Plastics Essay Example for Free

Plastics Essay From the mid-1980s onwards, plastic bags became common for carrying daily groceries from the store to vehicles and homes throughout the developed world. As plastic bags increasingly replaced paper bags, and as other plastic materials and products replaced glass, metal, stone, timber and other materials, a packaging materials war erupted, with plastic shopping bags at the center of highly publicized disputes. Although few peer-reviewed studies or government surveys have provided estimates for global plastic bag use, environmental activists estimate that between 500 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags are used each year worldwide. Plastic has replaced the traditional material (paper/cloth etc) as packing and carry bags because of cost and convenience which is possibly a wrong choice of material for such use. Even though plastic bags can preserve food and can be used for growing vegetables in a controlled environment, their method of disposal has creates unprecedented pollution problem. Plastic has many more uses other than Plastic Bags and Packing material. It is used for manufacturing of protective covers and parts for many machines, which should be the preferred utility for plastic. More than a 100 million tones of plastic is produced world-wide each year. Though plastics have opened the way for a plethora of new inventions and devices it has also ended up clogging the drains and becoming a health hazard. Many countries, including India, are trying to increase the amount of plastic that is recycled. But commercial interests create hindrance for effective legislation to remove plastics from goods where they can threaten public health. Also there is a clear trend of shipping off the plastic waste of developed countries to under develop and developing countries. India imported 7,841. 8 metric tonnes of plastic waste from the US in the first half of 1994. India is the fourth highest Asian importer of plastic waste behind Hong Kong, Philippines,Indonesia. Environmental pollution caused by routinely used polythene packaging materials; it would be prudent, for the present, to use eco-friendly paper packaging. The manufacturers of plastic packaging like soft drink bottles/mineral water bottles etc must come forward and develop appropriate methods of disposal/own responsibility for disposal. Plastic bags were found to constitute a significant portion of the floating marine debris in the waters around southern Chile in a study conducted between 2002 and 2005. If washed out to sea, plastic bags can be carried long distances by ocean currents, and can strangle marine animals or, if ingested, cause them to starve to death. [8] Numerous deaths among animals such as sea turtles and dolphins have been attributed to the ingestion of plastic marine litter, which includes plastic bags. Littering is often a serious problem in developing countries, where trash collection infrastructure is less developed than in wealthier nations. The relatively limited adoption of modern biodegradable plastic bags means that many older landfills are filled with large, persistent deposits of non-degrading bags. It is, however, possible that in the future these deposits could be mined and reprocessed to replace dwindling raw material resources. In recent times due to widespread awareness drive by NGOS and government and to lesser extent by educational institutions has resulted in increasing the consciousness among few shopkeepers they have shifted back to the old system of wrapping up goods in paper bags or newspapers, Some people are slowly getting habituated to going to the market with cloth bags. Besides a few NGOs, even school students have come forward to take up a promotion campaign for the use of paper or cloth bags. Each year, as industry produces more and more nonessential products individually and excessively packaged, we throw away more and more trash. To a large extent, our garbage problem is a result of a corporate ethic that puts profits before people and the environment. Industry is pushing disposability because it pays. Plastic razors can only be used a few times before disposal, then more must be bought, making the plastic and razor industries rich and happy. Appliances designed to become obsolete guarantee youll have to buy new ones next year. Over 84 percent (by weight) of municipal solid waste could be reused, recycled or composted instead of being buried or burned. An exception is plastic, which comprises about 7 percent by weight or 20 percent by volume of municipal solid waste. Due to technical and financial limitations, less than ten percent of plastic is currently recycled. Furthermore, plastic recycling only defers the plastic disposal problem, since most plastic items can only be manufactured from virgin plastic. Recycled polystyrene foam (also known by the brand name Styrofoam) can be used to build marine docks but not to make a new polystyrene foam cup. New plastic will have to be produced from non-renewable oil stocks to make those cups, and eventually all the plastic will have to be disposed of. Last February 21, 2011, the province of Albay, spearheaded by Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda became the first in the Bicol region to ban the use of plastic bags. Provincial Ordinance No. 011 – 3, which is also known as the â€Å"Anti – Plastic† Ordinance of the Province of Albay, prohibits the use of plastic bags on dry goods and regulating the use on wet goods and prohibiting the use of Styrofoam and other synthetic materials harmful to the environment. The ordinance, signed into law by the governor and lauded by the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is expected to eradicate the use of plastics bag by any means. As cited in Section 2 of the ordinance, the law is for the compliance of all business establishments, groceries, department stores, supermarkets, chain retailers and sari-sari stores in the province. Likewise, utilization of alternative packaging materials such as woven native bags (bayong), reusable cloth, shopping bags (katsa), paper bags and other similar materials is encouraged. It is also a known fact that many of those plastic bags that shop owners used to pack their merchandise often ended up in streets. The hazards plastic pose for the province are numerous. Albay being a favorite spot of natural disasters is at risk with the threats of excessive use of plastic products. Also, the province gets littered by plastic bag garbage presenting an ugly and unhygienic seen. The soil fertility deteriorates as plastic bags form part of manure remains on the soil for years. This new ordinance should be taken sincerely because this not only speaks for the lives at stake but for the environment of the next generations as well. Large food chains like McDonald’s, Jollibee and others should start to ban Styrofoam packages among their products. Large supermarkets should take the initiatives and act upon the given law and use alternatives to pack the purchase of their customers. They should also convince customers to bring their own reusable bags when they go shopping. Educational programs anchored to the ordinance should also be created to be able to grasp the students’ awareness about this law. They should be educated as early as in primary years that they may become fully aware of it. Massive campaigns like door-to-door information drive, barangay seminars and other promotions using quad media will be helpful in the realization of the law. Furthermore, environmental awareness of each individual should be encouraged as well.

