Thursday, December 26, 2019

Essay on Macbeth, A Tragic Hero - 860 Words

Macbeth, A Tragic Hero Macbeth is an intriguing story of witchcraft, murder and retribution that can also be seen as a study in the philosophy and psychology of evil. Shakespeare sees deliberately to have drained colour away from some parts of his composition in order to concentrate attention on Macbeth and His wife. As Stanley Wells writes It is Macbeths neurotic self absorption, his fear, his anger and his despair, along with his wifes steely determination, her invoking of the powers of evil that are the main focus of his attention. Malcolm calls Macbeth a dead butcher for the simple reason that he is guilty of murdering Duncan, and ordering the deaths of Banquo, Lady Macduff and†¦show more content†¦Lady Macbeth, in the early areas of the play is the stronger of the two, in turn her confidence gives Macbeth confidence. This statement is largely based on the conversation they have prior to the murder of Duncan, where she mentions when you durst do it, then you were a man. And to be more a man than what you were, you would be so much more a man. At this particular point in the play will see Macbeths conscience in full effect. The soliloquy in which Macbeth claims if it were done when tis done, the twere well it were done quickly. At this point Macbeth agonises, alone of stage, over killing Duncan. But the most effective soliloquy where Macbeth is hallucinating over the dagger, the dagger that will take the life of Duncan. This is another example of Macbeths insecure state of mind, a dagger of the mind , a false creation. At this point Macbeth recognises himself that he has a heat-opressà ¨d brain. In any case, the murder of Duncan takes place, Macbeth wins the war against his conscience on this occasion, but feels instant remorse, claiming to know my deed, twere best not to know myself. On the contrary Lady Macbeths reaction to seeing the blood stained knife is simply a little water clears us of this deed. Macbeth acknowledges thatShow MoreRelatedMacbeth as a Tragic Hero985 Words   |  4 Pages In William shakespeare’s Macbeth,Macbeth is a classic example of a tragic hero in shakesperean work.Macbeth display the major characteristics of a tragic hero throughout the play until his tragic end.The play potrays Macbeth as a lost cause by showing how he fell from being a honest and just man who fought for whats right, to a cruel,superstitious,ambicious dictator.In william shakespreares Macbeth,Macbeth is a tragic hero because he compromises his honor and negates his moral values in orderRead MoreMacbeth As A Tragic Hero1139 Words   |  5 PagesThe Macbeth character in Macbeth by William Shakespeare can be played many ways.  Macbeth s relationship with other characters in the play and Aristotle s theory of a tragedy are ways in which Macbeth is shown as a tragic hero I am going to explain to you how Macbeth is a true tragic hero. At the very beginning of the play,  Macbeth  and Banquo are returning to Scotland from a fierce battle between the Norwegians and the Scottish. They have just won the war for Duncan.   This shows a noble virtueRead MoreMacbeth as a Tragic Hero1513 Words   |  7 PagesMacbeth as a Tragic Hero William Shakespeare s plays have the reputation of being among the greatest in the English language and in Western literature. Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, genres he raised to the peak of sophistication and artistry by the end of the 16th century. He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including Hamlet, King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth, considered some of the finestRead MoreMacbeth as a Tragic Hero1453 Words   |  6 Pagespresents Macbeth as a tragic hero? The 17th century play, ‘Macbeth’ by William Shakespeare, was written during a time when James the first became the first king of both Scotland and England. The characters in the play are also based upon his descendants. The play itself focuses on the character of Macbeth who is manipulated into committing regicide by 3 witches. As the play progresses, both him and his wife begin to lose all sense of morality, resulting with both of their deaths in the end. Macbeth isRead MoreMacbeth As A Tragic Hero893 Words   |  4 PagesSeidewand Andreacchi February 13th 2017 ENG2D1-02 Macbeth as a Tragic Hero A tragic hero can be described as a character obtaining heroic qualities that is, at the same time, destined for their own downfall. Unfortunately, Macbeth is an example of a character that has this title. In Shakespeare’s time during the writing of the play was the reign of King James of England, and the play ‘Macbeth’ reflects on Shakespeare’s own relationship with this king. Someone of greatRead MoreMacbeth as a Tragic Hero846 Words   |  3 Pages The tragic hero has been a major storytelling tool in recent years that makes the audience relate to, respect, and feel sympathy for a character which is undone by the end of the story. But can this title be given to Macbeth, the titular hero of the Shakespeare play by the same name? Yes, absolutely- Shakespeare’s Macbeth follows this plot path in numerous ways. Throughout the play, we are introduced to Macbeth’s belovedness, the crushing of said established belovedness, and his own undoing. Read MoreMacbeth - a Tragic Hero2214 Words   |  9 PagesShakespeares play Macbeth, written in the 1600s is a perfect example of Shakespeares ability to manipulate his audience through creating a tragic hero. A tragic hero who, because of a flaw, tumbles from a well-respected hero to a cowardless murderer. It is through Shakespeares manipulation of figurative language, dramatic conventions and social expectations of the seventeenth century, do the audience witness the demise of this mixed up man. Macbeths persona of the tragic hero is enhanced evenRead MoreMacbeth As A Tragic Hero1685 Words   |  7 Pagesprotagonist who appears to be a â€Å"tragic hero† in the overall play. In other words, this character is one who has made an error in his judgement, providing that this error eventually leads to their own ruin or destruction. Within Macbeth, Macbeth the character is regarded as a tragic hero, but with the distinct and evident explanation of his evil and the succession of his acts of violence, it may not be as clear cut as to whether he is a tragic hero or not. Though Macbeth does commit an error that leadsRead MoreMacbeth As A Tragic Hero2154 Words   |  9 Pages Karen H. Macbeth Show how Macbeth is seen as a tragic hero â€Å"The catastrophe of the tragic hero thus becomes the catastrophe of the fifth-century man; all his furious energy and intellectual daring drive him on to this terrible discovery of his fundamental ignorance - he is not the measure of all commodity but the commodity measured and found wanting.† The words ‘tragic hero’ has undergone a deceptive and detrimental process, it goes from a favorable connotationRead MoreMacbeth As A Tragic Hero2015 Words   |  9 PagesMacbeth Show how Macbeth is seen as a tragic hero â€Å"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon-instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.† The words ‘tragic hero’ has undergone a deceptive and detrimental process, it goes from a favorable connotation to a repulsive connotation. A tragic hero makes â€Å"judgment errors† that are inescapable and it ultimately

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

The Negative Effects of Smoking Cigarettes Essay - 1525 Words

Smoking cigarettes can be very harmful to your life with so many health issues, such as heart disease, cancer and emphysema. Some people think it’s not a huge issue smoking cigarettes but it’s a great way to lose ten years of your life. You lose lots of money, a lifetime of health issues, and cause you to have yellowing of the teeth and bad breath .There is way too many health risks involved to start using this drug. Say no to cigarettes you will be healthier in the end then to continue on this wrongful path. It’s not that easy to quit smoking cigarettes, it can be very hard especially for many people who have been smoking for years. Many people are addicted to this drug because of the nicotine that’s in the tobacco, which is very†¦show more content†¦Although teens that started smoking at the age of 18 didn’t plan on getting addicted to this drug, it happens. Some say it would be easy to not start smoking cigarettes or just be in plain disgust. Many people don’t know how hard it is to quit smoking, until they have been there. I would know because I am a prime user of this product. I didn’t mean to get addicted but I was trying something new and trying to be cool, and there is no way to turn back. Words cannot even explain the disappointment on my dad’s face when he found out. Somehow the excuses kept pouring out whenever someone asked why I smoked; people didn’t like the answer I gave them. Felt badly for my grandma she was even mad at me to but I really could less. Even though I know the health risk that are involved I still can’t put down that cigarette. Before I started smoking I used to be one of those people who couldn’t stand the smell, seeing a cigarette, or even be around cigarette smoke. Also growing up I said I would never smoke and just gagged at the thought of putting a cigarette in my mouth. Even though I would like to quit smoking as a smoker it’s very hard to quit. If I don’t stop now I will end up in with cancer or breathing out of an oxygen mask with many health issues. There are no physical reasons to start smoking. The body doesnt need tobacco the way it needs food, water, sleep, and exercise (Smoking). So why start smoking?Show MoreRelatedReason Why Teenagers Age 13- 18 Years Old from Different Colleges and Universities Engage in Cigarette Smoking Despite Its Negative Effects2166 Words   |  9 PagesEngage Themselves to Smoking A thesis submitted to the Faculty of St. Paul College, Pasig In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in Research Nicole Therese Ang-Angco Caryl Marie Balagot Cara Dominique Beltran Sheena Sharmaine Estayo Julianne Rose Santarina March 2009 THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING A. Research Problem: Reason why teenagers age 13- 18 years old from different colleges and universities engage in cigarette smoking despite its negative effects B. Objectives:Read MoreIs the Cigarette Tax Enough To Prevent Smoking? Essay1337 Words   |  6 PagesSmoking cigarettes have negative effects on not only the people who smoke, but also the people around them and the environment. Smoking cigarettes lead to many diseases and negative health effects, such as lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. Second hand smoke can lead to the same side effects. However, the dangers of second hand smoke tend to be generally greater than that of first hand smoke, which is what the smoker inhales. Because of all the negative effects of smoking, the sale ofRead MoreA History of Tobacco and Smoking in America1174 Words   |  5 PagesEvery year cigarette smoking is responsible for 500,000 premature deaths (Nugel), you do not want to be just another statistic, do you? America’s first cash crop was tobacco. That means that tobacco has been around for a really long time. It was not until 1865, though, that cigarettes were sold commercially. They were sold to soldiers at the end of the Civil War (Dowshen). From then, cigarettes spread like wildfire, and it was not until 1964 that anyone made a stand about the negative effects of tobaccoRead MoreSmoking Cigarettes Should Be Banned1012 Words   |  5 PagesWith no doubt, it is almost common knowledge that smoking cigarettes can bring numerous negative effects. Because of this, many laws and regulations have been brought up to ban smoking. Despite all the positive effects from abstaining to smoke, many people are still agains t smoking bans. The critics of these laws, see it as an example of the government interfering in people’s lives. Ultimately, there is no right or wrong to this issue. It comes down to balancing the rights of the non-smoker to breatheRead MoreThe Production and Sale of Cigarettes Should Be Made Illegal1494 Words   |  6 PagesThe production and sale of cigarettes should be made illegal Stanislav Philippov Writing 5 Peggy Armstrong November 18, 2011 The production and sale of cigarettes not only has negative impact on human health, it can even cause death. This is the main reason why the production and sale of cigarettes must be prohibited. It’s obviously a big issue today, some people, mostly non smokers, are against smoking altogether, while other people think that everybody has to have the right to buyRead MoreWould Anyone Engage In Smoking Cigarettes If Each Cigarette1326 Words   |  6 Pages Would anyone engage in smoking cigarettes if each cigarette had an effect written on the side, such as lethal, or fatal? Advertisements pop up on the TV commercials, in newspapers, and magazines that illustrate the reality of what happens when engaging in smoking tobacco, but yet people still smoke cigarettes. Some of these advertisements campaigning against big tobacco companies use pretty graphic and shocking images to convince the population that tobacco is just awful for the body. Health organizationsRead MoreSmoking I s An Addictive Habit That Has Been Killing People All Over The World1123 Words   |  5 PagesSmoking is an addictive habit that has been killing people all over the world for hundreds of years. About 25% of adults smoke and about 30% of all adolescents use some type of tobacco product (â€Å"Smoking†). Statistics show that the majority of tobacco users began as a teenager, around thirteen years of age (Miller). The human population is supposed to have innate instincts to do all they can to survive and extend their lives, but individuals still make the choice to smoke and may not take into accountRead MoreA Brief Note On Cigarette Smoking And Public1252 Words   |  6 Pages Cigarette Smoking and Public Cigarette smoking is one of the largest preventable risk factors for morbidity and mortality in developed countries. It is a practice in which a substance, most commonly tobacco or cannabis is burned and the smoke is inhaled. Nowadays many people smoke everywhere at any time, thus they obtain many negative effects on their health. Although, many smokers know the health risks related to smoking but they cannot stop inhaling it. ManyRead MoreSmoking is a Major Public Health Problem732 Words   |  3 PagesSmoking Issues Smoking is worldwide problem. It has been proved by many studies to be harmful and deadly. â€Å"In the United States alone, more than 440,000 people die annually from the effects of smoking. (The Effects of Smoking). There are several negative effects of smoking on the health and the environment. Health Issues Smoking is a major public health problem. According to the Surgeon General’s report, some of the hazard effects of tobacco smoke are directly related to the more than 7,000 chemicalsRead MoreNegative Externalities Of Cigarette Smoking849 Words   |  4 PagesI’ve decided to analyze the negative externalities that come from cigarette smoking, particularly the negative externality of second hand smoking, in which a non-smoker, therefore a non-buyer and non-seller, is still inhaling smoke and suffering from it. Worldwide, 40% of children, 33% of male non-smokers, and 35% of female non-smokers were exposed to second-hand smoke in 2004. This exposure was estimated to have caused 379000 deaths from ischaemic heart disease, 165000 from lower respiratory infections

