Fool Chapter 23

TWENTY-THREE DEEP IN THE DUNGEON â€Å"My fool,† said Lear, as the guards dragged me into the dungeon. â€Å"Bring him here, and unhand him.† The old man looked stronger, more alert, aware. Barking orders again. But with the command he commenced a coughing fit that ended with a spot of blood on his white beard. Drool held a water skin for the old man while he drank. â€Å"We've a beating to deliver, first,† said one of the guards. â€Å"Then you'll have your fool, well striped as well as checkered.† â€Å"Not if you want any of these buns and ale,† said Bubble. She'd come down another stairway and was carrying a basket covered with cloth and steaming the most delectable aroma of freshly baked bread. A flask of ale was slung over her shoulder and a bundle of clothes tucked under her free arm. â€Å"Or we'll beat the fool and take your buns as well,† said the younger of the two guards, one of Edmund's men and obviously not aware of the pecking order at the White Tower. Bugger God, St. George, and the white-bearded king if you must, but woe unto you if you crossed the cantankerous cook called Bubble, for there'd be grit and grubs baked into all you'd ever eat until the poison finally took you. â€Å"You'll not want to press that bargain, mate,† said I. â€Å"The fool's wearing the kit of one of my servers,† said Bubble, â€Å"and the boy's shivering naked in my kitchen.† Bubble threw a bundle of black clothing through the bars into the cell with Drool and Lear. â€Å"Here's the fool's motley. Now strip, you rascal, and let me get back to my business.† The guards were laughing now. â€Å"Well, go on, little one, get your kit off,† said the older guard. â€Å"We've hot buns and ale waiting.† I undressed in front of the lot of them, old Lear protesting from time to time, like anyone gave a hot bootful of piss what he had to say anymore. When I was radiant naked, the guards unlocked the door and I crept over to the bundle. Yes! My knives where there, secreted in with the rest. With a bit of sleight o' hand and a distraction from Bubble handing out buns and ale, I was able to secure them inside my jerkin when I dressed. Two other guards joined the two outside of our cell and shared the bread and ale. Bubble waddled back up the stairs, shooting me a wink as she went. â€Å"The king are melancholy, Pocket,† said Drool. â€Å"We should sing him a song and cheer him up.† â€Å"Sod the sodding king,† said I, looking directly into Lear's hawk eye. â€Å"Watch yourself, boy,† said Lear. â€Å"Or what? You'll hold my mother down while she's raped, then throw her in the river? Have my father killed later, then? Oh, wait. Those threats are no longer valid, are they, uncle? You've carried them out already.† â€Å"What are you on about, boy?† The old man looked fearsome, as if he'd forgotten he'd been treated like so much chattel and thrown in a cage full of clowns, but instead faced a fresh affront. â€Å"You. Lear. Do you remember? A stone bridge in Yorkshire, some twenty-seven years ago? You called a farm girl up from the riverbank, a pretty little thing, and held her down while you commanded your brother to rape her. Do you remember, Lear, or have you done so much evil that it all blends into a great black swath in your memory?† His eyes went wide then, I could tell he remembered. â€Å"Canus – â€Å" â€Å"Aye, your poxy brother sired me then, Lear. And when no one would believe my mother that her son was the bastard of a prince, she drowned herself in that same river where you threw her that day. All this time I have called you nuncle – who would have thought it true?† â€Å"It is not true,† he said, his voice quivering. â€Å"It is true! And you know it, you decrepit old poke[44] of bones. A warp of villainy and a woof of greed are all that hold you together, thou desiccated dragon.† The four guards had gathered at the bars and peered in as if they were the ones who were imprisoned. â€Å"Blimey,† said one of the guards. â€Å"Cheeky little tosser,† said another. â€Å"No song, then?† asked Drool. Lear shook his finger at me then, so angry was he that I could see blood moving in the veins of his forehead. â€Å"You shall not speak to me in this way. You are less than nothing. I plucked you from the gutter, and your blood will run in the gutter on my word before sundown.† â€Å"Will it, nuncle? My blood may run but it will not be on your word. On your word your brother may have died. On your word your father may have died. On your word your queens may have died. But not this princely bastard, Lear. Your word is but wind to me.† â€Å"My daughters will – â€Å" â€Å"Your daughters are upstairs, fighting over the bones of your kingdom. They are your captors, you ancient nutter.† â€Å"No, they – â€Å" â€Å"You sealed this cell when you killed their mother. They've both just told me as much.† â€Å"You've seen them?† He seemed strangely hopeful, as if I might have forgotten to bring the good news from his traitorous daughters. â€Å"Seen them? I've shagged them.† Silly, really, that it should matter, after all his dark deeds, all his slights and cruelties, that a fool should shag his daughters, but it did matter, and it was a way to unleash a little of the fury I felt toward him. â€Å"You have not,† said Lear. â€Å"You have?† asked one of the guards. I stood then, and strutted a bit for my audience, plus it was a better position for grinding my heel into Lear's soul. All I could see was the water closing over my mother's head, all I could hear was her screams as Lear held her. â€Å"I shagged them both, repeatedly, and with relish. Until they screamed, and begged and whimpered. I shagged them on the parapets overlooking the Thames, in the towers, under the table in the great hall, and once, I shagged Regan on a platter of pork in front of Muslims. I shagged Goneril in your own bed, in the chapel, and on your throne – which was her idea, by the way. I shagged them while servants watched and in case you were wondering, because they asked, and as any princess should be shagged, for the pure sweet nasty of it. And they – they did it because they hate you.† Lear had been wailing while I ranted, trying to drown me out. Now he growled, â€Å"They do not. They love me all. They have said.† â€Å"You murdered their mother, you decrepit loony! They've put you in a cell in your own dungeon. What do you need, a written decree? I tried to shag the hate out of them, nuncle, but some cures lie beyond a jester's talents.† â€Å"I wanted a son. Their mother would give me none.† â€Å"I'm sure if they had known that they wouldn't have despised you so deeply and done me so well.† â€Å"My daughters wouldn't have you. You didn't have them.† â€Å"Oh, I did, on my black heart's blood, I did. And when it first started, each of them would shout Father when she came. I wonder why. Oh yes, nuncle, I did indeed. And they wanted you to know – that's why they accused me before you. Oh yes, I bonked them both.† â€Å"No,† wailed Lear. â€Å"Me, too,† said Drool, with a great juicy grin. â€Å"Beggin' your pardon,† he quickly added. â€Å"But not today?† asked one of the guards. â€Å"Right?† â€Å"No, not today, you bloody nitwit. Today I killed them.† The French marched overland from the southeast and sailed ships up the Thames from the east. The lords of Surrey on the south showed no resistance and since Dover lay in the County of Kent, the forces of the banished earl not only offered no resistance, but joined the French in the assault on London. They'd marched and sailed across England without firing a single bolt or losing a single man. From the White Tower the guards could see the fires of the French drawing a great orange crescent in the night that illuminated the sky to the east and south. When the captain made the call to arms at the castle, one of Lear's old knights or squires, under the command of Captain Curan, put a blade to the throat of any of Edmund's or Regan's men, demanding they yield or die. The personal guard forces within the castle had all been drugged by the kitchen staff with some mysterious non-lethal poison that mimicked the symptoms of death. Captain Curan sent a message to the Duke of Albany from the French queen that if he stood down, in fact, stood with her, that he could return to Albany with his forces, his lands, and his title intact. Goneril's forces from Cornwall, and Edmund's from Gloucester, camped on the west side of the Tower, found they were flanked on the south and east by the French, and on the north by Albany. Archers and crossbowmen were dispatched to the Tower walls above the Cornwall army and a herald fought his way through the panicked forces to a commander, carrying the message that the forces of Cornwall were to lay down their weapons on the spot or death would rain down upon them such as they could not imagine. No one was willing to die for the cause of Edmund, bastard of Gloucester, or the dead Duke of Cornwall. They laid down their weapons and marched three leagues to the west as instructed. In two hours it was all over. Out of nearly thirty thousand men who took the field at the White Tower, barely a dozen were killed – all of those, Edmund's castle guards who refused to yield. The four guards lay spread about the dungeon in various awkward positions, looking quite dead. â€Å"Dodgy sodding poison,† said I. â€Å"Drool, see if you can reach the one with the keys.† The Natural stretched through the bars, but the guard was too far away. â€Å"I hope Curan knows we're down here.† Lear looked around wild-eyed again, as if his madness had returned. â€Å"What is this? Captain Curan is here? My knights?† â€Å"Of course Curan is here. From the sound of the trumpets I'd say he's taken the castle, as was the plan.† â€Å"All your theater was misdirection, then?† said the king. â€Å"You're not angry?† â€Å"Burning, you old twat, but I was growing weary with keeping the tirade up while the bloody poison took hold. You're no less a turd in the milk of human kindness than I have said.† â€Å"No,† said the old man, as if my anger actually mattered to him. He began coughing again and caught a handful of blood for his effort. Drool propped him up and wiped his face. â€Å"I am king. I will not be judged by you, fool.† â€Å"Not just a fool, nuncle. Your brother's son. Did you have Kent murder him? The only decent bloke in your service and you turned him into an assassin, eh?