Elements that build the identity of a country

Elements that build the identity of a country Chapter Five: Conclusion and Recommendations Conclusion The objective of this paper was to explore the different elements of a country’s identity that builds a country’s image. Each country has unique elements which builds its image. It is seen that the elements that builds the identity of a country plays an important role in framing the general image of the destination. With regards to Kotler’s categories of country images, it was found that Mauritius fits in the category of positive image which is countries granted with natural resources, diverse culture and gastronomy, political stability that makes up its beauty. As such surrounded by the sea, Mauritius has been gifted with inheritance beauty with its wide range of breath-taking natural scenery that makes it in a position to offer a variety of inland and sea activities to cater for the needs of the market. Additionally it was found that the multi ethnic diversity that lives in peace and harmony and sharing their culture is something unique to the image of Mauritius. It also enjoys a sound political environment Image has an important role for so as to differentiate a destination in this highly com petitive market (Yilmaz et al., 2009). The figure below has been formulated by the current author. It shows the relation between country identity and country image. It depicts the unique elements that build the image of Mauritius under the country main factors section. Those main factors establish the promotion strategy of Mauritius. Marketing Promotional Strategies Figure 11: Mauritius Country’s Image Formulated by the current author into the context of Mauritius It is to be noted that the elements of country identity builds its image and if not managed properly it can hamper its image. Notably, challenges to the image of Mauritius is the proliferation of crime activities, prostitution, drug dealing. However, it is argued that irrespective of the prevailing image, tourists keep arriving in Mauritius. By far campaigns aiming to prove that Mauritius is still a safe place to be and that such case is an exception and any country can be victim of has been successful. Moreover, country representatives established in our key markets have been doing a great job in re building the image of Mauritius by focussing on its key strengths. Moreover, this study has also found that in light of the global crisis; priorities of people have changed making long haul travel less preferred leading to a decrease in arrival from our major markets. As such to offset the arrivals from Europe, new markets (Asian countries mainly) have been sought. However, even if it di versifies into new markets, Mauritius must continue to be visible in the European countries. It has been found that the geographical factors of a destination is somewhat an imaginary influences that place marketers should deal in proposing travelers with other valuable offers that will compensate the detriments that cannot be altered. Actually, a destination cannot be re-located from its actual geographical location. Nevertheless, promoters need to offer exciting packages that will make travelers feel distance is not a big deal. For example, despite of the infinity distance and exorbitant fees, nowadays people are committed to travel to space to experience amazing features. Hence, promoters need to propose products or services that are not accessible at competitor’s destinations. In the context of Mauritius, it can be concluded that indeed it possesses unique characteristics that enable it to cater for diverse markets. In this study it has The image of Mauritius is a significant factor on tourists’ decision-making. In the past, the image of Mauritius was entirely focuses around the honeymoons segment. The MTPA has since implemented strategies and campaigns to broaden this image to include many segments which are still unknown by most tourists: family, sports, shopping. This image, which varies from market to market, is stressed upon during fairs, workshops, events, and marketing campaigns to convince potential tourists that the destination meets the requirements they expect from a holiday destination. As Mauritius has a multi-faceted image, its tourism industry can be promoted in different effective ways even in a single market. With regards to promotional activities, it can be stated that the MTPA along with major stakeholders that makes up our tourism sector possess good understanding on promotion practices. In cases where the image of Mauritius was at stake, they have used the right promotional tool (advertising, personal selling, sales promotion) to show that Mauritius is a safe place. Moreover our strategic offices in key markets have been constantly supplying the right information on Mauritius. The main purpose of a brand is to communicate what the destination has to offer that is different and unique. The brand Mauritius is being developed using its unique USP and campaign has proved to be successful. MTPA has been developing and designing the brand of Mauritius with the right strategy so as to effectively communicate its brand promise and brand essence across the world. The major findings of this study can be summarised as follows: The image of Mauritius has been developed largely from its natural elements; history, culture, geographical factors, its people. Such elements can neither be manipulated nor altered easily. However things such regulations to enter the country, information sources (media) can be managed and should be used to improve the image of Mauritius. The research findings have concluded that policies and regulations to enter Mauritius are quite simple. Thus it does not discourage travellers to come to Mauritius. Irrespective of the established assumptions, promotion strategies should inevitably reflect the real situation of the destination and not paint abstract pictures to meet false expectations of tourists. The image of a destination significantly