Carnivores of the Kalahari Desert Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Carnivores of the Kalahari Desert - Term Paper Example The desert is characterized by extreme temperatures during the day and very low temperatures at night due to the fact that there are no clouds to tap the heat and maintain the warm temperatures at night. The land experiences little rainfall and the temperature during summer often tends to be very high. Most of the carnivores that inhabit the Kalahari Desert have a higher likelihood of survival in high density areas. The main predator in the Kalahari Desert is the lion. The only other predator in the dessert that can somehow be viewed as a competitor to the lions is the spotted hyena. The cheetah is not specific about its preys and can be liberal about the prey it chose to hunt. This is likely to increase its chances of survival in the desert. The spotted hyena, unlike the brown hyena, hunts it’s on prey and is not a scavenger. In addition, they are not particular about their prey and can go after any species except for buffalos and giraffes. Introduction The Kalahari Desert is a large arid to semi-arid sandy area situated in Southern Africa, and extends to about 900,000 square kilometers, covering most parts of Botswana and portions of Namibia and South Africa, as a semi-desert, with large tracts of good grazing lands after rains (Thomas & Shaw, 2009). The geography of the area is part desert and part plateau. Because not the whole of the Kalahari is a true desert, it supports the existence of plants and land over the vast amount of land. The land experiences little rainfall and the temperature during summer is often very high (Lonely Planet Publications, 2009).

Ways Groups of People Are Identified Essay Example for Free

Ways Groups of People Are Identified Essay 1. What are some of the ways groups of people are identified? There are many ways that a group of people can be identified but the four criteria for classifying minority groups are race, ethnicity, religion, and gender. Race is mainly determined by the color of someone’s skin, hair (in some instances eyes), height, and bone structure of the human body: big head, narrow eyes, tall short. Ethnicity is determined by where you were born and raised and what cultural patterns. Religion and is determined by what your beliefs and religious group you are a part of. Gender is determined easily enough but it does matters if you are male or female for the fact that each is treated differently. Males seem to have it easy most of the time and woman are always treated as though they are weaker. These four criteria’s are the main ones but there are so many more such as age, disability status, physical appearance, and sexual orientation they all are used to group people. There is always another factor that is sometimes over looked and that is our appearance; skinny, fat and even what we wear are we well dressed and clean all of the time or are we in regular day to day clothes or are we dressed in rags torn, ripped and dirty clothing. Also there is the money factor how much does one have or don’t have to many people the money factor matters most people like to know that they know people with money. Are these people wealthy with more money than they will every need or do they just have enough or do they struggle or worse yet do they not have anything leaving them going from home to home or street to street or going to government and privet programs for help. 2. Why do people label and group other people? I have thought about this question and it made me realize that not only do people label and group other people but we also label ourselves putting ourselves in categories that please us. Plus it gives us our sense of belonging to something that most people â€Å"need† to feel. Getting back to the question; I think it is something that we all do whether we realize it or not. Labeling and grouping help people to determine who we should or who we should not interact with. It helps people and sometimes it does just the opposite and destroys people it’s like having a power a power to have some control over other people. I can almost see it in another time a man running through the streets with a label machine placing labels on everyone’s forehead yelling â€Å"You are who I say you are! † Scary thought! We constantly label people in a negative light due to difference of opinion due to religion, political view, sexual preference, parenting method you name it we do it, even children do this and it is not done intentionally they were not taught this, too me it almost seems like it is a defense mechanism keeping themselves even ourselves safe from what we may consider to be harmful. In the end people are just that â€Å"people† we are nothing more and nothing less. People label others either to feel empowered or to praise someone but in the end we are Human Beings and that is it. We may think and act differently but we are what we are and if people could just except that then the future might not ever have to deal with the positive and mainly the negative effects that come with being labeled and tossed into a group that was thought up by others. Resources Schaefer, R. T. (2012). (Ch. 1 2) Racial and ethnic groups (13th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

John Scope Monkey Trial :: essays research papers

The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) were already aware that the Act was likely to become law because it had been passed by the lower house of the Tennessee legislature by a landslide (in January, 1925). After a few false starts, the ACLU sent a press release to several Tennessee newspapers, such as the Chattanooga Daily Times, announcing that they would provide legal assistance, etc. for a school teacher in Tennessee who would be willing to stand trial for having taught evolution in a public school so that a test case could be mounted to challenge the constitutional validity of the Act. Encouraged by George Rappelyea, (a mining engineer who managed six local coal and iron mines owned by the Cumberland Coal Company), a group of leading citizens in the small town of Dayton* - the "drug store conspirators" - decided to accept the ACLU's offer, in the hope that the publicity surrounding the trial would help to reverse the town's declining fortunes. On May 4th the group recruited John Scopes, football coach and occasional stand-in teacher at Rhea County High School as the subject for the test case, on the basis that he had taught from the section on evolution in Hunter's A Civic Biology - the State-approved textbook. (* Dayton is situated in the valley between the Cumberland Plateau and the Appalachian Mountains. It is just a few miles West of a line from Chattanooga (36 miles to the Sou' Sou' West) to Knoxville (79 miles to the North East).) Rappelyea sent a telegram to the ACLU's New York office. The ACLU replied promptly, accepting his proposal. Scopes was charged on May 7th with having taught evolution on April 24th, 1925. A preliminary hearing on May 10th bound him over pending a specially convened Grand Jury hearing on May 25th. The membersof the Grand Jury, who are well aware of the true purpose of the charge against Scopes, handed down an indictment and Scopes was instructed to present himself at the Rhea County court house for trial on the morning of July 10th. At no time was Scopes held in jail on this charge which, by the way, was only classed as a "misdemeanor", not a "crime." The Overture On hearing about the trial, from the leaders of the WFCA (World's Christian Fundamentals Association), on May 12th William Jennings Bryan volunteered his services to the prosecution. By the end of that week Clarence Darrow had contacted Scopes with an offer to appear pro bono for the defense.

Lessons in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Essay

Pride and Prejudice is one of the most popular novels written by Jane Austen which was first published in 1813. It is more than a story of love which revolves around the lives of the Bennett family and the wealthy male visitors of Hertfordshire. Its wide variety of personalities in the story contributed to the novel’s attractive and compelling features; which provides several realizations to its readers and their view of social class, marriage and women status in the 19th century which can be attributed to each character’s personality. The Women and Men of the 19th Century The theme towards courtship and marriage is already explicitly stated in the first sentence of the novel. â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledge that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife† (p. 3). In this initial sentence, Austen prepares the readers on what to expect. There is a big probability that the story will revolve in a fascinating chase: either a husband in search of a wife or a woman in pursuit of a husband. Marriage during 18th century was different compared to how marriage is viewed nowadays. It was a challenging and debatable social issue since marriage with love was not a necessity. At that time, marriage consisted of rules and standards that often ignore emotions or feelings. Moreover, community and family were major participants in establishing marriage. From that first sentence, considering the time the novel was created, the readers would expect a witty tone towards marriage and society The novel also portrayed several characters that are stereotypical in the 19th century. The diverse personalities of each character reveals how the era was like for the author and how the status of people were determined through their wealth, fame and gender. Apparently, the primary lesson that this novel has for its readers is the fact that in the past love was not a necessary element of marriage. Women were usually seen as mere wives for men. Nonetheless, in Austen’s story, she made use of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy’s conflicting characters to refuse the kind of stereotypical 19th century setting that the novel was set in. The two major characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, were clearly different kinds of people who later proved themselves to be the ideal match for each other. Clearly, the transformation of Elizabeth and Darcy’s characters were made possible by their own pride and prejudices against each other. This fact, therefore, illustrates the idea that the character transformation would most likely not occur without the shortcomings and hasty judgments of the two main characters of the Jane Austen’s famous novel. It was quite ironic though that the novel also conveys the idea that people do fall in love under the most unexpected circumstances. There is a short line expressed by the female protagonist Elizabeth Bennett which can be considered somewhat explanatory of the whole novel. â€Å"Books—oh!  No. I am sure we never read the same, or not with the same feelings† (p. 82). This is Elizabeth Bennett’s response to Fitzwilliam Darcy when he asked her about her thoughts on books. They were dancing on the ball of the Netherland Estate and trying to create a conversation. Based on Elizabeth’s response and her quick dismissals of the topic that Mr. Darcy brought up, her great dislike towards the wealthy young man was evident. This particular line of Elizabeth Bennett is considered an important line for the novel because it insinuates a symbolic image rather than a literal meaning for the main characters in the story. Her remark about how the topic of books would not be able to create a productive conversation because they probably would have not read the same book or have the same feeling towards it depicts that their personalities—similar or not—can still generate different interpretations. Even the title of the book itself can be considered characteristics that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy both possess, which caused them to make erratic conclusions about each others’ personality. The above statement from Elizabeth depicts that the novel primarily focuses on the theme of misunderstandings, false impressions, and lapses in judgment. Thoroughly reviewing the whole context of the story, the diverse personalities of the characters are what made it possible to provide the picture of the lifestyle of English people in the 19th century. Each character is provided a characteristic that is distinct to other characters. Elizabeth Bennett, an interesting character indeed, possesses traits which are very much different from her sisters. Here is one of her statements to Darcy included in Chapter 19 where she rejects him the first time he proposed to marry her and considered to be one of the pivotal turns in the story which caused the change in both Elizabeth and Darcy’s character: I have no pretension whatever to that kind of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man. . . I thank you again and again for the honor you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. . . Do not consider me now as an elegant female, intending to plague you, but as a rational creature, speaking the truth from her heart (p. 97). Elizabeth Bennett’s character speaks much of a strong personality which is extremely opinionated and bold. Unlike her younger sisters, she does not allow social status and wealth to interfere with her standards for love. However, in her statement, prejudices toward Darcy are evident for she has already judged him without knowing him well first. However, at the end of the story, she regrets having misjudged the man upon knowing the real Fitzwilliam Darcy. This theme of wrong first impression is very common in the personality of Elizabeth Bennet as she always seem to misjudge a man’s intent such as that of Darcy and Mr. Wickham. On the other hand, Darcy’s character also reveals how wrong he was on his first impression towards Elizabeth. His statement where she declared Elizabeth as tolerable but not beautiful enough to interest him because of her poor social status discloses how proud he was to avoid being acquainted with such a woman (p. 9). Similarly, he took back his word when he found out how interesting and intelligent Elizabeth was which led him to confess his feelings and offer a marriage proposal. Unfortunately, his first proposal was rejected. Upon the end of the novel, it is reasonable to conclude that Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy actually have similar characteristics which can be considered ironic. Both are intelligent, witty, opinionated, and proud. There are also instances when they have exposed acts of prejudices towards some characters in the story, primarily themselves. Elizabeth deemed Darcy to be an extremely arrogant and proud man when she accidentally heard him say that he was not interested in her due to her poor status in the society. She thought him to be a spoiled wealthy man who is unsociable and selfish. In return, Darcy also showed his prejudices towards her by thinking that she was not right for him because she belonged to the lower class part of the society. Hence, the situation indicates how their impulsive and superficial judgments of each other led them to take back their words and eradicate their pride and prejudices towards each other. They gradually transformed into humble beings who were capable of admitting and accepting their shortcomings. Thus, two people, even with similar characteristics may not have similar outputs and can still be regarded contradictory in terms of beliefs. Like the characters in the story, all have distinct personalities which enabled them to decide the way they did. If Elizabeth did not hastily judged Darcy in the first place which led her into rejecting his first marriage proposal, Darcy would not have humbled himself into further pursuing Elizabeth despite her initial rejection. He would not have rescued her family from social disgrace and reveal his true nature. Simply put, Elizabeth would not have change her opinion about Darcy and most probably reject him still. She would not have fallen in love with him and change her ways of being filled with prejudices. The following scenarios created a huge impact in the maturity and development of the characters in the story which proves that the transformation is indeed dependent on the characters’ actions and decisions. Upon understanding the difference between the main characters’ personalities, it is important to note that the focus of Darcy is to win Elizabeth’ heart to marry her. It is all about marriage from the start of the novel until the end. Austen made it really clear for women in the 19th century how big an issue it was to find someone rich and reputable to marry. Elizabeth’s mother had seemed to push them into marrying by taking them to social balls where rich men were most likely to come and select a wife. Conclusion Clearly, the arguments stated above identify the concept that Elizabeth and Darcy’s character transformation would not have been possible without their mistakes and initial false impressions of each other. This validates the fact that their development as individuals is highly rooted from their decisions and hasty judgments—or rather their own pride and prejudices. In addition, Austen’s ability to inculcate the stereotypes on the characters produced an image of the status of marriage and courtship in the 19th century. It becomes clear to the readers that there was too much consciousness and pressure on the physical attributes and reputations of women than in men. Men were more highly regarded than women as women only seem to serve as partners to men in marriage. The fact that there were balls where men can choose the women they want to marry is already an indication of the restraints that society puts on women. They are merely intended for domestic purposes only.