† â€Å"No, not Kent. It was another, not even a knight. A cutpurse who had come before the magistrate. It was he who Kent killed. I sent Kent after the assassin.† â€Å"He is vexed by it still, Lear. Did you have a cutpurse kill your father as well?† â€Å"My father was a leper and necromancer. I could not bear his misshapen form ruling Britain.† â€Å"In your place, you mean?† â€Å"Yes, in my place. Yes. But I did not send an assassin. He was in a cell at the temple at Bath. Out of the way, where no one might ever see him. But I could not take the throne until his death. I did not kill him, though. The priests there simply walled him up. Was time that killed my father.† â€Å"You walled him up? Alive?† I was shaking now, I thought I might have forgiven the old man, seeing him suffer, but now I could hear my blood in my ears. The sound of boots on stone echoed in the dungeon and I looked up to see the bastard Edmund walk into the torchlight. He kicked one of the unconscious guards and looked at them like he'd just discovered monkey come in his Weetabix.[45] â€Å"Well, that's a spot of bother, isn't it?† he said. â€Å"I suppose I'll have to kill you myself, then.† He stooped and took a crossbow from one of the guards' back, fit his foot in the stirrup, and cocked the string. INTERMISSION (Backstage with the Players) â€Å"Pocket, you rascal, you've trapped me in a comedy.† â€Å"Well, for some, it is, yes.† â€Å"When I saw the ghost I thought tragedy was assured.† â€Å"Aye, there's always a bloody ghost in a tragedy.† â€Å"But the mistaken identity, the vulgarity, the lightness of theme and paucity of ideas, surely it's a comedy. I'm not dressed for comedy, I'm all in black.† â€Å"As am I, yet here we are.† â€Å"So it is a comedy.† â€Å"A black comedy – â€Å" â€Å"I knew it.† â€Å"For me, anyway.† â€Å"Tragedy, then?† â€Å"Bloody ghost is foreshadowing, innit?† â€Å"But all the gratuitous shagging and tossing?† â€Å"Brilliant misdirection.† â€Å"You're having me on.† â€Å"Sorry, no, it's pikeman's surprise for you in the next scene.† â€Å"I'm slain then?† â€Å"To the great satisfaction of the audience.† â€Å"Oh bugger!† â€Å"But there's good news, too.† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"It remains a comedy for me.† â€Å"God, you're an annoying little git.† â€Å"Hate the play, not the player, mate. Here, let me hold the curtain for you. Do you have any plans for that silver dagger? After you're gone, I mean.† â€Å"A bloody comedy – â€Å" â€Å"Tragedies always end with tragedy, Edmund, but life goes on, doesn't it? The winter of our discontent turns inevitably to the spring of a new adventure. Again, not for you.† â€Å"I've never killed a king,† said Edmund. â€Å"Do you think I'll be famous because of it?† â€Å"You'll not garner favor with your duchesses by killing their father,† said I. â€Å"Oh, those two. Like these guards, quite dead, I'm afraid. They were sharing some wine over maps as they planned strategy for the battle and fell down foaming. Pity.† â€Å"These guards aren't dead. Merely drugged. They'll come around in a day or so.† He lowered the crossbow. â€Å"Then my ladies are only sleeping?† â€Å"Oh no, they're quite dead. I gave them each two vials. One with poison, the other with brandy. Bubble used the knockout poison on the guards, so brandy was our non-lethal substitute. If either of them had decided to show mercy for the other, at least one would be alive. But, as you said, pity.† â€Å"Oh, well played, fool. But, that said, I'll have to throw myself on Queen Cordelia's mercy, let her know that I was brought into this horrid conspiracy against my will. Perhaps I'll retain the Gloucester title and lands.† â€Å"My daughters? Dead?† said Lear. â€Å"Oh shut up, old man,† said Edmund. â€Å"They was fit,† said Drool sadly. â€Å"But when Cordelia hears of what you've really done?† I asked. â€Å"Which brings us to our apex, doesn't it? You won't be able to tell Cordelia what has transpired.† â€Å"Cordelia, my one true daughter,† wailed Lear. â€Å"Shut the fuck up,† said Edmund. He raised the crossbow, sighted through the bars at Lear, then stepped back and seemed to lose his aim, as one of my throwing daggers sprouted out of his chest with a thud. He lowered the crossbow and looked at the hilt of the knife. â€Å"But you said pikeman's surprise?† â€Å"Surprise,† said I. â€Å"Bastard!† snarled the bastard. He pulled the crossbow up to fire, this time at me, and I sent the second dagger into his right eye. The crossbow twanged and the heavy bolt rattled off the stone ceiling as Edmund spun and fell onto the pile of guards. â€Å"That were smashing,† said Drool. â€Å"You'll be rewarded, fool,† said Lear, his voice rattling with blood. He coughed. â€Å"Nothing, Lear,† said I. â€Å"Nothing.† Then there was a woman's voice in the chamber: â€Å"Ravens cry pork from the battlements, there's dead Edmund on the wind and bird beaks water at his scoundrel scent!† The ghost. She stood over Edmund's body outside our cell, rather more ethereal and less solid than she'd been when last I'd seen her. She looked up from the dead bastard and grinned. Drool whimpered and tried to hide his head behind Lear's white mane. Lear tried to wave her away, but the ghost floated to the bars in front of him. â€Å"Ah, Lear, walled up your father, did you? And?† â€Å"Go away, spirit, do not vex me.† â€Å"Walled up your daughter's mother, didn't you?† said the ghost. â€Å"She was unfaithful!† cried the old man. â€Å"No,† said the ghost. â€Å"She was not.† I sat down on the cell floor, feeling light-headed now. Killing Edmund had made me queasy, but this. â€Å"The anchoress at Dog Snogging was your queen?† I asked, my voice sounding faraway in my own ears. â€Å"She was a sorceress,† said Lear. â€Å"And she consorted with my brother. I did not kill her. I could not bear it. I had her imprisoned at the abbey in Yorkshire.† â€Å"Well you damn well killed her when you had her walled up!† I shouted. Lear cowered at my veracity. â€Å"She was unfaithful, having dalliance with one of the local boys. I could not bear the thought of her with another.† â€Å"So you ordered her walled up.† â€Å"Yes! Yes! And the boy was hanged. Yes!† â€Å"You heinous monster!† â€Å"She did not give me a son, either. I wanted a son.† â€Å"She gave you Cordelia, your favorite.† â€Å"And she was true to you,† said the ghost. â€Å"Up to the time you sent her away.† â€Å"No!† The old king tried to wave the ghost away again. â€Å"Oh yes. And you had your son, Lear. For years you had your son.† â€Å"I had no son.† â€Å"Another farm girl you took near another battlefield, this one in Iberia.† â€Å"A bastard? I have a bastard son?† I saw hope rise in Lear's cold hawk eye and I wanted to strike it out the way that Regan had taken Gloucester's. I unsheathed the last of my throwing daggers. â€Å"Yes,† said the ghost. â€Å"You had a son, these many years, and you lie in his arms now.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"The Natural is your son,† said the ghost. â€Å"Drool?† said I. â€Å"Drool?† said Lear. â€Å"Drool,† said the ghost. â€Å"Da!† said Drool. And he gave his newfound father a great, arm-rippling hug. â€Å"Oh Da!† There was a cracking of bones and the sickly sound of air escaping wet, crushed lungs. Lear's eyes bulged out of his head and his parchment-dry skin began to go blue as Drool gave him a lifetime of son's love all in a moment. When the whistling sounds stopped coming out of the old man I went to Drool and pried his arms off, then lowered Lear's head to the floor. â€Å"Let loose, lad. Let him go.† â€Å"Da?† said Drool. I closed the old man's crystal-blue eyes. â€Å"He's dead, Drool.† â€Å"Tosser!† said the ghost. She spat, a tiny gob of ghost spit that came out as a moth and fluttered away. I stood then and spun on the ghost. â€Å"Who are you? What injustice has been done that can be undone so your spirit may rest, or will at least make you go away, thou ether-limbed irritation?† â€Å"The injustice has been undone,† said the ghost. â€Å"At last.† â€Å"Who are you?† â€Å"Who am I? Who am I? Your answer is in a knock, good Pocket. Knock upon your coxcomb, and ask that trifling machine of thought wherefrom comes his art. Knock upon your cod, and ask the small occupant who wakes him in the night. Knock upon your heart, and ask the spirit there who woke it to the warmth of its home fire – ask that tender ghost who is this ghost before you.† â€Å"Thalia,† said I, for I could, at last see her. I fell to my knees before her. â€Å"Aye, lad. Aye.† She put her hand on my head. â€Å"Arise, Sir Pocket of Dog Snogging.† â€Å"But, why? Why did you never say you were a queen? Why?† â€Å"He had my daughter, my sweet Cordelia.† â€Å"And you always knew of my mother?† â€Å"I heard stories, but I didn't know who your father was, not while I lived.† â€Å"Why didn't you tell me of my mother?† â€Å"You were a little boy. That's not the sort of story for a little boy.† â€Å"Not so little you wouldn't have me off through an arrow loop.† â€Å"That was later. I was going to tell you, but he had me walled up.† â€Å"Because we were caught?† The ghost nodded. â€Å"He always had a problem with the purity of others. Never his own.† â€Å"Was it horrible?† I had tried not to think of her, alone in the dark, dying of hunger and thirst. â€Å"It was lonely. I was always lonely, except for you, Pocket.† â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"You're a love, Pocket. Good-bye.† She reached through the bars and touched my cheek, like the slightest brush of silk it was. â€Å"Care for her.† â€Å"What?† She started to float toward the far wall where the body of Edmund lay. She said: â€Å"After grave offense to daughters three, Soon the king a fool shall be.† â€Å"Nooooooo,† wailed Drool. â€Å"My old da is dead.† â€Å"No he isn't,† said Thalia. â€Å"Lear wasn't your father. I was having you on.† She faded away and I started to laugh and she was gone. â€Å"Don't laugh, Pocket,† said Drool. â€Å"I are an orphan.† â€Å"And she didn't even hand us the bloody keys,† said I. Heavy footsteps fell on the stairs and Captain Curan appeared in the passage with two knights. â€Å"Pocket! We've been looking for you. The day is ours and Queen Cordelia approaches from the south. What of the king?† â€Å"Dead,† said I. â€Å"The king is dead.†