influences consumer’s evaluation. Therefore, the prevailing image decides the actual promotion strategy that will suit the target market. For tourism promotion to be effective, it should be supplemented by trade and investments projects. Those projects shall contribute in paving way for a favourable environment mainly by enhancing the current infrastructures and also introducing recent amenities which are essential in today’s tourism. . In the attempt to create a positive image for Mauritius, the MTPA along with other bodies that builds the tourism sector has made considerable efforts that have succeeded in re building its image in light of major crisis and attracting as much travellers. Recommendations: From the study and analysis, several spots have been identified where improvements could be brought in order to enhance the image of Mauritius and hence maximize tourist’s arrivals. The recommendations are dedicated to the future perspectives of the tourism industry. Government needs to invest in building the event and conference sector We have the basics to start events and conference business in Mauritius: few venues, event companies, and good logistics. However, Mauritius is note widely reputed to be a destination of events and conferences. Infrastructures to support events and conferences are inadequate. Instead of developing huge shopping complexes like bagatelle mall of Mauritius, Cascavelle, Mont Choisy, the government needs to encourage investors to use these plots of land to build venues like the SVICC. In other countries the conference centers are much bigger than the SVICC, they offer accommodation as well. As soon as the existing infrastructures (enlargement of road network, proper lighting and sewage facilities) are in place, the demand for events will automatically arise. Moreover, our unique blend of cultures should be promoted more massively. Incorporate cultural tourism in our core tourism product. Regulate developments As the tourism industry continues to prove successful, people recognize the advantage of investing in the sector. As a result hotel, tourist residences, guest house, restaurants are growing like mushrooms. Identify areas that are already saturated. For example ile aux cerf, there is already enough pleasure crafts operators there. Therefore, no more permits should be given to those saturated spots. A decrease in building permits is an action that needs to be considered by the government because nowadays less and less green spaces are available for tourists who prefer to travel to a destination far away from their stressful lives of buildings and pollution. Rebuilding of the MTPA website The main body aiming at promoting tourism is the MTPA. Since we have tourists from across the world who shows interest in Mauritius. It is worthwhile to consider in re building the MTPA website in different languages. This will ease access to information for everyone. Moreover an online system should be set up whereby any queries posted should be replied back in less than three hours. This will show our professionalism and dedication to be the best. Moreover the MTPA website should be a one stop shop providing information on all aspects of Mauritius (hotels and any other tourist accommodations, nightlife, climate, flight information, etc). Celebrity Marketing To increase tourist arrivals in order to reach its target of 2 million tourist’s celebrity marketing could be used. Certainly it will cost much to employ those celebrities but the returns on such an investment will be much higher. Those celebrities could be from Bollywood, Hollywood, and the world of sports. Those people will be regarded as trend setters for the higher segments and they position Mauritius as an aspirational / desirable holiday destination. Launching of a travel newspaper A travel newspaper/magazine providing the calendar of activities for the year should be published at least two times during a year. The magazine should be designed using our unique elements to show our uniqueness and it should be distributed to our strategic offices in our target markets. Those people working in our strategic offices should be encouraged to distribute those magazines to travel intermediaries across the world. In this way potential travelers will have a visual description of Mauritius and what they might be losing if they decide not to come to Mauritius. Branding Mauritius Branding plays an important role, as with all tourism destinations, as it is crucial to present a brand that will attract people. All campaigns, whether simply marketing campaigns or online/offline sales campaigns, need to include branding elements to attract potential tourists. The brand identity helps to establish a relationship between the destination and the customer, and can help to convince the latter to choose the destination. Without this element of branding, it would otherwise be hard to convince potential tourists to choose Mauritius over competing destinations.

Children and the Censorship of Internet Pornography Essay -- Internet

The Internet is a global network of vast information. With a few clicks, an individual can have access to up to 200 million web-sites filled with educational and recreational information. The Internet is not regulated in anyway (Carnegie Library 1). It is accessible throughout the entire world from the North to the South, to the early morning sunrise and dark sunsets. Different ethnicity and backgrounds come together linked upon this network resembling a connection of one body in unity. Sadly, issues arise creating concern for users, focusing particularly on minors. Pornography is one of the inappropriate materials on the Internet for minors. This material is harmful to young impressionable minds. Pornography is tearing and disintegrating the foundations of our society can be described as follows, "what was available to a small number of people willing to drive to the bad side of town can now be viewed at any time in the privacy of one"s home" (Anderson 2). In order to under stand how