Saturday, August 31, 2019

Shadow Kiss Chapter 5

Five MOST DISCIPLINARY ISSUES AT the Academy went to Headmistress Kirova. She oversaw Moroi and dhampirs alike and was known for her creative and oft-used repertoire of punishments. She wasn't cruel, exactly, but she wasn't soft, either. She simply took student behavior seriously and dealt with it as she saw fit. There were some issues, however, that were beyond her jurisdiction. The school's guardians calling together a disciplinary committee wasn't unheard of, but it was very, very rare. You had to do something pretty serious to piss them off to get that sort of response. Like, say, willfully endangering a Moroi. Or hypothetically willfully endangering a Moroi. â€Å"For the last time,† I growled, â€Å"I didn't do it on purpose.† I sat in one of the guardians' meeting rooms, facing my committee: Alberta, Emil, and one of the other rare female guardians on campus, Celeste. They sat at a long table, looking imposing, while I sat in a single chair and felt very vulnerable. Several other guardians were sitting in and watching, but thankfully, none of my classmates were there to see this humiliation. Dimitri was among the watchers. He was not on the committee, and I wondered if they'd kept him off because of his potentially biased role as my mentor. â€Å"Miss Hathaway,† said Alberta, fully in her strict-captain mode, â€Å"you must know why we have a hard time believing that.† Celeste nodded. â€Å"Guardian Alto saw you. You refused to protect two Moroi – including the one whose protection you were specifically assigned to.† â€Å"I didn't refuse!† I exclaimed. â€Å"I†¦ fumbled.† â€Å"That wasn't a fumble,† said Stan from the watchers. He glanced at Alberta for permission to speak. â€Å"May I?† She nodded, and he turned back to me. â€Å"If you'd blocked or attacked me and then messed up, that would be a fumble. But you didn't block. You didn't attack. You didn't even try. You just stood there like a statue and did nothing.† Understandably, I was outraged. The thought that I would purposely leave Christian and Brandon to be â€Å"killed† by a Strigoi was ridiculous. But what could I do? I either confessed to screwing up majorly or to having seen a ghost. Neither option was appealing, but I had to cut my losses. One made me look incompetent. The other made me look insane. I didn't want to be associated with either of those. I much preferred my usual description of â€Å"reckless† and â€Å"disruptive.† â€Å"Why am I getting in trouble for messing up?† I asked tightly. â€Å"I mean, I saw Ryan mess up earlier. He didn't get in trouble. Isn't that the point of this whole exercise? Practice? If we were perfect, you'd already have unleashed us upon the world!† â€Å"Weren't you listening?† said Stan. I swore I could see a vein throbbing in his forehead. I think he was the only one there as upset as I was. At the very least, he was the only one (aside from me) showing his emotions. The others wore poker faces, but then, none of them had witnessed what had happened. If I'd been in Stan's place, I might have thought the worst of me too. â€Å"You didn't mess up, because ‘messing up' implies that you have to actually do something.† â€Å"Okay, then. I froze.† I looked at him defiantly. â€Å"Does that count as messing up? I cracked under the pressure and blanked out. It turns out I wasn't prepared. The moment came, and I panicked. It happens to novices all the time.† â€Å"To a novice who has already killed Strigoi?† asked Emil. He was from Romania, his accent a bit thicker than Dimitri's Russian one. It wasn't nearly as nice, though. â€Å"It seems unlikely.† I dealt out glares to him and everyone else in the room. â€Å"Oh, I see. After one incident, I'm now expected to be an expert Strigoi killer? I can't panic or be afraid or anything? Makes sense. Thanks, guys. Fair. Real fair.† I slumped back in my seat, arms crossed over my chest. There was no need to fake bitchy defiance. I had plenty of it to dish out. Alberta sighed and leaned forward. â€Å"We're arguing semantics. Technicalities aren't the point here. What's important is that this morning, you made it very clear you did not want to guard Christian Ozera. In fact †¦ I think you even said you wanted us to be sure we knew that you were doing it against your will and that we'd soon see what a horrible idea it was.† Ugh. I had said that. Honestly, what had I been thinking? â€Å"And then, when your first test comes around, we find you completely and utterly unresponsive.† I nearly flew out of my chair. â€Å"That's what this is about? You think I didn't protect him because of some kind of weird revenge thing?† All three of them stared at me expectantly. â€Å"You aren't exactly known for calmly and gracefully accepting things you don't like,† she replied wryly. This time, I did stand up, pointing my finger at her accusingly. â€Å"Not true. I have followed every rule Kirova laid down for me since coming back here. I've gone to every practice and obeyed every curfew.† Well, I'd fudged some of the curfews but not willfully. It had always been for the greater good. â€Å"There's no reason I'd do this as some kind of revenge! What good would it do? Sta – Guardian Alto wasn't going to really hurt Christian, so it's not like I'd get to see him punched or anything. The only thing I would accomplish is getting dragged into the middle of something like this and possibly facing removal from the field experience.† â€Å"You are facing removal from the field experience,† replied Celeste flatly. â€Å"Oh.† I sat down, suddenly not feeling as bold. Silence hung in the room for several moments, and then I heard Dimitri's voice speak from behind me. â€Å"She has a point,† he said. My heart thumped loudly in my chest. Dimitri knew I wouldn't take revenge like that. He didn't think I was petty. â€Å"If she were going to protest or take revenge, she'd do it in a different way.† Well, not too petty, at least. Celeste frowned. â€Å"Yes, but after the scene she made this morning†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dimitri took a few steps forward and stood beside my chair. Having his solid presence nearby comforted me. I had a flash of d? ¦j? ¤ vu, back to when Lissa and I had returned to the Academy last autumn. Headmistress Kirova had nearly expelled me, and Dimitri had stood up for me then too. â€Å"This is all circumstantial,† he said. â€Å"Regardless of how suspicious you think it looks, there's no proof. Removing her from the experience – and essentially ruining her graduation – is a bit extreme without any certainties.† The committee looked thoughtful, and I focused my attention on Alberta. She had the most power here. I'd always liked her, and in our time together, she'd been strict but always scrupulously fair. I hoped that would still hold true. She beckoned Celeste and Emil toward her, and the other two guardians leaned closer. They had a whispered conference. Alberta gave a resigned nod, and the others leaned back. â€Å"Miss Hathaway, do you have anything you'd like to say before we tell you our conclusions?† That I'd like to say? Hell, yeah. There were tons of things. I wanted to say that I wasn't incompetent. I wanted to tell them that I was one of the best novices here. I wanted to tell them that I had seen Stan coming and had been on the verge of reacting. I especially wanted to tell them that I didn't want to have this mark on my record. Even if I stayed in the field experience, I'd essentially have an F for this first test. It would affect my overall grade, which could subsequently affect my future. But again, what choice did I have? Tell them that I'd seen a ghost? The ghost of a guy who'd had a major crush on me and who had quite likely died because of that crush? I still didn't know what was going on with these sightings. One time I could write off to exhaustion†¦but I'd seen him – or it – twice now. Was he real? My higher reasoning said no, but honestly, it didn't matter at the moment. If he was real and I told them, they'd think I was crazy. If he wasn't real and I told them, they'd think I was crazy – and they'd be right. I couldn't win here. â€Å"No, Guardian Petrov,† I said, hoping I sounded meek. â€Å"Nothing more to add.† â€Å"All right,† she said wearily. â€Å"Here's what we've decided. You're lucky you have Guardian Belikov to advocate for you, or this decision might have been different. We're giving you the benefit of the doubt. You'll go on with the field experience and continue to guard Mr. Ozera. You'll just be on a probation of sorts.† â€Å"That's okay,† I said. I'd been on probation for most of my academic life. â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"And,† she added. Uh-oh. â€Å"Because the suspicion isn't entirely removed, you'll be spending your day off this week doing community service.† I jumped out of my chair again. â€Å"What?† Dimitri's hand wrapped around my wrist, his fingers warm and controlling. â€Å"Sit down,† he murmured in my ear, tugging me toward the chair. â€Å"Take what you can get.† â€Å"If that's a problem, we can make it next week too,† warned Celeste. â€Å"And the next five after that.† I sat down and shook my head. â€Å"I'm sorry. Thank you.† The hearing dispersed, and I was left feeling weary and beaten. Had only one day gone by? Surely the happy excitement I'd felt before the field experience had been weeks ago and not this morning. Alberta told me to go find Christian, but Dimitri asked if he could have some time alone with me. She agreed, no doubt hoping he'd set me on the straight and narrow. The room emptied, and I thought he'd sit and talk to me then and there, but instead he walked over to a small table that held a water dispenser, coffee, and other beverages. â€Å"You want some hot chocolate?† he asked. I hadn't expected that. â€Å"Sure.† He dumped four packets of instant hot chocolate into two Styrofoam cups and then added in hot water. â€Å"Doubling it is the secret,† he said when the cups were full. He handed me mine, along with a wooden stirrer, and then walked toward a side door. Presuming I was supposed to follow him, I scurried to catch up without spilling my hot chocolate. â€Å"Where are we – oh.