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Diplomatic Immunity Essay Example For Students

Diplomatic Immunity Essay Diplomatic ImmunityINTRODUCTIONUnited Kingdom, 1982While unloading the ship which carried the embassys materials, one box markedhousehold effects dropped from a forklift. More than six hundred pounds ofmarijuana worth 500,000 British pounds (1982 prices) spilled dockside. For centuries governments have used ambassadors, and diplomats to representtheir nation. These special envoys have done everything from resolving years ofconflict, deciding on how much humanitarian relief will be sent to a nation, orjust being present at diplomatic dinners and ceremonies. These people have beenthe vital link between nations, and they have enjoyed complete immunity from thelaw of the host nation. Originally this immunity was extended as a courtesy toallow for an uneventful stay in the host country. While in a foreign country onofficial business, the diplomat would be granted exemption from arrest ordetention by local authorities; their actions not subject to civil or criminallaw. For the longest time this privilege produced little or no incidents. However, this unique position of freedom that diplomats, their family, and staffhave been graced with has not been so ideal. Recently the occurrences of abusefor personal or national gain has grown out of proportion. What once protectedthe diplomat and his staff from parking tickets and some differing social laws,now grants them protection under the law to commit crimes such as drugtrafficking, kidnapping, rape, and murder. Even though serious crimes are rareand punishable to various extents in most countries, domestic authorities wereforced to look the other way. While it would be convenient to believe that thesix hundred pounds of marijuana was sent for personal consumption at the embassy,it is evident a small drug trafficking ring was being protected under the guiseof diplomatic immunity. HISTORY/DESCRIPTIONThe international community has tried to develop a universally accepted set ofnorms governing the conduct and privileges of diplomats abroad. These fewArticles from the convention show the good faith of the convention:Article 29: Diplomats are inviolable; exempt from any arrest/detention. Article 31: Diplomats are exempt from criminal jurisdiction, they can be triedonly if immunity is waived. Article 32: Only the sending country can waive immunityArticle 41: Diplomats should still respect the laws and regulations of the hoststate. Baring few changes, the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations remainsthe basis for interaction between states. This convention tackles the problem bydividing the privileges of immunity into four classes. The diplomat and hisfamily enjoy complete immunity. They cannot be arrested, detained or taxed. They do not fall into the realm of jurisdiction of the host country. Furtherthey cannot be asked to stand trial or submit to having their possessionssearched. The diplomatic staff are granted these same rights while performingofficial diplomatic business. Private servants have only been granted immunityfrom taxation. The privilege of complete immunity allows for the use of thediplomatic pouch. This not an actual pouch, rather it is the power to declareany belongings off limits. The crate being removed from the ship (above story)was considered diplomatic pouch. The introduction of the term diplomatic pouch; brings us to one of the majorproblems with the standards regarding conduct of diplomats. Originally theconcept of diplomatic pouch was used to permit secrecy on official visits byforeign staff. This policy of ultimate secrecy becomes important when diplomatsare venturing into unfriendly territory. Further, an explicit trust is grantedto the diplomats to allow for free communication between the diplomat and theirsending country. However this gracious offer of trust allows for easy abuse. ABritish foreign affairs committee declared, The only way, in fact, to find outif diplomatic bags contain prohibited items would be to drop them whileunloading them from the aircraft and hope that they would split open (FirstReport of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, p. 617). Career Oportunities EssayThe Israeli was released and nothing was done. North Koreans were caught smuggling marijuana in Oslo, Helsinki, and Copenhagenin 1976. Earlier officials had been detected carrying 400 kilos of hashish intoCairo. In all of these occurrences nothing could be done because of diplomaticimmunity. The abuses of immunity are becoming increasingly worse. While functionalnecessity is a valid argument, a solution to the problem is needed. CURRENT STATUSThe current status of diplomatic immunity has been constant since the originaldraft of the Vienna Convention in 1961. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of theVienna Convention, the Legal Committee of the General Assembly reported thatthey were satisfied with the convention as it stood (A/RES/41/79). In 1989 theLegal Committee decided to examine the courier and his status. Experts werebrought in at the next session to informally discuss the individual clauses andanswer questions. Again the final response was that everything was acceptable(A/RES/45/43). The closest the United Nations has come to re-examining theentire convention was in 1985, when a opinion was drafted explaining thetechnicalities. (A/CN.4/SER.A/1985/Add.1( Part 2)) The United Nations hasrecognized the problem, but there currently remains no solution. Solutions have been formally discussed yet no amicable resolution has beenproduced. Two ideas that have been discussed are based on the idea of insurance. The first theory proposes that a diplomat and the staff must buy an insurancepolicy. The second theory proposes a claims fund. Both theories allow countriesto have a way to remunerate those who have suffered from criminal acts but itstill does not insure the bringing to justice of the alleged perpatrator. The most popular idea is the creation of a permanent international diplomaticcourt. Ideally the alleged would be brought to answer for the crime in front ofhis peers. However a myriad of problems arise. First, you must be able to bringthe accused to the court to answer for the crime. Second, you must form a jurycomposed of enough countries to prevent a bias. Third you must account for adrastic difference in the underlying fabric of each countries values. Fourth andprobably the hardest problem to deal with is the maintenance of theinfrastructure needed to support this international court. Or in short who isgoing to pay for it? The United States has tried to change the situation at home. In 1987 the Senate passed a resolution making it a felony for anyone with adiplomatic immunity to use a firearm to commit a felony, with the exception ofself-defense. Nonetheless, a solution should be produced by the wholeinternational community. COMMITTEE MISSIONYour mission is to solve some of the problems that diplomatic immunity haspresented. As you know you must gather a majority to pass the resolution, so Iwill pass on a few tips and some questions you should consider. You mustremember that sovereignty is basis for the United Nations. Therefore noresolution can violate the sovereignty of a nation. All resolutions shouldaspire to solve the problem and attempt to please all the parties directly andindirectly involved with the problem. History

Monday, December 2, 2019

Phoenix Jones Character Analysis free essay sample

They say with age, comes wisdom. They say a tough life will build tough people. That the world, no matter how terrible it may seem or how bad things get, is only what you make of it. This has never been shown more so by Phoenix Jackson from Eudora Welty’s â€Å"A Worn Path†. Encumbered with age and poverty, Phoenix shows fortitude, cleverness, and a child-like view of the world while traveling to the city for medicine. Welty’s love of literature from her mother, and classic writing style with African American characters (Marrs) is clearly displayed in â€Å"A Warn Path†. Eudora Welty, whose life spanned most of the 20th century, represented the world of the deep American South in multiple genres. In stories, novels, and photography, the Pulitzer Prize winner was especially interested in the relationship of place to character. Her art explores the impact of place on the life of the individual depending on race, gender, and economic status, as well as the reverse influence of the individual character on environment, which is exeptionally displayed in â€Å"A Warn Path† (Marrs). We will write a custom essay sample on Phoenix Jones Character Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In â€Å"A worn path† an elderly african-american woman, named Pheonix Jones, is up against the world on her way to town. Armed with nothing but her cane, she maneuvers through obstactle after obstacle, showing perseverence in the highest fashion through every disincentive that inhibits her journey. As such, her story depicts the Depression in the United States from the vantage point of a victim insufficiently represented in art—though a victim who, like the mythological phoenix her name evokes, resists annihilation, Phoenix transcends the abuse she experiences. This essay will explore Eudora Weltys character Phoenix Joness most exemplary traits. It will shine light on her fortitude, ingenuity, and light hearted view of the world. Provided along with Phoenixs traits is examples in which she shows each trait, with direct reference to â€Å"A worn path†. Imagine, having every bone in your body weakened with over seventy plus years of aging. You now have the bones of Phoenix Jones. Weakened, she struggles to get to town. Yet, still she keeps trecking over every obstacle thrown at her. This calls to merit her outstanding fortitude. At one point she encounters a barbed wire fence. With barbs glaring at her, hungry to put a halt to her journey, â€Å"There she had to creep and crawl, spreading her knees and stretching her fingers like a baby trying to climb the steps. But she talked loudly to herself: she could not let her dress be torn now, so late in the day, and she could not pay for having her arm or her leg sawed off if she got caught fast where she was. At last she was safe throught the fence and risen up out of the clearing,† (Welty 850). This is a fine example of her phenominal perseverance and fortitude, showing she was not only going to get through, but she refused to let that fence make even a scratch on her dress. And even before that, at the start of her journey, she already had shown her tremendous amount of determination. As she starts out on her journey she exclaims with a fiery attitude â€Å"Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals! Keep out from under theses feet, little bob whites. Keep the big wild hots out of my path. Dont let none of those come running my direction. I got a long way† (Welty 849-850). This shows that her mind is already set on getting to town and nothing is stopping her. These fine examples show the true, raw determination and fortitude within Pheonix Jones, showing that she may be frail, but she is anything but weak. There are few things that make true â€Å"good character†. Imagination is one of them. No one has better imagination than a child. A child sees the world as something different something better. Phoenix Jones clearly holds her inner-child within herself after all these years. After traveling a piece she decides to rest. â€Å"Up above her was a tree in a pearly cloud of mistletoe. She did not dare to close her eyes, and when a little boy brought her a plate with a slice of marble cake on it she spoke to him. â€Å"That would be exceptable,† she said† (Welty 850). Her imagination peeking forth, this shows even through her journey, she imagines a little boy giving her a slice of delicious cake, presenting that everything does not have to be serious. A little piece onward, she shows her enlightening imagination running wild again as she runs up on a menacing scarecrow that she gazes at from a distance. â€Å"Ghost,† she said sharply, â€Å"who you be the ghost of? For I have heard of nary death close by. † She found a coat inside that an emtiness, cold as ice. â€Å"You scarecrow† she said †Dance, old scare crow† she said, â€Å"while I dancing with you. † She kicked her foot over the furrow, and with mouth drawn down, shook her head once or twice in a little strutting way,† (Welty 851). Her fun loving child-like nature is highlighted through this passage, showing that she took a fear, and enlightened it when she found out it was a scarecrow, dancing with it, showing the trophy of imagination and optimism. Welty shows through Pheonix that imagination will never die, and that it is a precious tool to get over any obstacle. Further down the warn path, Phoenix is greeted by a discourteous hunter helping her up after she fell in a ditch in the wake of a nosy dog coming to investigate this strange intruder. This point is where she shows her cleverness and wit. As she is talking to the hunter, â€Å" Without warning, she had seen with her own eyes a flashing nickel fall out of the mans pocket onto the ground† (Welty 843), and she said nothing. As it continues the hunter runs off and she wittily bent over in his absence and â€Å"The yellow palm of her hand came out from the fold of her apron. Her fingers slid down and along the ground under the piece of money with the grace and care they would have in lifting an egg from under a setting hen†(Welty 843). As he later lies about having money to spare, this presents her wit, as she gained five cents from this brash traveller who has the audacity to later hold a gun to her head as a joke, which does not intimidate her, and only shows once again the fortitude previously stated in the last paragraph. As she gets to her destination, a clinic that she gets medicine from, she meets an attendant when she first walks in. She came to claim a bottle of medicine through charity for her grandson, which may just be a guise to get free medication, which in itself is a example of clever planning, the example I am using is of her interaction with the attendant. â€Å"Its Christmas time, Grandma,† said the attendant. â€Å"Could I give you a few pennies out of my purse? † â€Å"Five pennies is a nickel,† said Phoenix stiffly† â€Å"Heres a nickel,† said the attendant† (Welty 856). She persuades the attendant to give her a nickel, which in total gives her a dime, showing her witty resourcefulness. Whether she uses this ten cent for her grandson a windmill, or something else she wishes to buy, her adept skill and dexterity is presented as she uses wit and expierence to claim these precious boons. Pheonix Jones is a woman of many traits. From her perseverance to her sly inginuity, she uses all her characteristics to get through â€Å"A Warn Path†. She shows her child like perception in a way that eases the burdon of travelling. To the hills and back again seven times fold, her fortitude and will is an object of pure sovereinty over obstacles in her way and in her head. And with just a little bit of quick thinking and bamboozlement she was able to obtain a secondary reward from her journey, a skill that comes in handy throughout her life. Pheonix Jones is a pure, text book definition of strong.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Diffusion and Standardization with Operation System The WritePass Journal

