voting rights (59. 01% by Dior and 4. 65% directly). [5] A further 2. 43% of shares were declared as treasury stock, with the remainder being free float. ________ ___________________RICOMINCIA DA QUI_________________________________ STAKEHOLDERS COMPETITORS:LVMH competes in the luxury market with an array of small private and publicly held companies that make designer clothing, wine, watches, and other luxury goods. Unlike LVMH, most of these companies usually have only one brand in their portfolios. The most direct competitors to LVMH are Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR), a French luxury holdings company that includes such brands as Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci, and Compagnie Financiere Richemont, a Swiss luxury company that includes such brands as Cartier and Montblanc. ?PPR is a French retailer and luxury goods company. It is very similar to LVMH in both size and earnings.One distinct advantage LVMH holds over PPR is international diversification. Though a majority of PPR's brands are luxury, it also owns Puma, a sportswear line for men and women that is more affordable and as a broader consumer base, thereby increasing its market. The luxu ry brands that directly compete with LVMH fall under Gucci Group and are: Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney, Gucci, Boucheron and Sergio Rossi. ?Compagnie Financiere Richemont is much smaller than LVMH in terms of revenue, but earned a similar operating margin on its revenue.Richemont is primarily focused on watches and jewelry. Therefore, in its main business Richemont does not face stiff competition from either company. The most competition comes from the fashion and leather goods divisions, namely Dunhill, Azzedine Alaia, Shanghai Tang, Chloe and the leather goods brand Lancel. All are luxury brands and compete directly with LVMH. [8] ? Valentino Fashion Group S. p. A is an international luxury goods conglomerate. It owns the prestigious brand Valentino as well as luxury brand Hugo Boss.It also has licenses for Marlboro Classics and M Missoni (a lower-priced line inspired by the designs of privately-owned Missoni). Valentino Fashi on Group also has its own brands: Lebole, Oxon and Portrait. In addition, Valentino Fashion Group owns 45% of the luxury American brand Proenza Schouler. Like LVMH, Valentino owns a number of other luxury brands including Valentino and Hugo Boss produce apparel, accessories and fragrances for both men and women. Both conglomerates sell their goods side-by-side in luxury department stores as well as freestanding boutiques. SUPPLIERS: Same behavior as LVMH + acting well towards natureTo ensure effective environmental control, the companies of the Group are conducting an awareness program with their suppliers and subcontractors. Designing packaging that prevents the waste of raw materials and generates smaller waste volumes is a principle of both good management and respect for the environment. This can only be done if we thoroughly understand the effects of the product on the biosphere, from manufacture to disposal. This is the role of Life Cycle Analysis, a method applied by the LVMH group since 1993, in its initial study on the path followed by a standard Hennessy product.The implementation of actions to reduce the products impacts throughout their life cycle implies to work closely with the suppliers and subcontractors. Programs to make lighter packaging are critical and are coordinated at Group level. We start studying a product's packaging from the product's design stage. The design/development, purchasing and marketing teams work with suppliers in multi-disciplinary groups and use a value analysis method to reconcile impeccable quality and aesthetics for the consumer with marketing requirements, optimized manufacturing processes, and our desire to use raw materials sparingly.Preserving biological diversity is a vital issue for the evolution of life on earth. LVMH group has built its businesses on a sustainable relationship with the natural environment, and consequently uses elements that are neutral or without impact on our ecosystems, either by growing pl ants or raising animals, or by using surplus elements. In this way, it complies in an exemplary manner with the regulations protecting rare species. The research work of LVMH's R&D laboratories in the village of Koro in Burkina Faso continues to bear fruit.In the spring of 2004, the Bikini line of Christian Dior acquired a new active ingredient: Anogelline. EMPLOYEES The group currently employs more than 83,000 people. [1] 30% of LVMH's staff work in France. LVMH operates over 2,400 stores worldwide. [10] LVMH actively supports the professional development of its employees. The decentralized organization of the LVMH group encourages individual initiative. Human Resources teams deploy a variety of concrete tools to develop talents, including training, geographic and functional mobility andrecruitement.The annual Organizational Management Review plays a pivotal role in identifying talents and succession planning. This dynamic process is central to recognizing the contributions and tal ents of the Group's people. It ensures motivating advancement within the Group by identifying key positions, internal resources and the human resources needed to drive continued growth at LVMH companies. LVMH also carries out regular performance appraisals to identify employees' strong points and opportunities for improvement, as well as their personal goals.These appraisals serve as the basis for concrete action to enable people to achieve fulfulling career objectives. Training is distributed between the Group, itsbusiness divisions and the brands themselves, always focused on enriching the skillsets of employees and sharpening their performance to help them flourish in the LVMH ecosystem. Training programs address needs that have been identified and discussed during annual performance appraisal interviews. Technical skills are the responsibility of brands, which sometimes pool training across business groups.LVMH actively encourages all employees to reach their potential as they p ursue fulfilling careers. The Group is committed to promoting diversity and energizing the wealth of human resources at all its companies and in all the host countries where it operates. INSURANCE: Of the most prestigious luxury houses, six post sales of over a billion euros annually. They include Gucci, Hermes, LVMH and L'Oreal, all of whom are clients of Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty France for their transport, property and liability insurance programs. AGCS France will market its transport insurance solution through a variety of intermediaries.These include key luxury industry brokers whose current clients, including subcontractors, may be interested; the Colbert Committee, an association of over 70 luxury companies; Colipa, the European cosmetics association; and the Confederation des Arts de la Table (CAT, the French tableware association). On the heels of this new transport insurance solution other new products will be developed, with the goal of offering a dedicated ra nge for all luxury goods companies. CUSTOMERS: LVMH made a fortune thanks to customer loyalty, and to keep these customers it’s opening shops both in the U. S. ut also in developing countries such as India and China In all, Louis Vuitton now has 96 stores open in the United States, which Slavinsky says is almost evenly divided between freestanding stores and leased in-store boutiques. The company's strength owes a lot to customer loyalty — especially to Louis Vuitton, which analysts estimate accounts for about 60 percent of LVMH's earnings. Demand for its products — from $100 coin purses to the new $5,500 Theda multi-buckled, gilt-trimmed handbags in colors such as turquoise and pink — is so strong that Vuitton's margin topped 45 percent last year; its U.S. sales alone grew 38 percent. To meet the demand, Vuitton is expanding. LOCAL COMMUNITIES The Group believes that our own development must integrate the search for a better quality of life for our custo mers, employees, shareholders, and the regions and various communities affected by our production and distribution operations throughout the world. The Group's commitment towards environmental protection materialized in 2001 by the the â€Å"Environmental Charter† was reinforced in 2003 by joining the United Nations' Global Compact.That initiative, which was launched by Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the UN, requires its signatories to apply and promote nine principles in the field of human rights, labor and the environment. Thus LVMH implements the concept of sustainable development. Aim for a high level of environmental performance In developing its businesses internationally, LVMH works to align its practices with those that offer the best level of environmental protection around the world. Foster a collective commitmentThe environment is the responsibility of every individual and LVMH believes that the awareness, education and training of its employees are top prioritie s. To ensure a continued high level of environmental performance, the Group believes it is vital for each company to set precise environmental objectives and implement a management system dedicated to this process. Control environmental hazards In addition to the most stringent compliance with environmental regulations, which is an absolute duty, the Group intends to focus on risk prevention. As a result, it allocates human and material resources to this goal.Design luxury products by integrating environmental innovation and creativity Guided by its overriding concern for high quality, LVMH is working to improve control and better anticipate the environmental aspects related to the life cycle of its products. LVMH encourages all processes that result in environmental innovations and accepts its duty to exercise prudence and take precautions to ensure total safety for the consumer. Make commitments outside the company LVMH intends to contribute to the protection of the environment ab ove and beyond just the aspects directly related to its own businesses.Because it considers that promoting respect for the environment is essential, LVMH is developing an active partnership with groups of businesses, local communities and the associations which contribute to this objective. INSTITUTIONAL GOALS The mission of the LVMH group is to represent the most refined qualities of Western â€Å"Art de Vivre† around the world. LVMH must continue to be synonymous with both elegance and creativity. Our products, and the cultural values they embody, blend tradition and innovation, and kindle dream and fantasy.In view of this mission, five priorities reflect the fundamental values shared by all Group stakeholders: -Bec reative and innovate – Aim for product excellence – Bolster the image of our brands with passionate determination – Act as entrepreneurs – Strive to be the best in all we do Be creative and innovate Group companies are determined to n urture and grow their creative resources. Their long-term success is rooted in a combination of artistic creativity and technological innovation: they have always been and always will be creators.Their ability to attract the best creative talents, to empower them to create leading-edge designs is the lifeblood of our Group. The same goes for technological innovation. The success of the companies' new products – particularly in cosmetics – rests squarely with research & development teams. This dual value – creativity/innovation – is a priority for all companies. It is the foundation of their continued success. Aim for product excellence Group companies pay the closest attention to every detail and ensure the utter perfection of their products. They symbolize the nobility and perfection of traditional craftsmanship.Each and every one of the objects their customers buy and use exemplifies our brands' tradition of impeccable quality. Never should Group compan ies disappoint, but rather continue to surprise their customers with the quality, endurance, and finish of their products. They never compromise when it comes to product quality. Their search for excellence go well beyond the simple quality of their products: it encompasses the layout and location of our stores, the display of the items they offer, their ability to make their customers feel welcome as soon as they enter our stores†¦All around them, their clients see nothing but quality. Bolster the image of our brands with passionate determination Group brands enjoy exceptional reputation. This would not amount to much, and could not be sustained, if was not backed by the creative superiority and extreme quality of their products. However, without this aura, this extra dimension that somewhat defies logic, this force of expression that transcends reality, the sublime that is the stuff of our dreams, Dior would not be Dior, Louis Vuitton would not be Louis Vuitton, Moet would no t be Moet†¦ The power of the companies' brands is part of LVMH's heritage.It took years and even decades to build their image. They are an asset that is both priceless and irreplaceable. Therefore, Group companies exercise stringent control over every minute detail of their brands' image. In each of the elements of their communications with the public (announcements, speeches, messages, etc. ), it is the brand that speaks. Each message must do right by the brand. In this area as well, there is absolutely no room for compromise. Act as entrepreneurs The Group's organizational structure is decentralized, which fosters efficiency, productivity, and creativity.This type of organization is highly motivating and dynamic. It encourages individual initiative and offers real responsibilities – sometimes early on in one's career. It requires highly entrepreneurial executive teams in each company. This entrepreneurial spirit requires a healthy dose of common sense from managers, as well as hard work, pragmatism, efficiency, and the ability to motivate people in the pursuit of ambitious goals. One needs to share and enjoy this entrepreneurial spirit to – one day – manage a subsidiary or company of the LVMH group.Strive to be the best in all we do Last but not least is our ambition to be the best. In each company, executive teams strive to constantly improve, never be complacent, always try to broaden our skills, improve the quality of our work, and come up with new ideas. The Group encourages this spirit, this thirst for progress, among all of its associates. Code of Conduct In 2010, to provide a set of simple principles and behaviours that should guide the Group and each of us in the everyday conduct of business, LVMH officially adopted a Code of Conduct.LVMH has a global dimension and the world in which we do business is changing at a rapid pace. In the context of this continually evolving business environment, this Code of Conduct constitutes a common benchmark to guide individual initiatives and ensure greater consistency in practices across the Group's companies and geographies. >Code of Conduct (PDF–1 419 Ko) Digital In 2010, the Group also adopted self regulatory on line marketing principles, aligned with the World Federation of Advertisers.