† I stepped through the doorway and found myself in a little glass-enclosed porch filled with small patio tables. I'd had no idea this porch was adjacent to the meeting room, but then, this was the building the guardians conducted all campus business out of. Novices were rarely allowed. I also hadn't realized the building was built around a small courtyard, which was what this porch looked out to. In the summer, I imagined one could open the windows and be surrounded in greenery and warm air. Now, encased in glass and frost, I felt like I was in some kind of an ice palace. Dimitri swept his hand over a chair, brushing off dust. I did the same and sat down opposite him. Apparently this room didn't see a lot of use in the winter. Because it was enclosed, the room was warmer than outdoors, but it wasn't heated otherwise. The air felt chilly, and I warmed my hands on my cup. Silence fell between Dimitri and me. The only noise came from me blowing on my hot chocolate. He drank his right away. He'd been killing Strigoi for years. What was a little scalding water here and there? As we sat, and the quiet grew, I studied him over the edge of my cup. He wasn't looking at me, but I knew he knew I was watching. Like every other time I looked at him, I was always struck by his looks first. The soft dark hair that he often tucked behind his ears without realizing it, hair that never quite wanted to stay in its tie at the back of his neck. His eyes were brown too, somehow gentle and fierce at the same time. His lips had that same contradictory quality, I realized. When he was fighting or dealing with something grim, those lips would flatten and turn hard. But in lighter times †¦ when he laughed or kissed†¦well, then they'd become soft and wonderful. Today, more than his exterior hit me. I felt warm and safe just being with him. He brought comfort after my terrible day. So often with other people, I felt a need to be the center of attention, to be funny and always have something clever to say. It was a habit I needed to shake to be a guardian, seeing as that job required so much silence. But with Dimitri, I never felt like I had to be anything more than what I already was. I didn't have to entertain him or think up jokes or even flirt. It was enough to just be together, to be so completely comfortable in each other's presence – smoldering sexual tension aside – that we lost all sense of self-consciousness. I exhaled and drank my cocoa. â€Å"What happened out there?† he asked at last, meeting my gaze. â€Å"You didn't crack under the pressure.† His voice was curious, not accusatory. He wasn't treating me as a student right now, I realized. He was regarding me as an equal. He simply wanted to know what was going on with me. There was no discipline or lecturing here. And that just made it all the worse when I had to lie to him. â€Å"Of course it was,† I told him, looking down into my cup. â€Å"Unless you believe I really did let Stan ‘attack' Christian.† â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"I don't believe that. I never did. I knew you'd be unhappy when you found out about the assignments, but I never once doubted that you'd do what you'd have to for this. I knew you wouldn't let your personal feelings get in the way of your duty.† I looked up again and met his eyes, so full of faith and absolute confidence in me. â€Å"I didn't. I was mad†¦Still am a little. But once I said I'd do it, I meant it. And after spending some time with him†¦well, I don't hate him. I actually think he's good for Lissa, and he cares about her, so I can't get upset about that. He and I just clash sometimes, that's all†¦ but we did really well together against the Strigoi. I remembered that while I was with him today, and arguing against this assignment just seemed stupid. So I decided to do the best job I could.† I hadn't meant to talk so much, but it felt good to let out what was inside of me, and the look on Dimitri's face would have gotten me to say anything. Almost anything. â€Å"What happened then?† he asked. â€Å"With Stan?† I averted my eyes and played with my cup again. I hated keeping things from him, but I couldn't tell him about this. In the human world, vampires and dhampirs were creatures of myth and legend – bedtime stories to scare children. Humans didn't know we were real and walking the earth. But just because we were real didn't mean that every other story-time paranormal creature was. We knew that and had our own myths and bedtime stories about things we didn't believe in. Werewolves. Bogeymen. Ghosts. Ghosts played no real role in our culture, short of being fodder for pranks and campfire tales. Ghosts inevitably came up on Halloween, and some legends endured over the years. But in real life? No ghosts. If you came back after death, it was because you were a Strigoi. At least, that's what I'd always been taught. I honestly didn't know enough now to say what was going on. Me imagining Mason seemed more likely than him being a true ghost, but man, that meant I might seriously be heading into crazy territory. All this time I'd worried about Lissa losing it. Who had known it might be me? Dimitri was still watching me, waiting for an answer. â€Å"I don't know what happened out there. My intentions were good †¦ I just†¦ I just messed up.† â€Å"Rose. You're a terrible liar.† I glanced up. â€Å"No, I'm not. I've told a lot of good lies in my life. People have believed them.† He smiled slightly. â€Å"I'm sure. But it doesn't work with me. For one thing, you won't look me in the eye. As for the other†¦ I don't know. I can just tell.† Damn. He could tell. He just knew me that well. I stood up and moved to the door, keeping my back to him. Normally, I treasured every minute with him, but I couldn't stick around today. I hated lying, but I didn't want to tell the truth either. I had to leave. â€Å"Look, I appreciate you being worried about me†¦but really, it's okay. I just messed up. I'm embarrassed about it – and sorry I put your awesome training to shame – but I'll rebound. Next time, Stan's ass is mine.† I hadn't even heard him get up, but suddenly, Dimitri was right behind me. He placed a hand on my shoulder, and I froze in front of the door leading out. He didn't touch me anywhere else. He didn't try to pull me closer. But, oh, that one hand on my shoulder held all the power in the world. â€Å"Rose,† he said, and I knew he was no longer smiling. â€Å"I don't know why you're lying, but I know you wouldn't do it without a good reason. And if there's something wrong – something you're afraid to tell the others – â€Å" I spun around rapidly, somehow managing to pivot in place in such a way that his hand never moved yet ended up on my other shoulder. â€Å"I'm not afraid,† I cried. â€Å"I do have my reasons, and believe me, what happened with Stan was nothing. Really. All of this is just something stupid that got blown out of proportion. Don't feel sorry for me or feel like you have to do anything. What happened sucks, but I'll just roll with it and take the black mark. I'll take care of everything. I'll take care of me.† It took all of my strength just then not to shake. How had this day gotten so bizarre and out of control? Dimitri didn't say anything. He just looked down at me, and the expression on his face was one I'd never seen before. I couldn't interpret it. Was he mad? Disapproving? I just couldn't tell. The fingers on my shoulder tightened slightly and then relaxed. â€Å"You don't have to do this alone,† he said at last. He sounded almost wistful, which made no sense. He was the one who'd been telling me for so long that I needed to be strong. I wanted to throw myself into his arms just then, but I knew I couldn't. I couldn't help a smile. â€Å"You say that†¦but tell me the truth. Do you go running to others when you have problems?† â€Å"That's the not the same – â€Å" â€Å"Answer the question, comrade.† â€Å"Don't call me that.† â€Å"And don't avoid the question either.† â€Å"No,† he said. â€Å"I try to deal with my problems on my own.† I slipped away from his hand. â€Å"See?† â€Å"But you have a lot of people in your life you can trust, people who care about you. That changes things.† I looked at him in surprise. â€Å"You don't have people who care about you?† He frowned, obviously rethinking his words. â€Å"Well, I've always had good people in my life†¦and there have been people who cared about me. But that doesn't necessarily mean I could trust them or tell them everything.† I was often so distracted by the weirdness of our relationship that I rarely thought about Dimitri as someone with a life away from me. He was respected by everyone on campus. Teachers and students alike knew him as one of the deadliest guardians here. Whenever we ran into guardians from outside the school, they always seemed to know and respect him too. But I couldn't recall ever having seen him in any sort of social setting. He didn't appear to have any close friends among the other guardians – just coworkers he liked. The friendliest I'd ever seen him get with someone had been when Christian's aunt, Tasha Ozera, visited. They'd known each other for a long time, but even that hadn't been enough for Dimitri to pursue once her visit was over. Dimitri was alone an awful lot, I realized, content to hole up with his cowboy novels when not working. I felt alone a lot, but in truth, I was almost always surrounded by people. With him being my teacher, I tended to view things as one-sided: He was the one always giving me something, be it advice or instruction. But I gave him something too, something harder to define – a connection with another person. â€Å"Do you trust me?† I asked him. The hesitation was brief. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Then trust me now, and don't worry about me just this once.† I stepped away, out of the reach of his arm, and he didn't say anything more or try to stop me. Cutting through the room that I'd had the hearing in, I headed for the building's main exit, tossing the remnants of my hot chocolate in a garbage can as I walked past.