Motivation for Students with Reading Difficulties

NAVOTAS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL M. Naval St. , Sipac, Navotas City OBJECTIVE: DEFINE AND PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF GENRES OF LITERATURE AND FICTION Do Now: Write 3 – 4 sentences about the best book they have ever read. Tell me why it is so great. What did you like most about the book? Introduction: (Teacher Says) We are about to begin a Unit on Genre. Today we will define Genre, talk about different types of genre of literature. Ask the students why they think this would be useful. Have a student look up and read the definitions of the terms â€Å"genre† and â€Å"literature† from the dictionary. Paraphrase in appropriate language.Explain that as you discuss the different genres, students will list characteristics on their papers as well as write down titles they might like to read. Genre-A kind of literary or artistic work Literature-Creative writing of recognized artistic value Direct Instruction: Teacher will show a PowerPoint Presentation on genres of literature. Guid ed Practice Using the packet of texts teacher and student will read 2 of the 8 sample texts and discuss the genre of literature that 8t falls under. Then students will write 2 -3 sentences explaining why they think it's a certain Genre. Independent PracticeTeacher will break up the class into 4 -6   groups. Each group will be given a sample text to figure out which type of genre it is. Then they will great an advertisment for that text entising other students to read it. The main focus of the advertisment is to highlight the genre. Closing: What types of genre would you like to read that you haven't. Explain your answer. literary text types A variety of spoken, written and visual texts that promote use of imagination, thought or emotional response in the reader or listener. Example Related words * text * text types * narrative * poetry * literary * literary description * literary recount