UK Diverse Society

UK Diverse Society ECA TASK 1 In what ways can the UK be described as a diverse society? Choose three examples of diversity and write and essay which: describes each of them in turn considers which aspects of diversity are negative and which are positive for one of the examples. The diversity of family life in the UK today The diversity of places in which people live The diversity of cultures in the UK Britain today is a richly diverse society in which people with very different ways of life coexist. Diversity means being different, being unlike and variety. Diversity can describe differences within a society or between societies and applies to the unique contributions   to the group characteristics made by the individuals such as beliefs, sexual orientation, ethnic background, cultural perspective,  and so forth. Family, place and culture mean different things for different people but are usually associated with connectedness. This essay, though, will first analyse family, place and culture as causes and consequences of social diversity and, secondly, it will describe the relationship between places and life chances and how diversity can bring inequality. During the past decades, social change in Britain has brought structural and functional diversity into family (Sherratt et al. 2004, p.30). Families today come in many shapes and sizes, there is no right or wrong structure. The main types of family, nuclear and extended, have increased with reconstituted and single-parent families. Families can be formed by married, unmarried or same sex couples   with dependent, independent or no children at all. National statistics for 2001 (ONS, 2002 data set ST32217 and ST33218 ) show that one in five families with dependent children are headed by lone mothers, three times the number obtained in 1971. This may be explained by rising rates of divorce, cohabitation and live births outside of marriage. These figures suggest evolving family structures but also a general maintenance of conventional gender ideology. Hence, different beliefs and practices in relation to the division of labour may bring diversity to family life.  In this respect, You ng and Willmott (1973, cited in Sherratt et al. 2004 p.26) predicted a more egalitarian family whilst Morris (1990, cited in Sherratt et al. 2004 p.26) denied the attrition of the traditional gender roles.   Another source of diversity in family life is regional diversity. The inner London boroughs have higher concentrations of minority groups than the rest of the country (ONS, 2001). Ethnic diversity as a source of family diversity is defended by Berthoud (2001) among others. This author argues   that Asian families are more traditional, have high rates of marriage and are more likely to have extended families comprising three generations. By contrast, West Indian households have a higher proportion of lone mothers and low rates of partnerships. Similarly, geography and ethnicity bring diversity to the places where people live. Whether rural or urban location, owner-ocuppied or rented, house, flat or even a caravan, there are multiple places to live in Britain today. Places where people influence their experiences and social relations (Sherratt et al. 2004, p 88). In inner London boroughs, like Islington and Camden, not only there is more ethnical diversity than in the rest of Britain (ONS, 2001), but   affluent professionals inhabit the same street as jobless, low-income families or live next to council estates while having no connection with them, as exemplified by Graef (2003). In other parts of East London though, Mumford and Power (2003, cited in Sherratt et al. p. 97) noticed how diverse neighbourhoods can still maintain a sense of community spirit through local social networks. The transition from dwells and neighbourhoods to homes and communities can be done via a sense of attachment and belonging that is part of t he broad meaning of culture (Sherratt et al. 2004, p.96). Culture is all shared beliefs and socially communicated demeanour, that distinguishes a group of people, whether this is a family, a neighbourhood, a community or a nation (Sherratt et al. 2004 p.38-45). People identify with others within their culture but distinguish from people in other cultures. Hence, diverse cultures lead to diverse ways of living, and these can bring people into conflict over how it is acceptable to live. On the other hand, cultural diversity brings richness and choices and shapes identities bringing connectedness. The culture in Britain, including language, food, arts, clothes, leisure activities, religion or relationships can be seen as a sum of the diverse cultures that constitute its society. Cultural mixing is not a new concept, as noted by Sherratt et al. (2004 p. 76). It started with trading in prehistoric times and was further fueled by imports and immigration.   The only thing new about cultural exchange is how easy it is now.   With modern informa tion technology it is possible to experience other cultures on a whim. But the globalisation of culture has a downside. Scott-Clarke and Levy (2003) exemplify the devastating social effects of cultural imperialism caused by American television in Bhutan. In the same way, the aforementioned diversity of places where people live reflects choices, variety and opportunities but there is a drawback. Utilizing the Weberian term â€Å"life chances† (Weber 1948, cited by Sherratt et al. 2004, p. 85) to describe an estimate of an individuals ability to enjoy the economic and cultural goods of a society, it is easy to see how the distribution of such goods is usually asymmetrical. Peoples life chances are influenced by salary, wealth, housing and education (Sherratt et al. 2004, p 87). Therefore, family, culture and where people live shape life chances. The importance of housing tenure in life chances is debated amongst sociologists. Saunders (1988, 1990, cited in Sherratt et al. 2004 p. 88) outweighs the importance of home-owning status to occupation but this argument is contradicted by Forrest and Murrie (1995, cited in Sherratt et al. 2004, p. 89) and criticised by Watt (1993, cited in Sherratt et al. p. 89). Clearly, home equity can be used as collateral or improve children with inheritance, giving control to peoples lives. On the other hand, Sherratt et al. (2004 p. 94) points out how the UK shows a general pattern of geographical clustering of poverty and wealth and how this clustering affects peoples ability to access housing, education and employment opportunities and directly impacts in the quality of health services. A direct consequence could be seen in the different life expectancy for different areas in Britain in 1998-2000 (ONS, 2002) accounting up to 10 years of difference for men between Westminster and Glasgow city. Personal wellbeing is then affected by the ability to afford a home in a neighbourhood that improves rather than limits life chances. In conclusion, Britains society is undeniably diverse. Living in Britain has implications on how people live, whom they live with and where they live and these differences shape British society. Social change has brought diversity to family, neighbourhoods and culture. There are many different types of families today. Diverse neighbourhoods may or not share a sense of community. Cultural diversity shapes our identity. Where people life affects their health and prosperity. Diversity brings richness but also inequality. References Berthoud, R. (2001) ‘Family formation in multi-cultural Britain: three patterns of diversity, paper resented at Changing family patterns in multi-cultural Britain Institute for Social and Economic Research University of Essex. Available at: http://www.sociology.org.uk/as4fm1.pdf [Accessed 24-27 January, 2008] Graef, R. (2003) ‘Two families living side by side. But the gulf between rich and poor keeps them worlds apart The Observer, 20 July. Available from: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,6903,1001753,00.html [Accessed 24-28 January, 2008] ONS (2001) National Statistics: Ethnicity: Regional Distribution. Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=263 [Accessed 24 January 2008] ONS (2002) National Statistics: Families with dependent children headed by lone parents: Social Trends 32, data set ST32217. Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=4992More=Y [Accessed 24 January 2008] ONS (2002) National Statistics: Births outside marriage as a percentage of all live births: Social Trends 33, data set ST33218 http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=6369 [Accessed 24 January 2008] ONS, 2002 Health Statistics Quarterly, issue 13. London. Available at http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_health/HSQ13_v4.pdf [Accessed February 2, 2008] Scott-Clarke, C. and Levy, A. (2003) ‘Fast forward into trouble The Guardian,14 June. Available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/weekend/story/0,3605,975769,00.html [Accessed 24 January 2008] Sherrattt, N., Darkes, T., Pearson, C., Williams, C. and Woodward, K. (2004) Understanding society, Milton Keynes, The Open University. TASK 2 Write no more than 250 words to answer the following questions: In what ways do you feel that your study skills have improved during the course? What do you now think are the strengths and weaknesses of your study skills? How would you like to make further improvements? My study skills during this course have improved qualitative and quantitatively. From a natural science background I have had to leap into social sciences, where comprehending the material is more important that memorising it. Multiple-choice questions have been substituted by essay writing, where you have to reason, argument and reference your statements, not just tick the correct answer. Reading and note taking have been tasks of outmost importance. I feel I have had to strip texts to their bare bones and build their bodies again with my own words. One of my skills is interpreting graphs and numeric data, as this is something I do very frequently in my job. One of the most difficult things has been to accept that there is usually more than one answer in social science questions, and there are no right or wrong, but different opinions and an open debate. It has been a revelation to discover that, in social sciences, we, as individuals and as a society, are the researchers and subjects of study, and the dynamic implications of this duality. I have signed up for DD100 to further improve and polish my new skills. Y157 has opened my appetite for social matters and I want to learn more. My newly acquired skills are going to be put to the test.

