Origins of World War I Essay Example for Free

Origins of World War I Essay The World War I fought between 1914 and 1918, is considered the largest of any war in human history and ever since, many refer it as the Great War. It was a culmination of activities and competition across European nations. It’s estimated that 14 million people lost their lives on the First World War. The causes of the World War I were complicated which includes; 1. Imperialism- The scramble for Africa and some other parts of Asia for raw materials by European countries led to a competition and this pushed the world into the World War I. 2. Defense alliances-most countries all over Europe had formed defense agreements that if one country was attacked, allied countries would join and fight back. For example when Hungary declared war on Serbia, Russia joined to defend Serbia and German started to attack Russia. 3. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand from Hungary and his wife in June 1914 by a Serbian national is considered to be an immediate cause. It took place in Sarajevo, Bosnia and which was part of Hungary. This was followed by protests as Serbia wanted to take control of Bosnia then Hungary declared war on Serbia leading to an expansion of the war trough the mutual defense alliances. It’s not exactly known which country was responsible for the war though Germany is strongly believed to be responsible for the out break of the war. Through the Schlieffen plan German was supposed first to invade France through Belgium then Russia before it had mobilized. Germany was also a major partner in the triple alliance and it’s perceived that Hungary would not have risked war with Serbia without full backing of Germany through the blank check given on 6th, june1914. However, on the other hand the war started first as conflict between Hungary and Serbia after the assassin of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife in Hungary. In all fairness historians argue that all senior powers were responsible for war. In conclusion, other than trade, peace alliances and coalitions between nations should be formed and promoted to foster peace and understanding. This will prevent t an out break of another war. References Henig Ruth, 2002, The Origins of the First World War, Routledge.

Role of Derivatives on Financial Products

Role of Derivatives on Financial Products Title: Derivatives are now a well established part of every financial institutions financially engineered products. Discuss, in depth, the role that derivatives are playing in financial products/portfolios and the risks that they remove (and create) Introduction Past three decades have witnessed an expansion in global trade and continuing technological developments. This has resulted in an increase in market volatility and enlargement of business and financial risks and has led to an increase in demand for risk management products. The types of risks faced by corporations today have not changed; rather, they have become more complex and interrelated. The increase in demand for risk management products and the complexity of risks is reflected in the growth of spectrum of financial contracts called derivatives. Derivatives are now a well established part of every financial institution’s financially engineered products. Derivatives have become an integral part of the financial markets because they can serve several economic functions. Though there has been an incredible growth in the derivative market, there has also been an increase in reports of major losses associated with derivative products. For example, derivatives led to a collapse of Barings Bank (the Queen of England’s primary bank), bankruptcy of Orange County California and also had a role in the fall of Enron. All this has resulted in a great deal of confusion about effectiveness of derivatives in risk management. What are Derivatives? Derivatives are complex instruments that have become increasingly important to the overall risk profile and profitability of organisations throughout the world. Broadly defined, derivatives are contracts that primarily derive their value from the performance of underlying assets. Derivatives contracts are entered into throughout the world on organised exchanges and through over-the-counter (OTC) arrangements. Types of Derivatives Derivatives come in various shapes and forms such as futures1, forwards2, swaps3, options4, structured debt obligations and deposits, and various combinations thereof. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1Futures are contracts to buy or sell specific quantities of a commodity or financial instrument at a specified price at a specified time in the future. 2A forward contract obligates one party to buy the underlying at a fixed price at a certain future date from a counterparty, who is obligated to sell the underlying at that fixed price. (Source: Demystifying Financial derivatives, Rene A Stulz) 3A swap is a contract to exchange cash flows over a specific period. 