Kafka’s Metamorphosis: Transformations in Gregor’s Family Essay

While it is apparent that the term metabolism chiefly pertains to the unaccountable alterations that Gregor Samsa faced. it may besides be said that the other characters experienced a metabolism of their ain. Specifically. despite Gregor’s bad luck and eventual death. considerable alterations have manifested for the benefit of Gregor’s household such as his male parent recovering enthusiasm in work ( Mallison 15 ) . To farther explain. Gregor Samsa’s sudden alteration in an insect has caused his household to alter their ways in order to last. Taking into consideration that Gregor chiefly provided for the demands of his household prior to his transmutation. it was decidedly no longer a pick for his male parent. female parent. and sister to pass their yearss lazily or fruitlessly. In add-on to such alterations. their mode of perceptual experience was altered throughout the patterned advance of the narrative every bit good. In peculiar. a metabolism besides occurred in how they perceived Gregor Samsa’s humanity and being. Therefore. it is so incontrovertible that Gregor’s father. female parent. and sister all underwent a procedure of metabolism as good albeit non in visual aspect but instead in footings of their actions and beliefs. Gregor provided for the demands of his household wholly. as they no longer had to busy themselves with any signifier of labor and labour. As noted in the narrative. Gregor â€Å"felt a great pride that he was able to supply a life like that in such a nice place for his sister and parents† ( Kafka 22 ) . However. upon recognizing that holding no 1 to back up the household due to Gregor’s unfortunate transmutation into an insect. Gregor’s father knew that he had to alter his ways and one time once more effort to do a life. This was non an easy undertaking though as Gregor’s male parent. holding suffered from unsuccessful concern chases in the yesteryear was â€Å"lacking in ego confidence† ( Kafka 28 ) . However. the male parent that Gregor one time knew. who ever acted and presented himself in a laid back mode. has undergone a considerable metabolism of his ain. Not merely did Gregor’s male parent get a occupation at a banking house. hence explicating a alteration in facets of vesture. a genuinely across-the-board transmutation is signified by holding â€Å"piercing dark eyes. that looked out fresh and alert† ( Kafka 36 ) . With such great alterations. it becomes evident that by the terminal of the narrative Gregor’s male parent was no longer a adult male haunted by failure. but alternatively embodied deserving and gained a renewed hungriness for achievements. In add-on to his father’s transmutation. Gregor’s female parent and sister underwent metabolism every bit good. First. it may look that Gregor’s female parent. being faced with a serious wellness status would non be able to alter her ways or to presume more duties. Particularly. Gregor’s female parent â€Å"suffered from asthma and it was a strain for her merely to travel about the home† ( Kafka 28 ) . However. as brought Forth by the alterations in their family. in add-on to perchance seeing the notable transmutation of his hubby. she was besides able to populate a more productive life style. Interestingly. the undertaking that Gregor’s female parent accomplished in order to farther procure the fiscal stableness of her household required minimum physical strain ; she â€Å"sew fancy underclothes for a manner shop† ( Kafka 39 ) . Grete. Gregor’s sister. on the other manus really got a proper occupation. following the stairss of her brother as she â€Å"had taken a gross revenues job† ( Kafka 39 ) . Albeit antecedently non seeing the demand to procure duties of her ain. her metabolism really foremost occurred when she felt the demand to care for her brother ; holding to carry through the most basic jobs without fail. even though she ne'er became accustomed to his brother’s new signifier. Throughout the points mentioned above. it becomes clear that the other members of Gregor’s household underwent a metabolism in their actions or more specifically in their duties and chases. Regardless. it transformations in footings of belief or perceptual experience should non be disregarded. To elaborate. the mode in which they believed or perceived Gregor as a household member. despite his abhorrent province. has besides undergone a metabolism throughout the narrative. Once earlier. Gregor’s mother even questioned the impression of taking all furniture from Gregor’s room. claiming that â€Å"it’d be best to go forth the room precisely the manner it was before so that when Gregor comes back to us once more he’ll happen everything unchanged† ( Kafka. 32 ) . With such words. it is obvious that there is still a belief that Gregor is so the insect before them. merely holding gone through a impermanent metabolism. a mere ordeal which would shortly go through. However. as Gregor’s household shortly became more self-sufficing. their perceptual experiences sing Gregor finally changed. In the terminal. even Gregor’s most darling sister exclaimed the followers: â€Å"I don’t want to name this monster my brother. all I can state is: we have to seek and acquire rid of it† ( Kafka. 49 ) . The metabolism of each member of Gregor’s household would non hold been possible if his ain metabolism has non occurred. Hence. metabolism in this sense may besides be pertained to as an exchange or tradeoff between luck and bad luck. or between accomplishment and debasement. Particularly. such a position would most be most interesting to farther emphasize in the context of Grete. As Hill specifically references in a unfavorable judgment of Kafka’s work. â€Å"the narrative unhappily implies that merely false semblance can go a redemptive ideal. merely under its clasp can life blossom† ( 162 ) . Even though non faced with a desperate demand to gain or to accomplish fiscal success. as other members of the household have gained proper occupations. Grete still aimed to prosecute similar ends. It is decidedly challenging to larn that she has acquired a similar occupation to that his brother one time held. connoting that she may be seeking to finish the spread left by her brother as a gesture of regard. In decision. Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis is non simply a narrative sing peculiar alterations experienced by an single but most significantly Tells of how such alterations may convey forth a myriad of possible results for others. Works Cited Hill. Stanley. â€Å"Kafka’s Metamorphosis. † Explicator 61. 3 ( 2003 ) : 161 – 162. Print. Kafka. Franz. The Metamorphosis. Vista. Calcium: Boomer Books. 2008. Print. Mallison. Jane. Book Smart: Your Essential Reading List for Becoming a Literary Genius in 365 Days. New York. New york: McGraw Hill Companies. 2007. Print.

