Edward de Vere = William Shakespeare Essay

Everyone knows of William Shakespeare, the author of thirty-seven full length plays and 154 sonnets. Romeo and Juliet is one of the most popular stories as it is read in most high school English classes. There is not a theatre goer anywhere who has not heard of, or seen, Hamlet. Anyone involved in the theatre, on a regular basis, will tell you that they never say Macbeth in any space they call a theatre. What if it was all a lie? What if Shakespeare was not the great Shakespeare? What if someone else wrote â€Å"his† works? There are many books and theories in the world today about the true authorship of Shakespeare’s works. Edward de Vere the 17th Earl of Oxford, Francis Bacon a philosopher and writer, and Christopher Marlowe a Playwright are among the top suspected authors of these works. It is important to know that there is a debate over the true identity of the author, and there are many theories. This paper will discuss Edward de Vere as the possible William Shakespeare. To be or not to be; that is the question. Since the early 1700’s scholars have been asking themselves the question of Shakespeare’s identity. The great William Shakespeare, who was known throughout history to have existed and to have written the greatest literary works of all time, is being questioned over and over again. Did the William Shakespeare that is on record actually write Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, etc.? This debate has suggested many names as the possible Shakespearian author. However, none have had so much evidence to support his case than the 17th Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere. As Oxfordians that has done extensive research and wrote numerous books on the subject cannot prove there point either way, there is no possible way that this paper could be presumptuous enough to prove it either. Instead this paper is going to discuss the evidence of the de Vere being William Shakespeare. The William Shaksper (of Stratford is spelled different) on record was born in Stratford-upon-Avon on April 23rd in 1564. He was then baptized on April 26th, 1564 at Holy Trinity Church. His father was John Shakespeare who was a glover and leather merchant, and his mother, Mary Arden was a landed local heiress. Scholars believe Young William attended the free grammar school in Stratford; however there is no hard evidence to support this claim. He never went on to university. William married Anne Hathaway on November 28th 1582 when he was 18 and she was 26 and pregnant. They had three children together though one died at age eleven. William disappeared for a while after the birth of his twins. This is what many call the lost years. He didn’t turn back up again until he comes back to London in or around 1588. Scholars believe that this is when he started to act as well as practice playwriting. By 1594 he was acting and writing for the Lord Chamberlain’s Men (which is called the King’s Men after James I takes the thrown in 1603), and was also a managing partner. He retired to Stratford and wrote his will in 1611. Supposedly he died on his birthday, which is probably a myth, however it is the only date entered (â€Å"Shakespeare Resource Center†). 17th Earl of Oxford, Edward de Vere was born at Castle Hedingham in Essex on April 12th, 1550 by the old calendar but April 23rd by the new calendar. Is it a coincidence that Shaksper’s birthday is that same day? He lived there until he was twelve and then he was sent to London to be a Royal Ward when his father died. The Queen made Sir William Cecil his guardian. He had a love of the theatre and letters right away. He underwent an extremely strict education. His first tutor was his mother’s brother Arthur Golding. He received an A. B. degree from St. John’s College, Cambridge when he was fourteen and a half. When he was sixteen he received an M. A. from Christ’s Church College, Oxford. He also spent three years as a student of law at Gray’s Inn. By his early twenties he showed great promise as a poet. He married Anne at twenty-one however it was a most unsatisfactory marriage. Charlton Ogburn author of Shake-Speare: The man behind the Name states that â€Å"Recorded fragments of information and Oxford’s own singed writings, leave little room for doubt that the relationship between the young Oxford and the Queen was very intimate† (Ogburn, and Ogburn 14). Many say that he used the pseudonym William Shakespeare because some of the sonnets and parts of plays can be interpreted to point out the Queen and his relationship (Ogburn, and Ogburn16). Was the Earl the real Shakespeare? All the evidence gathered suggests that Edward de Vere was far more a possible candidate than William Shaksper of Stratford. The argument is that Oxford was far more educated than Shaksper of Stratford. There is no evidence suggesting that Shaksper of Stratford even went to school. He was barely able to write his name and the signatures had blots. In Ogburn’s Shake-Speare he states the six different ways that he wrote them: Willm Shaksp, William Shakspe, Wm Shakspeare, William Shakspere, Willm Shakspere, and William Shakspeare. There is no record that Shaksper of Stratford ever even referred to himself as Shakespeare; with the two words of Shake and Speare. In fact the others who knew him that wrote his name often wrote Shagsper, Shaxper, Shaxbere, etc. Oxford had an extensive education and â€Å"his letters show him to have written in the cursive Italian script with ease and fluency, and evidently without blots† (Ogburn, and Ogburn 31). â€Å"The argument, in so far as it concerns the author’s station, is not that genius is a function of social status or that a humble cottager is less worthy than an earl. It is simply that, as Bismarck pointed out, the familiarity with the world of the court displayed by Shakespeare could not have been acquired by one to whom that world was barred, whatever his powers of intellect† (Ogburn, and Ogburn l8). This is an interesting argument. Maybe in today’s society it would be easier for the lower-class to write about the upper-class, but in those times there was no way the lower-class could know specifically what goes at court. Shakespeare had written way too easily the formalities of court life. â€Å"In all the plays of Shakespeare there is not a single fully-realized, three-dimensional character taken from the stratum of society to which Shaksper belonged† (Ogburn, and Ogburn 18). The point is that Shaksper would have had to been at least somewhat knowledgeable. The topics he wrote about suggested that he understood: the law and legal terms, contemporary and historical; the manners of the royal court, the aristocratic mind, and ways of language; sports of the nobility, hunting and falconry; philosophy, classical and esoteric; statecraft and statesmanship, biblical scholarship; English and European history; classical  literature and languages; French, Italian, and Spanish languages; Italian geography and travel; France and the court of Navarre; Danish terms and customs; horticulture and the designing of gardens; Wales and the Welsh; music and musical terms; painting and sculpture; mathematics; astronomy and astrology; natural history; angling; medicine and psychology; military life; heraldry; exploration and the New World; navigation and seamanship; printing; folklore, fairy mythology, the supernatural; theatrical management and the habits of players; Cambridge University jargon; Freemasonry; cryptography and the secret service (Michell, 18). This is quite an extensive knowledge base for a man whose education is limited to grammar school if he even was afforded that. Another comparison is how either candidate was regarded by others. As Ogburn says â€Å"the author of the greatest literary works of the time (and most popular plays) would have been held in high regard-certainly as high a regard as Marlowe, Jonson, Spencer, Chapman, et al. – by those who knew who he was† (Ogburn, and Ogburn 31). â€Å"If Shaksper wrote the plays, the fact would have been generally known. Yet, while special, if peculiarly sporadic, praise was given to the dramatist Shakespeare as a name, Shaksper the corporeal man was never, so far as is known, treated by his contemporaries as in any way distinguished† (Ogburn, and Ogburn 31). There is no evidence that states that Shakspere of Stratford wrote any of the plays or sonnets. His name is on none of them. Oxford, on the other hand, was held with high regard by the Queen and many other writers of the day such as Arthur Golding, Thomas Churchyard, and many others. However, no one when referring to Oxford mentioned the name â€Å"Shakespeare† or even Shaksper. â€Å"The first time the dramatist â€Å"Shakespeare† was associated with Stratford was seven years after Shaksper’s death when it was stated in the First Folio, ambiguously, â€Å"When†¦Time dissolves thy Stratford monument† (Ogburn, and Ogburn 35). It is interesting that this is when the case for Shaksper is most evident and it comes so long after Shaksper’s death. Shaksper had nothing to gain by changing his name to Shakespeare. He would actually been better off if he had written them under his own name. It would have boosted his reputation and he would have made so much more money in his lifetime. For him not to put his name on his writing, had he actually written anything, would be insanely stupid. It would certainly go against any title of genius as everyone wanted to change their class. This certainly would have changed his class. On the other hand, Oxford had every reason to take on a pseudonym. He was a wealthy Earl who wrote things that would have called attention to his affair with Queen Elizabeth. There are many things in his plays that poke fun of the royal courts. â€Å"Attributed to a nobleman close to the Queen, the plays would have been scrutinized – and very fruitfully, it would seem – for revelations of personalities and affairs at court† (Ogburn, and Ogburn 29). Also he had a reputation preceding the writings of the Shakespeare plays, and Ogburn says â€Å"something happened in connection with his writing. Whatever it was, it prevented his putting his name to another poem after the age of twenty-six or to any of the plays which he is known to have written† (Ogburn, and Ogburn 13). Also it is believed that the name Shakespeare comes from the family crest of Oxford in which a lion looks as if he is shaking a spear. Another interesting fact is that Oxfords mother remarried within a few months. This story is told through the story of Hamlet. Gwynneth Bowen, a Shakespearean researcher says in Charles Ogburn’s The Mysterious William Shakespeare: The Myth & the Reality, â€Å"Oxfordians have always maintained that Hamlet is very largely autobiographical – with Oxford in the title-role†¦the ‘o’re hasty marriage’ of Oxford’s mother – has been given due weight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Ogburn 434). Another interesting piece of evidence comes from Ralph L. Tweedale in his book Wasn’t Shakespeare Someone Else? Tweedale writes about the cryptography that lies within the lines and words of William Shakespeare’s works. Throughout all of his plays and sonnets lies a cryptic message, a code that points to the name Vere. Tweedale uses the following as evidence of the cryptography in Shakespeare’s sonnets and plays. He says that when Juliet’s mother tries to interest her in Paris as a husband, she compares him to a book. â€Å"Read ore the volume of young Paris face. And find delight, writ there with Beauties pen, (Read over the volume and find delight. ) Examine every severall liniament (Look at every single line. ) And see how one another lends content (See how each lends content to the next. ) And what obscured in this faire volume lies Find written in the margent of his eyes. † (The obscure messages are found by looking in the margin (Tweedale 187). There are so many other similarities between Edward de Vere that it would take an entire book in order to discuss them, and there have been many of them. Obviously there was no way a college research paper can cover all the bases of this argument. Edward de Vere has the strongest evidence to support his claim. There is not enough evidence to proof that and one would not be able to come to any conclusions on the matter, but it does inform the reader of the closest candidate for the name of William Shakespeare and raises doubt of Shaksper of Stratford. Who is the real Shakespeare? Well no one really knows. Maybe one day scholars will find the one piece of hard evidence that will support without a doubt either case and prove one of them to be William Shakespeare. Ogburn, Charlton. The Mysterious William Shakespeare:The Myth & The Reality. 2nd. McLean, Virginia: EPM Publications, INC, 1984. 434. Print. Ogburn, Dorothy, and Charlton Ogburn. Shake-Speare:The Man Behind The Name. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1962. 14-35. Print. Michell, John. Who Wrote Shakespeare?. London: Thames and Hudson Ltd, 1996. 18. Print. â€Å"Shakespeare’s Biography. † Shakespeare Resource Center. J. M Pressley and the Shakespeare Resource Center, 2011. Web. Sept 16 2011. .