4An option can be a call option or a put option. A call option on a stock gives its holder the right to buy a fixed number of shares at a given price by some future date, while a put option gives its holder the right to sell a fixed number of shares on the same terms. Benefits of Derivatives Derivatives are put to three key uses: Hedging by entering into derivatives transactions for offsetting existing risks. The existing risks could be an investment portfolio, price changes of a commodity or perhaps investments in a foreign country. Derivatives make it possible to hedge risks that otherwise would be not be possible to hedge. Speculating through hedge funds to generate profits with only a insignificant investment, essentially by putting money on the movement of an asset. Exploiting Arbitrage opportunities throughout the world markets. Thus, risk management is one of the primary purposes of derivatives. Role of Derivatives in Risk Management As indicated above, derivatives are important tools that can help organisations meet their specific risk-management objectives. Derivatives allow organisations to break up their risks and distribute them around the financial system through secondary markets. Thus, derivatives help organisations in risk management. Risk management is not about the removal of risk but is about its management. An organisation can manage its risks by selectively choosing those risks it is comfortable with and minimising those that it does not want. Through derivatives, risks from traditional instruments can be effectively unpackaged and managed independently. If managed properly derivatives can help businesses save costs and increase returns. In addition, derivatives make underlying markets more efficient. Derivative markets produce information which at time is the only reliable information available to base critical business decisions on. For example, reliable information about long-term interest rates can be obtained from swaps, because the swap market may be more liquid and more active than the bond market. Using Derivatives Many organisations use derivatives conservatively to counterbalance risks from fluctuating currency and interest rates. Individuals and firms use derivatives to achieve payoffs that they would not be able to achieve without derivatives, or could only achieve at greater cost. Derivatives are used by both financial and non-financial institutions and organisations. Financial organisations use derivatives both as risk management tools and also as a source of revenue. From a risk management perspective, derivatives allow financial institutions to identify, segregate and manage separately the market risks in financial instruments and commodities. Cautious use of derivatives provides managers with effective risk reducing opportunities through hedging. Derivatives may also be used to reduce financing costs and to increase the yield of certain assets. In addition, derivatives are a direct source of revenue through market-making functions, position taking and risk arbitrage to most of the financial organizations (source: http://www.bis.org/publ/bcbsc211.pdf). Derivatives are used by non-financial organisations for hedging and for minimising earnings volatility. For example, derivatives are used to hedgeinterest-rate risks. If the company strongly believes that interest rates will drop between now and a future date, it could purchase a futures contract. By doing so, the company is effectively locking in the future interest rate. Similarly, companies that depend heavily on raw-material inputs or commodities are sensitive, sometimes significantly, to the price change of the inputs. For example, most airlines use derivatives for hedging against crude-oil price. Some firms use derivatives to reduce tax liability and at times to speculate. Risks Associated with Derivatives Although derivatives are legitimate and valuable tools for hedging risks, like all financial instruments they create risks that must be managed. Warren Buffett, one of the worlds most wise investors, states that â€Å"derivatives are financial weapons of mass destruction, carrying dangers that, while now latent, are potentially lethal.† (Source: Gabriel Kolko, Weapons of Mass Financial Destruction) On one hand derivatives neutralise risks while on the other hand they create risks. In fact there are certain risks inherent in derivatives. Derivatives can be dangerous if not managed properly. Numerous financial disasters such as Enron can be related to the mismanagement of derivatives. In the 1990s, Procter Gamble lost $157 million in a currency speculation involving dollars and German Marks, Gibson Greetings lost $20 million and Long-Term Capital Management, a hedge fund, lost $4 billion with currency and interest-rate derivatives (Source: Ludger Hentschel and Clifford W. Smith, Jr., Risks in Derivative Markets) . It is key to consider that it has not been the use of derivatives as a tool which has led to the downfall of these companies but the misuse of such instruments. The kinds of risks associated with derivatives are no different from those associated with traditional financial instruments, although they can be far more complex. Different derivatives have different risk profiles. For some derivatives though the risk may be limited, the profit potential may be unlimited. For example, the risk of loss with a derivative contract which grants a right to buy a particular asset at a particular price is limited to the amount paid to hold that right. However, profit potential is unlimited. On the other hand there are certain other derivatives that exhibit risk characteristics in which while potential gain is limited, the losses associated with the derivative is unlimited. For example, a derivative contract which grants the right to buy a particular asset at a particular price may have the associated potential profit limited to the amount received for giving that right, but because the asset has to be delivered to the counterparty at expiry of the contrac t, the potential loss may be unlimited. Most of the risk of derivatives is due to the complexity of the structure of the derivative instruments. Apart from the structure of the instrument itself, the source of a lot of the risk associated with derivative contracts arises from the fact that they are leveraged contracts. Derivative products are ‘leveraged’ because only a proportion of their total market exposure needs to be paid to open and maintain a position. Thus, the market exposure with derivative contracts can be several times the cash placed on deposit as margin for the trade, or paid in the form of a premium. Derivative contracts also have the ability