The external and internal environment at Aer Lingus

The external and internal environment at Aer Lingus This paper proposes a new alternative strategy that Aer Lingus could potentially adopt. First and foremost the paper analyzes the external and internal environment regarding Aer Lingus. Here the strengths and weaknesses of the internal environment i.e the company are identified and a PESTEL analysis is conducted in order to assess the opportunities and threats concerning the external environment. Through this in depth analysis of both the internal and external environment we were able to devise three alternative strategies for Aer Lingus. 1. Aer Lingus move towards a Low cost carrier model. 2. Aer Lingus move towards benefit-oriented national flag carrier model 3. Aer Lingus continue with their current strategy and position of being in between an ultra low cost carrier and full service flag carrier in Europe while also adopting a low cost model on transatlantic flights; charging for ancillary services and increase the seat capacity on the planes by reducing the number of business class seats and increasing the amount of economy seats. After much deliberation the strategy we opted for was the third alternative. In considering the first strategy, we realized that it would be very hard for Aer Lingus to compete on cost as Ryanair occupies such a large share of the market, therefore making it very difficult for Aer Lingus to reach minimum efficiency levels. In evaluating the second strategy it came to our attention that with most of Europe in a recession, a flag carrier model would not be a desirable nor profitable strategy. Therefore we suggest that Aer Lingus continue with their current strategy and adopt a low cost approach on transatlantic flights, similar to the one they have incorporated to their European flights and also try to improve connections to Asia by finding a partner. This will enable Aer Lingus to access a new market and improve their profitability. External Analysis: The current economic climate has had a direct impact on the Irish airline industry. People have less disposable income and as a result Dublin airport has witnessed a decline in passenger numbers since 2008. Figures released by the DAA show a significant decline in passengers from 23.5 million in 2008 to 20.5 million in 2009; a decrease of 13% and it s expected that numbers will fall even further in 2010 to 19 million passengers. Ireland is one of the few European countries to impose a 10 travel tax on tourist travelling to Ireland. This along with the 40% increase in airport charges (which is being used to pay for Terminal 2) is considered to be one of the main reasons in the decline of seat capacity which dropped by 140,000 in April 2010 alone and the fall in Irish air traffic by 13% so far this year. Growth has returned to countries which have ditched this travel tax and reduced its airport charges. According to Canadian energy economist Jeff Rubin the maximum an airline company can pay for a barrel is $80 dollars, any higher and the company cannot make a profit, $80 dollars is the breakeven point. Oil prices have been steadily rising since January 2009 and economists have predicted that this year the price of oil will rise to $80 per barrel which could prove detrimental to the profitability of the airline industry. In April 2010 the eruption of an Icelandic volcano caused Irish air traffic to come to a halt. The closure of Irish airspace caused a sharp decline in trips to and from Ireland. In April 2010 The Central Statistics Office reported a decrease of 24.9% in trips made to Ireland and a decrease of 27.9% trips made by Irish residents made overseas in comparison with April 2009. (See Appendix A for an Aer Lingus analysis using Porter s Five Forces Model) Internal Analysis: When internally analysing Aer Lingus, we assessed their strengths, weaknesses, resources and capabilities. A major strength we perceive Aer Lingus to have is that they serve both regional and transatlantic hubs. This fact has positioned them between a low cost carrier and a flag carrier airline. Their partnership with Aer Arann has enhanced their short haul network. They have achieved certain advantages at no extra cost such as an improved network frequency, a deepened penetration in core Ireland and UK markets and a consolidation of long haul traffic in their Dublin hub. A major resource they possess is their network connectivity. Their long haul routes to the USA have been established with strong connectivity, such as New York, Boston and Chicago. They now connect to over 50 US cities. They also possess a large market share on key routes and are seen as a flag ship airline. Their large market share comes from their very competitive cost base. They also have potential for expansion on their long haul network. Valuable assets of Aer Lingus include their well positioned slots, their close to 1 billion in cash and their route network. These assets will ensure that Aer Lingus continue successful operations during a time in which the industry is facing an exceptionally tough trading environment which has progressively deteriorated in the last year or so. An important capability of Aer Lingus is their ability to compete with Ryanair, Europe s largest low cost carrier. Their prices are usually higher than Ryanair s prices, however sometimes not by much. Yet what makes them more attractive to many customers is that they fly into major airports, unlike Ryanair. Aer Lingus also managed to resist two take-over bids from Ryanair due to its strong ties to the Government. During our research we found there to be no airline in the top 100 brands, however, the Aer Lingus brand is well established and something that Aer Lingus themselves view as a main resource. Their brand boasts low fares and good service. Something which may be viewed as a weakness is the fact that this year Aer Linus have vacated some of their slots at Gatwick airport. They have also taken two of their Airbus A320 s out of operation and reduced their fleet size to just three at Gatwick. They deferred two A320 aircraft from this year to next year. And also state there to be some savage pay cuts for the Irish flag carrier. This was a result of the cost and capacity management in 2009. The significantly higher than expected cost of terminal 2 at Dublin airport mean that Aer Lingus flight prices will also be higher than expected. This may cause a knock on effect to passenger numbers and ultimately profits. Evaluation Criteria: When we assessed Aer Lingus s profitability we found that their return on equity has deteriorated even further from 2008 when it was -14.4% to -18.4% in 2009. We then assessed the efficiency level of the airline by computing their sales to assets ratio. In 2008 the efficiency level was 0.64, this improved to 0.69 in 2009. Aer Lingus have the 16th largest market share in the European airline industry, with a weekly departing seat capacity of 300,000. Their main competitor, Ryanair, occupies the largest share of the European market with approximately 1,900,000 weekly departing seat capacities. With the introduction of the Greenfield cost reduction programme Aer Lingus were able to reduce their cost base by 7.4%, setting a benchmark for the European Airline Industry. At present the average price of an Aer Lingus ticket is 77 compared with Ryanair s average price of 44. Strategic Alternatives: One possible way for Aer Lingus would be to move more towards becoming a low cost carrier (LCC). In order to be able to compete with the players in this niche, Aer Lingus would have to make further adjustments to its business model. The Irish competitor Ryanair proves that there is great potential in the low cost carrier market, as they are still both growing in passenger numbers and revenues and maintaining to be profitable even in times of global economic crisis. But such bottom line figures are results of focused streamlining of the airline