Importance of heroism and glory in the Iliad and in the Aeneid Essay

Importance of heroism and glory in the Iliad and in the Aeneid - Essay Example Heroism can be defined by actions that require bravery, nobility, and often sacrifice. Heroism is exemplified by the character of Achilles in The Illiad. Achilles is a great warrior who also reveals deep emotional complexities for the events that take place in the story. Foley defines the Greek hero as being unseasonable, either negatively or positively extreme and antagonistic towards the god who has the most similar characteristic to the hero (87). Achilles follows all three of these categories, including the last in his antagonism towards the god Apollo, with whom he shares not only character attributes, but similarities in physical appearance (Foley 88). The role of heroism, however, played an important part in culture for both the Greeks and the Romans as it represented the beginnings of the notion of salvation. The stories of Greek and Roman gods portrayed some of the worst characteristics in humanity, but often it was the hero who redeemed the nature of man kind by his actions (Progress 343). Glory can be defined by exaltation of its subject matter. In the case of The Aenid, the glory of Rome is justified through the exalted nature of the emotional context of the actions within the poem. The intent was to glorify the community of Rome, thus bring unity.

Marketing plan Essay Example for Free

Marketing plan Essay This Report presents the strategic Market entry plan of Victoria Secret in Singapore. Victoria Secret is an American brand owned by Limited Brands Company with retail of Lingerie, Women’s Wear and beauty products with annual revenue of USD 8. 7 billion and market share of over 50 percent in North America. It was launched in 1970 by Roy Raymond who started this chain when he had nightmare experience while showing Lingerie for his Wife. He believed that â€Å"Underwear† is not just an Innerwear but can be converted into a Fashion product by tuning in proper colours, styles and patterns and make a product a sex symbol. As it caters to large market in its home country it has been strongly based but now for better growth and more returns Victoria secret has started International expansion. It is one of the fastest growing Lingerie products under Limited Brands Company Umbrella and contributing more than 40% of profits. 1000 number of Stores give strong presence to Victoria Secret and Online shopping ads to the charm. Victoria Secret invests heavily on Advertising with USD 65 Million average for year. The brand symbolizes romance, class, love, desire and romantic moments. They marketed these products by show casing their products with angel looking models breaking ice of set standards of modelling. It is one of the most watched and appreciated Fashion Shows of the world and features world’s best Supermodel as there showstopper creating a feel of sensation in female gender. The brand also took lines from Dove Advertisements by redefining beauty and showing the product users with boosted confidence and sexier looks. The company has done horizontal integration by expanding product range from Lingerie products only to cosmetics, women wear and cosmetics. The appealing brand image gave quick returns on the new product range and helping Victoria Secret in capturing new markets at higher pace. Also what is helping Victoria Secret is its excellent supply chain and IT collaboration which have helped in cutting down overheads. As companies are looking for growth and stability the expansion into Asian market is unavoidable so is for Victoria secret. Singapore being expanding and booming economy can be next destination for Victoria Secret. Singapore also has high fashion conscious population with high income. Singapore being financial hub and supply chain hub is residence for people who have highest per capita expenditure on luxury brands in all segments. In Asia, Singapore boosts for being top market for growing luxury brands. Country also boosts strong tourism and having largest malls in South east Asia helps cater to being selected as best destination in Asia for expansion. Being business friendly government adds to positive of Singapore. Business environment Factors Demography Population rose 2. 5% in 2012. Total population was 5. 4 Million. The Demography of Singapore consists of mix of Chinese, Indians and Malays which account for 74 %, 9 %, and 13% respectively with maximum population between 20-64. Singapore also is world tourist attractor and counts for approx 12 million tourists a year. Total female population is approx 50% and this results in large market size. Female also play dominant role in the society as they also earn. This results in freedom of females and opportunity for them to satisfy their needs. Political Stability Singapore the synonym for freedom to do business was ranked in top 10 best countries to start business. It takes 3 Days on average to start business in Singapore and this is result of stable political System in the country. It has been ranked among top countries for business environment for consecutive 14 years setting benchmark. Singapore is worlds one of the least corrupt country in the world. It ranks 1’st in corruptions perception Index, 2013. The political Stability in the country has provided the most stable economy in South East Asia. Economy The Economy of Singapore is strong with 5. 1% in 3’rd of 2013. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Singapore was worth 274. 70 billion US dollars in 2012. The Expected Net GDP for Singapore is expected to beat market trends and grow more positively in 4’th quarter. The Economy is supported by FDI, skilled labour and fully planned and excellent Infrastructure. The Rising economy has lead to rising per capita income. With the current economic scenario Singapore will attract more youth and global players which will bring more fashion conscious society which will indeed help growth of luxury segment. Industry With rising brand conscious population and trending international brands today brand is equally important for innerwear as is for outer wear. This was proved by growth of this segment industry even during depression of 2008. The rising economies of scale and large production numbers has led to reduced price of product which has increased demand and purchasing capacity. The following factors have contributed largely for growth of this industry: 1) E-Commerce: With rising e-commerce trend and more sophisticated players coming in picture the market has been taken by storm by these players. The customers have not fallen but E-commerce has attracted more customers because of easy access and getting products sitting home. Singapore boosts