The Development of Amazon.com in Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Development of Amazon.com in Europe - Essay Example They expanded their Seattle distribution center, and added a center in Maryland. This allowed them to offer speedy delivery to customers in the east and in the west. In 1997 they added additional product lines, music and DVDs, but in 1998 it was evident that other online companies such as Buy.com, BarnesandNoble.com and CDNow were offering serious competition. Amazon.com chose to expand quickly to offset competition, adding several product lines. By 1999 in addition to books and music, the company offered video, drugstore, auctions, electronics and toys, software and video games, home improvement, lawn, patio, health, beauty, kitchen, and in 2000 partnered with ToysRUs and launched a computer category (Hammond & Chiron). By that time, their distribution centers had been increased throughout the country. The addition of cell phones, used products, and e-book store increased their volume. The company utilized Six Sigma (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) to improve their i nventory and record accuracy, finding their errors reduced by 50% in a year. With global marketing the way of the future, however, Amazon chose to expand into the European market and found it necessary to meet different challenges. Challenges Addressed in Amazon.eu It was quickly evident that methods that were successful in the United States would not work in Europe. The first challenge was to standardize and improve supply chain processes across Europe in the areas of vendor management, sales and operations planning, customer backlogs, and inventory management. Tom Taylor, Director of European Supply Chain Operations managed to meet these challenges by 2003 (Hammond & Chiron 209). In the meantime, other challenges had to be addressed beyond their acquisition of major online companies in Germany and the UK. For one thing, Germany had only one wholesaler and France had none so different acquisition methods had to be found. Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.de offered only books in 1998, adding music in October 1999 and auctions and zshops in November 1999. Amazon quickly became a leading online bookstore in UK and Germany. In September 2000 Amazon entered the French market with Amazon.fr built from scratch and offering books, music, video, and DVD produc t lines all at the same time. Amazon Japan was launched in November 2000 and the international segment of Amazon was beginning to represent a significant portion of Amazon's total revenue. Europeans, however, were less likely to have credit cards, less experience with mail-order shopping, and were more conservative in their shopping habits. In 2000 German retailers were not allowed to discount the price of books, and some online privacy issues were more sensitive in Europe than in the U.S., necessitating an agreement between EU and US government on treatment of personal and confidential data.

Accounting & finance Financial Ratio Anlysis Essay

Accounting & finance Financial Ratio Anlysis - Essay Example Prolong Limited’s gross profit margin decreased from 42.4% in 2009 to 37.5% in 2010. This can be due to the considerable increase in the cost of goods sold from $680,000 in 2009 to $750,000 in 2010. Prolong Limited’s net profit margin was 19.8 % in 2009 and decreased to 13.9 % in 2010. This was due to the increase in the operating expenses of the company. This rise in costs can be due to the rise in the inflation rate in the economy. Prolong Limited should take measures to control their costs of producing the goods. 60% of the current assets are tied up in stock due to which the liquidity position of the company is not very good. Prolong Ltd does not have ample cash to repay its creditors and due to this amount owed to the creditors have increased. Prolong Ltd should improve upon its liquidity position so that it can repay its debt on time. The overall liquidity of the company in 2010 has improved because of the bank loan taken by Prolong Ltd. But still, the creditors of Prolong Ltd are accumulating and it would be difficult for Prolong Ltd to repay its debt if the company does not generate ample cash through sales. Moreover, most of the cash of Prolong Ltd is tied up in non-current assets. Prolong Ltd can generate cash by selling off some of their non-current assets which will improve their liquidity position. Asset turnover indicates the sales that are generated from $1 investments in assets. Prolong’s Ltd asset turnover remained relatively stable in 2009 and 2010. Although the sales increased marginally by $20,000, the total assets increased by $99,000. The investment in the assets was not translated into the corresponding increase in sales revenue. Days inventory ratio of Prolong Ltd indicate that it took 79 days on average to sell the goods in inventory in 2009 and 93 days in 2010. The days inventory has increased in 2010 and this high days inventory figure is not very beneficial for the company. Days debtor ratio indicates

Shakespeares impression