Oranges and Fair Trade Essay

In both poems â€Å"Oranges† and â€Å"Fair Trade† by Gary Soto, the author explores the recurring theme of compassion and pride. Both poems have several ways to show the theme. The poem â€Å"Oranges† is about young love and knowing how it once felt. At the beginning of the poem, I get the sense that the boy is a little apprehensive in meeting his girl as he states, â€Å"Cold and weighted down / with two oranges in my jacket. † Certainly two oranges aren’t going to weigh anyone down, therefore the image described must be the nervousness along with the anticipation of seeing meeting her. As I walked toward / her house, the one whose / porch light burned yellow / night and day, in any weather,† tells me about his burning passion for her. â€Å"She came out pulling / at her gloves, face bright / with rouge,† tells me that she is also excited to see him and that she is either blushing or has applied some makeup in the manner a young inexperienced woman would. As she comes out of her house, some of that nervousness exits him because he smiles and even has the courage to touch her shoulder. The line about the â€Å"used car lot† and â€Å"newly planted trees† is imagery about his reality and what kind of life he lives. As they enter into the drugstore and look at the candies, the boy is probably feeling for the first time a sense of maturity as he asks her what she wanted; because he’s able to buy her something. â€Å"The lady’s eyes met mine, / and held them, knowing / very well what it was all / about. † The imagery here provides some tension for the reader: â€Å"Will the boy ask the girl to change her selection? Will the saleslady demand cash or no sale? Although his courage is impressive, the risk was also a safe and intelligent bet: If the saleslady had refused to honor his orange for payment, he would still have the two oranges to share with the girl on their way home. The oranges give the narrator â€Å"weight† and importance, and then they became a medium of exchange used to buy the candy. â€Å"I took my girl’s hand / in mine for two blocks,† The boy’s reference to the girl as â€Å"my girl,† shows that he now feels in control. The boy proves himself and impresses the girl, which was the goal in the first place, and he is rewarded for his bravery by being allowed to hold her hand on the walk home. As the narrator describes â€Å"I peeled my orange / that was so bright against / the gray of December / that, from some distance, / someone might have thought / I was making a fire in my hands,† symbolizes the new energy of confidence he has in himself, as well as his increased affection for his girl. As a result, the imagery in this poem reflects the boy’s struggle in life from adolescence to adulthood. The poem â€Å"Fair Trade† is about money, pride, and sympathy. The title gave off an aura of sarcasm as he states, â€Å"she said, â€Å"Dollar thirty,† / I thought, No meat or butter. It wasn’t really a fair trade, because a dollar thirty for two slices of bread is quite expensive at his time. Neither did the waitress offered meat nor butter. â€Å"The man / hesitated, then fumbled for / coins from his pocket,† tells me that the man is poor, because he wouldn’t have been taken aback if he have lots of cash. Only the narrator sympathize the Mexican man as he states, â€Å"I stabbed the carrots, / hurting for this man. † I conclude that the bread may not have satisfied the man because he didn’t leave anything on his plate. At the end of the poem, the narrator tells us that the experience had left him a mark, that he wouldn’t forget the memory of that day. The images of the poem reflect the Mexican man’s pride and the narrator’s compassion towards him. Both poems teach us the same lesson; â€Å"Compassion comes from seeing others struggle. † The poems’ similarities are that they both have people who show sympathetic pity and concern to others. In the poem â€Å"Oranges,† the narrator describes compassion by his own experience, how pride affected him. On the other hand, the poem â€Å"Fair Trade,† describes the narrator’s interpretation of pride.

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Bulgaria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

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Legalizing Marijuana Essay Example for Free

Legalizing Marijuana Essay Cannabis Sativa, more commonly known as Marijuana, is made up of dried parts of the Cannabis hemp plant and is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States. For centuries, people all over the world have been using marijuana to achieve â€Å"euphoria†, but the drug has remained illegal in the United States despite countless efforts to reverse the law. In the last few years, the legalization of Marijuana became both a prominent and controversial issue in our country and remains an extremely touchy subject. Despite its short term effect of distorted perceptions and memory impairment, Marijuana has several pro’s that can not only help individuals but could benefit our country as a whole. These â€Å"pros† include medical use, a boost in our economy, the creation of an entire hemp industry, and the lowering of crime rates. The use of marijuana for medical purposes dates back centuries to doctors of the western hemisphere. 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So far, 18 states have legalized medical marijuana, and several other states are fighting for those same laws. Other states are struggling to pass the law because the belief in how the drug can harm people. Though several doctors including, Dr. Lester Grinspoon have stated that there has never been a death reported from marijuana. In fact, Dr. Paul Hornby, a biochemist and leading authority on cannabis research stated, â€Å"Ive heard you have to smoke something like 15,000 joints in 20 minutes to get a toxic amount of delta-9  tetrahydrocannibinol and I challenge anyone to do that.Meanwhile it is known information that anyone can die from ingesting to much alcohol, aspirin, or even wate r. Legalizing the drug, especially for medical use, can help ease the pain of thousands of people and even help to save lives. Legalizing marijuana would lead to an increase in our economy. 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Patrick Goggin, a bo ard member on the California Could for Vote Hemp, the nations leading industrial hemp-farming advocacy group stated, Were in the midst of a dark economic transition, but I believe hemp is an important facet and has tremendous economic potential.† Another benefit accrued through legalizing marijuana would be a significant reduction in crime rates. Since Marijuana is currently illegal, it is sold on the streets country wide. Thousands purchase the drug from dealers, putting their lives and reputations at risk, simply because it is the only method to attain it. Both drug dealers and gangs fight to sell the drug in the street, causing their deaths and the deaths of innocent people. Legalizing the drug help decrease the street wars and gang violence by taking the â€Å"right† to sell out of the hands of dealers, and into the hands of the government. Since the drug will be legalized, it will be available in the same locations as cigarettes and alcohol, decreasing crime across the United States. After going over the various pro’s that come along with legalizing the drug, it is hard to see why marijuana is still illegal in our country. In my opinion, the only reason for it not being legalized is the amount of money and jobs that were invested in the drug war. The United States Government takes great pride in their war on drugs and have put countless efforts in to show the potential dangers of the drug. In other words, the government looks defeated if they begin to revise laws and turn back. Another reason it hasnt been legalized is due to the protection of the reputation of political figures. Politicians assume that by supporting the legalization of marijuana, they are automatically condoning it. Though in reality, this isnt true at all. There are many positive benefits of legalizing the drug, and our government should begin to overlook the current laws and work in order to change them. They would be able to regulate it to their advantage and make a profitable revenue. Some states are already realizing the benefits and attempting to make changes. The reelection of the new president and a start to a new term brought about a great victory in the fight to legalize marijuana. On November 6, 2012 prohibition came to an end in Colorado and Washington State. The two states made it legal to smoke marijuana recreationally, without any prescription or medical use. Prior to this, Colorado and Washington were among the 18 states with medical marijuana laws but became the first in the United States to  approve it recreationally. An article in the New York Times stated that Even though it will take months before they write the rules and make other regulations, â€Å"As soon as the laws are certified, it will be legal under Colorado and Washington law for adults 21 years and older to possess up to an ounce of marijuana. In Colorado, people will be able to grow as many as six plants. In Washington, users will have to buy their marijuana from state-licensed providers.†(Healy, 2012) In conclusion, I believe that the legalization of marijuana would have a positive influence on America. Legalizing the now illegal drug will allow Americans to cultivate and use hemp to a great advantage. Billions of dollars would be saved in government expenditures, and revenue from taxation on the regulated sale of marijuana would bring in billions of dollars as well. Although the impact on a persons health is debatable, to this day, not one person has been killed from a marijuana overdose. Smoking cigarettes daily and drinking alcohol on an every day basis is much more detrimental to a persons health then marijuana, therefore, this is really no specific reason that the drug shouldnt be legalized. Also, most importantly, using marijuana for medical use would benefit the thousands of people suffering with terminal illnesses.