Critical Thinking Midterm Notes

Pseudoscience is where a claim is set forth as a reason for believing another claim but that is either logically irrelevant to the truth of the other claim or otherwise fails to provide reasonable support. In this part of the course we are beginning to examine arguments, or, stated more accurately, â€Å"would-be arguments,† where people advance reasons for their beliefs that In fact do not support them. There are two mall types of pseudoscience: those that appeal to emotions and those constructed Like real arguments but failing In the essential task of providing real support.Lessons 10 and 1 1 will examine extemporaneousness types that appeal to emotions. Lesson 12 will study extemporaneousness types constructed Like real arguments. Because extemporaneousness Is defined negatively (what It Is not) It does not lend Itself to technical categorization. The classification offered In these lessons are not exhaustive and may overlap or fall to capture precisely what has gone wrong In an argument. While we must have a common language to communicate about different types of pseudoscience, the point of these lessons is to alert you to a number of ways in which reasoning fails.When you have finished this course, you may quickly forget the many names and labels but remain alert to failures in reasoning. Common Forms of Pseudoscience/Fallacies 1 . Smokescreen/Red Herring 2. The Subjectivist Fallacy 3. Appeal to Belief 4. Common Practice 5. Peer Pressure and Bandwagon 6. Wishful Thinking 7. Scare Tactics 8. Appeal to Pity 9. Apple Polishing 10. Horse Laugh/Ridicule/Sarcasm 11 . Appeal to Anger or Indignation 12. Two Wrongs Make a Right The above list is not exhaustive. Each will be explained In the next section. Definitions/Descriptions of Extemporaneousness Types 1 .Smokescreen/Red Herring: Most pseudonymous Introduce Irrelevant considerations Into a discussion, but a smokescreen or red herring does not fit Into one of the more specific categories. Typically It Inv olves the deliberate Introduction of Irrelevant topic or consideration In order to throw the discussion off course. Example: Professor Conway complains of Inadequate parking on our campus. Duty did you know that last year Conway carried on a torrid love affair with a member of the English Department? Enough said about Conway. Notice the change from the stoic of inadequate parking to the irrelevant topic of a torrid love affair 2.The Subjectivist Fallacy: The structure of this fallacy is â€Å"That may be true for you, but it is not for me,† fact and matters of opinion. In the subjective world of pure opinion (for example, what I think of a particular movie), I am entitled to my opinion. However, in the objective world of facts (for example, the day of the week), I do not enjoy the same latitude. I am not entitled to my own facts. 3. Appeal to Belief: The pattern is: â€Å"X is true because everyone (many people, most societies, others) think that it is true. † It is a distorted version of the reasonable practice of accepting the claim from a seasonable authority.Because people may in fact be experts on a subject, you must take care in distinguishing between good and bad versions of this reasoning. For example, â€Å"Physicians consider food high in saturated fat unsafe,† is a good appeal to belief. On the other hand, â€Å"Physicians consider overseas stocks unsafe,† is a bad appeal to belief. 4. Common Practice is where an action is defended by calling attention to the fact that the action is a common one (not to be confused with appeals for fair play). It seeks to Justify an action on the grounds of its familiarity or typicality.It differs from appeal to belief in that it specifically aims at calling an action acceptable, without mentioning the beliefs people may have about what they commonly do. The most common form of this pseudoscience is, â€Å"Everyone does it. † For example, â€Å"Everyone cheats on their taxes,† is used as Justification for me cheating on my taxes. 5. Peer Pressure/Bandwagon is a pattern of pseudoscience in which you are in effect threatened with rejection by your friends, relatives, etc. , if you don't accept a certain claim. People often act in a certain way because their friends do.A rood has often been swept up behind a candidate or consumer product, the victim of fashion. But this behavior in itself is not pseudoscience. When you go along with friends or a mob to gain social acceptance, you are reasoning correctly about what will get you accepted, whether or not that acceptance is what is best. The phenomenon turns into pseudoscience only when one cites the peers' or crowd's activity as a reason for the truth of a claim. Voting for the most popular political candidate in order to feel at one with your community is, though unwise perhaps, not pseudoscience.Arguing that the candidate is the best one on the grounds of that popularity is pseudoscience. 6. Wishful Thinki ng: Believing that something is true because you want it to be true (or believing that it is false because you don't want it to be true). For example, I refuse to believe that too much exposure to the sun causes skin cancer, because I would have to give up my habit of sunbathing at the beach. 7. Scare Tactics is a pattern of pseudoscience in which someone says, in effect, â€Å"X is so because of Y (where Y induces fear in the listener). The emotion being appealed to is fear. However, you need to watch for the difference between Justified and unjustified appeals to fear. â€Å"If you don't check your parachute before Jumping out of the plane, you may die† is an excellent argument. But the pressure used by car salesperson, for example, indicating that the deal offered is only available today usually involves scare tactics, the inducing of fear in order to make a sale. 8. Appeal to Pity is where someone tries to induce acceptance of a claim by eliciting compassion or pity.The appeal to pity works exactly like a scare tactic, except for the different emotions at stake. As in the appeal to pity, this appeal becomes pseudoscience when the pity is irrelevant. Logic and Critical Thinking does not hold to the notion that you can show no pity and pity is not always irrelevant! 9. Reason for accepting a claim. ( It also has less â€Å"flattering† names! ) Note that apple polishing can take subtle forms, for example, â€Å"You're too intelligent to believe in mental telepathy. † Appeals to flattery have fewer legitimate versions than the last two (appeals to fear and pity), but they do exist.For example, â€Å"You should wear the gold sweater instead of the red one, because it brings out your beautiful eyes. 10. Horse Laugh/Ridicule/Sarcasm is a pattern of pseudoscience in which ridicule is disguised as a reason for rejecting a claim. It is a way to avoid arguing about a position by simply laughing at it. â€Å"Support the Equal Rights Amendment? Sure, as soon as the ladies start buying the drinks! Ha, ha, ha. † Rush Lumbago relies heavily on this one. 11. Appeal to Anger or Indignation: A pattern of pseudoscience in which someone tries to induce acceptance of a claim by arousing indignation or anger.It obscures the relevant issues by arousing one's anger, particularly at some person or group. Keep in mind that expressions of anger (like emotionally charged language) do not by themselves make something an appeal to anger or indignation. The appeal to anger or indignation counts as pseudoscience because it reverses the appropriate relationship between wrongdoing and anger. It is one thing to get angry because you see something wrong being done; but the appeal to anger tries to make you call something wrong because you feel angry.Most commonly, such appeals arouse anger against a person before getting to the specifics of the argument, rather than giving vent to indignation after showing that something wrong as been done, a common tactic in the rhetoric of politicians. 12. Two Wrongs Make a Right pattern: â€Å"It's acceptable to A to do X to B because B would do X to A,† said where Ass doing X to B is not necessary to prevent Bi's doing X to A. One Justifies some action that hurts another person on the grounds that the other person has done (or is likely to do) the same kind of harm.Because many people will see Justice in cases of returning harm for harm, this kind of pseudoscience is difficult to distinguish from legitimate reasoning. â€Å"Two wrongs make a right† is not identical with revenge, UT applies specifically to those circumstances in which the revenging act is illegitimate. Responding to rude service at a restaurant by telling your friends not to eat there may be vengeful, but does not fall under this category of pseudoscience. But if you slip out without paying and Justify yourself on the grounds that the waiters were rude, you are engaging in pseudoscience.Unnamed Classi fy the pseudoscience in the following examples: 1 . â€Å"L can't believe the mayor wants to use the Police Department as security guards for our schools. While he's at it, why not have them collect our garbage? 2. Biker: I refuse to buy Japanese motorcycles. I don't believe in doing business with Communist countries. Reporter: But Japan isn't Communist. Biker: Well to me they are. 3. Officer: Excuse me, sir. Do you know how fast you were going? Driver: I never get over the sight of you mounted policemen. How do you leap down off the horse's back so fast? And you must have them well trained, not to run away when you dismount. . â€Å"Dear Editors: When AH Saccharin wrote in to criticize city workers, he didn't mention his occupation. Maybe he's a millionaire without a care in the world, hat he has the time to criticize people working for him if he's even a taxpayer. † 5. Ladies and gentlemen of the Jury: My client stands before you accused of three bank story, who will have a hard time getting food on their table if their daddy goes to prison. 6. My opponent would like to see TV networks label their programming, on the grounds that violent shows make children who watch them violent. But everyone knows a couple of shows can't change your personality. . I had to get a garage built last summer. Who wants to be the last person on the block to park his car in the open air? 8. There must be life on other planets. Imagine how lonely we'll find the universe if we discover that we're the only ones here. 9. Judge Cunningham keeps striking down our state gun control laws. She had better say good-bye to any hopes for a Supreme Court appointment, as long as we have a democrat in the White House. 10. My opponent would like to see TV networks label their programming, on the grounds that violent shows make children who watch them violent.Next they won't allow any shows from France, on the grounds that children who watch them will become French. 11. I'm a disabled Viet nam veteran. Why can I only get a six-month license to sell pretzels from my pushcart? You have to be a foreigner with a green card to make a living in this country. 12. The United States is under no obligation to pay its debts to the United Nations. Here we are, the biggest contributor to the UN budget, and we only get one vote out of 185. 13. How can Moslems be opposed to alcoholic beverages? People have been drinking them since before the beginning of history. 4. Why do you take a bus to work when most people drive? 15. Give that woman a dollar. I see her on this corner every day crying. And she seems to be ill. 16. Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes my proposal. You know that I trust and honor your Judgment. Even if you do not approve my request, I am happy Just to have had the chance to present this proposal to such qualified experts. Thank you. 17. Letter to the editor: Your magazine expresses sympathy for Annie Larson, a putative â€Å"fashion victim† because â€Å" animal rights terrorists† splashed paint on her mink coat.But when I think of those dozens of animals maimed and anally electrocuted to satisfy someone's vanity, I know who the real victims are, and who's he terrorist. Answers to Exercise Questions 1. Horse laugh. 2. Subjective fallacy 3. Apple polishing. This also counts as smokescreen, but that's not the best answer here 4. Appeal to indignation. 5. Appeal to pity. 6. Appeal to belief. 7. No pseudoscience. The person wants to keep up with the neighbors, but is not asserting that a garage is a good thing in itself. 8. Wishful thinking. 9. Scare tactic. 10. Horse laugh 11. Appeal to anger and appeal to pity. 12. Two wrongs make a right 13.Common practice. 14. Common practice. 17. Two wrongs make a right. Unrepresentative Persuasion: An attempt to win acceptance for a claim, but not giving reasons in support. Instead of reasons, devices in the claims themselves are relied upon, such as, emotive language, positive or negative. P olitical campaign literature makes generous use of emotive language, with few reasons presented in support of the issues or candidates. For example, Copal, a conservative Republican support group, developed a directory of words to be used in writing literature and letters, in preparing speeches, and in producing material for the electronic media.When writing about your own candidate r issue, emotively positive words (commonsense, courage, dream, duty, family, strength, truth, vision, liberty) are recommended. However, negatively charged words (betray, cheat, disgrace, failure, excuses, liberal, welfare self-serving) are used when defining your opponent. It is a valuable exercise for this class to examine some campaign literature. You may find some interesting material on the web. If you do, share it with us on the bulletin board. Some words of caution: Our writing should not be boring.An argument couched in emotive language is not necessarily false, but nuns the risk of adding more heat than clarity to the issue. Using the information in this section increase sensitivity to the difference between illegitimate unrepresentative persuasion and appropriate use of lively or emotively charged language. Slattern: Linguistic device used to affect opinions, attitudes, and behavior without argumentation. I t does not necessarily mean that slattern mislead, rather we primarily examine slattern to become aware of the shadings of language.Good arguments may come in slanted language, but such arguments should not be accepted uncritically. 1 . Euphemisms (good sounds) are words used as substitutes for expressions that may offend, for example, naturalization is substituted for assassination, freedom fighters for guerrillas. By substituting guerrillas with the emotively positive words â€Å"freedom fighters,† emotively positive words, you want to build support for them. Euphemisms are entirely acceptable when they foster civility or diplomacy, for example, â€Å"passin g away† as opposed to â€Å"died† when speaking of a recent bereavement. . Dismisses: The opposite of euphemism is dismisses, that is, words are used to produce a negative effect or attitude. For example, freedom fighter is a euphemism for guerrilla or terrorist, while terrorist, a negatively charged word, is a dismisses. 3. Persuasive comparisons, definitions, and explanations are used to slant what they say. A persuasive comparison slants, positively or negatively, by linking our feeling about a person or thing to the person or thing we compare it to: â€Å"Her complexion is as pale as whale blubber,† or â€Å"Her complexion is like new fallen snow. 4. A persuasive definition uses loaded language when defining a term: â€Å"Abortion is the killing of innocent human life,† or â€Å"Abortion is a safe and effective reoccurred for relieving a woman of an unwanted burden. † To facilitate seeing an issue from all sides, avoid definitions that slant th e discussion. 