Review article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 12

Review - Article Example There is ample background information on the genes that contribute to the biological clock in drosophila. These include the period (per) and timeless (tim) clock genes. In addition, drosophila that lack photoreceptive organs have been observed to transmit light information to the clock (Plautz et al., 1633). This indicates the existence of unidentified circadian photoreceptors in the insect. Each of these three segments exhibited rhythmic bioluminescence in light dark conditions. When the conditions were changed to constant darkness, a gradual decrease in amplitude was observed (Plautz et al., 1633).The cultures managed to reentrain to a new light dark cycle where the onset of light occurred 6 hours later than the free-running subjective dawn. The process of reentrainment happened in a cycle and the main biolumiscent peak declined 20 hours after lights-on. These findings show that other organs such as the legs, wings and testes in drosophila express photoreceptors. After reviewing the article, the following research questions can be formulated. First, expression of per gene in the tissues displaying photoreceptive activity needs to be investigated. Secondly, a comparison needs to be made on the expression of per and tim genes in the tissues displaying photoreceptive

Poetry and New Criticism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Poetry and New Criticism - Essay Example Poetry and New Criticism For instance, ligh-T, s-KY, be-HIND, and Mount-AIN denote that the first syllable is unstressed while the second syllable is stressed in the words of the poem. The poem is also a tetrameter because the iambic rhythm repeats itself four times in each line of the poem. The poem is both narrative and descriptive. This is because it tells a story and, at the same time, explains the world that surrounded the subjects of the poem. The speaker in this poem explains the situation surrounding the subjects, just the way s/he perceived it. Threshing is rich of assonance. For instance, the - i - sound is repeated in the first stanza three times, that is, l-i-ght, beh-i-nd the mounta-i-n. The sound is also repeated in most of the lines of this poem. Alteration is also evident in the poem Threshing. For example, is like the sun’s shadow, the bread, if there’s bread, the leaves darken a little. To emphasize and stress on an issue or point, the poet has used consonance. For example, in the line, they lie in the shade, waiting, resting; the poet has repeated the consonant sound, -ng to emphasize on the activity that the subjects of the poem were engaged in. also, in the line, beyond the fields, the river’s soundless, motionless, the –ss consonant sound has been repeated to explain the status of environment surrounding the subjects of the poem. ... Also, the explanation of the river’s soundless, motionless scum mottling the surface, symbolizes the oppression. The poem is rich of imagery in that there are similes, metaphors and symbols have been used in the poem. For instance, the light behind the mountain has been liked to the sun’s shadow passing over the earth. Also, the cool environment under the trees has been liked to the flask of water that gets passed around. In the poem, the sun has been personified. In the line, the sun’s moving again, taking the men along, the sun has been given human attributes. For instance it said that the sun moves, and at the same time, it takes men along. This personification stresses emphasizes on the effect that the hot sun has on the subjects of the poem in terms of doing their work, and how it determines their fate because it marks movement in time. There is irony in the poem too. Men are sad to enjoy the hours when the sun is hot and their women are far way, but the wor k has not been done. It is therefore, ironical to enjoy a tie of the day when a lot of work still awaits to be done. Also, the poems states that the flask is put away, the bread, if there is bread, in one of its lines. It is ironical for people to lack bread, yet the main activity revolving in the poem is threshing of wheat. It is expected that with the activity of harvesting wheat, bread is supposed to be available in plenty. Nature has been used by the speaker of the poem to explain the surrounding the subjects of the poem. For instance, the hot weather characterized with the scorching sun emphasizes on the type of environment that the subjects of the poem dwell in, in that point of time. Nature also explains the oppression that the subjects of the poem face. The explanation

Atmosphere Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Atmosphere - Essay Example In addition, the increase on temperature is causing the rise of the water level in seas and oceans. This is basically due to expansion of water systems and the melting of glaciers and polar ice caps (Hegerl et al. 667; Wittoeck). Based on such effects, a number of problematic aftermaths can occur. In the rise of sea level, considerable amount of land area will be submerged specifically in the Pacific and the Maldives. Swamps and estuaries that are rich in biodiversity will be under water permanently, thus, affecting the diversity of the organisms due to the fact that the survival of the inhabitants of such areas will be tested. Similarly, agricultural lands will significantly decrease, thus, ultimately affecting the food supplies. Water supply will also be a problem in the future since higher temperature can be equated to more evaporation, thus, less water in the liquid form (Hegerl et al. 667; Wittoeck). When such problems transcend to social issues relating to the livelihood of the people, chaos can arise specifically due to shortages in water supplies and food. In addition, due to the fact that such problems can affect the organisms of different forms, the only logical action to be undertaken is to cooperate and unite with other nations and people of different nationalities. Every member of the community is needed to practice and promote sustainability. The leaders of nations are needed to initiate actions that can lessen the practices that can result to global warming. One action of importance is the establishment of policies on air quality improvement. In the present period, the consciousness of the people regarding sustainable practices is higher and such actions to improve the awareness of the public can make the economic costs worth it. Included in the policies related to decreasing the effects of global warming is the Clean Air Act that can lessen the emission of gases that can intensify such effects (Hegerl et al. 667;