to aid in the critical decision of whether or not to censor child pornography, an individual has to first clearly understand a few terms. These terms will aid in a clear understanding throughout the case study. a.)Definition of "Censorship." The American Library Association defines Censorship as "the change in access status of material, made by a governing authority or its representatives. Such changes include: exclusion, restriction, removal or age/grade level changes." Censorship predetermines and judges the material by imposing a standard view on what is appropriate for society. It is the act, process, or practice by which examining in order is to suppress or delete anything considered as objectionable. b.)"Pornography"... ...man Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (Reported in the House) http://internet.ggu.edu/university_library/if/H4274.html  ·Anderson, Kerby. "The Pornography Plague." "Probe Ministries." http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/pornplag.html  ·Napili, Angela. "Pornography, Internet Filters, and Your Public Library." http://si.umich.edu/Community/connections/pro_InternetPorn.html  ·"From Now On / The Educational Technology Journa." Vol 5|No 5|March/April|1996 http://www.fno.org/mar96/whynot.html  ·Magid, Lawrence J. "Child Safety on the Information Highway." (c) 1998 National Center for Missing and Exploited Children http://safekids.com/child_safety.htm  ·Children in the Libarary. on Internet Access to Pornography." http://clpgh.org/clp/policy/position.shtml  ·FIRST AMENDMENT CYBER-TRIBUNE http://w3.trib.com/FACT/

Reality Versus Perception in the Kasdan Films, Grand Canyon and Mumford

Reality Versus Perception in the Kasdan Films, Grand Canyon and Mumford All of knowledge is founded on axioms: assumptions that are agreed upon for stability. However, since those axioms are assumptions and cannot be proven without a doubt, nothing ca truly be known with absolute certainly. Still, in order to carry on with life, assumptions have to be made. Knowing this, the task becomes making assumption that are more educated and, given the lack of certainty, ones that matter. Furthermore, the assumption of others can be examined more accurately with this knowledge in mind. The most important of these assumptions, and in many cases points of debate, is the nature of reality. The old world thought the matters of the spirit to be truly real, or ethereal, as opposed to the physical world. The modern period, on the other hand, held that sense perception was the only evidence that was concrete and that reality was only that which could be corroborated by sense perception. This gradual shift that occurred endeavored to transform humanity’s vi ew of reality from the ethereal to the physical. The fact of the matter, however, is that the modern period had no more indubitable evidence for believing in a physical reality than the people before it had for believing in an ethereal reality. As a result, the current time of postmodernism is fragmented in a disarray of those two realities and countless variations thereof. The world today is trying to figure out constantly what actual reality is, whether it truly is ethereal or physical. This trend can be observed in media to a large degree. The case here is that the Kasdan films Grand Canyon and Mumford are portraying this social struggle in the bifurcation of postmodernism.... ...lso that the reality of events throughout time is variable and relative. The nature of things commonly understood as good or bad are not necessary one or the other, but may change. Reality is a matter of perception. Whether reality is truly ethereal or actually physical in nature is determined, for the duration of life, by the living. Given this, it can also be conceived that no one knows the nature of what is happening to anyone as being positive or negative. No one even knows whether the nature of events is a constant factor, since finding that reality may be variable insinuates also that the nature of anything and everything may also be subject to change. So in truth, this inquisition, in some ways, is back at the starting point. However, there is an advantage in knowing what potential ignorance exists as opposed to being ignorant of that very ignorance.

Suleiman the Magnificent

The Ottoman Empire was an empire lasting from 1299 to 1923. Osman was leading the small Ottoman Empire in 1299 in western Anatolia and he was slowly extending his settlements away from his Muslim neighbors. It was not allowed for Muslims to kill other Muslims. He had a number of soldiers called the Ghazis who were brave, loyal and fearless. These solders helped Osman tread into unknown land and spread his rule. Osman’s name was becoming more known and after his death, people called him courageous strong and great. This is where the centuries old Turkish saying comes from: â€Å"May he be as good as Osman. † After a few centuries the Ottoman Empire was flourishing, it spanned 3 continents and contained 29 provinces. Suleiman the Magnificent was responsible for the prospering Empire that he ruled from 1520 to his death in 1566. Suleiman uses three main factors to run his empire successfully and cohesively. Suleiman the Magnificent used economic, social and military systems or techniques to develop a cohesive empire across a massive and culturally diverse land. Suleiman the Magnificent had a very culturally accepted land; this benefited the empire a lot since people with different religious backgrounds could live together. The Millet system was made by Sultan Mehmet the Second after he conquered Constantinople in 1453. Mehmet started by instituting the Christian Millets so that Europeans could join the Empire. Millets is what Suleiman used to make sure civilians could live peacefully. The sectors were not defined by ethnical background, rather by religious beliefs. This way a person from any decent could live in a sector without getting discriminated. There were five of these sectors: Muslims, Orthodox Christians, Armenians, Syriac