Shakespeares impression William Shakespeares Impressions of Venice from his plays and Themes of Venetian Republic from the plays: The Merchant of Venice and Othello Introduction This essay is aimed at looking at William Shakespeares impression of Venice by analysing his two famous plays, The Merchant of Venice and Othello. Then, after taking Shakespeares impressions, a closer look will be taken at the main themes brought out of the two plays and compare and contrast them with Shakespeares impressions. Such themes include; Anti-Semitism and the Jews and their role in the economy and society of Venice, law and justice in the Republic of Venice, the role of women in Venetian society, foreign mercenaries in Venice and racism and jealousy in Venice. Such themes will be analysed in order to see of Shakespeares impressions of Venice from his plays are compatible with real life in Venice. Major Themes: Merchant of Venice The Jews of Venice and their role in society and the economy and Anti-Semitism One must always take the context in which Shakespeare lived. This means that the English society in which Shakespeare lived is extremely important since this is reflected in his plays. Shakespeare must surely have been influenced by the society in which he lived in especially when it comes to the Jews. It was known the people in London were hostile to foreigners (xenophobic) and that anti-Semitism in Elizabethan England was very a common feature of society. So, anti-Semitism is already emerging as a major theme in this play. This is all personified in Shylock who is hated and treated badly in society due to him being a Jew. One must always take into account that the Jews were frowned upon because they were the killers of Christ. So, in Christian societies of the time of William Shakespeare, the Jews were not so much welcome. In fact, they were put in ghettos and this was also in Venice. However, they could play a role in economy Antonio the Merchant is used by Shakespeare to portray the general peoples negative attitudes towards the Jews. Here comes the element of anti-Semitism. In the play, especially in Act One: Scene Three, Act Three: Scene One, Antonio the Gentile is seen bullying Shylock because of his Jewish religion. It is seen in Antonio spitting on Shylocks beard. In Act Three: Scene One, Shylock speaks about his suffering which is induced by Antonios constant bullying. The next excerpts taken from this Act and Scene prove this: Line 43 hindered me half a million Line 44 52 laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies and whats his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? In Act 1: Scene Three, there is also reference to Shylock being bullied by Antonio: Line 103 dog Line 109 void your rheum referring to Antonio spitting on Shylocks beard. Now, when one looks at such lines from the play, he gets the impression that the Jews were made to live through hell and that anti-Semitism in Venice was very much present. It is true that there was anti-Semitism in Venice mainly due to religious reasons (the Jews were the ones who chanted for Christs crucifixion). However, Shakespeare puts too much emphasis on anti-Semitism in Venice. This is seen all throughout the play. Maybe Shakespeare was too much influenced by the society he lived in and puts focus on anti-Semitism in order to satisfy his audience. This factor has to be taken into account in order to analyse the play well. The play focuses too much on Shylock being bullied due to his Jewish origin but his social role as usurer is not given any importance at all in the play[1]. If one had to look into real life in Venice, he would observe that the Jews were important players in the Venetian economy due to their money lending. They engaged in trade and they helped very much helping the authorities avoid the hassle of creating loan banks. However, it was true that the Jews had to live in ghettos and had to wear the yellow Star of David in order to be recognised as being Jews. But on the whole, they were tolerated, especially when it comes to their contribution to the Venetian economy. So this leads to the conclusion that the Jews in Venice were tolerated out the need the state had for them not out of human kindness. The question is: Were Venetians tolerant of foreigners? The answer would be that overall; the Venetians were tolerant of foreigners. One must not forget that foreigners had the right to access law courts in Venice for example. In the play, the phrase freedom of the state (3.2.277) is mentioned which refers to the right of foreigners to access Venetian law courts and the recognition of bonds to foreigners entered into by its own citizens[2] (M. M. Mahood, 2003). These are also words of praise to the Venetian justice system in which privilege or nationality did not matter. There were communities of people of different cultures who came to Venice due to its commercial importance bringing with them knowledge and commercial goods. The Venetians were very proud of this and outside observers tend to admire Venice for this. So, as a conclusion, one may say that racism in Venice is a bit exaggerated by Shakespeare when in fact Venetian society was overall tolerant even if sometimes slightly suspicious of foreigners. Law and Justice in Venice William Shakespeares form of justice in this play is seen in Portia telling Shylock to cut a pound of flesh from Antonio and that he should not spill a drop of blood. The Duke also features in this. When Shylock discovers that he could not cut a pound of flesh from Antonio without spilling a drop of blood, he had to lose all his property and the Duke is the one to decide whether he would live or not. In the play, the Duke decides to pardon Shylock and Shylock has to convert from his Jewish faith to become a Christian, apart from losing his property. Here, Shakespeare portrays the Duke as having quite a say in law courts in Venice. How realistic was this in real life in Early Modern Venice? It was real. However, the Duke (Doge) was never the judge himself at the law court. The Duke could only voice his opinions along with the opinions of the judges, but never