Cultural Imperialism Is Power Essay Example for Free

Cultural Imperialism Is Power Essay â€Å"Cultural imperialism† is what takes place when a large, powerful, economically dominant nation promotes, imposes, or otherwise spreads its own culture to less powerful, economically subservient nations. A. Examples Cultural imperialism is already evident throughout the world: Palestinian Arabs chanting â€Å"Death To America† do so while wearing Nike tennis shoes and t-shirts; Brazilians who curse George W. Bush nonetheless cheer for Madonna and Britney Spears; Turks who protest the ongoing occupation of Iraq may still stroll into a local McDonald’s for lunch; MTV reports 280 million subscribers throughout the world (Galeota, 2004). B. Hows and Whys In 1984, Harvard business professor Theodore Levitt warned that â€Å"the world’s needs and desires have been irrevocably homogenized,† adding that those companies that attempted to accommodate local tastes were â€Å"doomed to failure† (Galeota). II. The Means Today, with global travel and communication easy and quick, American Culture can be disseminated more widely and faster than ever. A. Marketing Images are everything. American corporations have been highly successful at portraying America as â€Å"The Land of the Cool† (Galeota, 2005). This results in an increasing demand for American goods, films and music. B. Communications The Internet has revolutionized communications, and because of forethought and planning, the U. S. has come to dominate the global traffic and marketplace of ideas and information. This has created a tremendous influence over the tastes and desires of people all over the world. III. How It Makes America Strong Darwinism is a fact of life, whether biological, social, or economic; only the strong survive. When the powers of Europe began staking their claims to overseas territories in order to feed their industries and expand their markets, the U. S. had a choice: stay out of the game and continue as a second-rate backwater, or get into the game and reach its full potential. U. S. power and prestige in the world owes a great deal to those visionary leaders who were willing to force open the medieval kingdom of Japan in 1854, to annex the Kingdom of Hawaii and seize Puerto Rico and the Phillipines when the opportunity was there. Today, America owes its incredible economic might to those leaders, who laid the foundations of Empire when Admirial Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay over 150 years ago. Conclusion: For better or worse, American culture is pre-eminent in the world today. Ultimately, this will be to the benefit to the entire world, ultimately making America a safer, more prosperous place. Works Cited Cohen, Nick. â€Å"This Comic Is No Laughing Matter: Michael Moore Is a Bestselling Author Not Only in the US, but Also in Britain, Japan, Germany, Australia and Many Other Countries. Has American Imperial Culturalism Taken over the Left as Well? † The New Statesman Vol. 132. Issue 4664. 17 November 2003, p. 23. Julia Galeota. â€Å"Cultural Imperialism: An American Tradition. † The Humanist. Vol. 64 Issue 3. May-June 2004, p. 22. Harper, Jennifer. â€Å"BBC Airs Global View of Americans; Many Foreigners Have Love-Hate Relationship With U. S. The Washington Times. 17 June 2003, p. AO8. Rothkopf, David. â€Å"In Praise of Cultural Imperialism. † Foreign Policy, No. 107. Summer 1997, p. 38