well E-commerce network with many local players in market along with international Players. The E-commerce has led to fall in prices of product as it involves lesser overhead costs. Association with global E-Commerce players has helped Victoria Secrets attain marvel in other countries and can do the same in Singapore also. 2) Sophisticated Supply chain: With rising use of Sophisticated IT tools for inventory planning, forecasting, Designing and scheduling has helped to reduce costs and development of industry in total. Many Global Brands with innovation in Supply chain have set example for the world. Singapore boosts excellent supply chain network and being Supply chain Hub is excellent destination. Market Analysis Singapore Market size Increase in Per capita income has led to entry to Luxury and premium brands coming in Singapore. The Size of market is expanding and will have higher success rate in coming years. The Table Below shows the growth of Women’s Inner-ware in Singapore. Source: Euro monitor International from trade associations, trade press, company research, trade interviews, trade sources a) Target Females in Age group of 18-50 which means 200,000 females. Middle and Upper Class Tourists Young and Brand Conscious Generation. Competition Triumph , Aerie , Calvin Kline , Armani , Sorella , Etam , La Perla Adore-Me offers direct-to-consumer lingerie at about half of Victorias Secret prices Intimint asks customers to take a quiz and sends them new lingerie selections every month, based on their preferences True ; Co. sends women five bras a month, giving them the option of keeping what they like and sending back what they dont. Low Price and high variety local Players who have well established network in Singapore c) Porters 5 Forces 1) Supplier Power: LOW, As Victoria Secret has Production facilities in Thailand and India the supplier Power is very low. Buyer Power: HIGH, As Singapore already has high end Lingerie brands in its vicinity the Customers have wider options and can shift their preferences. The market has both lower prices segment and more premium segment. 3) Competitive Rivalry: HIGH, As Singapore already houses Premium Luxury lingerie brands who have worldwide recognition, Victoria Secret has high competition. 4) Threat of substitution: HIGH, The price range plays critical role as Victoria Secret has Competition with lower, same and high price range Products. 5) Threat of New Entry: LOW, Being well established worldwide name has its own fan following which attracts masses. New entries will take time to create impact and in that mean Time Victoria secret can come up with Contingency plan. Landscape a) Independent Women: Singapore being modern and economically sound has Independent women who earn well and spend well. This has led to brand conscious population b) Internet Penetration and Media sensitivity: Singaporeans are always connected to Internet. This has led to Strong E-commerce market here. The Media plays important role as Singaporeans try new western brands more frequently and invest heavily in it if the like the brand . Population Mix: Being strong economy Singapore has attracted  nationalities from various countries which have brought in sense of fashion, demand for authentic classy items. This Demand is of high end products. d) Location: With production plants in nearby countries such as Thailand and India and Strong Supply chain hubs the Location is also ideal. Singapore being small can’t accommodate Production facility so being centre for supply chain helps. ENTRY IN SINGAPORE: MARKET FEASIBILITY STUDY Design Victoria Secret is renowned for its strong designing team which comprise mixture of people around the world to understand each geographic trend. Once they understand the trends they create new trends in the market. It defines Sexiness as youthful, mature, energetic, adorable and intimate. The competitors have targeted another value like Triumph emphasises on Simplicity. Victoria Secret will benefit from point that Singapore is mix of many. The Design Teams have large market size which they can target with larger variety. Bold and Loud Brand Promotion This brand brings sense of comfort and pride among women. This is reflected in there promotion activities. The brand highlights the beauty of every individual and helps concealing imperfections with its unique designs. It is most bought product by models. Their Catalogues feature world’s hottest and sexist women in the world. Singaporeans are vivid about Fashion and Luxury products. With Rising Per capita income and proper promotion by hiring trending models of Singapore Victoria Secret can target masses. The Footfall in malls is one of the highest in Asia which can contribute to high sales if located at proper places. Rapid Growth of High-end Female Market Women are booming rapidly in Singapore who are either in White collar jobs, Leaders, Elites, working in Multinationals, entrepreneurs etc. These women have decent jobs, High disposable income and strong purchasing power. Maximum percentage of Women are highly educated. They are open and eager to accept and use trendy and fashionable Products with good quality. They Care about their Lifestyles, Health and bodies. This is supported by fact that Singapore has low obesity Rate of 7. 3 % in females and ranks much below America where obesity is 35. 5% in females. As women consider themselves independent and delicate it is highly possible for them to spend a remarkable amount of income on underwear and branded lingerie for self rewards. This will help Victoria Secret to enter the market easily and reap Benefits of growing and educated economy. Price Barriers and Distribution Channels Normal bra Ranges from 40-80 USD in US which reduces to almost half during sales. Singapore can also cater to demand with same or lesser Price as there are production facilities in India and Thailand. This will help in taming local players who play games of lower prices. Price would not be a Barrier for Victoria Secret to enter into Singapore. Having strong supply chain network with both these countries and being placed near the demand can be met. The Retail Distribution channels are strong and can be built easily in Singapore owing to small country size and Strong local infrastructure. Being Business friendly environment will help Victoria Secret to Establish Strong Distribution channels in Shorter Periods. Overview Retail market in Singapore is up by 3. 