the judge by himself. The Duke used to receive appeals for mercy[3]. Shakespeare brings this out in the play and by this; he shows that he had a good grasp of the justice system in Republic of Venice. In the play, the Duke grants mercy to Shylock (on condition that Shylock the Jew become a Christian and no longer engages in usury). When approaching the law and justice theme in the Merchant of Venice, one must leave out the fact that the Venetian Republics justice system was a fair one. Firstly, everybody from the Patricians downwards to lower strata of Venetian society was considered equal before the law; and secondly, there was the system of appeal in which appeals could be made to the Duke[4]. Economy of Venice The Rialto is mentioned in the play along with its economic importance regarding trade in the Republic of Venice. The Rialto was the center of much of Venetian trade with different states in the Mediterranean, especially the Levant. This also shows how William Shakespeare was very much knowledgeable about certain aspects of Venice, especially regarding commerce. This may have come from some of his friends who visited Venice and who told him about what they saw in the city. Gender in Early Modern Venice In the play, Portia is portrayed as a rich woman. The social status of women in Venice differed according to their class. If they came from rich and Patrician classes and were educated, they were respected in society. In the 16th century, the Republic of Venice was known to have had women who enjoyed respect in society. They were known as courtesans. A quote (see below) from the book, Women and Men in Early Modern Venice by Satya Brata Datta describes very well these courtesans. The Venetian Republic was renowned far and wide for its large number (210 in 1566, for instance) of beautiful, independent and often intellectually inclined courtesans, who enjoyed a special but ambivalent status in society. The quote (above) from the book mentioned gives a clear indication that certain women were treated differently from other women in Venice. William Shakespeare may have been aware of this fact and he portrays all this in the character of Portia, who is portrayed as a rich, independent (still seeking the right man to marry) and intelligent. Her intelligence is seen in the way she manages to save Antonio from Shylock. Venetian women were categorised when it came to social status. There were the Lady (Signora), the Courtesan (Cortigiana) and the Prostitute (meretrice). The courtesans were respected to the point that they could go to the law courts in order to stress their importance in Venetian society and they would not find it difficult to go to the law courts/tribunals at all[5]. So, this shows that Venetian society was not that strongly masculine. Another quote from Satya Brata Dattas book describes the courtesans qualities (see below). The courtesan defined herself as a woman with three characteristic features: she was a woman of her own kind, that is, neither a virgin nor a housewife; she was a free woman, not least sexually; and she was a creative, intelligent woman.[6] The above quote can be considered as a reference to Portia and this can give an insight of how much William Shakespeare was knowledgeable about aspects of life in Venice (which come out as themes in the play). As a conclusion, one must keep in mind that Venetian society was a patriarchal one (i.e. a male-dominated society) but women such as the Courtesans and Prostitutes were respected by the male-dominated leadership in Venice which helped the Republic of Venice to be widely known in foreign countries for its tolerance when it came to society[7]. Major Themes: Othello Foreigners in Venetian Wars The Republic of Venice was not used to sending its own townspeople to fight its wars. It made use of foreign mercenaries and the generals appointed to fight Venices wars were always of foreign origin. The Republic of Venice preferred to make use of foreign mercenaries in its wars and in defending both land and maritime territories under its rule. This notion is strengthened by the fact that Venice had a law which strictly stipulated that a general in the army had to be a foreigner and not born in Venice[8]. It was also known that Italian city-states used to employ foreign mercenaries to fight their wars and the Republic of Venice was one of them. It also shows how Venetians were tolerant to foreigners Racism and (3)Jealousy The two most outstanding themes of this play are racial differences in Venice and jealousy. Out of all European states, Venice contained people from diverse backgrounds which made it a melting pot. Its commerce brought it many people from different lands. But there must have been some dislike of foreigners. In the play, this is personified in Iago. Iago hates the fact that his superior is a foreigner and of a different religious faith. Also, Desdemonas marriage to Othello the Moor is not liked at all. One also has to take into account the fact that Desdemona was the daughter of a Venetian nobleman, Brabantio. Again, racism comes to the fore in the sense that Desdemonas choice of Othello the dark-skinned general could be an embarrassment to her father. It shows once again that racial intermarriages were not liked by all people in Venice although Venice was known to be a city-state where many foreigners lived and brought their cultures and religious faiths with them. In the play, it is assumed that Othello might have attracted Desdemona to him by magical practices. In fact, Desdemona is impressed by his military talent which makes her disregard the fact that he is black