Diffusion and Standardization with Operation System Reference Diffusion and Standardization with Operation System Abstract1. Introduction of Windows and Mac OS 2. The Development of the OS Standard 3. The MAC OS Threat 4.   How the proprietary regime would affect the diffusion ReferenceRelated Abstract This paper discusses the standard of operation system (OS) in the personal computer industry, and how Windows finally became a standard of this industry. To comprehend better of this process, we critically evaluate the proprietary regime and what is the effect of this regime on the diffusion process. This paper also provides a short view of network effect and switching cost, product preannouncement that have influenced the outcome of the standards competition. 1. Introduction of Windows and Mac OS There have been two distinct operation environments along with personal computer industry, Windows and Mac OS.   They are undergoing an intensive standard race over the past 10 years. Windows is an operation environment introduced by Microsoft in 1985, a strong market leader which accounts for more than 90% usage share in 2009 with its high quality and easy handling graphical user interfaces.1 Mac OS is a system developed by Apple, a small usage share of 6% and less well known in operation systems.2 The two systems are incompatible with each other by different technology support. Technologically speaking, both have their advantages. The Windows is supported by hardware configuration, which is provided by a series of hardware manufacturing, like INTEL 〠AMD. On the other hand, Mac OS has its uniqueness which is a way to differentiate it from all other personal computers out there. Mac OS is only to be installed at Apple’s computer by Apple’s license agreement, that is to say Apple is not to license their OS. What is more, Windows is able to run on any portable application and there are a mounting number of end systems could be offered with it. By contrast, Mac OS is compatible to limited software. 2. The Development of the OS Standard By the early 1980s, some small companies which led the minicomputer market in the late 1970s have been taken a hand by larger computers. A smaller number of de-facto industry standards have developed. In 1981, when the largest computer firm which is IBM entered into the microcomputer area and made the decision that all the IBM PC shipped with IBM PC-DOS which is a licensed version of Microsoft’s MS-DOS rather than the superior industry-standard CP/M-86 operation system.3 In 1984, 4 Microsoft achieved growth of revenues from MS- DOS’s sales by IBM and other competitor’s manufacturers who were willing to buy MS-DOS license to be shipped with their computers. However, it still achieved little popularity and it was competition with Apple’s own OS. Back then, the industry expected that the IBM would be the technical direction .However, 1987 when IBM made a risky business decision that chose to introduce their PS/2 line which would be licensed to anyone who could afford the royalty, however it failed to maintain the open AT bus.8 PS/2 line made the IBM machines were not IBM-compatible anymore. Because of that, many PC manufactures hold off accepting the PS/2 licenses and worked together on a new open bus type to all manufactures, which lead to that IBM no longer the leader and standard of the industry. Around the same time, at the beginning of the 1990s, 9 Microsoft developed a brand new OS –Windows, which turned out being very popular. At the same time, IBM would prefer to replace DOS with its vastly superior OS/2, but Microsoft insisted on pushing the industry standard with Windows.  Ã‚   With lower price and high technically superior performance, Windows became the de-facto standard with more than 2 million selling of copies of Windows version 3.0 in 1992. After then, Windows 95 made a revolutionary change to the user interface and also used preemptive multitasking. During that time, the early adopters of computer tended to use the internet to communicate the strengths and weaknesses of Windows 95 and programming more software. Windows XP was released and becoming the largest usage OS ever. In 2009, a new edition –windows 7 focused on new features with more compatible applications and hardware. Moreover, in 2011, a preannouncement of Windows 8 has been made that will be released in 2 years later in order to affect the choices of potential customers. In fact, Windows OS would be an open format with all the computers shipped with Windows is capable of using extensive compatible software. Moreover, the historical record reflected that the key to the success of Windows OS lay in the fact that Windows can be licensed to PC manufacturers as much as possible. 3. The MAC OS Threat Despite the extensive success of Windows OS in the past 20 years, industry competitor still is trying to change the market. Some preserved with the unique and technically superior system, like Mac OS by Apple. Apple’s Macintosh developed in 1984, which achieved a commercially successful in the beginning of 1980s. Macs are rapidly growing in popularity by its unique software/hardware market niche. They insisted on their unique standard with their proprietary system which is Mac OS that would run nothing anyone else programmed.7 In the case ofcomputer OS, Mac OS has very limited compatibility with other programme but on the other hand, is quite easy to use and requires relatively little maintenance, which is the reason why It is undergoing a slightly growth in the usage market in comparison with previous performance. 4.   How the proprietary regime would affect the diffusion As we all know that the value of a specific computer system depends on availability of compatible software 11.User usually not care whether others use the same computer as me, but I benefit indirectly from the fact that there are many other users of the same product which means that there is a large market of software. The historical record of Windows OS and Mac OS has shown that fact that Windows OS is a relatively open standard. Microsoft knowing that they would not dominate the market on their own without the cooperation to other computer manufacturing. Thus they licensed the Windows OS to other companies which at last achieved a monopoly on OS market with 90% share and all computers running their OS.   Apple, by contrast, made its Mac OS closed standard.   They has a high monopoly on Mac os with 100% of their computer Reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Windows http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Windows http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wintel islandnet.com/~kpolsson/compsoft/soft1991.htm thocp.net/companies/microsoft/microsoft_company.htm http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090715083926AATdrXk Kennedy, Randall C. (2008-04-14).  Fat, fatter, fattest: Microsofts kings of bloat | Applications. InfoWorld. Retrieved 2010-01-12. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1999-10-13/business/9910130219_1_chips-microprocessor-gartner ocdqblog.com/home/the-diffusion-of-data-governance.html G.M.Peter Swann The Economics of Innovation An Introdution 2009

Saturday, November 23, 2019

How to master your next phone interview

How to master your next phone interview In this era of texting, when phone conversations are increasingly rare, a phone interview can be a daunting step during the job hunt process. It’s hard enough to do a face-to-face interview, but in this case you have to  create a rapport with a potential employer with no facial expressions to guide you. And just because you’re not in front of someone, suited up and resume in hand, doesn’t mean that your conversation is any less important. In fact, a survey on CareerBuilder revealed that 87% of employers could tell if a job candidate was a good fit within the first 15 minutes of a phone interview. Here are a few tips to help keep you sane and increase your chances of success if you’re asked to dial in to get to know your future employer.Warm up your voice.Don’t let your phone interview be the first vocal contact you have with another person on interview day. Call a friend or family member and have a chat. If no one’s around, have a conversat ion with yourself in the shower. Do anything it takes to get in conversation mode so you don’t sound like you just rolled out of bed at interview time.Treat it like the real thing.So what if your interviewer can’t see you? Dress up as you would for an in-person interview, wearing professional, comfortable clothing that makes you feel your best. Sit upright in a real chair. Don’t slump on the couch, lie on your bed, or sprawl out. Act like a professional and you’re more likely to sound like one.Do your research.Your interviewer wants to know that you’re serious about the job, and the best way to show you really want it is to seek out information about your interviewer, the company, the position, the industry, etc. Do as much homework as you would for an in-person interview. If you are well informed, you will also be prepared for any question your interviewer might toss your way.Don’t babble too much.Filling awkward silences with babble is a t ic we all have in interviews, and it sounds even worse on the phone. Never talk to simply fill dead air and never keep your interviewer from getting in a word edgewise. Finish your sentences and allow room for the other person to respond- this is not only a good recipe for a natural interview conversation; it’s also a sign that you’re a considerate person.Talk to a face.If you can do a bit of Google stalking and find a photo of your interviewer, print it out or pull it up on your computer so you can look at it during your interview. This can help you connect with your interviewer and match her or his voice to a face. If you can’t find a photo of your interviewer, try looking at a picture of someone in your field that you respect and pretend that you are trying to impress that person.End on a positive note.No matter how well (or terribly) you think the interview went, make sure to end with pep and confidence. Thank your interviewer for the call, reiterate your in terest in the position, and remind him or her that you’d be a great fit- and a strong asset!- to the team. Even if you’re not feeling it, project professionalism and positivity in those final moments.  Then, immediately send a thank you note just as you would after an in-person interview.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Business in the United Kingdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business in the United Kingdom - Essay Example Development of a country is the outcome of the efforts of firms in order to generate new as well as improvised products, thereby, prefacing more efficacious productive procedures and implement the organizational and managerial transformations and design methods. A discourse of the different sources of development with bringing in to use the newest accessible quantitative statistics for the United Kingdom which make it clear that a firm's investment in the development activities is much extensive than their endeavors in the Research and Development or R & D on its own which has conventionally been centralized of much of the economic texts for quite a varied reasons (Bulli: 5). Mort noticed that the Central Government is the prime collector of statistics in the United Kingdom for the main economic and business growth (Mort, 2003: 123). In the United Kingdom, business is structured in a way that most of the activities occur within the private division with judgments and decisions being made in the market, for the reason that the private sector business are owned by individual proprietors as well as shareholders who look forward to make profits and attain objectives (Report, 2005). The businesses here possess a top down hierarchical anatomy with many sheaths within them and a descending flow of interaction. However, as per McTavish's views, although the privately owned businesses could be brought in to use as implements of the public policy, they were quite different from the other associated parts of the public sector with superior gradations of functional sovereignty (McTavish, 2005: 5). Regardless of the Research and Development delineating only a small number of firms' investment in development activities, nevertheless, it is still considered to be a significant pointer of UK's development performance. Moreover, the performance of UK seems to be in line with other developed economies for the reason that it efficaciously takes the industrial sector work into account. 2. Harmonizing Investments in Development According to Gee, for the companies to arrange accounts in accordance with the UK national norms stay subject to the requirement of the Companies Act which provides a true and genuine view which seeks conformity with the UK accounting standards (Gee, 2006: 13). The development performance activities in a firm are reliant on the ability to assemble knowledge, ideologies as well as market cognizance in to new and improvised goods and services which are associated with the personalized ingenuity, business know-how and innovation administration (Bulli: 7). An absolute analysis for the United Kingdom in comparison to other major economies of the world states that the UK has been lacking large firms, which prove to be the main-stream performers of the business in R & D

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Logic Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Logic Application - Essay Example Now I know the sum of my cards: my cards’ sum value is either 14 or 18. From this question we realize we have the five odd numbers, that is, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. The ones that I can see are 1, 3, and 7. Because there are five odd numbers, then among my cards I must have 5 and 9. It has to be noted that the card numbers have to be between 1 and 9. Now that I know I have two odd numbers that is 5 and 9. I also know that my sum is either 14 or 18. Furthermore, the games rules are that I have three cards whose value is between 1 and 9 (Harris, 2000). The following steps shows my third cards Since I have three cards then obviously the sum of my cards has to be more than 14. If the sum is more than 14 then it can only be 18 indicating my third card’s value is 4. Therefore, my cards are 4, 5, & 9. Using information revealed by Andy’s question, I realized that the sum value of my cards is either 14 or 18. Using information from Belle question, I realized that I have two odd numbers 5 and 9. The sum value of these two cards is 14 and since I have a third card then the total sum value is 18 indicating my third card to be 4. Therefore, my cards are 4, 5, &