3% in August 2013 is back on track after falling slightly. Total number of Retailers in Singapore is more than 30000 with less than 1% for Lingerie Products. The Scope of market is high. Singapore is heavily sustained on Imports from US, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia. Market Challenges and Opportunities Singapore has tightened foreign nationals working in labour market and this has led to increase in labour markets. The Rentals have gone for toss and are very high. The overheads cost the most for setting up business in Singapore. Being business friendly country the market attracts large number of players who provide cheap products, copied items from various world renowned brands. With challenges are opportunities also, being supply chain hub the country can act as stepping stone to enter bigger markets like of china. The Strong judiciary System and quick decision making helps to curb challenges faced such as intellectual copyrights and those related to design copying. SETTING UP RETAIL OUTLET IN SINGAPORE 1) Documents Required for Registration The following documents/information is required for registering a Singapore branch office: a) A certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of the foreign company. b) A certified copy of Memorandum and Articles (MAA) of the foreign company. c) Particulars of the directors of the foreign company. A memorandum of appointment and details of at least two persons resident in Singapore who will act as the agents for the Singapore branch office. e) A memorandum executed by or on behalf of the foreign company stating the powers of the local agents. f) Details of the registered office address in Singapore 2) Registration Procedure and Timeline The professional firm hired to handle the branch office registration will take care of all the necessary registration formalities. No physical visit of company executives is required from headquarters. The registration process consists of two basic steps: 1) Name approval 2) Entity registration. The name for the Singapore branch must be the same as that of the parent company. It will generally be approved unless it is identical to any existing company name or is vulgar in nature. Assuming necessary document are ready and there are no delays in the name approval process, registration of a Singapore branch can be completed in 1-2 days. The company registrar will send an email notification confirming the registration of the Singapore branch 3) Retail Outlets – Key Facts and Requirements a) Business Incorporation: Before one can begin operations, retail outlet must first be registered with the Singapore Companies Registrar, ACRA. This involves just two procedures that can be completed online within 24 hours. It is best if retail outlet offers unique products and services that are not currently available in Singapore’s colourful retail market. b) Approval for Premises: One must ensure that intended business premise is an approved location for retail business. To have retail outlet in a conservation building or private property, approval from the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (URA) is required for making additions or alterations to the premises. A Fire Safety Certificate from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) must be obtained to verify that retail outlet meets all fire safety requirements. If outlet is located in a shopping mall, the landlord may expedite the necessary approvals for you. 4) Licenses for Setting Up a Retail Outlet in Singapore Depending on the nature of the merchandise or products offered by retail outlet, apply for the relevant licenses. If outlet offers products which can affect human health and safety, relevant licenses may be required. To Import and sell cosmetics products domestically, notify the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) before placing the product in the market via the HSA’s PRISM site. The fee for the notification of cosmetic products is pegged to each product’s risks and variation (colour etc). 5) Hiring Staff Starting a retail outlet or franchise means that one may need to bring on board employees from home country to oversee operations. If one intends to employ or transfer employees from home country, apply for the relevant Singapore employment pass on their behalf. The Singapore employment pass is however subject to approval by the manpower authority and must meet Singapore’s new productivity vision. 6) Taxation of Singapore Branch A Singapore branch is generally considered a non-resident company for tax purposes. Non-resident companies are not eligible for tax benefits resulting from available tax incentives and tax treaties meant for resident companies.   Annual Filing Requirements Section 373 of the Companies Act requires a foreign company to file its Annual Report and the audited accounts of its Singaporean branch office within two months of its Annual General Meeting, or within 7 months from the  end of its financial year whichever is earlier. Also, each Singapore branch is required to file a Tax Return on an annual basis. MARKET ENTRY STRATEGY Victoria secret can enter Singapore Market in following ways: American exporters use agents or distributors to serve the Singapore market and other markets in Southeast Asia. Singapore firms are aggressive when it comes to representing new products and usually respond enthusiastically to new opportunities. Singaporean companies are open to joint venture proposals. Price, quality and service are the main selling factors in Singapore. Prospective exporters to Singapore should be aware that competition is strong and that buyers expect good after-sales service. Selling techniques vary according to the industry and product, but are comparable to the techniques used in any other sophisticated market. It is also important for U. S. firms to visit their representatives and maintain a good relationship with them. Victoria Secret has expanded in Maximum countries with 100% ownership strategy expect countries where it is difficult or impossible. As Singapore is business friendly and Provides Option for 100% investment Victoria Secret should come as 100% subsidiary. RECOMMENDATIONS 1) Enter the Singapore with 100 % subsidiary 2) Launch all product range in one go from Innerwear, shoes, cosmetics and clothes. 3) Target Shopping Centres for their retail operations for better Visibility 4) Promotion using both international and domestic models for better appeal 5) Enter with 2-3 Stores in Initial Phase for better understanding and Expand Further after setting customer base 6) Join hands with E-Commerce industry both domestic and International to promote brand 7) Target not only Young but also Middle age and Old age 8) High Variety and Utmost quality to remain Core of Business in Singapore also 9) Customized Marketing using social media and Electronic Platform 10) Customized Designs for Singapore Customers as per their taste and like 11) Customer Engagement using print media 12) Virtual Trial Rooms and trained Women staff for guidance on shape and size

