Religion and Faith in Literature Research Paper - 1

Religion and Faith in Literature - Research Paper Example Lying has become such a typical practice today, that occasionally individuals don’t even understand that they are misleading their shut ones. Individuals even lie to their folks and youngsters, without feeling the blame, as a regular demonstration. Ericsson in his work â€Å"The Way We Lie† has arranged the craft of lying into different aspects, for example, an innocent embellishment, diverting, exclusion, mindless obedience and so forth. The way of life and religion, that an individual has a place with, assume a critical job in deciding the code of morals in the life of that individual. Unequivocally talking there is no culture or religion on earth that emphasizes the recounting lies. In the Holy Bible alone, one can go over a few stories where subjects lied not exclusively to individuals however to God also by defying His instructions and followed through on the cost. The tales and the episodes referenced and examined in the Bible structures the premise of religion in Christianity. These accounts assist us with seeing how it is to be an individual that is cherished by God and that adores God and what are the decrees of God that one needs to follow over the span of life. The anecdote about Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, for instance, shows us an extraordinary exercise with respect to how one ought to comply with the instructions of God and that what could occur if God loses control on the off chance that one submits some demonstration that is detested by God. So also all the accounts referenced in the Holy Bible are fundamentally planned for characterizing the way how life ought to be lived as per the desire of God. Each story has spirit and a message, now and again unequivocal and at times covered up. It relies on the peruser what he receives in return. Comparative is the situation with Rehoboam and Jeroboam story. Rehoboam and Jeroboam are the two men that were picked by God to lead over Israel after Solomon and David. Rehoboam was the child of Solomon and grandson of David. Solomon was the lord of the country and Rehoboam was the characteristic beneficiary to the seat. One day God sent detachment Ahijah

Desertification

| What Causes Desertification? - Overgrazing was not as enormous of an issue quite a while in the past on the grounds that creatures would move in light of precipitation. Individuals would move with the creatures so it forestalled overgrazing in such regions. Presently, people have a consistent food flexibly so they don't need to move about. In this manner, individuals use wall to keep their creatures in a single spot which causes overgrazing. (Desertification, 2001) - Farming of Average Land Farming of normal land is causing desertification around the world. Ranchers are clearing normal land, and utilizing it which removes the extravagance in the soil.People should let the normal land recharge itself before cultivating. (Desertification, 2005) - Destruction of Plants in Dry Regions Destruction of plants in dry districts is making desertification happen. Individuals are chopping down tress to utilize them as a wellspring of fuel. When every one of these trees are chopped down there i s nothing to secure the dirt. Accordingly, it goes to tidy and is overwhelmed by the breeze. (Desertification, 2005) - Incorrect Irrigation in Arid Regions Causes a Build Up of Salt in the Soil Incorrect water system is normally utilized in less fortunate areas.Farmers are utilizing channel water system and other poor procedures due to the absence of water. This kind of water system causes a development of salt in the dirt. (Desertification, 2005) The Effects Of Desertification - Soil turns out to be less usable The dirt can be overwhelmed by wind or washed away downpour. Supplements in the dirt can be evacuated by wind or water. Salt can develop in the dirt which makes it harder for plant development. - Vegetation is Lacked or Damaged Loosened soil may cover plants or leave their underlying foundations exposed.Also, when overgrazing happens, plant species might be lost. - Causes Famine Places that have war and neediness are destined to have starvation happen. Dry season and poor land the board add to starvation. - Food Loss The dirt isn't appropriate for developing food; in this way the measure of food being made will decrease. On the off chance that the populace is developing, this will cause monetary issues and starvation. - People close to Affected Areas Desertification can cause flooding, poor water quality, dust tempests, and contamination. These impacts can hurt individuals living close to an influenced locale. The Facts of Desertification and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, 2000)Case Stude: The Sahel Desert In the Sahel Desert, desertification is turning into a tremendous issue. Around the 1950’s, individuals subsided into the Sahel district, in zones where there was water. This brought about overgrazing, which is perhaps the best reason for desertification. In the end, the perpetual bushes were wrecked in view of touching, and they were supplanted by annuals. At that point, the annuals were touched out which left uncovere d soil. A ton of the topsoil was washed away, and every one of that was left were rocks.Silt turned hard when it was hit by downpour. Subsequently, plants couldn't develop on the grounds that there roots couldn't infiltrate this hard layer. Presently this district has gone to abandon and it keeps on extending. (Desertification, The Sahel, 2004) Records show that precipitation in Sahel has diminished and sands have moved around sixty miles south into the region. Sahel is growing because of absence of vegetation in the zone. (Sahel, 2005) Another explanation desertification is happening in the Sahel district is on the grounds that individuals are utilizing the slicing and consuming strategy to clear land.This debases the nature of soil simply like overgrazing. (Desertification-a Threat to the Sahel, 2000) Short Term Effects of Desertification in the Sahel: - Soil loses its supplements which makes it not valuable - Overgrazing decimates vegetation and without it disintegration occursâ - Land becomes salty which makes it hard to develop crops Long Term Effects of Desertification in the Sahel: - People bite the dust of starvation - Cattle pass on of starvation - The dirt turns out to be totally pointless (Prospects and Problems, 2004)|