5. Persuasive explanations use similarly loaded language to tell the reason for an event: â€Å"He lost the fight because he lost his nerve† or â€Å"He lost because he was too cautious. † 6. Assuming that every member of the class has the same set of characteristics: â€Å"All women are poor managers,† or â€Å"All liberals are fiscally irresponsible. † 7. Innuendo involves the insinuation of something derogatory: â€Å"She is competent, in many ways,† r â€Å"He told the truth – this time,† or â€Å"Far be it from me to suggest that my opponent is lying. † 8. A loaded question follows the logic of innuendo, illegitimately suggesting something through the very existence of the question: â€Å"When did you stop beating our wife. The secret to understanding loaded questions is to recognize that there are two questions involved. In the example above the two questions are 1) Did you beat your wife, and 2) When did y ou stop beating her. The loaded question illegitimately assumes a positive answer to number 1) and then illegitimately expects n answer to number 2). 9. A weaseled is a linguistic method of watering down or weakening of a claim in order to spare it criticism. Words like â€Å"may† and â€Å"possibly,† and qualifying phrases like â€Å"as far as we know† or † within reasonable limits,† are some common examples of weasels afoot.Weasels, often used in advertising, suck out all the strength a claim to the point of saying little or nothing: â€Å"Three out of four dentists surveyed recommend sugarless gum for their patients who chew gum. â€Å". 10. A downplayed is a linguistic device to make something seem less important than it ally is: â€Å"Evolution is merely a theory,† or using such words as â€Å"however† and â€Å"although. † 11. Proof surrogates: expressions used to suggest there is evidence or authority for a claim without citing it. For example, â€Å"informed sources,† â€Å"it's obvious that† or â€Å"studies show. When writing research papers be careful to cite your sources and avoid the charge of proof surrogate. 12. Hyperbole is an extravagant overstatement. For example, describing a hangnail as a major injury, or a teenager describing parents as â€Å"fascists† because of a midnight curfew. Note: Is there a method for telling one kind of slanted from another? You will find that the distinctions are partial, often overlapping, and to some extent vague. The organization of slattern into types is meant to assist critical reasoning, not to replace it with role acts of labeling.In order to arrive at the best name for the slanted in a given example, eliminate those possibilities whose very form gives them away: A loaded question must be in the form of a question; a persuasive comparison is a comparison; persuasive definitions and explanations are definitions and explanations be fore they are anything else. If none of these categories fits the example, the slanted assuming there is one – must be euphemism, dismisses, stereotype, innuendo, weaseled, downplayed, hyperbole, or proof surrogate. So, look for the obvious structural cues, loaded (emotive) language, and the intended effects.The process of elimination will lead you to the best description of the slanted. Exercise 9-1 Determine which of the numbered, italicized words and phrases are used as slattern in the following passage: The big money guys (1) who have smuggled (2) the Rancho Vaccine development onto the November ballot will stop at nothing to have this town run Just exactly as they want (3). It is possible (4) that Rancho Venin will cause traffic congestion on the east side of town, and it's perfectly clear that (5) the number of houses that will be built will overload the sewer system. But (6) a small number of individuals have taken up the fight. 7.Can the developers be stopped in their desire Innuendo, dismisses 1. Dismisses, 2. Hyperbole 3. Weaseled 4. Proof surrogate 5. No slanted in this instance. 6. Loaded question. See if you can identify the two questions involved. Exercise 9-2 Identify any slattern you find in the following selections: 1. It's possible that your insurance agent misfiled your claim. Surely he would not have lied to you about it. 2. â€Å"National Health Care: The compassion of the IRS and the efficiency of the post office, all at Pentagon prices. † 3. We'll have to work harder to get Representative Burger reelected because of this little run-in with the law. . During World War II, the United States government resettled many people of Japanese ancestry in internment camps. 5. Morgan has decided to run for state senator. I'm sorry to hear that he's decided to become a politician. 6. I'll tell you what capitalism is: Capitalism is Charlie Manson tinting in Folsom Prison for all those murders and still making a bunch of bucks off T- shir ts promoted by Guns N' Roses. Answers to Exercise 9-2 1 . Innuendo (bringing up the subject of lying while being able to deny that the accusation is being made). 2. Persuasive definition. 3.Euphemism (little run-in with the law). 4. Euphemism (resettled, and internment camps), To statement avoids the fact that Japanese were forced into concentration camps, not resettled voluntarily. 5. No slanted. You might disagree! Give your input on the bulletin board or by e-mail. 6. Persuasive definition. Information Tailoring and the News One major way of influencing a person's behavior or attitude is select the information one receives. In an open society it is difficult to dictate the information people receive. At the same time, if you get your information from one source this is what happens.The best way of defending yourself against unrepresentative persuasion is to be well informed and to read widely, using many sources. We get most of our information on a daily basis from the mass media BBC, CBS, NBC, CNN and the major newspapers. A newspaper professes to present the facts objectively. However, all information must pass through the subjective mind, so objectivity is an ideal rather than a strict reality. The tabloids do not strive for the same level of objectivity by checking their sources. The same can be said for many of the TV news magazine programs, which have grown in popularity in recent years.From the television stations point of view, they are an excellent source of profits, because they are cheap to produce and remain popular for a dwindling audience. Keep in mind that the media are private businesses and as such are in the business of making money. For his reason the media cannot afford to offend their constituents: readers, advertisers, or the government, who provides them with licenses to operate or can make life difficult by withholding information, and the over zealous application of tax laws. Main stream views are promoted, while the controversial i s left to smaller news stories.Most of the information is given to them in press releases from politicians, Congress, the White House, local police forces, and local city halls. Companies of any size also issue press releases on a regular basis. A new source of information is the WWW. You might take the opportunity in this course of taking a look at the web site of newspapers in other parts of the world and compare how a particular story is covered differently than in the U. S. Media. Also, peruse your local newspaper and note where their information comes from.You may be surprised to see that much of the information is from other newspapers around the country and from UPS and other news wire services. CNN is a major news source for local TV newscasts. Beware of media bias, slanting, playing up and playing down of stories, sensational headlines, and the use of emotive language. Advertising: Advertising is useful to sell products, sell political candidates and ideas, make announcemen ts, and so on. It also is a major offender in engaging in unrepresentative persuasion. Ads often exaggerate, mislead and even lie.Some products are advertised so heavily that they skew choices. The psychology of ads is that they play on our fears, desires, prejudices and weaknesses. No expense is spared, and weasel words (fights bad breath, helps control dandruff with regular use, gets dishes virtually spotless) are generously used, especially in the fine print. There re two basic kinds of ads: those that give reasons, and those that do not. All ads are guilty of suppressed evidence, that is, they never give you sufficient information about a product whether it be a commodity or political candidate (30 second spots, for example).Ads will never tell you what is wrong with the product (for example, the commonly experienced mechanical problems of a particular model car). Ads give weak promises (your clothes will be â€Å"brighter† if you use a particular soap), use vague compari sons (good, better, best), and make illegitimate appeals to the authority of the rood (most people use the product) or to the authority of a particular individual (Steve Young in the ad for David). Ads that provide reasons, promise ads, submit reasons for buying the product. They tell us more than that the product exists, but not much more.Usually the promises are vague (Gillie's gin promising â€Å"more gin taste†). So, even ads that present reasons for buying a product do not in themselves justify our purchase of the item. If I have done all my homework ahead of time and then see a particularly good price on an item in an ad, then I would be Justified in eying the product – assuming I have a genuine need of it. Ads invite us to think fallaciously, which we will see more about in the next three lessons. There is no substitute for the application of the skills of logic and critical thinking, especially a careful analysis of unrepresentative persuasion. N advertising. E xercise You might take a particular ad that you like and see how it measures up under the scrutiny of logic and critical thinking. Feel free to share your findings on the bulletin board! Pseudoscience 2 Introduction: Many of the common types of pseudoscience go by the name of fallacy. As a rule, Hess attempts at argumentation do not begin with a psychological response to an issue (whether relevant to the truth of the claim or not). In many cases -false dichotomy, slippery slope they follow the structure of a good argument, but hominid, the pseudoscience resembles a smokescreen.The speaker makes a genuine argument, but one that lacks a proper connection with the truth-claim at hand. The categories presented here cover the most frequently occurring kinds of pseudoscience. These occur so frequently, in fact, that the major terms have entered everyday spoken English. The pseudoscience covered in this lesson often assembles good reasoning more than the examples presented in earlier lesso ns. These cases contain few or no appeals to emotion or other psychological motive. Very often the fallacies listed here garble the structure of a good argument, and may even be altered to become good arguments.Pseudoscience Types Part 2 1. Ad Hominid including Personal Attack, Circumstantial Ad Hominid, Sedimentation indisposing the Well. 2. Genetic Fallacy 3. Burden of Proof including Appeal to Ignorance 4. Straw Man 5. False Dilemma including Perfectionist Fallacy and Line-Drawing Fallacy 6. Slippery Slope 7. Begging the Question. Each will be defined/described in the following section Pseudoscience 2 – Definitions/Descriptions Ad Hominid Basic to the ad hominid (to the person) fallacy is the confusing of the message with the messenger.A claim or an argument is rejected because of some fact about the author or source of the claim or argument. The fallacy can take a number of forms, but they all share a confusion (often deliberate) between the truth of a claim under discuss ion and the person or group who put it forward. Since people may hold true beliefs even when their characters are unreliable, or when they belong to a group hat automatically holds those beliefs, the ad hominid dismissal is pseudoscience. The most obvious form of the ad hominid is the personal attack.As the name indicates, it maligns a person in order to dismiss the person's beliefs; there is something about the person who put forward the argument we do not like or of whom we disapprove. The circumstantial ad hominid attempts to discredit a person's claim or argument by referring to the person's circumstances rather than the claim or argument. This after becomes abusive, for example, â€Å"Of course he thinks the economy's fine. He's a Republican, and they don't care about poor people. But abusive treatment to the group in question is not essential to a circumstantial ad hominid. My doctor says that homeopathic cures don't work, but that's what they get drilled into them in medical school. † You may like your doctor despite saying this; but though the statement contains no abuse, it becomes an ad hominid by refusing to consider the truth of the doctor's opinion. A more complex form of ad hominid is sedimentation. The pattern is : â€Å"l reject your claim because you act as if you think it is false,† or â€Å"You can't make the claim now because you have in the past rejected t. † In this case, one dismisses a claim on the grounds of the other person's inconsistency.Inconsistency does bring down a claim or argument , if a person is advocating both a truth-claim and its denial at the same time. For example, when I it wears down my organs, you can dismiss my claims on the basis of their inconsistency. One variety of sedimentation is where the contradiction between two beliefs reaches back to something a person said in the past: â€Å"How can you say caffeine makes people sleepless, when back in high school I remember you claiming it had no e ffect at all? Another more common variety finds an inconsistency between people's statements and their behavior. You may say you are against drugs, but I notice you drinking alcohol everyday. † The person may be a hypocrite, but drugs can be dangerous nevertheless. Poisoning the well, another form of ad hominid, attempts to discredit in advance what a person might claim by relating unfavorable information about the person. Poisoning the well has the effect of giving anything else that person says an unreliable sound; thus you may think of it as blanket ad hominid in advance. The fact that a person is on death row and committed many murders does not dismiss that person's argument against the death penalty; the argument stands on its own merits.Genetic fallacy: The belief that a perceived defect or deficiency in the origin of a thing discredits the thing itself. Strictly speaking, the ad hominid is a specific form of the genetic fallacy. It rejects a claim solely on the grounds of its source, its origins, or its associations. In conversation, the genetic fallacy may sound as broad as â€Å"You Just think that's wrong because you were brought up that way. † Burden of Proof: A form of pseudoscience in which the burden of proving a point is placed on the wrong side, or places the burden of proof more heavily on one side than it should be.One version occurs when a lack of evidence on one side is taken as evidence for the other side, in cases where the burden of proving the point rests on the latter side. Often a discussion of some issue can turn into a discussion of which side faces the greater burden of proof. It helps to have reasonable grounds for assigning the burden of proof properly. All other things being equal, the greater burden of proof sets with someone whose claim has less initial plausibility. Suppose one person claims that the earth is flat, while another denies it.This claim will strike most people as implausible, so the first person face s the greater burden of proof. All other things being equal, the greater burden of proof rests with someone making an affirmative claim, rather than with the one denying that claim. Be careful when someone defends an affirmative claim by throwing the burden onto the other side, calling a claim true simply because it has not been shown to be false. This special variety of ruder-of-proof pseudoscience is called an appeal to ignorance (for example, God exists because no one has proved the opposite. Straw Man: The Straw Man pseudoscience is where someone ignores an opponent's actual position and presents in its place a distorted, exaggerated, or misrepresented version of that position. There is a deliberate distorting of an opponent's position in order to make it easier to attack. A straw man fallacy typically involves a smokescreen, because recasting another person's opinion in distorted form amounts to changing the subject. At the same time, such faulty thinking can occur without any intent to