Orthodox and Judaism. Each sector was usually run by a religious hierarch, like a priest. Millets were so effective because they prevented internal fights in the Empire and travelers felt safe. Another strategy that Suleiman used was that he distributed his laws publicly; this is where his nick name comes from â€Å"Suleiman the Lawgiver. † Making sure that there weren’t any civil wars was a big part of being a leader. If an enemy doesn’t strike from outside, an enemy may strike from inside. A civil war can cause many deaths and disrupt the focus of any leader. Suleiman would have to put all of his attention to people fighting inside his nation instead of focusing on incoming attacks from the outside. A lot of empires have fallen due to internal attacks. Interaction with other sectors was not too often which helps people be in an environment where everyone follows the same religion. There is also almost no interference from the government on how the leader chooses to run the Millets. Things like taxes and sometimes even laws aren’t checked by the government because there aren’t any rules against having different styles of living. Travelers from different religious backgrounds can now enter a land where they don’t have to be feared of not being able to walk in and get hurt because of their differences. This encourages travelers, who are usually traders to come to this culturally diverse and peaceful land to trade their goods, instead of going to Europe where only one religion was accepted: Christianity. Suleiman put out the laws on streets so that all could read and understand what is allowed and what is not. This was important because now everyone knew the difference between right and wrong. This also prevented officials from making fake or arbitrary laws. The Millet system and publicly distributing laws helped Suleiman the Magnificent lead a cohesive Empire because it prevented civil wars and officials planning schemes for the worst of the Ottoman empire. Suleiman’s Empire was also very economically strong; he managed to lead the richest Empire in the world at the time and own the gateway between the Black, Marmora, Aegean and Mediterranean Sea. Constantinople was part of the Roman Empire before Mehmed the Second conquered it in 1453. Mehmed primarily used gunpowder and ships to take over the centre of trade. At one point in the battle Constantinople made a golden chain in the sea so that Mehmed’s ships could not pass through. To solve the problem Mehmed used planks covered with grease to transport the ships over land, possibly to show his power and intimidate the enemy. Today Constantinople is known as Istanbul. Suleiman the Magnificent used Istanbul and the caravan routes to increase the income of the Empire. Istanbul was very effective due to its geographical position; it had a thin river going through it which was the only way to enter Africa, the Middle East and Europe by sea. This little strip of water is called the Bosphorous and whoever owned Istanbul could get money off of all the taxation of the heavy traffic. Ships carried silk, tea, spices and porcelain. From the Black Sea and southern Russian came ships with different types of furs, grain and amber. From Europe came mirrors and drugs. Ships from Venice and Genoa carried goods to Europe. The Ottoman navy protected the Bosphorous from pirates and other kinds of thieves. There was a tax on almost every transaction, but profit was limited to 10%. The trade through the Bosphorous was strictly looked after by the government to make sure there wasn’t any cheating or theft. When an employee left a company the government was notified right away. All markets were assigned a judge who had the right to punish those who tried to cheat. The government also made sure there weren’t any exports containing anything valuable like building material, minerals and food. The caravan routes were an essential part of making the Ottoman Empire richer than any other. Caravans were made up of groups of people and animals. Up to 20,000 people and 300,000 animals could be a general caravan traveling to Mecca made up of pilgrims and merchants. Numerous goods were shipped across the Middle East, Europe and North Africa. There were hundreds of routes that were protected by Ottoman soldiers. Since these routes were protected, Suleiman taxed travelers, and with the enormous amounts of people, they could make huge amounts of money. The caravan routes and Istanbul were two ways which Suleiman used to perfect his economy. This income was spent on extending his Empire and building various religious buildings to keep his Millets happy. Happy people meant a more cohesive Empire because everyone will stay motivated to do their job and stay in the Empire. Military is a massive part to a successful Empire, fortunately Suleiman had everything under control and used a system that really worked well. The Devschirme system started with Murad the First in the late 1300’s. Murad felt a need to counter the Turkic Nobles and started making a Christian army, independent of the regular army. It started off with two types of soldiers: infantry and cavalry. The cavalry was known as Kapikulu suvari (The Cavalry of the Servants of the Porte) and the infantry was called Yeni Ceri (Janissary. ) Firstly Christian slaves were trained for the elite force, but then the Devschirme system started to develop and Christian children were being adopted by the government to be brought up as Muslims. Then they would train in one of the four imperial institutions: the Palace, the Scribes, the Religious or the Military. Janissaries, army recruitment and technology are why the Military of Suleiman the Magnificent helped make a cohesive Empire. Janissary soldiers helped fight every major battle. They fought in wars against Austria and Hungary, defeated the Egyptian Mamluks and conquered Constantinople. Without the Janissaries there was a possibility that regular soldiers would not be able to withstand forces from Austria or Hungary and the Ottoman Empire could have