Ideology in Desperate Housewives free essay sample

Every day, the public is unknowingly exposed to countless ideological messages. They come from all around, but the media remains ideology’s primary agent. In places such as magazines, commercials, billboards, movies and television shows, one can find evidence of ideological messages. According to theologist Louis Althusser, ideology places individuals into a certain position in society by a process called interpellation, where a specific subject (or group of people) is called out, or hailed. Althusser claims that ideology does this in order to â€Å"help people to live their own conditions of existence, to perform their assigned tasks, but also to ‘bear’ their conditions. † An example of this can be found in television dramas aimed at American middle-aged women, as found on ABC or Lifetime. One potent example comes from the drama Desperate Housewives. This show may seem like a glorified soap opera, as it primarily depicts the lives of four dynamic homemakers living in the same cal-de-sac in suburbia. We will write a custom essay sample on Ideology in Desperate Housewives or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, the show’s purpose is not solely to entertain, but also to hail its audience of middle-aged women by telling them what kind of behavior is acceptable for their role in society. In the episode â€Å"You Must Meet My Wife,† each housewife struggles with a personal conflict as their natural desires and tendencies conflict with the type of behavior expected of them as spouses and mothers. We see these discrepancies unfold as the characters are confronted by sexual temptation, marital infidelity, discontent with their husbands and gender roles regarding family finances. In the end, we will see ideological norms reinstated by these women resisting their true feelings in order to act â€Å"appropriately. † On the surface, Bree Van de Kamp looks like the ideal housewife. Her house is always spotless and she cooks gourmet delicacies for her family’s dinner every night. However, as the series progresses, we learn that there is a lot more to Bree (as there is to any person). In this episode, Bree is seduced by her much younger and very attractive contractor. Bree is single, so this is not a matter of infidelity, but of general sexual urges. The narrator explains that Bree was brought up traditionally, learning to hide and suppress her desires in order to be a â€Å"lady. † Therefore, Bree denies her urges because she recognizes that as a woman, society does not approve of her being sexually outgoing. This point is hit home when she fires her contractor so that she is not tempted by his company. She lies and tells him she is letting him go because he is doing a sloppy job, unable to admit to him (or anyone) that she is having fantasies about him. Bree’s display of â€Å"weakness† makes the plot relatable and entertaining to the audience, since it is made up primarily of middle-aged women who feel the same pressure to be almost inhuman sexually. Ironically, that pressure is being reinforced by the ideological lesson that this episode teaches. Gabrielle Solis profiles a different kind of housewife. Her conflict arises when a nurse informs her that her daughter’s blood type indicates that she could not possibly be the child of Gabby and her husband, Carlos. Gauging Gabby’s reaction, the nurse assumes that the child must not belong to Carlos, and judgmentally implies that Gabby was unfaithful. The nurses actions are direct proof of the ideological message: if a housewife cheats on her husband, she loses worth. Panicking, Gabby concludes that she must have cheated on Carlos during a weekend away with her girlfriends when she was blackout drunk. Several ideological violations arise here. First, her role as a housewife does not permit weekends away with her friends where she gets wildly intoxicated. Second, cheating on your husband is of the utmost offense. Although women now have equal rights to match their equal capabilities, our society is still predominantly patriarchal. Gabby pays for her indiscretions in this episode. Scared and deeply ashamed, she must deal with her overwhelming guilt. Her struggle reinforces ideological norms, teaching her (and consequently, the audience) that she should have been home with her family rather than out for a fun weekend with her friends. It turns out to have been all a mistake, and Gabby was not unfaithful, however her ideological lesson was learned the hard way. Yet another ideological message is presented through the life of Lynette Scavo. Strong, smart and opinionated, Lynette is the feminist who equates to (if not exceeds) her husband in most areas. However, she is not immune to the ideological restraints of being a housewife either. In this episode, her husband Tom is diagnosed with Post Part-um Depression due to the recent birth of their daughter. There is a comical quality to this, as Post Part-um Depression is mostly known as a disease for women. This works to make Tom look weak, while Lynette is exhausted taking care of the house and the kids. She laughs at Tom’s diagnosis, and he becomes offended, stating that she is always too critical. Lynette’s friend Renee becomes involved, telling Lynette that she needs to â€Å"demonstrate her abilities as a wife† and make it up to Tom. Renee’s character provides insight to the ideological belief that wives should be supportive and nurturing towards their husbands, even if it means sacrificing their own comfort or opinions. In the end, Lynette apologizes and listens to Tom complain for hours, just as a proper housewife is expected to do. The domestic role of women is reinstated again through Susan Delfino’s storyline. Unlike Bree and Gabby, Susan lives more of a working class lifestyle, and recently work has been slow for her husband Mike. Tight on money, Susan decides to pick up another job to supplement her income as a teacher. She does this by agreeing to do housekeeping in lingerie for a live-feed stream on the internet. Although this side-job is harmless and proving to be quite profitable, ideology tells her (and consequently, the audience) that this job is something she should be ashamed of. She lies to Mike and tells him she’s been selling homemade jewelry (more of a â€Å"lady-like† hobby) for extra money. It might make sense if Susan felt ashamed because the job might be degrading the sanctity of her body, but that is not the reason. She lies to Mike because if he knew she was using her body to make extra money for them, he might be embarrassed, upset, or even angry. As the ideology of a housewife maintains, a husband should be the main source of finances and his wife should keep him comfortable and happy. Susan breaks these rules, and it burdens her with guilt throughout the episode. She should not be ashamed to be making money in a time where finances are low, but since society does not deem it appropriate, Susan sacrifices her good conscience to be a good housewife. In conclusion, Desperate Housewives reinforces ideological norms of middle-aged women through every main character in the show. The audience might think they are only being entertained for an hour, but what they take away from it is so much deeper. They are impressed with the ideology that women of a certain aged should act, talk, and feel this way. The audience learns lessons through the characters. This particular episode taught us that fulfilling your role as a housewife is of the utmost importance, even if it means sacrificing your natural desires, freedoms, opinions, or capabilities. Desperate Housewives is not the first television show to promote this ideology. Throughout history, the ideal housewife has been depicted as static, obedient, asexual, and sometimes seemingly inhuman. However, a show centered on such a character would be dull. So Desperate Housewives takes some liberties, letting the characters run rampant and make mistakes, only to recoil back into their rightful places inside of their homes on Wisteria Lane.