Wild Strawberries Film

Wild Strawberries Film Wild Strawberries Film Home›Research Posts›Wild Strawberries Film Research PostsIntroductionIn this paper, I intend to carry out a detailed study on Wild Strawberries (1957), a film that ­ ­ ­was written and directed by Bergman Ingmar. I will apply a Freudian psychoanalytic analysis to the film as a whole. Psychoanalysis is a set of ideas developed by an Austrian neurologist, Sigmund Freud and was later continued by others. The analysis was initially devoted to studying about the human psychological behavior and functioning, although it can be applied to societies.Freud’s PsychoanalysisPsychoanalysis has the following main concepts: a method of an investigation of the mind and how one thinks; a systematic set of theories concerning human behavior; and a method of treating emotional or psychological illness. The study and practice of psychoanalysis led to the early popularity and acceptance of the linkage of dreams and cinema. Freud famously describes the interpretation of dre ams as ‘the royal road to knowledge of the unconscious’ (1910 cited Thurschwell 2000, p.32). To explain his hysterical or neurotic patients’ symptoms, Freud would seek to reach for the material that repressively lay in their unconscious mind. As the patients freely associated to him, saying all that flowed into their mind as it happened to them, Freud discovered that dreams and their continuously baffling content was a regular topic. As he advanced his dream analysis theory, he ran after developing a methodology in which meaning would be taken from the apparent nonsense depicted in oneiric images and narratives.Freud concludes that the unconscious mind uses dreams as an act of fulfilling wishes, providing an environment of imagination where unfulfilled or repressed desires can be satisfied. He encouraged his patients to relate their dreams’ content as well as freely associated observations concerning the memories and events their dreams reminded them of. With the observation s, Freud was seeking to work with his patient to get beyond the dream’s ‘manifest content’ in order to ascertain its ‘latent content’; that inner meaning which expresses the unconscious desire that is being expressed. The distortion separating these two forms of content giving the dreams their absurdity characteristic protects the dreamer from guilt and shame that the desire may provoke.Looking where to BUY AN ESSAY?Save your time and money! Use QualityCustomEssays.com professionals service to get an A+ paper Place an order get 15%offfor your first orderWild StrawberriesA good example of such dreams is depicted at the start of Bergman’s Wild Strawberries of 1957. In its pre-credit sequence, the film introduces us to Isak Borg, the isolated and ageing Professor who is supposed to travel the next day from Stockholm, his home, to receive an honorary degree at the University of Lund.During the eve of his journey and presentation, he gets disturbed by a very unpleasant stran ge dream (Bergman 1960 32). In the dream, Borg becomes uneasy when his regular walk, according to the dream, leads him into a part of the city that is not familiar to him. As the vision unfolds, his discomfort intensifies: his heart starts beating audibly when he discovers that his watch is handless, suggesting that he is lost: lost in time and space. When he approaches the only person in his sight, the figure happens to have worn a grotesque death-mask on his face but disappears on Borg’s touch.The stranger leaves just a small pile of clothing and some blood-like thinly flowing liquid. It is the sounding of a church bell that marks the arrival of a hearse that is driverless horse-drawn. The vehicle loses one of its wheels, and the coffin hurls onto the pavement just in front of Borg and it splits open. He reluctantly moves forward towards the coffin to check the body within. When he does so, the corpse reaches its hand out to grasp at him. Borg is even more horrified when he real izes that the figure inside the coffin is his own; the corpse then grabs Borg’s hand, pulling him closer to it until Borg’s face entirely fills the Corpses’ vision. At this point, Borg wakes up, and is very agitated by this vision. As a result of this nightmare, he quickly amends his plans for the day; he decides to drive to Lund rather than using his scheduled flight. This choice gives the way for encounters and a reflection comprising the rest of Borg’s remaining part of journey and film.While Borg stated that he is content with the self imposed splendid isolation state in the opening monologue, his assertion is belied by evocation of fear during the sequence of the dreams. His self discovery as an animated corpse within a shattered coffin clearly shows the old man has subconsciously realized that he is currently in a state of living death- a conclusion he reaches more categorically and consciously later in the film, after a seventeen-minute sequence that is more complex. The second dream takes place when Borg and his travel companion Marianne stop at his family’s childhood summerhouse. Borg, as he lay in the wild strawberry patch, dreams of events that happened about fifty years ago. In the third dream, in the second half of the film, he sleeps in the car’s passenger seat. This dream runs for a fifth of the entire film time where he returns to the earlier vision of the strawberry.The film ends at appoint where Borg is left alone in bed and drifts into yet another dream. He dreams about his parents; he moves from discomfort and anxiety of earlier dreams to contentment. This more overt depiction of wishes that are fulfilled indicates that Borg has already resolved the issue that earlier tormented him and is reconciled with his family, looking backwards and to future. In conclusion, it can be argued that Freud’s psychoanalysis influenced many writers. I have tried to apply a psychoanalytic analysis to Wild Strawberries film on a specific characte r: Isak Borg.