Individual Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Individual Report - Essay Example Money management is the process of being a custodian of one’s finances by knowing where today’s finances are being spent, and drawing a well thought out plan showing where one wants this money to go. Therefore, it calls for one to be well organized; have set goals, which would gear this investment to success; have a track of one’s spending by putting in place a realistic budget, and above all have a well thought-out savings strategy (Ryan and Deci 2004). Before this course, I was particularly naive and could not have understood how to effectively make an investment decision or understand the significance of making various investment considerations that I have learnt so far. Having known how to make various considerations that affect performance of an investment portfolio, I can now comfortably put up an investment plan (Milevsky 2001). One of the most important principles of investment I have learnt is how to diversify and manage risks. I have become conscious of the essence of the old adage goes â€Å"do not put all your eggs in the same basket†, I have realized how risky it can be to concentrate on a single or a few investments especially those whose rate of return is very high in the short-term but very risky. For example, in my individual investment, I combined risky high return stocks with low return but less risky stocks such that it becomes hard to loss substantially when some of the investments perform poorly in the future (Little 2012). In my portfolio, even though Microsoft generated negative returns, I was still able to realize a positive annualized return of 11.52%, primarily because Berkshire Hathaway performed well and watered down that loss (Kapur and Orszag 1999). The idea here is, since investment involves risk, one way of managing this risk is by spreading one’s portfolio across an array of stocks, with different characteristics. The preliminary portfolio that I had selected included a number of companies tha t operate in different industries, markets and regions as well as dealing with different products; such that each company possessed a distinctive level and nature of risk. Selecting of portfolio from such a diversified field is a way of ensuring the investment plan is well-balanced. In the same measure, I found it important to define the amount of each stock one should buy and hold depending on the company’s current performance, the level of risk and future expectations (Smith 2009). Ideally, in the analysis that I did as well as the one we did as groups, some stocks were clearly generating negative returns. Examples include Microsoft and Kazakhmy among many others. At first, I thought it is completely useless to hold stocks that have negative returns currently, but I have come to change this view because I have learnt to put my eye on the long-term cash flows. Short-term mindset coupled with a lot of trading and market timing is a strategy I would not like to undertake in th e future. I have come to realize that I can make profits progressively by focusing on many years to come and by sticking on my stock investment goals. More long-term financial strategies, along proper diversification can be a surprise to an investor because I have come to realize that, even though a certain stock could be generating losses in the short-term, things may change in future hence leading to huge returns. I have actually become more focused on forecasting a company’

Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mythology - Essay Example Why is this feature relevant to the modern hero? No one can actually give an answer to this question. Maybe, in such a way the contemporaries are sure that in the modern very challenging world it is necessary to have an option to free one's mind. The director of the film underlines that external appearance is not important for the modern hero. It is much more important a real heroism of a character. A physical power of Hancock can be lost in case he meets other superheroes. Achilles is an ancient Greek character. Nevertheless, this hero does not reveal features of a holistic mind or his open nature. Homer underlined his appearance: â€Å"he sat himself down away from the ships with a face as dark as night, and his silver bow rang death as he shot his arrow in the midst of them† (Iliad, Book I). Actually, in the ancient world appearance played a very important role. Let us remember about the ancient famous sculptures and monuments of ancient heroes and characters. Of course, Ac hilles worshipped gods and this was a positive feature of his nature. Achilles helps Greek people in their fight against enemies, but in reality he is not much focused on solving military problems. From another perspective, Achilles can seem to be a consequential warrior. Achilles can be a patriotic hero, but in this case he should know for what purpose he needs to be such a person. He is sure of the fact that patriotism is positive if a personal concern is taken into account. Achilles impresses the audience by his daring and brash features. He shows more passion and he does not want to be vulnerable. This is another vision about heroism and patriotism unlike the view of patriotism in the modern time. Achilles is too arrogant and superior, but Hancock is not. These are two different approaches to representation of heroism and patriotism in two different worlds: in the world of ancient times and the modern times. Achilles was not focused on the common good of the society, but Hancock was very much pleased with his ability to help people. He did not place his own personality on the foreground; he made an emphasis on the background, which is society's welfare. Works cited 1. Iliad by Homer. 15 Dec. 2012. 2. Odyssey by Homer. 15 Dec. 2012. Name Professor's Name Subject Date Question 7B The Oracle works in Greek myths Divination plays a very important role in Greek mythology. Oracle is one of the core images in Greek religion and mythology. In accordance with modern interpretation: "Oracles played an important role in the Greek religion and beliefs. The Greeks considered death as a necessary evil and therefore Immortality was not an enviable asset. They however required information on their future life on earth, for this they turned to the oracle" (Oracle). Ancient Greek people needed information about their future life on the Earth. Greek oracle was a priest or a priestess, who played a role of a mediator between people and God. The Oracle communicated with God an d in such a way he had an opportunity to get the required information. Apollo was a god of music and reason. He could see future too. In the ancient Greece people brought many gifts to Apollo and he told them about the secrets and events of their future. Apollo was looking for a woman, who can help him to find answers about people's future. Apollo intended to be one of

Australian waste Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Australian waste - Essay Example The most polluted sites in Australia include transport sites, roadsides, park/waterfront areas, rivers and creeks, school grounds, coastal/beach areas, as well as shops and malls. A recent trend exists that seeks to move away from burying and burning of waste in Australia towards its reuse and recycling. This shift towards sustainable development and conservation ideals with regards to waste disposal, as well as policies aimed at recycling, reusing, reduction of generation, and extraction of energy from the waste have caught on in Australia. Since the 1990s, household waste recycling has become more popular. Reasons for this trend can be explained by the presence of kerbside recycling; raising commodity prices, as well as increased levies for land fill services to prohibitive levels. However, mobile phones have introduced a new dilemma since they contain harmful products. This has necessitated novel ways of disposal. AUSTRALIAN WASTE Australia generates approximately one tonne of was te every year that is sent into a landfill. After the United States and Israel, Australia ranks as the third largest producers of landfill among developed countries. Significantly, most of this waste is resultant from goods that Australians do not even use with waste of over $10.5 billion per year occurring. This habit has begun developing in the early 20th century as ideas of convenience and hygiene gave rise to disposable products, which was justified because the consumer was assured of un-contaminated products. Buying into disposability is easy because new products are cheaper than fixing a broken one. However, this kind of disposability is a fantasy that exists because Australians do not have to see, smell, or handle their waste. This is unlike natural systems where waste is critical in the maintenance of life and, therefore, is not removed, but used as a resource for another system. While organic material in nature can decompose and be used to create something new, this is not possible for industrial objects. It, therefore, becomes important to recognize the regenerative power that waste can have. Australia’s recycling habits, however, have been improving, although there is room for improvement. The most important waste management principle, including recycling, repair, reuse, and reduce, is refuse. Australians are encouraged not to buy a lot of products to begin with since the realization of a sustainable environment also needs a reduction in consumption (O'Connor, 2007). For fourteen years, plastics make up the majority of waste collected in Australia with 31.75 of all collected waste being plastics. Miscellaneous items like cigarette butts made up 17.7% of all rubbish. Metal, especially aluminium ranked third at 14.6%, followed by glass at 13.1%, and finally paper at fifth accounting for 12.6% of all collected rubbish (Australia Bureau of Stastistics, 2007). Other material included polystyrene and rubber. These are the major sources of rubbish i n Australia. When it comes to rubbish items, cigarette butts rank first accounting for 29.6% of items surveyed. Alcoholic beverage containers made of glass were second with 5.4%. The other rubbish items in order of prevalence include confectionary and plastic chip bags, plastic bottle caps, pieces of glass, PET drink containers, metal items, especially aluminium, and paper. The most polluted sites in Australia include transport sites,