business model. Almost every complementary service is charged extra, operations are kept to a bare minimum or outsourced wherever this seem lucrative, flights are not interconnected but only point-to-point, and the costs for fleet maintenance and procurement is greatly reduced by the use of only a single type of aircraft. Also over the last few years there has been massive consolidation in the airline industry, especially with respect to LCCs. This underlines the fact that the pressure in this market segment is particularly high. To get into this segment Aer Lingus would have to restructure its flight network, personnel, fleet, and ground operations, but even then it is questionable whether or not Aer Lingus would be able to match or outperform close competitors such as Ryanair. In exhibit [no.B1] the current differences in cost structure between Aer Lingus and Ryanair can be observed. Although the general structure is fairly similar, especially with respect to staff costs, airplane maintenance and Airport and handling costs Aer Lingus faces much higher costs than Ryanair. Overall, this direction could prove to be a risky and somewhat too challenging endeavor. Too many, too important aspects would have to be changed, which is unlikely to happen when taking into consideration that there will be internal politics involved, particularly when it comes to cuts in the field of staff expenses, Aer Lingus biggest disadvantage. (S ee Appendix B.1) Aer Lingus could also try to move to the other end of the scale, namely that of the benefit-oriented former national flag carriers. These airlines maintain extensive hub-and-spoke networks which allow them offer a big variety of different connections. The flights are complemented with different amenities such as free meals and luggage. In addition to the sheer transport service, an overall experience is created and valued by the customers. Flag carriers generally make their money through business customers who are typically not very price sensitive. Aer Lingus already owns the necessary timeslots and connections to provide an extensive network and its fleet could also potentially be modified to provide the more enjoyable flight experience that luxury customers are used to (See Exhibit B2). Also it is questionable if Aer Lingus is actually large enough to maintain a network that can match the advantages of airlines competing with a similar model. Despite the fact that Aer Lingus may h ave some experience with the type of flight that the potential competitors offer, this knowledge might not transfer as easily throughout the whole business, excessive cost for the same amount of benefits might occur. Also with the general economic climate, which is likely to persist over the coming years, even business travellers are increasingly price sensitive or do not fly at all, which makes this market segment significantly less attractive. (See Appendix B.2) A third strategic alternative Aer Lingus could consider is continuing with their current strategy and position of being in between an ultra low cost carrier and full service flag carrier in Europe while also adopting a low cost transatlantic model. Taking into consideration Air Asia s model of low cost, long haul flights between Asia and Europe, we feel that Aer Lingus could apply this same model to their transatlantic flights. They could implement a no frills approach on these flights by adopting an ancillary service. Passengers would pay a basic premium price for their flight ticket. Any extras on board the flight such as meals, the use of a TV, pillows, blankets, drinks etc. would incur an additional charge. We feel that by increasing the capacity of their current fleet, they could increase revenue, and potentially increase their market share. Both Aer Lingus and Air Asia use the same aircraft on long-haul flights, being the Airbus 330-300. However, Air Asia has managed their passenger numbers more efficiently. They have 12 business class seats, compared with Aer Lingus s 24 and 365 economy seats compared with Aer Lingus s 303. If Aer Lingus were to adopt Air Asia s more efficient method they could increase their seat capacity by 15%. (See Appendix B.3) Recommended strategic alternative and its execution: We have highlighted in the previous section three alternative strategies that Aer Lingus can take. We believe that shifting to a no-frills model is not convenient for Aer Lingus because of the greater bargaining power held by Ryanair, which is the European leader of no-frills carriers (it has reported a net profit after taxes of $612.2 million for the first quarter of 2010). Moreover Aer Lingus would not be able to reach the minimum efficient cost to make a profitable low-cost business because it would not be able to develop a learning curve in the short-term. On the other hand, shifting its business model to a western legacy carriers one is not a winning move because at the moment this business model is proving to be unprofitable (American airline has reported a net loss of $359 million for the third quarter 2009, which included the impact of approximately $94 million in non-recurring charges related to the sale of certain aircraft and the grounding of leased Airbus A300 aircraft pr ior to lease expiration. Excluding those non-recurring charges, the third quarter 2009 loss was $265 million or $0.93 per share). We think that Aer Lingus should continue with their current strategy while also incorporating a low cost transatlantic model based on that of Air Asia. In detail Aer Lingus Group Plc should offer enhancements including better food and faster check-in times to customers willing to pay more. In a switch that brings it closer to EasyJet Plc, which attracts a higher proportion of business flyers, Dublin-based Aer Lingus will adopt a hybrid model somewhere between a discount and full-service carrier. Aer Lingus also adds more short-haul routes through a franchise deal with smaller Irish carrier Aer Arann, while seeking to boost long-haul connections by increasing the number of code-share partners. Moreover the agreement with Aer Arann cover 12 routes, giving Aer Lingus new services to Bristol, Blackpool, Cardiff, Durham and Doncaster/Sheffield in England, together with Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland. While the flights use by Aer Arann, being ATR 72 turboprop planes, are branded Aer Lingus Regional, with tickets sold through the larger carrier s Web site. Aer Lingus also needs to improve connections to Asia by finding a partner with daily flights to the region. The airline may rebuild its base at London s Gatwick airport should demand improve after paring services and cutting the number of planes stationed there. Luton, England-based EasyJet is the largest carrier at Gatwick, and has attracted more time-sensitive flyers than Ryanair by operating to airports that are generally closer to major European cities than those used by its rival. Aer Lingus is already reducing wages and slashing its workforce by almost a fifth, and more jobs may have to go as the airline braces for a decline in sales in what will be an extremely challenging. The Irish government holds 25 percent of the carrier s stock, with Ryanair owning about 29 percent following two failed takeover attempts. Likely Benefits and Limitations of Strategic Alternative: Aer Lingus has been hit harder than most as the Irish economy struggles to emerge from the worst recession since World War II. That is why a pure low-cost model was limiting its ability to maximize revenue. Through establishing a low cost transatlantic model, Aer Lingus will have access to a new market which has been created as a result of the economic struggle. Moreover since the recession in Ireland is to last longer than anywhere else world, it is impossible for Aer Lingus develop new routes on its own. Through agreements and alliances, Aer Lingus is able to reach new airports and acquire a new market share at a lower cost by sharing