Example of Stanford University Personal Statement

Example of Stanford University Personal Statement Free Online Research Papers Example of Stanford University Personal Statement Thoreau suggested making our lives simple by simplifying our possessions. Possessions do not only limit on concrete objects such as physical object that we have such as jewels or money, but also have a meaning on abstract concepts such as friendship, love that you obtain from the relationship with other people. As Thoreau said, if I were told to have only one, then I would keep ‘Friendship’, which has characteristics of unique, lifelong and unchangeable. In my life, due to my parents’ business, I moved to Vietnam and I had to leave all of my dear friends in Korea. I have known them for long time during I was in middle school. Now I also have got many friends here in an international school and I am experiencing something special that the not many people encounter. I felt greatly that having friends can be one of the best and most worthy possession to have in my life. My friends can be not only my general friends but also can be my investment or my counselor of my life. My Korean friends who had final university entrance exam this year motivated my academic performance as well as taught me how to prepare for my final IB (International Baccalaureate) exam. I felt happy myself when we exchanged my information about studying generally. I appreciated their friendship, as a result, I would show what I can do as they expect from me. To me, friends that I made in Vietnam made me stronger and more mature. Whenever I was struggling with speaking and writing English, they certainly helped me out and I could see my improvements as I was much closer to them. Cultural difference between them and me brought a new knowledge breaking my prejudices that turned to understanding. As we talked about politics, cultures and different religion, I came up with better understanding on other culture and learned how to respect new cultures. Research Papers on Example of Stanford University Personal StatementHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayThe Fifth HorsemanStandardized TestingComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaResearch Process Part OneAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andHip-Hop is Art

X-ray Fluorescence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

X-ray Fluorescence - Essay Example J. Moseley number elements in 1913 through the observation of K-line transitions as observed in X-ray spectrum. This formed the basis of element identification through X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy by considering the relationship between the atomic number and the frequency. X-Ray fluorescence, XRF refers to the emission of characteristic secondary, also referred to as fluorescent X-rays by bombarding a material with X-rays at high energy or gamma rays so that the material gets excited. The wavelength of X-rays range between 50 and 100 A related to energy in the relationship: E = h? where h is Planck constant, 6.62 * 10-24 and ? is the frequency in Hertz. High energy X-rays would be required for XRF as the soft X-rays get absorbed by the target element, with the absorption edges depending on ionisation energies of the respective electrons, unique to each element. While the energy dispersive XRF, EDXRF methodology detects all elements from Na through to U, the wavelength dispersive X RF, WDXRF detects down to Be (Shackley 34). How XRF Works When the atoms of the target material absorb the high energy photons from the X-rays or gamma-rays, the electrons at the inner shell would be ejected from the atom transforming them to photoelectrons. As a result, the atom would be left at an excited state having a vacancy in its inner shell. The outer shell electrons would then fall into this resultant vacancy in the process emitting photons whose energy equals the difference in energy between the two states. It would be appreciated that each element has its unique energy level set, implying that each element would emit characteristic pattern of X-rays unique to itself which Sharma (527) refers to as characteristic X-rays. With increase in the concentration of the corresponding element, there would also be an increase in the X-ray intensity. This phenomenon also applies in the quantitative analysis of elements through the production of optical emission spectra. With characte ristic X-rays resulting from transition between the energy levels in an atom, the electrons that transition from energy level Ei to Ej would emit X-rays with energy Ex = Ei – Ej. With each element having unique atomic energy level set, a unique X-rays set would be emitted characteristic of the element (Sharma 526). Considering Bohr’s atomic model (see fig. 1), with atomic levels designated as K, L, M and so forth, each with additional sub-shells, a transition between these shells would result in the emission of characteristic X-rays. Fig. 1. Bohr’s atomic model from Sharma (527) As such, M X-ray would result from transition to M shell, so would K X-ray be a result of transition to K shell. K?1 X-ray would result from an electron dropping from M3 shell to fill in a vacancy in the K shell (see fig. 2). The emitted X-ray would have energy EX-ray = EK – EM3. Figure 2: X-ray line labelling from Bounakhla and Tahri (12) Sources According to Bounakhla and Tahri (21), radioisotopes provide the simplest source for configuration since one selects a source that emits X-rays slightly above the target element’s absorption edge energy. They have found wide application due to their stability and smallness in size in the context where monochromatic and continuous sources would be required. It serves well with regard to ruggedness, reliability, simplicity and in the consideration of cost of equipment. For safety, emissions would be limited to approximately 107 photons. The activity would be described in terms of disintegration rates of the radioisotopes where this activity would decrease from initial activity, A0 to final activity At for a duration of time, t. At = A0e(-0.693t/T?) where T? is the