and a non-Christian. Desdemonas love for Othello is referred to as downright violence (Act One: Scene Three, Line 245). This phrase shows that Desdemonas love to Othello is considered as a violation of the norm (especially by the villain Iago). Desdemona can be considered the good character while Iago is the villain. Iago is jealous of Othello because Othello is talented and he does all he could to damage him and in various scenes he is seen trying to ridicule Othello and spewing his hatred for the Moor. Racism against Othello the Moor is very much emphasized throughout the whole just like hatred towards Shylock in The Merchant of Venice. Act One: Scene Two Line 79 of arts inhibited and out of warrant The above line refers to magical practices which were totally forbidden in Venice. Othello is accused of magical practices to attract Desdemona which shows the hatred against him because of his origins. The term Moor was used in the time of Shakespeare to describe a dark-skinned person. Line 343 erring Barbarian This line once again emphasizes Iagos hatred of Othello and erring refers to Othellos religion and barbarian refers to Othellos origins. Even in The Merchant of Venice, Portia displays this racial difference when it comes for her to choose the man she wants marry. This is seen when she is to meet the Prince of Morocco in the quote from the play (below): If he have the condition of saint or the complexion of a devil, I had rather he should shrive me than wive me. (Act 1: Scene 2 lines 106-108) So, this is already showing Portias dislike for the Prince of Morocco due to his colour. Conclusion When one compares William Shakespeares impressions on Venice from his plays with real life in early modern Venice, one can find that Shakespeare was knowledgeable about life in Venice in those. Though he exaggerates the theme of anti-Semitism in The Merchant of Venice, one must also keep in mind that he was also influenced by the society he lived in and that must surely affected and it comes out in his writings. The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, Edited by M. M. Mahood, Cambridge University Press, 2003, pg 18. The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, Edited by M. M. Mahood, Cambridge University Press, 2003, pg 15. The Merchant of Venice, by William Shakespeare, Edited by M. M. Mahood, Cambridge University Press, 2003, pg 16. Women and Men in Early Modern Venice, Satya Brata Datta, Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2003, pg 54 Women and Men in Early Modern Venice, Satya Brata Datta, Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2003, pg 178 Women and Men in Early Modern Venice, Satya Brata Datta, Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2003, pg 178 Women and Men in Early Modern Venice, Satya Brata Datta, Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2003, pg 179 Othello, by William Shakespeare, Edited by Norman Sanders, Cambridge University Press, 1984, pg 10

The Importance of Adequate Carbohydrate Consumption Essay -- Health Nu

The Importance of Adequate Carbohydrate Consumption Severely restricting carbohydrates is not healthy and offers little advantages in terms of fat loss. Consumers of low carbohydrate products are often deceived into believing all low carbohydrate products are better for their health. However, usually when a product claims to have a low amount of carbohydrates, it fails to mention the increase of fats and proteins the product gains to compensate for the lost carbohydrates. In reality low carbohydrate diets increase health risks and give dieters false hopes. Carbohydrates are significant in supplying energy to the body’s needs. Through plenty of carbohydrates, especially for active people and athletes, the body is able to use its’ adequate amounts of energy efficiently. The brain and body prefer to use glucose, a product of the digestion of carbohydrates, as an energy source. Therefore, the severe reduction of carbohydrates has many negative effects on the body. By eating only protein and fats the body will go into starvation mode. In the absence of a sufficient amount of carbohydrates the body is forced to use stored blood sugar from the liver and muscles. This process results in an initial protein tissue loss and urinary loss of electrolytes. Protein tissues, muscles, are mostly composed of water; consequently, the elimination of carbohydrates in the body causes the body to start to undergo a process known as ketosis. With this large amount of water loss, it appears that the body is rapidly losing an abundant amount of weight. Although appealing to the dieter, this rapid weight loss from decreased carbohydrates can pose a variety of health risks. Because of the decreased amount of carbohydrate... ...nd after intense physical activity, the body is able to maintain a balanced level of carbohydrate sources and perform better. The strict limitation of carbohydrates in a diet may appear to give the desired result of weight loss, but actually brings many health risks. Instead, carbohydrates help to reduce health risks, and also provide your body with key sources of energy. Not only are carbohydrates the main source of energy for the body, but they also create fiber which helps the body’s organs to function properly. The consumption of carbohydrates is important for normal functions of the body, but especially for the performance of an athlete. In order for maximum athletic performance, a large amount of carbohydrates must be consumed throughout the period of a workout. Overall the right amount of carbohydrates and exercise are necessary for a healthy diet.