African Americans in Pop Culture Essay Example for Free

African Americans in Pop Culture Essay African American (597) , African (466) , Pop Culture (18) , Funk (4) Haven't found the essay you want? Get your custom sample essay for only $13.90/page ? African Americans have had an incredible lasting impression on popular culture. African American singers, artists, entrepreneurs, athletes and actors have all had their say and have really stood out within the past few years. They’ve also grown and not grown in different ways all around from music, to television, to movies. African American stereotypes still exist in all aspects of pop culture, while many are trying to get away from what audiences assume is the typical black person. African Americans have been fighting for and against their own stereotypes when they started breaking out into music, then branching out into television, and making it big in the film industry. They’ve gone from being the dumb, uneducated, and underprivileged minority of America, and have started to make themselves more known as gang bangers and thugs, which are often seen as heroes in popular culture. African Americans haven’t only made a name for themselves or left a footprint in only their culture, but in American culture all around. African Americans have been making their mark in music all throughout history. Many started with the jazz and bebop rebellion during the 1940s and ’50s in Detroit. They made their point by trying to be different. They didn’t want to follow the typical white, swing music criteria, and that’s exactly what happened. Bebop wasn’t so mainstream, and that’s what made it their own. They preferred small, unique combos to play instead of big named stars in the music industry. Detroit was shedding light on the working class people of the town and wanted to really make a sound for them. â€Å"The 1940s created an â€Å"afro-modernism,† a response to the urbanization, industrialization, and modernization of African American Culture. † Because of their movement ahead in music, they also made their movement in business. And so emerged an incredibly successful, black capitalist enterprise, Motown Records, founded by Barry Gordy. Along with the movement in Detroit, the Harlem Renaissance had happened even before all the rage for jazz and bebop, which raised awareness to the visual arts, which led to even more developments in music. And even earlier at the beginning of the 20th century, blacks were starting to be accepted into acclaimed schools to study music and they were allowed to join the base of white people in symphony orchestras. During the ’50s, doo-wop and soul music became popular. That’s when legends like Ray Charles emerged and paved the way for others. Soul music remained popular among blacks for long after the pop sounds started to wave through. By the end of the decade and moving into the ’70s, blacks were starting to crossover into the typical white music trends. Psychadelic music had become popular. Jimi Hendrix, along his wah-wah pedal innovation, became one of the most popular guitarists during the era. Right after that, soul had become the popular music in the black community and was starting to revolutionize African-American music. Soul had continued success in popularity during the ’70s, but the ’70s also brought along a rise in black bands. White people were listening to country, disco, and all sorts of rock music, while the African-Americans had their funk, pop, soul, and jazz music that was on a totally different spectrum from their white counterparts. The ’70s was also when Djs started mixing their own beats and playing their funk records the way they wanted to so they could get their audience to dance. And with the beats produced by Djs along with the poets who would read their poems to those beats, came the emergence of hip hop music. The era of hip hop music was a new revolution in African American popular culture. African Americans in Pop Culture. (2016, Dec 17).

Finance and Asset Management Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Finance and Asset Management Report - Essay Example 2012, 2011 and 2011. This performance evaluation has been conducted by using ratio analysis which has been the most effective performance evaluation tool in terms of past performance trends. The comparison of the financial performance of Great Portland is also made in collaboration with one of the industry competitor named as Songbird over the same financial periods. Following are the five broader areas of ratio analysis namely profitability, liquidity, efficiency, solvency and investment under which the performance evaluation has been conducted (Brigham et al, 2008). Profitability Analysis The profitability picture of Great Portland provides a better view if the past performance is taken into consideration. It can be observed that the net profit margin of Portland has improved massively as it just started some momentum in the year 2010 (Great Portland Estates, 2012). However, in the year 2011, the firm bounced back on significant note and continued its better performance in the year 2012 as well. Very similar trend can also be observed if operating profit margin is taken into consideration, which started peaking in the year 2010. However, operating profit margin for Great Portland has been on an increasing trend. If these two ratios of Great Portland are compared with Songbird, it can be noted that Songbird was performing well on these notes until 2012 when it drowned into losses (Songbird Estates plc, 2011). However, operating profit margin is still positive for Songbird in the last year but it has declined severely in the last three years. If return generated by the assets of the firm, are taken into consideration, Great Portland has improved its performance in this area as well such that from 13% ROA, it has increased to the ROA of 17% which is a very delightful sign for the company until 2012 when it declined to 7.9%. Likewise, return on shareholders’ equity has also performed well as it has increased from negative 17%% to positive 23%, which is a t remendous indicator that the equity of the company is making good profits until 2012 when it reduced down to 12%. Conversely, these two ratios for Songbird have again showed sluggish performance over the past three years as their performance in terms of both ROA and ROE has shifted into negative zone, which is an alarming sine for Songbird. Ratios 2012 2012 2011 2011 2010 2010 Great Portland Songbird Great Portland Songbird Great Portland Songbird Profitability Net Profit Margin 339.61% -33.47% 407.68% 146.40% 349.89% 63.57% Operating Profit Margin 378.56% 82.53% 432.13% 93.36% 404.92% 116.46% Return on Assets 7.90% -1.37% 17.05% 6.86% 13.17% 3.28% Return on Equity 12.53% -5.09% 23.38% 24.00% 17.84% 16.99% Liquidity Analysis The liquidity analysis of both the companies is conducted rather in a brief manner as only one ratio has been selected for this purpose, which is current ratio. Current ratio mainly depicts the amount of current assets available in order to pay off $1 current li ability of the company (Watson, 2009). If the current ratio of Great Portland is taken into consideration, it can be noted that this figure has been observed consistently on a declining trend such that the current ratio of the company was 2.59, which depicts that the company had only ?2.59 in order to pay o

An Idea for a Novel Functional Food Product Essay

An Idea for a Novel Functional Food Product - Essay Example This essay demonstrates that the core strategy for cost effective value at the ginseng ice cream store involves labeling: labeling could be effectively linked to promotion using interest venues. For example, at the retailer level, services and products could be offered in promotional campaigns and distributed at select pubs, theme parks, and restaurants popular with the target market demographic. Another important and potentially cost-saving distribution channel for this market could be the vending-machine. The company could work with new technology that is developing in this area. Promotion could continue through this venue, and also in the above-mentioned restaurant and pub introductions, as well as traditional avenues of print and television media. In terms of promotion through labeling, as mentioned, the consumer or child of the busy mom is the target. Many believe that ginseng promotes health and relaxation, and eases stress. However, it is not regulated or mandated a s a drug, and is mostly available as a herbal supplement and cooking ingredient. â€Å"Ginseng has not been evaluated by the government for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of ginseng wort may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds†. There is no clear evident study that shows ginseng can do harm to people in either target market category, so the promotion seems to be ethical. More scientific evidence is needed when it comes to not regulate herbs and supplements.

Results section Statistics Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Results section - Statistics Project Example Table 1 presents the descriptive statistics obtained for the guilty rating and prescribed punishment as chosen by witnesses and non-witnesses. As can be seen from table 1 and figure 1, the mean value for the guilt rating for witnesses was 5.1825 with a standard deviation of 1.54058 and a standard error for the mean for of 0.19410. For non-witnesses, the mean guilt rating was 4.0317 with a standard deviation of 1.76862 and a standard error for the mean for of 0.22282. The mean value for the punishment for witnesses was 3.2581with a standard deviation of 1.43647 and a standard error for the mean for of 0.18243 as can be seen from table 1 and figure 2. Non-witnesses had a mean of 2.1452 with a standard deviation of 1.34099 and standard error of the mean of 0.17031 in regard to the punishment to be ascribed to the defendant. Based on the crosstabulation of results regarding whether or not the defendant was guilty, 42 witnesses believed that the defendant was guilty against 16 who believed that he was not guilty. Thirty one non-witnesses believed that the defendant was not guilty while 27 of them believed that he was guilty. Of the 116 respondents that presented their views regarding whether or not the defendant was guilty, 69 stated that they believed that he was guilty. Results indicate a significant difference between the views of witnesses (M = 5.1825, SD= 1.54058) and non-witnesses (M= 4.0317, SD = 1.76862) in regard to the guilt rating of the defendant, t(124) = 7.788, p= 0.05. Since the calculated the calculated value of t is greater than 1.9793, we reject the null hypothesis. Results further indicate a significant difference between the views of witnesses (M= 3.2581, SD= 1.43647) and non-witnesses (M= 2.1452, SD=