Information And Communication Technologies ( Ict )

Introduction Information is a key factor that plays a large role in the day-to-day activities within the health care sector. It is generated and processed by healthcare providers, such as physicians, nurses and hospitals as they provide care to their patients. However, managing that information and using it productively poses an ongoing challenge. It is especially challenging in the complexity of the U.S. health care sector, with its many different types of providers, services and settings for care (Congressional Budget Office, 2008). Information and communication Technologies (ICT) has the potential to greatly increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the health sector by assisting healthcare providers with managing information. It also has the potential to lead to better cost-efficiency in the health sector. ICT can play a critical role in improving health care for individuals and communities. It can also transform informal regulation by providing people with the knowledge they require to challenge existing practices and make more rational health care choices (Adeboyejo and Olatokun, 2009). Patients are empowered to take more responsibility for their health and quality of life through the use of health ICT. Health ICT allows the collaboration and involvement of patients and healthcare providers in the prevention and treatment of common illnesses. Through the development of databases and other applications, health ICT provides new and more efficient ways of accessing,Show MoreRelatedInformation And Communications Technologies ( Ict )1576 Words   |  7 PagesGreyling, 2014). Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) education is our society’s efforts to teach its current and emerging students valuable knowledge and skills around computing and communications devices, the software that operates them, the applications that run on them and the systems that are built with them (mpict, 2008). The industry of Information Technology (IT) which involves computers, software, networking and other IT infrastructures to help manage information is very importantRead MoreIct : Information And Communication Technologies1350 Words   |  6 PagesICT stands for Information and Communication technologies; it is a notation used to summaries technologies, which consist of devices to collect, store, edit and transfer information in various forms. I am writing this report to inform the importance of ICT in different sectors; such as education, health and banking. In addition to this, I would like to inform about the development of technology over the years. I am going to carry out this research through the use of online sources and textbooks.Read MoreInformation And Communication Technologies ( Ict )1722 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Information is a key factor that plays a large role in the day-to-day activities within the health care sector. It is generated and processed by health care providers, such as physicians, nurses and hospitals as they provide care to their patients. However, managing that information and using it productively poses an ongoing challenge. It is especially challenging in the complexity of the U.S. health care sector, with its many different types of providers, services and settings for careRead MoreInformation And Communications Technologies ( Icts )1508 Words   |  7 PagesAbstract: To date the ICT industry could be seen as one of the top sectors in the country for graduate women employment in terms of creating high quality jobs it can enforce the strength empowering the rural women in deed. As caregivers, communicators and providers women play a major role in the society. Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) help to co-ordinate some aspects of rural women’s life in developing states. As the women education rate job participation is growing graduallyRead MoreInformation And Communications Technologies : Ict1354 Words   |  6 PagesINFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNLOGY Introduction: - Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) education is basically our society’s efforts to teach its current and emerging citizens valuable knowledge and skills around computing and communications devices, software that operates them, applications that run on them and systems that are built with them.   Dimensions of ICT: - There are many important dimensions to ICT education, including: Analyze and apply appropriate academic standardsRead MoreInformation And Communication Technologies ( Ict )1771 Words   |  8 Pagesto Syed (2009) Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) permeates through every business set-up. He further states that ICTs are influencing production, work and business methods and trade and consumption patterns in and between enterprises and consumers. Denni (1996) cited by Syed(2009) stress that every business must bring ICT into their business operation and take advantage of the benefits they offer. The emergence of and advances in information communications technology offers opportunitiesRead MoreInformation And Communication Technologies ( Icts )909 Words   |  4 Pagesservice periodically and staff training on operation system. 3.5.5 The Significance of Technology Applications to Nursing Care. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) used in the health sector have well-known advantages. They can promote patient-centered healthcare, improve quality of care, and educate health professionals and patients. However, implementation of ICTs is new development in technology it remains difficult and involves changes at different levels: patients, healthcare providersRead MoreInformation And Communication Technologies ( Ict ) Essay2236 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction In this era of technology, there is a general agreement that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been contributing to improve qualities of life, as well as economical growth as a whole. Businesses and economic sectors are relying on technological advancements that facilitate them to establish an integrated value chain. Using these advancements strategically and appropriately can also enhance productivity and improved