Question answer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Question answer - Essay Example Notably, finance minister of State X was present at the signing of the agreement between the two parties and after signing the document, the finance minister added the words â€Å"approved and ratified† and the minister also placed his own signature. Later on, a dispute aroused where OIC initiated a settlement proceeding in accordance with the procedures set out in the joint venture contract specifying both IPF and State X. However, State X argued that settlement tribunal has no jurisdiction over it. The major case issue is that whether State X can be excused from participating in the suit or not. With regard to the case, it can be stated that State X cannot be excused from participating in the suit. As the common law of contract in Australia affirms that any third party benefitting from the contractual agreement is liable to sue the other major party under the contractual agreement and vice versa. Nonetheless, privity of contract states that only the major parties entering in to the contractual agreement has the right to sue each other if any dispute arises. Simultaneously, the doctrine of privity of contract denies any obligations or liabilities to third party1. However, the doctrine of privity states that the major party has the right to sue the third party benefiting from the contract. ... over the performance of IPF, it cannot be denied that any action performed by IPC is governed by and taken with the active participation of State X2. Thus, the action of IPC cannot be distinguished from State X. In addition, State X also affirmed the contract by providing its approval and rectification as well as the finance minister of State X placed his signature to the contractual agreement which provided an evidence of State X’s involvement to the contractual agreement entered between OIC and IPF. At the same time, it can be argued that finance minister of State X was endorsing the contract but he was not making government as a party to the contract entered. Despite this aspect, it can be stated that State X should not be excused from participating in the suit. Additionally, the arbitration tribunal has sole power to involve State X in the suit. QUESTION 2: Considering the case of the Republic of Argentina et al v. Weltover Inc. et al., The United States used the Foreign S overeign Immunities Act of 1996 to bring suit against Argentina for a default on bond repayment. According to Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act 1996, statutory method can be ascertained from the United States courts to acquire jurisdiction over non-US sovereign. It offers that any person in the United States can seek for jurisdiction for disputes resulting from business transactions to non-US sovereign. It immunises non-U.S. states from jurisdiction of US court unless any exceptional scenario applies. Accordingly, Supreme Court of the USA has characterised â€Å"commercial activity† as the most important exception. This exception provides the verdict regarding which party can apply for lawsuit against the non-US sovereign in the US court. As part of a plan to stabilise petitioner, the Republic of

Plato on Gender: An analysis

Plato on Gender: An analysis Plato on Gender Platonic advocacy of female public engagement as articulated in Republic V challenges an organizational ethos by which the activities, movement, and behavior of women were severely restricted. Indeed the role of women in Plato’s political philosophy is arguably at odds, not only with the negative and oppressive depiction of women in Athenian philosophical thought at large, but also with the broader Platonic corpus which seems to speak to the natural inferiority of females. Plato advances the radical argument that insofar as the body and soul are distinct, women and men may serve coequally in the guardianship of the state. That is, assuming that the nature of a person is independent of his/her body, and to such an extent as each individual should be assigned work suited to his nature, both sexes will be capable of performing all the functions needed by the city, including philosophy, despite the innate and inevitable inferiority of women (Okin, 1979). Yet however progressive hi s embrace of women in terms of their capacity to assume political, ethical, and intellectual responsibilities alongside men; the evidence suggests that Plato did not stand for a liberationist philosophy that elevates women to the moral status of men. Only by examining the proposals of Republic V with an eye toward the overriding aims and structure of the ideal society do Plato’s apparent contradictions in his views toward women become apparent. While his views on women were no doubt revolutionary for the day, the degree to which Plato was motivated by an egalitarian ethic remains an open question. We must remember that Plato was a product of a society locked into a rigid patrimonial order in which the confinement of respectable women was de rigeur and where upper class women were valued primarily as instruments of reproduction and legitimacy (Pomeroy, 1975). The Athenian woman of citizen class was secluded within the parental home until she became a ward of the matrimonial household, where she was expected to exercise her maternal responsibilities, especially the breeding of sons. She was likewise controlled and deprived with respect to her sexuality, without the compensation of any participation in life outside the domestic sphere (Okin, 1979). Socialization with men at any level, even within the confines of the home, was not consistent with her service to the household and commitment to chastity, frugality, and silence (P omeroy, 1975). In conceptual terms, meanwhile, emotionalism and lack of self-control were seen as products of female nature; reserving bravery, norms of reason, and objectivity for men within the intellectual and institutional structure (Just, 1989). Thus to the extent that women were devoid of moral agency and self-possession, they were subject to the authority and guardianship of men, effectively disqualifying them from the ruling class as a condition of â€Å"natural† dependency. The recurrent theme in the literature is of female subordination and loss of autonomy as a result of excessive physical indulgence: â€Å"women are in bondage to their physical appetites as much as those who are legally bound† (Just, 1989, p. 186). A woman, as such, is unable to subordinate her appetites, desires, and emotions to reason (i.e. higher-order valuations) in pursuit of virtue. A