Policy Briefing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Policy Briefing - Essay Example Its main mission has remained unchanged; to prevent and detect illegal entry of people into the United States of America. The department of homeland security is currently in charge of border security in the country. The point of interest is often the American Mexico border. Together with other law enforcers, the border patrol team has continued to place the US border under surveillance with an intention of identifying any threat to national security as well as illegal entry. Border policy does not prevent people from entering the United States, it only ensures that the entrance of people who are in possession of legal documents as well as screening individuals who may be trafficking contrabands and drugs into the country (Chà ¡vez, 2003). The border patrol in the county is responsible for patrolling two thousand miles of coastal waters surrounding Florida peninsula as well as six thousand miles of Canadian and Mexican border (Ngai, 2008). The agents are allowed to work around the clock in all types of weather conditions and terrain as well as in other isolated communities within the county. So many changes have taken place since the inception of the policy in the 1924. The number of agents patrolling the border has been increased to over twenty one thousands agents by the end of 2012. Although the United States border control measures may be considered as strict by many international states, I believe that their actions are extremely justified. The United States government has a mandate of ensuring that the people are safe from terrorists and other insecurities (DHS Increases Border Security in Response to Narcotrafficking Violence., 2009). The border patrol team thereby acts to ensure that the likelihood of dangerous people entering the United States of America is lowered. These activities are often accomplished through following leads, maintaining surveillance, interpreting and following tracks as well as responding to aircraft

Igor Stravinsky Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Igor Stravinsky - Essay Example Stravinsky left Russia for the first time in 1910, going to Paris to attend the premiere of his ballet L'oiseau de feu (The Firebird) (Craft 20). During his stay in the city, he composed three major works for the Ballets Russes-L'oiseau de feu, Petrushka (1911), and Le sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring) (1913). Eventually Stravinsky's music was noticed by Serge Diaghilev, the director of the Ballets Russes in Paris. He commissioned Stravinsky to write a ballet for his theater; so in 1911, Stravinsky traveled to Paris. That ballet ended up being the famous L'Oiseau de Feu. However, because of World War I and the October Revolution in Russia he moved to Switzerland in 1914. The first of Stravinsky's major stylistic periods (excluding some early minor works) was inaugurated by the three ballets he composed for Diaghilev. The ballets have several shared characteristics: they are scored for extremely large orchestras; they use Russian folk themes and motifs; and they bear the mark of Rimsky-Korsakov's imaginative scoring and instrumentation. The first of the ballets, L'oiseau de feu, is notable for its unusual introduction (triplets in the low basses) and sweeping orchestration. Petrushka, too, is distinctively scored and the first of Stravinsky's ballets to draw on folk mythology. But it is the third ballet, The Rite of Spring that is generally considered the apotheosis of Stravinsky's "Russian Period" (Hill 45-46). Other pieces from this period include: Renard (1916), Histoire du soldat (A Soldier's Tale) (1918), and Les Noces (The Wedding) (1923).The next phase of Stravinsky's compositional style, slightly overlapping the first, is marked by two works: Pulcinella 1920 and the Octet (1923) for wind instruments. Both of these works feature what was to become a hallmark of this period; that is, Stravinsky's return, or "looking back", to the classical music of Mozart and Bach and their contemporaries. This "neo-classical" style involved the abandonment of the large orchestras demanded by the ballets. In these new works, written roughly between 1920 and 1950, Stravinsky turns largely to wind instruments, the piano, and choral and chamber works. Some larger works from this period are the three symphonies: the Symphonie des Psaumes (Symphony of Psalms) (1930), Symphony in C (1940) and Symphony in Three Movements (1945). The pinnacle of this period is the opera The Rake's Progress completed in 1951. This opera, written to a libretto by Auden and based on the etchings of Hogarth, encapsulates everything that Stravinsky had perfected in the previous 20 years of his neo-classic period. The music is direct but quirky; it borrows from classic tonal harmony but also interjects surprising dissonances; it features Stravinsky's trademark off-rhythms; and it harkens back to the operas and themes of Monteverdi, Gluck and Mozart. The Serialist, or Twelve Tone Period Stravinsky first began to dabble in the twelve tone technique in smaller vocal works such as the Cantata (1952), Three Songs from Shakespeare (1953) and In Memoriam Dylan Thomas (1954), as if he were testing the system. He later began

Value Based Management Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Value Based Management - Research Proposal Example This project is therefore an effort to find out the importance of value based management and how companies are doing it. The realisation for a need to identify the key stakeholders in order to optimise their contributions towards the cause arose when the modern management principles were experimented with. Stakeholder concept was originally defined as, "those groups without whose support the organization would cease to exist". But the term 'stakeholder' as such was introduced by the Stanford Research Institute in 1963, for generalising the notion of 'stockholder' when the term was made a part of the internal memo (Zsolnai, 2006). These days management encompasses a range of issues involving various aspects like environment friendliness, adherence to rules and regulations, management of the human resources, ethical business practices and of course the profitability of the operations. Japanese management philosophy of commitment to serving the timely needs of a stakeholder has been at the back of the concepts like JIT, and Kaizen. Value based management, in a way is termed to carry forward these very p rinciples. Koller (1994) finds out that one of the key reasons behind the failure in delivering the objectives is the setting of unrealistic performance targets. While underlining the fact that value is created only when companies are able to invest the capital at rates exceeding the cost of that capital, Koller (1994) state that value based management helps companies in devising the targets in such a manner that they get strategic as well as operating advantages. Even an ordinary individual investor expects profits from investing in shares of an enterprise. As a result, the investor keeps comparing his or her holdings with other such investment opportunities. It is for the company and its management to retain the interest of such investors into the enterprise. While devising suitable strategies for value based management, it is equally important that the enterprise is able to take stock of the outcome as a result of implementing certain policies and decisions. Therefore, the search for suitable metrics in order to measure economic performance represents an essential area in theory and practice of company management. In these times of globalization, liberalization, market deregulation, cut-throat competition and industry consolidation, value-based company management becomes all the more important. The manner in which some of the reputed banks and companies have melted during the ongoing recession around the world, is an indicator that if the company is not able to make itself strong enough to take on uncertain times, it will have to face the heat. Rationale of the Study As the industrial activities see an upsurge on global scale, it requires the stakeholders to be more conscious about their investments, risks and operating conditions. For example, when the Lehman Brothers announced bankruptcy in 2008, the world community was taken aback. But, subsequently, stakeholders started taking more active interest and becoming more aware about the operational details and financial health of the companies. With an objective of maximizing the market value and using the 'shareholder value' enterprises have now started resorting to newer evaluation models. The idea

Hardware analysis Essay Example for Free

Hardware analysis Essay If any mistakes are found, he has assured them more work for less pay by making them enter all data twice, after which the computer will check for errors (Double-entry verification). This will also show who is to blame for mistakes. Output The website should be viewable on the 17inch CRT monitor. A large high spec TFT monitor is not needed, as it will only be used to see the end product of the produced website, and how it will look like to viewers on the internet. This display would be sensible to use, as the majority of internet users will be using a similar output. A standard set of speakers will be needed to test the audio files that shall be put on the website. A top of the range sub-woofer system will not be necessary, as the main purpose of the speakers will be testing. A regular set of 230w speakers should be more than fit for the purpose. A top-quality colour laser printer will not be needed to print out pages from his website. Instead the HP DeskJet 620 printer that will come with the PC he will purchase will be more cost-effective, and is adequate for its purpose as only a few pages are going to be printed on the odd occasion. It will allow him to print out pages in black or in colour from his website when and so he pleases, to see what they would look like to customers if they were to print out the same pages. Backup\Security Strategy The website file containing the final system will be too large to be backed up on disk, as it could be well over a 100MB, due to images and video audio files. Instead, backups shall be made at least once a week onto to as many recordable compact discs (CD-R) as needed. This process will usually take 8 minutes per recordable disc as Mr Murray is lucky enough to be receiving a 32x CD rewriter with his pc. All backup in a different location to where the computer containing the main system is, in case there is a fire, theft or flood. To make sure nobody can manipulate the website design, the computer with the website on it, and the website itself are both going to be password-protected. This will be very useful, as Mr Murray can protect the database from any unwanted intruders, and choose who he wants to have the responsibility of knowing the password. Even so, Mr Murray needs to remember to frequently change his password, in case someone finds out the password and gains access to the database. Most important of all, Mr Murray and whomsoever he chooses to tell the password to, must not write the password anywhere as this increases the risk of an impostor tampering with the design of the website. Although, the software package is quite costly, as mentioned in the identify section cost is not a huge problem for Mr Murray, as he has some family members who are ready to invest in the business. On the other hand, Mr Murray does not want to be paying large amounts of money, for a system which is not 100% guaranteed to work. Therefore Mr Murray has to find a balance, and go with the software package which he thinks is the most likely to work. After some discussion, Mr Murray and I decided that MS Publisher would be the most suitable software package for Mr Murray to use. in relation to the user requirements mentioned in the identify section. Microsoft Word could be used. As mentioned in the Identify section, it can be used to insert pictures video clips, however it cannot be edited with as much ease as a true desktop publishing package. Front page Express would be a good choice, as it is specifically written for producing web sites. However, staff will need training, and the software package does not come cheep. Mr Murrays advertising employees currently use Microsoft Works to produce their material. Microsoft Works is a very simple version of its bigger brother Microsoft Word. This means that staff may not need training. Microsoft Word not only includes graphics and fancy headings, but can also be used to insert video clips. Nevertheless, the cost needed to buy the program will be an issue, as Mr Murray is currently in debt from a bank loan. A desktop Publishing program could also be purchased. This would be a considerable package to consider, as it is specifically written for publishing, and can be used to publish a web site, which is accessible from anywhere in the world. Even So, there is the cost of buying the program to consider (as mentioned earlier), as well as the money and time needed to train staff. include data collection evaluation methods [In each section (e. g. video , dvd etc.. ) the best title will have a video clip of it attached on that section of the website. ]