Evaluation of UK Legislation and Policy on Fracking

Evaluation of UK Legislation and Policy on Fracking AN EVALUATION OF CURRENT UK PLANNING LEGISLATION AND POLICY MEASURES TO CONTROL THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF FRACKING ON WILDLIFE CONSERVATION Chapter 1: Introduction Introduction The pace of the development of Britains Shale-gas industry is accelerating due to the current governments policy to progress the extraction of shale-gas, or fracking as commonly known, to provide energy security, growth and jobs (DBEI. 2017). Commercial extraction of shale-gas is not yet in production, but exploration of the recoverable amount available is occurring. Shale-gas could potentially be a resource that transforms the UK energy market and contribute to the national security of supply. However, whilst the economic potential is apparent, the environmental and social implications are unknown. There have been reports of earthquakes (in Lancashire) (DECC 2013), leakage of fracking chemicals and gas (methane) into the water table, where fracking has occurred, most typically in the United States of America (Finkel and Hays 2016). There has also been campaigning by community groups opposed to fracking because of the environmental concerns. Hydraulic fracturing involves injecting a viscous fracturing fluid carrying a proppant, usually select sand, which is left in fractures to hold them open and promote substance migration to wellbores but advances in directional drilling with a greater horizontal reach means that multiple wells can be drilled from a single pad. (Zillman et al. 2015). However, this could include horizontal drilling beneath Nature Reserves, Country Parks, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) etc. Some of the concerns by these new technologies are: (a) Air emissions. (b) Water quality and quantity (aquifer and surface water contamination by fracturing fluid chemicals). (c) Potential seismic activity, particularly in major fault areas. (d) Public participation in regulatory decisions concerning fracturing activities. (e) Transparency, including public disclosure of chemicals and toxicity information. (f) Disturbance creating dust, noise, and congestion in communities that host fracturing operations. (Zillman et al. 2014.) All of which have potential to impact upon humans and wildlife conservation. Consequently, the Law and Policy surrounding fracking and the environment to conserve wildlife will be evaluated. Aims and Objectives This study aims to evaluate current UK planning legislation and policy with regard to the potential impacts of fracking on wildlife conservation. An analysis of the controls available for the protection of wildlife and the compensation procedures that are currently in place will be discussed within this report. The analyses of concerns and opinions of the businesses involved, government policy, wildlife organisations, public and media opinions which may have an impact on future planning policies and procedures, habitat degradation, human health, and wildlife conservation will be undertaken. Case studies, government articles, fracking company media statement and media reports used to illustrate current approach. An analysis and evaluation comparison of two shale gas companies within the two counties of Nottinghamshire and Lancashire, both of which have had planning permission granted for fracking exploration sites. In the county of Lancashire, planning permission was refused not only for an exploration site but for extraction of shales gas. The company turned to the government to appeal this decision which was overturned. Preston New Road Action Group (a group of local residents) has subsequently appealed and the hearing is set for 15 March 2017. Therefore, are the strategies that are currently in place sufficient to meet all needs from both companies, the conservationists, the public and the government? To investigate and evaluate the policies and procedures required by the Shale gas companies to obtain planning permission to include Environmental Impact Assessments, are these effective, detailed sufficiently and acceptable? What are the procedures post damage or accident? Is this acceptable? Critical analyse of each perspective. Methods Materials This evaluation analysis is a desktop review and will therefore not require the participation of human, animal, and environmental subjects. Information will be sourced from scientific and law books, scientific journals, media reports and websites (such as governmental, legal and the companys websites). European Law will not be taken into consideration due to the imminent exit from the European Union. Therefore, only the Laws and policies currently in place for England and Wales are to be included. Some of the topics covered in this study will be: Environmental Law; Law Commission Report 2012; National Planning Policy Framework; Environmental Impact Assessments of the sites in the two Counties; Company information of the two companies involved Caudrilla Resources and IGas plc. The criteria used when searching for information was based upon: Environmental Law; Fracking in the UK; Legislation and policy with regard to planning in the UK; Fracking in Lancashire; Fracking in Nottinghamsh ire; Hydraulic Fracturing; Shale Gas; UK Shale Gas Fracking House of Commons 2017; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. to be completed. Not quite sure how to finish this off Chapter 2: Shale-gas Fracking 2.1 Overview of fracking. Extraction of a natural gas known as shale gas is found in shale rock formations that can be extracted by Hydraulic fracturing (fracking). The gas is mined by drilling a well down vertically until it hits the shale, then horizontally. This involves inserting high volumes of water mixed with chemicals into the rock to cause it to fracture and release the gas. See Figure 1. Currently the UK government supports fracking although concerns remain about the adequacy of current UK regulation of groundwater and surface water contamination and the assessment of the environmental impact. Figure 1. Hydraulic Fracturing and environmental concerns (Carbon Brief 2013). 2.2 Legislation and policy relevant to fracking, and wildlife conservation. Environmental regulation is intended to protect the environment. The impact and effectiveness of the legislation can be considered from several perspectives which seem to be fragmented and haphazard at best. Some of the law statutes for environmental protection include: Clean Air Act 1956 Clean Neighbourhood and Environmental Act 2005 Control of Pollution Act 1974 as amended in 1989 Environment Act 1995 Environmental Protection Act 1990 Freedom of Information Act 2000 Law of Property Act 1925 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 Nature Conservancy Council Act 1973 Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999 Town Country Planning Act 1990 Water Resources Act 1991 Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Case Law will also be included where relevant. The principles under common law governing property rights to the subsurface and to minerals are necessary to understand the law governing activities using geological developments. The general rule (with some exceptions) is that the rights deriving from the possession or ownership of an estate in land extends upwards and downwards. The Latin phrase that expresses this rule is cujus est solum ejus est usque ad coelum et ad inferos; to whom the soil belongs, to that person it belongs all the way to the sky and the depths (Zillman et al. 2014). Therefore, permission from the land owner must be sort to enable permission for fracking to take place on privately owned land. In the case of Bocardo v Star Energy UK Onshore Ltd in 2010 the land owner sued the oil company for trespass for three wells made under its land for directional drilling. In the case Star Energy Weald Basin Limited (and another) v Bocardo SA (Supreme Court Judgment, 28 July 2010). There is no depth limit after which geolo gical formations are owned by the state and that any invasion of it must have a physical effect on the surface. It could be said therefore that considering the risks associated with fracking and public opinion generally against fracking, land owners would not allow fracking upon their land but government incentives and fracking companies payments to allow access can be a high incentive to land owners. This could influence the conservation of wildlife if directional drilling undermines a special conservation site alongside a landowner that has agreed permission. Who owns shale gas? Shale gas counts as petroleum within the meaning of the Petroleum Act 1998 and the rights are vested in Her Majesty. By section 2(1) of that Act. The Crown has the exclusive right of searching for and getting petroleum in its natural condition within Great Britain. The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) issues licenses to companies for exploration and for mining. The Oil and Gas Authority (a department within the government) is responsible for awarding onshore oil and gas licenses, which include exploratory fracking operations. On 17 December 2015, the Oil Gas Authority (OGA) announced that licences for a total of 159 blocks were formally offered to successful applicants under the 14th Onshore Oil and Gas Licensing Round (OGA 2017). Proposals for shale gas exploration or extraction in England Wales are subject to the requirements of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 administered by the Minerals Planning Authority (MPA) for the area in which the development is located. Individual town and city planners face a difficult task, they are required to consider the future economic and social needs of the community and provide the best possible environment in which to live and work (Evans, Stephenson, and Shaw 2009). Public and conservation charities opinion and opposition to the proximity of the well sites. The legal framework for land use planning and relevant legislation will be discussed individually for Lancashire and Nottinghamshire later. In May 2015, the government issued a statement regarding sustainable development making decisions now to realise our vision of stimulating economic growth and tackling the deficit, maximising wellbeing and protecting the environment, without affecting the ability of future generations to do the same (DEFRA 2015). Each department within the government is responsible for their own policies and activities to create sustainable development with DEFRA overseeing decisions. As you will see from the statement: development, economic growth and tackling the deficit, comes as a priority before wellbeing and protecting the environment. In June 2012, the government commissioned The Royal Society to compile a Review of Hydraulic Fracturing and their initial findings concludedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The health, safety and environmental risks associated with hydraulic fracturing (often termed fracking) as a means to extract shale gas can be managed effectively in the UK as long as operational best practices are implemented and enforced through regulation (RS and RAE 2012). However, they also made ten recommendations summarised as: to detect groundwater contamination, to ensure well integrity, to mitigate induced seismicity, to detect potential leakages of gas, water usage and wastewater should be managed in an integrated way, an Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) should be mandatory for all shale gas operations, best practice for risk management should be implemented. (RS and RAE 2012). These recommendations should be included within the planning and licensing applications. On the 6 April 2016, section 50 of the Infrastructure Act 2015 came into effect introducing amendments to the Petroleum Act 1998 regarding when and how consent can be issued for hydraulic fracturing in relation to the exploration and production of shale gas. The changes to the Infrastructure Act 2015 gives the shale gas companies in England Wales the means to access deep level land at least 300 metres underground for deep geothermal energy, one of which is shale gas. It also imposes a formal consent from the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. It also originally stated that there would be a ban on fracking in National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) but SSSIs have been excluded and now allow for underground fracking. It should be noted that some regulators whom approve licenses for fracking, such as the Environment Agency, view prosecution as a last resort and prefer to adopt a compliance strategy. The Environment Agency is a government run organisation who work to create better places for people and wildlife, and support sustainable development. (Environment Agency 2017). Environmental permitting regulations cover: protecting water resources, including groundwater (aquifers), assessing and approving the use of chemicals which form part of the hydraulic fracturing fluid appropriate treatment and disposal of mining waste produced during the borehole drilling and hydraulic fracturing process suitable treatment and management of any naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) disposal of waste gases through flaring In the planning process the Environment Agency can be a statutory consultee and provides local planning authorities (county or unitary local authority) with advice on the potential risks to the environment from individual gas exploration and extraction sites (DBEIS 2017). The government publish documentation to convince the public of the strict processes companies have to adhere to before obtaining approval, operators pass rigorous health and safety, environmental and planning permission processes before any shale operation can begin in the UK (DBEIS 2017). See figure 2. Figure 2. Infographic: What happens before a company can explore for shale gas? (DBEIS 2017) 2.2 Impact on Wildlife Conservation, the concerns and public opinion. The first resource for environmental implication impact to consider is water. The quality, quantity used, accessibility of the resource and waste water disposal. Vast quantities of water mixed with proppant and chemical additives, for example: gelling and foaming agents, friction reducers, crosslinkers, breakers, pH adjusters, biocides, corrosion inhibitors, scale inhibitors, and surfactants are injected under pressure to release the shale gas and enable the gas to return to the surface. One third of them lack mammalian toxicity data (Stringfellow et al., 2014). The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) 2013, states that it is likely to involve the use of large quantities of clean water, typically 10,000 to 30,000 m3 water per well (10,000 to 30,000 tonnes). The water may be obtained from the local water supply company sources or by abstraction from surface or groundwater (if permitted by the relevant environment agency under licence). Loss of well integrity has led to contamination of surrounding strata by fracking fluid and/or methane (Jenner and Lamadid, 2013). Most water used is locked away underground and never returned to the natural hydrological cycle. Impacts on water quality have a potential to impact on contamination of groundwater aquifer layers with either the fracking fluid used to dislodge gas, or the methane gas itself (which is of course poisonous). As you will see from the following map of Great Britain this shows drilling sites and aquafers. See figure 3. Also, to be considered is the potential surface discharges of contaminated produced water (water drawn from the formation to initiate production, which flows to the surface for life of the well) and flowback water (predominantly fracturing fluids, which comes to surface after fracking is completed and before production begins) from shale gas production that could contaminate natural surface waters. Not only is this a risk to public health but als o the biodiversity or loss of biodiversity in the relevant environment. A permit, under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010 (EPR), from the Environment Agency is required where fluids containing pollutants are injected into ground, where they may enter groundwater. To date there is no evidence that such a contamination has occurred in any site currently in Great Britain, but is it only a matter of time before an accident does occur which will affect the biodiversity of that area. Figure 3.(a) Map of UK showing location of onshore wells drilled for exploration or production and productive aquifers. (b) Map of UK showing location of potential shale gas and oil reservoirs and productive aquifers. Aquifer base map reproduced with the permission of the British Geological Survey.  ©NERC. All rights Reserved. (Davies et al. 2014). High pressure injection of water into shale formations has been linked to seismic events in Lancashire which will be discussed later. Public participation and consultation has become fundamental for energy regulators due to the intensity and immediacy of public engagement. The intense media scrutiny and broader public knowledge, as well as increased public organizations (local action groups) and the development of social media have contributed to improved citizen communication and often made local issues national and international (Zillman at al. 2015). This has resulted in public demonstrations against fracking in each local community to which fracking licensing have been granted. It would seem that much of public opinion is against fracking. The Infrastructure Bill (Jan 2015) originally said there would be a ban on fracking in National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Special Scientific Interest and introduced mandatory Environmental Impact Assessments. But just eight months later, a major U-turn on this commitment has placed some of the countrys most sensitive and precious wildlife sites at risk by excluding SSSIs from the ban and allowing licences for underground activity in highly protected wildlife sites. 2.4 Controls currently in place. In the UK, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) followed the recommendations of the joint report of the Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering and developed a stop light protocol whereby thresholds for different acceptable levels of seismicity are defined, and if a level is breached during the hydraulic fracturing process the entire operation is to be terminated (DBEIS 2017). This procedure was implemented after seismic activity in Preston in the Lancashire shale gas area. See Figure 4. Figure 4.Infographic: Seismic activity traffic light monitoring system (DBEIS 2017) Chapter 3: Comparison of Fracking planning procedures for two Counties 3.1 Current fracking in the UK In January 2017, the House of Commons produced a Briefing Paper titled, Shale gas and fracking, which states that there has been recent approval of two planning decisions in Lancashire and North Yorkshire suggesting that commercial fracking is getting closer. 3.2 Nottinghamshire County Council Further public consultation is required before Nottinghamshire County Councils Planning and Licensing Committee can consider a planning application for an exploratory shale gas well-site on land off the A634 between Barnby Moor and Blyth. Dart Energy is seeking planning permission to undertake exploratory drilling for shale gas at the site, known as Tinker Lane. The application is for exploratory drilling, to check the suitability of the rock for shale gas extraction. Nottinghamshire County Councillors will consider the countys second planning application to undertake exploratory drilling for shale gas at the Planning and Licensing Committee meeting on Tuesday 21 March. The application was submitted by Dart Energy in May last year to drill one exploratory vertical well 3,300 metres deep and three sets of groundwater monitoring boreholes on land off the A634 between Barnby Moor and Blyth The application is not seeking permission to carry out any hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking. The application site, which is currently open farm land, is around one mile north of Barnby Moor and 1.5 miles south east of Blyth. Permission is sought for a temporary period of up to three years, with the drilling taking place for approximately four months. The County Council has received over 800 representations from the local community and a petition. (NCC) 3.3 Lancashire County Council On 1 April and 27 May 2011 two earthquakes with magnitudes 2.3 and 1.5 were felt in the Blackpool area. These earthquakes were suspected to be linked to hydraulic fracture treatments at the Preese Hall well operated by Cuadrilla Resources Ltd. Thus, operations were suspended at Preese Hall and Cuadrilla Resources Ltd were requested to undertake a full technical study into the relationship between the earthquakes and their operations. Cuadrilla submitted to DECC a synthesis report with a number of technical appendices on 2 November 2011, and published this material on their website. These reports examine seismological and geomechanical aspects of the seismicity in relation to the hydraulic fracture treatments, along with detailed background material on the regional geology and rock physics. They also estimated future seismic hazard and proposed recommendations for future operations to mitigate seismic risk. Further information supplied by Cuadrilla in the course of this assessment is available as Annexes below. The independent experts have now made recommendations to DECC for mitigating the risk of induced seismicity resulting from continued hydraulic fracturing at Preese Hall, Lancashire and elsewhere in Great Britain. (OGA 2017) 3.4 Organisation responses; Igas and Caudrilla 3.5 General public and conservationists responses (Wildlife Trust etc.) Chapter 4 : Discussion 4.1 Comparison of the two counties policies and procedures. 4.2 Proposed further exploration sites and possible impacts, compensation etc. Interpretation of the literature generally and in relation to the two counties. Analogy with mining and the collapse of the industry in the UK. Political party in government and their views. Limitations of the study Chapter 5 : Conclusion and Suggestions for further research A summary. Critically evaluate the dissertation. Is there enough protection for wildlife conservation? Recommendations for further research. REFERENCES Carbon Brief. 2013. Carbon Briefing: what does extracting shale gas mean for the local environment?Science. Available at: https://www.carbonbrief.org/carbon-briefing-what-does-extracting-shale-gas-mean-for-the-local-environment. Davies, R.J., Almond, S., Ward, R.S., Jackson, R.B., Adams, C., Worrall, F., Herringshaw, L.G., Gluyas, J.G., and Whitehead, M.A. 2014. Oil and gas wells and their integrity: Implications for shale and unconventional resource exploitation. Marine and Petroleum Geology. 1-16. Delebarre, J., Ares, E., and Smith, L. 4 January 2017. House of Commons Library Briefing. Number 6073. Shale gas and fracking. Evans, D., Stephenson, M, and Shaw, R. 2009. The present and future use of land below ground. Land Use Policy 26S. S302-S316. Finkel M.L., and Hays J. 2016. Environmental and health impacts of fracking: why epidemiological studies are necessary. J Epidemiol Community Health. Vol 70. No 3. Great Britain. Department for Business, Energy Industrial Strategy (DBEIS). 2017. Guidance on fracking: developing shale gas in the UK [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/about-shale-gas-and-hydraulic-fracturing-fracking/developing-shale-oil-and-gas-in-the-uk. [Accessed: 27 February 2017]. Great Britain. Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). 2013. Oil and gas: onshore exploration and production [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/oil-and-gas-onshore-exploration-and-production. [Accessed: 28 February 2017]. Great Britain. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). 2015. 2010 to 2015 government policy: sustainable development. [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2010-to-2015-government-policy-sustainable-development/2010-to-2015-government-policy-sustainable-development#issue. [Accessed: 7 March 2017]. Great Britain. Environment Agency (EA). 2017. [Online]. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency. [Accessed: 15 March 2017]. Great Britain. Oil Gas Authority (OGA). 2017. Exploration and Production Onshore. [Online]. Available at: https://www.ogauthority.co.uk/exploration-production/onshore/. [Accessed: 15 March 2017]. Great Britain. The Royal Society and The Royal Academy of Engineering (RS RAE). 2012. Shale gas extraction in the UK: a review of hydraulic fracturing [Online]. Available at: https://royalsociety.org/~/media/policy/projects/shale-gas-extraction/2012-06-28-shale-gas.pdf. [Accessed: 7 March 2017]. Jenner, S. and Lamadrid, A.J. 2013. Shale gas vs. coal: policy implications for environmental impact comparisons of shale gas, conventional gas and coal on air, water and land in the United States, Energy Policy, 53, 442-53. Jones P., Hillier D., and Comfort D. 2015. Contested perspectives on fracking in the UK. Geography. 100. Part 1. Small. J. QC. 2013. Fracking Liability. The Estates Gazette; Sutton. 92-94. Stringfellow, W.T., Domen, J.K., Camarillo, M.K., Sandrillo, W.L., and Borglin, S. 2014. Physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of compounds used in hydraulic fracturing. Journal of Hazardous Materials. Volume 275, 37-54. a Ecological Engineering Research Program, School of Engineering Computer Science, University of the Pacific, 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95211, USA b Earth Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA Zillman, D.N., Lucas, A., and Beirne, S. (2015) 2014: An eventful year for energy law and policy, Journal of Energy Natural Resources Law, 33:1, 82-105 Zillman, D.N., McHarg, A., and Bradbrook, A. 2014. The Law of Energy Underground: Understanding New Developments in Subsurface Production, Transmission, and Storage. [eBook type]. Oxford Scholarship Online. Available from: NTU Library One Search. [Accessed: 9 March 2017] Shale Wealth Fund PM Gov.uk https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-rewrites-plan-to-put-money-from-infrastructure-in-the-hands-of-local-people BBC Politics. 2016. Fracking moratorium rejected by MPs. [Online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30993915. [Accessed January 2017]. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/498160/160204_FINAL_letter_to_Mineral_Planning_Authorities.pdf Impact Assessment http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/384/resources Accessed 27 February 2017 Briefing Arrangements for fracking operations clarified. 2015. Planning, , pp. 32. APPENDIX 1.