man however, presuming the opportune socio-economic conditions, is free, and hence is arguably considerably less, if at all, inclined to fall victim to akratic action. By this reasoning, men maintain the ability to act in accordance with their decisive better judgments, while women are seen in connection to and dependent upon their appetitive urges (Politics, 1260a2-12). Hesiod’s Theogony, for example, likens the woman to a gluttonous and sexually licentious â€Å"stomach† inflicted on the man to consume the fruits of his labor and weaken his resolve to self-govern, which, as a free man, he is presumed capable of (Just, 1989, p. 164). Aristotle confirms; noting in the Politics that, â€Å"the woman has [a deliberative faculty], but [that] it is without authority† (Politics, 1260a12-14). Correspondingly, he submits that â€Å"to a woman, silence brings refinement – whereas this does not apply to a man† (Politics, 1260a30-31). Hence, as Just comments, â€Å"the opposition between those innately possessed of self-control, and those who lack it . . . ideologically r enders women’s subordinated place within the social structure of the polis a ‘natural’ one† (Just, 1989, p. 166). Against this backdrop, it seems unrealistic to believe that Plato was immune to the influences of the historical and cultural standards that underscore his dialogues. In fact, in the Timaeus, Plato himself explains the inferiority of women in terms of devolution from an original creation consisting of men. Those able to master their passions and live virtuously on Earth are granted passage back to the stars from which they came; cowardly and unrighteous men are reborn as women to account for their failures. â€Å"All male-born humans who lived lives of cowardice or injustice were reborn in the second generation as women† (Timaeus, 90e7-8). Indeed victory of the rational over the irrational was the means by which a debased soul may return to â€Å"his original condition of excellence,† and avoid further degeneration into an animal form appropriate to the evil nature which he had acquired (Timaeus, 42b1-d2).Plato continues to explain that, ultimately, procreation results from the union of the â€Å"woman’s desire and the man’s love;† an explanation that speaks to appetitive/reason distinction discussed above (Timaeus, 91d1). Thus Plato builds a hierarchy of goodness and rationality in which woman is positioned midway between man and beast, a sentiment echoed in the Laws (Okin 1979). The dialogue of Republic V, however, suggests that while human beings can differ in many ways, certain attributes have no bearing on the assignment of different functions to different persons in accordance with their natures. For example, whereas a man with a full head of hair is known to be a good cobbler, the bald man is not necessarily incapable of practicing the same profession (Republic V, 454c1-6). There seems, therefore, to be no reason to consider the difference between the sexes in terms of procreative function relevant to whether they should play equal roles in the guardianship of the state (Okin, 1979). Plato thereby manages to reconcile the dialectical opposition between the belief that different natures ought to accord with different pursuits, and the suggestion that the same pursuits be open to both sexes in spite of female inferiority. Thus although he asserts that women are generally less capable than men, especially in physical strength, he maintains that individual members of both sexes are capable of concurrently performing all the city’s functions, including rule and defense (Okin, 1979). The collective good therefore seems to demand that individual pursuits and education be in keeping with the merits of each, irrespective of sex. That â€Å"women bear . . . and men beget,† Plato reasons, is not tantamount to proof that women ought to be denied the ‘guardian-rearing’ education provided to their male peers (Republic V, 454d5-12). Accordingly, Plato maintains that the guardians of his state, along with their (collective) wives, ought to enjoy the same pursuits. Just as a â€Å"male and female doctor have souls of the same nature,† so to would Plato’s purported male and female guardians (Republic V, 454c10-d1). Plato does, however, prescribe a lighter share of defensive duties to women, in keeping with their relative physical weakness and consistent with their assumed level of strength (Republic V, 455d7-e2). Thus although Plato expands the range of activities open to women, the notion (articulated in the Timaeus) that the female form embodies a wicked soul certainly calls into question Plato’s embrace of the egalitarian ideal as such. To be sure, Plato grounds his emancipation of women in the metaphysical assertion that the body and soul are distinct, such that the body becomes an obstacle to the ambitions and potential of the soul. If a male soul can reside in a female body and vice versa, it follows that a female with a philosophical nature may aspire to re-enter life as a man to the extent that she severs her attachment and dependence on the body in favor of philosophy (Bar On, 1994). In effect, since the desired quality of one’s soul may be incongruous with one’s sexual identity, Plato implies that manliness is not necessarily a function of the body. If â€Å"female† refers to someone connected to the world on a bodily level, and â€Å"male,† to a p erson elevated to a philosophical plane (Bar On, 1994), then anyone of a suitable nature can be considered male as a matter of statecraft. In this vein, Okin argues that Plato shared his fellow Athenians’ contempt for women, suggesting the emancipation of female guardians was a necessary byproduct of the dismantling of the family: â€Å"The most important consequence of Plato’s transformation of the guardian class into a single family is the radical implication it has for the role of women† (Okin, 1979, p. 37). Sensing the antagonism between the state and the family, Plato seeks to disengage the guardians from all connections and motive which may undermine their dedication to the state, thereby extending the primary ties of kinship throughout the ruling class (Okin, 1979, p. 37). Thus Rousseau points to a causal link between the abolition of the family and the granting of equal opportunities to women, such that â€Å"having dispensed with the individual family in his system of government, and not