competitiveness. Likewise, governments and globalRead MoreInformation And Communication Technologies ( Ict )1433 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Globalization and rapid improvements in information and communication technologies (ICT) have resulted in a closely integrated global labour and capital market (UNCTAD, 2004) where firms have greater access to human capital scattered around the globe† (Lewin, 2005 and Volberda, 2006). Due this the firms have started offshoring their business to different countries as an effective strategic practice so as to increase their profits. Offshoring can be done in two ways i.e by setting up a partnershipRead MoreInformation Communication Technology ( Ict )1115 Words   |  5 PagesInformation communication technology (ICT) continues to play a major role in business especially in electronic commerce or e-commerce. E-commerce is the financial business that is conducted in an electronic network and mainly the internet. Through e-commerce, consumers are allowed to make purchases from both businesses as well as other consumers where payments are made through various options. For information system to flourish there is a need to have the necessary infrastructure and the requisite

Essay Iago as the Hero of Shakespeares Othello - 1290 Words

Iago as the Hero of Othello A Shakespearean play always includes a typical villain character. He is boisterous, egotistical, sometimes witty, and all too eager to seek revenge. In William Shakespeare Othello, Iago is the well-liked, trusted, and brave ensign of the great Venetian general Othello, or so it appears. Iago actually possesses all of the typical villainous qualities, however Iago conducts himself with great composure, and by manipulating his counterparts, he makes people believe he is on their side. I find this characteristic to be a very intriguing one that is not easy to perform. It is perhaps Iagos villainous actions throughout this play that lead me to believe that he is the hero rather than the typical villain.†¦show more content†¦In act 1 scene 2 Iago speaks about himself and makes his character look like a very calm, cool, and good hearted soldier. Though in the trade of war I have slain men, Yet do I hold it very stuff o th conscience To do no contrived murder. I lack iniquity Somet ime to do me service. Nine or ten times I had thought t have yerked him here, under the ribs. Iago is explaining that he is a good person, he lacks the traits of a wicked man. In the next scene, the audience sees a very evil side of Iago. ...I hate the Moor. And it is the thought abroad that twixt my sheets Has done my office. I know not ift be true, But I, for mere suspicion in that kind, Will do, as if for surety. He holds me well; The better shall my purpose work on him. Cassios a proper man. Let me see now: To get his place, and to plume up my will In double knavery. How? How? Lets see. After sometime to abuse Othellos ears That he is too familiar with his wife. He hath a person and a smooth dispose To be suspected-framed to make woman false. The Moor is of a free and open nature That thinks men honest that but seem to be so; And will as tenderly be led by thnose as asses are... This monologue teaches the audience many things. First off it shows that he really hates the Moor, and that his actions towards him are fake. Then it shows that he really hates Cassio and is extremely jealous of him. He statesShow MoreRelatedShakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1517 Words   |  7 PagesSome may wonder, who is Aristotle and why does he label Shakespeare’s play, Othello, as a tragedy? Aristotle is a famous Greek philosopher who defines Shakespeare’s character, Othello, as a tragic hero. Many parts in Othello tell the readers that the play is a tragedy, such as jealousy, arguing, and death, which makes the play famous and delightful to read. Aristotle has identified many common traits or characteristics that a tragic hero requires. In Shakespeare s play, Aristotle defines manyRead More Othello, The Moor of Venice Essay examples1319 Words   |  6 PagesOthello, the Moor of Venice is one of the major tragedies written by William Shakespeare that fol lows the main character, Othello through his trials and tribulations. Othello, the Moor of Venice is similar to William Shakespeare’s other tragedies and follows a set of specific rules of drama. The requirements include, following the definition of a tragedy, definition of tragic hero, containing a reversal of fortune, and a descent from happiness. William Shakespeare fulfills Aristotle’s requirementsRead MoreOthello is Not a Tragic Hero Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesOthello has been described as one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays because the play focuses on its themes of good and evil, military, politics, love and marriage, religion, racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality; but the controversy and debate surrounding Othello is â€Å"Why is Othello a qualification for a tragedy?† Most readers are aware of the many famous deaths or acts of death within the Shakespearean plays. And when the main characters die in Shakespeare’s plays, indeedRead More Tragic Flaws Of Othello Essay1081 Words   |  5 PagesJealousy and Gullibility: The Devastating Flaws of Othello â€Å"The tragic flaw is the most important part of the hero and the events that occur in the work is a reflection of that flaw.