to create artificial wealth and this creates additional risk. The artificial wealth skews the values of underlying assets considerably. Fundamentally, risks from derivatives originate with the customer and are a function of the timing and variability of cash flows. Types of Risks Associated with Derivatives In general, the risks associated with derivatives can be classified as credit risk, market risk, price risk, liquidity risk, operations risk, legal or compliance risk, foreign exchange rate risk, interest rate risk, and transaction risk. These categories are not mutually exclusive. Credit risk Derivatives are subject to credit risk or the risk to earnings or capital due to obligor’s failure to meet the terms of a contract. Credit risk arises from all activities that can only be accomplished on counterparty, issuer, or borrower’s performance. Credit risk in derivative products comes in the form of pre-settlement risk and settlement risk. Derivatives are exposed to pre-settlement credit risk or loss due to failure to pay on a contract during the life of a transaction by the counterparty. This credit risk exposure consists of both the replacement cost of the derivative transaction or its market value and an estimate of the future replacement cost of the derivative. Even out-of-the-money derivative contracts have potential pre-settlement credit risk. Derivatives are also subject to settlement risk or loss exposure arising when an organisation meets its obligation under a contract before the counterparty meets its obligation. Settlement risk generally exists for one to two days from the time an outgoing payment instruction can no longer be cancelled unilaterally until the time the final incoming payment is received and reconciled. This risk is due to the fact that it is almost impractical to arrange simultaneous payment and delivery in the ordinary course of business. In the case of international transactions settlement risk may arise because of time zone differences. This risk is usually greater than pre-settlement risk on any given transaction. Market risk Derivatives are also subject to market risk Market risk or risk due to unfavorable movements in the level or volatility of market prices. Market risk results from exposures to changes in the price of the underlying cash instrument and to changes in interest rates. Though market risk can be created or hedged by derivatives such as future or swap in a clear-cut manner, it is not so simple in the case of options. This is because the value of an option is also affected by other factors, including the volatility of the price of the underlying instrument and the passage of time. In addition, all trading activities are affected by market liquidity and by local or world political and economic events. Price Risk Price risk is an extension of the market risk. Price risk is the risk to earnings or capital arising from changes in the value of portfolios of financial instruments. The degree of price risk of derivatives depends on the price sensitivity of the derivative instrument and the time it takes to liquidate or offset the position. Price sensitivity is generally greater for instruments with leverage, longer maturities, or option features. Price Risk can result from adverse change in equity prices or commodity prices or basis risk. The exposure from an adverse change in equity prices can be either systematic or unsystematic risk. As equity markets can be more volatile than other financial markets equity derivatives can experience larger price fluctuations than other derivatives. Commodity derivatives usually expose an institution to higher levels of price risk because of the price volatility associated with uncertainties about supply and demand and the concentration of market participants in the underlying cash markets. Price risk may take the form of basis risk or the risk that the correlation between two prices may change. Liquidity risk All organisations involved in derivatives face liquidity risks. Liquidity risk is the risk to earnings or capital from an organisation’s inability to meet its obligations when they are due, without incurring unacceptable losses. This risk includes the inability to manage unplanned decreases or changes in funding sources. An organisation involved in derivatives faces two types of liquidity risk in its derivatives activities: one related to specific products or markets or market liquidity risk and the other related to the general funding of the institution’s derivatives activities or funding risk. Market Liquidity Risk Market liquidity risk is the risk that an organisation may not be able to exit or offset positions easily at a reasonable price at or near the previous market price because of inadequate market depth or because of disruptions in the marketplace. In dealer markets, market depth is indicated by the size of the bid/ask spread that the financial instrument provides. Similarly, market disruptions may be created by a sudden and extreme imbalance in the supply and demand for products. Market liquidity risk may also result from the difficulties faced by the organisation in accessing markets because of its own or counterparty’s real or perceived credit or reputation problems. In addition, this risk also involves the odds that large derivative transactions may have a significant effect on the transaction price. Funding Liquidity Risk Funding liquidity risk is the possibility that the organisation may be unable to meet funding requirements at a reasonable cost. Such funding requirements arise each day from cash flow mismatches in swap books, the exercise of options, and the implementation of dynamic hedging strategies. The rapid growth of derivatives in recent years has focused increasing attention on the cash flow impact of such instruments. Operations risk Like other financial