been long captured. There were hundreds of trade routes to patrol and a huge border to protect. For this, the Empire needed an enormous army, but luckily with Suleiman Sultan the Military was always in best shape possible. Everyone who was captured would have to enroll in the army and serve the Empire. This way the Ottomans were never short on recruits, and don’t have to worry about any locations that they couldn’t control because of shortage on soldiers. The Ottomans were always ahead in technology when Suleiman was leading the Empire. They used gunpowder and ships to fight battles more efficiently, with cannons and gunpowder they could easily take down fort walls and with ships they could attack from sea. Janissaries, army recruitment and technology had the Ottoman Empire protected at all times. This way people did not need to worry about incoming attacks, but rather on their daily routines. Suleiman lead a very healthy empire by perfecting the economic, social and military aspects of the Empire to make it successful. The empire worked together not as individual people, making it very cohesive. When Suleiman’s reign finished the Empire headed downhill, but like Napoleon said â€Å"Turks can be defeated but never destroyed. †

Mansfield Park; Empire & Orientalism from Edward Said Essay

Edward Said’s analysis of Jane Austen’s narrative in her 3rd novel ‘Mansfield Park’ (1814) is based on his own studies of ‘orientalism’. This term is defined by Said as a variety of false assumptions /depictions of Eastern people within Western attitudes. This is achieved, he argues, through the literary discourse provided by post-enlightenment, post-colonial American/European (Western) authors. Said draws our attention to an underlying theme of ‘Mansfield Park’, which is empire. Said recycles his interpretation of stereotyped Muslims, Arabs & Egyptians and applies it again to a different social group. He does so by examining the novels representation of the Atlantic slave trade (in the West Indies), and in turn concludes that Austen must support British values of imperialism and empire. He points out the ease with which Austen’s characters refer to Antigua, and convinces us that Austen’s infrequent use of this word i s evidence of her personal support of the degradation of slaves. In his analysis of the text, Said starts at the beginning, and relies heavily on the ignorant way in which Sir Thomas’s colony is isolated from his family and domicile, which remains proudly on English land, miles across the globe. He implies that the slight references to Antigua do no justice to its own beauty, history, and the fact that it is, in comparison, a paradise island. However Austen does actually support this claim herself, as Lady Bertram does no justice to India, wanting only the commodities it can offer: â€Å"I may have a shawl. I think I will have two shawls† His ultimate point is that the ‘Antigua’ seen in Mansfield Park is no more than a place for work, necessary for obtaining personal luxuries and fortune for the locals of Britain. Austen doesn’t deny this in her novel, but she doesn’t shout about it either. Said’s writing just reminds us of how unfair the situation was, by pointing out the geographical space in betwe en Mansfield Park (where the money is spent and enjoyed) and the Antiguan sugar plantation (where the money is produced). His critique of â€Å"the ease with which the family’s needs are met by a sojourn in the Caribbean† is unnecessary and useless in explaining his point, it merely serves to highlight the fact that the slave trade was, at its peak, very successfully organised and achieved, due to the political military  force. â€Å"Sir Thomas’s means will be rather straitened, if the Antigua estate is to make such poor returns†, Mrs Norris’s comment proves that Austen is aware of the dependence of the family on their slave trade income, as is Lady Bertram, because her reply is: â€Å"Oh! that will soon be settled!†. Although his wife is unwilling to spend time talking on the subject, this type of ignorant attitude seems to be a convention of realism which Austen applies to her characters systemically, in hopes that their final outcomes will explain her own disposition on the subject. Said constantly alludes to Austen’s lack of concern for the slave tr ade, because her narrative lacks the description which is needed to properly illustrate the subject, and the setting. Said argues that without the slave trade, the Bertram’s could not have been possible, but again, I believe Austen is fully aware of the fact that slavery enables the Bertram’s to flourish in Mansfield Park. Otherwise, she simply would not have written so much about wealth and class in relation to the success of women, for example in the end of Pride & Prejudice (1813) Lizzie chose love over money, and Mr Darcy chose love over class. Furthermore Austen includes the downfall of the slave industry within her narrative, and in turn she shows the downfall of Sir Thomas because of the latter. Sir Thomas is depicted (in the end) as having remorse for his actions, and having learned his lesson through redemption. Jane Austen is stereotyped by Said as a typical euro-centric academic, naà ¯ve towards the REAL threats, inequalities and unfairness’s of the world. Just like the slaves Sir Thomas had the advantage of owning, Fanny becomes the only slave who is able to dwell i n Mansfield Park. I believe Austen’s hopes were that she would be seen as the epitome of the slave: â€Å"She could hardly believe it. To be placed above so many elegant young women! It was treating her like her cousins!