curriculum Theory and Practice

curriculum Theory and Practice PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF CURRICULUM THEORIZING Curriculum theory is the manner in which the philosophy of certain approaches to advancement and enactment of curriculum is described. Within the wider field of curriculum studies, it is both the analysis of the curriculum historically and a way of viewing contemporary educational curriculum and policy decision. However, a very useful starting point here is the definition of the word â€Å"curriculum.† According to John Kerr’s definition which was adopted by Vic Kelly in his typical work on the topic, curriculum entails planned and guided learning by the school. It is carried on in either groups or on individuals, within or without the school. There are four manners in which to approach curriculum theory and practice. They are as follows: Curriculum is seen as a body of knowledge to be transmitted. In this sense I cannot equate the curriculum with a syllabus. In essence the syllabus is simply a summarized assertion of the heads of a dissertation, the gist of a discourse, and the subjects of a series of lectures. It is attached to courses directed to examination. This view of the curriculum limits planning to a contemplation of the content or the body of knowledge that may be transmitted. Curriculum as a product, i.e., an effort to attain definite ends in students. However varied human life may appear to be, it consists in the performance of specific activities. Therefore, education should prepare a student for life, i.e., preparing definitely and adequately for such activities. Despite being copious and varied they can be exposed for any social class. This obliges one to go out into the world of affairs and find out the specifics of which his/her affairs consist. And as such it would be easy to show the abilities, forms, habits, appreciation and attitudes that people need. These have to be the objectives of the curriculum, thus making it (curriculum) a progression of know-how that learners at all levels must have by way of obtaining those objectives. Curriculum as process. Looking at curriculum as a process implies how teachers, students and knowledge interact. That is, curriculum has to be seen in terms of what essentially takes place in the classroom set up and what people do to prepare and evaluate. Curriculum as praxis. Whereas the process model is impelled by broader principles and emphasizes on judgment and meaning making, it does not formulate unequivocal statements about the interests it serves. The praxis model on the other hand, conveys these to the centre of the course and makes an unequivocal dedication to emancipation. Therefore, action is not merely informed, it is also committed. That is, curriculum is not merely a set of plans to be implemented, but somewhat is composed through a dynamic process in which planning, acting and evaluating are all mutually related and incorporated into the process. Therefore, curriculum should in due course produce students who are able to deal efficiently with the contemporary world. It should not be presented as finished concept, but should instead include the learner’s preconception and should amalgamate how the learner views his/her own world. In this perspective four instincts are used, to describe how to characterize the behavior of children. They consist of social, constructive, expressive, and artistic. The curriculum should then build a logical sense of the world in which the child lives. As a curriculum designer I have to use livelihoods to connect diminutive account of fundamental activities of life classroom activities. This could be accomplished by combining subject areas and resources. It means I have to make connections between subject matter and the child’s life. Teaching methods should focus on hands-on problem solving, experimenting, and projects, often having students work in groups. Curriculum should bring the disciplines together to focus on resolving problems in an interdisciplinary way. Rather than passing down organized bodies of knowledge to new learners, they (learners) should apply their knowledge to real situations through experimental inquiry. This prepares students for citizenship, daily living, and future careers. I have to acknowledge the fact that humans are social beings and do learn best in real-life activities with each other. Therefore education must be based on this principle. As a curriculum designer I will have to depend on the paramount scientific theories of learning available. I may borrow from John Deweys model of learning where learners behave as if they were scientists. That is, Be perceptive of the problem. Be able to delineate the problem. Suggest the hypothesis to solve it. Weigh up the consequences of the hypotheses from one’s past experiences. Test the most likely solution. With this view on human nature, it is my genuine concern that students should be provided with real-life experiences and activities that center on their real life. This is in comparison to a distinctive progressivism slogan which states, Learn by Doing! According to NCLB Act of 2001, assessments of students is supposed to be criterion-referenced tests where a student is tested on his knowledge of the required content or if he/she can do the required skill as outlined in the states standards. Unlike the norm-referenced tests, where student’s performance is based on how he/she is ranks compared to other students, the curriculum has to provide a substitute to the test-oriented instruction as stated by the NCLB Act 2001 on funding. This will enable the student, at the end of his course of study, to apply the knowledge he acquired to real-life situation in his/her daily life. As contrasted to the traditional curriculum of the 19th century, that is ingrained in conventional preparation for the university and strongly discriminated by socioeconomic level, I strongly propose a type of curriculum which finds its roots in the current experiences, is more autonomous in outlook and looks forward. The quality of this curriculum should: Emphasize on learning by doing, i.e., hands-on projects, experiential learning Integrate curriculum that is focused on thematic elements Strongly emphasize on problem solving and critical thinking Encourage group work and growth of social skills Understanding and action should be the objective of learning as contrasted to rote knowledge. Accentuate collaborative and cooperative learning projects Emphasize education for social responsibility and democracy Integrate service learning projects and community service into the daily curriculum. Select the content of the subject by looking forward to ask over what skills will be desirable in the prospective society. Discourage emphasize on textbooks as only learning resources in favor of other varied learning resources. Emphasize on life-long learning and social proficiencies. Assessment based on evaluation of the learner’s projects and productions. In conclusion an acceptable curriculum should be that which makes a learner to be creative, self-reliant and make him excel in all aspects of life that suite his desires. It would be unfair to have a curriculum which ignores the social aspect of a child because he/she lives in a society that is ever social. The curriculum should also enable the student to apply that which he/she learns in the classroom in real life experience. References: http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/ed416/module1.html, (2008) Module One: History and Philosophy of Education Stenhouse, L. (1975) An Introduction to Curriculum research and Development, London: Heinemann. Kliebard, H. M. (1987) The Struggle for the American Curriculum 1893 – 1958, New York: Routledge. Taba, H. (1962) Curriculum Development: Theory and Practice, New York: Harcourt Brace and World. Blenkin, G. M. et al (1992) Change and the Curriculum, London: Paul Chapman

Some Lead, Some Follow, Others Change the World Essay -- Civil Rights

When being asked which Civil Rights activist of the movement was most effective, the answer is quite obvious. This movement originated due to what is called â€Å"Jim Crow† laws. These laws suggested that everyone is separate but equal. Otherwise became blindingly apparent when African Americans were subdued by whites in various ways. For example, the justice system always considered the case of white man over a black one. Also, an African American facility was certainly not comparable to the superior quality of White’s. Soon, organizations began to form in attempts to stop this unjust treatment. One man in particular stands out the most throughout this movement of change: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s form of protesting was the more effective than activist Malcolm X and was the reason for the majority of success during the Civil Rights movement. This is because Malcolm X’s cause would only slow progress during the movement, Martin Lu ther King Jr. had more authority, and he understood that peaceful protesting is the very genesis of redefining a nation. Malcolm X’s cause did not support any advancement in the Civil Rights movement. If anything, his efforts deterred any progress by encouraging separation. Malcolm X looked up to the Black Muslim leader Elijah Muhammad. Muhammad’s campaign was based around whites being â€Å"descended from the devil† and â€Å"being born to harm blacks†. Malcolm soon adopted and idolized this ideology that not only reached toward separate nations, but frightened whites. Considering this, the group the Black Panthers in which Malcolm X formed later on created their own schools, businesses and newspapers in order to further segregate themselves from whites. This group was encouraged by the ide... ...t. He built bridges between races, not walls like Malcolm X. Malcolm X’s cause would only dismiss the goals of the Civil Rights movement. Also, Martin Luther King Jr. had more of an impact amongst his public. Lastly, he contributed to the ongoing idea that acting in a peaceful manor will make goals much more attainable. Martin Luther King Jr. had a very positive impact on not only his public, but this nation. He will never be forgotten within history. Works Cited Levy, Peter B. Let Freedom Ring: a Documentary History of the Modern Civil Rights Movement. New York: Praeger, 1992. Glencoe. "Online Student Edition." Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. 2008. Web. . Cruz, Kimberly. "Comparing Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X." Http://www.polk-fl.net. Web. .

Regulation of Food Intake in Obese People: Little Evidence for an Antio

Regulation of Food Intake in Obese People WHAT IS OBESITY? The most common eating disorder in our society is excessive eating which includes craving and compulsive eating which can quite often result in obesity (http://www.nutramed.com/zeno/addictive.htm#exorphins). Obesity is a body condition where a person's body mass index is greater than 30. Other diseases that can accompany or follow obesity include diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Also, obese people are at a greater risk of certain kinds of cancer like breast, colon, and uterine cancer. Nori Geary, an associate professor of psychiatry at Cornell University, did a great deal of work on the physiological control of feeding behavior (http://www.med.cornell.edu/rasp/gdir/geary.html). Some people respond well to proper diet and exercise to overcome obesity. For those who do not, however, antiobesity drugs are gaining popularity in pharmaceutical compnaies. One potential antiobesity drug that was recently developed by scientists in France and England is butabindide. This drug works to regulate appetite by breaking down a neurotransmitter that signals satiety. This drug has not yet been administered to humans, but its development may provide information to help with the development of other antiobesity drugs in the future (Jack 1756). FEEDBACK MECHANISMS AND FAT INTAKE A number of biological and psychological factors are involved to consolidate energy intake, expenditure, and storage to satisfy specific biological or biophysiological processes. The degree to which these processes control eating behavior is regulated by sensors in the gastrointestinal tract, the liver, and the brain which all work to control this system through a process of positive an... ... appear to look convincing if it were not for the experiments showing that certain CCK antagonists have not shown a convincing effect on the eating patterns in humans. Other hormones including bombesin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide, glycogen-like insulino-tropic peptide, and pancreatic glucagon may also alter satiety, but the data showing that these hormones really have an effect is not persuasive enough (Read 8). Works Cited Aceto, Chris. (1996) Fat Burners. Joe Weider's Muscle and Fitness. 57: 90-100. Jack, David. (1996) Fighting Obesity the Franco-British Way. The Lancet. 347: 1756-1758. Read, Prof. (1994) The Role of the Gut in Regulating Food Intake in Man. Nutrition Reviews. 52: 1-9. Rolls, B., Dimeo, K., amd Shide, D. (1995) Age-Related Impairments in the Regulation of Food Intake. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 62: 923-935. Regulation of Food Intake in Obese People: Little Evidence for an Antio Regulation of Food Intake in Obese People WHAT IS OBESITY? The most common eating disorder in our society is excessive eating which includes craving and compulsive eating which can quite often result in obesity (http://www.nutramed.com/zeno/addictive.htm#exorphins). Obesity is a body condition where a person's body mass index is greater than 30. Other diseases that can accompany or follow obesity include diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Also, obese people are at a greater risk of certain kinds of cancer like breast, colon, and uterine cancer. Nori Geary, an associate professor of psychiatry at Cornell University, did a great deal of work on the physiological control of feeding behavior (http://www.med.cornell.edu/rasp/gdir/geary.html). Some people respond well to proper diet and exercise to overcome obesity. For those who do not, however, antiobesity drugs are gaining popularity in pharmaceutical compnaies. One potential antiobesity drug that was recently developed by scientists in France and England is butabindide. This drug works to regulate appetite by breaking down a neurotransmitter that signals satiety. This drug has not yet been administered to humans, but its development may provide information to help with the development of other antiobesity drugs in the future (Jack 1756). FEEDBACK MECHANISMS AND FAT INTAKE A number of biological and psychological factors are involved to consolidate energy intake, expenditure, and storage to satisfy specific biological or biophysiological processes. The degree to which these processes control eating behavior is regulated by sensors in the gastrointestinal tract, the liver, and the brain which all work to control this system through a process of positive an... ... appear to look convincing if it were not for the experiments showing that certain CCK antagonists have not shown a convincing effect on the eating patterns in humans. Other hormones including bombesin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide, glycogen-like insulino-tropic peptide, and pancreatic glucagon may also alter satiety, but the data showing that these hormones really have an effect is not persuasive enough (Read 8). Works Cited Aceto, Chris. (1996) Fat Burners. Joe Weider's Muscle and Fitness. 57: 90-100. Jack, David. (1996) Fighting Obesity the Franco-British Way. The Lancet. 347: 1756-1758. Read, Prof. (1994) The Role of the Gut in Regulating Food Intake in Man. Nutrition Reviews. 52: 1-9. Rolls, B., Dimeo, K., amd Shide, D. (1995) Age-Related Impairments in the Regulation of Food Intake. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 62: 923-935.