instruments, derivatives are also subject to operations risk or risks due to deficiencies in information systems or internal controls. The risk is associated with human error, system failures and inadequate procedures and controls. In the case of certain derivatives, operations risk may get aggravated due to complexity of derivative transactions, payment structures and calculation of their values. . Legal or compliance risk Derivative transactions face risk to earnings or capital due to violations, or nonconformance with laws, rules, regulations, prescribed practices, or ethical standards. The risk also arises when the laws or rules governing certain derivative instruments may be ambiguous. Compliance risk exposes an organisation involved in derivatives to fines, civil money penalties, payment of damages, and the voiding of contracts. Besides, legal and compliance risk may adversely affect reputation, business opportunities and expansion potential of the organisation. Foreign Exchange Rates Risk Derivatives traded in the international markets are also exposed to risk of adverse changes in foreign exchange rates. Foreign exchange rates are very volatile. Foreign exchange risk is also known as translation risk. Foreign exchange rates risk in derivatives is the risk to earnings arising from movement of foreign exchange rates. This risk is a function of spot foreign exchange rates and domestic and foreign interest rates. It arises from holding foreign-currency-denominated derivatives such as structured notes, synthetic investments, structured deposits, and off-balance-sheet derivatives used to hedge accrual exposures. Interest Rate Risk Interest rate risk is the risk to earnings or capital arising from movements in interest rates. The magnitude of interest rate risk faced by derivatives from an adverse change in interest rates depends on the sensitivity of the derivative to changes in interest rates as well as the absolute change in interest rates. The evaluation of interest rate risk must consider the impact of complex illiquid hedging strategies or products, and also the potential impact on fee income that is sensitive to changes in interest rates. When trading is separately managed, this impact is on structural positions rather than trading portfolios. Financial organisations are exposed to interest rate risk through their structural balance sheet positions. Transaction risk Another risk associated with derivatives is transaction risk. In fact transaction risk exists in all products and services. Transaction risk is the risk to earnings or capital arising from problems with service or product delivery. This risk is a function of internal controls, information systems, employee integrity, and operating processes. Derivative activities can pose challenging operational risks because of their complexity and continual evolution. Thus, derivatives are subject to various technical risks. The problems surrounding the use of derivatives in recent years have primarily been due to difficulty in understanding these risks and thus using appropriate derivatives for risk management purposes. Derivative use is sometimes misunderstood because, depending on the terms of derivative it may be used to increase, modify, or decrease risk. In addition to the technical risks highlighted herein, there may also be a fundamental risk that the use of these products may be inconsistent with entity-wide objectives. Conclusion Derivatives will continue to be an important business tool for managing an organisation’s risk management. In fact the significance of derivatives is expected to increase with the development of new derivative products that refine and improve the ability to achieve risk management and other objectives. However, it is important that organisation’s using derivatives for risk management completely understand the nature and risks of derivatives. This requires effective control is critical to any well-managed derivative operation. References: Aristotle, Politics, trans. Benjamin Jowett, vol. 2, The Great Books of the Western World, ed. Robert Maynard Hutchins (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1952), book 1, chap. 11, p. 453. Bodie, Cane and Marcus (2005), Investments (6th Edition), McGraw Hill. Bodie, Cane and Marcus (2005), Investments (6th Edition), www. highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072861789/student_view0 [Accessed 30 December 2006] Corporate Use of Derivatives for Hedging http://www.investopedia.com/articles/stocks/04/122204.asp [Accessed 30 December 2006] Frank A. Sortino Stephen E. Satchell, Managing downside risk in financial markets: Theory, Practice and Implementation Gabriel Kolko, Weapons of Mass Financial Destruction, http://mondediplo.com/2006/10/02finance [Accessed 31 December 2006] Internal Control Issues in Derivatives Usage www.coso.org/publications/executive_summary_derivatives_usage.htm [Accessed 31 December, 2006] Kenneth A. Froot, David S. Scharfstein, and Jeremy C. Stein, A Framework for Risk Management, Harvard Business Review, November-December 1994, pp. 91-102. Ludger Hentschel and Clifford W. Smith, Jr., Risks in Derivative Markets, http://fic.wharton.upenn.edu/fic/papers/96/9624.pdf [Accessed 30 December 2006] Market Risk Derivatives, Hedge Funds Challenge Financial Regulators, http://www.ieca.net/news/story.cfm?id=13754 [Accessed 30 December 2006] Rene A Stulz, Demystifying Financial Derivatives, www.cornerstone.com/pdfs/Cornerstone_Research_Demystifying_Financial_Derivatives.pdf Risk Management Guidelines for Derivatives, http://www.bis.org/publ/bcbsc211.pdf [Accessed 31 December 2006] Thomas F. Siems, Financial Derivatives: Are New Regulations Warranted? Financial Industry Studies, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, August 1994, pp. 1-13. Thomas F. Siems, Derivatives: In the Wake of Disaster, Financial Industry Issues, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (1995): 2-3 Brief 191916Page 1 of 9