Characters in Macbeth and The Laboratory Essay

Macbeth is arguably one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. Written sometime between 1603 and 1606, the play is strongly written with King James the first’s of England’s interests in mind; the supernatural. Because of this we are introduced to the idea of the paranormal and witchcraft straight way in the play with the three. This would have scared a Jacobean audience as they feared the supernatural; it also foreshadows the likeliness of disturbed characters to be introduced later in the play. In comparison, The Laboratory, a poem written by Robert Browning in the 1800’s and set in aristocratic France- before the revolution, when the old regime of the monarchy was still in place. This was a time of great diversity between the social classes, so seeing the narrator of the dramatic monologue, an affluent woman, liaising with a poor alchemist would have deeply shocked a 19th century audience, as they would believe her to be troubled, or maybe even disturbe d. Macbeth is Shakespeare’s shortest tragedy; this means that the play has no sub-plots and only concentrates on the story, and the disturbed mind, of the main character, Macbeth. The full focus on Macbeth himself emphasises his evil nature and thirst for power, portraying him as the ultimate tyrannical and disturbed character. â€Å"I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself and falls on the other† . The metaphorical language used as the reference to ‘spurs’, used to make horses go faster, shows that Macbeth feels his ambition to gain power is being limited by the king. Macbeth is shown to have great respect for the king and sees the king as almost a friend, so to describe him as a mere obstacle to overcome shows he has no moral boundaries, making him a disturbed character. Similarly, The Laboratory is a poem written in the form of a dramatic monologue, this means we hear everything that’s going on from the view of the narrator. In this case, it’s high class woman who is obsessed with getting revenge on her husband and his lovers. Her single-mindedness is shown by the poem only being about her thoughts and her fatal flaws, jealousy and revenge. These themes are shown in the poem right away. In the first stanza, the topic of poison and murder are mentioned quite blatantly. â€Å"Which is the poison to poison her, prithee?† The reader doesn’t yet know that there’s a revenge  plot, however Browning wants the reader look into the narrators disturbed mind early into the poem. He uses this fourth line like a hook to pull the reader into the poem and make them wonder why the speaker would want to kill someone. In Act 1, Scene 1 of Macbeth, we are introduced to the three witches, showing the audience that the play has a strong supernatural theme. This would have scared a Jacobean audience much more than a modern audience as witchcraft was feared much more intensely than it is today. Shakespeare used catalectic trochaic tetrameter and rhyming couplets to make the witches words sound like a spell, â€Å"Fair is foul and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.† The oxymoron shows that the witches don’t know the difference between good and bad. This foreshadows a play of contrasts and disturbed minds. Macbeth’s words also echoes the witches in Act 1, Scene 3 â€Å"So foul and fair a day I have not seen.† We recognise the oxymoron from when the witches said it in the opening scene; this gives the audience the impression that Macbeth shares similar qualities with the witches, such as he doesn’t know the difference between good and bad, and therefore had no moral boundaries. It also foreshadows that Macbeth will have more to with the witches in the future. This makes Macbeth a disturbed character to the audience, particularly a Jacobean audience, because of his association with the supernatural. On the other hand, the subt itle to Robert Browning’s poem â€Å"The Laboratory†, â€Å"Ancien Regime†, tells us that it is set in France before the revolution, when the old regime of the monarchy was still in place. The narrator appears to be an upper class woman, a fact which is not apparent in the opening stanza, but becomes so as the poem develops; this is seen by the lexical field of wealth, â€Å"Gold, Kings, Jewels†, who is in a laboratory brewing up a poison to kill her rivals. For a 19th century audience this poem’s setting alone would be very bizarre. In aristocratic France, it was way rare for the social classes to mix, so seeing an upper class lady in the setting of a poor laboratory was very strange. The disturbance in the setting would have deeply confused the audience. The narrator even flaunts her wealth to the chemist when she begins to fantasise about what she will hide the poison in with the exclamatory sentence, â€Å"To carry pure death in an earring, a casket, A signet, a fan-mount, a filigree-basket!† This would have shocked a 19th century audience and they would have believed her to have been a very disturbed character. A Jacobean audience would think that  Macbeth is more of a tragic hero than a modern audience would. This is because a Jacobean audience would feel more sympathy towards Macbeth because of his fatal flaw, ambition. In the 1600’s the idea of succession and promotion would be much more topical than it is today, this is because one of the two main monarchs in Shakespeare’s time, Queen Elizabeth, remained the ‘Virgin’ Queen throughout her reign and therefore had no successor, creating great instability. Macbeth was promoted to Thane of Cawdor and the King called him brave â€Å"for brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name†. This would have been a massive compliment to Macbeth, so naturally he would enjoy it and want more, A Jacobean audience would have sympathised with his feelings because of the situation of their monarchy at the time. This makes him a tragic hero as he was once a great war lord that was brought down by his fatal flaw, ambition. Also, a Jacobean audience were much more likely to believe in the idea that the witches were taking over Macbeths mind. In Shakespeare time, witchcraft was a major issue as people fully believed that it was possible to be possessed by the supernatural and demonic natures as the knowledge that the women supplied was like a drug to Macbeth, and it is obvious he was fascinated by it at the start, â€Å"would they have stayed†- and continually wants more. His obsession with the witches would have made a Jacobean audience believed he had a disturbed mind, but they would have also have felt sympathy toward his as they believed he was being possessed, making him a tragic hero. However, a modern audience are more sceptical about the supernatural and would therefore see Macbeth as more of a disturbed character as we find it harder the feel sympathy towards him and see him more of a weak willed character as he frequently talks himself out of murdering his friends for his own gain, yet he does it anyway. â€Å"yet I do fear thy nature; it is too full o’the milk of human kindness/ To catch the nearest way.† It is shown that Mabeth doesn’t dislike Duncan as a king, in fact he sees him as a friend, but he is in the way of Macbeth’s fatal flaw, ambition, and so has to be killed. The upcoming murder is described as inevitable. The focus on his fall, as well as his rise demonstrates Shakespeare’s moral message th at tyrannical reins will come full circle and end in their demise. Shown also through the divine right of kings, as Malcolm finishes up on the thrown. However, in The Laboratory, as soon as we hear of the narrator’s motive we feel sympathy towards her. She is also a  victim as her husband has cheated on her, leaving her heart broken and distraught. However as we learn more of her fatal flaws, jealousy and revange, the audience realised that she does not only want to kill her emimies, but she wants to make them suffer too, â€Å"Not that I bid you spare her the pain! Let death be felt and the proof remain.† This quote from the 9th stanza shows that she wants her rivals to know that they are dying, and that she doesn’t care if she is caught to be the one responsible for their murder. A 19th century French audience would call this a ‘crime of passion’ because the persona has been wronged by the husband and would naturally want to take revenge. They wouldn’t believe that it was okay, however they would have understood why she wanted to do it more than a modern audience would, and would therefo re view her as a tragic hero. A modern audience would mostly see her actions as outright murder and would feel less sympathy to the disturbed mind of the narrator and so would see her as less of a tragic hero and more of a disturbed and jealous maniacal killer. In Act 1 Scene 5, Lady Macbeth, after being told what the witches told Macbeth about him become king, â€Å"and king here after!†, and upon receiving word that King Duncan of Scotland will be arriving that night, begins sharpening her talons. She isn’t sure there’s enough manhood to go around between herself and her husband, so she calls upon scheming spirits to â€Å"unsex me [Lady Macbeth] here.† This is her vivid way of asking to be stripped of feminine weakness and invested with masculine resolve. She imagines herself as a vessel which may be emptied out and refilled â€Å"from the crown to the toe.† One thing nobody, spirit or otherwise, has ever poured into her is â€Å"the milk of human kindness†. Lady Macbeth’s speech is very shocking to the audience as it shows the inner workings of her mind and what she really desires, power. This suggest to the audience that she may be the one with the ultimate disturbed mind as she has no d oubts that she I prepared to kill her king for her own gain. The narrator shows her power over the alchemist as she frequently dominates him and gives him orders, â€Å"Quick- is it finished? The colour’s too grim!† The idea of a woman telling a man what to do would have been unheard of in a patriarchal society such as then. However the alchemist doesn’t seem to mind as it is revealed that the disturbed woman who has come for his service is prepared to give everything, â€Å"Now, take all my jewels, gorge gold to your fill, You may kiss me old man, on my mouth if  you will!† The fact an upper class woman is prepared to let a poor alchemist kiss her shows how much this poison means to the narrator. However she pushes him away to avoid any repercussion of the poison, â€Å"but brush this dust off me, lest horror it brings†. Her quick change of mind shows the giddiness in the thought of killing her rivals. After Lady Macbeth strengthens her husband’s resolve by mocking his perceived weakness, she convin ces him that king Duncan will be murdered than night and explains her plan to him. In the beginning of Act 2 Scene 1 the setting is clearly dark (use of touch bearers) and â€Å"the candles are all out† metaphor, which is a reference to the heavens, suggests that with the physical darkness there is also a moral darkness. Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy to set the dark scene. This foreshadows the likelihood of death and also likes with the darkness of Macbeth’s and his wife’s disturbed mind. Later on in the scene Macbeth’s soliloquy reveals for the first time the extent of Macbeth’s disturbed mind. He begins to see things that others cannot, a dagger. He asks if it is real or a â€Å"false creation/ Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?† This intensifies the atmosphere of evil but is also a symbol of the start of Macbeth’s mental torment and psychological breakdown. Just as inward debate and talk of murder is about to stifle his courage, Macbeth’s intense illusion is shattered by the bell, a signal from L ady Macbeth that Duncan’s chamberlains are asleep, â€Å"I go, and it is done; the bell invites me.† Macbeth races away to commit the heinous crime almost saying he has no choice since the â€Å"bell invites† him, taking the responsibility away from himself. This leaves the question in the audience’s mind of weather a few more moments of deliberation would have changed Macbeths disturbed mind. On the other hand, The Laboratory is written in anapaestic tetrameter, which is an upbeat rhythm that shows her calm and confident one track mind. This is also emphasised by rhyming couplets and regular quatrains, â€Å"..Tightly.. Whitely,†; â€Å"..Smithy†¦ Prithee?† However, Browning switches to dactyls on line 5, â€Å"He is with her, and they know that I know.† This change in rhythm emphasises her paranoia and makes the audience wonder whether her husband’s affaire is all just in her disturbed and paranoid mind In Macbeth’s eyes, the murder of Duncan has now made the murder of Banquo and his son a necessity and the witches predicted th at it would be Banquo’s children that end up on the thrown. Macbeth treats the murder of his best friend as a  facile task, which tell the audience that the trace of humanity under the â€Å"vaulting ambition† and the moments of reflection and regret are now gone. After the deed had been done and Banquo is now dead Macbeth sees his best friend’s ghost, ironically during his celebratory banquet after becoming king. This is the first time Macbeths friends and subjects see his disturbed minds and Macbeth begins to panic and shout at, what seems to them, to be nothing. â€Å"Prithee, see there! Behold! Look! Lo! How say you? Why, what care I? If thou canst nod, speak too.† The repetition of short exclamatory sentences and rhetorical questions shows Macbeths panic at the disturbing sight of his â€Å"gory† best friend’s ghost. To a Jacobean audience, this would be Gods punishment for committing murder and treason. The divine right of kings lead people to believe that the royal family is put there by God so to k ill Royalty is much worse than normal murder. So therefore god has sent the image of his dead friend to torment his disturbed mind for what he has done. On the other hand, a modern audience would argue that this is result of Macbeth’s guilt for ordering his best friend to be killed for no reason other than to keep his status as king for eternity. This shows his deluded and disturbed mind as there is no way that killing Banquo and his son would leave Macbeth on the thrown forever. It shows how is power hunger and disturbed character has poisoned his mind is his sub-conscious guilt has finally gotten too much. In contrast, in The Laboratory, because of her husband’s love affair with other women, â€Å"he is with her†, we can see the narrator’s mental state become more and more disturbed as the poem progresses. This can be seen through the pleasure that the speaker is feeling when talking about the imminent death of her two rivals; â€Å"grind away moisten and mash up thy paste†. These verbs show the pleasure the speaker is taking in plotting death. This is unsettling to the reader as we wouldn’t expect to see such evil thoughts in a society filled with luxury, portrayed by the lexical field of wealth â€Å"gold, kings, jewels.† The narrator frequently refers to poison with positive connotations â€Å"treasures†¦ pleasures†, this shows that she doesn’t know the difference between good and band and therefore (like Macbeth) had no moral boundaries. Browning also includes alliteration of plosives, â€Å"Brand, Burn up, Bite into its grace-â€Å" This makes the verbs sound violent and aggressive and also makes the narrator sound very disturbed when she says them. Finally, Macbeth who, by  Act 4, is far along the path of insanity becomes paranoid and feels the need to make the witches tell him more. He returns to the Witches and boldly demands to be shown a series of apparitions that tell his future. The first apparition is the disembodied head of a warrior who seems to warn Macbeth of a bloody revenge at the hands of HYPERLINK â€Å"http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/m/macbeth/summary-and-analysis/~/link.aspx?_id=D7760724761D4871B3541B0CC827B645&_z=z† Macduff. The second is a blood-covered child who comforts Macbeth with the news that he cannot be killed by any man â€Å"of woman born.† The third is a child wearing a crown, who promises that Macbeth cannot lose in battle until Birnam wood physically moves toward his stronghold at Dunsinane. Encouraged by the news of such impossibilities, Macbeth asks, â€Å"Shall Banquo’s issue ever reign in this kingdom?† The Witches present an image of a ghostly procession of future kings, led by Banquo. All this serves only to enrage Macbeth, who, trusting in his own pride reveals in an aside to the audience his determination to terminate Macduff as he is now a threat to Macbeths rein. Macbeth realises that he cannot kill Macduff at that moment in time as Macduff is off with his army in England. So instead he chooses to damage Macduff emotionally, in the hope that he would crumble in grief after hearing of the slaughter of his loved ones. This shows that Macbeth has now bee n completely in engulfed into his disturbed mind as he is now killing innocent women and children in his decent into ultimate tyranny. To both Jacobean and modern audiences his disturbing actions are unforgivable. However Macbeth’s actions do the opposite of when he intended- Macduff is spurred on by his anger and eventually takes Macbeth’s life for it. The focus on his fall, as well as his rise demonstrates Shakespeare’s moral message that tyrannical reins will come full circle and end in their demise. In conclusion, I think that Shakespeare uses the disturbed mind of Macbeth effectively to keep the audience engaged. Macbeth’s confused and disturbed mind is always flickering back on forth to what is right and what isn’t. Shakespeare presents this through his use of soliloquies and short sentences, keeping the audience fascinated and following every turn and twist of Macbeth’s disturbed mind. Contrasting to The Laboratory where Browning presents the character of the narrator as truly disturbed, yet not mad like Macbeth and she keeps a one track mind and urge to kill throughout most of the poem. This theme of  revenge leaves the reader able to sympathise with the narrator. They understand her motives and that she had been driven to this outcome. The relationship that browning builds between the narrator and the reader is effective because the reader can easily look into and understand the narrators disturbed mind, allowing the reader to stay engaged with the piece.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Food Wastage Essay