† – Aristotle The plot of William Shakespeares Othello is a tale of love, jealousy, and betrayal; however, the characters, themes, and attitudes of the works are different, with Shakespeares play being a more involved study of human nature and psychology. Othello is considered to be a prime example of AristotelianRead MoreTragic Hero in Othelo by William Shakespeare996 Words   |  4 PagesConventions of Othello Shakespeare has been a part of the American Society for many years. Compared to other Authors, he has a different style of writing but within his own writings, they are all very much alike. He has written many plays including Othello and Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare was a man who wrote plays that followed the same literary conventions. These conventions included tragic hero, fallacy, irony, and also suspense. A tragic hero is a male figure who is high in society and one whoRead MoreEssay about Tragic Flaws of Othello1137 Words   |  5 Pagesand Gullibility: The Devastating Flaws of Othello By: Ryan Mongon The tragic flaw is the most important part of the hero and the events that occur in the work is a reflection of that flaw. Ââ€" Aristotle The plot of William Shakespeares Othello is a tale of love, jealousy, and betrayal; however, the characters, themes, and attitudes of the works are different, with Shakespeares play being a more involved study of human nature and psychology. Othello is considered to be a prime example of AristotelianRead MoreIs Othello a Tragic Hero? Essay1479 Words   |  6 PagesTo what extent can Othello be considered a ‘tragic hero’? The extent of which Othello is a tragic hero has been open to much debate; the basis on which he is judged falls to Aristotle’s established view of the crucial elements that distinguish whether a person is truly tragic. According to Aristotle, a tragic protagonist is a nobleman or person from high status, who contributes to his own demise and illustrates a flaw or weakness in judgment. The tragic protagonist must make a fall from a highRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello As A Tragic Hero1323 Words   |  6 Pagestheir own demise. William Shakespeare’s Othello the Moore of Venice is a play about a heroic individual that goes through a tragic event based on his decisions throughout the play. Many of the characters that Shakespeare presents in his plays reveal attitudes and value that is reflective of both the Elizabethan society in sixteenth century England and William Shakespeare; these values are evident in the context of the Venetian society that Othello takes plac e in. Through Othello Shakespeare embodies hisRead MoreWhy Is Othello A Tragic Hero1465 Words   |  6 Pagestheatre. Among Shakespeare’s more notable plays are his tragedies. In the tragedy his protagonists are often given flaws in their character and hence, are suitably named tragic heroes. The downfall of these protagonists is often a result of their own character flaws and unfortunately, they suffer a doomed and unhappy ending. While the tragic hero is flawed they must also be honorable and worthy of the audience’s understanding and sympathy. On a quest for righteousness the tragic hero often goesRead MoreOthello: The Tragedy of an Aristotelian Tragic Hero Essay1531 Words   |  7 PagesShakespeares play, â€Å"Othello, the Moor of Venice,† is a powerful example of a tragedy and it’s main character, Othello, is an excellent illustration of what Aristotle constitutes as a tragic hero. The play imitates life through basic human emotions such as jealousy and rage. In addition, Othello is far from being a perfect character - another quality that meets Aristotles requirements. Othello also matches Aristotles ideas of tragic hero because our Othello realizes the error of his ways, causing

Competitive Landscape in Commercial Real Estate Free Essays

Home  » Property Types  » Retail  » Clash of the Titans: Regional Mall REITs Fight for Limited Outlet Development Opportunities Clash of the Titans: Regional Mall REITs Fight for Limited Outlet Development Opportunities May 9, 2012 12:54 PM, By Elaine Misonzhnik, Senior Associate Editor In the fall of 2010 executives with Taubman Centers Inc. , a Bloomfield Hills, Mich. -based regional mall REIT, began talking about the REIT’s new avenue for growth: outlet centers. We will write a custom essay sample on Competitive Landscape in Commercial Real Estate or any similar topic only for you Order Now Article Tools ? Latest News More Latest News Taubman had recently completed the conversion of its Great Lakes Crossing property in Auburn Hills, Mich. , a 1. 35-million-sq. -ft. enclosed regional mall, into Great Lakes Crossing Outlets. Taubman was able to sign up many tenants that were not present elsewhere in Michigan, including Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Disney Store Outlet and Rainforest Cafe. Great Lakes Crossing Outlets was attracting both local shoppers and Canadians from across the Detroit River. As a result, the center’s sales per sq. ft. umbers rose significantly, company officials said during earnings calls. The success in Auburn Hills helped convince Taubman’s management to capitalize on additional outlet center opportunities. Besides, in a market saturated with fortress malls and lifestyle centers, outlet centers represented one of the last opportunities for ground-up construction. Robert S. Taubman, the REIT’s chairman, president and CEO, laid out a goal of developing from five to 10 outlet centers in the span of a decade. Among the first such undertakings Taubman pursued was a site in Manvel, Texas, near Houston. The site seemed a good fit for Taubman’s target outlet center sales level of at least $400 per sq. ft. The median household income in Manvel is $65,864 a year, more than $15,000 higher than the median household income for the state as a whole. In addition, the town’s proximity to Houston would give Taubman access to 2 million potential shoppers. Taubman’s Texas ambitions, however, did not pan out. Both Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, a Greensboro, N. C. -based REIT that specializes in outlet center development, and Simon Property Group, the largest retail landlord in the country in both the regional mall and outlet center arenas, had laid claims to outlet center development sites in nearby Texas City, just 22 miles away. According to brokers familiar with the market, the greater Houston area could not support two, let alone three, outlet centers. In June 2011, Simon and Tanger took a decisive step to win the market by announcing that they would partner to build a 350,000-sq. -ft. joint development in Texas City under Tanger’s brand name. It marked the first joint venture development partnership in Tanger’s history. Ultimately, the two firms decided to work together on one large outlet center rather than spend money fighting each other, says Michael Rodenas, principal with Rodenas Consulting, a national consulting firm that specializes in shopping centers and malls. As a result, Taubman quietly retreated from the market. In July 2011, while discussing the company’s earnings for the