fixed costs. In that way the company will increase its profits by raising the number of its itineraries as well as by differentiating its customer target. In fact, Aer Lingus has joined transatlantic routes by deals with UNITED and Jet Blue carriers and regional routes by their agreement with Aer Arann. Question 2 GTSI From our reading of the GTSI case study we consider the main problem to be that the company expanded too quickly: The Company was too ambitious in implementing such complex systems such as the ERP and GEMs systems and similarly in its 007 strategy. The main reason for the failure of the ERP system was that instead of being run as a corporate project it was run as an IT project. The system was initially supposed to have cost them between $3-5 million and was to take between 12-24 months to complete. Instead the system ended up costing them $60 million and took 5 years to complete and in the process 3 CIO departed. The company seemed to have lost sight of the goal of implementing this system which was to act as a means of lowering costs when in fact by trying to complete this system they ended up driving up the costs which was inevitably detrimental to the profitability of the company. Instead of treating the ERP system as a sunk cost the company kept investing money into it and then e ventually in 2005 launched the system before they were certain if it would be effective or not, stating that the company could learn by trial and error . The launch of the ERP system coincided with the launch of the new GEMS system which in addition was a failure. Because the system failed there was a huge back log in orders and nothing was shipped for two months. In an attempt to rectify this problem GTSI solely concentrated on large orders which only accounted for 20% of their customers, leaving the other 80% extremely dissatisfied. This resulted in a huge increase in customer complaints which in turn lowered staff morale which lead to the increase in employee turnover and proved harmful to their reputation. The reason for the failure of the 007 strategy was that it was simply far too ambitious and it did not take into account the impact of doubling the sales force and revenue in such a short period of time would have on the organizational structure. Also because the company operated in a defined market the implementation of this strategy caused their operating expenses to increase significantly. The company undertook too much by trying to implement the 007 strategy and the GEMS and EPRS systems simultaneously. In being too ambitious with their plans they ignored the individual execution required for the strategy and systems therefore nothing was implemented effectively. The company was nearing bankruptcy when GTSI jumped from a net profit of $10.3 million in 2004 to a $16-million net loss by 2005. Moreover the Bank did not extend GTSIs credit facility leaving the executives at GTSI with two months to find a new credit facility. The reaction of its partners was not good. Some of its long-term partners are going to end their relationship as well as customers questioning whether they should continue to do business with GTSI. GTSI s reputation dropped as well as its stock price. In fact GTSI was quoted into NASDAQ Stock Exchange and when its assets and liabilities were degraded, its rating fell down. In this situation the best solution for the company is trying to retrieve its reputation, so it could increase its stock price. By selling some core assets, the firm could get back some liquidity to guarantee for its liabilities to the Bank. Moreover it could ask for some help from the Government which could acquire some of GTSI s stocks and enable it recover some of its past reputation; particularly, by becoming partly a public company, GTSI stocks rating rise as well as its market price. The second step which we consider very important is to develop a centralized training system to make the employees familiar with the new ERP system, so that the company can really exploit the potential of its investment in this IT system. Finally, we state that a common organization culture and strong leadership is necessary to overcome the attrition within the current organization and to make the coordination between GTSI s activities easier. Question 3 Shenzhen After studying the case of Shenzhen Filtroil, the main problems we have identified are the two dysfunctional relationships between (a) Liu and Qian and (b) The American owners, Randolph and Leahman and the Chinese partners, Liu and Qian. Communication is severed and the merged factory Dongwon Filtroil is not operating as a single team. Relationships are a key component of the business so once trust and communication were not there anymore problems occurred. The main reason is the fact that Liu does not feel appreciated and does not feel that his work is recognised. The firm have a huge reliance on Liu as he is the only one who knows the zinc formula. Liu therefore plays a crucial role in the business and once he recognizes just how important he is he becomes greedy. During a conversation with Qian, Liu demands to be paid (RMB) 15,000 a month, 30% commission instead of his current 5% and also to get a new company car. Qian fails to understand the change in Liu s attitude since they had been such good friends. They should be equals in their business relationship as they both own a stake in the company. However, Liu finds Qian too controlling and untrusting by the way that he checks his products when it is not even necessary. He tells Qian that he needs to stop worrying about his workers and concentrate on his own workers. Due to these issues their relationship becomes more and more dysfunctional. Another reason for their relationship problems is that Qian sees Liu as someone who was in a lot of debt and could barely feed his family. He is of the opinion that Liu should be happy that the merged factory Dongwon Filtroil has enabled Liu to live a better life and send his daughter to a good school. Realistically Qian always felt that Liu should be appreciative of anything he has gained from the merger. He didn t value the important role Liu plays in the company s success with his zinc formula. The relationship between the American owners and the Chinese partners is strained because Randolph and Leahman were kept in the dark for a long time about the tension that was building in the Chinese factory between Liu and Qain. The lack of communication meant that problems were left unsolved and the Chinese partners were left dwelling in the difficult task of keeping the business going. We have considered two solutions to the above problems. The first involves fixing the internal relationship issues without any changes to who works in the business. This can be done by improving communication. Liu and Qain need to become more aware of their responsibilities to the business and stop relying on the American owners to fix their relationship problems. They could put contractual agreements in place that tackle the hold-up issue that Liu has created. This would then establish potential to reinstate trust in the company. At the end of the day we have realised that it is not money that Liu really cares about it is about his work being appreciated. If he had a greater stake it would improve communication and also allow both Liu and Qain to act as equal partners as opposed to one controlling the other. This solution will take time and will need the dedication of everyone involved in the business. Another solution is one proposed at the end of the case. Continue working with Liu and give him the raise he requested. Then hire someone to learn Liu s trade secrets. This would then allow Qain and the American owners to make the zinc formula themselves. They could then get rid of Liu by offering to buy him our or force his resignation if necessary. This solution means that they do not have to address the current major issue that is Qain and Liu s relationship.