Fishing Disaster :: Environment Ecosystem Environmental Essays

Fishing Disaster Background: The ocean around the rocky shores of Newfoundland were once so full of cod that explorer John Cabot marveled in 1497 that they virtually blocked his ship. In the centuries to follow, fish became the one of the only reasons anyone ever came to Newfoundland, or stayed. Cod was the center of life in the Canadian Maritimes from the beginning. Starting in the 1950's, Huge European trawlers began to travel across the Atlantic to fish the waters off Newfoundland. Some refered to these super-ships as "Fish Factories". With the increased effort by these distant-water fleets, catches of northern cod increased in the late 1950s and early 1960s and peaked at just over 800,000 tons by 1968. However, by 1975 the Candian Government realized the devastating effect this was having on its fish populations and closed its waters to foriegn fishing boats. Although this temporarily staved off the growing crisis, European intervention had changed the nature of Canadian fishing, leading to the development of Canadian owned super-trawlers. Disaster Strikes: Throughout the 1980s, the annual catch of Canada's northern cod fishing fleet hovered around the 250,000 tonnes mark, as the Canadian government kept promoting more investment. Newfoundland's small-scale, inshore cod fishermen, however, were voicing concerns long before anyone else that the abundance of the northern cod population was not as healthy as scientists were reporting. Contradictory to scientific data, traditional inshore fishermen in Newfoundland began to notice declining catches before the mid-1980s. By 1986 the scientists also realized that the stock was declining, and by 1988 had recommended the total allowable catch be cut in half. Instead of acting immediately, in a precautionary manner to protect dwindling fish stocks by substantially reducing catch quotas at the first signs of overfishing, the federal government delayed conservation action, choosing instead quite moderate reductions of the total allowable catch beginning in 1989. It wasn't until 1990, following several years of analysis and re-analysis of data from stock surveys (without simultaneously reducing catch quotas) that the Independent Review of the state of the Northern Cod stock concluded that the population, the biomass, the spawning population, and the spawning biomass of the Northern Cod were all in decline and that fishing-related mortality was at dangerously high levels. By 1992, the biomass estimate for northern cod was the lowest ever measured. The Canadian Minister of Fisheries and Oceans had no choice but to declare a ban on fishing northern cod.