The Signficance of Violence in Graham Greenes The Destructors Essay

The Signficance of Violence in Graham Greene's The Destructors In serious fiction, no act of violence exists for its own sake. Graham Green, in his short story â€Å"The Destructors,† reveals certain intangible needs met through one central act of violence. One need we all have as humans is the need to be creative, to express ourselves, to use our imagination. All little boys use their imaginations, which is based on what they see in their environment, whether that be television or their own neighborhood. The gang of boys in â€Å"The Destructors† witnessed destruction every day of their lives and played in the rumble of homes as they would a mound of dirt. The gang met every morning at â€Å"the site of the last bomb of the first blitz,† which hit when the leader of the gang was but a year old. Along with the destruction to the ground they met on, the house just beside it â€Å"suffered from the blast of the bomb and the walls were supported on wooden struts.† The gang was well accustomed to seeing destruction, therefore their imaginations were corrupted with it. In an attempt to be creative, to use their imagination, the gang collectively decided to destroy the house that survived the bomb. â€Å"Destruction after all is a form of creation. A kind of imagination had seen this house as it had now become.† The need to use their imaginations won over their logical thought. Another need that plagues us all is the need to be known. Many people’s biggest fear is to die unknown and alone. We all try to make our mark in the world, whether it be through good grades, athletics, or putting gravy on the walls. We become known for our deeds, both the positive and the negative. The boys longed for the respect and the uniqueness that bringing a house ... ... be met, either in a positive, constructive way or in a negative, destructive way. Through a negative, destructive act, Graham Green highlights how a gang of boys meets the intangible necessities. Being a person who chooses to fulfill my needs through positive, constructive actions, I understand there is a better way to be creative, to be known, and to be comfortable without bringing a building down with my needs. I choose to be creative through music, to be known as one who helps rather than hinders, and be comfortable with what I have or do not have. Through analyzing this short story, I can now understand and sympathize this those who choose a different path than my own. Work Cited Greene, Graham. "The Destructors," Story and Structure. Seventh Edition. Edited by Laurence Perrine, assisted by Thomas R. Arp. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988, 49-61.

Formation of the Greek Empire :: essays research papers

"Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a ministry but of the whole people." Pericles was one of the many people who helped shape Ancient Greece to what we know of it today. The famous Greek Empire has bits and pieces from each ruler or group of people who once occupied it: the Mycenaean's, Dorian's, Pericles, Phillip 2, and Alexander the Great. In ancient times, Greece wasn't a united country but more of a group of lands where Greek-speaking people lived. Around 2000.B.C. the Mycenaean?s settled on the Greek mainland seeking to form a civilization. Already having the geography provide to the Greek culture, they put in many ideas and developed a writing system with the help of the Minoans, a group of people who were native to the Greek mainland. They fought a ten-year war against Troy known as the Trojan War. Although they were victorious, the weakened civilization collapsed and a new group of people, the Dorian?s took Greece into what is known as the Dark Age of Greece. Being less advanced than the Mycenaean?s, the writing system was dropped and a new way to tell history was formed through word or epics. Two major city-states or polis formed: Athens and Sparta. Athens developed a limited Democracy, which was ruled by the people through representatives. This proved to be most efficient because all people were treated equal ly. Its was kept under control with a set of laws that harshly punished citizens for even the simplest crimes created by Draco in 621B.C. Solon came into power in 594 B.C., and took out Dracos? wicked methods by making four social classes based on wealth and abolishing debt slavery. Around 500 B.C., Cleisthenes created the Council of Five Hundred in which council members were randomly chosen by only citizens could be in a limited democracy. He also rearranged the social classes formed by Solon into ten groups based on where a citizen lived rather on wealth. Education in Athens was only given to males and when they became of age they then went on to serve in the military. Athens honored cultural things such as art and literature. Sparta was a military state run by an oligarchy government or rule by a small group of citizens based on wealth. Social order in Sparta consisted of citizens, noncitizens and helots. Sparta had the strongest army in Greece.