Expanding the Horizons of Beauty Through Fiction, Poetry, and Drama Ess

Departing from a lover might often seem painful; yet, it is precisely with the departures that one learns about the nature of true love. In the poem â€Å"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,† John Donne offers a beautiful insight into this subject. As he consoles his wife by asserting that their love is everlasting, the poet develops a theme that unifies the poem and allows the reader to identify his intention. The theme, therefore, is especially important as it serves as a central point around which all the other elements are structured. As John Donne explores the nature of unconditional love, he employs metaphors, symbolism, and tone as the three main elements that reinforce the theme and contribute to creating a poem that both moves and connects to the reader. Throughout the poem, Donne employs metaphors extensively to emphasize the spiritual dimension of the love he shares with his wife. In the first stanza, the author compares his leaving with the death of â€Å"virtuous men† (line 1). As these men â€Å"whisper to their souls to go† (2), the lovers ought to accept the departure like the men are able to detach their bodies from their souls, and separate peacefully. As he continues to comfort his wife, he invites her to â€Å"make no noise† (5) and suggests that there should be â€Å"No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move† (6). This comparison of her crying with floods engages the reader because it sounds unconventional. Unlike most wives when their husbands leave, Donne’s wife is to remain quiet as he departs. The noise of her tears would reveal their love to the â€Å"laity† (8) and that would disrupt their happiness. By making a distinction between them and the common people, Donne is suggestin g that there is something holy about their love. Thus, thes... ... poem taking him in a journey to go beyond the lines and feel the message deeply. Therefore, the author succeeds in describing the nature of true love, a love that endures distance and transcends time and space. Likewise, although we may get separated from the poem physically after reading it, we cannot help but remain profoundly connected after our farewell. Works Cited Walker, Alice. â€Å"Everyday Use.† English 120. (Professor Theresa Sweeney). Fontbonne University. 2012. Handout. Hayden, Robert. "Those Winter Sundays." The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. Ed. Michael Meyer. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. 551. Print. Wilson, August. "Fences." The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. Ed. Michael Meyer. 9th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2012. 1517-1566. Print.

Use of Irony in A Tale of Two Cities :: Tale Two Cities Essays

Use of Irony in A Tale of Two Cities In A Tale of Two Cities, the author, Charles Dickens, uses a great deal of irony in the opening chapter to draw the reader into the story. By using a slew of contradictory statements in the opening paragraph, the author forces the reader to further investigate the meaning of the cryptic opening line: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." As the reader continues, he finds that the story is a dramatization of the circumstances surrounding London and Paris during the time period of the French Revolution. The historical record of the conditions of life in France and England during the French Revolution were identical to the ways they are described in the story. Life for the nobles or higher class people was exquisite, while the lower class was crawling in poverty. People were constantly being nagged by thieves and petty criminals, causing the state of life in those two countries to be especially unbalanced. To begin the story, the author uses a long paragraph almost perfectly describing life in Europe during the late 1700s. However, the paragraph consists of nothing but seemingly absurd statements about the "spring of hope" and the "winter of despair." By writing phrases such as ."..it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness...," the author brings an ironic feeling to the whole story. Of course, the seasons of Light and Darkness could never coincide, but in France and England's situation during the time period of the story, that is exactly what life is like for the people living there. Through the use of self-contradiction in the first chapter, readers are able to understand the plight of the countries of France and England in a darkly humorous way.

Death by Cell Phone Essay

The newspapers are replete with scores of vehicular accidents. One reads of how a delivery van careens off the railing of a skyway and lands on top of a passenger bus underneath, crushing several people to death. Another article will be about a cargo truck losing its brakes and running through the red light at a busy intersection and in the process slams broadside into private vehicle. Still another might be of an SUV that crashes against a flimsy construction barrier and lands into a deep excavation †¦. Poor maintenance, lack of defensive driving skills, and carelessness probably account for these accidents. Now, another one can be added to this list of causes: driving while using a cell phone. This is about as commonplace as finding chewing gum under a movie theater seat but certainly, much more dangerous. Availability has determined usage; if it is there – even while driving – use it, is the motto. One wonders how the ‘’civilized’’ world fared without the cell phone. But for some reason or another it did. It was not too long ago that the Spanish galleons took over 3 months of sailing to deliver a letter from Spain to the colonies. And how the roundtrip – the time it took for this same letter to be answered – might have taken anywhere from 6 months to a year. Fast forward to today and the thought of leaving a ringing cell phone unanswered for a few minutes– even while driving – is unthinkable. One can argue that the case against using cell phones while driving is exaggerated; after all there are ‘’hands-free’’ cell phones that allow one to use the cell phone and drive at the same time. We are, after all, multi-taskers, it is argued. While this facility is available, how many do in fact use ‘’hands-free’’ cell phoning. Next time you are on the expressway or freeway, check. While you are at this, also find out how many use the cell phones: those coming at you, those to your left, those to your right, those behind you. Is it 1 in 10? 2 in 10? More? Actuarial scientists will probably advise you to raise your insurance coverage or perhaps even suggest that you start taking another form of transportation (e. g. the subway or some such) even if 1 in 10 of these motorists used the cell phone while driving. It might be argued that the ‘’risk’’ of getting into a vehicular accident while using the cell phone is over-rated? Is it? Consider the statistics: how fast is the average speed on an expressway? How many are using cell phones? How many seconds – or micro-seconds – does it take to initiate an accident? If the answers are that the average speed on an expressway is 60 mph, that at any given time there are more than 1 in 10 using a cell phone and that accidents can occur in the blink of an eye†¦well the answer becomes deathly obvious. An act that has previously been regarded as a remote possibility now assumes the prospect of a distinct probability. All too often, when we read of these things we deal with them by insulating ourselves with anesthetic reassurances that the likelihood is remote, that this are the dire warnings of alarmists, that it cannot happen to us – after all, we are not as ‘’careless’’ as the others. All that can be said in answer to this is that do not let the morgues and cemeteries get crowded with like-minded motorists. It is not too late to stop using the cell phone while driving. Resist answering that phone; it is probably not that important. It can wait. Your life and those of others depend on it

The Birthday Party, a comedy of menace