Politically Correct Language Essay

Politically correct language is language that avoids offending or ostracizing particular groups of people – the word â€Å"homosexual† is the politically correct version of the word â€Å"faggot†. While politically correct language prevents conflict, and improves individuals and communities, it also has limitations. Sometimes it can disrupt the meaning and impact of the message we are trying to portray. Because of this, it is important to find an extent of political correctness that still enables freedom of speech. While people can define us by the language we use, the language we use also defines us. Being politically correct can make us better people. The way the receiver of our message construes our message determines whether it is politically correct. What is considered politically correct varies from person to person; while one Asian might find the term â€Å"chink† humorous, another might find it degrading. As a result, being politically correct requires assessing how the receiver of our message differs from ourselves, and how we can remain tactful despite these differences. This forces us to accept that people have varying beliefs; sometime sit even forces us to refine our own. Similarly, while we can define a community by the language the people within that community use, the language the people within a community use defines the relationships within that community. Being politically correct can improve the community we live in by creating an atmosphere where everyone is comfortable with sharing their ideas, without feeling restrained by the fear of being penalized for thinking differently. This enables us to productively debate diverse viewpoints, and broaden our own. It ensures that the future generation will learn how to be tolerant from a very young age, which is essential for the development of society. While being politically correct seems ideal, it also has limitations. Take the news. People trust the news to objectively impart what is happening in the world. One might debate that this gives them the responsibility to be politically correct, lest they create conflict or further segregate the world. However, being politically correct can disrupt the meaning of their message. The term â€Å"undocumented immigrants† could give people the impression that it is a slight mishap that the country forgot to document these immigrants, or that these immigrants were unaware that they had to be documented. On the other hand, the term â€Å"illegal aliens† makes it clear that these individuals are doing something illicit. It pressures them to do, and gives them no excuse not to do, what is right – get a citizenship, or leave. Being politically correct can also alleviate the impact of the news. If a child molester is on the loose, it is the responsibility of the news to warn society about it. Stating that a child has been â€Å"molested and terminated† instead of â€Å"raped and beaten to death† lessens the urgency parents will feel to be wary of their child’s whereabouts. While the latter is politically incorrect – it creates disturbingly vivid imagery – it is more effective in keeping the citizens safe. Nevertheless, the news should refrain from unnecessarily using politically incorrect language. They should use the world â€Å"black† instead of â€Å"nigger† because they are so interchangeable. If possible, the news reporter shouldn’t even label the people he is reporting about. This would conceal any irrelevant prejudices (which might inadvertently skew a viewer’s understanding,) that the reporter may have. It would also prevent the creation of unnecessary conflict and further segregation of the world. In conclusion, politically correct language – language that avoids offending or ostracizing particular groups of people – can improve individuals and communities. More importantly, it prevents the expression of prejudices that separate the world. On the other hand, political correctness also has limitations: it can disrupt the meaning and impact of our message. Because of this, it is important to find an extent of political correctness that does not disrupt the meaning or impact of our messages. Otherwise, we would no longer have freedom of speech, which is imperative to the progression of society.