Food wastage is a problem faced by every developing and developed country around the world. According to a book by Tristram Stuart,Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal(Penguin, 2009), approximately 40 million tonnes of food are wasted by US households, retailers and food services each year. This is sufficient to feed the nearly one billion malnourished people in the world. Yet in spite of this trend, peope continue to waste food at an alarming rate. Currently, a third of food produced around the world for human consumption is lost or wasted. This is equivalent to about 1. 3 billion tons of edible food every year, and less than a quarter of it is enough to satisfy the hunger of every hungry person in the world. In Hong Kong, 32 tonnes of solid food waste is produced each day, where the mast majority is dumped on the landfills which are running out of space. In tropical climates like Hong Kong, the decomposition of these food emit harmful greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide which capture and retain heat in the atmosphere. This accelerates and exacerbates the severity of global warming. If we stop wasting food that could have been consumed, it would be equivalent to reducing the carbon footprint of one in every four cars on the road. It is also worth noting that, by reducing the amount of food waste that is being sent to the landfill, we can extend the lifespan of the landfills in addition to reducing the burden on Hong Kong’s environment. That being said, it is time we take action to curb the trend of food wastage. In my opinion, there are three strategies to counter this pertinent issue at hand: campaigns by non-government organizations, distribution of free pamphlets in supermarkets, and government policy control on food portions in restaurants. In order the ameliorate the problem of food wastage, it is important to start from the root of the issue-providing education and enhancing social awareness through campaigns. In my opinion, most people are unaware of the severe repercussions that food wastage brings to the environment. By educating the people and raising the awareness, it is fair to say that the problem will at least be mitigated. Campaigns would be a good way to start, and Hong Kong should follow the model in the UK. Love Food, Hate Waste is a non-profit organization in the UK which aims to raise awareness of the need to reduce food waste as well as encourage people to take action. It teaches people easy, practical ways to do at home that helps people waste less food and at the same time, save money and help the environment. For example, it has a user-friendly website which teaches people everything from how to store foods longer to how to make use of leftover foods from dinner for their next meal. It even has a portion tool that helps to estimate approximately how much food a person needs for the meal, based on the type of food it is and the number of people consumingit, so that there is a lower chance of food wastage. For example, if an adult would like to have beef for dinner, it would be approximately 100grams whereas for a child, it would be about 70grams. Love Food, Hate Waste is a successful model that Hong Kong should aim to emulate, because it has user-friendly, practical ways that people can follow so that food waste can be effectively reduced. Another way to alleviate food wastage is to provide free brochures in every supermarket in Hong Kong, so that it raises the awareness of the people. This will help them make informed choices on the quantity of food to buy, as well as how to store them such that they take a longer time to expire. For example, wrapping vegetables in newspaper helps prolong its shelf life. Also, sealing off leftover food in a jar and placing them into the freezer helps exend its expiry date by a few days, if not weeks. Another example is separating apples from other fruits. This is because they give off ethylene gas, which will make other fruit become overripe . That being said, this method of discouraging food waste may be expensive. Printing millions of brochures is economically and environmentally costly. A large amount of money has to put aside for the production of the brochures, while heaps of paper would have to be used to print them. It may be a possible means to raise awareness on food wastage; however it is not the best option available. Last but not least, the government can implement a policy that regulates food portions in restaurants. People waste considerable amounts of food when they eat out, and one of the possible reasons is that they cannot finish their food. Therefore, one proposal is that the government can first impose a policy that controls the portion of meals served by restaurants, in order to wither down on the unnecessary food wasted. Restaurants can provide three serving portions for the customer to choose from-small, regular and large. This provides the suitable quantity of food for the customers such that it balances food wastage and customer satisfaction. Customers who are unable to finish their food will have to pay a penalty or fine. However, this proposal may be sit well with the people in Hong Kong. Some restaurants lure customers with their large food portions for a comparatively cheaper price, and hence if the government were to regulate the food portion of each restaurant, it would certainly face opposition from the owners of these restaurants. Not to mention, it is very difficult to measure the exact quantity of food of each restaurant to determine which category they fall into. While this may be a possible option in future, it is certainly too difficult to measure and monitor this over a long period of time. Large amounts of resources would have to be put in for a policy which may not be popular or effective at all. All in all, food wastage is an urgent problem that needs our immediate attention. Swift action would have to be taken if we were to mitigate this issue before it goes out of hand. We as the citizens of the world should be aware and take responsibility and reduce the environmental impact of solid food waste. The first step to achieving this goal is to advocate campaigns and follow the successful model of Love Food, Hate Waste in the UK. Only then will we start to have a clearer conscience and a better environment to live in.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

The Bill of Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Bill of Rights - Essay Example James Madison is acknowledged as the chief Bill of Rights author (Revolutionary War and Beyond, 1). This document protects Americans' rights as discussed below I. Freedom of Speech, Press, Religion and Petition The Congress shall not make any law with regard to the founding of religion, or barring the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of the press or of speech; or people’s right to assemble peaceably, and to implore the Government to even out their grievances (Mintz, 295). II. Right to bear and keep arms A well-regulated armed force, being crucial to the safety of a Free State, people’s right to bear and keep arms shall not be interfered with (Yale Law School, 1-10). III. Conditions for quarters of soldiers In time of peace, no soldier shall be housed in any house, without the owner’s consent the, nor during war, but in a way that the law prescribes (Yale Law School, 3). IV. Regulation of the right of search and seizure The Bill of Rights forbids th e violation of the right of the people to be safe in their houses, persons, effects, and papers against irrational seizures and searches. Moreover, no warrants shall come forth, except upon plausible grounds, backed by affirmation or oath, and predominantly giving a description of the place that need searching, and the things or people to be taken into custody (Yale Law School, 4). V. Provisions relating to prosecution According to the Bill of Rights, but for on a Grand Jury’s indictment or presentment, no individual shall be seized to answer for a capital/federal crime, or else an infamous crime, with the exception of in cases cropping up in the militia, or in naval or land forces, while in actual service in the event of public danger or war. It also states that unless the judges fail to come to a ruling, an individual cannot go through trial for one offense two times; and that the court cannot compel anyone to testify against himself/herself or deprive him/her of life, prop erty or liberty, without due law process. Moreover, the government should not take the property of an individual for public use without fair compensation (Mintz, 295). VI. Right to a fair trial In all criminal prosecutions, the Bill of Rights guarantees the right to a public and speedy trial of the accused by unbiased judges in the jurisdiction wherein the alleged crime took place. Moreover, the Bill gives the accused the right to be informed of the cause and nature of the charges against them, in addition to guaranteeing him/her the right to employ the services of a lawyer in his/her defense as well as the right to cross-examine witnesses (Mintz, 295). VII. Right to a trial by jury In lawsuits at common law, the Bill grants the accused the right to a trial by jury and also guarantees that facts that those juries decide cannot be later examined again in any US court (Yale Law School, 4). VIII. Bails, fines and punishment The Bill of rights prohibits excessive fines, excessive bail, and the inflicting of unusual and cruel punishments (Mintz, 295). IX. Rule of construction of Constitution The bill stipulates that the listing of certain rights in the Constitution shall not be taken to mean the denial or disparaging of other rights that the people retain (Yale Law School, 4). X. Rights of the States and the people under Constitution The Bill indicates that the states as well as the people retain powers that the Constitution has not delegated to the US and the federal government