† Austen explains, from the very first chapter how the class/background ideas of the era are a hindrance to her success, at home and in society. Overall she is treated as below standard, but by the end of the novel she is happy, reasonably comfortable and is married to the one whom she was meant to be worth less than. She was constantly referred to as from a different class, background, and place. Those notions of ‘breeding’ compare her to a mere puppy: â€Å"breed her up with them from this time, and suppose her even to have the beauty of an angel, and she will never be more to either than a sister†. Fanny herself remarked upon the â€Å"dead silence†Ã‚  which followed from her uncle, after her enquiries about the slave trade. She concluded that because she showed â€Å"a curiosity and pleasure in his information which he must wish his own daughters feel† she regretted asking about the slave colony, as if she just re-realised that she isn’t fit to do certain things. Her character reflects ideas of rank and persecution and oppression; she is the ultimate realist of the novel. With regard to the character of Sir Thomas and his silence on the subject of his work, Said would most likely argue that he is selfish and ignorant and therefore doesn’t permit any time being wasted on the subject. However, Austen is more likely treating the subject with the shame and embarrassment it deserves. It is my view that Austen would have been sympathetic towards these slaves and could not surely condone such hegemony, oppression and empire? After all she herself was a victim of oppression, being a female author unable to take credit and receive praise for her own work within society. Austen ended her life as a spinster, having never married a man, showing that she didn’t conform, for whatever reason(s), to social expectations of women. Moreover, her life was dependant on the males within her family, as per the UK’s laws regarding rights, inheri tance and property, because she had nothing of her own. Therefore she would be hypocritical to support the forced labour of slaves for the benefit of the nation she somewhat rejects. Supposing Austen was supportive of Britain’s imperialist venture for empire, surely someone with such priorities would have settled and married, just for wealth and security? This is summarised in Susan Fraiman’s writing: â€Å"Lacking the franchise, enjoying few property rights (and these because she was single), living as a dependent at the edge of her brother’s estate, and publishing her work anonymously, Austen was arguably a kind of exile in her own country† In conclusion I completely refute Edward Said’s claims toward Austen – his statements are judgemental and a little confused. Moreover, his attention to detail is lacking in research, as Fraiman cleverly states here: â€Å"So ready is Said to offer Austen as ‘Exhibit A’ in the case for culture’s endorsement of empire†. Indeed the degradation of slaves was clearly fact, however, if Austen herself is an outsider to Mansfield Park and its narrative, then her opinions would be channelled through her characters’ fate. In my opinion, Said fails to take into account the fate of such characters, and the possibility that humans can exercise remorse and  rehabilitation. Said draws the conclusion that Austen is lazily making trivial references to other important changes from this period, one being the Napoleonic revolution. However, I think that in the period and place she lived, it would have been nonsensical to openly critique the powers of the government, being that it really WAS un-just; it would have been too dangerous to do so. Bibliography Austen, Jane, Mansfield Park (Oxford World’s Classics, London: 1814) Said, Edward, ‘Jane Austen and Empire’, Culture and Imperialism (Knopf, New York: 1993) [http://www.scribd.com/doc/57070252/3-Edward-Said-Austen-and-Empire] accessed 19/10/2012 Fraiman, Susan, ’Jane Austen and Edward Said: Gender, Culture, and Imperialism’, Janeites: Austen’s Disciples and Devotees – edited by Deidre Lynch (Princeton, Princeton: 2000) [https://blogs.commons.georgetown.edu/orientalism-spring2011/files/Fraiman0001.pdf] accessed 19/10/2012

Economics Unit †housing prices from different cities Essay

The cost of housing is commonly the reflection of the value of the land plus the price of the house and the amenities that come with it. This is often affected by what’s around the place, the nearest recreation areas or sceneries. This affects how housing is priced, and is also usually affected by the supply and demand of the land. Because of this, there are various considerations when choosing where to have a house, including the total costs and what you’ll actually get from it. Usually, these prices also vary from city to city, as it is known that not all cities are the same regarding what you get from the housing deals, like the nearest public transportation, market, and schools. These all appeals to the needs of the people, and these are usually the ones that affect the pricing. The housing prices are directly affected by the changes in supply and demand of the land. This is because of the developments done in housing, wherein house prices are thoroughly based on the value of the amenities that are directly available in the neighborhood (Nelson). Because of this increase in demand, there will be an increase in the competition for the houses, since there are a lot of people wanting the same thing, and that is a good housing. As a number of residents are acquiring homes, the more the managers of the land would try and make sure to provide benefits for these residents. This includes additional security, recreation areas and shopping areas for the people. They are not only investing on the housing that they are being sold, but also with the things that come with it that would surely benefit the people. This is how the housing value is affected when there is an increase in demand: it is not only because you have to increase the price when a lot of people demand for housing in a specific city or area, it is also because of the increase in the services that one should provide for these increasing number of residents. The cost of those additional amenities would then be reflected in the housing price: the more amenities offered, the higher the price (Duca). Comparison of different cities In order to actually see how amenities affect the price of housing, the housing situations in various cities are compared. This is by comparing the