knowing any longer what to do with women, [Plato] finds himself forced to turn them into men† (Ok in, 1979, pp. 37-8). Indeed the need for unity within the ruling class – which eliminated private property and the wifehood, and minimized the role of maternity – is critical to the involvement of women in the administration of the city. â€Å"If for the female guardians the relationship to particular men, children and households has ceased to be crucial, there seems to be no alternative for Plato but to consider women as persons in their own right† (Okin, 1979, p. 38). Thus the utilitarian ethic by which Plato’s seeks communal â€Å"happiness† (eudaimonia) is not built on modern notions of liberty, justice, or equality of the sexes. Plato appeals to the efficiency, harmony, and moral goodness on which his politics rest – the oppression of women notwithstanding. â€Å"Excellence, not liberty, is his goal, and he rejects liberty as the enemy of excellence† (Vlastos, 1994, p. 22). The discharge of women from the confines of their traditional domestic role – absent a suitable outlet for the excesses of female nature – would constitute a threat to civil accord, leaving Plato no choice but to rethink the matter of woman’s role and her potential abilities (Okin, 1979). Allen, who explains Plato’s acceptance of women in the context of a political agenda that does not tolerate any manner of civil discord, and which thereby aims to eliminate potential sources of disorder in the city, also shares this in terpretation (Okin, 1979). Arguably then, Plato intends to foster harmony and unity of purpose by resolving the problem of selfishness and contentious interests through the elimination of private property. Thus where property, inheritance, and marriage are reintroduced – as prescribed in the Laws of Plato’s second best city – the proprietary status of women renders immaterial Plato’s frustration with the â€Å"irrational† maintenance of rigid sex roles (Okin, 1979). â€Å"Given these basic features of the social structure of the city, it is not surprising that Plato, in spite of general pronouncements to the contrary, is not able to treat or use women as the equals of his male citizens† (Okin, 1979, p. 46). Further, and of importance if one is to fairly evaluate Plato’s concern for all women, though Republic V validates the notion that female talents may extend to other crafts under the rubric of maximum efficiency, it proffers nothin g toward applying this notion to any but those fortunate enough to be of aristocratic decent.Hence, even if we were to absolve Plato of his (perhaps more subtlety) biased inferences observed in conjunction with his emancipation of the female-elite, a comprehensive feminist portrayal of the great philosopher demands that one reconcile his violently opposed views on feminine potential as a function of class. What emerges is a Platonic distinction between similarities in the potential range of men’s and women’s talents and similarities in ability, with the related distinction between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome. Whereas â€Å"women share by nature in every way of life just as men do,† there exists no pursuit of mankind in which the male sex maintains not the gifts and qualities to a higher degree than the female, save for absurd examples of household production (Republic V, 455c4-d7). This distinction helps to explain why Plato defines male guardians as the â€Å"best of the citizens† and the female guardians as less-than, i.e. the â€Å"best of the women† only (Republic V, 456e1-5). By extension, Plato asserts that the female-guardians – despite their having been educated in tandem with the males – will serve as assistants (i.e. ‘secondary companions’ of sorts) to their male compatriots (Republic V, 471c2-d 4). His description of the optimal brigade arrangement, whereby the guardians would be â€Å"less likely to desert each other†¦if their woman joined their campaigns†¦.positioned in the rear to frighten the enemy, and in case their help should ever be needed† indubitably indicates this much, while further implying that men harbor greater capability and potential in warfare than do women (Republic V, 471d1-4). Therefore, in constant reference to the â€Å"wives† of the guardians, and by defining female guardianship in terms of its value to men, Plato betrays the cultural predispositions embedded in language throughout his work. Unsurprisingly, the notion that ‘a woman can do what her fellow man does, but is nonetheless incapable of doing it as well,’ lies at the heart of feminist objections to Platonic thought. Some suggest that Plato’s apparent hostility toward women can be explained by appeal to an elitist contempt for a corrupt and inefficient social order under which women fail to meet their potential. Vlatos, for example, adopts a minimalist and conservative conception of personal rights that intends to reconcile the equality Plato provides for women with the philosopher’s negative portrayal of women elsewhere (Vlastos, 1994). On Vlastos’ account, if Plato’s policies reflect a belief that â€Å"equality in the rights of persons shall not be denied or abridged on account of sex† – a claim that bears contrary to the norms governing the status of Athenian women at the time – then Plato is aptly characterized as a feminist (Vlastos, 1994, p. 12). On attempting to reconcile the emancipation of the female-elite in Republic V with the reproachful remarks targeted at women – as evidenced throughout the broader Platonic corpus – Vlastos suggests that the â€Å"‘womanish’ traits [Plato] denigrates are those of the great mass of women, not of those brilliant exceptions from whom the guardians would be recruited; and, moreover, they are the traits common to women now [i.e. Plato’s time], under conditions [then] prevailing which [did not] foster the development of energetic minds and resolute characters† (Vlastos, 1994, p. 18). Arguably, Vlastos’ explanation does not merely ‘explain away’ Plato’s irreverent tone toward women; a tone persistent throughout his works and, notably, targeted at the general female body. Ultimately, Vlastos’ approach fails to satisfy those who subscribe to a liberationist ethic that values women’s preferences and needs for thei r own sake (Annas, 1976). On this account, Pomeroy calls attention to contempt for women throughout the Platonic