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Odysseus vs Rama Essay Example for Free

Odysseus vs Rama Essay Two exciting epics that are widely read and well-known across the globe hold many likenesses between the heroes. The Odyssey by Homer and The Ramayana by Valmiki, tell the tales of two heroes who hold many similarities between them even as their stories differ. Both poems are epics because their heroes are great men, well-known to their worlds, both suffer long difficult journeys, and both are aided by as well as taunted by gods and goddesses of their religions and cultures. But in the end both men overcome great tragedy and catastrophes to rightfully rule as kings of their own lands. Odysseus and Rama were both strong warriors of great stature. Athena speaks of Odysseus to his son and calls him â€Å"a mighty man† (Homer, Odyssey, Book I,p. 7). Griffith describes Rama as â€Å"Tall and broad-shouldered, strong of limb,† (Griffith, Book I, stz. 1) who has â€Å"†¦massive jaw and ample chest† and â€Å"strong arms reach below his knee† (Griffith, Book I, stz. 1). Throughout the story these men both are challenged and use their great strength of the warrior to defeat their challengers. Odysseus is challenged by the sea many times and with great strength survives the power of the sea against him. In the house of King Alcinous he describes many a plight where he fought against the drowning waves and the storms of Poseidon. â€Å"†¦. Zeus with white bolt crushed my swift ship and cleft it in the midst of the wine-dark deep†¦. I clung with fast embrace about the keel of the curved ship, and so was I borne for nine whole days†¦. † (Homer, Osdyssey, Book VII, p. 105). Only a man of great strength and endurance could cling in the moving waters for nine whole days without fail. Then, against Poseidon’s enormous waves, Odysseus later survives a storm at sea by swimming through the forcible waves to reach land. For Poseidon, shaker of the earth, stirred up the same, who roused against me the winds†¦. Thus the storm winds shattered the raft, but as for me I cleft my way through the gulf yonder†¦. † (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book VII, p. 105). Odysseus exhibits godly strength against the seas and her challenges. Rama displays an unconquerable stamina in Griffith’s epic. Rama slays a giant to gain the friendship of Agastya but this leads to his being attacked by the giantess Surpanakha and her three sisters. Still they are no match for Rama as â€Å"†¦. they and myriad fiends beside Beneath the might of Rama died† (Griffith, Book I stz. ). Both heroes are challenged by enormous odds and yet both are victorious proving stout strength and stamina above all other men. However, physical strength is not the only weapon these heroes wield. Cunning and strategy play an important role in defeating more powerful enemies. Odysseus exhibits such mental strength against Cyclops when he helps his companions to escape the Cyclops’ cavern. Odysseus devised a plan to deceive Cyclops and in his cunning is even smart enough to predict Cyclops’ call for help from his brethren. And in knowing this, he tells Cyc lops his name is â€Å"Noman. Thus does Cyclops call out for help after Odysseus blinds him with the torched end of a stake and cries â€Å"My friends, Noman is slaying me by guile, nor at all by force† (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 137-8). Thus his friends who thought â€Å"no man† was assaulting their brother determined his suffering to be a sickness sent by Zeus and bade him to call upon his father Poseidon for help and went their ways. Odysseus further exhibits his craftiness when he devises a plan of escape. When Cyclops is blinded, he sets himself before the cave entrance with arms wide to prevent the men’s departure through the cavern mouth. However, Odysseus is more clever than he and fastens three sheep together across and ties a man beneath the middle one’s underbelly. For himself he hangs on beneath the magnificent ram until sunrise when they are allowed through the mouth of the cavern by Cyclops out to pasture to graze. Once far from Cyclops Odysseus comes out from under his ram and then unfastens his men, and they are all able to escape. By their hiding beneath the sheep, Cyclops only felt the fleece and thereby allowed the men to pass through. This is a grand display of cunning. Rama also portrays some semblance of intelligence when he chooses his allies against the demon king, realizing that he can win their loyalty by defeating their enemy and convincing the king of the monkeys that they share a suffrage because they both have been banished from their homelands, Rama is able to convince the monkey army to come to his aid (Griffith, Book I, stz. 1) . â€Å"Who, knowing all the tale, before The sacred flame alliance swore. Sugriva to his new-found friend Told his own story to the end: His hate of Bali for the wrong And insult he had borne so long. And Rama lent a willing ear And promised to allay his fear† (Griffith, Book I, Stz. 1). With his crafty ways, Rama knew since he had slain the object of Sugriva’s , the monkey king’s, hatred, that he would be allied at once with the monkey armies. This was his key to finding his wife, Sita, and rescuing her. Odysseus and Rama were both intertwined with the deities of their cultures. Odysseus had the help of Athena throughout his entire trip home after the war in Troy and his exile with Calypso on her lonely island where he was a kept man by the goddess (Homer, Odyssey, Book I, p. ). Athena bodes Zeus â€Å"O father†¦. if indeed this thing is now well pleasing to the blessed gods, that wise Odysseus should return to his own home, let us then speed Hermes the Messenger†¦. to the island of Ogygia. There with all speed let him declare†¦. our unerring counsel, even the return of the patient Odysseus, that so he may come to his home† (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book I, p. 3). If not for Athena’s plea and reminder to Zeus, Odysseus would have remained with Calypso forever. But Athena provides further assistance and stays beside Odysseus along the way. She is with him when he travels to the house of King Alcinous and tries to protect him and to guide him. â€Å"At that same hour Odysseus roused him to go to the city, and Athene shed a deep mist about Odysseus for the favour that she bare him, lest any of the Phaeacians†¦. should meet him and mock him†¦. † (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book VII, p. 97). And disguised as a maiden she journeys with him home on the ship and stays until he has defeated his wife’s wooers who have consumed the spoils of his home. She lends her assistance when needed such as when she cloaked Odysseus and his son and his men in darkness so that they may leave the town to come back to defeat the wooers in battle. Athena provides even more aid as she convinces his son Telemachus to search for his father and to bring him home. She also gives him advice such as having his mother hide Odysseus’ bow that no man can string other than Odysseus, foreseeing the contest to prove his identity later after his journey (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book II, pp. 25-7). Rama himself is a god although he does not know this. He is the born human entity of the god Vishnu Narayana who has a premeditated plan to take human form and then to defeat the demon god, Ravana hated by all supernatural gods and goddesses alike. But it is not until the end of his epic journey that Rama remembers that his true essence is the god Narayana (Griffith, Book I, stz. 19). This is unlike Odysseus who was favored by the gods and knew of their help and their interest in him as he bore them many sacrifices in return. One such sacrifice being in the cave of the Cyclops as they awaited his return from shepherding his flock. â€Å"Then we kindled a fire, and made burnt-offering†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Homer,Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 132). Such offerings are made throughout the story before and after challenges are met. Once the Cyclops was defeated, Odysseus took the best ram for offering â€Å"†¦the ram for me alone my goodly-greaved company chose out, in the dividing of the sheep, and on the shore I offered him up to Zeus†¦. and I burnt the slices of the thighs. † (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 142). From this a conclusion could be drawn: it is expected of a hero to make offering to the gods who find favor with him. Likewise, Rama shows respect to the gods and his father, King Dasaratha, when he unfailingly responds to their commands without question. When asked by Queen Kaikeyi if he promises to honor his father’s vow and do his bidding, Rama replies, â€Å"I, at the bidding of my sire, Would cast my body to the fire, A deadly draught of poison drink, Or in the waves of ocean sink: If he command, it shall be done,My father and my king in one† (Griffith, Book II, stz. 8). Rama leaves for his banishment without delay and without question to honor his father’s vow to Kaikeyi. He meets his challenges without hesitation and follows what the Indians name â€Å"dharma†, the will of the gods (Brockington, 1984, p. 33) or what the Greeks refer to as fate, a story of life darned out by the Muse (Homer, Iliad, 1950, p. 175). Both epics contain heroes who follow their dharma or fate without question and praise and honor their gods. It is when the heroes anger or disrespect the gods that evil befalls them. For example, when Odysseus tells king Alcinous how he injured Cyclops and this angered the creature’s father, Poseidon who aided Cyclops as he attacked the ship with hilltop and large boulder causing waves to drive the ship back to shore. (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book IX, p. 141-2). Or when Rama slays the giant and angers the demon king Ravan, because Rama is vigilant in his respect to the gods, he overcomes the challenges brought before him when his wife is stolen from him. Rama is the example of true dharma and a great hero to the Indian religion of Hindu. Brockington, 1984, p. 8). Odysseus and Rama both face a great journey and banishment. Odysseus takes twenty years to return from the battle of Troy and suffers many hardships along the way that detain him from reaching his homeland for which he desires. One such suffering be at the hands of Calypso on the Isle Ogygia for seven years where she forced his stay as he had no means by which to depart until Calypso was bade by the gods to sent him adrift on a raft (Homer, Odyssey,1950, Book V, pp. 74-75. Among these misadventures that halted Odysseus’ return, was the Isle of the Lotus-Eaters, where the men ate of the Lotus which made them lose their desire to continue their journey home, and the Sirens who attempted to attract them to their own deaths (Homer, Odyssey, Book IX, p. 128-130). The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus’ journey home once he has befallen these challenges after the War of Troy. This journey takes more time as he meets hardships mostly set upon him by Poseidon, who â€Å"†¦. saw Odysseus as he sailed over the deep; and he was mightily angered in spirit†¦. (Homer, Odyssey, Book V, p. 79) and reveals â€Å"it must be that the gods at the last have changed their purposes concerning Odysseus†¦. But methinks that even yet I will drive him far enough in the path of suffering† (Homer, Odyssey, 1950, p. 79). Thus another journey begins and Odysseus is troubled once again, taking a total of twenty years before he reaches his homeland. If not for Athena’s aid and the aid of the other gods, Odysseus would not have been successful. Rama is also taken from his homeland. On the eve of his preparations to take over the throne for his father, one of his father’s other wives, Queen Kaikeyi , to whom King Dasaratha owes two vows as she had saved his life previously, beseeches the king to throne her son, Bharat and exile Rama for fourteen years to the forest. â€Å"These rites in Ramas name begun Transfer them, and enthrone my son. The time is come to claim at last The double boon of days long-past, When Gods and demons met in fight. And thou wouldst fain my care requite. Now forth to Dandaks forest drive Thy Rama for nine years and five, And let him dwell a hermit there†¦. (Griffith, Book II, stz. 11). With these words Kaikeyi reminds Dasaratha of his promise to her when she saved his life by caring for a fatal wound. She then asks for her son to be throned without challenge from Rama and also that Rama be exiled for fourteen years to live as a hermit in the forest. Kaikeyi only does such a greedy act because her maid Manthara has convinced her that horrible tidings await her future and that of her son if Bharat does not take the throne and Rama is enthroned (Griffith, Book II, stzs. -8). Still, honoring his father’s lamenting bid, Rama departs, ready to make a life anew with his wife and his one half-brother, Lakshmana (Griffith, Book II, stz. 19). As did Odysseus, so did Rama face many sufferings once he left in exile and his journey was not yet over. Sita, his wife, is stolen from him while he is away. Thus Rama, takes on the tasks of allying with the monkey armies to have aid in finding and saving his beloved wife. Then he faces Ravan, the demon king, to save her (Griffi th, Book IV, V, VI). Odysseus’ and Rama’s stories both reveal the importance of a warrior’s weaponry and strength in their respective cultures. When Odysseus returns home, with the deviousness of Athena, he and his son and wife, Telemachus and Penelope, devise a contest to prove his identity so that Odysseus may overtake his kingdom of Ithaca once more. Whosoever can string Odysseus’ prominent bow will have Penelope for his wife and all the kingdom of Odysseus for his own. So does Penelope set the bow and quiver before the wooers. And one by one they attempt to string Odysseus’ mighty bow. But none can accomplish this feat. Once Telemachus convinces the wooers to let the beggar who is his disguised father attempt the feat, â€Å"†¦. Odysseus straightaway bent the great bow, all without effort, and took it in his right hand and proved the bow string, which rang sweetly at the touch, in tone like a swallow â€Å" (Homer, Odyssey, 1950, Book XXI, p. 336). All at once he revealed his true identity and all was lost to the suitors of his wife.