Maslow Case Study

Maslow Case Study 15 1) Cindy’s first year of life was a very trying one, and according to Maslow, the primary needs on her hierarchy were not being sufficiently met. The first need is to have physiological needs satisfied for sheer survival purposes, such as receiving adequate food, water, elimination and sleep. Maslow explained that for a person not receiving these things, their idea of a perfect place would be one where there is plenty of food and water and they can sleep and eliminate whenever they want; if they had all of these things they would believe that they would be perfectly content and happy. For many, these needs are easily satisfied, but for Cindy this was not the case. The physician who performed Cindy’s checkups noted that she was not developing at the rate of normal infants her age, so she immediately suspected neglect, which would include not giving Cindy adequate nutrition. Since everyone of her checkups were late and infrequent, the physician began to question the amount of formula Cindy was receiving and learned that it was nowhere near enough for a child her age. Cindy had also developed a sever diaper rash accompanied by a yeast infect by the third check up which the physician was also very concerned about. The need to be physically well would also fall under the physiological needs. Although Cindy’s physiological needs were not fully satisfied, degrees of satisfaction would allow Cindy to have the needs of other stages working at the same time. Safety needs, or the need to feel a sense of structure, order, security and predictability, are next on Maslow’s hierarchy. Cindy’s mother was said to be a 40 year old drug addict who live in a relatively poor neighborhood that housed African Americans and Latinos, mostly. The mother had no home of her own and did not know who the father was, she would move from house to house where her friends would put her up for a little while. The mother would also stay with the grandmother from time to time. This constant moving, with no home of her own, inadequate nutrition, no love or affection shown and no predictability from day to day would definitely show that Cindy’s safety needs were not satisfied. The third need, the need for belongingness and love, was obviously also not satisfied. Her mother neglected her so much that on one occasion Cindy was dehydrated to the point of medical danger. Once she was finally fostered, her initial foster family was able to provide her with sufficient physiological and safety needs, however, they still did not provide belongingness and love. They showed her little affection and rarely held her or talked to her. By the end of Cindy’s first year, she looked as if she were only 6 months old developmentally. Also, when the family moved to another state they had no desire to adopt her, which also showed how little they cared for her emotionally. The outcome of Cindy’s first trying year of life was severe underdevelopment in which she could barley crawl at one year, an aversion to affection where Cindy would cringe at someone’s touch, and a sense of uncertainty and shyness to her. ) During Cindy’s second year of life, she was placed with a much better foster family would not only fulfilled her needs for survival and safety, they were also very loving. The family had two other daughters, who were trilled to have a baby sister to take care of, the mother stayed at home with the kids during the day and the father was there in the evenings when the mother was working four nights a week inside the home. Cindy had a clean, quiet environment where she was exposed to other chi ldren. She was also shown a lot of affection, which at first she resisted, but eventually she began to become accustom to it and even began seeking it out and developed more rapidly. By the time she was living with this family for six months, she had caught up to the development of children her age. Once Cindy’s biological mother overdosed and died, the option for adoption was there and the new family happily accepted Cindy into there life permanently. The outcome of all of this was that Cindy became a happy, confident child on the same level as other children her age. ) According to Maslow, if Cindy were to actualize, the type of values she would have to embrace would include an acceptance of herself, others and of nature in general, which would allow her not to feel a sense of anxiety, shame or guilt due to her situation as a child. Also, autonomy, appreciation for life events, creativity from an openness to experience and spontaneity, an unhostile sense of humor and a strong ethic al sense would all be values Cindy would have to embrace to be a self-actualizer. There are other characteristics that Maslow listed as belonging to these types o people, but these have a more immediate relationship to Cindy and her upbringing. Her early childhood would defiantly not give Cindy the predisposition to have these values, however, her fortunate situation in which she was later adopted by a loving and providing family would be able to give her the other needs she craves to reach self-actualization.