texts, either expressed directly, or implied through images and metaphors; and points to a proprietary canon that positioned women as property, prizes, and slaves under the custodial care of men (Pomeroy, 1975). Moreover, noting that Plato’s liberation of women resides within a metaphysical framework in which a woman’s opportunity to pursue â€Å"knowledge of the good† depends on the intrinsic value of the soul, Annas poses a consistent hostility toward women throughout Plato’s dialogues. Accordingly, she argues against the feminist thesis; namely pointing to the facts that Plato does not reject inequality between the genders as such, nor does he suggest, in any way, that he genuinely cares for the desires of women, as women (Annas, 1976). Clearly, the broader Platonic corpus fails to transcend the gender stereotypes and sexist notions that circumscribe its time. However, in so much as Plato gives voice to a class of citizens that remained mute for ages – barred by the values of a rigid societal construct – some may deem Plato a revolutionary proponent of female-actualization. While his overall presentation may offend modern feminist sensibilities, Plato’s policies are attuned to the potential of females in the face of a disparaging cultural opposition. And, although the evidence suggests that Plato does not consider women as the moral equals of men – by any measure – he nonetheless deserves credit for being among the first to promote the equality of women in meaningful aspects of social status and function. References Annas, Julia. (1976). Plato’s â€Å"Republic† and Feminism. Philosophy, 51, 307-321. Aristotle. (1995). Aristotle Politics: Books I And II. (Trevor Saunders, Trans.). New York: Oxford University Press. (Original work written 350 B.C.E.). Bar On, B. (1994). Engendering Origins: Critical Feminist Readings in Plato and Aristotle. New York: State University of New York Press. Just, R. (1989). Women in Athenian Law and Life. New York: Routledge Press. Okin, S. (1979). Women in Western Political Thought. Princeton: Princeton University Press Plato. (1997). Complete Works: The Republic. (J.M. Cooper D. L. Hutchinson, Eds.). Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. Plato. (1997). Complete Works: Timaeus. (J.M. Cooper D. L. Hutchinson, Eds.). Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. Pomeroy, S. (1975). Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity. New York: Random House, Inc. Vlastos, Gregory. (1994). Was Plato a Feminist? In Nancy Tuana (Ed.), Feminist Interpretations of Plato (pp. 11-23). University Park, PA: Penn State Press. Walmart: Everyday Low Prices Strategy Walmart: Everyday Low Prices Strategy Wal-Mart is the worlds largest retailer stores emerged in Arkansas, USA since 1962 by Sam Walton with his belief that the future of retailing lay in discounting, focusing on value drivers: price and service, convenience and a wide rage of product all in one store. The successfully of implementation is to adapt innovative practice selling the brand with slogan Every Day Low Prices (EDLP) mixed with other philosophies into its pricing. In early days, One of the key strategy was concerned on small town locations: open discount stores in small town and spread out its stores and filling un-served gaps avoiding from competition radar. As, Wal-Mart saturated its market and effectively barred new competition. With the prospect of low price policy, Wal-Mart is relentless cost control. Non-stop of reducing of their price parallel with cost control. Including of being the partnership with suppliers, they claimed that it helped the suppliers improve inventory management and efficiency as win-win partnership. Another core competence is logistic management. Wal-Mart very early demonstrated commitment to technology in the industry. Being the earliest to adopt satellite technology connection the chain to one big network. Moreover, Wal-Mart has been seeking for the continuing development by adoption RFID in the system. In term of service, Wal-Mart understands the art of motivating its employees from all level to perform their best. For instant, under the ten-foot rule, any member of staff within ten feet of a customer must offer them assistance. Its labor relations are exceptional. Workers are not plain employees but associates, eligible for a share of the profits and stock options in the company. This has created a famously loyal and highly competitive workforce. Now, Wal-Mart is facing a change to their business in China. Over the past few years Chinas retail industry and its distribution and logistical infrastructure have opened up significantly with decreased government regulation. For Wal-Mart this will mean a large change in its business strategy and it will now look to profitably expand with Chinas booming economy. In order to set a new strategy Wal-Mart will need to identify what issues it will face in the short and long term. One such issue is the fact that the business model used in America will not directly transplant to China. For example, in the U.S., Wal-Mart places stores in small towns to gain a competitive advantage. China, on the other hand, will not support such a structure. In China, the economic growth has been concentrated exclusively in coastal regions supporting urbanites. The U.S. business model also uses Wal-Marts distribution, logistics, and IT networks to gain economies of scale and competitive advantages. China does not have the infrastructure for Wal-Mart to gain the same scale economies and advantages. Instead, Wal-Mart China will need to find alternative ways to turn core competencies into competitive advantages. Other issues Wal-Mart China faces are differences in consumer preferences habits between American and Chinese consumers, increasing competition among foreign and domestic firms, and overcoming local protectionism obstacles. SWOT Analysis of Wal-Mart (S)trengths Wal-Mart is a powerful retail brand. It has a reputation for value for money, convenience and a wide range of products all in one store. The company has a core competence involving its use of information technology to support its international logistics system. Wal-Mart has a lot of suppliers, since the company claimed that it had always treated its supplier as partners and also helps suppliers improve inventory management and efficiency. Wal-Mart has a competitive strategy. For example everyday low prices (EDLP) or Always Low prices, this helped to drive the concept of EDLP and drew a million customers to its door. (W)eakness The biggest obstacle Wal-Mart faced in Mainland China was lack of an information-technology network with suppliers making the purchase and distribution difficult. (O)pportunities To take over, merge with, or form strategic alliances with other global retailers, focusing on specific markets such as Europe or the Greater China Region.   