â€Å"Comedy of menace† was a term first used to describe Harold Pinter's plays by the drama critic Irving Wardle. He borrowed the term from the subtitle of one of David Campton's plays, The Lunatic View: A Comedy of Menace. A comedy is a humorous play which contains variations on the elements of surprise, incongruity, conflict, repetitiveness, and the effect of opposite expectations and so on in order to amuse and make the audience laugh. A menace is something which threatens to cause harm, evil or injury which seems quite incompatible with the idea of a comedy. However, as The Birthday Party shows, it is quite possible for a playwright to create both humour and menace in the same play, and even at the same time, in order to produce certain effects and to transmit ideas to the audience. Comedy is present in The Birthday Party from the very first scene; it is a way of gently introducing the audience to the world which Pinter is trying to create. The humour is quite subtle at first, for example the exchange between Petey and Meg about whether Stanley is up or not plays on the words up and down: â€Å"Meg: â€Å"Is Stanley up yet? Petey: I don't know. Is he? Meg: I don't know. I haven't seen him down. Petey: Well then, he can't be up. Meg: Haven't you seen him down? â€Å". Although the repetitions in this short exchange will not make the audience burst out with laughter they can make them smile and the humour also lulls them into a sense of comfort. A joke with a similar effect is made through another short dialogue between Meg and Petey in which Meg continually asks who is having a baby with Petey insisting that she won't know her until finally saying it's â€Å"Lady Mary Splatt†, to which Meg replies anticlimactically â€Å"I don't know her†. This anticlimax as well as the incongruous name of the woman (we do not imagine a â€Å"Lady† having the surname â€Å"Splatt†) creates humour and again lulls the audience into a sense of peace and normality. As well as this we get a sense of Meg's stupidity, Petey's resignation to it and their relationship being unfruitful and routine from their humorous yet uninteresting dialogue. Indeed, half the reason what they say seems funny is because of how pointless it is. Thus, Pinter highlights the uselessness of Meg and Petey's conversation and in extension the uselessness of everyday small talk. The worrying thing for the audience about this comedy is that it evidences a kind of futility: Meg does notseem to have much of a life beyond these pointless conversations. Thus, while the humour of the dialogue lightens the tone of the scene it also poses a question on the passivity and futility of the lives of the characters and the lives of many people in general. Humour also serves to draw attention to the strangeness of Meg and Stanley's relationship. Indeed, Meg treats him like a child despite his being a man of thirty. We are made aware of the fact that Stanley is not a child when he comes on stage for the first time. Before this Meg's calling him â€Å"that boy† and trying to get him out of bed by calling â€Å"Stan! Stanny! Stan! I'm coming up to fetch you if you don't come down! I'm coming up! I'm going to count to three! One! Two! Three! † makes the audience think he must be a child. Thus when we see him for the first time the incompatibility between the reality and what we have been lead to believe creates humour. The inappropriateness of Meg's treatment of Stanley and his being a fully grown man also creates humour at other moments of the play, for example when she asks him if he â€Å"pa[id] a visit this morning† (went to the toilet). While Meg and Stanley's conversation has some comedic value it could also make the audience feel slightly uneasy, perhaps they will ask themselves why this woman of sixty treats a man of thirty like a boy and why he plays along with her at times. Their exchanges, for example, the dialogue revolving around Stanley calling Meg a â€Å"succulent old washing bag† and Meg's reaction to it, seeming to believe that it's a rude word is quite funny for the audience as again it highlights her silliness but makes their relationship even stranger as she speaks â€Å"coyly†: she does not only play a maternal role but is also somewhat flirtatious. Thus humour, while seeming quite light can have a deeper meaning and cover up something a lot more serious about a character and problems they may have. Likewise, Stanley's attempts at humour when talking to Lulu are a kind of proof of his social inadequacy. When she says that it's stuffy he replies â€Å"Stuffy? I disinfected the place this morning. † And when she talks about his getting under Meg's feet he says he â€Å"always stand[s] on the table when she sweeps the floor†. These two lines are both untrue and when saying them Stanley's aim seems to be to make a joke. However, they both fall flat with Lulu and we could also imagine with the audience. Consequently, comedy, or rather attempts at it, evidence Stanley's lack of social skills. Therefore humour can be a way to introduce the audience to characters and their relationships with each other, and also make the audience think about these characters and perhaps their problems while keeping them interested in the play itself. The parody of small talk also allows Pinter to pose questions to the audience about the futility of many of our lives. Comedy does not just appear alone in this play, humour often appears during a somewhat frightening scene in which characters menace another. Some of these scenes are power struggles between characters or scenes where one character asserts themselves over another. For example, in the scene where Stanley tells Meg about the wheelbarrow he is obviously trying to menace her with his repeated questions (â€Å"Do you know what? â€Å", â€Å"Have you heard the latest? â€Å", â€Å"And do you know what they've got in that van? † etc), the anonymous â€Å"they†, the imminence of â€Å"today† and his actions as he â€Å"advance[s] upon her†. Despite the menacing aspect of this scene the fact that what he is threatening her with is a wheelbarrow adds a slightly bizarre and humorous tone. Indeed, the audience could laugh at Meg, thinking only she could be afraid of a wheelbarrow. However, her reaction to the threats is quite strong as she becomes â€Å"breathless† and cries out â€Å"hoarsely†. She seems to be afraid of it because it's new and different, an example of human fear of the unknown, and also perhaps of being â€Å"taken away† as Stanley repeats twice â€Å"They're looking for someone†. Either way the humorous aspect of someone being afraid of a wheelbarrow heightens the menacing atmosphere for the audience as we don't understand her fear; if she was afraid of something more normal we would not feel so ill at ease. Thus in this scene, Pinter makes use of a comedic aspect with a menacing atmosphere in order to make the audience aware of our own fears of what we do not understand. Comedy and menace also appear together in both the first music hall scene and just before it. In the â€Å"sitting down scene†, a certain amount of humour can be derived from the fact that three grown men are playing a childish game about who will sit down first, but what this game represents is a power struggle. As with the wheelbarrow, this silly game is symbolic of something much more serious; here, the person who sits will lose power. This menacing part of the scene is shown by the insistence of Goldberg and McCann that Stanley sit down and McCann's yelling â€Å"That's a dirty trick! I'll kick the shite out of him†. Interestingly, Stanley seems to try to lighten the atmosphere with the joke (â€Å"Now you've both had a rest you can get out! ) which causes McCann to say this, but he only succeeds in heightening the tense and menacing atmosphere of the scene. Again, humour does not take away from the threat but adds to it, making it worse. The fact that Stanley's joke doesn't lighten the scene as he hoped can also show the inadequacies of language. Indeed, o ne would not expect a joke to create more threats and menace. Thus, through the pairing of humour with menace Pinter shows the audience how words do not always achieve the desired effects and therefore is evidence of our own shortfalls as we do not always accomplish what we would like to through our speech. However, Goldberg does achieve what he wants to with his use of comedy and threats. This is because he wants to create a more menacing scene in order to completely destroy Stanley. His humour comes from the common expressions that he sometimes modifies, such as â€Å"You're beginning to get on