People and Paperless Future for Organisations -- globalisation, social

Technology plays a major role in today’s organisations and offices, and has contributed positively to productivity and efficiency of businesses. Social media and globalisation may also have lead to an easier way of communication cross-culturally and making business with individuals and companies internationally. However, there is a concern that technology has gone so far that organisations and offices might become both paper and people less in the future. This paper will discuss and evaluate if there is a possibility for offices and organisations to be completely people and paper less in the future. The first part will define and explain the terms; globalisation, social media, office and organisation, the second will evaluate with the use organisational examples of which technology has changed the ways of interaction and services. The final part will include a conclusion and recommendations for the future. Globalisation can be defined as the following; â€Å"The process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale† Globalisation is possible due to technological advances as the internet, smartphones, and computers and further back in time by improved vehicles and the ability to travel far distances, making the world smaller. However, part of globalisation is also traveling and social interaction amongst people’s cultures etc. One definition of social media can be websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking. (Press, 2014) Social media has indeed simplified the interaction between people socially it is now easier to gain, have and further maintain contact with people across the world and condu... ...ielfisher/2012/05/02/poor-students-are-the-real-victims-of-college-discrimination/ Nogales, A. (2010, October 13). Facebook versus face-to-face. Retrieved March 27th, 2014, from Psychology: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/family-secrets/201010/facebook-versus-face-face Podmoroff, D. (2014). Retrieved March 26th, 2014, from Mind Tools- essential skills for an excellent career : http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/Cross-Cultural-communication.htm Press, O. U. (2014). Retrieved March 20th, 2014, from Oxford Dictionaries- Language Matters: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/organization street, Q. (2014). Retrieved March 27th , 2014, from Webopedia: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/P/paperless_office.html University, P. (2012). Retrieved March 20th, 2014, from The Free Dictionary By Farlex : http://www.thefreedictionary.com/organisation

The most unkind cut :: essays research papers

What if I were to tell you that a new trend is being practiced in the United States by the parents of newborn baby boys, wherein they are giving the children nose jobs so that they can look more like their father, or that the parents are cutting off the earlobes of the babes so that they can be cleaner? What if you had just given birth to a beautiful, cooing baby girl and the nurse walked in and cheerfully asked if youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d like to mutilate her genitalia before her noon feeding. In either one of those situations, no doubt youà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d be disbelieving and outraged at such a suggestion! But everyday thousands of babies across the United States suffer a similar fate when their parents decide that a baby boy should not have a foreskin and so they practice routine circumcision. Circumcision, put simply, is cosmetic surgery, in that it involves changing the appearance of your childà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s body for aesthetic reasons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The United States is the only country in the world that routinely practices the circumcision of their newborns. Across the globe elsewhere, circumcision is rarely practiced unless there is a medical or religious reason to do so. Here in the U.S., the vast majority of parents opt to have the procedure done, although the number of parents refusing the pointless procedure is on a rapid rise. Most parents typically donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think about circumcision as an issue while they shop for cribs and have baby showers and select namesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s just something you à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“doà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? if you have a son, so when asked in the hospital after the delivery if they want their child circumcised, they blindly accept the procedure without questioning ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s purpose. However, in the future when asked why they decided to go through with it, the most common reasons given to justify the procedure might surprise you.   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  When asking my friends why they decided to circumcise their sons, the most common reasoning is that so the child can à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“look like daddy.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? They donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t want the child to feel or look different than his father, brother or peers and be teased. Is this really a problem? Do men really sit around comparing how they look and then teasing the ones who look different? No, of course not. And what sort of justification is this anyway, to look like their daddy. Nobody will ever walk up and say, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Oh how cuteà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.