Hardys dramatic dialogue Essay

Denying the harsh moral codes set upon you can at times improve your material circumstances; however it can reduce you to a situation lower than poverty. Hardy’s dramatic dialogue â€Å"The Ruined Maid† attempts to portray the injustices and ironies of Victorian morality. Hardy is able to achieve this through his elaborate control over language. The class distinctions and moral codes placed upon women in the Victorian era have a large degree of irony. In the first stanza Hardy introduces two women: an unnamed, impoverished farm maid and a relatively wealthy â€Å"ruined† woman. The fact that the farm maid is unnamed shows her relatively insignificant life in comparison to the â€Å"ruined† woman who is named. The â€Å"ruined† woman (‘Melia) is said to have acquired â€Å"fair garments†, illustrating her affluence as the adjective â€Å"fair† suggests her clothes were of great beauty. The farm maid also wonders how ‘Melia has come across â€Å"such prosperi-ty† emphasising her newfound wealth. ‘Melia states that she has acquired this wealth as she has â€Å"been ruined†. By crossing the Victorian morality line and selling herself she has been rewarded instead of being looked down upon. In the second stanza Hardy contrasts the two women’s lifestyles to illustrate their vast differences. Hardy uses negative diction such as the noun â€Å"tatters† to describe the poverty-stricken woman clothing which contrasts to the description of the wealthier woman in the first stanza. Hardy also contrasts this in the second stanza where Hardy uses positive diction with vibrant connotations such as â€Å"gay bracelets† and â€Å"bright feathers† to again describe the â€Å"ruined† woman’s clothing. The use of juxtaposition between the poverty of one woman and the relative wealth of ‘Melia emphasises their class differences. The â€Å"ruined† woman, obviously gaining from her denial of normal moral codes, states â€Å"that’s how we dress when we are ruined†. This illustrates that all women in her profession wear wealthy clothing, portraying the ironies of Victorian moral rectitude. Restrained in the entrenched Victorian class system with its moral and economic confines women at times have to escape in order to improve their situation. In the third stanza Hardy illustrates the â€Å"ruined† woman’s original poverty. She is described to have had a â€Å"home in the barton†, illustrating her initial lack of wealth through the use of the noun â€Å"barton†. ‘Melia is said to have in the past used archaic, colloquial language such as â€Å"thee† and â€Å"thou† portraying her earlier impoverishment; only those of the lower classes would have used these words. However Hardy contrasts this with the woman’s â€Å"talking† which now â€Å"fits ‘ee for high company†, again emphasising her gain from selling herself. ‘Melia says that â€Å"some polish is gained with one’s ruin†. The noun â€Å"polish† suggests the woman has gained refinement by becoming â€Å"ruined†, illustrating the potential gains from defying Victorian moral codes. This can also portray the hypocrisy of Victorian society as pure, virginal women are approved of; however happen to live depressing, miserable lives. In the fourth stanza Hardy again contrasts the woman’s current position with her past one, describing how she used to have â€Å"paws† and a â€Å"face blue and bleak†. The fact that her hands are said to have been â€Å"paws† illustrates the strenuous work she had to endure. The adjective â€Å"bleak† is an example of a synecdoche as it is used to illustrate ‘Meila’s former emotions. However she is now said to have â€Å"little gloves† and a â€Å"delicate cheek† portraying her dramatic improvement both in her occupation and emotionally. The last line: â€Å"we never do work when we’re ruined† emphasises her lack of taxing labour after becoming â€Å"ruined†. Crossing the morality line can at times result in improvements to one’s position economically. By defying Victorian morality one’s situation is condemned to being lower than the poverty of those who are pure and righteous. In the fifth stanza Hardy again uses negative diction to describe ‘Melia’s past position. Hardy illustrates that she used to view her life as a â€Å"hag-ridden dream† portraying her past depressive outlook on life due to her previous poverty. She is said to have â€Å"sigh[ed]† and â€Å"sock[ed]† emphasising her negative view on life. However now she â€Å"know[s] not of†¦ melancholy†. This shows her emotional improvement as a result of becoming â€Å"ruined†. In the last stanza the farm girl says she wished she was like her former friend and â€Å"had feathers† and a â€Å"fine sweeping gown†. This illustrates her misunderstanding of ‘Melia’s new profession due to her poverty. She is unable to see through the vivacious fai ade of ‘Melia’s wealthy clothing in order to see the realities of her occupation. ‘Melia however separates herself from her former friend stating that she is but a â€Å"raw country girl†. The