my breasts†, and the different registers of these expressions, for example he says â€Å"Why are you driving that old lady off her conk? † which seems very colloquial compared to his normal speech. He also makes an ironic joke when he says that McCann is â€Å"the life and soul of any party†, which is evidently false as the audience can tell that he isn't from how little he speaks. Goldberg's jokes contrast with the serious and controlling man who makes Stanley sit down simply by saying quietly â€Å"Webber. SIT DOWN†. Indeed, we feel more menaced by Goldberg than by McCann because as McCann has already yelled at Stanley we feel as though we know what he is capable of but we don't really know how much Goldberg can do with his power of speech. The power which comes from the paradoxical pairing of humour with menace can be seen in the first music hall scene and in the scene with Lulu. In the music hall scene, the fast pace of the short, nonsensical questions creates a sense of urgency and fear as we do not know what the point of all these questions is. While some of the questions and accusations seem serious, such as â€Å"Why did you leave the organisation? â€Å", others create humour such as, â€Å"When did you last have a bath† or â€Å"McCann: You throttled her. Goldberg: With arsenic†. At the end of the scene the question they are asking him is the well known joke: â€Å"Why did the chicken cross the road? â€Å". It is this question, one of the most unanswerable of all the ones they ask him that finally makes him break down; he can no longer answer. The fact that a joke question is one of the causes of Stanley's destruction shows the strength of humour. Indeed, Freud theorised that â€Å"[in] addition to the one who makes the joke, there must be a second [person] who is taken as the object of the hostile aggressiveness, and a third in whom the joke's aim of producing pleasure is fulfilled†. In this scene, Goldberg and McCann make the jokes to amuse the audience while Stanley is the victim. However, the audience does not really laugh at these jokes, in fact they serve more to make us uneasy, but we still recognise the humour in them and perhaps even appreciate it. The same three person structure is found in the scene where McCann menaces Lulu. In that scene, Lulu is the victim while McCann tells her â€Å"savagely† to confess while Goldberg creates humour by picking up everything she says and turning it against her. For example she says â€Å"You taught me things a girl shouldn't know before she's been married at least three times! , to which Goldberg replies â€Å"Now you're a jump ahead! What are you complaining about? â€Å". The audience will appreciate Goldberg's humour while also finding what Lulu herself says funny despite the fact that she is evidently upset and angry, as it says in the stage directions. This humour followed so quickly by McCann's threats will again make the audience uneasy. This uneasiness of the audience is partly caused by our finding Goldberg, and perhaps even McCann, funny when we feel perhaps that we shouldn't. By being amused by them we ally ourselves with them, the two characters who we know to be manipulative and controlling. Indeed, through their (Goldberg's especially) humour we are manipulated by them to laugh at the other characters. Thus, Pinter shows by placing comedic elements with menacing ones that humour can be powerful and creates relationships between us: relationships which have a strong element of control to them, as our feelings and reactions are manipulated by Goldberg, just like the other relationships which we see in the play. Therefore, we can say that Pinter's â€Å"comedy of menace† is a way to show us how he believes that all relationships revolve around one person asserting their power over another. The atmosphere of menace which is present in this play does not only appear in conjunction with humour. Instead it often relies on the unknown or things not being fully explained. For example, when Goldberg and McCann first arrive, they come through the back door without knocking, which is in itself quite odd, then Goldberg says he wasn't looking for a number when McCann asks him how he knows it's the right house. This is quite an eerie thing to say as the audience can ask themselves what he was looking for as normally you recognise a house by the number. Indeed, it is this abnormality and not knowing how Goldberg knew which house he wanted which creates a sense of a threat or that something bad will happen. This can show the audience how we feel a need for things to be â€Å"normal†, we fear things that we don't understand or that are new. Likewise, McCann's refusal to join Stanley in conversation at the beginning of the second act, giving short answers and asking little in return is really a refusal to make normal conversation. These short responses seem quite menacing because they contrast against Stanley's seemingly open discussion. The audience could believe that Stanley's trying to tempt McCann into conversing with him properly is not only to get information about why he is there but to also make McCann seem more normal and thus less menacing. Like the opening scene with its pointless dialogue this scene shows the human need for speech in order to keep the fear of a threat, in this case represented by McCann, at bay. Language is not the only menacing thing, there are also several small actions or events which add to the menacing atmosphere of the play: the synchronised whistling, McCann's tearing the newspaper into strips and the lights during the birthday party. None of these things should seem that menacing by themselves but the context in which they are placed makes them seem so. Two â€Å"strangers† whistling the same tune together while talking, a grown man sitting at a table tearing paper, a light being shone on a man at his own birthday party as though he is a police suspect and finally a blackout which makes Stanley become violent all seem abnormal and strange for the audience: we do not understand why they happen (except for the blackout, and then we only find out later). It is this not understanding and abnormality of the events which adds to the menacing atmosphere of the play. Therefore we can say that the threatening ambiance of the play is created through language, in particular humour and the unknown, but also through certain eerie and strange events or deeds. The reason Pinter uses these things to make the audience afraid is to show us our fear of what we do not know and the abnormal. However, Pinter makes sure that some of the menacing atmosphere is elevated at times, which actually emphasises how strong this atmosphere is. The threatening ambiance is lessened by the use of humour. This humour can be found in the first dialogue between Goldberg and McCann, for example, when McCann says that Goldberg, who is obviously a Jew, is a â€Å"true Christian†. There is also humour with the dialogue between Goldberg and Meg, after the first music hall scene, when he is admiring her dress and slaps her bottom, as well as before when he calls her a tulip and she asks â€Å"What colour? â€Å". Pinter uses comedy at these moments in the play in order to reassure the audience and to keep some suspense: if the whole length of the play was filled with a menacing atmosphere we would know that Stanley will lose the power struggle from the beginning. The humour also brings a certain level of normality back to the proceedings of the play so that the menacing atmosphere can increase slowly, again creating more suspense. Thus, I agree completely with the description of The Birthday Party as a â€Å"comedy of menace†. While comedy and menace both appear separately in the play it is together that they affect the audience most. The association of two seemingly opposing themes in one play allows the audience to realise some of Pinter's preoccupations concerning the inadequacy of language but also its power, how we have some irrational fears concerning the unknown and the abnormal, how relationships work through manipulation and power struggles and the passivity of so many people throughout their lives. As well as this, the fact that we can associate these two terms, finding something menacing yet humorous at the same time, could also be a way for Pinter to show the paradoxical nature of human beings.