second quarter, Robert Taubman admitted to analysts that outlets constitute â€Å"a very competitive space. It’s a very competitive world out there in development generally. † He reiterated the company’s commitment to investing in outlet centers both in U. S. and in Asia, but refused to discuss the Texas project. The Houston saga wasn’t the only time Taubman and Simon came to loggerheads in the outlet space. In early April, Simon and Taubman each issued press releases about competing outlet center projects in Chesterfield, Mo. , another market where trade area demographics seem to dictate that only one outlet development can succeed. On Apr. 3, Simon revealed that Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th agreed to anchor its St. Louis Premium Outlets, an outlet center slated to contain at least 350,000 sq. ft. of space. (St. Louis Premium Outlets is a product of a joint venture between Simon, Woodmont Outlets and EWB Development LLC, all experienced outlet center developers. ) Two days later, Taubman announced it broke ground for Taubman Prestige Outlets Chesterfield, a 450,000-sq. -ft. center. Taubman’s press release noted that it had firm commitments from a number of tenants, but did not identify any retailers by name. It is likely that only one of those two centers will get built in Chesterfield. â€Å"We’ve said publicly, I think, Simon has said publicly that there is only going to be one project built in St. Louis,† Robert Taubman said during the firm’s first quarter earnings call. â€Å"We are way ahead, on a much better site with much better access, much better visibility. †¦ So to us it’s very clear as to which project is going to be built. † Most industry sources, however, are putting their money on Simon because of the firm’s size, its existing network of relationships in the outlet center industry and the fact that it has already bagged a major tenant. The large regional mall players, including Simon, Taubman, Macerich Co. CBL Associates Properties and others, have all made overtures to enter the outlet space. But with limited opportunities for development and an existing group of experienced landlords already competing there, these battles—competing press releases, wars of words and unconventional partnerships— are likely to continue to play out repeatedly throughout the country. CBL Associates recently invested in The Outlet Shoppes in El Paso (Texas). Last spring, both Simon and Tanger announced outlet center projects in the town of Halton Hills, a suburb of Toronto. Tanger has since moved its project further away and will build it as an outlet addition to Heartland Town Centre, one of Canada’s largest power centers. Simon, meanwhile, started construction on its original site in Halton Hills in April. And in the Chicago area, Macerich and AWE Talisman have announced plans to build a $200 million, 528,000-sq. -ft. outlet center in Rosemont while Craig Realty Group, a privately held outlet center developer, has ambitions to develop Chicagoland Outlets at Country Club Hills, a 408,500-sq. -ft. project. Simon Property Group declined to comment for this article. Tanger, Taubman, Macerich and Craig Realty Group, meanwhile, did not respond to calls for comments. â€Å"The problem is—as we saw when developers started to roll out lifestyle centers—that everyone goes after the same markets,† says Jeff Green, president of Jeff Green Partners, a Phoenix-based consulting firm. â€Å"And many times the newer folks to the outlet industry are going to find that it’s a much harder industry to get into when there are relationships that have been in place for so many years. † In certain isolated instances, uch as the one near Houston, two big developers might form joint ventures because one of them holds a better site while the other wields more power with retailers. Such examples, however, will be few and far between, according to Richard Hauer, managing director of business restructuring services at BDO, a New York City-based consulting firm. â€Å"Let me put it this way: Neither Simon nor Taubman is going to build a second-rate outlet mall,† he says. â€Å"So if the first guy can get Coach and Polo and Saks and a few of those names that every outlet mall really wants, you’ll see the other guy back down. Mass appeal The reasons the outlet sector has suddenly become overcrowded are easy to trace. During the downturn, outlet center sales rose while mall sales fell or remained flat because shoppers were suddenly attracted to outlets’ value proposition. What’s more, as these centers moved closer to urban areas and proved that they can work in close proximity to regional malls, the number of markets that could support new projects increased. With limited opportunity for growth elsewhere, regional mall REITs began to focus on the outlet sector. Real estate owners that want to gain market share in a new property segment typically have two avenues for growth: either through acquisition of multiple assets or another operating company or though development. But when Simon bought Prime Outlets Inc. in 2010 it snapped up the last big privately-held outlet center operator in the market. Today, â€Å"no private guy controls 20 or 30 centers that could be sold,† says Gerard Mason, executive managing director with Savills LLC. What’s more, there is a wide spread on yields between development and investment. For instance, CBL Associates, a Chattanooga, Tenn. -based REIT, recently invested more than $108 million to provide financing for two outlet centers developed by Horizon Group Properties, a Rosemont, Ill. -based outlet center developer. (CBL has also partnered with Horizon on groundup projects in Oklahoma City and Woodstock, Ga. ) But CBL CEO Stephen Lebovitz admits that development projects offer double-digit returns while investing in existing centers brings returns in the 8 percent range. I would expect that our growth will be mainly through new development,† he says. At the same time, Lebovitz notes that the number of markets in the U. S. that would meet CBL’s development criteria, including a trade area of approximately a million people, a sizeable tourist base and lack of existing competition, is limited. One high-ranking industry source says that for developers targeting outlet center sales on par with Simon’s