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Qatar's CO2 Emissions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Qatar's CO2 Emissions - Research Paper Example Its per capita CO2 emissions are the highest in the world and are three times that of the US (Pearce). Although its emissions have multiplied four fold since 1990, the country is not penalized for it, as it is classified as a developing country, thereby escaping the need to set emission targets as per the Kyoto Protocol (Pearce). Considering the global drive to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment, Qatar has begun taking initiatives to keep its share of the global carbon emissions and greenhouse gases in check. The urgency to introduce measures to reduce its carbon footprint came to global notice after the UNDP Human Development Report of 2007 identified it as being the highest contributor to global carbon emissions with per capita CO2 emissions being 79.3 tones/capita (â€Å"Combating Qatar's CO2 emissions, Carbon World 2009 addresses reduction†). Effect of CO2 Emissions and Green House Gases (GHG) on the Environment Carbon dioxide and other GHGs such as sulphu r dioxide, methane and nitrogen oxides liberated upon burning fossil fuels have massive negative effects on the environment. These gases upon accumulation over the earth cause climatic changes due to global warming, which in turn affect other ecological features of the planet. CO2 and GHGs allow the sun’s heat to reach the earth’s surface; however, they do not allow the infrared light or heat emitted by the earth’s surface from leaving (Williams 6). This process results in the accumulation of heat on earth, much like what happens in a greenhouse. The trapping of heat results in global warming which in turn causes massive alterations in global climates. These climatic changes affect forests, vegetation, agriculture, and rainfall, apart from causing a rise in sea level by melting the polar ice sheets (ReVelle and ReVelle 376). Such changes adversely affect all life forms on earth. However, as Williams points out, the process that is actually occurring is more comp lex than greenhouse effect and global warming (6). He reasons that the earth is not a perfect sphere and has irregular features on its surface such as mountain ranges, forests, oceans, polar ice caps, etc. Not two regions display the same response to excess CO2  ­and GHGs in the environment. Therefore, as Williams argues, â€Å"future climate change is regional, not global† (6). High CO2 emissions lead to adverse effects on the climate, which influences not only agriculture and water levels, but also causes water stress and water insecurity, climatic disasters, adverse effects on human health, and even negative effects on biodiversity and ecosystem (GSDP 17). Considering the complex association between the climate, the environment and greenhouse gas emissions, it is understood that controlling and monitoring the carbon and ecological footprint of manmade processes is an indispensable requirement. Qatar is the Highest Country per Capita in CO2 Emissions As already stated, Qa tar’s per capita CO2 emissions are the highest in the world. The main reason for Qatar’s high CO2 emissions is its extremely high use of energy (Pearce). Qatar has large industries for the extraction and processing of its fossil fuel reserves (GSDP 104). These industries themselves have high energy consumption. Qatar is the largest producer of liquefied natural gas and exports a huge amount of its gas reserves to Europe and North America (Pearce). While liquefied natural gas is a clean fuel, its extraction and liquefaction is a very high energy consuming process and this contributes to the country’s already high carbon footprint. It can thus be said that while the country produces clean fuel that helps other countries meet

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Contract Law Problems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Contract Law Problems - Essay Example ..any laws or regulations directed toward enforcing certain promises. In Australia contract law is primarily regulated by the 'common law', but increasingly statutes are supplementing the common law of contract - particularly in relation to consumer protection. â€Å" (Clarke, 2011). This law was formerly known in legal circles as the Trade Practices Act of 1974 but was officially renamed The Competition and Consumer Act 2010 on January 1, 2011 due to certain amendments that were made that â€Å"included a repeal of Part IVA (unconscionable conduct), Part V (Consumer Protection, including s 52), Part VA (Manufacturer's Liability) and Part VC (offences). The substance of the provisions that were contained in those parts is now contained in Schedule 2 of the Act which will be known as the 'Australian Consumer Law' and which, by virtue of enabling state and territory legislation, contains Australia's first nationally consistent consumer law. â€Å" (Clarke, 2011). One must keep in mi nd that a written contract is legally binding at the time of signing and cannot be altered nor revoked due to certain conditions that became present after the contract has been signed. By signing a contract, it becomes a legally binding promise on the side of both contracting parties to complete an agreed upon obligation. Australian law requires that a certain set of circumstances must be present at the time of the agreement for the written document to become a valid contract. These factors include â€Å" a compromising offer and acceptance, consideration, intention to create legal relations, compliance with any legal formalities and that the parties have the legal capacity to contract. â€Å" (Clarke 2010). The contract that Watertankz entered into with Harry specifically detailed what he had to do as a client in order to make the document that contained their price quote into a legally binding contract. To be specific, their letter of communication clearly indicated that all Har ry had to do was â€Å"please sign the enclosed terms and conditions of sale document and mail it back to us together with a 10% deposit. The quote is valid until June 30 â€Å". I would then ask Harry to take note of the validity date of the quote that was sent to him, June 30. Under the agreement that was proposed and approved by the company signatories, his rights as their client and their obligation to fulfil the agreement is clearly spelled out. As long as Harry signs the document and gets the document and the check deposit in the mail before June 30, the contract is now legally binding. As such, there are now legal sanctions in place should either party decide to renege on their deal prior to the deadline (Government of South Australia, Contract Law, 2009). Just like any other company in the public service, the price of Watertankz supplies and other pertinent materials may see an increase in cost at any given moment. Which is exactly what happened in the case of Harry. The c ost of materials for Watertankz rose sharply on the first day of June, which would definitely cut into their profit margin or post a loss for their company earnings. So, it us understandable that they adjust their prices accordingly. However, the law of contracts clearly indicates that they cannot reject and formal contract bids that they closed within a specific time frame, regardless of the increase in costs for their own company. The law in effect, protects the

Monday, August 26, 2019

Gender Gap Between Male and Female Obstetrics and Gynecology Essay

Gender Gap Between Male and Female Obstetrics and Gynecology - Essay Example This gender gap is not only in Britain but in the United States as well and hence making the gender gap continue to increase (Higham and Philip 142). Male as well as female medical students all receive the same kind of training in medical colleges on gynecological and obstetrician training and are therefore competent. This, therefore, means that female patients should not be afraid to be examined by the male doctors because they may even have more experience and expertise than some of the female ob-gyns when it comes to diagnosis and even treatment (Tseng and Jon Mark 17). The lack of involvement or totally keeping male students out of this field of medicine shuts men out of women’s health issues including the issues on reproduction especially relating to contraceptive which should be a shared decision between men and women (Boulis and Jerry 154). There will also be a lack of gender equality which is being advocated for in society in all careers and also there will be a lack of future role models in the society. Higham, Jenny, and Philip, Steer. â€Å"Gender gap in undergraduate experience and performance in obstetrics and gynecology: analysis of clinical experience logs.†

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Stress reduction technique that worked for me (prayer) Essay

Stress reduction technique that worked for me (prayer) - Essay Example Firstly, I have seen serious fights between my parents since my childhood. I have grown up in a very dysfunctional family. There is not much bonding amongst the family members or with my relatives. One of the major reasons for my parent’s fights is their frustration regarding the financial condition. My dad has been working really hard but due to some reason or the other he suffers a loss. Secondly, my sister got married 2 years back and when she was 6 months pregnant, she returned to our home and then we got to know that there has been serious issues going on between them and she wanted to be separated from her husband that is she wanted a divorce which upset me a lot. Lastly, exams at this stage also cause stress because in such a situation, it is very difficult to stay home and study or to concentrate in the books. It was Tuesday night 12 am when suddenly my sister came to my place. She was crying like anything and when she told my mother the whole story, I burst into tears. I didn’t know what to do and what to say at that time. My tears were due to the accumulation of all the tensions and stresses I had. That was the time when I decided to pray to God and ask for His help. Before I started to pray, I was mentally very disturbed. I could not think of any positive thing around me and was lost in some other world. Then I started to pray. Prayer as a stress reduction technique follows a four step procedure. Firstly there is supplication in which I asked for guidance in my own words along with the set prayer which said â€Å"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have Mercy on me† and â€Å"Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on my soul†. In this we ask for certain events to turn out the way we want to. Then there is meditation in which being still in body, which is contributing to the settling of the turbulent waters of issues in the mind; confusion falling away so that the voice of conscience can be heard. In this, our mind relaxes and becomes more

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Managing Human Resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Managing Human Resources - Essay Example gement in an international organisation involves a combination of activities that maintain, develop and attract an effective workforce required to achieve the company’s objectives (Mathis & Jackson, 2007). International human resource management (IHRM) deals with managing the expatriates and deals with how the expatriates adjust to the foreign culture and the management of a diverse workforce (Cieri & Et. Al., 2005). Organisations need to put in place an effective performance appraisal system to develop the global and expatriate managers. Global performance appraisal is a strategic process that helps the multinational corporations to continuously improve their global operations through their employees by matching up to certain pre set objectives. International Performance Appraisal (IPA) sets the basis for compensation, rewards and promotions (Shen, 2010). The subsidiaries of the MNCs have different employees of different nationalities which makes performance appraisal a criti cal task. Employees in the subsidiaries are the Parent Country National (PCN), Third Country nationals (TCN) and the Host Country National (HCN). TCN and PCN together are known as expatriates. Parent Country Nationals are the citizens of the country to which the organisation belongs and they have the same cultural background as the employees in their corporate headquarters. They do not have any knowledge about the host country’s culture, social and political conditions (Denisi & Griffin, 2005). Host Country Nationals are the residents of the host country in which the company operates and they are aware of the local culture, social and economic conditions (Denisi & Griffin, 2005). Third Country Nationals are people who neither belong to the parent country nor to the host country. They bring diversity in the organisation and the organisation benefits from their experience (Denisi & Griffin, 2005). Hiring a mix of these nationals enables greater integration, control and mobilisa tion of