Friday, November 15, 2019

The Dandelion :: essays research papers fc

The Dandelion, of the genus Taraxacum and the class Magnoliopsida is a close relative of the Sunflower. The name, Dandelion comes from the French phrase for  ¡Ã‚ ¥Teeth of Lion ¡Ã‚ ¦, dent de lion, due to the likeness of the shape of the plant ¡Ã‚ ¦s leaves and a lion ¡Ã‚ ¦s canine teeth, whilst its generic name, Taraxacum Officinale was influenced by the plant ¡Ã‚ ¦s many medical properties. Taraxacum meaning  ¡Ã‚ ¥disorder-remedy ¡Ã‚ ¦ and Officinale, stating that the plant has medicinal attributes. Other popular names for this plant include swine snout, priest ¡Ã‚ ¦s crown and pissabed. Framed by shiny, hairless, jagged leaves, the bare, hollow, magenta-tinted stems (that hold up the flower heads) carry bright yellow caps of countless tiny tie-shaped golden petals, which after fertilization, mature into white fluffy balls containing seeds. The leaves that rise from the tap root are naturally positioned for rain to slide straight into it, thus keeping itself well fed. This  ¡Ã‚ §common meadow herb ¡Ã‚ ¨ originated from Greece and was introduced to  ¡Ã‚ §all parts of the north temperate zones ¡Ã‚ ¨ . Now they are so abundant that they crowd and strangle fields almost all over the world, and have made a name for itself as the  ¡Ã‚ §King of Weeds ¡Ã‚ ¨. The Dandelion, surprisingly, has a large number of uses, both nutritional and medicinal. Back in the olden days and even now, the entire plant was utilized. Wine was extracted from the flowers; the leaves were used as vegetables, while the stems and roots were mainly used as medicine. Nowadays in Western medicine, this herb is hardly mentioned but usage of it for culinary purposes is still blooming, especially in European countries such as France. Nutrition-wise, the Dandelion caters to both the animal kingdom and humans. They provide pollen and nectar for bees throughout spring and even until late autumn, when the bees ¡Ã‚ ¦ usual sources of honey stop blooming. This lessens the time in which the bees ¡Ã‚ ¦ require artificial food, thus benefiting beekeepers. Dandelions ¡Ã‚ ¦ do not only attract bees, but research has confirmed that over 93 types of insects rely on its nectar, whilst animals, such as small birds, pigs, goats and rabbits devour it avariciously. The leaves can be torn to bits and used as filling of sandwiches; they are also used to create Herb beer that, compared to normal beer, is much cheaper and less likely to make a person drunk. The wine strengthens and invigorates, being a tonic, improving blood circulation. The taproot, after being dried, chopped, roasted and grounded into fine powder has been discovered to be an  ¡Ã‚ §almost indistinguishable ¡Ã‚ ¨1 substitute for real coffee.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Dreams and Omens in The Hobbit and Julius Caesar Essay

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien is an adventure story about Bilbo Baggins, who is a mythical creature called a hobbit. Bilbo goes on an adventure with thirteen dwarves and a wizard to capture a treasure from a dragon. Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare is a play about Julius Caesar, a real Roman Emperor who is assassinated by political enemies that he thinks are his friends. These stories are very different, but in both dreams and omens are very important. The dreams in The Hobbit and Julius Caesar are similar because they show what happens if you do not pay attention to what is going on around you and what happens if you do not listen to warnings in dreams. In The Hobbit, when they first get to the cave in the Misty Mountains, the dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandolf all look around to see if it is safe. Since they do not find anyone inside, they decide it is ok to sleep there. At first Biblo has a hard time falling asleep. Once he does, he has a bad dream. In his dream, â€Å"a crack in the wall at the back of the cave got bigger and bigger, and opened wider and wider. † After that, â€Å"he dreamed that the floor of the cave was giving way, and he was slipping—beginning to fall down. † When Bilbo wakes up, he sees that part of his dream is actually happening. Their ponies are being lead away through a crack in the cave wall, and soon the same thing happens to the dwarves and Bilbo (Tolkien, 59). Since Biblo had a hard time falling asleep, it seems like he knew something was wrong, but did not know what it was. In the dream though the problem became obvious. Later, Bilbo dreams about black bears dancing around when Beorn and other bears are outside the window having a meeting. Part if this is because J. R. R. Tolkien once said that he made hobbits â€Å"small in size because it reflects the generally small reach of their imaginations—not the small reach of their courage or latent power† (Carpenter, 180). Many of Bilbo’s dreams are not very imaginative. Except the one dream he has were he is looking for something in his house, he usually either dreams of something that is actually happening, like went he dreams of â€Å"a warrior, altogether insignificant in size but provided with a bitter sword and great courage† (215) or he dreams of food because he is very hungry (152). In the play Julius Caesar, Cassius and Brutus are plotting to kill Caesar, but Julius Caesar thinks they are his friends. When they are all standing together, the Soothsayer tells Caesar â€Å"Beware the ides of March† (I. ii. 18). It would be impossible for Caesar to know the day that Cassius and Brutus were going to kill him, but if Caesar were paying more attention, he might have noticed that they were not really his friends and were going to try to overthrow him. One difference in the role of omens and dreams in Julius Caesar and The Hobbit is how the characters react to them. In Julius Caesar people notice the bad omens and dream but ignore them. For example, when the Soothsayer tells Caesar to beware of the ides of March, Caesar tells everyone to ignore him. Also, when Calphurnia tells Caesar she has had a bad dream and he should not leave the house, Caesar first disagrees with her, and then tells her he will stay home. Then when Decius makes fun of him for listening to his wife’s dreams, and says â€Å"that for Caesar to withdraw would make him seem frightened in the eyes of the Roman plebeians, Caesar hurriedly agrees to go to the Senate† (Cahn, 15). When Caesar gets to the Senate, the men there kill him. In The Hobbit, the dreams are different. Either they are like the one Bilbo has in the cave and cannot be ignored, or they are about something that Bilbo and the dwarves can do nothing about, like hunger, and so they have to be ignored. The one time that they do have notice about an omen is when Elrond tells them how to enter the Lonely Mountain. When it is finally time, they do what he told them to do, and get into the secret entrance (209). Dreams and omens are very important in Julius Caesar and The Hobbit because they sometimes show the characters something that they did not realize. In Julius Caesar, the characters have enough notice about what is going to happen, but they ignore the meanings of the dreams and omens and Julius Caesar dies because he does everything they tell him not to do. In The Hobbit, the characters do not usually have enough time to do anything about the dreams because they have them about things that are already happening, but when they do have a chance, they listen to the omen from Elrond and are able to enter the Lonely Mountain. In both books, the omens and dreams are right, and the characters have to decide if they want to follow them. If they do not follow them bad things happen, but if they do, they can be successful. Bibliography Cahn, Victor, The plays of Shakespeare: A Thematic Guide, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press 2003. Carpenter, Humphrey, J. R. R. Tolkien: A Biography, New York: Harcourt Press 2000. Shakespeare, William, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, New York: Penguin 2000. Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit, New York: Ballantine Books 1996.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 12

â€Å"It's going to be a lovely day – perfect for a picnic,† Meredith observed calmly. Bonnie had tactful y but firmly steered Celia into Matt's car instead of Meredith's, and so Meredith was alone with Alaric – at last! – for the first time since he'd arrived. Half of her just wanted to pul off the road, grab Alaric, and kiss him and kiss him, she was so glad that he was final y here. Al through the insanity of the last few months, she'd wished that he were there to fight by her side, to depend on. But the other half of her wanted to pul off the road, grab Alaric, and demand that he explain to her exactly what his relationship was with Dr. Celia Connor. Instead, here she was, driving placidly, hands at ten and two on the steering wheel, making smal talk about the weather. She felt like a coward, and Meredith Suarez was no coward. But what could she say? What if she was just paranoid, and making a ridiculous fuss about a strictly professional relationship? She glanced at Alaric out of the corner of her eye. â€Å"So†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she said. â€Å"Tel me more about your research in Japan.† Alaric ran his hands through his already tousled hair and grinned at her. â€Å"The trip was fascinating,† he said. â€Å"Celia's so intel igent and experienced. She just puts together al these clues about a civilization. It was a real eye-opener for me to watch her decipher so much from the evidence in the graves there. I never knew much about forensic anthropology before, but she was able to reconstruct an amazing amount about the culture of Unmei no Shima.† â€Å"Sounds like she's simply amazing,† Meredith said, hearing the acid in her tone. Apparently Alaric didn't notice it. He smiled a little. â€Å"It took quite a while for her to take my paranormal research seriously,† he said rueful y. â€Å"Parapsychology isn't particularly wel regarded by the experts in other scientific disciplines. They think people like me who choose to spend their lives studying the supernatural are charlatans, or naive. Or a little crazy.† Meredith made herself speak pleasantly. â€Å"You were able to convince her at last, though? That's good.† â€Å"Sort of,† Alaric answered. â€Å"We got to be friends, anyway, so she stopped thinking I was a complete fraud. I think she's found it al a lot more believable after the one day she's spent here, though.† He gave a wry smile. â€Å"She tried to hide it, but she was blown away yesterday when Stefan saved her. The existence of a vampire makes it clear that there's a lot conventional science knows nothing about. I'm sure she'l want to examine Stefan if he'l let her.† â€Å"I would imagine so,† said Meredith dryly, resisting the urge to ask Alaric why he thought Stefan would cooperate when he had seemed so displeased that Alaric had told Celia about him. Alaric slid a hand across the car seat until he was close enough to run a finger gently along Meredith's arm. â€Å"I learned a lot while I was gone,† he said earnestly, â€Å"but I'm real y more concerned about what's going on right now in Fel ‘s Church.† â€Å"You mean this dark magic that is supposedly rising here?† Meredith asked. â€Å"I mean the dark magic that seems to be targeting you and Celia,† Alaric said forceful y. â€Å"I'm not sure either of you is taking it seriously enough.† Me and Celia, thought Meredith. He's just as worried about her as he is about me. Maybe more. â€Å"I know we've faced danger in the past, but I feel responsible for Celia,† Alaric went on. â€Å"I brought her here, and I'd never be able to forgive myself if something happened to her.† Definitely more, Meredith thought bitterly, and shrugged off Alaric's hand. She instantly regretted the motion. What was the matter with her? This wasn't who she was. She'd always been the calm, rational one. Now here she was feeling like, wel , like a jealous girlfriend. â€Å"And now it's threatening you, too,† Alaric went on. He tentatively touched her knee, and this time Meredith let his hand stay. â€Å"Meredith, I know how strong you are. But it's terrifying to me that this doesn't seem to be the kind of enemy we're used to. How can we fight what we can't even see?† â€Å"Al we can do is be vigilant,† Meredith said. Her training had been comprehensive, but even she didn't understand this new evil. Yet she knew how to protect herself much better than Alaric realized. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. His window was open a crack, and the breeze ruffled his sandy hair. They knew each other so wel , yet he stil didn't know her biggest secret. For a moment she considered tel ing him, but then he turned to her and said, â€Å"Celia's putting on a brave face, but I can tel she's scared. She's not as tough as you are.† Meredith stiffened. No, this wasn't the right time to tel Alaric that she was a hunter-slayer. Not when she was driving. Not when she was this angry. Suddenly his hand felt heavy and clammy on her knee, but she knew she couldn't push it off again without betraying her feelings. Inside, though, she was raging at how the conversation kept coming back to Celia. Alaric had thought of her first. And even when he was talking about the danger to Meredith, he couched it in terms of what had happened to Celia. Alaric's voice became a buzz in the background as Meredith clutched the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles whitened. Real y, why was she surprised that Alaric had feelings for Celia? Meredith wasn't blind. She could be objective. Celia was smart, accomplished, beautiful. Celia and Alaric were in the same place in their lives. Meredith hadn't even started col ege yet. She was attractive – she knew that – and certainly intel igent. But Celia was al that and more: She was Alaric's equal in a way Meredith couldn't be just yet. Sure, Meredith was a vampire hunter. But Alaric didn't know that. And when he did know, would he admire her strength? Or would he turn away from her, scared of her abilities, and toward someone more academic, like Celia? A black bubble of misery fil ed Meredith's chest. â€Å"I'm beginning to think I should take Celia away from here if I can get her to leave.† Alaric sounded reluctant, but Meredith could hardly hear him. She felt as cold as if she were being enveloped in a fog. â€Å"Maybe I should get her back to Boston. I think you should leave Fel ‘s Church, too, Meredith, if you can convince your family to let you go away for the rest of the summer. You could come with us, or maybe there's a relative you could stay with if your family wouldn't like that. I'm worried that you aren't safe here.† â€Å"Nothing's happened to me yet,† said Meredith, surprised by the calm of her own voice, when such dark emotions were boiling inside her. â€Å"And I have a responsibility to be here and protect the town. If you think Celia wil be safer away from here, do what you and she think is best. But you know there's no guarantee that whatever's threatening us won't fol ow her somewhere else. And at least here there are people who believe in the danger. â€Å"Besides,† she added thoughtful y, â€Å"the threat to Celia may be over. Maybe once the attack is averted, it moves on to someone else. My name didn't appear until after Stefan saved Celia. If so, then the danger is only to me.† Not that you care, she thought viciously, and was surprised at herself. Of course Alaric cared. It was just that he seemed to care about what happened to Celia more. Her fingernails cut into her palms around the steering wheel as she careful y fol owed Stefan's car off the road and toward the parking lot for Hot Springs. â€Å"Stop!† Alaric shouted, panic in his voice, and Meredith automatical y slammed on the brakes. The car squealed to a halt. â€Å"What?† Meredith gasped. â€Å"What is it?† And then she saw her. Dr. Celia Connor had gotten out of Matt's car to cross to the path up to the springs. Meredith had come speeding right toward her. Only inches from Meredith's front bumper, Celia was frozen, her pretty face gray with fear, her mouth a perfect O. One more second, and Meredith would have kil ed her.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Bella Abzug - Activist and Member of Congress