Describe what set the Young, Middle and Old Guards apart from each Essay

Describe what set the Young, Middle and Old Guards apart from each other and from the Grand'Armee in general - Essay Example The Old Guards were the most prominent and were the creme de la creme of Napoleon’s infantry. In order to be admitted to this group, the aspirant should have at least 10 years of service, not exceeding 35 years of age, can read and write, with exemplary conduct, recognized for a brave act, and must at least have a height of 5’10 and 5’8 for grenadier and chasseur, respectively. Men who have received the Legion of Honor Award are admitted even without reaching the height marks. With this set of requirements, it is not surprising to learn that they were the battle-hardened veterans, the most bold, and the strongest amongst the guards. In fact, they were labeled as â€Å"The Grumblers,† â€Å"The Eagles,† â€Å"The Gaiter Straps,† or â€Å"The Supporters of the Usurper† (Yudice et al., French Guard n. pag). Another group is that of the Middle Guards, which was formed between 1806 and 1809. This group includes veterans with at least 6 years of service – the 3rd Grenadiers, the Amsterdam Veteran Company, corporals and privates of the 2nd Grenadiers, 2nd Chasseurs and Fusiliers, and the Velites of Florence and Turin (â€Å"The Young Guard in Action† 4). In 1811, after the disbandment of 1806 regiment units, this division was restored by admitting 500 men with 5 years of service along with 1,000 men coming from the battalions. The most notable account for Middle Guards was concerning their exceptional skills in artillery (Macready, qtd in Yudice et al., Napoleon’s Guard n. pag). Last of all three groups was the Young Guard, formed around 1809. This group was composed of â€Å"newly raised regiments† (Haythornthwaite 7), rigorously trained by Cadres who came from the Old Guards, as well as by the strongest and best educated Privates. The first trained regiments came out as strong and healthy men, as they flushed their martial air with their great stamina. Moreover, the Young Guards consisted of the best

Free

Free Fall Essay The purpose of this experiment is to understand why we have variances in measurements and how to reduce the variances. When taking a measurement there are multiple factors that affect its value. The more the measurement is taken the measurements average is closer to the actual value. Other factors include the instruments calibration, cleanliness of the inside of the measuring arms and human error in reading the measurements off of the measuring devices. For this experiment, we followed the procedures as indicated in the lab manual. Data Results/Comparison to Theory / Answers The caliper and the micrometer were checked for the calibration. The results showed zero offset before and after experiment. Since there are differences in the measured data; the calculation of density varies. There are 3 variables that we have to take into account for calculating the density of the copper rod. The length plays the largest role in the uncertainty of the copper rod’s density since it has the largest deviation. The Vernier calipers were the most accurate because it showed the smallest deviation. Our experiment carried out exactly how the theory explained it would. We measured the same part a multitude of times and received varying data. Calculating the density from the averaged data made the value more accurate, and when combined with the standard deviation; our values for density became that much more accurate.

Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

Romeo and Juliet Essay The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet was pre-ordained by fate there was nothing that any of the characters could do to prevent their deaths. Fate is a thing that nobody can run hide or escape from it is just going to happen. The author refers to things like star crossd lovers. This shows the reader that they were made to fall in love and death markd love which suggests that they were made to die if they fell in love, which is also a warning of what might happen. However, there are also references to ancient grudge and to parents rage which suggests that it is not only fate that has a part in their deaths but also human intervention. Actually the part played by some of the characters directly resulted in the deaths of the two principal characters. Romeos friend, Benvolio, has a great deal to answer for. He knew perfectly well that it was wrong to gate crash Lord Capulets party. He must have known that the discovery of his friends presence there would cause serious disquiet, especially to Tybalt. Nevertheless, he encouraged Romeo to go because he had become morbid after his break up with Rosaline and therefore needed cheering up by meeting other girls and as such compare his ladys love against some other maid That I will show you shining at this feast, (Act 1, Scene 2, lines 97 and 98). We know that the party was a masquerade, but the probability that Romeo would be discovered was high. Inevitably this was the case, and, of course, it was Romeos number one foe, Tybalt, who made the discovery. No one can criticise Tybalts reaction on finding out that Romeo had had the audacity to enter the home of his familys enemy, the Capulets. This by his voice should be a Montague. Fetch me my rapier boy. (Act 1, Scene 5, lines 53 and 54) would be a natural reaction of most men on finding an enemy in their camp. Right at the beginning of this tragedy the feud between the two families is immediately brought to our attention. The opening scene involves servants of the two houses making antagonistic noises to each other, enticing one another to fight. We find Benvolio intervening when he says: Part, falls! Put up your swords -you know not what to do. (Act 1, scene 1 lines 56 and 57. ) No reason is given of how the feud started but we know that it has been going on for some time and has affected the lives of the citizens of Verona. Not only is Benvolio fed up with the continual feuding but also the ruler of Verona. We know this because the Prince of Verona decided that he and the city has had enough and vows to put an end to it. In a protracted speech he lays down the law and says in very plain language: If you ever disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of peace. (Act 1, Scene 1, lines 88 and 89. ) Therefore, he declares publicly that all future fights will be severely dealt with and offenders will pay with their lives. Tybalt was a man whose soul purpose on life was to defend his familys honour. The only way to do this was by fighting. His language was naturally that of a hard man. Right at the beginning we see this side of Tybalt when he confronts Benvolio with the words, What, drawn, and talk peace! I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues and thee: Have at thee coward! (Act 1, Scene 1, lines 62, 63 and 64. ) No wonder Tybalt was angry at Romeo for insulting his family honour by his uninvited presence at the party. Of course he wanted to evict Romeo from the party immediately. If he had just been allowed to do so maybe this tragedy could have been avoided, but he wasnt, thanks to the intervention of his uncle. Therefore, Lord Capulet could be held responsible for his own daughters death. He was totally out of order when he took his nephew to one side and gave him a good dressing down. He shall be endured. What, goodman boy, I say he shall, go to! Am I the master here, or you? Go to! (Act 1, Scene 5, lines 75, 76 and 77). Go to, go to, You are a saucy boy. Ist so indeed? This trick may chance the scathe you, I know what. You must contrary me! Marry, tis time. Well said my hearts! -You are a princox, go (Act 1, Scene 5, lines 82, 83, 84, 85 and 86). These words were designed to hurt. To be called an insolent boy by his uncle must have been very upsetting and hard to swallow. It must have made Tybalt so angry and humiliated that a duel to the death between him and Romeo was inevitable. In the initial stages of the romance, Juliets nurse was fully aware of what was going on and made no effort to stop it. In fact she acted as an eager go-between and after being satisfied with Romeos good intentions towards her mistress appears to be encouraging the romance. During a conversation between her and Romeo he asks the nurse to convey his greetings to his beloved and she replies Ay, a thousand times. (Act 2, Scene 4, line 186). It was her solemn duty to her employer to protect his daughter from uninvited suitors. Girls from rich high-born families were seen as assets, as a means of trading up in the social hierarchy. This is evident from the conversation between Juliets father and Paris prior to Lord Capulets party. Paris discloses his intentions towards Juliet and Lord Capulet, although mindful of his daughters age, agrees to the marriage: But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart, My will to her consent is but a part; And she agreed, within her scope of choice (Act 1, Scene 2, lines 16, 17, 18 and 19). If the nurse had done her job properly and reported to her employer as to what was going on then steps could have been taken to shield Juliet from Romeos advances. Probably, the one who contributed the most to the downfall of Romeo and Juliet must be Friar Lawrence. Although he meant well in that he thought that a marriage would end the feuding his actions were totally unprofessional and not that of a man of the church. His concern was that Romeo and Juliet should not commit a mortal sin by having sex outside marriage was the main reason for him performing the ceremony. His closing remarks after meeting Romeo and Juliet was: Come, come with me, and we will make short work, For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone Till holy church incorporate two in one. (Act 2, Scene 6, lines 34 to 37). He knew that Juliet was deceiving her parents and he should have condemned her behaviour as he also knew just how old she was. Even her own father thought she was too young to marry as was disclosed in his dialogue with Paris where he says: She hath not seen the change of fourteen years, Let two more summers wither in their pride, Ere we may think her to be a ripe bride. (Act 1, Scene 2, lines 8 to 11). As for his ridiculous scheme, including the faking of Juliets death, this defies all comprehension. Even if successful he must have known that she could never return home and he has, in fact, banished her for life from both her family and community. There is no doubt in my mind that the most significant player to the downfall of the two principal characters was Juliet herself. Throughout the play she was deceitful and constantly lied to her parents. Her mother was concerned about her daughters welfare and thought that her tearful moods were as a consequence of her cousins death: Evermore weeping for your cousins death? (Act 3, Scene 5, line 69). Juliet went out of her way to encourage her mothers interpretation of her emotional state by replying, Yet let me weep for such a feeling loss. (Act 3, Scene 5, line 74). She was pretending to her mother that her hurt was for Tybalt and not for the murderer, Romeo, with the following lines: And yet no man like he doth grieve my heart. (Act 3, Scene 5, line 83), and Ay, madam, from the reach of these my hands. Would none but I might revenge my cousins death. (Act 3, Scene 5, lines 85 and 86). She even goes on to denounce Romeo completely when she states to her mother: Is my heart, so for a kinsman vexed. Madam, if you could find out but a man To bear a poison, I would temper it, That Romeo should upon receipt thereof Soon sleep in quiet. (Act 3, Scene 5, lines 95-99). As I said in my opening paragraph the story of Romeo and Juliet was a tragedy in the making. It was doomed from the start because these two young people broke all the conventions of that era. Juliet most certainly did not have her parents consent and it must be inferred that neither did Romeo. It would be highly unlikely that the two families, who had been feuding for a considerable time, would have wanted any of their offspring marring. Nevertheless, it was an affair that could have been so easily stopped by those who were privy to what was going on. Not one of these characters, who were by the way all adults, took on the responsibility of bringing a sense of proportion and integrity to what can only be described in todays society as a sordid affair. A similar story in contemporary times would receive the attention of the police. The one thing that I find incomprehensible is the interaction between Juliets father, Lord Capulet, and his nephew Tybalt at the party. Why he humiliated Tybalt in such a manner is, for me, totally out of character with the essence of the play. Knowing the background of the play I would have thought that the logical response of Lord Capulet on finding out that a Montague had gate crashed his party would have been to have him thrown out. The tragedy of his actions was the death of his beloved daughter. If he had allowed Tybalt to perform his duty, Juliet would have probably married Paris.

Robert Frost: Analysis of Symbolism

Robert Frost: Analysis of Symbolism Robert Frosts poems take the minds of his readers through journeys of every experience imaginable. Frost, whose background was heavily influenced by New England, uses his former experiences to weave delicate threads of poetry. In his poems he uses subtle forms of symbolism to convey a deeper underlying meaning to his initial words. In addition, his sense of rustic, pastoral themes lets nearly every reader with any type of background relate to his words. In two of Robert Frosts poems, Desert Places, and I Stopped by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, he demonstrates these uses of pastoral and symbolism. Though both of the poems are set in the winter, they express very different tones and themes. One has a feeling of disheartening isolation while the other has a feeling of welcome seclusion. Although different, they show that the same setting can have completely different impacts on the speaker depending on their specific mindset at the moment. Although these seemingly simple poems are cons tructed of short, straightforward stanzas and verbiage, they are anything but. In Robert Frosts poem, Desert Places, the speaker is a man who is roaming through the countryside on an ideal winter evening. He is entirely surrounded with thoughts of loneliness. The speaker spectates a snow covered field as a forsaken, uninhabited place. A blanker whiteness of benighted snow, with no expression, nothing to express (Robert Frost). Whiteness and snow are two important symbols in this poem. The whiteness symbolizes open and empty spaces without boundaries to restrain. The snow is a white blanket that covers up what was left behind making people forget about what may have happened. As the snow continues to come down on, burying everything, eliminating all distinction, the field becomes a lifeless, deceased idea, unmarked and unreflective of anyone or anything. This is the very thing which gave it its negative identity as a desolate field (Kolchak). The snow has effectively removed the signs of mans connection to whatever may have been there. This annihilation is portr ayed as death, an ultimatum of which in cosmic and spiritual approach overwhelms and over powers all life, leaving the speaker alone in a motionless universe, himself touched by the metaphorical death of which he speaks. In Desert Places The poems speaker seems to be envious of the woods. The woods around it have itit is theirs. The woods represent two different worlds of isolation versus society (Kolchak). Both have something that belongs to the speaker, something he wants to become a part of. The isolation and loneliness he speaks of is one that he wishes to have. He wishes to be alone in order to contemplate his ideas without the distractions of the outside world. Yet, while he wishes for the isolation, the way in which he phrases his words shows that he also wishes for company. In the line, The loneliness includes me unawares, The speaker has shown a lost passion for life. He cannot express his feelings easily because of this feeling of numbness. The speaker is well aware of his situation, that he is alone in the world (Ogilvie). He is going through a stage where he just does not care about his earthly ties and feels extremely paranoid. They cannot scare me with their empty space (Robert Frost). He believes that no one cares how he may or may not feel, he does not need anyone else. I have in me so much nearer home, to scare myself with my own desert places. The speaker is now beginning to realize that he was in this situation because he had shut himself off to the world. He acknowledged that this winter wonderland represented his life. He had let misery and solitude sneak into his life and completely take over just as the snow had crept upon the woods and noiselessly consumed it. He realizes that if he lets these feelings run his life, ultimately it would d ie out much like the snow did to environment around him. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening conveys a happier, more positive meaning than the previous poem. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening is about slowing down and trying to enjoy life. The speaker wishes he had done this more often and wants to try and relive the times that he had skipped by. This poem, like Desert Places, forces the speaker to choose between worlds of isolation and society. The quote, But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, shows that he chooses the latter, a world of society. The speaker of the poem was shown to be an extremely busy man who always had commitments to honor and places to be. A sensation of disappointment and regret is nearby throughout the poem. The speaker seems concerned about what the rest of society would think about him just stopping in the middle of nowhere for no apparent reason. His horse represents society. My little horse must think it queer, to stop without a farmhouse near. He admits that just stopping does seem odd. He is also somewhat concerned about the man who owns the woods. The man almost feels guilty for looking so lovingly at this other mans woods. He will not see me stopping here, to watch his woods fill up with snow. I think that the speakers life may be a little better off since he stopped to take a deep breath and enjoy all that really matters, the simple things. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening is the opposite of Desert Places. The settings were exactly the same; calm, dark wintery evenings, but they express totally different feelings. Desert Places is a very depressing poem with a dark tone. The other is very happy and it makes you wish that winter was already here. These two poems are very different but they are also the same in some ways. They show two extremes of the same emotion. Being alone can be positive or negative it just depends on the state of the mind. Loneliness can be very depressing or it can be a time to collect your thoughts without the pressures of the outside world crashing down. Winter is the perfect season to reflect upon when expressing solitude. Winter can make everything seem dead. It can be a very depressing time of year. Snow covers everything living and the cold seems to chill to the very soul at times. Winter can also be very uplifting. It can wipe the slate clean with its pureness and it can be a time of starting over. Snows whiteness can, in a way, blind you with its beauty and make you forget about your troubles. Winter for me is a time of silent reflection. I could sit for hours and gaze at the blowing snow. Robert Frost creates two winter scenes with different outcomes. The first, Desert Places is a sad poem about loneliness and lost enthusiasm. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening is a rather uplifting poem about enjoying simple things in life. Frost seems to draw upon his experiences from living in rural New England and converts those experiences into beautiful rustic, pastoral poetry. http://www.dreamessays.com/customessays/Robert%20Frost/3320.htm