Intruder to Queen Elizabeths Bedroom

Intruder to Queen Elizabeths Bedroom Early on Friday morning, July 9, 1982, Queen Elizabeth II woke to find a strange, bleeding man sitting at the end of her bed. As scary as the situation must have been, she handled it with royal aplomb. A Strange Man at the End of the Queens Bed When Queen Elizabeth II woke up on the morning of July 9, 1982, she saw that a strange man was sitting on her bed. The man, dressed in jeans and a dirty T-shirt, was cradling a broken ashtray and dripping blood onto the royal linens from a lacerated hand. The Queen kept calm and picked up the phone from her bedside table. She asked the operator at the palace switchboard to summon the police. Though the operator did pass the message to the police, the police didnt respond. Some reports say the intruder, 31-year-old Michael Fagan, had planned to commit suicide in the Queens bedroom but decided it wasnt a nice thing to do once he was there. He wanted to talk about love but the Queen changed the subject to family matters. Fagans mother later said, He thinks so much of the Queen. I can imagine him just wanting to simply talk and say hello and discuss his problems. Fagan thought it a coincidence that he and the Queen both had four children. The Queen attempted to summon a chambermaid by pressing a button, but no one came. The Queen and Fagan continued to talk. When Fagan asked for a cigarette, the Queen again called the palace switchboard. Still, no one responded. After the Queen had spent ten minutes with the mentally disturbed, bleeding intruder, a chambermaid entered the Queens quarters and exclaimed, Bloody hell, maam! Whats he doing in there? The chambermaid then ran out and woke up a footman who then seized the intruder. The police arrived twelve minutes after the Queens first call. How Did He Get into the Queens Bedroom? This wasnt the first time that protection of the royal monarch had been found lacking, but it had supposedly been increased since the 1981 attack on the Queen (a man fired six blanks at her during the Trooping the Color ceremony). Yet Michael Fagan basically walked into Buckingham Palace - twice. Only a month before, Fagan had stolen a $6 bottle of wine from the palace. Around 6 a.m., Fagan climbed the 14-foot-high wall - topped with spikes and barbed wire - on the southeast side of the palace. Though an off-duty policeman saw Fagan climbing the wall, by the time he had alerted palace guards, Fagan could not be found. Fagan then walked along the south side of the palace and then along the west side. There, he found an open window and climbed in. Fagan had entered a room housing King George Vs $20 million stamp collection. Since the door to the interior of the palace was locked, Fagan went back outside through the window. An alarm had been set off both as Fagan entered and exited the Stamp Room through the window, but the policeman at the police sub-station (on palace grounds) assumed the alarm was malfunctioning and turned it off - twice. Fagan then went back as he had come, along with the west side of the palace, and then continuing along the south side (past his point of entry), and then along the east side. Here, he climbed up a drainpipe, pulled back some wire (meant to keep pigeons away) and climbed into Vice Admiral Sir Peter Ashmores office (the man responsible for the Queens security). Fagan then walked down the hallway, looking at paintings and into rooms. Along his way, he picked up a glass ashtray and broke it, cutting his hand. He passed a palace housekeeper who said good morning and only a few minutes later he walked into the Queens bedroom. Normally, an armed policeman stands guard outside the Queens door at night. When his shift is over at 6 a.m., he is replaced with an unarmed footman. At this particular time, the footman was out walking the Queens corgis (dogs). When the public learned of this incident, they were outraged at the lapse of security around their Queen. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher personally apologized to the Queen and measures were immediately taken to strengthen palace security. Sources Davidson, Spencer. God Save the Queen, Fast. TIME 120.4 (July 26, 1982): 33. Rogal, Kim and Ronald Henkoff. Intruder at the Palace. Newsweek July 26, 1982: 38-39.

Labour Governments 1945-1951 essays

Labour Governments 1945-1951 essays Writing of the Labour governments 1945-1951, a senior civil servant said: It put me in mind of Columbus voyage: when Columbus set out, he didnt know where he was going; when he arrived he didnt know where he was; and when he returned he didnt know where hed been. Assess the achievements and failures of the Labour governments of 1945-1951. Shortly after the Second World War, Winston Churchill decided to dissolve the wartime coalition, and was confident that he would be able to form a government of his own. The subsequent general election led to a surprising and overwhelming victory for his Labour opponents, and no one was more shocked by this landslide than the new Prime Minister, Clement Attlee. Atlees governments have since received heavy criticism from both the left and right wings of the political scale. The major complaint of the right winged commentators was that Labour introduced too much socialism, and that perhaps they ignored desperately needed industrial regeneration in this post war period, in favour of welfare reforms. Their counterparts on the left have argued that, although they may have introduced long overdue reforms they failed to break down the long standing class barriers or redistribute wealth, and thus accusing the Attlee governments of wasting an opportunity to create a true socialist state. Mos t of these critiques, however, have been formed with the benefit of hindsight. Inevitably no government is able to please the whole nation, and it is only when elected into office that the ideology that a Party commits to in opposition is put to the test. In order to assess the achievements and failures of Attlees governments, we must first consider the state of Britain when the Labour Party assumed power, and consequently observe the degree to which their policies and reforms benefited the country. The election victory in July 1945 was a surprise, as Winston Chur...