Friday, August 23, 2019

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Marketing - Essay Example Examining the similarities and differences of each of the studies creates a deeper understanding of how results can differ and what is excluded from different studies, despite the similarity of focus with the studies. This research paper will examine four different studies related to the sports retail industry. These will be evaluated first to show how each links to the sports industry and what the main conclusions were. When looking at the different studies, there will be the ability to evaluate and determine both similarities and differences between the studies. By looking into this and examining the alterations between various types of studies, there is the ability to create a deeper understanding about the sports retail stores and how this relates to customer service and management. At the same time, the limitations and developments with the studies can help to define what changes need to be made for more effective applications to the studies. Qualitative Studies The first qualit ative study was based on observations of perceived value which customers had, specifically which related to attitudes, self – image congruence, satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The model which was used included showing how each of these levels related directly to how shoppers’ was influenced when shopping in a sports retail store. ... If the positioning wasn’t correct, then it was likely that the behaviors would become negative and the management would seem inflictive. Positioning directly affected the purchase and the feeling of customer satisfaction when creating behavioral intentions from customers (Ibrahim, Naijar, 207: 2008). A second concept which is known to relate directly to the impact of customer relationships and management is with defining the relationship qualities which are built in retail stores and in fitness centers. It has been found that when there are more services and products in sports centers, individuals are more likely to respond in a positive manner. When management follows this with orientation toward different products, then it is also known that the relationships become more significant in the stores. Specifically, there is the belief from the customers that the orientation of services and products is based on building relationships and orientation toward the individuals working in the sport centers, as opposed to only the sale of various products. This increases quality and shows a sense of loyalty, customer satisfaction, commitment and social bonds that are a part of customer needs (Athanassopoulou, Mylonakis, 355: 2009). Quantitative Studies The first quantitative study which was defined was based on the customer satisfaction related to various approaches to management and customer service. This was defined with the customer satisfaction index, which included stated and derived importance variables. The scores were based on the importance that customers had to basic concepts within the store as well as performance that was a part of the store. A regression analysis was performed to find which was considered the most valuable to customers.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Color Purple. Applying Adult Learning Theory Through Character Assignment

The Color Purple. Applying Adult Learning Theory Through Character Analysis - Assignment Example Description of the character’s learning The film identifies its narrator, Celie, as an uneducated woman who is oppressed by her stepfather who rapes her, makes her pregnant and then steals her children. She writes letters to communicate to God but she maintains a passive role in her life as she submits to abuses under her stepfather and later from her husband. Her learning develops from a naà ¯ve uneducated woman to an informed woman who knows of herself worth and can take a stand to defend her position and ideas. She initially assumed little control over her life and environment and a quiet and invisible position for survival, as is evident in her passive position towards her abusive stepfather and her husband. Celie’s learns through her interaction with Shug Avery, a music icon who is beautiful and have potentials to achieve her objectives. Avery stimulates Celie’s development and allows Celie to unwind her history to gain sexual, spiritual and voice empowerment. Avery also succeeds in exposing Celie to ne w perspectives from which Celie can develop new insights about live. An example of such exposure is in religion in which Avery exposes Celie to a new form of God who is not traditional and one who treats people as equals regardless of their gender. Avery also helps Celie to discover Nettie’s previous letters. The letters informs her of her history and empowers her to comprehend her thoughts and emotions towards independence and she is able to protest against her husband’s oppressive acts. Celie also learns, through her interaction with Avery, of self-actualization potential and succeeds in developing a sewing enterprise from an assumed position of a part time activity for women who only perform domestic roles, to a profitable and established business that also gains her financial independence from her husband (Walker). The scope of Celie’s learning identifies the role of a moderator as Celie adopts an active learning approach in the process. In her interaction w ith Avery, Avery does not instruct Celie on what to do, neither does she tell her how to conduct herself, but the two women undergo the learning process together. Avery, for example, prod Celie’s past that allows Celie to develop spiritual and sexual aspects. Avery’s narrations also empower Celie and with the help of Avery, Celie discovers Nettie’s letters that lead Celie to new knowledge about her past and her children. Interaction with Avery also empowers Celie to self-actualization and the change in perspectives and capacity occurs through Celie’s active interaction with Avery’s world and her experience to transform her life and perception on life (Walker). Factors that caused the character to learn The film identifies interaction between Celie and Avery as the immediate reason for Celie’s learning. Factors into the learning can however be explored through Mezirow’s transformational learning theory and through Knowles’ theor etical based assumptions on adult learning. Knowles’ assumptions explain motivational factors as a cause of Celie’s learning. Knowles explains that learning is continuous and can occur at any age, aspect that allows Celie to learn at an elderly stage. Her ability to direct herself in learning, subject to Knowles self-concept assumption, is one of the factors that empowered Celie to learn from her interaction w

Victor Meldrew Essay Example for Free

Victor Meldrew Essay How realistic do you find the character of Victor Meldrew in One Foot in the Grave, base your answer on an analysis of In Luton Airport No-One Can Hear You Scream Victor Meldrew is the main character in a TV programme named One Foot in the Grave which is a BBC made sitcom. The word sitcom is short for situation comedy. Sitcoms were founded in America, with the first one I Love Lucy being a great success all over the world. It was shown on I. T. V, with almost every one enthralled week in and week out. This meant the BBC needed to create a sitcom of their own to try and justify the television licence, and One Foot in the Grave was one of those sitcoms. Sitcoms are a very popular genre of TV because they contain many subliminal messages. Sitcom productions such as One Foot in the Grave have many conventions which are there are few main characters, the episodes are episodic (each episode is separate) so you dont have to follow the story lines, most sitcoms have inexpensive sets, props and costumes or anything that can easily be carried on or off stage. Most sitcoms last for about 30 minutes and are based on everyday experiences so the audience can relate to them. All of these conventions are there to attract attention to Meldrew. For example having few main characters focuss all our attention on Meldrew and what he is doing. Having inexpensive props (properties), sets and costumes again draws our attention to Meldrew because our attention isnt focused on props or the surroundings and so that the audience can relate to it because stereotypical old men dont tend to wear brand names so Meldrew is merely following trend. The majority of the time main characters in sitcoms are stereotypes for example Kevin and Perry are stereotypical teenagers and Victor Meldrew is a great example of a stereotypical old man. Stereo types are used in sitcoms because there is not enough time to develop complex characters so when using a stereo type they are instantly recognised. With Meldrew being stereotyped as an old man we recognise him as being grumpy and stubborn constantly. This is always amusing to watch because we can all relate to it. At the start of the programme we hear the theme tune to One Foot in the Grave which shows a tortoise walking painfully slow which indicates a old person because people think of tortoises as old and slow. There are many quotes in the theme tune which are meant to explain old men, such as Wrinkly, Crinkly and Past my sell by date One Foot in the Grave is made up of many different types of humour as are many sitcoms. Meldrews humour tends to be visual, sarcastic and slapstick. In sitcoms the contrast between normal everyday experiences and ridiculous situations can differ in sitcoms. For example during the episode In Luton Airport No-One Can Hear You Scream Meldrew came home to find his house to be nothing more than rubble. This is not really an everyday experience which the audience can relate to its more of a ridiculous situation which makes the audience laugh. During sitcoms the audience may wonder whether the programme they are watching is realistic in any way. They may think this when for example when Meldrew is in his back garden sun bathing with his buttocks showing. This is not normal behaviour for an elderly man to do in his back garden. Another example of unrealistic behaviour is when Meldrew turns up at Luton Airport dressed like the Cisco kid. This is not realistic because this is not an outfit you would wear on your way back to Britain. The Still images show us how much effort has been put into making the episode because it shows us a great deal about the body language, the lighting and the types of camera angles used. The first still shot is when Meldrew is in the airport cafi and he has just been told about his house being burnt down, the still for this scene shows us there are lots of cheap props such as plastic plants, sombrero and a orange and pink shirt. The lighting is very bright and the camera angle is a medium shot. The body language of Melldrew after throwing the beer in his face shows him with a semi-open mouth to symbolise disbelief. Still 2 is the still from outside Meldrews house where he is arguing with a neighbour who is leaning out of his window from across the street. The props are again inexpensive because they are only stones and bricks. The camera angle is a high shot facing down on Melldrew to show us the power which his neighbour has over him because he is in a warm house and is above Meldrew. Still 3 is of Meldrew unpacking in a forensic suit, holding only a sock which was the only item found from his suitcase which was lost on his way back to Britain. The props used are packing cases and boxes. The lighting is very bright to show us that Meldrew is agitated. The camera shot is a medium shot, and his body language tells us that he is disgusted. Still 4 is of Meldrew sunbathing in his back garden in his trunks with his buttocks showing. The props used are a towel and some sunglasses. The sun provides all the sun for this shot, the camera angle used is a low shot to show us that Melldrew is helpless. His body language used shows us that he is shocked as his neighbour stumbles across him sun bathing. The conclusion to this is that Meldrew is not a realistic character he is merely a stereotype designed to make us laugh. If Meldrew was realistic most people would not find it funny and therefore not watch the programme. The idea of a sitcom is to make us laugh so if they had masses of characters or a complex setting it would take all the fun out of the programme and defy the whole point of a sitcom.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The Importance of Star Carr Mesolithic Archaeological Site