Bella Abzug - Activist and Member of Congress Bella Abzug Facts: Known for: feminism, peace activism, first Jewish Congresswoman (1971-1976), organization founder, instituted Womens Equality Day. Her large hats and fiery personality brought her considerable public attention. Occupation: member of the US House of Representatives, lawyer, writer, news commentatorDates: July 24, 1920 - March 31, 1998Education:  Hunter College: B.A., 1942. Columbia University Law School: L.L.B., 1947.Honors:  Editor of Columbia Law Review; National Womens Hall of Fame, 1994Also known as: Bella Savitsky Abzug; Bella S. Abzug; Battling Bella; Hurricane Bella; Mother Courage Bella Abzug Biography: Born Bella Savitsky in the Bronx, New York, she attended public school and then Hunger College.   There she became active in Zionist activism. She started Columbia University Law School in 1942, then interrupted her education for a wartime shipyard job. After marriage to Martin Abzug, then a writer, and she returned to Columbia Law School and graduated in 1947. She was editor of the Columbia Law Review.admitted to the New York Bar in 1947. In her legal career, she worked in labor law and for civil rights. In the 1950s she defended some accused by Senator Joseph McCarthy of Communist associations. While pregnant, she went to Mississippi to try to stave off a death sentence for  Willie McGee.   He was a black man accused of raping a white woman. She continued her work on his case despite death threats, and was able to win stays of execution twice, though he was put to death in 1951. While working against Willie McGees death sentence, Bella Abzug adopted her custom of wearing hats with wide brims, as a way of signaling that she was a working lawyer and should be taken seriously. In the 1960s, Bella Abzug helped to found Women Strike for Peace, and she worked as a legislative director, organizing protests and lobbying for disarmament and against the Vietnam War.   In Democratic politics she was part of the Dump Johnson movement in 1968, working for alternative peace candidates to challenge Lyndon B. Johnsons renomination. In 1970, Bella Abzug was elected to the U.S. Congress from New York, with support from the reformers within the Democratic Party. Her slogan was This womans place is in the House. She won the primary, though she was not expected to, and then defeated an incumbent who had held the seat for many years, despite his accusations she was anti-Israel. In Congress, she was especially noted for her work for the Equal Rights Amendment  (ERA), national day care centers, ending sex discrimination, and working mothers priorities.   Her outspoken defense of the ERA, and her work for peace, as well as her trademark hats and her voice, brought her widespread recognition. Bella Abzug also worked against American involvement in the Vietnam War and against the Selective Service System, as a junior member of the Armed Services Committee. She challenged the seniority system, ending up as chair of the House subcommittee on government information and individual rights. She advocated for separate statehood for New York City and helped to win the Sunshine Law and the Freedom of Information Act. She lost the primary in 1972, with her district redrawn so she would compete with a strong incumbent Democrat.   She then won an election for the seat when the candidate who had defeated her died before the fall election. Bella Abzug ran for the Senate in 1976, losing to Daniel P. Moynihan, and in 1977 was defeated in a primary bid for the office of mayor of New York City. In 1978 she again ran for Congress, in a special election, and was not elected In 1977-1978 Bella Abzug served as co-chair of the National Advisory Committee on Women. She was fired by President Jimmy Carter, who had originally appointed her, when the committee openly criticized Carters budget for cutting womens programs. Bella Abzug returned to private practice as a lawyer until 1980, and served for a time as a television news commentator and magazine columnist. She continued her activism work, particularly in feminist causes.   She attended international womens caucuses at Mexico City in 1975, Copenhagen in 1980, Nairobi in 1985, and her last major contribution was at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. Bella Abzugs husband died in 1986.   Her health failing for several years, she died in 1996. Family: Parents: Emanuel Savitsky  and Esther Tanklefsky  Savitsky. Husband: Maurice M. (Martin) Abzug (1944). Children: Eve Gail, Isobel Jo.Places: New York Organizations/Religion: Russian-Jewish heritageFounder, Women Strike for Peace (1961)Co-founder, National Womens Political CaucusCo-chair, Presidents National Advisory Committee for Women, 1978-79President: Women-USAWomens Foreign Policy CouncilNational Commission on the Observance of International Womens YearCommentator, Cable News Network (CNN)Also: National Organization for Women, National Urban League, American Civil Liberties Union, Hadassah, Bnai Brith Bibliography: Bella Abzug and Mim Kleber. Gender Gap: Bella Abzugs Guide to Political Power for American Women. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1984.  Paperback.   Hardcover. Bella Abzug and Mel Ziegler. Bella!: Ms. Abzug Goes to Washington. New York: Saturday Review Press, 1972.Doris Faber. Bella Abzug. Childrens book.  Hardcover.   Illustrated.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Is Stanford an Ivy League School Is Duke MIT

Is Stanford an Ivy League School Is Duke MIT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Most people have at leastheard of theIvy League, but not everyone knows which schools belong to the venerable group. Is Stanford Ivy League? Is Duke Ivy League? Is MIT Ivy League? In this article, we'll answer these questions and more as we take a look atwhich schools comprise the world-renowned Ivy Leagueand which schools are most often mistaken forIvy League institutions.We'll also explore what being in the Ivy League means for schools and how Ivy League schools compare with those not in the Ivy League in terms ofnational rankings and selectivity. Is Stanford Ivy League? What About Duke and MIT? Contrary to what you might think, none of these schools are in the Ivy League.But thisdoesn't mean that Stanford, Duke, and MIT are not prestigious schools; rather, it simply means they're not affiliated with theIvy League. Confused? Let’s begin by looking at what the Ivy League is and why it was formed. The Ivy League (often called the Ivies) is a consortium of eight private universities based inthe northeast region of the US.Itsmembers are as follows: Brown University Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Harvard University Princeton University University of Pennsylvania Yale University All Ivy League schools are extremely selective and highly ranked- but this wasn’t the initial motivation behind the schools’ unification. The Ivy League (or the â€Å"Ivy Group,† as it was once called) originated as an athletic conference back in the 1950s. Over the years, the phrase has come to be associated with more general notions of prestige, selectivity, and academia due to the esteemed reputations of its members. Essentially, "Ivy League" is nothing more than aname for this particular group of schools- that’s it! While Stanford, Duke, and MIT are all clearly prestigious schools with high national rankings and low selectivity rates comparable to those of Ivy League schools, they are notIvy League schools simplybecause they are not members of the Ivy League. Of course, thisdoesn't stoppeople fromassuming they're Iviesdue to their many similarities! Ultimately, though,no matter how prestigious or competitive a school is, if it’s not one of the eight schools listed above, then it is not an Ivy League school. Even ifa school soundslike it could be an Ivy, that doesn't mean it actually is one! What Schools Are Often Mistaken for Ivy League Schools? Stanford, Duke, and MIT are not the only schools often thought to belong to the Ivy League. Other schools commonly mistaken for those in the Ivy League are those that are: Highly ranked and extremely selective. Ivies are almost always ranked in the top 15 nationally, with acceptance rates below15%. Schools commonly mistaken for Ivies tend to be those with similar rankings and acceptance rates- sometimes despite not even being located in the northeast where the Ivy League is based. Located in or near the northeast. All Ivies are in the northeast, but not all schools in the northeast are Ivies! Highly acclaimed or well-known schools in Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and other nearby states are often mistakenly assumedto belong to the Ivy League. Below is a chart containing all Ivy League schools and those commonly believed to beIvies. I've included each school's location, US News ranking, and acceptance rate so that you can easily compare Ivies with non-Ivies. TheIvy League schools have beenbolded for clarity. School Location US News National Ranking(2019) Acceptance Rate Princeton Princeton, NJ 1 6% Harvard Cambridge, MA 2 5% Columbia New York, NY 3 (tie) 6% MIT Cambridge, MA 3 (tie) 7% University of Chicago Chicago, IL 3 (tie) 7% Yale New Haven, CT 3 (tie) 6% Stanford Stanford, CA 7 4% Duke Durham, NC 8 (tie) 8% UPenn Philadelphia, PA 8 (tie) 8% Johns Hopkins Baltimore, MD 10 (tie) 10% Northwestern Evanston, IL 10 (tie) 8% Caltech Pasadena, CA 12 (tie) 8% Dartmouth Hanover, NH 12 (tie) 9% Brown Providence, RI 14 (tie) 8% Vanderbilt Nashville, TN 14 (tie) 9% Cornell Ithaca, NY 16 (tie) 11% Rice Houston, TX 16 (tie) 16% Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN 18 19% UCLA Los Angeles, CA 19 (tie) 16% Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO 19 (tie) 16% Emory Atlanta, GA 21 22% Georgetown Washington, DC 22 (tie) 16% UC Berkeley Berkeley, CA 22 (tie) 17% USC Los Angeles, CA 22 (tie) 16% Carnegie Mellon Pittsburgh, PA 25 (tie) 22% Tufts Medford, MA 27 (tie) 15% University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 27 (tie) 27% NYU New York, NY 30 (tie) 21% Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA 38 (tie) 28% College of William Mary Williamsburg, VA 38 (tie) 37% Boston University Boston, MA 42 (tie) 25% Penn State* University Park, PA 59 (tie) 50% Amherst Amherst, MA 2 (National Liberal Arts Colleges) 13% Vassar Poughkeepsie, NY 11 (tie) (National Liberal Arts Colleges) 24% *This school, though not as selective as the others in this table, is sometimes mistaken for the University of Pennsylvania (also called Penn)- one of the eight Ivy League schools- due to its similar name. As you can see, Ivy League schools generally stick to the top 15 positions of nationally ranked universities, with most of them in the top 10.Additionally, all Ivy League schools are extremely selective; the lowest acceptance rate for an Ivy is just 5% for Harvard, while the highest acceptance rate is 11% for Cornell. This table also indicates thatthere are many schools that are just as good as, if not better than, Ivy League schools- which explainswhy schools such as Stanford and MIT are frequently confused for Ivies. For example, MIT and the University of the Chicago are currently ranked #3, tied with Columbia and Yale and beating out five other Ivies! Similarly, Stanford, Duke, Johns Hopkins, and Northwestern are all ranked fairly highly at #7, #8, #10, and #10, respectively, giving them rankings equal to or higher than Dartmouth, Brown, and Cornell. Stanford (not an Ivy) gets the award for most selective school with a mere 4% acceptance rate.That being said, after Stanford, the most selective schools on this list are all Ivies: Harvard (5%), Princeton (6%), Columbia (6%), and Yale (6%). Lastly,this table shows us thatschools are sometimes mistaken for Ivies due to their beingin the northeast.Examples of such schools include the highly selective Johns Hopkins, Amherst, and Georgetown, in addition to someslightly less selective (but popular and prestigious) schools such as NYU and Boston University. Ivies and non-Ivies are like two different flavors of cookies: they may be different, but they're both equally delicious! Recap: Is Duke Ivy League? Is MIT Ivy League? Stanford, Duke, MIT, and many other well-known universitiesare often mistaken for Ivy League schools due to their superior academic reputations and high selectivity. But in reality, the Ivy League consists of just eight extremely selective schools, which are alllocated in the northeast.Once again, these schools are as follows: Brown University Columbia University Cornell University Dartmouth College Harvard University Princeton University University of Pennsylvania Yale University Although the Ivy League is generally associated with prestige and high rankings, this doesn’t mean non-Ivies can't be as good as or even better than Ivies.Many non-Ivies, such asStanford and the University of Chicago, are actually ranked higher than Ivies and maintain similar (or even lower!) acceptance rates. Ultimately,the Ivy League is just a name for a particular group of schools that just so happen to share strong rankings and low acceptance rates.When it comes down to it, any top-tier school- Ivy or otherwise- is an excellent choice for college! What’s Next? Want to make a great impression on the Ivy League?Learn what a good SAT/ACT score is for the Ivy League, and get tips on what classes you should take in high schoolin order to impress admissions committees. Ready to apply to a top-tier school?Awesome!Now all you need is some step-by-step advice. Check out our in-depth guides on how to get into the Ivy Leagueand how to get into Stanford- both written by admitted applicantsto these schools! Want to stand apart from other applicants?Learnhow to score aperfect 1600 on the SAT, so you can increase your shot at getting into the school of your dreams! Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today!