price of a 3-bedroom, 2-bath house in several cities like San Francisco, California; Topeka, Kansas; Dallas, Texas; Concord, Massachusetts; and Seattle, Washington. The results for the housing prices in these different cities were varying, and it is because of the added amenities that you can find available upon purchase, plus the neighborhood and the type of house. The most obvious result was between the housing of a 3-bedroom, 2-bath house in San Francisco, California and Dallas, Texas. The cost of housing in San Francisco, California ranges from $600,000 to a million US dollars. Meanwhile, the cost of housing in Dallas, Texas for a 3-bedroom, 2-bath house ranges from $40,000 to a hundred thousand US dollars (Realtor. com). The difference is quite large, and this is roughly because of the amenities that are included upon purchasing these houses. Housing in Dallas, Texas doesn’t offer much, wherein it is far from public transportation, and are often in subdivision areas. On the other hand, housing in San Francisco, California has amenities like community exercise and recreation areas, hill/mountain view, Water view, and so much more. Because of those differences, the prices of these housing deals are comparatively far from each other. These differences in housing deals give the people choices, wherein they are free to choose what type of amenities they want in their house. Also this variety would give them a wide array of choices, either wanting a plain, not so costly house, or to a fully-packed house that would surely cost them money. Other amenities present (or lacking) in some of the houses in various cities which could have affected their prices includes access to shopping areas/markets, nearby elementary or high schools, parks and recreation areas, and the type and quality of the house itself. With all these, the price the housing offered in the various cities is greatly varying. References: Duca, J. V. (2005, September/October 2005). Making Sense of Elevated Housing Prices. Southwest Economy Retrieved May 5, 2007, from http://www. dallasfed. org/research/swe/2005/swe0505b. html Nelson, A. C. (2000 ). Effects of Urban Containment on Housing Prices and Landowner Behavior. Land Lines, Volume 12(Number 3). Realtor. com. (2007). Find A Home. Retrieved May 5, 2007, from http://www. realtor. com/Default. aspx

12 Literary Piece

12 Literary piece that have Influenced the World 1. The Bible or the Sacred writings: This has become the basis of Christianity originating from Palestine and Greece 2. Koran: The Muslim bible originating from Arabia 3. The Iliad and the Odyssey: These have been the source of Myths and Legends of Greece. They were written by Homer. 4. The Mahabharata: The Longest epic of the world. It contains the history of religion in India. 5. Canterburry: it depicts the religion and customs of English in early days. This originated from England and written by Chaucer. 6.Uncle Tom's Cabin: written by Harriet Beecher Stowe of US. This depicted the sad fate of slaves. This became the basis of democracy. 7. The Divine Comedy: (A Dante of Italy). This shows the religion and customs of early Italians. 8. El' Cid Comedy: This shows the cultural characteristics of Spaniards and their national theory. 9. The Song of Roland: This includes the Doce Pares and Ronces Valles of France. It tells about the Golde n Age of Christianity in France. 10. The Book of the Dead: This includes the cult of Osiris and the Mythology and theology of Egypt. 1. The Book of the Days: This was written by Confucius of China. This became the basis of Christian Religion. 12. One thousand and One Night of the Arabian Nights: from Arabia and Persia(Iran). It shows the ways of government of industries and of society of Arabia's and Persians TOP 20 epics of the world 1. The Iliad by Homer (Greek) – Iliad is one of the most celebrated and well known epics of the world. It is believed to be written by in 9th century BC by Homer. This poem is based on the legend of Trojan war. Iliad means the tale of ilios or the tale of troy.It narrates the story of the Greek struggle to rescue Helen, from Trojans, the wrath of Achilles and subsequent destruction of Troy. 2. Mahabharata by Vyasa (Sanskrit) – Mahabharata is one of the great Indian epic compiled around 8th century BC. This epic poem has about one lakh cou plets in Sanskrit and it can be considered as the longest epic poem of the world. This ancient epic deals with the rivalry between cousins – Kauravas and Pandavas – of a great ruling family of India . The armies of the two groups meet at the battleground at Kurushetra in which the Pandavas can destroy the Kauravas.The epic consists of thousands of mythical and historical stories 3. The Odyssey by Homer (Greek) – Odyssey is believed to be written in 9th century B. C by Homer the great Greek poet. It describes the exploits of the Odysseus during his homecoming after the fall of Troy. This great epic follows the Aristotelian conventions of epic poem. The poem describes the obstacles faced by Odysseus, varied tests of gods that he had undergone, his affair with nymph Calypso on the homecoming voyage, and his return to his kingdom. 4. Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto (Italian epic) Orlando Furioso is a famous epic with full of supernatural, allegorical and romanti c adventures. The main theme of the epic is the war between Christians and pagans. Even though Ariosto, the writer, has depended much on the Graeco -Roman literary tradition of earlier writers for characters and incidents, it is a great epic poem due to his smooth versification and technical facility which make the poem vigorous and brilliant, with ironic and humorous contrasts. 5. Ramayana by Valmiki (Sanskrit) – Ramayana is a great Indian epic poem written in 5th century BC.It is the oldest and most popular epic of Indian sub continent, believed to be written by Valmiki. It is written in Sanskrit, one of the earliest Indo – European languages, and has around 2400 couplets in seven sections. Ramayana means â€Å"the journey of Rama†. It depicts the conflict between Rama, the incarnation of God Vishnu, and Ravana who can be taken as the representative of evil forces and the final victory of the God incarnated Rama in safeguarding the Dharma (Universal moral orde r). 