Cultural Geography Overview

Cultural Geography Overview Cultural geography is one of the two major branches of geography (versus physical geography) and is often called human geography. Cultural geography is the study of the many cultural aspects found throughout the world and how they relate to the spaces and places where they originate and then travel as people continually move across various areas. What Is Cultural Geography? Some of the main cultural phenomena studied in cultural geography include language, religion, different economic and governmental structures, art, music, and other cultural aspects that explain how and/or why people function as they do in the areas in which they live. Globalization is also becoming increasingly important to this field as it is allowing these specific aspects of culture to easily travel across the globe. Cultural landscapes are also important because they link culture to the physical environments in which people live. This is vital because it can either limit or nurture the development of various aspects of culture. For instance, people living in a rural area are often more culturally tied to the natural environment around them than those living in a large metropolitan area. This is generally the focus of the Man-Land Tradition in the Four Traditions of geography and studies human impact on nature, the impact of nature on humans, and people’s perception of the environment. Cultural geography developed out of the University of California, Berkeley and was led by Carl Sauer. He used landscapes as the defining unit of geographic study and said that cultures develop because of the landscape but also help to develop the landscape as well. In addition, his work and the cultural geography of today is highly qualitative rather than quantitative - a main tenant of physical geography. Today, cultural geography is still practiced and more specialized fields within it such as feminist geography, childrens geography, tourism studies, urban geography, the geography of sexuality and space, and political geography have developed to further aid in the study of cultural practices and human activities as they relate spatially to the world.