Development and frameworks support development influence current practice Essay

Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development focusses on how children acquire knowledge and learn. He believed that when a child and an adult are given the same logical question children gave less sophisticated answers, not because they were less competent than the adults but because children are born with an extremely simple mental structure which is the basis for the child’s knowledge and learning ability. He suggests that children go through four stages of intellectual growth: 0-2yrs – Sensorimotor, i.e. motor control and learning about objects, the child explores the environment around them using their senses; 2-7yrs – Preoperational, verbal skills development, the child understands the use of symbols and language; 7-11yrs – Concrete Operational, beginning to grasp abstract concepts, shows logical thinking; 12yrs to adulthood – Formal Operational, logical and systematic reasoning skills, is able to work through abstract problems. One of the basic components of Piaget’s theory is ‘Schemas’. Each schema is a building block of intelligent behaviour and a way of a child’s brain organising the knowledge they have gained. Children will develop new schemas as they learn and experience more to allow them to retain this knowledge, as well as modifying their existing schemas as new information about them emerges through additional knowledge. We can effectively plan the development of a child by taking his ideas of ‘schemas’ into practice and using Piaget’s stages we can assess where and how a child is currently learning. From assessment it becomes possible to plan activities to help them to develop onto the next stage. Psychoanalytical Sigmund Freud (1856 1939) An Austrian neurologist Freud believed that each stage of a child’s development directly related to specific needs and demands, each based on a particular body part and was rooted with a sexual base. Freud outlined these stages as oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital. Each stage involves the satisfaction of a desire and can later play a role in the adult personality. Freud suggested that if a child does not successfully complete a stage, they could develop a fixation that would later influence adult personality and behaviour. According to Freud the mind can be split into two halves, the conscious (mental processes we are aware of) and the unconscious mind (mental processes we are unaware of), and has three separate aspects – the Id (the conscious mind), Ego and Superego (unconscious mind) which all need to be balanced to have good mental health. The Id is about basic needs and feelings, the pleasure principle. The Ego is the reality principle and the Superego is the moral part of the mind. Freud’s theories about unconscious actions can still be witnessed, for example when a child is caught hurting another child. The aggressor may deny it and tell a lie, but may start to cry because he knows what he has done is wrong, and that he has lied about it. Whilst Freud’s psychosexual theories do not fit well with today’s more scientific standards and are considered not to be very accurate, they have been influential because it was original thinking about human development, and many other theorists used his ideas as a starting point. He has also helped those working with children by understanding there is a link between our conscious and unconscious actions. Humanist Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) An American psychologist Abraham Maslow was a humanistic psychologist who is most famous for his ‘Hierarchy of Needs’, which is relevant to all ages, not just for children. The five-stage hierarchy of needs is often visually displayed as a pyramid with the largest most important needs at the bottom and the more advanced needs at the top We are born with basic needs for survival, food, water, shelter and sleep which is represented in the first layer. Without these nothing else is possible. Once these needs are met we can progress to the next level which consists of a need for feeling safe and secure. We seek safety from others and strive to be in an environment that keeps us safe and free from harm. The third level is our need for love, our desire for acceptance and our need to fit in. At this level we seek out love, friendships and intimacy. The fourth level is our need for esteem, achievement, education and respect. At this level we focus our attention on self-respect and respect from others. We seek information and knowledge through education, strive to make advancements in our careers and work towards an overall higher self-worth. The fifth and final level in the hierarchy is our need for self-actualisation, the need to reach our fullest  potential with complete understanding of ourselves. According to Maslow very few people if any, master this level. Our basic needs (1st level) are essential for our survival. We need to feel safe (2nd level) before we can develop friendships which will give us a sense of belonging (3rd level). Once we have developed friendships we seek the esteem of self and others (4th level). This demonstrates how each layer must be fulfilled before moving up to a higher level. Maslow’s theories are very relevant to child development and care. Based on his hierarchy of needs a child would find it very hard to learn if their basic needs are not being met, for example a hungry or thirsty child would find it difficult to focus their attention to learn as the most basic need must be met first. A simple solution of snack time in between lessons and having drinking water available would help to overcome this problem. Addressing a child’s most basic needs will help them to grow, learn and develop. Social learning Albert Bandura born 1925, an American psychologist Bandura states that behaviour is learned from the environment, i.e. behaviours of others, and then imitated. His famous experiment in 1961 – the Bobo doll study – involved a film being shown of an adult beating up a Bobo doll and shouting aggressive words. This was then shown to a group of children and after watching the film they were allowed to play in the room that held the Bobo doll. All the children began to beat up the doll and were physically and verbally aggressive towards it, even though nurturing toys were available to play with the doll. They were apparently imitating the actions of the adult they had seen in the film. This was seen as an important break away from the behaviourist theory that behaviour is directed by reinforcement or rewards. The children simply copied the adult’s behaviour. They received no encouragement or reward. Bandura’s theories have an influence on current practice today in the form of positive role modelling. Recognition that child carers have a responsibility to demonstrate positive role modelling, as children will often imitate their behaviour. If aggressive behaviour or frustration is exhibited by the adult it is likely to be imitated by the child. Learning  is acquired by observation and imitation. Operant conditioning B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) An American psychologist. Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning can be described as a process that attempts to modify a behaviour through the use of positive and negative reinforcement. The child will make the association between a particular behaviour and a consequence. The fundamental idea behind this is that behaviours that are reinforced will tend to continue while behaviours that are punished will eventually stop. Positive reinforcement is when a desired behaviour is rewarded positively: for example, when a child completes a set task they would receive a positive response e.g. a sticker, positive praise or maybe free play. Negative reinforcement is more about focussing on the negative behaviours that are to be changed and instilling a sanction or removal of a positive event: for example, a child that is continually exhibiting a negative behaviour, such as disobeying house rules will be told that if this behaviour continues they will lose their gaming machine or similar sanction. In summary if we reward good behaviour we expect that behaviour to continue and if we punish negative behaviour we hope that behaviour will cease. Importantly adults using this theory must make sure that they consistently carry out what they have intended otherwise the system becomes completely ineffective. Skinner’s theories are used widely in childcare today, we actively praise children for positive behaviours and for performing actions correctly; additionally we use the ‘time out’ method for negative behaviour. Behaviourist John B Watson (1878-1958) An American psychologist. Watson believed all learning was gradual and continuous. Development is a sequence of specific conditional behaviours with the main emphasis on the environment not heredity. Observable behaviours were considered to be more important rather that internal events such as thinking because external/observable behaviours could be witnessed and monitored. Watson believed that everyone is born as a ‘blank canvas’ and with the same abilities as each other and that they can be taught and trained to become anything they wish to be. Individuals can be trained to behave in a certain  way. He believed all behaviour is a result of the environment and a response. His work was heavily influenced by physiologist Ivan Pavlov who is famous for his theory based on dogs. Pavlov learned that dogs would begin to salivate in response to seeing a care giver in anticipation of food, rather than just in the response of receiving food. He named this response the ‘Classical Conditioning Theory’. It was Watson’s and Pavlov’s ideas which impacted on that of Skinner’s. We use Watson’s theories today by rewarding good behaviour and punishing negative behaviour. Good behaviour in our classrooms today is often rewarded with stickers, privileges or other positive motivators. To discourage negative behaviours often a stepped warning system is used. A system of planned ignoring is beneficial and often used for dealing with attention seeking behaviour. Social pedagogy Social Pedagogy is a framework that influences current practice by creating a holistic way of working with children by seeking to bring together theories and concepts from education, psychology and sociology. It aims to treat the child as a whole, making sure all their needs are met especially those children with additional needs.

Jewish Sexual Ethics Essay

Sexual Ethics are integral to Judaism because they provided direct guidance on how to behave morally and in accordance with the Torah and God. Although, over many years Jews were suffering from persecution, they are currently showing stability which can be attributed to the framework that is outlined through the strong ethics that they uphold. Sexual ethics provide guidance on how to behave morally, righteously and in accordance to the Torah as well as preventing promiscuity, infidelity, immorality and sexual acts which hinder the constancy of Judaism. The teachings on Adultery, homosexuality, contraception and pre-marital sex provide a framework for Jewish conduct through re-iterating the principle beliefs of monogamy, procreation, fidelity and the covenant made between Moses, Abraham and God in a practical manner. Sexually ethical conduct is essential as it promotes behaviour that is respectful, consensual, faithful, morally correct and righteous. Sexually ethical conduct provides Judaism with moral framework for procreation, fidelity and the ability to maintain faith. Adultery is the most valued sexual ethical teaching in Judaism because it breaks the covenant made between Abraham and Moses and defies the principle beliefs of love and fidelity. Adultery directly defies the Jewish belief of love, commitment and the sacred institution of marriage and is immoral because it put in jeopardy the family unit which disintegrates love between partners and inturn breaks honest and trust. In addition to this, as monotheists, Jews believe in fidelity and procreation and adultery damages and destabilises the social framework for Jewish conduct thus providing behaviour that is evil and unethical. The universal condemnation of adultery by Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Liberal Jews indicates that adultery is immoral as it breaks the word of God. The united stance on adultery reflects the value of marriage and this is evident in the Torah where it states, â€Å"Do not commit adultery† in the Ten Commandments. This is further emphasised in the commandment, â€Å"You shall not covet your neighbours wife. † Furthermore, the universal condemnation of adultery by all Jewish variants reflects Jewish beliefs as t protects society from promiscuity, disease and deformed birth which have the potential to jeopardise the framework for Jewish conduct and hence continue the tradition in stability and morality. This results in society being spiritually and ritually clean, also promote the belief of fidelity and honesty, which will inturn encourage Judaism to be moral and stable. Sexually ethical conduct is crucial promotes the beliefs in God’s true intentions; that love was between a man and a woman. In addition to this, the morality and stability of Judaism is affected by the restriction of procreation which comes with the act of homosexuality. The importance of life and procreation is clearly evident in the Jewish stance on homosexuality as Jewish religion and community is against homosexuality, regarding it as sinful, whether gay or lesbian, as it destabilises the framework for Jewish conduct. Homosexuality is not the ideal state in Judaism and is a challenge to the ideal of marriage and family as it inhibits longevity and continuity of the tradition thus destabilising the religion through immoral acts. It is important to note that it is homosexual acts, not homosexual orientations that are forbidden as Judaism focuses on a person’s actions rather than a person’s desires. In addition to this, it defies sodomy, hence promoting the principle beliefs of fidelity and ritual cleanliness. Homosexuality defies the direct word of God to ‘Go forth and multiply’ (Genesis 1:28), because it promotes infidelity, ritual uncleanliness and consequently jeopardising the framework for Jewish conduct. This can be reinforced as stated it Leviticus, â€Å"No man is to have sexual relations with another man, God hates that†. (18:22). Such an act is condemned in the strongest possible terms as it is abhorrent and is punishable by death by the Orthodox Jews. The Orthodox stance on homosexuality can be reinforced as Leviticus states, â€Å"If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death† (20:13). Furthermore, progressive and conservative jews are more likely to accept homosexuality, but those who are homosexual are discouraged from practising and expressing their inclination. The act of homosexuality may not be an ideal state in Judaism but due to modern advancements, is slowly making its way into becoming accepted. Sexually ethical conduct is essential as it allows Jews to follow a framework that has established the belief in the need for procreation. The act of spilling seed directly defies and destabilises the belief in procreation and the right to bear children with your partner. In addition to this, the act of contraception defies the mitzvah to marry, procreate and have children. The methods of contraception allowed under Jewish law are those that don’t damage the sperm or prevent it from getting to the intended destination, such as contraceptive pill. This is because the Tenakh states that God wanted humans to populate the earth. The religious view on birth control is based on the principle that it is a commandment to marry and have children and it is forbidden to â€Å"waste seed†. This law is based on the story of Onan (Gen 38:8-10) who was killed by God for practicing coitus interruptus as a means of birth control. Contraception also interferes with procreation, taught in the first commandment of the Torah; â€Å"Be fruitful and multiply†. Furthermore, reformed and liberal Jews allow birth control for a large number of reasons, such a reason may be when the pregnancy may in anyway harm the carrier of the baby. However, Orthodox Jews are more restrictive and believe that contraception shouldn’t be used for selfish reasons or to completely avoid having children. Through this sexual ethical teaching, Judaism has been able to maintain a framework by which it can remain in a righteous and unwavering state. Sexually ethical conduct is fundamental to the stability and morality of Judaism as it provides guidelines to the correct way to treat marriage and the fact that it is disrespectful to defy the belief in love and marriage. In additions to this, acts that defy love are considered insolent and go against the moral framework that guides Judaism. Judaism believes in the importance of marriage in the development and completeness of the human being and that a person must take responsibility for the partner and relationships must continue. Thus, Judaism doesn’t permit sexual relations between partners prior to marriage, as a sexual act itself is such a powerful force in defining a relationship. A sexual failure can destroy a relationship despite prior declarations of love. The only way to ensure that there will be some degree of responsibility after sex through the act of marriage. In the Torah, the word used for sex means â€Å"to know†, which indicates that Jews believed sex involved the heart and mind as well as the body. The divine idea that a man and woman are to become â€Å"one flesh† (Gen 2:24), indicated sacred elements presents, the sexual act symbolising the union of those created in God’s image. Thus, all strains of Judaism view sex as permissible only within the sanctity of marriage. This view enables Judaism to remain honest and secure because of the framework that they follow. To conclude, Sexual Ethics are vital to Judaism because they provided direct guidance on how to behave morally and in accordance with the Torah and God. Sexual ethics as demonstrated and described in the Torah include Adultery, Homosexuality, Contraception and Pre-marital sex. Each of these plays a pivotal role in providing a framework for the conduct that Jews must follow to ensure that the tradition may continue in stability and morality.