Community Essay -- Community Communities Essays

Community The point that community has an important effect on the shaping of a person’s character is key in both Pythia Peay’s essay, â€Å"Soul Searching† and Winona LaDuke’s interview transcribed in essay form entitled, â€Å"Reclaiming Culture and the Land: Motherhood and the Politics of Sustaining Community†. The two authors present ideas, similar and different, of what it means to live in and be a part of community. Through examining these two essays, summarizing and synthesizing, we can gain a better understanding of what community is and how it affects those within it. Pythia Peay explains that for everywhere that she has resided, each place had a unique effect on her character. Each of the five cities in which she has lived contributed in some part to who she is today. She goes on to point out that each city or town has its own unique sense of soul. Peay believes that in our present day people are beginning to lose their sense of place. A city’s inhabitants lay blind to the fact that in some way their own character is shaped â€Å"within the city’s larger reality† (4). The body of her essay consists of six methods to help anyone discover the soul of their hometown. Winona LaDuke’s essay is a little different. Since it is a transcript taken from an interview it is not as straight forward as Peay’s essay. She begins by explaining the way children are commonly raised in her Native community on the White Earth reservation in Minnesota. She asserts that the role of raising children is done by the community as a whole, not just the parents. The children learn by the example, not only by what they’re told. LaDuke does state that the tribal school system has some problems claiming it is â€Å"a mediocre rural school... ...rce, street life, history, nature, geography, politics, art, and people that offers a perpetually renewing source of life† (7). Through these two essays, a greater sense of what community is really about emerges. Not only is community about ones surroundings, but also about the values and ideals held by that communities inhabitants. The community in which one may or may not choose to immerse ourselves in deeply effects who we are. The character, or soul, within each of us is in part shaped by the community or communities in which we belong to or reside in. Works Cited: Gruber, Sibylle, Ed. et al. Constructing Others, Constructing Ourselves. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt, 2002. Peay, Pythia. â€Å"Soul Searching.† Gruber 3-7. LaDuke, Winona. â€Å"Reclaiming Culture and the Land: Motherhood and the Politics of Sustaining Community.† Gruber 9-15. Community Essay -- Community Communities Essays Community The point that community has an important effect on the shaping of a person’s character is key in both Pythia Peay’s essay, â€Å"Soul Searching† and Winona LaDuke’s interview transcribed in essay form entitled, â€Å"Reclaiming Culture and the Land: Motherhood and the Politics of Sustaining Community†. The two authors present ideas, similar and different, of what it means to live in and be a part of community. Through examining these two essays, summarizing and synthesizing, we can gain a better understanding of what community is and how it affects those within it. Pythia Peay explains that for everywhere that she has resided, each place had a unique effect on her character. Each of the five cities in which she has lived contributed in some part to who she is today. She goes on to point out that each city or town has its own unique sense of soul. Peay believes that in our present day people are beginning to lose their sense of place. A city’s inhabitants lay blind to the fact that in some way their own character is shaped â€Å"within the city’s larger reality† (4). The body of her essay consists of six methods to help anyone discover the soul of their hometown. Winona LaDuke’s essay is a little different. Since it is a transcript taken from an interview it is not as straight forward as Peay’s essay. She begins by explaining the way children are commonly raised in her Native community on the White Earth reservation in Minnesota. She asserts that the role of raising children is done by the community as a whole, not just the parents. The children learn by the example, not only by what they’re told. LaDuke does state that the tribal school system has some problems claiming it is â€Å"a mediocre rural school... ...rce, street life, history, nature, geography, politics, art, and people that offers a perpetually renewing source of life† (7). Through these two essays, a greater sense of what community is really about emerges. Not only is community about ones surroundings, but also about the values and ideals held by that communities inhabitants. The community in which one may or may not choose to immerse ourselves in deeply effects who we are. The character, or soul, within each of us is in part shaped by the community or communities in which we belong to or reside in. Works Cited: Gruber, Sibylle, Ed. et al. Constructing Others, Constructing Ourselves. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt, 2002. Peay, Pythia. â€Å"Soul Searching.† Gruber 3-7. LaDuke, Winona. â€Å"Reclaiming Culture and the Land: Motherhood and the Politics of Sustaining Community.† Gruber 9-15.

Personal Writing: Devon :: essays research papers

Personal Writing: Devon I walked into the smoke filled coffee shop to meet Devon. Devon is 18 years old, a senior in high school. He likes art and is currently taking college art classes. I have only meet Devon once before, in the mall. He caught my eye because he was wearing a pink fuzzy sweater, a pair of army pants, and a pair of combat boots. I looked for Devon at the coffee shop but he wasn't there. I was 20 minutes early so I took a seat next to a small round table. The only thing on the table was an ashtray. I could see the smoke lingering from the top of the dim lit room. The door opened and Devon walked in. This time he was dressed in all black with a pair of bright red shoes on. He walked confidently, slouched over with a slight strut. He waved at some people in the corner booth and smiled, the people waved back and yelled, "Hay, Devon." As he looked in my direction I waved at him to get his attention. When he reached the table I shook his hand and introduced myself. He introduced himself "Hi my name is Devon." He sat down on the other side of the small table. Devon is well known in the coffee shop. He goes to the coffee shop about 3 times a week and tries to meet someone new every time he goes. He is really nice and it's not hard for him to make friends. Almost everyone in the shop know who he is. If he sees someone he doesn't know he'll go up and talk to them. Devon told me why he dressed the way he does, "I do it to show people that everyone is different and to like them for who they are." Devon does not take a look at anybody and judge them for that one look. When he meets someone he automatically likes them, once he gets to know them he makes his decision not to like them if that's the case. As Devon lit up a cigarette and took a puff he told me about some of his life. "I haven't dressed like this all of my life. One day I got all wet when my family went to the lake. I put on a pair of my dad's clothes and the were big and baggy on me. As we pulled in the driveway to our house one of my friends saw me and told me I looked like a freak.