Lincoln Electric

Lincoln Electric Lincoln Electric is one of world leading companies providing welding equipment. The company was established at the end of the nineteenth century and now it is operating in five continents. In 2005, the net income of Lincoln Electric was $122 million (Siegel 3). The company’s success can be explained by effective strategies employed.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Lincoln Electric specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, the company managed to develop efficient functional strategies. These strategies include the â€Å"use of employee stock ownership†, bonuses â€Å"determined by merit ratings†, piecework pay and so on (Siegel 3). These incentives increased employees’ motivation and the quality of products provided also improved. It is also noteworthy that the company manufactured arc welding equipment as well as consumable products. This diversification has enabled the company t o meet consumer’s needs and the company’s revenues increased. As for increasing efficiency, the strategy mentioned above was crucial. Apart from diversification and proper human resources management, Lincoln Electric marketed its products in 19 countries. At that, when the company was facing certain problems, the CEO managed to increase efficiency of facilities through closing unprofitable plants and eliminating duplication in other plants. When it comes to increasing quality, the company implemented a number of successful strategies aimed at development of new products. The RD department of the company patented various products that were hits in the field of welding industry. As has been mentioned above, employees were motivated to produce high-quality products and this also contributed greatly to the overall quality of products manufactured. Increasing innovation is closely connected with increasing quality. However, it is important to add that the company used innov ative strategies in production (patented new efficient products) as well as other spheres (introduced effective HR strategies, diversified production). The company’s success is also rooted in increasing customer responsiveness. This was achieved through development of user-friendly equipment that was able to solve numerous issues consumers may have faced during their work with the company’s products. Diversification was a key element of this process.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lincoln Electric launched a very effective Guaranteed Cost Reduction Program through which it guaranteed that users of the company’s products would save money (Siegel 5). Through this program, Lincoln Electric developed quite close relationships with its consumers. Sponsoring such sporting events as NASCAR and NHRA also contributed to increasing customer respons iveness. It is necessary to highlight the most effective business level strategies. These include optimization. As has been mentioned above, the company’s CEO managed to close unprofitable facilities in a number of countries and optimize functioning of others. Elimination of duplicating certain process had a positive impact on the company’s development. The focus on quality of products as well as diversity was also beneficial for the company. Finally, company’s’ HR policies led to development of trustful relationship between management and employees (Siegel 4). Corporate level strategies have also been effective. Thus, the company’s readiness to expand was central to its success in the world. The company managed to identify major markets where their products would be in demand. At the same time, the company’s CEOs were not afraid to close facilities that had been unprofitable. Importantly, Lincoln Electric was the company that managed facili ties effectively and eliminated any reduplication. Finally, in the time of global financial constraints, the company was also successful in acquisitions. The policy to acquire assets of companies well established in certain markets has proved to be effective and the company managed to remain the leader in the global market. Siegel, Jordan. Lincoln Electric. Harvard Business School (2008): 1-24. Print.

14 Sound Similes Evaluating Figurative Comparisons

14 Sound Similes Evaluating Figurative Comparisons In writing thats cluttered with clichà ©s, loud noises predictably sound like thunder, while sweet voices are likened to honey, angels, or bells. But in writing thats fresh and daring, unfamiliar comparisons may sometimes surprise, delight, or enlighten us. This doesnt mean that all original similes are effective. A far-fetched comparison may strike some readers as more distracting than revealing, more puzzling than entertaining. Ultimately, of course, how we respond to a figure of speech is largely a matter of taste. Drawn from recent works of fiction and nonfiction, these 14 similes about sounds should help you determine your taste in figurative language. Read each passage aloud, and then identify the similes that you think are particularly creative, insightful, or humorous. In contrast, which ones leave you bored, annoyed, or confused? Be prepared to compare your responses with those of your friends or classmates. 14 Sound Similes to Discover   Welshmen SingingWelshmen like Mr. Davis put great stock in Welsh singing, but to my Irish ears it sounds like men jumping off chairs into a bathtub full of frogs.(P.J. ORourke, The Welsh National Combined Mud Wrestling and Spelling Bee Championship. Age and Guile, Beat Youth, Innocence, and a Bad Haircut. Atlantic Monthly Press, 1995)Branches Scratching Against a WindowThe floorboards creaked in the room where Rain used to be, and the branches of the cherry tree in the front yard near Edgar Allan Poes grave swayed in the wind. They scratched against the glass with a soft tap, tap, tap. It sounded like a lizards paws. Then it sounded like a serpents tongue. Then it sounded like five weak fingers rapping on the windowpane, the same gentle fingers that used to comb and braid Alices hair.(Lisa Dierbeck, One Pill Makes You Smaller. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003)The Winner of the Eurovision Song ContestNobody knows what Edward II sounded like when he sang, but now the whole world knows w hat Conchita sounds like. She, or he, sounds like incoming artillery. One hundred and eighty million people in 45 countries were blown sideways by the uproar emanating from a young woman pretending to be Russell Brand, or perhaps it was Russell Brand pretending to be a young woman.(Clive James, Conchitas Voice Sounded Like Incoming Artillery. The Telegraph, May 17, 2014) A SneezeWithout warning, Lionel gave one of his tight little sneezes: it sounded like a bullet fired through a silencer.(Martin Amis, Lionel Asbo: State of England. Alfred A. Knopf, 2012)A BoyFor all his roughness and arrogance, the boy was transformed when he was in the presence of girls. He spoke in a voice as soft as the silken filaments that float out of a cocoon.(Carol Field, Mangoes and Quince. Bloomsbury, 2001)The Invisible NoiseDuring other sessions, Ive told her about the noise. The invisible noise that only I can hear- a noise that sounds like the mumbling of a million broken voices saying nothing at all or the hum of the wind through an open car window at seventy miles per hour. I can even see the noise sometimes. It circles above people like a clear vulture with sparks of electricity in its wings- hovering dangerously above their heads before swooping down.(Brian James, Life Is But a Dream. Feiwel Friends, 2012)Hoofbeats, Sabers, and ShotsThe street was alive with them, hollow-eyed and faceless astride coal-black horses, their muffled hoofbeats sounding like rapid shots miles away. Only these sounds were right here and I was in the midst of them. Sabers whistled. Once I heard a noise like a cooks cleaver striking half-boiled meat, a nauseating sound. Then there were real shots, hard and sharp, like derisive coughs, and metal-gray smoke that mingled with the white vapor exhaled by the horses.(Loren D. Estleman, Murdocks Law, 1982) Bob DylanEveryone who heard it- even the people who said that Dylan sounded like a dog with his leg trapped in barbed wire- knew Bob Dylan was a phenomenon.(Lewis Macadams, Birth Of The Cool. The Free Press, 2001)Leonard CohenIt is a penitents voice, a rabbinical voice, a crust of unleavened vocal toastspread with smoke and subversive wit. He has a voice like a carpet in an old hotel, like a bad itch on the hunchback of love.(Tom Robbins, Leonard Cohen. Wild Ducks Flying Backward. Bantam, 2005)The Reverberations of Train HornsWhen the train horns sounded and then were quiet, there were pure reverberations up and down the river that sounded like a plucked harp string or a piano note sustained by holding down a pedal.(Mark Knudsen, Old Man River and Me: One Mans Journey Down the Mighty Mississippi. Thomas Nelson, 1999)Cello MusicIt isnt music Louise has ever heard before. It sounds like a lullaby, and then it sounds like a pack of wolves, and then it sounds like a slaughterhouse, and t hen it sounds like a motel room and a married man saying I love you and the shower is running at the same time. It makes her teeth ache and her heart rattle.(Kelly Link, Louises Ghost. Poes Children: The New Horror, ed. by Peter Straub. Doubleday, 2008) Lyle FilbenderI took a deep breath and started to speak. I cant remember half of what I said, but I do know that I was at least a million times more inspiring than Lyle Filbender. He sounded like a defective robot in need of a battery change and had to be reprimanded twice for calling the Missions clients bums.(Maureen Fergus, Exploits of a Reluctant (but Extremely Goodlooking) Hero. Kids Can Press, 2007)A Voice on the PhoneCarl reached for the phone, his gut tightening. Even before he heard the voice on the other end, he suspected- no, knew- it would be him. You did real well, the voice said, a voice like dry leaves rustling down a sidewalk.(J. Michael Straczynski, We Killed Them in the Ratings. Blowout in Little Man Flats, ed. by Billie Sue Mosiman and Martin Greenberg. Rutledge Hill, 1998)Chains at the ForgeRails suspended overhead, from which black chains hung like jungle vines that clattered through their blocks, making a tooth-rattling noise, a noise like the jabbering of a tho usand jawbones in a thousand skulls.(John Griesemer, Signal and Noise. Hutchinson, 2004)