How Huck Matures in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay examples -

A French philosopher named Henry Burquen once said, 'To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.' A good example of how a person develops his or her maturity is the story of Huck in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. In the novel, a young boy from the South travels down the Mississippi River with a runaway slave where they encounter many adventures and meet many different people. Along the way, not only does Huck mature, but he also becomes a kind and loyal person, sometimes going against the values of society. Huck's adventure down the Mississippi River is a passage into manhood because he learns to make decisions on his own as well as gain respect for Jim as a person. Huck matures throughout his adventures as he makes decisions on his own. For instance, before the trip down the Mississippi river, Tom explains to Huck how they should be like the robbers in the books, Huck responds, ?Well, if that?s the way, I?m agreed, but I don?t take no stock in it...But go ahead, I ain?t got nothing to say? (Twain 18). Earlier ...

Are Liberty and Equality Compatible?

â€Å"Two Concepts of Liberty† defined the distinction between positive liberty and negative liberty. He defined positive liberty as the ability to fulfill one own potential. This Is typified by the phrase â€Å"l am my own master†. For example, if I really want to become an economist, then I would be positively free if not discouraged. Negative liberty is defined as â€Å"freedom from external constraint†. The Implications of Positive and Negative Liberty A sketch by Eddie Izard entitled â€Å"Cake or death†4 offers to people exactly that. We might think that be fully free but even the most ardent of fitness fanatics would of course pick cake. Alternatively, a feared, violent and ruthless highwayman offering you â€Å"your money or your Life†5 may illustrate the point.Assuming that we know the highwayman not to be bluffing, not even Scrooge himself would keep his money. Whilst the above two examples are possible to envisage, It Is clear that they a re not part of your average society and a more realistic example may be prudent. Many prostitutes can and do hate their jobs, however, they often have no alternative to it, even when not forced to do so. There are several reasons why a prostitute would continue to remain in the trade. A study by London South Bank University identified 9 barriers to exist including drug addiction, lack of education and social stigma.The implications are that we are sometimes faced with decisions where there is only one legalistic possible option. Indeed, a determinist would go as far to argue that we are faced all the time with decisions where there is only one possible outcome and we do not have free will at all and everything is – in principle – predicable. It is clear that we cannot mean free to mean negatively free. However, the argument that freedom Is possible becomes much less tenuous when one considers being positively free.It Is defined as the ability to maximize one's potentia l, given the current state of resources available to people. â€Å"Positive liberty Is the possibility of acting ? or the fact of acting ? in such a way as to take control of one's life and realize one's fundamental teacher, then he would be positively free if he is able to realism his aims. In short, he is able to maximize his potential. A misconception of Equality Some of the more pedantic among us could argue that equality is possible. Certainly in areas such as mathematics this is true. A simple example such as 8 +7=1 5 shows that equality can exist.However, it is very clear that this is not what one means by equality in this sense. Many would assume that perhaps equality should be defined then as the equal allocation of resources. However, in the context of animal ethics, Peter Singer argued that it this kind of equality is impossible and should not be defined as such; it seems impractical and perhaps immoral for this to be the case. â€Å"Humans have interests in mountain-cl imbing and skiing, in seeing the world and sampling different cultures. Cows like lush pasture and shelter from harsh weather.Hence to deny humans the right to travel from outside Devon would be to restrict their rights significantly; it would not be a significant restriction for the rights of cows. â€Å"8 However, to avoid complications, we shall not concern ourselves with the epic of equality between animals and humans. Despite this, it can still be applied in the context of between Just humans. For example, it is impractical or pointless to grant women the right to prostate examinations or to equally allocate cricket bats among footballers and cricketers alike. A critique of Singer's claim above could be done by using the following simple example.Imagine two people, Sam and Simon. Sam inherited a large estate, and is very wealthy, despite a lack of talent, determination or ambition. Alternatively, Simon despite being talented and ambitious received a poor quality of education a nd comes from a low income family. Although Singer has debunked the argument that equality means the equal allocation of resources, to many this would still seem unfair. However, Singer offers a counter proposal where the impetus of his argument is equal consideration. This is a broadly abstract term but can be applied to many contemporary and relevant examples.For example, laws regarding maternity and paternity leave or resolving conflict between settlers to an area and to indigenous people. Most significantly, Singer's example could be applied in the context of macroeconomics, in that whilst equality is not honeymoon with social mobility and meritocracy, it can work in close conjunction with the two. State of Nature Before examining the compatibility of the two in a society, it seems prudent to examine whether the two can be compatible without a society, in a State of Nature and synonymous to many as a dyspepsia.A state of nature is a hypothetical thought experiment designed to in vestigate what a pre-societal life would be like for people. In his Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes posited the claim that, â€Å"a free man is he that in those things which by his strength and wit he is able to do is not hindered to do what e hath the will to do†9, alluding to liberty in its negative sense. He argued, that in the state of nature, liberty did not exist, because actions were hindered by fear of death and fear of the power of others. Despite saying that freedom can only truly exist under a sovereign, Hobbes alludes to liberty in the negative sense.Indeed, others have interpreted his works for people However, people are free in that they interpretation of his own work seems desperately counter intuitive. However, Hobbes has only discussed how we are not free in the negative sense. However, this may not be the case for positive freedom. We are free to maximize our potential. There is no State or Government to restrict us in any way possible. Hobbes also comments that me n are by nature equal in their powers, as even â€Å"the weakest has strength enough to kill the strongest, either by secret machination, or by confederacy with others, that are in the same danger as himself. 10 One can therefore conclude that humans are free and equal in a State of Nature, an abstract thought experiment. However, this is neither desirable nor permanent. It is a poor quality of freedom and equality in that the standard. In a State of Nature being free and equal means that we are free and equal to be violent against each other and live the â€Å"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short life†1 1 that Hobbes so described.Bringing abstract theory into reality We can establish that these two arguments so that liberty and equality are theoretically possible, however, the question is now is whether these arguments have practical implications. However, what does it mean to be human? Humans are naturally social beings with our own societal friendships, families and relationships. As Hummed pointed out, social contract theory is an unhelpful fiction, because social organization is natural for us is natural. Indeed, a very clear example would be that we all grow up, learn values, language and develop knowledge through parenting, and through social interaction and as a result through discipline, leadership and rules. Therefore, a state of nature must be fiction. Furthermore, equality is referred to as equal consideration, however in a State of Nature, there is no government present to â€Å"equally consider†. Therefore, one has to revert to the equal allocation of resources, and Hobbes argues that resources are shared equally, in that people have roughly the same amount of intelligence, muscle and weaponry.However, the equal allocation of resources is something this thesis is trying to revert from. A Utopia? There are three branches of ethics, utilitarianism, deontological and virtue. And in all three of them liberty and equality are highl y desirable. For example, given that Utilitarianism has its definition coined as â€Å"the maximum amount of happiness for the maximum amount of people†13, and one does not need to Justify for the purposes of this essay that liberty and equality are most often highly desirable in society.It would therefore seem prudent to examine a utilitarianism society, and examine whether liberty and equality may be possible. In Aloud Huxley â€Å"Brave New World†, a caste system is depicted with the inhabitants ranked from alpha through to epsilon. 14 Despite height, appearance and Jobs available being dependent on what class one is, each person is conditioned before birth (though that is an inappropriate word to use) and each class is perfectly content to remain in their class and does not aspire to be of any other class.Many would repulsed by this state – and whilst it seems desperately counter-intuitive, both freedom and equality can be obtained. Indeed, some would consid er the caste system to be not far short of slavery, omitting clearly not very equal. However, equality as equal consideration is allowed for, each individual conditioned with their happiness being viewed in the same equal extent that they are positively free and are able to maximize their potential in their designated class. 15 It seems then that in this example, liberty and equality are compatible.Whilst this fictitious society leaves a lot to be desired, it may be useful to have a look at how this society was reached and see if this can be paralleled in reality. The logical conclusion of capitalism There may be faults with the feasibility of a utopia as well. Huxley assumes that Brave New World is the logical end of capitalism. All activity is aimed at continued consumption, for example the slogan of â€Å"ending is better than mending†16. All obstacles to consumption are removed. Mass production, God and individualism are institutionalized. In order to maintain this freedo m, the means of production must be controlled.Utopia translates from Greek meaning â€Å"no place†. 17 Essentially, it means that it does not exist. While there are certainly parallels with society, this is not how capitalism will end, and this is for four interlinked reasons. Firstly, the notion of illogical mass production of humans is deeply concerning and a vital premise to the Huxley argument. One can quite reasonably assert the claim that this will never happen. Secondly, there is a lack of relationships, in the book the notion of family and parenthood is treated with shock and disdain, and as a result society is equal for the reasons given above.However, the notion of family and parenthood does exist, and this can have drastic consequences for the logical conclusion of capitalism. With nepotism and the accumulation of capital there is a case that there is a shift to patrimonial capitalism. However, this will be discussed in more detail later. But most importantly, the logical conclusion to capitalism does not take into consideration how human beings are not always rational. Long before the term behavioral economics was coined, Huxley assumed that â€Å"Homo Economics†18 would prevail. However, people do not always make decisions that maximize their welfare.A very simple argument will show this point to be correct; this is known as the Gambler's Fallacy. 19 When at a roulette table, people will often assume that if at a table, the roulette wheel has shown to be the color red the previous six times, then it is more likely to e on the seventh spin. However, a simple math experiment with a roulette wheel or a computer will show this to be incorrect, and statistical theory on independence provides the reasoning behind this. Even it were rational to Join this kind of society, the likelihood of this happening is not secure.A Thought Experiment With the exception of a conclusion, the rest of this thesis, will analyses and evaluate reasons why free dom and equality may not be practical in society today. A fully free state shall be assumed, and the question will be posed asking if equality can be produced as a by- product alongside. Finally, the thesis will question the aforementioned assumption in two different ways. The Assumption of a Fully Free State To many this seems like capitalism. However, capitalism is far too broad and can name suggests implies that the state is involved and does not prohibit freedom.Laissez-fairer capitalism might be more prudent as a result. We shall now assume that a fully free state but be one determined by market forces, determined by supply and demand in order for me to be positively free and maximize citizen's potential. The First Reason – How Liberty Upsets Patterns This heading is not original, it is on page 160 of Robert Nicks book â€Å"Anarchy State ND Utopia†, the heading alludes to an often quoted example of a successful basketball called player Wilt Chamberlain, which is pertinent. In this world, everyone earns exactly the same salary and money is distributed evenly.At each home game, he receives 25 cents from every person playing the game. To the customers, this seems reasonable – he is very good at basketball. If one million watch him play during the season, Chamberlain has $250,000. He has more money than someone else. 20 Let us extend the analogy further so that everyone else earns a sum of $25,000 a year. It seems that although Chamberlain may have more money than everyone else it is not a problem, because this equality can include a meritocracy and equality is defined as equal consideration.This might seem Justified because of marginal productivity theory; some would say that Chamberlain works harder and is more productive so he should receive more money than anyone else. However, there are two issues with this theory. The first is that the facts do not support it. As the recession went on bankers such as Fred Goodwin continued to recei ve bonuses, despite bringing banks to their knees. Even though they were worse than useless, hey were still receiving money despite having a negative marginal productivity theory.Despite The Royal Bank of Scotland (RUBS) going bankrupt, Fred Goodwin receives a IEEE,OHO pension from RUBS. 21 Secondly, despite Wilt Chamberlain earning ten times more than everyone else is it true that he works ten times harder in order to achieve his wealth? The answer is most likely no. In essence there is a sense of disproportion to the extent of the meritocracy. There is a clear opportunity cost; no one was forced to watch him play basketball. They could have spent their money on everything as mundane from tea bags to headphones.This presents some issues, he now has far more money than anyone else does, and this to many seems unequal. In the I-J, the staggering sums of money that footballers earn is a proponent in an argument for inequality- how can It be fair that Wayne Rooney earns more in one wee k than the average person earns in 10 years? But this is unequal. The Second Reason – Rent Seeking Economies It is necessary to delineate between two different types of economy, wealth generating and rent seeking.Wealth generating refers to ways of earning money whilst increasing the output of the economy at the same time. A quintessential example would be innovation such as Tyson vacuum cleaners. Rent seeking is defined as â€Å"when a company, organization or individual uses their resources to obtain an economic gain from others without reciprocating any of the benefits back into society through wealth creation. â€Å"22 Here, a useful example would be through a usefully entitled â€Å"The Locust and the Bee†. 23 Here, the locust is analogous to the rent seeking economy and the bee the wealth generating economy.The economist Joseph Zeitgeist has argued that rent-seeking is a large contributor to income inequality in the United States through lobbying for government policies hat let the wealthy and powerful get income, not as a reward for creating wealth, but by grabbing a larger share of the wealth that would otherwise have been produced without their effort. As Paul Grumman points out, most of the richest 1% in the world are generally not the innovators such as Bill Gates or Mark Suckering, but generally those with a much lower marginal productivity, such as Fred Goodwin or C.Douglas McMillan. Furthermore, despite these low marginal productivities, their income, (in America at least) has increased as seen in the graph below. The Third Reason – The Fall of The American Dream? As Josef Zeitgeist points out, Paul Ryan made a speech saying that despite the US Gin coefficient rising, what is really the most significant is equality of opportunity. 24 The question, is can there be equality of opportunity. It is true that the â€Å"Rags to Riches† story as examples well documented across the world with everyone from Will. . Am to Opera Winfred, but as Zeitgeist asserts, the reason they are so well documented is because they are so rare. Given that, the question is do we always have to have an inequality of opportunity, and the answer to that is yes. The first premise that all else rests on is that equality of opportunity must rest on not only a good but equal education. Given that equal opportunity largely manifests itself in a meritocracy. The second premise of the argument is that having an equal education is unattainable.Even if private schools were completely abolished, if money was spent on students exactly proportional to their needs and the best teachers were distributed around the country exactly proportional to where they should be then equality of opportunity may not work for one key reason – chaos theory. The tiniest of changes in an education can lead to drastic consequences, for example, a certain book could be pivotal in attending a place at a prestigious university. Moreover, despite a stand ardized education, differences in education at home are beyond the state's control.The First Critique Of The Assumption However, Zeitgeist says, â€Å"Markets don't exist in a vacuum†25. Indeed, they must be shaped, mainly through the laws of that country. In the USA in the government gave holders of derivatives priority over bankruptcy. This was seen in its bail out of insurer Alga to the tune of $1 ban. This creates a â€Å"heads I win, tails you lose† situation. The first reason why laissez-fairer capitalism does not work is because the way that the market exists is though legislature which undermines what laissez-fairer capitalism sets out to achieve.The Second Critique of the Assumption- The Growth of Capital in the 21st Century The idea that inherited wealth will always grow faster than earned wealth is the main impetus of Thomas Picket's book â€Å"Capital in the 21st Century'. Pickett argues that as captures in the expression r > g, where r is the rate of retu rn to wealth and g is the economic growth rate. Other things being equal, faster economic growth will monish the importance of wealth in a society, whereas slower growth will increase it. However, there are no natural forces pushing against the steady concentration of wealth.Only a burst of rapid growth (from technological progress or rising population) or government intervention can be counted on to keep economies from returning to the â€Å"patrimonial capitalism†. Furthermore, demographics can influence this point. Writes Pickett, â€Å"Consider a world in which each couple has ten children, it is better as a general rule to not count on too much on inherited wealth, because the Emily wealth will divide by ten with each new generation. In such a society the people will have wealth diminished by 10 each generation. 26 Therefore, given that fertility rates are falling all over the world, this means that wealth will be more concentrated in the future. Regardless of the graph below, some people having more money than others can still be equal, and feel that Pickett makes a generalization as a result. However, he argues that people having more money often leads to a fall in social mobility and as a result, increased inequality of opportunity. There is now a event to patrimonial capitalism which is known more informally as crony capitalism.Given how equality is defined as equal consideration and social mobility is key, he argues that not only do some people have more money than others but social mobility is at an all time low. 27 Conclusion It seems that practically, in some form of Utopia akin to â€Å"A Brave New World† or in a State of Nature, the two may both be possible. However, in feasible ideologies, there are impossible. This is because how in a free society, issues. However, the link between equality being defined as equal consideration and equality as the equal allocation of resources is tenuous.The argument of chaos theory may be weak, as people may still be free in that they can maximize their positive liberty in that they can still maximize their potential. Chaos theory only affects the extent to which potential can be reached – not the other way around. In order for this thesis to be stronger, the link between the two warrants further exploration. Perhaps an exploration of Aristotle opinion on equality might be useful to unpick what equality means, as it depends how we look at equality. â€Å"Justice is equality, but only for equals, ND Justice is inequality, but only for those who are unequal†28.This needs further exploration. It seems that practically, in some form of Utopia akin to â€Å"A Brave New World† or in a State of Nature, the two may both be possible. However, in feasible ideologies, these are unlikely. This is because how in a free society, issues. However, the arguments mainly take the form of an inductive argument as shown below. 1. This example (from Nonionic) shows that und er a certain societal ideology the two are incompatible, 2. This example (from Pickett) shows the same 3. Therefore, the two are incompatible This is akin to â€Å"Black Swan Theory', identified by Massif Tale.If one sees a series of the case. Critically, its implications are that no one argument, shows the two to be inversely proportional to each other – for example, as you have more freedom, you get less equality. Whilst the arguments themselves do not prove that as the two are incompatible, they very much support the arguments. Perhaps further discourse is needed to prove – through a deductive argument – that the two are incompatible. Although the simple fact that social mobility is falling, especially as countries become ore and more privatized, implies that the two cannot work together.However, there is a dim ray of hope, as many of the arguments offer suggestions to solutions to solve these problems. Pickett himself proposes a progressive income tax of up to 80% and a global wealth tax of 2%. Furthermore, a 100% inheritance tax is something that others have suggested. 29 On the other hand, these suggestions are highly controversial and are unlikely to be enforced. Whilst, the two are compatible theoretically, on the current trajectory of society, it seems hugely unlikely that liberty will occur in society in the future.