adjective â€Å"raw† again emphasises the girl’s righteousness and innocence contrasted to the other woman’s â€Å"ruined† morality. The two women are completely different due to the chasmic nature of the Victorian class distinctions and ‘Melia’s decision to sell herself. ‘Melia’s also denies the farm maid of her dreams stating that she â€Å"cannot quite expect that†. Although she wishes she could become wealthy she can’t escape the class which she was born into. ‘Melia says that â€Å"you ain’t ruined† showing that to become rich after being born into the lower classes you must become â€Å"ruined†. However this could also be seen as a warning to the other woman to hold on to her maidenly modesty due to its huge worth in Victorian society. Furthermore Hardy uses the colloquial expression â€Å"ain’t† to show the reader that the â€Å"ruined† woman hasn’t escaped her poor origins. Women of the Victorian times held a very insecure position in society; one which could change dramatically just by defying ironic moral codes. In â€Å"The Ruined Maid† Hardy attempts to show the ironies and injustices place upon women in the Victorian era. He shows that although one may improve their economic situation by defying the moral codes of their society they are condemned to a fate worse than poverty.

How is Gender Viewed in Society? Essay

Gender is still an issue in society. Though, many parts of the world made great strides in reducing gender discrimination, a casual glance across the globe quickly reveals that the scourges of gender intolerance are far from having been eliminated. Despite intense and almost desperate efforts to eliminate ethnic intolerance and discrimination, they appear to be every bit as bad at the close of the 20th century as at the beginning of the century.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"We do not cut our own deal by ourselves, in gender–neutral institutions and arenas. The social institutions of our world–workplace, family, school, and politics–are also gendered institutions, sites where the dominant definitions are reinforced and reproduced, and where â€Å"deviants† are disciplined. We become gendered selves in a gendered society† (Kimmel, 2004, p16). We live in a society where as ‘gender’ we entail that the organizations of our society have developed in ways that reproduce both the differences between women and men and the control of men over women. Institutionally, we can see how the constitution of the workplace is organized around representing and reproducing masculinity: The temporal and spatial organization of work both depend upon the severance of spheres. However, a primary reason for our seeming incapability to eliminate the plagues of gender, ethnic, and class discrimination is the fact that we have not appropriately understood the etiology and functions of this phenomenon. Social dominance theorists suggest that these forms of social oppression, somewhat than being just products of â€Å"improper socialization,† simple ignorance, or the exigencies of capitalism, are mainly the result of inherent features of human and primate social organization. â€Å"Yet to the point to which they refuse to give up their femininity, they are seen as different, and thus gender discrimination is justifiable as the sorting of different people into different Slots† (Catharine MacKinnon, 1989, pp. 218-19). Women who succeed are punished for throwing out their femininity–rejected as potential partners, labeled as â€Å"dykes,† left off the enticement lists. The first women who entered the military, or military colleges, or even Princeton and Yale when they became coeducational in the late 1960s, were seen as being â€Å"less† feminine, as being abortive as women. Yet had they been more â€Å"successful† as women, they would have been seen as less capable soldiers or students (Michael Kimmel, Diane Diamond, and Kirby Schroeder, 1999).   . I believe that one of the major reasons why humans have made so little advancement in eliminating gender discrimination is that we do not yet adequately understand the dynamics of these phenomena. One instance of this lack of under- standing is the popularity of the double danger hypothesis, which holds that Black women, for instance, will be more discriminated against than Black males. Thus gender inequality creates a double bind for women–a double bind that is based on the postulation of gender difference and the assumption of institutional gender neutrality. Work cited Catharine MacKinnon, Towards a Feminist Theory of the State (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1989), pp. 218-19. Michael Kimmel, Diane Diamond, and Kirby Schroeder, â€Å"‘What’s This about a Few Good Men?’ Negotiating Sameness and Difference in Military Education from the 1970s to the Present,† in Masculinities and Education, N. Lesko, ed. (Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications, 1999). Michael S. Kimmel, The Gendered Society, Oxford University Press, 2000