Is Islamic Financing better for Real Estate financing than the Essay

Is Islamic Financing better for Real Estate financing than the conventional Financing - Essay Example (Tarek El Diwany, 2003) While conventional banking is more of a profit oriented business seeking interest on the finance provided to the consumer, being part of the capitalistic interest based financial system, etc. (Kabir Hassan and Mervyn Lewis, 2007) Islamic banking activities are mostly clustered around three parts of the world; Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is further reported that Islamic banking system provides services in the real estate sector in many Muslim countries and banks have started special windows to attract petrodollars from the Muslim people. It is further reported there is high scope for investing Islamic financing in real estate market in Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bahrain and other Muslim nations as it offers more ethical and efficient alternatives as compared to the interest based conventional banking system.(M. Mansoor Khan and M. Ishaq Bhatti, 2008) Since the Islamic financing has strong foothold in many of the Muslim count ries and provides services in various fields, it is believed that Islamic finance is better than the conventional financing system with regard to the financing in real estate sector as it provides more customer oriented services unlike the conventional banking where profit is the first objective of the organization. Hence the present study is proposed into the research of Islamic financing system and conventional financing system, and which is the best suited in the area of real estate financing to the public. Zamir Iqbal et al (2009) mentioned that the conventional financing system which is based on debt financing has taken a set back after the recent credit crisis that started with the initial collapse of the sub prime real estate market in the United States in 2007. Islamic banking and finance represents the worldwide phenomenon that is taking place in Malaysia, Indonesia, the United

ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS STRATEGIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS STRATEGIES - Essay Example One of the popular measures of competitive balance is the actual square root of the variance of win-ratios of a certain season and it is compared with the mean root square deviation of the win ratios in the most ‘appropriate’ case where the wins are allocated in a random manner (Owen, Ryan and Weatherston, 2005, pp.4-5). According to Zimbalist, the professional sports teams participating in a league both corporate and compete with each other. The success of a competition is dependent upon the degree of uncertainty of outcomes. It can be stated differently as the degree of competition among the teams acts as a factor in the success of a league. (Zimbalist 2003, Sports as Business, pp. 503). By perfect competition, economists define a market structure under some assumptions which are unlikely to exist in the real world scenario. It talks about a market where the market power of the participants is limited to set the price of a homogeneous product. Some of its characteristics include unlimited number of buyers and sellers, factors are free to move, and perfect information exists to all the participants. When a firm is able to gather higher levels of profits than the average of all other firms existing in its industry, a situation of competitive advantage is said to exist for the firm and it is of mainly two types namely advantage over costs and differentiation advantage. To attain a successful sporting outcome it is required to maintain a certain degree of competitive balance which is described in the hypothesis of â€Å"uncertainty of outcome†. Gate sharing revenue is one of the popular means of improving competitive balance. This means is very common knock out competitions. However some other means of improving the competitive balance includes salary caps, and luxury taxes. The Major League Baseball adopted an equal splitting of gate receipts which were reduced with time. Since 2003 the clubs participating in the American League

Ethics of Rationing Healthcare for the Aging Research Paper

Ethics of Rationing Healthcare for the Aging - Research Paper Example Over time, statistics designate that maximum life span has improved from 103 in 1978 to 122 years in 1997 (Vaupel, 2010). It is not indistinguishable with the natural life expectancy. In reality, natural lifespan is susceptible to infections, viciousness, or calamities while maximum lifespan depends on the proportion of aging. In ‘Just Health; Meeting Health Need Fairly’, Norman Daniels argues that age rationing is an ethically allowable approach to handle the complications society experiences, for instance, scarce resources. He argues that age rationing should not be paralleled to discernment. When there are limited alternatives, choices must be thought out appropriately. Habitually, such choices affect others positively and others negatively. Age rationing is one way of making these choices. However, detractors discard Daniels commonsensical lifespan account on grounds that it undercuts egalitarianism. She argues on the foundation of capability theory. In this theory, everybody capabilities should be maintained at threshold level that is satisfactory for all human beings. From this argument, life extending upkeep for those who have reached normal lifespan can be repudiated. Those who maintain that age percipience is not as good as to race discernment or any other system of discrimination consider that everybody will become timeworn sooner or later. This is the validation of age discrimination. For that reason, apportioning resources based on age will value everybody in the long run. With racial discrimination, there are no adequate reasons or justification of apportionment of resources to one race and refuting the other. Racial discrimination means that those who are victimized against will forever lose. In contrast, in age discrimination, everybody benefits ultimately. On the other hand, those who are strongly divergent to this perspective maintain that distribution based on full life

Bonds are normally treated as low risk securities, though they are Essay

Bonds are normally treated as low risk securities, though they are rarely risk-free. Assess the risks associated with bonds. Discuss the implications of these r - Essay Example Bonds are one of the methods of raising capital by the issuer, apart from selling shares or taking a bank loan. Once issued, the bonds too can be traded in the open market like shares. Bonds, like other debts, can be structured in different ways. Bonds attract interest and the yield from the bond is the interest rate paid on the bond divided by the bond’s market price. Bonds are normally treated as low risk securities, specially the Government Bonds. Corporate bonds by blue-chip companies are also considered safe. Nevertheless, bonds are rarely risk free. There are various risks associated with bonds and can have far reaching impacts. The income from bond is usually fixed but interest rate fluctuations affect the capital value of investments. The yield and hence the market price always depends on the market environment. A bond investor would normally avoid investing in overvalued bonds where the risk of default far outweighs the extra yield. If a bond portfolio is well structured it would be diversified across a range of credits with no concentration in undue sectors or issuers. Even the highly rated bonds carry certain amount of risks. Bond may be called or redeemed before the maturity date. Poor management of the organization by the issuer may reduce or even destroy the value of the bond. If a company is doing very well and has surplus cash to pay the outstanding debts, they may call the bonds. They would result in lower rate of interest for the investor. The issuer may call back this bond and issue fresh bond with a lower rate of interest. Hence, if the bond has been called, there would be no interest paid on such bonds. Various economic risks affect the value of bonds. These include rate of interest and the inflation (Online, 2004). If a bond was issued before the interest rate increased, it will lose its vale if it is sold before the maturity date. This is because in such a situation its price is likely to be lower than par

Managing Successful Projects Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing Successful Projects - Assignment Example The project management approach outlines more than 40 processes that are necessary for project management and group the processes into distinct process categories and â€Å"Knowledge areas† (Zarafani 2011, 38). The standard’s process categories are â€Å"initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing† of projects while knowledge bases are â€Å"project integration, scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communication, risk, and procurement management† (Zarafani 2011, 38). The Knowledge scope has further been extended to include â€Å"project safety, environmental, financial, and claim management† (Zarafani 2011, 38). The approach values project requirements from stakeholders’ perspectives and considers clients’ level of utility, control measures, periodic improvements, and prime management’s initiatives throughout projects. It however deals with a single project at a time (Zarafani 2011, 39). The United Kingdom’s â€Å"Project Management Body of Knowledge,† also known as PM BoK, is another standard approach to project management. The approach is almost a reflection of the United States’ version but identifies 52 subjects that are considered in seven elements of project management. ... ndards, it is distinct and offers elements such as â€Å"customer focus, management responsibility,† role of stakeholders to a project, quality, and periodic improvements during a project’s lifestyle (Zarafani 2011, 40). The â€Å"Competency Standards for Project Management† from Australia is another standard approach to managing project. It derives its basis from the American model but incorporates standards to ensure compliance with professionally approved procedures (Zarafani 2011, 40). PRINCE is another standard approach to project management. It identifies universality in project implementation efforts subject to specified conditions. It must be â€Å"successfully used everywhere,† must be â€Å"robust, internally consistent and free from evident fault,† is clear and easy to understand, and is â€Å"viable,† â€Å"scalable,† and â€Å"relevant† (Roberts 2013, p. 20). I have taken the United States based PRINCE approach. My choice is based on the approach’s constructs that guarantees success and efficiency besides its clarity, simplicity, and predetermined viability, scalability and relevance (Roberts 2013, p. 20). The process of developing an effective project management environment No standardized strategy exists for developing an effective project management environment. Processes for motivating members of a project team can however develop a motivated team and an effective environment for implementing a project. This can however be achieved through a comprehensive approach that meet team members’ needs such as ensuring â€Å"interesting and challenging work,† â€Å"professionally stimulating work environment,† ensuring strong leadership and growth among team members, developing interpersonal potentials, defining responsibility and restricting dynamism of involved

Bonds are normally treated as low risk securities, though they are Essay

Bonds are normally treated as low risk securities, though they are rarely risk-free. Assess the risks associated with bonds. Discuss the implications of these r - Essay Example Bonds are one of the methods of raising capital by the issuer, apart from selling shares or taking a bank loan. Once issued, the bonds too can be traded in the open market like shares. Bonds, like other debts, can be structured in different ways. Bonds attract interest and the yield from the bond is the interest rate paid on the bond divided by the bond’s market price. Bonds are normally treated as low risk securities, specially the Government Bonds. Corporate bonds by blue-chip companies are also considered safe. Nevertheless, bonds are rarely risk free. There are various risks associated with bonds and can have far reaching impacts. The income from bond is usually fixed but interest rate fluctuations affect the capital value of investments. The yield and hence the market price always depends on the market environment. A bond investor would normally avoid investing in overvalued bonds where the risk of default far outweighs the extra yield. If a bond portfolio is well structured it would be diversified across a range of credits with no concentration in undue sectors or issuers. Even the highly rated bonds carry certain amount of risks. Bond may be called or redeemed before the maturity date. Poor management of the organization by the issuer may reduce or even destroy the value of the bond. If a company is doing very well and has surplus cash to pay the outstanding debts, they may call the bonds. They would result in lower rate of interest for the investor. The issuer may call back this bond and issue fresh bond with a lower rate of interest. Hence, if the bond has been called, there would be no interest paid on such bonds. Various economic risks affect the value of bonds. These include rate of interest and the inflation (Online, 2004). If a bond was issued before the interest rate increased, it will lose its vale if it is sold before the maturity date. This is because in such a situation its price is likely to be lower than par