levels, which average about $550 per sq. ft. , there are maybe 10 untapped markets left that fit the necessary trade area characteristics. For developers targeting Tanger’s sales levels, which currently average $371 per sq. ft. , there are about 40 untapped markets. â€Å"But there aren’t 100,† the anonymous source notes. By the end of the 2012, there will be 187 outlet centers containing 71 million sq. ft. , according to Value Retail News, a publication that covers the outlet industry. Linda Humphers, editor-in-chief of Value Retail News, estimates that in the long term, the country may be able to support another 250 centers, but that would include conversions. Occasionally, a developer will be able to find a site in an offbeat location that nobody else has thought about, says Gerard Mason. But for the most part, all the REITs are looking at the same markets, and in many cases, at the same piece of land. â€Å"There is clearly room for growth in the sector—every major metro area can certainly support outlet retail,† says Michael P. Glimcher, CEO of Glimcher Realty Trust, a Columbus, Ohiobased regional mall REIT that also owns outlet centers in Elizabeth, N. J. and Auburn, Wash. I just think the reality is there are a lot of people in that category and only a small percentage of what’s being announced will actually get built,† Glimcher says. Bloodless war When it comes to handling competition on new developments the big retail REITs have acquired a reputation for being ruthless, employing tactics such as funding community opposition groups to derail each others’ projects, says Patrick Fox, president of Saint Consulting Group, a firm that specializes in zoning and land-use battles. These are mature markets, they are largely over-built and the battle for market share is tremendous,† he notes. But unlike large regional malls that tend to be located in major urban areas, outlet centers don’t normally inspire the same kind of opposition from local residents, according to James Schutter, senior managing director with Newmark Knight Frank Retail, a retail real estate services firm. In fact, many communities want to see outlet centers built because of the tremendous amount of sales tax revenue they bring in. The real battle in outlets’ case is for tenant commitments. Although the outlet industry doesn’t have anchors in the same sense that the regional mall industry does, there are certain key stores that are necessary to attract shoppers and that the rest of outlet retailers follow, notes Hauer. These include Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5th, Coach and Polo, as well as Neiman Marcus Last Call and Nordstrom Rack. About a decade ago, Hauer tried to develop an outlet center near Syracuse, N. Y. When he started negotiating with potential tenants the answer was â€Å"if you can get Polo, we’ll sign. Otherwise, we are not interested. † When there are two developers competing to build a center in a market that can support only one project it becomes a race to be the first to announce leases with major tenants. The developers try to convince expanding retailers that their center is the one that’s going to happen by putting out announcements about land permits and ground-breakings. Ultimately, however, it’s the line-up of tenants that determines whose center gets built. â€Å"Developers announce that they will put together a mall [all the time], they don’t always make it happen,† says Schutter. If you’ve got this tenant and this tenant and this tenant coming, the other guys in the marketplace say, ‘Let’s go into this project. ’† â€Å"A ground-breaking is not as strong as being able to announce a strong anchor tenant,† Fox adds. So how do those key retailers decide who to go with when the choice is between Simon and Tanger, or Simon and Taubman or Mac erich and Craig Realty Group? After Taubman converted its Great Lakes Crossing project into an outlet center, sales rose significantly. Having the best site certainly makes a difference, which is why Simon may be willing to partner with Tanger if Tanger has secured a better location, according to Michael Rodenas. When the projects are in the same trade area, the choice might come down to seemingly small differences like which side of the highway the center will be located on or which zip codes in a given area are missing from the retailer’s customer base. But in the outlet industry, having existing relationships with a potential landlord is also very important, according to Hauer, Green, Lebovitz and others. And in this, Simon, which controls the largest mall portfolio and the largest outlet center portfolio in the country, has a tremendous advantage. That might not come into play as much in the Simon/Tanger relationship because the two REITs specialize in slightly different projects, but it will likely loom large in any battle between Simon and other regional mall REITs. â€Å"If you [as a tenant] get Simon angry with you on the outlet side, they can be angry with you on the traditional retail side also,† says Green. Let’s just say that in that case the developer has a large hammer, a larger hammer than any mall-only developer would have. † That’s why most retail industry insiders feel that while Taubman and the other regional mall REITs will eventually be able to build a handful of outlet centers, they will not be able to break into the business in the big way they had imagined. â€Å"The outlet mall industry is kind of a closed world,â €  says Schutter. Sidebar: Eastern Promises While U. S. retail REIT executives try to build up their outlet portfolios at home, most of them realize that growth opportunities here are limited. So in recent months they’ve been announcing outlet center projects elsewhere in the world, including Canada, Brazil, Japan, China, South Korea and Malaysia. In April, Simon signed a deal with BR Malls Participacoes S. A. to develop outlet centers in Brazil, with the first project scheduled to be built in Sao Paulo by 2013 and started construction on Phase I of Shisui Premium Outlets, a 234,000-sq. -ft. outlet center in Shisui, Japan. Both Simon and Tanger have been working on outlet centers in Canada, including Simon’s 500,000-sq. ft. Toronto Premium Outlets in Halton Hills and Tanger’s 312,000-sq. -ft. outlet addition to Heartland