The Importance of Star Carr Mesolithic Archaeological Site Star Carr is considered to be an important site for understanding the Mesolithic period. Consider why this situation exists and outline what factors limit the available evidence for hunter- gathers in Britain during this period. To understand Star Carr, we most place the site in context with the larger Mesolithic landscape of Britain. Is Star Carr important and if so why? What evidence does Star Carr show us of Mesolithic hunter gathers, and what does this evidence suggest. Along with these questions we most also look at how much evidence there is for hunter gathers in Britain and what role Star Carr plays in this evidence. Answering these questions along with, why there is such limited evidence in Britain for Mesolithic hunter gathers is what this essay will look at. Star Carr which is located in The Vale of Pickering, Yorkshire, gained the status of ‘Type Site after J. G. D. Clarks excavations which started in 1949. This status placed on Star Carr was mainly for the level of organic preservation, which is unrivalled in any other British Mesolithic site (Hunter Ralston 2009). The preservation could be largely contributed to the wet environment in which a lot of Clarks finds were recorded from. The wealth of finds Clark recorded at Star Carr included: large amounts of flint (both worked and waste), a birch wood platform on the lakes edge and lots of deer antler along with other animal remains. The finds make the importance of Star Carr unquestionable although how theses finds got there and the purpose of Star Carr is a different argument (Clark 1954). Star Carr is arguably the most reinterpreted site in European Prehistory. The main areas of reinterpretation seem to be firstly and arguably the most important, which season was Star Carr actually occupied, winter or summer? Clarks initial interpretation of the evidence led him to believe that the site was a major base camp occupied by four or five families during the winter months. The lack of evidence for fish such as pike at Star Carr which would of been present in the glacial lake Star Carr is situated near could possible show that the site was used during the winter months, as evidence from Europe suggests Mesolithic pike farming was carried out during the summer months. This lack of evidence plus the positive evidence of a large amount of Red deer antlers, approximately 102 mature stag antlers that were recovered from the site is what strongly suggest a winter base camp (Clark 1954). In contrast to this Legge Rowley-Conway (1988) et al suggest that the function of Star Carr ma y have been more specialised, such as a hunting camp and not occupied by a whole family or extended family but by five or six hunters. The second main argument seems to be of the function of Star Carr. Along with the previously mentioned theory by Legge Rowley-Conway, another explanation for the large amounts of antler found at Starr Carr could be that Star Carr was a specialised industrial site working both antlers for tools and tanning hides for clothes. This would suggest that the antlers were brought to the site to be worked and that Starr Carr is not the kill site. In conjunction with this theory, the recovery of rolls of birch bark, which is believed to of been used as a tanning agent would suggest it was a summer camp and not as Clark thought a winter one. The warmer temperatures would aid in the tanning process as well as making the hides easier to work as the deer would be carrying less fat which would need to be removed from the hides by the hunters (Pitts 1979). This theory seems to be a better evaluation of the evidence as if the site was either a base camp occupied by a family or a hunting camp it woul d not be unreasonable to find more evidence of butcher and food preparation. Clark reports evidence for burning of the lake side vegetation. One of the theories for the burning of the lake side vegetation may have been for easy access to the water for canoes. This would enforce the idea of Star Carr as a specialised camp, and the finished goods could have been moved around the lake to other settlement sites (Mellar Dark 1998). If Clarks theory on Star Carr is correct this would suggest that by burning the vegetation the families at Star Carr were encouraging pray animals close to the camp to eat the fresh growth, making them easy targets. The evidence of a birch wood platform at the lakes edge also suggests a hunting platform may be for hunting flocking birds, and this would also give further evidence to Clarks theory of a winter camp (Clark 1954). The importance of the platform at Star Carr is not in question only the purpose it was built. The platform is most of the evidence for wooden artefacts from Mesolithic hunters in Britain (Adkins 2006). The availability of a sustainable food source doesnt seem to be in question at Star Carr. The evidence for: wolf, deer, pig, beaver and even hedgehog were found along with other remains and a large number of birds such as grebes, ducks, cranes and storks (Clark 1954). Although this evidence does suggest a varied and sustainable food source which would go to supporting Clarks theory, it doesnt help with the debate of both which months Star Carr was occupied or the primary function of the site. Along with these main debates other aspects of Star Carr have also attracted differing theories. The duration that Star Carr was in use, plus examining the larger settlement pattern of humans in Mesolithic Britain and the role Star Carr plays in it, as well as the total area of settlement for the site. The debate has been added to since the further excavations that were carried out between 1985 to 1997. One of the most important discoveries of this excavation was to show that the occupation at Star Carr was spread over a much larger area than Clark thought (MellarDark 1998). This evidence plus the differing dates obtained from the new excavation, (10,700 to 10,400 BP compared to Clarks original date of 9488 plus or minus 350 BP) show a difference of a thousand years, do suggest that Star Carr is still not fully understood and will keep posing more questions than giving answers. To look at Star Carr as a part of the larger picture of Mesolithic hunter gathers in Britain and compare the finds may suggest possible answers to some of the questions surrounding Star Carr. The main problem is the limited amount of sites to compare with Star Carr. One possible site is Thatcham in the Kennet Valley in Berkshire. This site may be useful as a comparison to Star Carr as topographically the situations are similar; both sites are based on the margins of ancient lakes. From the range of artefacts recovered from Thatcham some similarities can be seen, red deer, wild pig along with elk and wild bird remains were all recovered from both sites. A major difference between Star Carr and Thatcham is at Thatcham there were very little wooden and antler artefacts found, especially worked pieces with barbed points. This could suggest that whilst these sites are similar in date and situation they had different functions (Hunter Ralston 2009). The limitations for comparisons to Star Carr add to the confusion of understanding Star Carr. Although there are many theories as to why we have found little evidence of Mesolithic hunter gathers in Britain, such as we looking in the wrong places or most of the settlements were coastal and the evidence has been lost due to coastal erosion, I believe by looking at the indidunous tribes of North America may give another possible answer. These hunter gather tribes have existed for centuries leaving little or no evidence on the landscape. There nomadic lifestyle wi9th temporary camps only left the occasional fire pit as evidence they were ever there. The burial rituals of some of these tribes would also not be clearly visible to archaeologists today. The practise of cremating the dead on rocky out crops would leave little structural evidence as the timbers were generally wedged in between rocks and not placed in pits. The evidence of the burning could also be lost through natural erosion of the rock surface were the evidence would of been present. If hunter gathers existed in Bri tain with a similar life style, the possibility of finding much if any evidence other than sites like Star Carr is not likely. This would elevate the importance of existing sites which includes Star Carr in the Mesolithic landscape of Britain. To conclude the elevation of the importance of Star Carr seems in some part to be because of the limited evidence throughout Britain for any settlements of Mesolithic hunter gathers. This fact plus the differing theories on Star Carr itself most place some confusion over the importance of Star Carr in Mesolithic Britain. After saying this, there is no confusion over the importance of Star Carr as a individual site for the archaeological record of Britain, but if Star Carr is a ‘type site we will only know if more evidence is found throughout Britain and if there is ever an agreement over the function of Star Carr.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Vertebrae Compression Fracture Due to Extra-nodal RDD Case