Mark McMinn, the author of the book Psychology Essay

Theology and Spirituality, did an excellent job discussing the aspects of psychology, theology and spirituality, and how they can be integrated by a Counselor. Each chapter opened with a real life example of what it would be like to not properly integrate psychology, theology and spirituality. Christian counselors are charged to incorporate spirituality in their personal lives and properly display these same practices with their clients. Christian counselors are individuals who seek and successfully become trained in counseling theories and techniques as well as theology practices such as using prayer and scripture. â€Å"This type of training can rarely be accomplished in the classroom. But it calls us to lives of spiritual discipline and a personal love for scripture† (McMinn, 2011, p. 139). According to McMinn, the goals of Christian counseling are multi-faceted (McMinn, 2011). Most counseling maps are focused on mental health. McMinn (2011) presented a healing map. This map displayed the link between self-sufficiency, brokenness and the healing relationship and how they relate to the core foundations; prayer, scripture, sin, confessions, forgiveness and redemption. Effective counselors are passionate and irrepressible in the walk with God. McMinn also cautions counselors on the limitations and challenges they will face in counseling. Each section discussed one core foundation. McMinn not only discussed these topics in depth, he also related them to the healing map by answering these three questions; Will this help establish a healthy sense of self? Will this help establish a healthy sense of need? And will this help establish a healing relationship? (McMinn, 2011). McMinn discussed the true purpose that self-sufficiency served and pointed out that this purpose was greatly corrupted, leading to the brokenness that requires a healing relationship. Self-sufficiency is our freedom to love and be kind. When we take this freedom too far, we end up having to face consequences that can have lasting effects, with the absence of a healing relationship. Brokenness not only causes us to seek counseling, but it draws us nearer to God and this in turn allows a true healing relationship to begin (McMinn, 2011). The foundations that McMinn discussed; prayer, scripture, confession of sin, forgiveness and redemptions, are all needed to properly devise therapy that will have actual results. When a counselor uses prayer in their session, it  enhances the client’s spiritual growth which also strengthens their faith (McMinn, 2011). â€Å"When we pray we humble ourselves and ask to become a partner in knowing and doing God’s will† (McMinn, 2011, p.85). When scripture is applied in counseling, it not only teaches the client how to understand it, but how to incorporate it in their lives, further strengthening their relationshi p with God. Scripture also helps the client recognize and understand sin. The realization of sin, helps the client understand why they are suffering and that there is real hope to overcome the suffering when they overcome sin. After acknowledging their sin, the client can now accept forgiveness and mercy. When the client is competent in acknowledging their sin and accepting mercy, they are not capable of establishing a sense of self (McMinn, 2011). The best part of the process is redemption. Redemption allows the counselor to honestly look at each core foundation with the client. Redemption provides that mirror of change and the growth to overcome obstacles in the future. Concrete Response Reference McMinn, M. R. (2011). Psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian counseling (Rev. ed.). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House