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Finance and Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Finance and Investment - Essay Example Based on the given information, it appears that all projects are viable because of the positive NPV. In selecting the best project, the highest NPV has to be considered. In this situation, Project B is expected to provide more gains. Its NVP is more than double compared to the NPV of Project A. This means that benefits generated by Project B are twice greater than Project A. In practice, there are several aspects that can affect the determination of the coefficients. First, the inflation rate is one of the indicators used to identify the coefficient. Basically, considering the inflation rate changes the value of the principal as time progresses. Usually, the interest rate changes the amount that is expected to be gained from an investment when the benefits of the venture are realized in an installment basis. Second, the interest rates are also valuable aspects in determining of the coefficient. This happens when the project is financed by debt. It is imperative that the interest rate will serve as factor. A. Usually, senior executives view the different valuation methods to be similar. The most extensively used among the schemes is the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) because of its inclination to be flexible and accurate. Some instances, however, suggests that several aspects affect the precision of the forecasts. Benchmarking the methods used by the company to its competitors is a viable scheme to arrive at more accurate predictions. The process when correctly manifested enables the company to determine mismatches in performance and strategically determine its position in the industry. Using multiples analysis provides insights that contribute in creating value in the industry. Multiples analysis is often miscomprehended and misused. Several analysts have failed to consider minor details that have great impact on the end result. Given this limitation, the companies can address the deficiency through meticulous designing of the multiples analysis. A prominent design was developed by Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) which tracks the stock movements among US firms. Another important problem observed in multiples analysis is that the method results to several varying conclusions. Overall, multiples analysis remains as an important component of DCF which accurately determines the future gains of investments. B. One of the main uses of multiples analysis is on predicting the price of stock markets. It assumes that the same prospects apply to the firm being studied. This appears to be limited because such has never been the situation for some firms. Using the same prospect makes the forecasting limited. In effect, it will difficult to arrive at an accurate result. In addition, it has been detected that the method tends to provide unexpected difference. In forecasting, the analyst draws conclusions that will like be observed. Multiples analysis becomes problematic because analysts fail to recognize the important differences after the results have been obtained. Amidst the use of multiples in DCF, its

Friday, November 1, 2019

Who Owns History The Texas Textbook Controversy Essay - 1

Who Owns History The Texas Textbook Controversy - Essay Example The question on how history should be taught was brought to the limelight by the state of Texas. The Texas State Board of Education, in charge of the state’s curriculum, approved several controversial changes to be made to the textbooks in schools. The changes were included in the economic, social studies and history textbooks. These ‘improvements’ made by the education board emphasizes the Christianitys influence in the founding of America (Hutchins et. al. 652). The changes downplay the role of liberals and highlight the influence of conservative groups in American history. These changes, for the Texan board, seem minimal with no consequences on the American history, but the opposite is true. These small changes and tweaks in their curriculum seek to re-write the American history significantly for the students in Texas. Furthermore, the state of Texas is among the country’s biggest purchasers of History textbooks. This means that the changes in the Texan curriculum will slowly reflect in all schools throughout the country. They exclude the influence and existence of Thomas Jefferson, one of the country’s founding fathers. The Texan board excludes his influence on the Declaration of Independence and other vital legislation (Hutchins et. al. 653). Jefferson is not the only culprit of the Texan board; they further scrap off presidential runs of Ralph Nader and Ross Perot in their history books. There is a complete exclusion of the roles of Latinos and other races in America History. The changes implemented in the Texan History textbooks are endless, but it is heavily characterized by the conservative Christian influences. By changing and rewriting history of the state of Texas, the Texan board rewrote the world’s history. These changes made by the Texan board question the legitimacy of history and the appropriate way of teaching the subject. It is a universally accepted

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

But is it Art-Gender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

But is it Art-Gender - Essay Example in this way, such as Gender and Genius written by Christine Battersby arguing about how the term genius came to be applied to men only and Gender and the Musical Canon by Marcia J. Citron in arguing why the female composer has been left out of academic texts recognizing the brilliant composers of history. It is presented as something different from sexual orientation as examples of Maplethorpe and the at least partially homoerotic depictions of Leonardo and Michelangelo are described. However, it is also used to apply to the images of art as being gendered. For example, the author talks about the image of flowers being primarily the subject of female artists while the images of people and historic events are the province of men, thus introducing gender into the very subject of the paintings. As the author points out, though, these definitions are not always as clear as they might seem, indicating the flower paintings of Monet and Van Gogh while also mentioning the restriction on wome n throughout much of history from participating in art classes that contained nude figures, making classical and historic depictions difficult if not impossible for the female artist. They pointed out the great absence of women in the creative world as creators and writers rather than as subjects to be consumed. In their posters and other publications, they made it clear that there were many more female creators operating in these fields than had been ‘discovered’ by the established art societies including fine art, theatre and film. They also made it clear that the voices of women can never be heard when translated through the medium of a man’s understanding by illustrating how the sexual imagery of recognized painters such as Georgia O’Keefe are denounced as overly obsessed with the concept of sex while similar imagery by male artists is honored as deeply philosophical, alluding to something greater than mere sex and compelling to the modern audience. This continued