Frankenstein as a Modern Cyborg? Essays -- Frankenstein essays

Frankenstein as a Modern Cyborg?      Ã‚   The creature ("demon") created by Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or, The Modern Prometheus occupies a space that is neither quite masculine nor quite feminine, although he is clearly both created as a male and desires to be in the masculine role. Judith Halberstam describes this in-between-ness as being one of the primary characteristics of the Gothic monster--being in a space that's not easily classified or categorized, and therefore being rendered unintelligible and monstrous. Donna J. Haraway posits that the post-modern science fiction cyborg occupies a similar in-between space, or, perhaps, a non-space. Similarly, Cathy Griggs argues that the post-modern lesbian is linked to this notion of the cyborg. The lesbian is rendered monstrous in social discourse by her desire to ascend into the phallic privilege, connecting this in-between-ness as both a monstrous trait and a cybernetic one. Further, the transgender man (female-to-male) occupies a similar di scursive space and provides us with a post-modern link to Frankenstein's creature, as both are surgically constructed men, a construction that, in the eyes of society, renders them monstrous (particularly for trans-men who can't pass). Frankenstein's creature embodies gender transgression on two levels, both of which are the fuel for Victor's horror: the first being the creature's status as being a surgically constructed male, the second being Victor's own gender transgression in co-opting the feminine trait of reproduction, transforming his laboratory into a virtual womb. Given the scientific origin of the creature, as well as both its and Victor's unstable gender, is it possible that the modern Gothic monster pre-fi... ...th. Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge, 1990. Griggers, Cathy. "Lesbian Bodies in the Age of (Post)mechanical Reproduction." Fear of a Queer Planet. Ed. Michael Warner. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota P, 1993. 178-192. Halberstam, Judith. Skin Shows: Gothic Horror and the Technology of Monsters. Second ed. Durham: Duke UP, 1995. Haraway, Donna J. "The Promises of Monsters: A Regenerative Politics for Inappropriate/d Others." Cultural Studies. Eds. Lawrence Grossberg, Cary Nelson and Paula A. Treichler. New York: Routledge, 1992. 295-337. Haraway, Donna J. Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature. New York: Routledge, 1991. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. 1983 ed. New York: The Penguin Group, 1963. Zizek, Slavoj. The Sublime Object of Ideology. London: Verso, 1989.

How does Iago Convince Othello to Kill Cassio and Desdemona by the End of Act Three?

How does Iago Convince Othello to Kill Cassio and Desdemona by the End of Act Three? Act Three of Othello begins with Othello having no doubts at all concerning his wife’s fidelity and the happiness of their marriage, and ends with him almost totally convinced of her false guilt of being in an affair despite having very little evidence to prove it and no reason to want it to be true. His complete certainty comes rather from the manipulative skill of his ensign Iago who uses three principal broad categories of tactics to convince Othello of Desdemona’s culpability.Iago’s first and favoured tactic at the beginning of Act Three, Scene Three (the pivotal scene in which he brainwashes Othello) is that of subtly delivering half-completed ideas and ambiguous statements to reel Othello into this body of lies and entice him into questioning Desdemona’s fidelity. This begins when Cassio, whom Iago is trying to frame as Desdemona’s lover, takes his leave from the scene. Desdemona says to Cassio ‘Well, do your discretion’, to which Iago replies ‘Ha, I like not that’ (3. 3. 34).By saying that he does not like the idea of Cassio being free to do as he pleases, Iago implies that Cassio is doing something wrong and going unnoticed, thus sowing the initial seeds of doubt in Othello’s mind. When Othello begins to question him as to what he’s seemingly keeping secret, Iago masterfully uses hesitation to convey half-completed ideas and further snare Othello. For instance, when asked what he is saying by Othello, he answers ‘Nothing, my lord; or if- I know not what. ’ (3. 3. 36) The pause after ‘if’ conveys the idea that there is more to the story and, also, that Othello doesn’t want to hear it.This supposedly evasive answer intrigues Othello and allows Iago to proceed later on with bolder persuasion. Iago exercises other methods to communicate supposed unsettled, half-formed ideas, such as in his monologue in Act Three Scene Three lines 147-157, which is a vague, tangled, and convoluted expression of the horribleness of his thoughts, containing sudden pauses and spoken in the more awkward and disorganised prose form. This all serves to give the impression that Iago is hiding something and to frustrate Othello, which works, since when Iago is done Othello exclaims ‘Zounds! What dost thou mean? ’.It is clear that early on Iago’s rhetorical tactics successfully lure Othello into doubt and lay the foundations for Iago’s forthcoming more concrete convincing of Othello. In addition to these rhetorical tactics is Iago’s use of subliminal influence to win Othello over to his side. Iago makes remarks that, on the surface, are positive, but are actually meant to convince Othello of Cassio and Desdemona’s guilt. For example, when Othello asks Iago why he asked him whether Cassio knew about Othello and Desdemona’s lo ve from the beginning of their relationship, Iago replies ‘But for the satisfaction of my thought,/ No further harm’ (3.3. 97-8). Ostensibly this seems like a good thing for Othello, but Iago is implying two things that would indicate harm: first, that Iago has a curious thought about Cassio and Desdemona that needs to be satisfied and, second, that harm has already been done. Later on in the scene, when Othello claims that he does not believe that Desdemona is cheating on him, Iago says ‘Long live she [as loyal]; and long live you to think so’ (3. 