The stores are currently only trade in a relatively small number of countries. Therefore there are tremendous opportunities for future business in expanding consumer markets.   New locations and store types offer Wal-Mart opportunities to exploit market development. They diversified from large super centres, to local and mall-based sites.   Opportunities exist for Wal-Mart to continue with its current strategy of large, super centres. (T)hreats Very high competition in china market, especially the local brand. The Buying behavior of Chinese consumers, Chinese consumers always compare the different of the price before they make a purchase. Regulatory restrictions, in china the constraints on a foreign retailers operation directly limited the regional expansion of Wal-Mart stores and the efficient use of distribution centers. Local protectionism, it is serious problem faced by many multinational firms trying to expand operations through china. The Infrastructural Deficiency, Wal-Mart distribution system depended on transportation, but china transportation were no well connected and were serious fragmented. Case Questions: Why is Wal-Mart successful in the US? What are Wal-Marts competitive advantages and its sources? Wal-Mart has the critical strategy such as Every Day Low Prices (EDLP) to capture demand of consumers and brand reputation and trust of customers make Wal-Mart become outstanding firm. Two key developments made the success possible: Distribution: Wal-Mart set up highly automated distribution centres, cutting down on delivery time and costs. Inventory flow: The companys computerized inventory systems gave managers real-time information on their stocks, speeding up the re-ordering of goods. The competitive advantages of Wal-Mart are technology, being the earliest to adopt satellite technology connection the chain to one big network. Besides, Wal-Mart has been seeking for the continuing development by adoption RFID in the system. Using the inventory management over the competitors and a lot of suppliers that deal with Wal-Mart. Also, the main successful of Wal-Mart is cost-control. Wal-Mart can control and avoid unnecessary cost very well, therefore Wal-Mart can offers a low price than competitors to consumers as a result of economic of scale. 2. Should Wal-Mart replicate its domestic model in its original form in China? Why? Can it build the same competitive advantage in China through its successful domestic model? Wal-Mart should not use the same strategy form in china. Because it is different in culture , environment, legal and politics. The original might be success in US but the characteristic of Chinese people is totally differently from USs people. It is hard to build the competitive as the same as in United state because due to local supplier, distribution or supply chain is not the same as in USA. Also, Wal-Mart might lack of technology in china, so I think the original model might not work in china 3. Provide suggestions on potential strategies that Wal-Mart China should consider in going forward. Creating Guanxi Conducting marketing expansion research: a critical role in global success. It permits the company to take into account different environments, attitude and market conditions and hence to minimize risks. To get information for possible business expansion To monitor the political climate To review various ways of market To evaluate the business partners Alternatives Wal-Mart has many options when determining what strategy to set going forward in Chinas newly deregulated market.    One such option is to accept defeat.    Wal-Mart has attempted to transplant its American business model in other countries such as Germany, South Korea, and Japan and realized huge failures.    Japan is consistently a loss making operation for Wal-Mart, and Wal-Mart has already completely retreated from Germany and South Korea due to its inability to.. http://walmartstores.com/AboutUs/297.aspx http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/325922.stm

Littlefield Lab Essay

Since the beginning the team decided to try an aggressive strategy to win the game, assuming a riskier position with higher potential benefits and costs. For that, it was necessary to identify key parameters of the process and design a dashboard to analyze the information and make decisions in a faster way. The key parameters we started monitoring were demand (jobs accepted), stations utilization and lead times of the entire process. The first goal was to balance the line and satisfying the demand. Demand analysis and its relation to order kits In order to predict the future flows of the demand and match the info with the kit orders we create a model in attempting to avoid stock breaks or overstocks and anticipate the purchase of machines. The model considered the median demand of last 2 weeks projected with the growth rate of those weeks. Utilization of stations and its relation to purchase machines In order to to satisfy the demand, generate equilibrium in the capacity of the 3 stations, and avoid bottlenecks to get the maximum profit with the contract 3, the purchasing of new machines were made when utilization of any station was steadely over 80% and was justified by the cost-benefit analysis. Cost-benefit analysis to purchase machines Considering a demand of 30, 60 & 90, the pay back time will be 29, 15 & 10 days on ideal conditions. Changing the contracts When the balance was achieved on the process, then we started to intervene contracts since contract 3 provides the best profitability when the Lab is able to accomplish a promised lead time of 0.5 days being careful of change to contract 2 or 1 if the promised lead time would not be accomplished due to the circumstantial conditions of the process. To optimize the profitability of the jobs received on the first day of every week, we began to modify the contracts