No Doubt :: essays research papers

In the begaining - In Anaheim California Eric Stefani Gwens older brother would write songs like (Stick it in a hole) about a pencil sharpener, and forcing Gwen to song with John their singer. In December of 1986 their singer John Spence quits and forces Gwen to sing at their first gig. In the summer of 1987 Gwen and Tony (their basses) start going out.December 21-1987 John Spence shots him self in a park in Anaheim Cal. In the spring of 1988 the heavy metal guitarist Tom, a college student,refuses his sisters offer to play in her band to play in No Doubt.In 1987-1988 part of the then underground-ska-scence, No Doubt built a huge following of " rude boys" and after numerous gig openings for the untouchables and fishbones, as well as their own all- ages show. In 1989-1990 No doubt evoled into a soild five piece unit, expanding their sound to include the style of each,natural evolvution shows opening for The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Ziggy Martey, Mano Negra, their forbrace board sound that appealed to the college crowd. August of 1991 No doubt signs a "big" record contract with Interscope Records. October- December 1991, between working and driving to school (Tom's a music major, Gwen's a art major, and Tony and Adrion are psychology majors) the band drives to a Los Angeles studio as often as possible to record their debut album, a 14 song collection of older material as well as recently plained tracks. Finally in march of 1993 No Doubt begains the first sessions for what would be called Tragic Kingdom. Eric departs before the completion of Tragic Kingdom, and continues as a animator for the simpsons. After a seven year relationship, Tony gets clawstrophobic and dumps Gwen and after that she wrote "don't speak"an evoled from a love song to a broken heart song .January of 1996 several mounths after the release Tragic Kingdom debuts on billboards top 200 at no. 175 and the "just a girl" reaches no. 10 Tom who created the music guitar world " I always thought the song was cool but never thought the song would fly like it has , says Tom.June 1996 the song "spiderwebs" with music by Tony and Gwen penned not about their relationship , reaches no. 5 on the billboards.The band begins their first European tour, followed by dates in Austratia,New Zealand , and Indonesial in July 1996 Tragic Kingdom goes plamtinum and so does Gwens hair.

Enduring Pak-China Relations Essay

During Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s visit to China, there have been speculations that he undertook this ‘emergency’ trip in the aftermath of Osama bin Laden’s killing in Abbottabad by US forces. Nothing could be further from the truth. During the visit, the Chinese leadership assured Pakistan of their full support in its hour of need. Prime Minister Wen Jiabao informed Pakistan that China had urged the US to respect Pakistan’s sovereignty. In addition to agreements on banking, technical and economic cooperation, China agreed to expedite the delivery of 50 J-17F Thunder fighter jets to Pakistan. This has provoked some American Congressmen to interpret it as Pakistan’s leaning on China to countervail pressure from Washington. Contrary to speculations, this visit was not prompted by the Abbottabad incident. It was planned much before and was part of the ongoing Pak-China strategic relations. Also, 2011 marks the 60th anniversary of the Pak-China relationship and has been designated as the year of friendship between the two countries, which was reflected in the celebrations and extraordinarily warm welcome extended to Pakistan’s prime minister in China. Therefore, to suggest that the visit was organised on the spur of the moment is misleading. Pakistan and China have a longstanding relationship, especially since 1962, when China and India went to war over a disputed border. The Chinese have been steadfast friends and have supported Pakistan through thick and thin. China’s interest lies in a stable and prosperous Pakistan. They have been very generous in sharing their development and progress in the economic and technical fields and have aided Pakistan in every possible manner. Therefore, the visit of Prime Minister Gilani should not be considered as reactive. Pakistan is a sovereign country (despite challenges) and has the right to choose its friends and explore options for positive relationships other than the US. Pakistan is not bound to have a one-track relationship with the world through the US. The US raid in Abbottabad created a perception that Pakistan’s air force is weak and compromised, prompting India to remark that it could carry out similar attacks on jihadi outfits in Pakistan. Like a true friend, the Chinese have agreed to speed up the production and delivery of 50 JF-17 Thunder aircraft for Pakistan. This has not only sent a clear signal to the world that China stands by Pakistan but will actually strengthen our air defense against any such misadventure. Gwadar port: China has a keen interest that Pakistan’s vision to become a trade and energy corridor, which links Central Asia, Russia and China with the warm waters of the Arabian Sea should become a reality. If the Gwadar Port develops and is linked with rail and road infrastructure, China’s interests will also be served. Compared to shipping from the eastern seaports, trade through Pakistan will tremendously ease trade for China. China wants to develop its relatively undeveloped interior western regions. The best way to achieve this is to provide an outlet for the region through Gwadar. The Chinese have agreed to take over the operation of Gwadar Port after the contract with the Singapore Port Authority expires in anticipation of this dream becoming a reality. China has stakes in a developed and prosperous Pakistan and is ready to help it grow. Is Pakistan ready to avail this opportunity and develop the capacity to take advantage of Chinese generosity? SECOND EDITORIAL: Attack on US Consulate staff Another day, another attack. An improvised explosive device (IED) struck two bulletproof Land Cruisers of the US Consulate staff in Peshawar on Friday, injuring 11 people and killing one passerby. Two consulate personnel suffered minor injuries in this first attack on US diplomats after the operation that killed Osama bin Laden. This comes in a sequence of similar attacks that have been taking place throughout the country since al Qaeda’s leader was killed, including against Saudi personnel in their Karachi consulate. It is feared that this is just the beginning as the extremists might be getting warmed up to fulfil their pledge of revenge against Pakistan, the US and other countries that had a part to play in bin Laden’s death. Other NATO countries too are on the terrorists’ hit list. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the Peshawar attack and have declared it retribution for bin Laden’s death at the hands of US Navy SEALs. When such a red alert situation exists in the country, it is shameful that adequate security measures are still lacking to prevent such attacks from taking place. Just as Osama was a high value target for the US, likewise, US, European, Saudi and even Pakistani citizens are high-value targets for the militants. To have foreign and our own citizens under threat on our shores and to be woefully unequipped to protect them is pathetic, to say the least. It is almost as if the security forces in Pakistan are too de-motivated in the face of a murky, bloodthirsty enemy. The area where this latest attack took place, University Town, is considered to be one of the more posh residential locations in Peshawar. It is a community where foreigners usually live. For a militant onslaught to take place there shows that even the most well-off of places is unsafe, what to say of the rest of the country. The security and law enforcement agencies have to get their act together. Our intelligence establishment cannot afford to fall asleep (again?) in the wake of the bin Laden episode and our police and security forces need better methods of detection and prevention. Arrangements must be made to better police the streets and allow citizens, whether international or local, to move about without incurring the risk of being blown to bits. * Home | Editorial