Case History on Best Buy

Best Buy, Inc. Case Study: Case History Clayton Bender, Justin Swanson, Kaitlyn Krause, Michelle Chambers, Elmon Tanielian Company Background: Best Buy Co. , Inc. operates as a multinational retailer of consumer electronics within the services industry. Founded in 1966 under the name Sound of Music, Inc. , Best Buy underwent a name change in 1988. It was founded by Mr. Richard M. Schulze and is headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Best Buy operates under a Board of Directors but is a publicly traded company owned by stockholders.The company operates retail stores and call centers and conducts online retail operations under a range of brand names such as Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, The CarPhone Warehouse, Five Star, Future Shop, Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales and The Phone House. Best Buy is the 11th largest online retailer worldwide and ranks #468 on the Forbes Global 2000 (Global 2000 Leading Companies, 2012). The mission of Best Buy, though not directly outlined a s such, can be summed up by a quote from the CEO. Our formula is simple: we’re a growth company focused on better solving the unmet needs of our customers—and we rely on our employees to solve those puzzles. Thanks for stopping† (About. com). Best Buy’s vision is, â€Å"To make a meaningful and lasting impact on the quality of life in the countries and communities we serve. † Best Buy has four primary values that govern decision-making processes; unleash the power of our people, learn from challenges and change, show respect, humility and integrity, and have fun while being the best (Code of Business Ethics, 2013).Best Buy’s Market Philosophy: Best Buy operates in all 50 states, districts and territories within the United States. Various brand names under the Best Buy Inc. umbrella exist throughout the geographic area including Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video and Pacific Sales (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). In the US alone, Best Buy reaches nearly 1 billion consumers each year in stores, on BestBuy. com and on m. BestBuy. com or the mobile shopping website. Out of the $165 billion per year spent on electronics in the U. S. , more than 6% of that is at Best Buy —ahead of Wal-Mart Stores (12%), Amazon. com (5%), Costco (3. 5), and Target (2. 5%) (On Best Buy Media Network, 2011). Within the domestic market, store development is aimed at multi-channel retail points of presence that focus on a given local environment, while simultaneously decreasing overall store square footage. To do this, the company anticipates closing approximately 50 large format U. S. Best Buy branded stores in fiscal year 2013 to explore other options, as well as downsizing to appeal to increasingly popular online shopping trends.They have also decided to close all Best Buy branded stores in the UK, Turkey, and China. They instead chose to focus their attention on their Five Star branded stores in China, and their Car Phone Warehouse, and Phone House stores in Europe. Best Buy’s international market is comprised of operations in Canada (Best  Buy, Best  Buy Mobile, Cell Shop, Connect Pro, Future Shop and Geek Squad), Europe (The CarPhone Warehouse, The Phone House and Geek Squad), China (Five Star), and Mexico (Best Buy and Geek Squad) (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012).These varied brands allow the company to include several lines of consumer retail products such as mobile phone products, entertainment products, appliances and related services that are tailored to appeal to each niche market. In 2012, international markets generated 26% of Best Buy’s revenue (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). In the Canadian market, Best Buy is the fastest-growing specialty retailer and â€Å"e-tailer† of consumer electronics, PCs, and entertainment software.Best Buy focuses on children and communities, attempting to â€Å"help youth develop their skill set, discover their talents, and sustain a las ting interest in education† (About Us, 2013). Best Buy has decided to close their large-format Best Buy branded stores in China, Turkey, and the United Kingdom in order to reach areas that offer the best growth opportunity to particular locations (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Competitive Environment: Best Buy’s competitors range between online retailers (Amazon), big box retailers (Target and Wal-Mart), club stores (Sam’s Club and Costco), pecialty electronic retailers (Apple), and home improvement stores (Home Depot and Lowes). Some Best Buy rivals compete purely on price, while others compete on experience. Best Buy believes that online retailers will have their price advantage reduced as state governments around the country re-evaluate sales tax laws that allow some online competitors to offer lower prices. Additionally to combat price wars Best Buy also has price matching policies for other brick and mortar retailers and during this last holiday shopping seaso n even matched some online retailers’ prices (Best Buy to Match Online Prices, 2012).With the elimination of Best Buy’s biggest rival, Circuit City, they are left to focus on competitors such as Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Home Depot. None of these stores compete directly with Best Buy in every segment, but each of them offers products that compete directly with Best Buy. As shown in Exhibit 1, while Best Buy does compete with Home Depot and Lowes, the effect of appliances on Best Buy’s sales is quite small, accounting for only 5% of sales in 2011.Because there are no stores which offer a value proposition exactly like Best Buy, it presents a problem when analyzing financial statements of Best Buy’s main competitors (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). See Exhibits 2-5 for detailed copies of Amazon and Wal-Mart financial statements. Trends- Best Buy competes in the electronics stores and consumer electronics industries. The industry overall is heading into new territor y as online shopping continues to take over the market. Recently, traditional big box stores such as Best Buy have been threatened by an increase in online consumption tendencies.Often, consumers will use stores such as Best Buy as a showroom to test new products, make a purchase decision, but then go home and find a cheaper price online. With many established, online retailers of consumer electronics on the web, retailers must find a new way to attract customers. The various methods of promotional channels such as large and small structured stores, websites, and kiosks, are all ways the company is tailoring to the market they are attempting to reach. Marketing: Products and Services- Best Buy specializes in technological goods and services.This includes home office, consumer electronics, appliances, and entertainment software. Best Buy is an ideally suited ‘one-stop-shop’. Best Buy offers Geek Squad Technical Support to consumers to aid with any difficulties or defects , to ensure customer happiness, and build loyalty. Also offered is a low-price-guarantee, where Best Buy will match the price if you find a lower price on an identical available product at a local retail competitor's store, a local Best Buy retail store or BestBuy. com (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012).As Best Buy is not a manufacturer of unique products, the main differentiating factors would be their low-price-guarantee and the in-home service â€Å"The Geek Squad†, which offers personalized technical support. In addition, there are many products that are exclusive to Best Buy, such as certain televisions, video games, and computer devices. Distribution- Best Buy sells products through both its 1,103 retail locations and their website bestbuy. com. Domestic Distribution- Inside the U. S. , most Best Buy products are shipped directly from the manufacturers to the regional distribution centers.The exceptions to this method are large TV’s and appliances which are shipped from producers to specific satellite warehouses in each major market. In certain cases, where release dates play a large role in a product, the item will go directly from the producer to individual Best Buy stores (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Products purchased online are either picked up in store, or shipped directly to consumers via the same regional distribution centers the stores receive their products from. International Distribution-In Europe, Best Buy’s two small cell phone stores have their products shipped from manufacturers to regional distribution centers and then to the stores. Individual stores hold only immediate stock requirements while distribution centers hold additional merchandise. Best Buy stores in Canada and Mexico follow the distribution method used in the U. S. (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Promotion- The customer base is primarily centered on high income earners (75,000+), 24-54 aged males who have children (ad example targeting this listed in exhibit 6).B est Buy shoppers are viewed as mobile, technically savvy, advanced digital users, who are highly engaged in learning about technology as well as encourage their children to learn about technology, too (On Best Buy Media Network, 2011) (promotion example targeting this listed in exhibit 7). Including selling, general and administrative expenses, promotional costs were $995,000,000 in fiscal year 2012, $862,000,000 in 2011, and $709,000,000 in 2010 (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012).Best Buy has traditionally focused on media involving print, television, large-scale events, and is now shifting gears more towards digital advertising for promotional efforts due to consumer changes in shopping habits. Best Buy spends most of the promotional budget during the holiday season in response to high sales during Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). A detailed list of quarterly expenses can be found in exhibit 8. One of the largest and most expensive prom otional efforts undertaken by Best Buy is the commercial segments aired during the Super Bowl.Best Buy has utilized this tactic for the past three years. In 2011, the commercial featured the celebrities Justin Bieber and Ozzy Osbourne. In 2012, it featured mobile innovations such as Instagram and the popular game, Angry Birds. For this upcoming Super Bowl, Best Buy will feature the comedian Amy Poehler. These are significant decisions considering this year’s thirty-second ad placement cost $4 million and is projected to reach over 100 million viewers (The Associated Press, 2013). Leadership:Best Buy’s Board of Directors, elected by the shareholders, is responsible for overseeing the business and affairs in order to manage the long-term interests of the company (Best Buy, Inc. , 2013). The Board of Directors is in charge of selecting and evaluating the performance of senior executives. There are four distinct committees structured within the Board: Audit Committee, Comp ensation and Human Resources Committee, Finance and Investment Policy Committee, and Nominating, Corporate Governance, and Public Policy Committee.A detailed visual of the organizational structure can be viewed in exhibit 9. Organizational Culture: Traditionally, Best Buy has been known for enforcing strict policies and encouraging employees to work overtime. In 2003, however, the corporate culture was radically changed to a system designed by two of the company’s own human resource department employees, Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson (Brandon, 2007). This system, known as ROWE or the results-only-work-environment, allows personnel to come and go as they please.Many corporate employees have no official office or work schedule. Similar systems have become popular in the advanced technical industry, including companies such as IBM, but no such corporate culture existed in a large retail company before Best Buy. The system is working to meet their goals, as employee turnover dec reased drastically after implementation. However, recently, employee satisfaction has suffered as a result of a decrease in company profitability (Conlin, 2006). Stakeholders:The primary stakeholders are the stockholders; the individuals that have an active interest in the company’s successes and failures because their personal investments are directly impacted. Additional stakeholders include employees (who rely on the company to stay in business and guarantee their employment), consumers (who depend on the products and services of the company), and the surrounding community which Best Buy is committed to serving in their values. Currently, a general concern of stakeholders is the increasingly competitive nature of the of the electronic retail market.With e-retail and internet stores becoming more significant players in the market place, Best Buy seems to have become a place of research and testing by the consumer, rather than actual purchasing. Stakeholders are calling for innovative and differentiating factors to emerge for Best Buy to remain a key player in the consumer electronic market. In addition, as typical of most companies, the stakeholders of Best Buy want increased sales and profit margins, to hopefully lead to increased stock prices as well. Financials: Balance Sheet-Best Buy currently has approximately $16 Billion in assets, $12 Billion in liabilities, and $3 Billion in stockholder equity. Over the past three years, total assets and stockholder equity have been decreasing while total liabilities have been increasing. (Best Buy Balance Sheet) A detailed balance sheet can be found in exhibit 10. Income Statements- Best Buy had a loss in net income during FY 2012 of $1. 2 billion compared to net earnings of $1. 3 billion in 2011. A detailed balance sheet can be found in exhibit 11. Objectives ; Performance Strategy:Best Buy competes in a competitive retail industry constantly affected by the current state of the economy and consumer confiden ce. Such an industry presents difficulty in predicting consumer behaviors and corresponding sales. These tough times have forced Best Buy to begin transforming the company and hone in on strategies they believe will â€Å"offer the best opportunities to improve returns† (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Best Buy has committed to focusing on four main initiatives all revolving around that transformation and improving financial performance. Multi-year Cost Reductions-Best Buy aims to lower the cost structure of various areas of their business through improvements in efficiency as well as current investments designed to provide long term earnings benefits. These changes will include closing 50 of their large, brick-and-mortar stores within fiscal year 2013. In addition they aim to decrease the costs of goods sold as well as reduction in corporate and support structures (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). U. S. Store Format Improvements- Best Buy will be revising their store formats in order to â€Å"increase points of presence, while decreasing overall square footage†.These changes will occur through increasing the number of their Best Buy Mobile stand-alone stores, decreasing their large-format stores, and to remodel key market Best Buy stores into their smaller, leaner, â€Å"Connected Stores (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Growth Initiatives- Best Buy will execute growth initiatives in e-commerce, connections, services, and China. They will approach growth in e-commerce with â€Å"more competitive online pricing, broader use of free shipping, the expansion of our online assortment, and further development of Best Buy Marketplace†.There will be a focus on increasing all mobile connection expertise, all product services, and store locations in China. Improved Customer Experience- Best Buy believes that they differentiate themselves from competitors through careful and persistent attention to the experiences their customers have. Through programs such as t heir â€Å"Perfect Match Promise† which provides customers with a 30 day period of full technical support, hassle-free returns, and competitor price matching as well as their Reward Zone loyalty programs, they desire to provide their customers with an incomparable experience as they shop at Best Buy.Finally, Best Buy aims to increase their enhanced training for employees in order to meet these customer service goals (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012). Works Cited Global 2000 Leading Companies. (2012, April). Retrieved from Forbes: http://www. forbes. com/companies/best-buy/ Best Buy Balance Sheet. (n. d. ). Retrieved from Yahoo Finance: http://finance. yahoo. com/q/bs? s=BBY+Balance+Sheet;annual Best Buy Income Statement. (n. d. ). Retrieved from Yahoo Finance: http://finance. yahoo. com/q/is? s=BBY+Income+Statement;annual Best Buy, Inc. (2011, January 23).On Best Buy Media Network. Retrieved from Best Buy Media Kit: http://www. bestbuymediakit. com/assets/files/Media_Kit_Presentati on. pdf Best Buy, Inc. (2012). Best Buy 10k Report. Richfield: Best Buy. Best Buy, Inc. (2013, January 22). About Us. Retrieved from Best Buy Canada: http://www. bestbuy. ca/en-CA/about-best-buy-canada. aspx? path=9825360f7559258208ae2438cb28c580en99 Best Buy, Inc. (2013, January 22). Code of Business Ethics. Retrieved from Ethics Point: https://secure. ethicspoint. com/domain/media/en/gui/32565/code. html? 3 Brandon, J. (2007, April 4).Rethinking the Time Clock. Retrieved from CNN Money: http://money. cnn. com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2007/03/01/8401022/index. htm Conlin, M. (2006, December 10). Smashing the Clock. Retrieved from Bloomberg Businessweek Magazine: http://www. businessweek. com/stories/2006-12-10/smashing-the-clock Kerrigan, H. (2012, April). Results-Only Work Environment Goes Public Sector. Retrieved from Governing: http://www. governing. com/topics/public-workforce/gov-results-only-work-environment-goes-public-sector. html The Associated Press. (2013, J anuary 22).Best Buy Super Bowl branding spot will focus on humor, enlists Amy Poehler. The Washington Post, p. 1. Zimmerman, A. (2012, 10 12). Best Buy to Match Online Prices. Wall Street Journal. Exhibit 1: Best Buy’s Domestic Sales Allocation (Best Buy 10k Report, 2012) Exhibit 2: AMZN Income Statement Exhibit 3: AMZN Balance Sheet Exhibit 4: WMT Income Statement Exhibit 5: WMT Balance Sheet Exhibit 6: Promotional Ad Example Promotional Ad Source Exhibit 7: Promotion Example-Scholarship Program Promotion Example-Scholarship Program Source Exhibit 8: US Promotional Focuses Broken Down in Quarters On Best Buy Media Network, 2011) Exhibit 9: Organizational Chart Exhibit 10: BBY Balance Sheet Exhibit 11: BBY Income Statement Here are my thoughts†¦ The purpose of this Case History is to provide data for the next document, the Case Analysis. You should examine your Case History to ensure that it contains sufficient data for a complete Strategic Analysis—an Environment Analysis and a Company Analysis. For example, do you have sufficient data to conduct a PEST Analysis? Do you have sufficient data for conducting a complete Competitive Forces Analysis?On page 5, you do not provide data under the heading of â€Å"Leadership†. On a more comprehensive scale, does the Case History tell the story of Best Buy, or is the Case History a collection of different pieces of data? Does the sequence of the data facilitate a story? From the Heading â€Å"Balance Sheet Analysis† to the end of the document’s text, you seem to be presenting an analysis. The purpose of the Case History, though, is to present data. The analysis should be saved for the next document, the Case Analysis. Midnight- Sunday, February 3rd Other points to Add: 5 Forces Model Highlights: Risk of Entry by competitors- * Low everyone is in that wants to be * Intensity of Rivalry * High * Bargaining power of buyers * High price and experience dictate where we go * Bargaining power of suppliers * Low buyers took control * Closeness of substitutes * No idea what a substitute would be †¦ * Power of complement providers * †¦ PEST Analysis: * Political * * Economic * disposable income levels affect the amount people want to spend on these goods * Social * Trending products * Technological * whoever continues to provide/produce the newest gadgets