3. 230). Once again Iago is outwardly looking at the situation in a good light, but beneath the surface he is suggesting that Othello is being naive.This obviously works, because on the next line Othello has begun to worry once again. Iago uses another aporia to sway Othello when he says ‘For Michael Cassio,/I dare be sworn, I think, that he is honest’ (3. 3. 127-8). The two caesurae in this line emp hasise the daring and the thinking, both expressions of doubt. Therefore, Iago weakens his own point so that Cassio’s honesty is subject to much doubt in Othello’s mind. Furthermore, line 128 has eleven syllables, by contrast to the rest of the passage’s lines which, written in iambic pentameter, have ten syllables.This extra syllable does not fit in with the meter, and so implies that Iago’s claim that Cassio is honest is not quite correct: the word doesn’t quite hold. Once more Iago is knowingly undermining his statements to inflate Othello’s doubt that they are true. Moreover, in this line Iago says that he ‘dare be sworn’ that Cassio is not cheating with Desdemona. Using the word ‘dare’ insinuates a risk in doing so and, what’s more, this phrase uses vocabulary often used in law courts, which entails a crime.This phrase which seems to intend to comfort Othello is actually a threatening accusation against Cassio (and hence Desdemona). Later on, once Othello seems completely certain of his wife and Cassio’s guilt, Iago uses similar subliminal influencing to beguile Othello into killing the two. He says, as the two are kneeling and promising that they will unite to achieve revenge, Iago says: ‘†¦ Iago doth give up The execution of his wit, hands, heart, To wronged Othello’s service’ (3. 3. 468-70).Using the word ‘execution’ with its double meaning while talking about revenge implants the idea into Othello’s mind that his revenge should take the form of murder. Iago reinforces this shortly afterwards by accepting Othello’s order to kill Cassio, and then saying ‘But let her live’ (3. 3. 477). In this way Iago is influencing Othello to do the exact opposite of the words’ surface meaning by reminding him of how he hasn’t ordered anything to be done about her and, since Othello’s hatred for Desdemon a is currently at its peak, it is the perfect time to induce an order for murder out of him.Iago’s subliminal influences also come in the form of getting into Othello’s head in order that he may be more subject to passion than any rationality and therefore believe more of what he is told and leap to more rash conclusions and decisions. For instance, Iago gives supposed evidence of Desdemona’s affair by talking about seeing Cassio using a handkerchief of Desdemona: ‘I know not that, but such a handkerchief, I am sure it was your wife’s, did I today See Cassio wipe his beard with’. (3. 3.440-2) This powerful visual image of Cassio using a handkerchief, which Othello so cherishes and which represents his love for Desdemona, in such a base and unrefined way is likely to cloud Othello’s good judgement and have his impulses lead him to accept what Iago says as the truth. Iago also tries to get into Othello’s head by bringing up past w ords when he says ‘She did deceive her father, marrying you’ (3. 3. 209), which calls back to the powerfully resonant lines of Brabantio in Act One ‘Look to her, Moor, if thou hast eyes to see:/ She has deceived her father, and may thee’.Iago’s paraphrasing of these lines serves to convince him of Desdemona’s deception by convincing him that it was fated, and these lines which are haunting for Othello do this successfully. The final factors that render Iago so effective at convincing Othello are his flexibility and competence at tailoring his persuasive tactics to Othello’s emotions and vulnerability at any time, and his brilliant sense of timing. Iago seems to know exactly when his intervention is or is not required; for instance when Desdemona starts talking about how much she likes Cassio andhow she sometimes talks badly about Othello behind his back, Iago stays silent for minutes despite being in the scene, because his plan is going well as Desdemona damages her relationship with Othello on her own, Iago’s plan having previously been set, and the current dialogue does not need to intervened with or adjusted for the plan to work. This is testament to Iago’s flexibility, which is also demonstrated when Othello demands ocular proof of Desdemona’s infidelity.To deal with this, Iago uses Desdemona’s handkerchief which he has just been given to quickly devise a plot which later serves as ocular proof for Othello. Iago here knew that Othello needed to see the ‘ocular’ proof quickly while he was still vulnerable, and Iago’s thinking on his feet led to Othello being even further convinced by his supposed theory. Iago also displays an excellent ability to assess how vulnerable Othello is at any point, and hence how bold he can be.For example, only once Othello is vulnerable enough and he knows that he is safe does Iago first explicitly suggest adultery: he says ‘That cuckold lives in bliss/ Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger’. By claiming that confusion is worse than both ignorance and certainty, Iago is both sympathising with Othello and implying that he now may as well know, thus explicitly suggesting Desdemona’s infidelity in the safest possible way. Furthermore, when a depressed Othello says ‘And yet how nature, erring from itself-’ (3. 3.230), Iago senses the weakness and cuts Othello off, then delivers a long speech about the absurdity of Othello’s marriage and convinces him of this fabricated affair. In conclusion, Iago draws Othello in and then skilfully persuades him that Cassio and Desdemona should die by using an array of linguistic and rhetorical tricks and by paying close attention to Othello’s sentiments and desires so that he is transformed from not suspecting anything to wanting to kill his wife and her alleged lover within three days. Iago uses his own skill and his knowledg e of Othello’s jealous nature to achieve his sinister ambitions.