according to the following criteria: – Contract 1: If machine 1 had more than 3 jobs waiting for kits on last day of the previous week. – Contract 2: If machine 1 had between 1 to 3 jobs waiting  for kits on last day of the previous week. – Contract 3: If machine 1 had 0 jobs waiting for kits on last day of the previous week. Finally, on day 150 we try an â€Å"all in† strategy spending $160.000 in 1 machine for station 1 and 2 to increase the capacity and to process jobs only on conditions of con tract 3. This decision was taken based on a demand of 91 jobs and a utilization of station 1 of 0.83 between days 143 and 149. Profits analysis The table shows the sources and uses of cash including the analysis of main items. Description Amount, $ Comments Starting Cash + 1.000.000 Revenue +2.770.670 – 493, 226 & 1981 jobs were accepted under contract 1, 2 & 3 respectively. – $ 3.072.000 was the maximum possible revenue. (Calculations: 493 x $ 750 + 226 x $ 1.000 + 1.981 x $ 1.250) – $ 301.220 were lost for non-fulfillment of the contracts. (Calculations: $ 3.072.000 – 2.770.670) Interest +81.993 Station purchases -560.000 – 4 stations N º1 were bought on days 61,115, 141 and 150. – 2 stations N º2 were bought on days 116 and 150. All stations were bought at a certain time which ensures that the investment were payed back before the day 314 considering a pay back period 10-29 days for each station (see cost-benefit analysis). Inventory -1.704.600 – 2.841 kits were bought (including kits ordered by default). – 2.566 kits were ordered on the review period corresponding to day 7. – 2.700 jobs were accepted. Inefficiencies: – 134 kits were needed but not ordered (2.700-2.566 kits). They represent maximum losses of $ 167.500 (134 x $ 1.250) – 141 kits were ordered but not needed (2.841-2.700 kits). They represent losses of $ 84.600 (141 x $ 600) Cash Balance 1.588.064 The cash balance shows that investments on machines and kits were payed back but was not possible to get a better profitability because orders were only 80/week instead 91/week as we predicted on day 150. Conclusion – The Lab purchased the first 4 machines too late, so the up-grade of the process and the pay back of the investments were got too late, affecting profits. – The Lab should not have purchased last 2 machines (station 1 &2), since they were not needed to serve 80 orders/week (demand after day 150 was overestimated). It would have saved $ 160.000. – The contracts were not changed on time, so because of that there was a maximum lost of $ 301.220. – The kits were ordered including the number of jobs waiting for kits at the end of each week, because we do not realize that they were ordered by default. It would saved a maximum of $ 84.600. – The Lab should have worked with LIFO instead FIFO system considering that kits queued for station 1 were mostly already late to be ready at the lead time of 0.5 days under contract 3.

The Lack of Will Makes Us Lazy

The Industrial Revolution was the beginning of a new era in human history. Thanks to this, many countries were able to experience economic growth at a rate never seen before. Unfortunately, it has brought an unforeseen consequence that today has been taken for granted. Because of lacking regulation laws during the aftermath of the Industrial Revolution, we now face the worst environmental crisis of all time. As a result, the planet is experiencing an increase in temperatures around the world. However, nothing is all lost, yet.With renewable energy, among other things, it’s possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, therefore reversing the damage we have done to the planet. For instance, there are wind farms. The wind is a renewable energy that is often overlooked. With new technology, it’s possible to harness the wind and convert it into a power source. The United Kingdom has managed to do this with success. In the southeast coast of England, the government was able t o build an off-shore wind farm with over 100 turbines, which harvests the power of the wind.The Thanet wind farm, as they named it, is capable of producing enough energy to power over 200,000 households in a year. If countries around the world had the will, they could replace non-renewable energy sources with wind farms. This is an excellent idea that could reduce carbon emissions by billions of tons each year. In addition, another renewable source that could help reduce emissions is solar energy. The planet receives more solar energy from the Sun in an hour than it consumes in a year.If every home owner had the will to install solar panels in the rooftops of their homes, not only would it lower their electric bill, but also, their emission levels would drop drastically. Similarly, China is planning to build something close, but in massive scale. The Chinese government struck a deal with First Solar Inc, an Arizona-based company, to build a solar field the size of Manhattan. If the deal goes through, the gigantic solar field will be able to power approximately 3 million Chinese homes. In the end, solar energy is another excellent renewable source with a lot more potential than we might think.Moreover, another way that we can reduce greenhouse gases is by encouraging public transportation. As we know, driving our daily commute can become a struggle. Sometimes, we pollute the environment with carbon dioxide without even moving our cars, stuck in traffic jams, wasting energy in the process. On the other hand, people who use mass transit when commuting save by not spending money on increasingly expensive gas, but more importantly, reduce their carbon emissions. Another plus for using mass transit systems is that you basically have an excuse to meet new people seating next to you.On the contrary, if you rather enjoy commuting alone while driving a car, a hybrid or an electric is a great alternative to regular combustion engine vehicles. Either way, there’s n o excuse for anyone to reduce their carbon emissions while commuting to work or school. In the end, the technology to reduce worldwide greenhouse gases is on our fingertips. The only thing that’s stopping us from doing the right thing and reducing emissions is will in our part. It’s human nature to act after the disaster strikes. Let’s not wait after coastal cities start flooding and act now so we can secure a better future for our descendants.