Vertebrae Compression Fracture Due to Extra-nodal RDD Case INTRODUCTION: RDD was first described by Destombes1 in 1965 as a rare, separate entity of benign self-limiting sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy later Rosai and Dorfman2 in 1969, confirmed it as a separate clinic-pathologic entity. Although RDD may occur in any age group, it is most frequently seen in children and young adults. Isolated intracranial disease tend to occur older patients. The disease is more common in males and in individuals of African descent . The most frequent clinical manifestations include fever, night sweats and weight with bilateral massive cervical lymphadenopathy. Mediastinal, inguinal and retroperitoneal nodes may also be involved. RDD is potentially systemic disease and may affect extra nodal sites up to 43% of all RDD patients. The common extra-nodal sites include skin, upper respiratory tract, and bone. Skeletal involvement as a sole manifestation of RDD is extremely rare, occurring in fewer than 2% of all RDD patients and arise most frequently in long b ones such as tibia, femur, humerus, clavicle and bones of the hands. CNS involvement is rare (5%), with 75% of cases involving the brain and 25% involving the spinal canal. Involvement of the CNS without concurrent nodal involvement is rare.3 Laboratory findings are non-specific with leucocytosis, neutrophil, elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hypergammaglobulinemia being the most common findings. We present a rare case of vertebrae compression fracture due to extra-nodal RDD without lymphadenopathy later developed metastases to brain. CASE REPORT: A 45 year old lady presented with h/o sudden onset of paraplegia. Work –up was done and spinal mass was found. Later the patient underwent surgical debulking to releave her symptoms. The patient gradually improved. Histopathologically it was diagnosed as RDD. The patient was symptom free for 6 months, then she developed sudden onset of seizures and lower limb weakness. MRI showed multiple cranial and spinal metastasis, following which the patient underwent craniotomy. The patient was further treated with whole brain radiotherapy of 30Gy. There was no improvement of symptoms. The patient eventually expired 6 months following the completion of radiotherapy. Discussion: RDD in its classic form is a benign, self-limiting histiocytic proliferative disorder that is characterized by massive lymphadenopathy. Most patients with RDD are in their second or third decade of life, the mean age of onset of nodal disease is about 20years, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.4:1. It is commonly reported in African-Americans. The etiology of RDD remains unknown; immune system dysfunction and an autoimmune process or viral infection such as Epstein-Barr virus and human herpes virus type 6 have been attributed with the pathogenesis of RDD. The presentation of RDD can be categorised into three sub types: 1) those with only lymph nodes enlargement with sudden increase and spontaneous regression and without any further recurrences; 2) those with immunologic abnormalities at presentation have a more widespread nodal disease and a higher fatality rate4,5 ; 3) those with several extra-nodal site involvement, multi-nodal disease and a protracted clinical course with multiple relapses and remissions for years. In these cases, the severity of disease depends on the type and number of extra-nodal sites.6 Patients who present with or subsequently develop intracranial involvement, become symptomatic at a later mean age (34.9 years), with a strong male predominance.7 Involvement of CNS is rare (5%), with 75% of reported cases involving the brain and 25% involving the spinal canal. Involvement of the CNS in the absence nodal involvement is rare.3 The most common intra cranial presentation is solitary dural based lesion, but multiple intracranial lesions have also been reported. The suprasellar region, cerebral convexity, para sagittal region, cavernous sinus, and petroclival regions are most common locations.7 Only 11 cases of spinal RDD have been reported, of which 10 patients had an extra-medullary tumor. Seven patients presented with epidural lesion, three presented with intra dural lesions.8 Spinal cord compression has been reported in a few patients with spinal involvement causing neurologic deficits.9 Compression fracture due to spinal involvement of RDD has not been reported. CNS RDD is a rare benign histiocytic proliferative disorder, with imaging findings typically showing a meningioma-like, dural-based extra-axial mass lesion, which can be solitary or multiple. Imaging studies typically show an enhancing meningeal-based mass with a variable amount of edema surrounding the lesion. Skeletal involvement of RDD as a sole manifestation is extremely rare, occurs in less than 2% of all RDD patients and involves the long bones such as tibia, femur, humerus, clavicle and bones of the hands or skull, and is usually multiple. Skeletal lesions of RDD are intramedullary osteolytic with either poorly or sharply defined margins. Spinal Rosai-Dorfman disease can be misdiagnosed as meningioma when arising from dura or as metastatic disease of another cause when presenting as vertebral body disease.10 The most common differential diagnosis of a primary bone RDD includes bacterial osteomyelitis, fungal infections such as histoplasmosis and Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Definitive diagnosis requires tissue examination. Microscopically, lymph node enlargement with sinuses containing prominent numbers of histiocytes with phagocytosed lymphocytes. This is a typical picture of RDD. Immunopositivity is expressed by these cells for both CD68 and S-100 protein, and negative for CD1a. RDD has a typical finding in histopathologic studies, that is emperioplesis; a phenomenon of phagocytosis of intact lymphocytes, plasma cells, erythrocytes or neutrophils.11 LCH is a close differential diagnosis both on radiology and histology. Both histiocytes of RDD and LCH are positive for CD68 and S100, but CD1a is positive in LCH. Also Langerhans cell histiocytosis does not exhibit emperioplesis. Treatment in the majority of cases is not indicated as it is a benign and self-limiting.12,13 Therapy is indicated in patients with bulky extra nodal disease with involvement of vital organs or causing life threatening complications.13 Surgical resection or debulking can be considered as an option only when the nodal mass iss compressing airway or intra dural lesion.13 When complete resection cannot be achieved, adjuvant radiosurgery can be give successful partial resection.14 Surgical excision of resectable lesions induced complete remission (CR) in 8 out of 9 patients.13 The role radiotherapy in the treatment has not been established. Various medical alternatives in the management have been tried with limited results. Short term Systemic corticosteroids and prolonged course low dose oral prednisolone has been effectively used in RDD with skin and lymph nodal involvement with respiratory obstruction.15 Steroids tend to alleviate the symptoms and decrease nodal size, recurrences have been reported following withdrawal of steroids. Chemotherapeutic agents have been used without any encouraging results. Combination chemotherapy of low dose MTX and 6-MP, MTX/6MP/vinblastine/6-thioguanine and acyclovir with thalidomide have been tried with limited benefit to patients. It is possible that different patients with RDD may respond to different drugs. Targeted therapy in the form of imatinib, interferon- ÃŽ ±, cladarabine and more recently rituximab has also been in the treatment of RDD.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The History of Corn Essay -- Vegetables History Historical Essays

Prior to the European encounter with the â€Å"New World,† corn played a central role in both the lives and diets of Native Americans. Numerous religious rituals and beliefs revolved around corn. Still today, corn continues to be a constant presence in the lives and diets of all Americans. Corn touches us in ways we might not even realize. Most of us eat corn everyday whether we consume corn in its natural form or in meats, soft drinks, or sweets. From thousands of years ago to the present day, corn has sustained and continues to sustain human life. Maize and corn can be used interchangeably. Maize was the term used by the Tainos who greeted Columbus in the Caribbean. Its literal meaning is â€Å"that which sustains life.† Maize soon became part of the Spanish vocabulary and then spread to other European languages. The word corn is actually a generic term for grain as used in Old English. American-style English has adapted the word to refer exclusively to maize. This usage continues today. There are hundreds of varieties of corn, however, there are just five basic families: flint, dent, popcorn, soft corn, and sweet corn. Flint corn was the type preferred in the northern states and was used in cornmeal that made dense breads and johnnycakes. It is a low yielding corn and because of demand, dent corn is replacing its production. Dent corn gets its name from its dimpled kernels. It is now the most commonly grown commercial corn and produces the traditional southern starchy sweet cornmeal. Popcorn is one we are all familiar with. When heated in hot oil, its starchy inner core bursts through it shrinking outer skin. Soft corn is not grown on a commercial scale, but is grown by specialists. It is the corn that was m... ... of microwave popcorn during commercial breaks of our favorite shows. The power is right at our fingertips. Though corn has always been part of the American diet, it has infiltrated areas of food and other goods that seem unlikely for it to belong. It can be altered to be present in both foods and products not for human consumption. Corn really can be labeled as the crop that built America. It definitely has many uses. Some could argue that it has too many uses. Works Cited: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Maize in Human Nutrition. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2011. Fussell, Betty. The Story of Corn. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, INC., December 15, 2004. Wallace, Henry A. and William L. Brown. Corn and Its Early Fathers Revised Edition. Ames, Iowa: Iowa University Press, 2012.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Superficial Love in Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream :: Midsummer Nights Dream Essays

Superficial Love in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream In the first soliloquy of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Helena talks primarily of a love that contains depth, a love that looks at who a person is, personality-wise, as opposed to nothing more than their appearance. Helena explains, "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind" (1.1.240). In the shallow culture in which Helena lives, and even in today's society, it is difficult for people to look beyond the outer shell and follow a deeper perception. The concept of the "perfect person" is constantly drilled into people's minds. In Helena's day, this was through expectations taught to children from their parents. Today, this type of expectation comes mostly from the media and entertainment industries. Helena describes love as the "admiring of his qualities" and as possessing the ability to "transpose to form and dignity" (1.1.238-240). Though this may not be a perfect definition, it is much closer to the Biblical definition as described in 1 Corinthians than most common definitions of Helena's day. Because of the strong influence of the shallow culture in which Helena lives, she, too, finds it difficult to keep society's pressure out of her definition of love. One of the first things she points out in her soliloquy is the fact that, "Through Athens I am thought as fair as she" (1.1.232). She then proceeds to explain how she wishes Demetrius would think she is as fair as Hermia. If Helena believes so strongly in love coming as a result of admiration of one's personality, one must question why she loves this man who focuses merely on the appearance of women and pays no regard for who they are as a person. Then, again, the number of men in her day who didn't found their love on such superficial characteristics was probably pretty low, if not zero. Either way, Helena's perception of love is not perfect, her thoughts are still influenced by the surrounding culture. Helena's interpretation of love, as a deep, powerful emotion is virtually unseen in the rest of the play. Rather, the opposite, superficial love, plagues most characters of the play. Theseus, Demetrius, and Lysander constantly offer comments about females. Rather than focusing on who these women are, these comments pertain to the appearance of the women.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Employment Essay

1. Using your adopted business or current place of employment as your primary example, please answer the following question. Do you think that most people are satisfied or dissatisfied with their work? What factors primarily contribute to their satisfaction or dissatisfaction? Using my current place of employment, I am going to say that I think most people are satisfied with their work. The factors that seem most important are that they enjoy the kind of work they’re doing and they do enjoy the coworkers. I think most of the people I work with would say they don’t love their job but they don’t hate it either. Most of the employees have a strong work ethic as far as being employed there many years and absenteeism is not a problem. Attitudes are not the greatest among us all of the time, but that is to be expected. 2. How can a participative management program enhance employee satisfaction at your current place of employment? In this type of program, employees are given a voice in how they do their jobs and in how the business is managed. I think this would help enhance employee satisfaction by making employees feel more committed to goals they have helped create. Morale is boosted when a commitment goes more noticed. I think employees would also feel more satisfaction because they would feel more involved and like they mattered. 3. Describe what you would tell a low-skill worker performing a simple and possible mundane task or job who wants more challenge and enjoyment from work. Using my current place of employment as an example, I would tell that specific employee to voice his/her concerns to management. If they show a sense of confidence in their performance to management, then maybe management will also have confidence allowing the employee to take on a more challenging position or task. I would also suggest to the employee to set goals for him or herself. When goals are met, there is much more satisfaction felt. 4. Some evidence suggests that recent college graduates show high levels of job satisfaction. Levels then drop dramatically as they reach their late twenties, only to increase gradually once they get older. What might account for this pattern? Maybe they are not being challenged enough for them or maybe the job has become too monotonous for them. After some time, maybe enjoyment is lost for the job. After the â€Å"honeymoon stage† of initially getting the job, everything becomes routine, and people start to become unhappy. 5. What motivating factor works the best for you  at your current job? The most important one for me is money. I have a family to support and bills to pay. They are my priorities that I have to take care of or were left without our basic needs and wants. My next most important factor is the friendships I have developed with my coworkers at my job. They are essentially a 2nd family to me. I am closer to some then others and have developed a sense of trust in these friendships.