Monday, October 28, 2019

Cadbury: Porters Five Forces, and PESTEL Analysis

Cadbury: Porters Five Forces, and PESTEL Analysis In order to recommend what strategy is needed for a company to follow is essential to analyze the competitive environment where they operate. When analyzing the competitive environment of Cadbury, the factors that should be considered are both factors from the confectionery industry and factors from the macro environment, which would have an effect on the successful operation of the company. I have chosen Porters Five Forces, and PESTEL analysis. 1.1 Porters Five Forces Bargaining power of buyers: Porter (2008) stated that where the product is a small  fraction of buyers costs or expenditures, buyers are usually less price sensitive. Cadbury has to categories of buyers namely, consumers or retailer. Retail buyers are the group that has the most effect for Cadbury and other confectionery producers. They are mainly large retailers like i.e. Tesco, Asda in UK. There is competition for shelf space and threat of backward integration especially with brand only products. That is a very important group, which is directly correlated with the revenue. It could have high effect. Bargaining power of suppliers: Group that has big impact on the final product, in terms of quality and price. The main commodities used by Cadbury are cocoa, milk, and sugar. Any change in the price of those commodities will affect directly the price of the product and the profitability. Confectionery manufacturers are facing increasing cost pressures as Cocoa prices hit their highest levels for 23 years due to fall in Cocoa production (BBC, 2008). Cadbury is using commodity derivative contracts for cocoa and sugar. Cadbury Cocoa partnership is established to insure sustainable supply of Cocoa by supporting Cocoa farmers in Ghana, India, Indonesia and Caribbean (Cadbury, 2008). Another way perhaps to strengthen their position would be a backward integration, where they would acquire one or more of their suppliers to ensure that they have control over the commodity price (Johnson et al, 2008). Moderate effect. Rivalry among existing competitors: Confectionary is an industry with stiff competition amongst its players. There are five major players competing globally in confectionery industry: Nestle, Mars Wrigley, Cadbury, Ferrero Rocher and Hershey with about 42% share of global market (Cadbury, 2008). All of the major players in the industry have very sound brands worldwide. There is a high growth rate of 5% in the developed countries, and about 10% in the emerging markets, which makes the confectionery industry very attractive. Because of the high competition, there is possibility of competition of prices, which will cause the company to operate with lower margins. High effect. Threat of substitute products: World Health Organization (WHO) (2008) estimates that in 2005 at least 400 million adults worldwide were obese and forecasted that this figure in 2015 will be 700 million. USA, UK, and Germany are among the countries with largest number of people that are obese, overweight, and have cardiovascular health problems on the other hand those countries are the largest confectionery markets in the world. Consumers are becoming more and more aware of healthy eating, so the snacking habits are changing. There are numbers of substitutes emerging on the market, products like cereal bars and fruit bars are threat for the chocolate industry, as health conscious parents especially, would opt for the healthier option. Chocolatiers try to add value to their chocolate, with vitamins or antioxidants or by removing fat and sugar from the confection (Scully, C., 2006). Moreover consumers want firms to avoid e-numbers or synthetic colours and require instead organic substan ces In this regard many people think of the possible health benefits from the chocolate they eat. Consequently a further development will start. Special groups like diabetics or allergy sufferers will rise in importance. (Vreeland, C., 2007). The other main direction in the confection industry is the tendency to pure black and high quality chocolate. Thus, the sweet is turning into a way in which people express their selves. Candy Industry (2006) clarifies this with the headline of one of their reports Dark and Decadent vs. Milk and Mainstream. The statement is underpinned by several data. In 2006 the sales of dark chocolate increased by 40%, every third chocolate released was a dark chocolate and the premium market was foretold to grow over 20% in the next periods. The bitter chocolate has the benefit of a low sugar rate and a lot of antioxidants that makes it much more healthy then normal sweets. A dark chocolate is a bit of luxury at a reasonable price, perhaps thats a reason why this kind of sweet is so popular. The last point which supports the trend is that premium chocolate is for a multilateral use, for instance as a gift or decoration, optimally suitable (Rehan, 2007). The effect is high. Threat of a new entry: as the confectionery market is dominated by well established brands, as sated while analyzing the rivals, and they are Nestle, Mars Wrigley, Cadbury, Ferrero Rocher and Hershey, with 42% of the market (Cadbury, 2008) for a new company is very difficult to enter the market, unless they come up with new interesting product, something to go in line with the healthy lifestyle perhaps, as discussed above. However, it will be difficult to take a considerable market share, as they would be competing against very well established companies, with also established brand names, distribution channels and high capital investment. Other barriers for new entrants are economies of scale and experience of major operators in production and distribution (Johnson, et al 2008). On the other hand those barriers might not be effective for a company that is diversifying, like Nestle, they used their strong position of the confectionery market to enter the ice cream market (Reader, 2 006). The effect on Cadbury is low. 1.2 PESTEL Analysis Political: Only 10 countries in the world produce more than 90% of the worlds cocoa (Worlds Coco Foundation, 2007). The major problem in those countries is poverty. The main concern for the companies trading with those countries is political stability, as instability can have effect on the price, and the supply. Economic: Recent fall in the value of the pound, is one economic factor that affects all the companies that operate in UK, and have business connections with other countries. Cadbury operates in more than 60 countries in the world. Cadbury suppliers of their main commodity cocoa are not British, as outlined above. The depreciation of the pound makes the prices of cocoa more expensive; even though Cadbury had future contracts to hedge against situations like that it will still affect the operation in longer run, when new future contracts need to be made. On the other hand interest rates are very low in England at the moment. The base rate is only 0.5% (Bank of England, 2010). Companies can benefit with lower interest borrowing. Social: Fair trade with cocoa farmers is a social factor, as affects how the company is perceived by the consumers. Fair trade means that a company buys a tone of cocoa at the market price and pays a social premium for the commodity. This benefits the planter because of a steady income stream, which is more independent from the volatility of the market price. Furthermore a company with a fair trade label pays a percentage of the selling price to the centralized fair trade organization. Corporations try to redeem these disadvantages through a higher quality of cocoa beans (Westen, 2006). Furthermore an enterprise could gain a competitive advantage because of their social commitment. The customer can see a fair trade certification on the package and this is becoming more and more important. As outlined above Cadbury operates in more than 60 countries in the world. When a company operates in more than one country potential problems are conflicts between different cultural groups, language difficulties, stereotyping, and mutual misunderstanding (Greenhause, et al, 2010). Technological: Availability of high-tech machinery enables the company to produce high quality product at lower prices, which helps the company to gain competitive advantage. Another point is the widespread of the internet and satellite television, makes it easier to advertise to bigger audience of potential consumers. Environmental: The cocoa plant needs a stable climate. But the ideal conditions in  Africa and South America are in danger because of global warming. The weather will be  unpredictable and natural disasters are possible. Consequently the plants get hurt and the productivity decreases. Moreover disease destroys over 20% of the cacao beans that should be use for chocolate production every year (Ogodo, 2006).Therefore companies should search ways to secure a steady flow of cocoa in the required amount and quality. Cooperation with the World Cocoa Foundation could be a solution. Confectioners like Ferrero, Lindt, Thorntons and Nestle realise this potential and try to improve future expectations (World Cocoa Foundation, 2007) Legal: Affecting the industry are two new legislations that came into force in 2003 in UK. Regulations concerning contaminants in food and organic products force firms to obey and perhaps change their own practices (Baxter, 2006). The company had a very strong financial position with sales revenue growth of 14.6% compared with the previous year, which was due to increase in price, rather than increase in volume of sales, (Bonfield, 2009). Increasing price with no increase in the quality results in higher margins, however it is a very risky strategy to follow as the consumers might not agree with it, the company can lose market share (Johnson, et al 2008). The profit margins have increased from 5.41% in 2007 to 7.43% in 2008, and are higher than the average which stands at 6.42%. That is an indicator of successful cuts in cost. Main reason for that is cutting the number of employees, in 2007 the number of employees was 50,465, and in 2008 was nearly 4000 less down to 46,517. ROCE was nearly doubled in 2008 rising from 3.78% to 7.29%, and was much higher than the average ROCE for the industry, which was 5.53%. This increase in part can be from divestment of Americas Beverages in 2008 during 2008 that had lower R OCE than other companies in the group. According to Cadburys annual report (2008) In July 2008 Company issued new  £350m sterling bond with a coupon of 7.25%and underlying interest rate for Cadbury in 2008 was 6.5%. This means that Cadbury is not producing ROCE much more than its current cost of capital. On the other hand Nestles ROCE is an impressive 21.5% that indicates that the operating costs in UK are much higher, like wages, rent, administrative expenses etc. Current ratio which indicates the companys liquidity is 0.86% for 2008 for Cadbury, which is an improvement from previous year when it was 0.58%. That indicates that their liability has decreased during 2008. Compared to the competitors is obvious that they are not as liquid as Nestle, with current ratio of 1%, however their performance for 2008 compared with the industry average which is 0.72% indicates that they are doing better than the majority. Gering Ratio has decreased from 123.69% to 89.66% in 2008 mostly because of the demerger with the Americas Beverages which was financed by debt. At 2008 their gearing was lower than the average that was 106.6. That is an indicator that if the company needs to borrow, it will not be difficult to find a lender, as they are outperforming the average. Return on shareholders funds is 11.36% nearly doubled compared to year before when it was 6.10%. Nestles return is again much higher at 14.76%. However Cadburys Return on Shareholders funds is again better than the average for the industry which seats at 8.73%. (Weetman, 2006) (Nestle, 2008) (Fame, 2009)(Cadbury, 2009) CORPORATE STRATEGY CURRENTLY BEING PERSUED Vision into action is the name of the strategy pursued by Cadbury. The main outcome of the strategy is to achieve mid teen margins by 2011, alongside with 4-6% organic revenue growth, and improved return on capital employed. If all of that is achieved Cadbury PLC is going to be in an excellent position financially and marketwise, and would deliver outstanding return for their shareholders and become the largest confectionery company in the world. Cadburys priorities stated in the strategy were: growth, efficiency, and capability (Cadbury, 2009). In order to achieve the priorities cost reduction was very important, which resulted in increase in profit by 2.02% the de-merger of US Beverage happened in May 2008, as it was difficult for a British company to compete against American giants such as Coca Cola and Pepsi Co (Market Watch, 2008). And because it was an unrelated diversification from Cadburys main focus on chocolate, gum, and candy. Originally Cadbury wanted to sell the business, as Colley et al. (2002) suggests that a company may not have the time or resources to focus on particular division. Selling the units that lack long term prospects would bring in cash that can be used in what would be considered more advantageous ways. However a lack of interest from cash shy investors forced it to split the business instead. Instead of adding value to the Parent Company, if that given unit adds in management costs, adds to bureaucratic complexity and obscure financial performance, it is not feasible to continue with their oper ation (Johnson et al, 2008). The recent acquisition of Adam business is of immense benefit to Cadbury having gain number two position in gum business. They are focused in Integrating these recent acquisitions for sustainable growth. In order to implement strategy successfully there should be match between strategy and organisational structure. Roquebert et al. (1996) argue that in essence the structure of the organisation and its fit to environment determines the relative degree of profitability. Alfred Chandler (1962) concluded that structure follows strategy. New group structure of seven business units instead of four was introduced and de-layering organization for faster decision making and reduction in administrative cost. Strategic business unit is a part of an organization for which there is a distinct external market for goods or services that is different from another strategic business unit SBU (Johnson et al, 2008). The definition for SBU by CIMA, (2006) adds that SBU has a significant degree of autonomy, typically being responsible for developing and marketing their own product. In the case of Cadbury there is no evidence that shows these business units will have any autonomy in developing their own m arkets and products. Alongside what I have mentioned several other activities had been carried out in order to implement the strategy, such as the reconfiguration of production in Australia and New Zealand to reduce complexity of production, ant the closure of the nonperforming plants i.e. Barcelona and Turkey Gum plants and Somerdale Chocolate plant (Cadbury, 2009). Cadbury is a large company that only concentrates in one industry. In a study carried out by Schmalensee in 1985 was found that the industry effect is very significant and accounts for at least 75% of the variance of industry rates of return on assets, which is directly correlated with the profit of the firm. He also found that market share effects exist it share has positive relation with profitability but its effect is negligible and industry and market share affects are negatively correlated. Within the industry this is competitive advantage that accounts for profitability of company. Cadbury at the moment does not have competitive advantage over its rivals. Profit target set for 2013 that is operating margin of 16%-18% (11.9%for 2008) shows that understanding this fact managers are trying to gain competitive advantage over other global players by focusing on performance and increasing profit (Hill and Jones, 2007). RECOMMENDATION Based on the findings regarding the competitive environment where the company operates, and on Cadburys financial performance and current strategy, l can give recommendations for a strategy to be followed, supported by a Balanced Scored Card provided in Appendix 1. The main goal as it was outlined in the existing strategy is Increase in Shareholders Value. For the goal to be achieved every department in the Company should be involved. I will explain the implementation of the strategy starting from implementation in the process of learning and growth, than the implementation across the internal processes, followed by what would the strategy mean to the customers, finishing with how will the strategy affect the financial perspective. In order for a company to be successful the most important asset are the employees. Very important part of any strategy is how happy the employees are? Are they driving the business towards the goal set by the management? In order to achieve the points made is very important that the team fully understands the strategy and the underlying assumptions. The employees should work as a team with a successful communication between them, which contributes to faster decision making. For best results Cadbury should employ and retain high performers, for example high performing managers, or specialists in the field of RD. Once those employees are on board is very important to retain them, by appropriate pay, safe conditions, training and development to achieve their full potential. After the Kraft take over, and numerous job cuts, the team morale is low (BBC, March 2010), and it is very important that they get the support needed, and understand the big picture. Another crucial area of successes is investing in RD. As outlined by the analysis using the Porter Five Forces, there is a threat of substitutes, to develop products in line with the changing consumer habits (WHO, 2008) healthier variety of snacks should be introduced. Consumers are becoming more health concern, and are happy to pay higher price for a good quality, example of that is Innocent, focused on healthy food and drink, 100% smoothies, packed fruits and vegetables, which in the nine years they exist has grown from just a three employees to 268, and is one of the fastest growing companies with revenue of over 120 million pounds (Innocent, 2009). As explained by Ansoffs Matrix possible growth opportunities are found in this particular case by introducing new products in already existing markets (Richardson, et al, 2007). I think that Cadbury PLC should be one step ahead and introduce similar products as well. However, introducing new products is very costly and it will relate i n lower growth prospects. There are two factors that the power of substitutes depends on: Relative Price/Performance; and The extent of switching costs (CIMA, 2007). By using Porters Five Force was found that the competition in the confectionery industry is fierce; in order for Cadbury to maintain their market share, or better to enlarge it, constant improvements of the products should be maintained. Black and Green line should be developed further, as the demand for dark chocolate is growing (Rehan, 2007). As Porter (1980) says the goal of a competitive strategy for a company is to find a position in its industry where these competitive forces, will do it the most good or the least harm The Cadburys brand is large and global. Kraft had done a lot of acquisitions in the past where the brand has been kept intact like Jacobs Coffee in Germany. The company should continue that with the Cadbury Brand, as that is key to success. In the long run that will result in improved sales revenues , and better profit margins. In the Balanced Score Card I have outlined that Cadbury should be environmentally friendly. Ogogdo, (2006) had pointed that there is a threat to the cocoa trees in the long run, by the global warming. Cadbury should do their part and be involved in projects helping the environment, like using fair trade, or following their competitors examples. Nestle USA is helping to safeguard the environment through pollution prevention and control, energy conservation and recycling/solid waste management practices (Nestle Global, 2010). Entering new markets is a way of driving the business forward. By acquiring Cadbury, Kraft had positioned themselves on the Indian market where Cadbury has a very strong position, on the other hand Kraft can help Cadbury to penetrate the Chinese market, where they have a solid position, and use their distribution channels (Riches, 2010). Being global as refered to in the PESTEL analysis comes with its negative sides. To overcome that Cadbury should work towards minimizing conflicts and have procedures in place to supplement the strategy. Even though the current liabilities had decreased from the year before, there are still high. Restructuring the debt to a lower interest loan, would result in substantial savings. The interest debt on the existing debt is 6.5% (Cadbury, 2009). As outlined from the financial analysis, the performance had been stronger year after year, where almost all of the ratios had improved. If all the recommendations outlined above are followed the financial performance can only get stronger. When all standards are met for quality and the product meet and exceed customer expectations, there are possibilities for higher margins and increase in profit. On the other hand when the profits increase after interest and tax, the shareholders return would increase as well, which makes the final goal achieved increase in shareholder value. Market Watch Drinks; Apr2008, Vol. 7 Issue 4, p14-14, 1p Porter, M. E., (1980), Industry Structure and Competitive Strategy: Keys to Profitability, Financial Analysis Journal, Vol. 36, Issue 4, p30-41, 12p Strategy in Action Applying Ansoffs Matrix.Full Text Available By: Richardson, Mark; Evans, Carl. Manager: British Journal of Administrative Management, Summer2007, Issue 59, pi-iii, 3p