Town Centre in Mississauga. And Taubman executives have told analysts they are looking to build outlet centers in Asia, where Taubman already has offices in Hong Kong and Seoul, South Korea. â€Å"In the U. S. , you are not going to see outlet centers double in number,† says Gerard Mason, executive managing director with Savills LLC, a global real estate services firm. â€Å"That’s why Simon is in Brazil and China. In Brazil they might be able to do 15 outlet centers because their middle class is just emerging and they need shopping centers. † —E. M. Sidebar: Mini-Malls With the increase in outlet centers’ popularity, the concept has evolved to represent something different than a small collection of factory stores in the middle of nowhere. In the 1980s and 1990s, the rule of thumb was that an outlet center had to be located at least 70 miles away from the closest phone line, jokes one broker. Today, if a shopper goes to Central New Jersey, â€Å"you have the Freehold Raceway Mall [a 1. -million-sq. -ft. superregional center] and then 10 to 15 minutes away, there is an outlet mall,† according to Richard Hauer. Today’s outlet centers have grown larger, sometimes containing up to 450,000 sq. ft. or 500,000 sq. ft. of space, whereas the outlet centers of yesterday tended to average 150,000 sq. ft. The tenant line-up has changed from manufacturers to big retail cha ins, many of which, including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Gap, J. Crew and Aeropostale, have established off-price and outlet divisions. Plus, outlet centers now feature mall-like amenities, such as food courts, restaurants and movie theaters, because people are staying on the properties longer than they used to, notes Michael Rodenas. And when CBL Associates Properties and Horizon Group Properties were working on the plan for The Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City, a 350,000-sq. -ft. center that opened last summer, CBL marked land around the property for the addition of restaurants and hotel facilities. â€Å"We feel it adds critical mass,† says Stephen Lebovitz. —E. M. How to cite Competitive Landscape in Commercial Real Estate, Papers

Role Of Queen In Beowulf & Grendel Essays (1481 words) - Literature

Role of Queen in Beowulf & Grendel In both texts, Beowulf and Grendel, the main purpose of the Queen's are to serve the courts as "weavers of peace". In Grendel however, Queen Wealththeow is described in much greater detail and serves a further purpose. The reader gains insight to a part Grendel that is not present in Beowulf, his desire for a human. It was not unusual for women to be offered as tokens of peace within the noble courts. In the novel Grendel, Wealhtheow's brother, King of the Helmings, bestowed her to King Hrothgar to promote peace amongst the Helmings and Scyldings. "She had given, her life for those she loved. So would any simpering, eyelash batting female in her court, given the proper setup, the minimal conditions"(Grendel, p.102). It is ironic how she promoted peace from her arrival because she was an essential part in keeping peace, as the "weaver of peace" in the later of both texts. Queen Wealhtheow however is not the only woman in the texts that was forsaken to encourage appeasement amongst feuding courts. Queen Hygd was offered to Hygelac under very similar circumstances as told in Beowulf, and portrayed the same role in Hygelac's kingdom. There is reference in both texts concerning this tradition, and it is evident to the reader that this is not an unusual Anglo-Saxon custom. Queen Wealhtheow and Queen Hygd served as excellent role models for the courts in which they served. They exemplified the mannerisms and etiquette of the noble people. Queen Wealhtheow showed excellent poise from the very beginning of both texts. She was admirable as she passed the mead bowl around Heorot. The offering of the bowl was symbolic, being that the bowl was first given to Hrothgar and then passed to Beowulf, as if she presented him with her trust. Beowulf gave Wealhtheow his guarantee that he would be successful or die in battle. After she presented Hrothgar and Beowulf with the mead bowl she served the Scyldings, and did so as if they were her own people. She was not a Scylding, nor did she desire to be one, but she never made her unhappiness known, as described in Grendel. There is not great detail on Queen Hygd in Grendel, but from what the reader can gather from Beowulf, she is as much of a female role model as Queen Wealhtheow. She was young but very intelligent. In fact King Hygelac felt intimidated by Hygds intelligence. Queen Hygd was unlike Wealhtheow in the way in which she did not bare many gifts. Hygd was more concerned about the future of the people of her kingdom succeeding Hygelacs death than Wealhtheow. Hygd offered Beowulf the kingdom because she believed it was in the best interest of the people, she loved the warriors and wished peace amongst all the people. Wealtheow on the other hand felt that the kingdom should be preserved for her sons. Wealhtheow spoke after the "fight at Finnsburg" about the importance of her sons taking over the kingdom in the poem Beowulf, and this reminds Hrothgar of his age. This same speech affected Hrothgar in both texts. It forced him to contemplate his worthiness of Wealhtheow. He realized that she was young and beautiful, and need not be with an old man. Which made his sorrow even worse is the fact that she knew all this as well. Queen Wealhtheow put up an excellent disguise when hiding the pain she experienced from being forced to be Hrothgars wife. Unlike in Beowulf, in Grendel the reader was given insight into Wealhtheow's sorrow. The only time she would display her unhappiness was when she would lie in bed at night with Hrothgar with her eyes full of tears. Sometimes she would leave the kingdom to dwell in her sorrows but she would be immediately surrounded by guards, and escorted inside. Wealhtheow was homesick, she missed her land, and her brother. When her brother visited Heorot she paid no attention to Hrothgar, and Hrothgar fulfilled passing around the mead bowl. In Grendel, it told of Hrothgar's love for wealhtheow. He would often stare at her in admiration. Despite her resentment she treated Hrothgar with much respect, she always looked