Developmentally appropriate practice Essay

In your own words, explain what the term developmentally appropriate practice means to you. Developmentally appropriate practice is centered on the understanding of children’s social and culture backgrounds, as it will allow you to gain the knowledge of how to assist children as they develop and learn. Describe at least two personal connections you made with the DAP information you discovered on the NAEYC site. The two personal connections I made with the DAP information I discovered on the NAEYC site would be The 10 effective teaching strategies, due to the fact that they are efficient methods for teachers, but at the same time efficient enough for parents, as I’m sure we use them often with our own children. Another connection would be DPA with relation to the DAP with Preschoolers, Ages 3-5. It stated that children are able to learn and absorb more when they fill safe and comfortable in there learning environment. This I really think that applies not only to kids, but also adults. Everyone performs better when they are not stressed or unaware. It is important when working with children to interact with them while they play, I know see that there is always a learning opportunity while playing. It might be cooking in the kitchen with the kids, while pretending to eat, or drink tea. I remember, not to long a observing some of my student sitting at a play table eating pretend snacks that they made along with drinks, I asked the kids what they made, which allowed me to see if they knew what their snack was that they made. Summarize three main things you learned from exploring the site. How will they impact your career in early childhood education? The first thing that sunk in my head knowing what is normal at each age and stage of development, which is crucial. The next is that it is key to build a relationship with parents of children, so that you will have an idea of their goals for their child along with their expectations. â€Å"We must make an effort to get to know the children’s families and learn about the values, expectations, and factors that shape their lives at home and in their communities. This background information helps us provide meaningful, relevant, and respectful learning experiences for each child and family† (http://www.naeyc.org/DAP). The last thing I obtained from exploring the site is the key factor that will allow families to maintain involvement in their child’s developmental  and educational journey. Meaning teacher-parent communication is crucial factor. Give a description of why play is an important part of a developmentally appropriate curriculum. Be sure to support your statements with at least one scholarly source. Give an explanation of how play can help to support a child’s physical, cognitive, and affective development. I would say that play is important factor in a early childhood, because it allows children to deal with their emotions and behaviors as well as the emotions of their friends and classmates. Thiis could include controlling feelings, how to follow limits and expectations, learning how to socialize, how to develop friendship by sharing, children also learn language by engaging in conversations. Play allow children to build developmental skills such as fine and gross motor skills, logic/ reasoning skills, and critical thinking skills. Play allows many opportunities for lessons to be learned. Children learn through play using cognitive, physical, and affective development. Playing different games and activities is an effective method for learning and it also demonstrates cognitive learning where the child connects with and identifies while playing. Physical skills allows the child to maintain balance, along with accessing there fine and gross motor skills, which will help them become mobile. â€Å"Affective development is key when referring to children learning through play, because it highlights social needs, physical, and language development† (Hao, Y., 2000). An example of one play-based activity that demonstrates to parents how play supports their child’s development. For instance, you could explain how playing a game of hopscotch can help a child with their gross motor skills (physical development) and counting (cognitive development). Please make sure that your play-based activity is an original idea or that if you use an idea from an outside source it is properly formatted according to APA as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. Also, this should be a brief description of an activity. It is not a lesson plan. A play based activity that could support a child development could be having  a water table set up, with different rubber fishes. The plan would be to give the children play fishing pole to try and catch fish. The cognitive part would be to identify what color fish and how many fish they caught. They would be using physical development by applying there fine motor skills, because they would be trying to maneuver the fishing poles in such ways to catch a fish. It will also allow them to interact and observed the children that do catch fish, hoping that the next student will follow in order to catch a fish. Reference Hao, Y. (2000). Relationship between Teachers’ Use of Reflection and Other Selected Variables and Preschool Teachers’ Engagement in Developmentally Appropriate Practice.