Book Report on Roy Black Black's Law (NewY ork Touchtone, 1999) Essay

Book Report on Roy Black Black's Law (NewY ork Touchtone, 1999) - Essay Example In the book we read about Miami police officer Luis Alvarez, who lethally shot a twenty year old black man inside a video arcade, instigating three days of rioting that left two people dead. Roy Black got him off. Then there is Fred De La Mata & Steve Hicks. Hicks shot his girlfriend to death, leaving her body in a car in a bank parking lot and then he lied to police four times before claiming it was an accident. Even after all that Roy Black got him off. There is also the case of Thomas Knight, who can aptly be described as our worst nightmare come together. Roy Black got his death sentence vacated. The Alvarez case is the best one in Black's Law, not every story turns out to be a cliff-hanger, but for the most part the book proves a compelling read and probably just as compelling as he is in the courtroom. Black's definitely a better lawyer than an author, but he's truly not a novice in the literary world, either. Black begins the Alvarez story with a touch of a thriller, as he was driving along Interstate 95 on the night of the shooting, when he zoomed past the area where people were rioting. "Too close for comfort," he writes. Roy's job as a defense lawyer can most simply put entail offering a plausible scenario, and he does it brilliantly. He manages to get the jury he wants for the Alvarez trial by asking potential jurors if they had ever faced death. Another interesting aspect is Roy's intense grilling of the detective who took Alvarez's statement after the shooting which turns out to be a turning point in the case. Nevertheless the most dramatic moment is when Alvarez himself takes the stand. The cases of Fred De La Mata and Steve Hicks are less earth-shattering but have their own entertainment value. Black defended De La Mata, a banker accused of money laundering by individually grilling all witnesses against him who as it turns out had ample reason to lie. Hicks on the other hand was a bartender accused of murdering his girlfriend, Betsy Turner. The state thought they had a strong case because after the shooting, Hicks drove the dying Turner to a bank and left her there, then called the police to report her missing. Black argued that the shooting itself was an accident and that Hicks hade panicked. It is in the case that we realize that one of Roy's many gifts is his ability to explain the unexplainable, to make jurors believe anything. Then finally there is the story of Thomas Knight, who kidnapped his boss and his wife after which he forced them to withdraw $50,000 in cash from their bank, after which he drove them to a field and shot them both in the back of the neck. Knight was on death row a few days from execution when Black took over his case. Still, the story is worthless not purely because Knight is an unsympathetic character but because the appeals court vacated the death sentence for reasons that had little to do with Black's argument. Black should have found a more interesting story to wrap up his book. The book paints a realistic picture of the life of a criminal defense attorney. Each case starts off with basic info on the client and ends with a review of the defendant's present position. The book is well written but more then once Black portrays his

The Effects of Nature or Nurture on Early Human Development Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Nature or Nurture on Early Human Development Essay Human development is a very complex process – from conception to death. There has been a long debate on whether human development is determined by nature or nurture. If their growths were all guided by nature only, they would all be born with a mind of â€Å"blank slate†. This means that they do not have any inborn ability to do anything when they are born. On the other hand, if their growth was determined by nurture only, it would mean that they were fully equipped with all the skills they need in their lives when we are born. In other words, all the physical and mental skills they have right now would have been inherited from their parents and the environment they grow up in has no effect. This essay will focus on the effects of both nature and nurture on three major stages of early human development: fetal, early childhood motor development and learning how to talk. All of these stages are guided by both nature and nurture, and not just one. First of all, fetal development in a mother’s stomach is first guided by nature and continues with nurture. The hereditary information from both parents in the fetus is not affected by nurture. For example, the gender, skin, hair, eye colour and general body size are genetically determined and have nothing to do with the environment that the fetus is in. Also, the parents’ pre-existing genetic health conditions might also affect the health of the fetus as well, such as diabetes. Once these information are set, the fetus continues to grow and many environmental factors affect its development. For instance, the health of the mother and her life style have a profound effect on her baby. For instance, a baby that began its life healthy at first might develop some birth defect due to the mother’s alcohol abuse. On the other hand, a mother can reduce her chances of getting a fetus with birth defects by taking certain vitamin supplements. Once the baby is born, it starts to learn how to move its body parts. Most infants in the same given environment develop their motor skills at more or less the same order, such as rolling over, sitting without support, standing while holding on furniture, crawling, and then finally walking. This is because they are born with the same set of muscles and bones that they learn how to use – the â€Å"nature† part of motor development. However, it is important to notice that the rate of learning these motor skills differ due to the â€Å"nurture† side of development. For example, an infant that practices walking with its parent may start walking on its own earlier than another infant that received no help. Also, an infant that receives much visual and auditory stimulation, such as playing with toys, develops its motor skills faster than an infant that received none. While the baby continues to learn how to move around on its own, it also learns how to talk – an extremely important skill. Speech development is also determined by both nature and nurture. All babies that are born with no birth defects are equipped with physiological requirements for speech: lungs, voice box, and mouth. They also need a properly working brain and nerves to control these body parts and to mentally form sentences. These form the nature part of the speech development because they are the things that the babies are born with. However, they could be useless if the baby does not learn how to use them properly, and this is where the nurture part of the speech development comes in. A baby that is constantly spoken to by others learns how to talk faster. In an opposite case, a baby that receives very little to no interaction with others may not acquire language at all. Speech not only involves talking, but it also involves very important social skills and body language, and a baby can learn these skills faster if it constantly receives proper stimulation from its caregivers. In conclusion, early human development is controlled by both nature and nurture – in fetal development, motor development, and language acquisition. The nature part of development includes the things that the infants are born with, and the nurture part of development includes the environmental factors that the infants receive. Most babies are born with more or less the same basic requirements for life, but the rate at which they develop their skills differ due to the nurture part of development. Overall, nature and nurture cannot be separated because they depend on each other. WORKS CITED 1. Atkinson. R. L. â€Å"Interaction between nature and nurture† in J. Slaght. Reading and writing Coursebook. 2. ABOUT. COM http://pregnancy. about. com/cs/fetaldevelopment/l/blfolatefacts. htm 3. Kidshealth from Nemours. http://kidshealth. org/parent/system/ill/birth_defects. html 4. Ludington-Hue, Susan. How to have a Smarter Baby United States and Canada: Rawson edition, 1985. 5. The Origin of Languageand Communication. http://www. trueorigin. org/language01. asp 6. Wikipedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Genie_(feral_child) [ 1 ]. R. L. Atkinson â€Å"Interaction between nature and nurture† in J. Slaght. Reading and writing Coursebook. P162 [ 2 ]. Ibid. P162 [ 3 ]. Ibid. P163 [ 4 ]. Kidshealth from Nemours. http://kidshealth. org/parent/system/ill/birth_defects. html [ 5 ]. ABOUT. COM http://pregnancy. about. com/cs/fetaldevelopment/l/blfolatefacts. htm [ 6 ]. R. L. Atkinson â€Å"Interaction between nature and nurture† in J. Slaght. Reading and writing Coursebook. P163 [ 7 ]. Ibid. P163 [ 8 ]. Ludington-Hue, Susan. How to have a Smarter Baby United States and Canada: Rawson edition, 1985. [ 9 ]. The Origin of Languageand Communication. http://www. trueorigin. org/language01. asp [ 10 ]. R. L. Atkinson â€Å"Interaction between nature and nurture† in J. Slaght. Reading and writing Coursebook. P163 [ 11 ]. Ibid. P163 [ 12 ]. Wikipedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Genie_(feral_child).