Dexit †A Marketing Opportunity

The case study discusses the marketing opportunity of Toronto-based Dexit Inc. for the new electronic payment system for retail transactions. The CEO of the company, Renah Persofsky, faced two traditional questions of marketing strategy: the preferable target group and the choice of optimal strategy, â€Å"push† or â€Å"pull†. Marketing opportunity The advantages of for the new electronic payment system for retail transactions were obvious. First, its implementation could make the transactions faster and safer for the end user.Second, the using of similar payment systems gained the wide popularity. Third, the popularity of digital payments without dealing with the cashiers is growing nowadays, and this trend existed in 2002 when Dexit made a decision to launch its new payment system. At least, the competition on this sector was rather low. Thus, the implementation of new payment system was reasonable solution. However, even in this favorable market opportunity the comp any faced two dilemmas.First was the choice between consumers (the users of the Dexit tag) and merchants (the users of the Dexit POS terminals). It was necessary to define which segment would be most profitable to serve. Besides, the issue of different customers approach was topical. The new payment system could gain fast popularity among that group of the customers, which was known as â€Å"early gainers†, but as usual this group couldn’t transform to the group of the most â€Å"heavy customers†.At last, the implementation of new system demanded the new wave of marketing, and it was needed to make a solution about the preferable marketing strategy. â€Å"push† or â€Å"pull†. The choice also depended from the target customer group. Conclusion It can hardly be decided what marketing strategy could be optimal for Dexit; however, the study of the latest trends allowed recommendation to aim the strategy on the â€Å"heavy customers† and make th e system merchant-oriented. References DEXIT — A MARKETING OPPORTUNITY. 905A02. Copyright  © 2005, Ivey Management Services

On the Job Training Essay

OJT is a three letter acronym for â€Å"on-the-job training†, which is a form of training taking place in a normal working situation. OJT training, sometimes called direct instruction, is one of the earliest forms of training (observational learning is probably the earliest,). It is a one-on-one training located at the job site, where someone who knows how to do a task shows another how to perform it. In antiquity, the kind of work that people did was mainly unskilled or semiskilled work that did not require specialized knowledge. Parents or other community members, who knew how to do a job necessary for survival, passed their knowledge on to the children through direct instruction. On-the-job training is still widely in use today. In fact, it is probably the most popular method of training because it requires only a person who knows how to do the task, and the tools the person uses to do the task. It may not be the most effective or the most efficient method at times, but it is normally the easiest to arrange and manage. Because the training takes place on the job, it can be highly realistic and no transfer of learning is required. It is often inexpensive because no special equipment is needed other than what is normally used on the job. The other side is that OJT takes the trainer and materials out of production for the duration of the training time. In addition, due to safety or other production factors, it is prohibitive in some environments. Training is the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one’s capability, capacity, and performance. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of technology (also known as technical colleges or polytechnics). In addition to the basic training required for a trade, occupation or profession, observers of the labor-market[who? ] recognize as of 2008[update] the need to continue training beyond initial qualifications: to maintain, upgrade and update skills throughout working life. People within many professions and occupations may refer to this sort of training as professional development.

Of Morality and Spirituality Essay

The moral sacred Philippines started from a dream, and now that it continues to progress it can be one good evidence that as long as someone believes in an idea, it can be possible. As long as its aim is for the goodness of the citizens, it can be a reality. This concept does not want to create a world of perfection but rather a world of morality and spirituality. That world is where we can clearly distinguish the right ones from the bad. It is where we can not only think about ourselves but also the community, the government, and the nation. This dream can all be possible if we just go and believe that the land where we stand can be a better habitat of mankind. From Genesis 1:27, God created mankind in His own image. This verse proves that each of us is spiritual at heart. We just have to go and find the path through our hearts. We are created in His likeness which gives us the realization that all living things have something good in the inside. If we believe, make something to make this work, the moral sacred Philippines will make sense. A. WRITING AS A SOCIAL ACT The event connects with how writing can be a social act. In the said event, one does not only think about himself but also for the people around him. As for writing, a writer does not only write for him or for him to understand but also for his readers and audience. You write alone, but you always write for others. Readers matter. Once a writer sets his or her thoughts to any medium, whether paper, blog, status update, there is the potential for audience interaction. Ideas and creativity are created outside ourselves. Writers can never be more creative without the experiences and thoughts the people have. They continue to interact with people. Writing is a social act. Writers choose to see the beauty and brilliance of the world around them. Writing is nothing without the world and mind that surrounds them. B. WRITING AS A MORAL ACT Morality and spirituality is what the event focuses on. As for writing, writers do not only write everything that flows from their thinking, he must be careful. Something that anyone who writes words of any kind would do well to remember. Words have their moral consequences. The responsibility is particularly great for writers who deal with spiritual issues. Every word they write leaves its mark upon their soul and upon the souls of those who read their work. Their words may become sacraments, visible signs of an invisible grace, or they may turn to poison and ashes. It may signify the abyss or nothing at all. Writers must strive against mediocrity in one’s work, aiming always higher for lucidity of thought and beauty of expression with still being careful with the words they use. Every piece they make has an effect in this world. They are part of our moral conversation as a society. They weigh in. The creation of literature worthy not only its high artistic calling but of his stature as a creature created in the image and likeness of God.

Skills Gap In America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Skills Gap In America - Essay Example At this point, it becomes necessary to ask the question; what job skills or talents are lacking? In answering this question, the truth is that the USA may not be short of individuals who are educated and who possess some education qualifications that are essential for the prevailing job openings within organizations. Therefore, the skills gap is not lacking in the education aspect of the employees, but rather in their talents (Wastler, n.p.). The existing skills gap is especially being felt in the areas of the high growth industries, which include construction, advanced manufacturing, nuclear and clean energy, health care and information technology (Dahl, n.p.). While there could be some qualified individuals in the unemployed group that constitutes 8.1%, their ability to tolerate the working conditions in these sectors, as well as their talent that are necessary in achieving the goals of these sectors is what is exactly lacking (Wastler, n.p.). This is true, considering that these a re sectors that require more than just academic qualifications, but the basic talents and willingness to go an extra mile to ensure the success of the tasks. The remedy to addressing this problem therefore, can be found in addressing the public policy on education, starting from K-12 level upwards, to ensure that the policies focuses more on specialized skills, which include the technical and the apprenticeship skills, that are basically lacking in many industries, considering that such skills constitutes the on-hand-job training, at the expense of theoretical build-up of the academic training (Needham, n.p.). Such on-hand-job skills are the ones lacking experts, thus throwing the essential industries such as construction, manufacturing, health and energy; most of which are hand-on-experience based, into disarray. The existing skills gap in America is talent-based, and constitutes the shortage of middle-skills workers, who constitute â€Å"specialized highly trained mechanical, tec hnical and production careers† (ASTD, 5). Such specialized training does not require high levels of education such as a degree in the specified field, but the high on-the-job training skills, which produces technical experts, who may merely hold a government or an institutional certification, yet they are highly competent when it comes to performing the specific tasks on the job description, which may require less theoretical knowledge, but practical skills to deliver excellent results. The high-skills shortage is especially significantly being experienced in the field of mathematics, engineering, information science and sciences (ASTD, 6). Among the most affected specific fields include the field of nuclear energy, where the rate of the workers retiring is high, while the young generation that is showing interest in the same is significantly reducing, while the growth in the sector is predicted to average at 3% annually, for the next 8 years (ASTD, 6). In addition to the wani ng interest that is noted in the young generation, there also lacks adequate training programs to train experts in this field, thus posing a danger to the growth and competitiveness of nuclear energy as a

Analysis of an Advertisement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of an Advertisement - Essay Example d that the adverts which employ the use of colors attract more attention and recognition than the adverts that either uses only one color or no color at all. The use of many colors as illustrated in the advert above, triggers excitement from the audience and hence makes it appear more appealing to both the mind and the eye (Barnet and Bedau 140). The audience gets more attracted owing to the fact that many people associate certain colors of their choices to particular success in their personal lives. The general ambience of the advert is that which triggers excitement from the audience. The animation of the advert exhibits a world of happiness that eliminates technological strain owing to the introduction of a multi tasking device (I phone). The multi colored animation provides a universal satisfaction to many individuals who may have different tastes and preferences (Barnet and Bedau 143). Similarly, the advert creates a mood of acceptance of the product on display by exposing much of the extra benefits the audience would acquire than they would ordinarily expect. A number of features have been revealed through such colors as blue, red, white, black, yellow and purple which all represent certain features. The secondary features on display depict the additional efficiency and the functions of the device. Use of signs and symbols In addition to the use of many colors in the advert to gain the attention of the audience, there are a number of symbols and signs employed to create more meaning to the advert. Similar to the other forms of communication such as speeches, signs and symbols also give more meaning to the advert. These meanings are coded in particular patterns which may however be accurately interpreted by certain individuals and not others. An example of a... Analysis of an Advertisement Comparatively, researchers have established that the adverts which employ the use of colors attract more attention and recognition than the adverts that either uses only one color or no color at all. The use of many colors as illustrated in the advert above, triggers excitement from the audience and hence makes it appear more appealing to both the mind and the eye. The audience gets more attracted owing to the fact that many people associate certain colors of their choices to particular success in their personal lives. The general ambience of the advert is that which triggers excitement from the audience. The animation of the advert exhibits a world of happiness that eliminates technological strain owing to the introduction of a multi tasking device (I phone). The multi colored animation provides a universal satisfaction to many individuals who may have different tastes and preferences.. Similarly, the advert creates a mood of acceptance of the product on display by exposing much of the extra benefits the audience would acquire than they would ordinarily expect. A number of features have been revealed through such colors as blue, red, white, black, yellow and purple which all represent certain features. The secondary features on display depict the additional efficiency and the functions of the device. In order to attract more of the audience attention and attraction, framing the animation as well as including simpler signs and symbols that may also be understood by a majority of the audience if not a few targeted individuals.