6. The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (Italian epic) Divine Comedy is a celebrated epic poem written by Dante in 14th century. The narrator is lost in a forest. The poet narrator meets Virgil who guides him through the world after death. Virgil takes him through Hell. They go through the base of the purgatory and he can see the terraces of it where the sins of those who are ultimately to be saved are cleansed away. Then Beatrice guides him to the ultimate heaven. The poem ends with his moment of illumination and the vision of trinity. 7. Beowulf Anonymous (Old English) – Beowulf, one of the earliest epic of the world, is based on a Scandinavian legend.It was written around 750 AD by an anonymous writer and it has about 3000 lines. Beowulf, the great warrior hero, saves Horthgar, the king of Danes, from the attack of Grendel, a terrible monster, by killing it. Grendel's mother attacks him to avenge the death of his son. In the fight, Beowulf kills the mother – mon ster also, but he gets a mortal wound in the fight and succumbs to it. This epic, the most celebrated survival from Old English  literature, is also the earliest extant poem in a modern European language. 8. Paradise Lost by John Milton (English) Paradise Lost is one of the greatest English literary epic based on the theme of fall of man given in the old Testament and it was written in 17th century by John Milton. The great poet wrote it † to justify the ways of god to man†. The epic poem begins with the the Satan's devilish plans to to take revenge against god for his expulsion from heaven. Some critics has opined that Milton's Satan is the hero of the epic poem due to the excellent depiction and exposition of that character. This epic is celebrated for Milton's grand style, his interpretation of Biblical myth and Christian doctrine. . Shahname by Firdousi (Persian) – Shah Name is great Persian epic based on the historical and mythical accounts of around fifty Persian kings. Shah Name means â€Å"book of kings†. The epic begins the mythical creation of Persia and ends in the narration of the stories of historical kings. The most famous story of Shah Name is about the legendary king of Rostam and Sohrab, his son. 10. Aeneid by Virgil (Latin) – Aeneid is a great epic which is based on the legend of Aeneas. It is Roman nationalistic and patriotic poem which narrates the evolution of great Roman mpire. This poem shows great dramatic skill of high order and power of description. Aeneas decides to establish a secure kingdom for his people in Italy. During the long and perilous voyage for it their ships are wreaked on the coast of Africa. The Dido of Carthage invites them which prolongs their voyage. In the next voyage, they reach Latinum, ruled by Latinus. Aeneas marries his daughter Lavinia after killing Turanus, another suitor of her. He establishes a city of lavinium which becomes a base for great Roman empire later. 11. Theogo ny (Greek mythology) Theogony is a Greek epic poem which describe the mythical cosmogony. It can be used as a sorce book of Greek myhology which tells about the origin of cosmos and it evolution. 12. The Faerie Queene by Edmund Spenser – The Faerie Queene is considered as the first epic poem in modern English literature. This allegoric poem is arranged as a story for a twelve day feast, held by the queen of the fairyland. It is a national epic of England aimed at glorifying Queen Elizabeth. 13. The Epic of Gilgamesh – The epic of Gilgamesh is one of the earliest epic poem of the world.It tells the story of Gilgamesh, the ruler of Uruk and his companion Enkidu whose exploits are the described. The epic is equally fascinating for the window it opened to the ancient Sumerian and Babylonian cultures. 14. Buddhacarita by Asvaghosha (Indian epic poetry ) – Buddhacharita is considered as an authoritative work on Buddha's life. It describes the birth, early life , renun ciation, and teaching of Buddha. It is written in Sanskrit and has originally 28 cantos in which only 13 have been properly preserved. 15. Pharsalia by Lucan (Roman history) The Pharsalia is a celebrated Roman epic poem based on the Battle of Pharsalus which was occurred in 48 B. C. It depicts the civil war between forces led by Julius Caesar and the forces of Pompey the Great. This historical poem is considered as one of the greatest epic poem in the Latin literature. 16. Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – The theme of this great work is man's desire to transcend his physical limitations and his search for answers for eternal questions of mankind. 17. Raghuvamsa – Raghuvamsa describes the lives of the kings of the solar dynasty.It consists of 19 cantos. The epic chronicles the life of Rama and his ancestors. It is considered that Sanskrit epics have attained perfection in Raghuvamsa. 18. The Paradise Regained – The Paradise Regained is an epic poem from the master writer John Milton. It is not a sequel to Paradise Lost. The theme is the story of three temptations as revealed in the gospel of St. Luke. This epic is composed at the suggestion of Thomas Edward. 19. Don Juan – Don Juan is a the most effective and vigorous satire in the English literature.This poem reviews the social , political and economic condition of the Europe. It is a a kind of picturesque novel written in verse. The hero, don Juan ,wanders from one place to another and records his six adventures. Don Juan has visited Greece, Turkey, Russia, and England. 20. The Tale of Heiku – This is one of the most renounced Japanese epic poem based on the Buddhist law of impermanence. It tells the feud between two Japanese clans with elements of traditional folk narrative. Taira and Minemoto are the two clans mentioned in this great classic of medieval Japanese literature.