Vietnam Is One Of The Developing Countries Tourism Essay

Vietnam Is One Of The Developing Countries Tourism Essay MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach is one of only the few large international players which are granted with permission for casino operation in Vietnam recently. In Vietnam, gambling is still a sensitive issue. On October 8 2012, Members of National Assemblys Standing Committee debated a draft decree on electronic gambling for foreigners. Mr. Vuong Dinh Due, Minister of Finance stated that this business was approved 20 years ago to entertain the demand of foreigners and attract more investment to the country. However, there are some current regulations on licensing conditions were not suitable anymore with the upcoming social-economic circumstance and some laws approved recently such as the Investment Law or Enterprise Law. Most members of the Standing Committee supported the new decree, which specify only foreigners and Vietnamese people who hold foreign passports or foreign residency permits are allowed to join the gaming function (VIETNAMNET 2012). Moreover, there was another draft decree on casino management released by Ministry of Finance stipulating that the foreign investors looking for a chance to open new casinos must inject at least US$ 4 billion to the project and they can only receive the casino operation licenses after they finish project development (Tu Giang 2012). Despite all strict rules and regulations from the government on this gaming industry, many projects are still on their way to set up or advance their scale of operations. In October 2012, Donaco Singapore which is controlled by two grandsons of Mr. Lim Goh Tong, the founder of Genting Berhad, has announced the share-sale agreement with Australian company Two Way Ltd. in the running of Lao Cai International Hotel, a premises had been licensed of gambling function and located near to the border with China. The hotel operated successfully which generated US$12.5 million of revenue and net profit after-tax was US$6.2 million in 2011 (Ngoc Linh 2012). Other large players in this sector are Silver Shores Hoang Dat Co. in Danang, Genting VinaCapital Co. in Hoi An, Royal International Co. in Lang Son and Hai Ninh Loi Lai Co. in Quang Ninh. Following a report by the Ministry of Finance, the revenue from prize electronics games has been risen gradually in recent years of around 10-15 per cent per annum and the total turnover in 2011 hit VND5 trillions (approximately US$ 240 millions) (Tran Thuy 2013). Meanwhile, ACDL started to kick off the second part of the MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach Project in October 2012 and Mr. Lloyd Nathan, CEO of ACDL, was confident to say that MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach is the only one integrated resort with a major US brand actually opens in Asia during the next five years (Linh Tu 2012). Together with the potential and economic benefits from the gaming sector, there are some social problems could be solved if the government really open the doors for the Vietnamese citizens to the casinos. In spite of the fact that gambling is illegal in Vietnam, there are many people still take participate in the underground gambling activities throughout the country. On November 29 2012, more than 200 police officers successfully caught over 100 gamblers and seized several billions Vietnamese Dong in the largest-ever gambling den in Northern Vietnam. Local residents believed that this gambling den had operated for decades and attracted gamblers from many provinces in Northern Vietnam (Nhung 2012). Besides, many Vietnamese people have crossed the border to go to Cambodia for gambling. Based on a survey by the Ministry of Public Securitys General Department of Crime Prevention and Control, it was estimated that around 3,600 Vietnamese citizens go to Cambodia on gambling purpose daily, and it could rise up to 5,000 on Saturdays (Tuoi Tre 2012). Naga Corp., the operator of a casino chain in Cambodia stated that 40% of their revenue came from Vietnamese (Tu Hoang 2012). It could be even worse if the gambler ran out of money in Cambodian gambling premises and he/she was kept by the lenders. Some of them committed suicide after that because they had mortgaged their own life for the betting money (Thanh Nien 2012). All of these issues could be dealt if the government carefully considers allowing the Vietnamese nationals come into the casino in domestic, so it is easier to control the gambler and reduce the negative impacts from illegal gambling. The next part will focus on the operation aspect of MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach to see how they are going to make profit from this project as well as the liabilities towards the society and their stakeholders. MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach, located in the Ba Ria Vung Tau province, is the first phase of Ho Tram Strip complex to be managed and branded by MGM Resorts International. It consists of 541 luxury guestrooms and suites in a hotel tower and 13,600 square metres are of gaming space which lays down 90 tables and 500 electronic gaming machines. There are also a 4,000 square metres conference and convention center which features state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment and lighting facilities. In addition, MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach comfort its guests by a full range of nine world-class restaurants which serves various kinds of cuisine such as Vietnamese, Cantonese, Japanese, French and three differently designed bar, lounge and ultra-lounge. All other facilities such as spa, retail shopping areas and beach recreational activities which are expected in any destination resort are also available to entertain all visitors. The second tower of MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach contains 559 guestrooms and suite s will bring the total room complement to 1,100 (ACDL 2012). Compared to other gaming hubs in Asia such as Macau or Singapore, the unique factor of this project is the site itself. It is one of stunning beauty-2.2km of beach. So whereas there are many resorts that are looking to create artificial beaches and artificial wave pools, we actually have the real thing on our doorstep, said Mr. Nathan Lloyd, CEO of ACDL (Jalal 2012). This is the wonderful place appeal to people to take their family vacation. Although the gaming sector is expected to have higher contribution to the revenue of the resort, non-gamers are still the important target. Within around 8 million Vietnamese people visiting Ba Ria Vung Tau province annually and many people go there as a weekend getaway, MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach with excellent non-gaming amenities would be the best choice of destination (ACDL 2012). On the gaming side, premium players are expected to come from places such as Mainland China, Korea, Japa n, Thailand and India as well. There are around 6 million foreign tourists come to Vietnam annually and many expatriates living in Vietnam would be the main source markets for the casino operation. The other source could be about 3.5 million Vietnamese people oversea who hold foreign passports or foreign residency permits and tend to come back to Vietnam at the Lunar New Year (Jalal 2012). Another key factor which could attract both gaming and non-gaming visitors to MGM Grand Ho Tram beach is the well-known MGM tradition of performances and live concerts around the year. These various activities would happen in many different places inside the resort such as ballroom, bar, ultra-lounge and beachside. The Greg Norman designed 18-hole Championship golf course which is expected to be completed in this year could be also the favorite destination of many VIP guests as well as golf players in the Asia region (Van 2012). In the other hand, MGM Grand Ho Tram Beach puts a great concern to its staffs and the local community. ACDL has created around 4,000 construction jobs and hired 2,000 people to work in the first phase of the MGM Grand Ho Tram. Mr. John Shigley, President and COO of MGM Grand Ho Tram, said the training programs would focus on the local market and be ongoing for the management and staff hired. After that, all staffs would receive extensive training in computer skills, language skills, customer service and all technical aspects of their jobs (Van 2012). MGM Resorts International also offered training and curriculum to many young Vietnamese students in a number of colleges and universities in Vietnam to work and make a strong start for their career (Jalal 2012). Beside the career development, MGM has some of the most strict and rigorous regulations and standards to monitor the gambling in casinos. MGM is interested in creating a regulated, secure and safe environment for gamers. There ar e measures would be taken to ensure only persons who could properly game would be allowed to do so. Whether Vietnamese can play or not depends on the laws of Vietnam, but we only allow foreigners, said CEO Nathan Lloyd (Tu Giang 2012). Asian Coast Development Limited, the owner of this Ho Tram Strip project, has shown its social responsibilities by many activities such as donation of 10 houses to Xuyen Moc Commune to improve the life of disadvantaged people in the local community. In October 17 2009, the Company visited and aided the flood victims in Quang Ngai Province with VND360 million in funds directly to the families worst affected by the storm. Also in October 2009, ACDL held a party for Ho Chi Minh Citys Dieu Giac orphanage after funding to provide an entirely new roof to the school and supply new recreational facilities for 126 children in this centre (ACDL 2012).

Time to Move On :: Personal Narrative Essays

Time to Move On While I was driving to work on a Thursday evening in November at 10:00 p.m., for my first night of training on the graveyard shift at Medical Centers Radiology Department. I was imagining the types of exams that could come to the department from the ER, praying that I would not have to x-ray a drunk or someone that had been in a bad car accident. When I finally arrived to work at 11:00 p.m., I walked through the ER to get to the radiology department. So far the ER was having a really slow night. After putting my things away, I met the technologist (Bob) that I would be working with for the next eight hours. Since the department was so quiet, Bob and I had some time to discuss what the graveyard technologists responsibilities included, such as hanging all the x-rays from the night for the Radiologist to read, and getting the paper work ready for the in hospital portable x-rays to be done at 5:30a.m. before the shift ends at 7:00a.m. Now it was going on 1:00a.m. Bob and I had gotten aquatinted, and I knew all my responsibilities . Since we still had not heard from the ER we both tried to get some sleep. When I was drifting off to sleep, I was hoping that if the ER did call it would only be for easy exams and preferably no drunks. It was 4:00a.m. when I awoke to the ringing of the phone . I knew it was going to be the ER calling to send a patient over for x-rays. When I answered the phone, I was again praying it was something quick and easy. The nurse on the other end of the Line said, "We have a chest x-ray" with a sigh of relief I said, " Send them to room 3 ." After finishing the chest x-ray, I walked the patient back to the ER. This is when I saw what I had been hoping would not happen on my shift. Doctors and nurses were rushing into ER Room 8 where I saw a young man (high school age) laying on a back board with a cervical collar on and his head had been split open.

Compare and Contrst †Paradise Lost and Balled of Reading Gaol Essay

How do both the poems and the poets relate to the theme ‘Fallen Hero?’ John Milton and Oscar Wilde were two literary figures who crafted many different types of work. Milton was a pamphleteer in mid seventeenth century, who wrote and discussed important matter such as; in defence of liberty, in support of regicides, against episcopacy, divorce, apologist for the Common Wealth. Perhaps the most famous of his pamphlets, was ‘Areopagitica’, this dealt with censorship. Wilde was a playwright in the late nineteenth century. Milton was highly placed in the political world. He was sentenced to prison, for being a republican when monarchy returned to Britain. He was however bailed out by a friend, and after facing his sentence in gaol he wrote Paradise Lost referring to a ‘Fallen Hero’ which is possibly the best piece of English literature ever written. Paradise Lost, his most famous poem that was first published in 1867 in ten books. Wilde was one of the most popular celebrities of his time. He was sentenced to two years imprisonment and hard labour in Reading Gaol. He was sent to gaol after he was accused by the Marquis of Queensbury of homosexual offences. He then regrettably took his libel case to court, and lost his case. The case attracted much publicity in 1895 which destroyed Wilde’s reputation. Unlike Milton, he was a wrecked person after his sentence, and felt he had to move to France; and it was there he wrote ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol’. In the following essay, I shall be comparing and contrasting this poem with two excerpts from his Milton’s poem. Both poets have written about a form of captivity that can be described as hell or hell on earth. In Wilde’s case he describes gaol as being a hell on earth, in Milton’s case however, he describes the protagonist, as being in the actual hell. Milton’s principal character, Lucifer, was the archangel of Heaven and serving for God. However Lucifer; wanted more power, he believed he was equal to God. He instigated a rebellion, and fought God, and was defeated in the battle. As a result: â€Å"Him the almighty Power Hurled headlong flaming from the ethereal sky† (line 45) Lucifer with his fellow rebels, were thrown out of Heaven into the Chaos of Hell. â€Å"Nine times the space that measures day and night† (line 50) This Hell was the deepest, darkest, most dreadful part of the Universe. Satan is thrown into the Hell that Milton describes: â€Å"Fiery gulf† (line 52)†¦ â€Å"One great furnace flame† (line 62)†¦ â€Å"Regions of sorrow† They were left to perish in agony. Lucifer was from then on known as Satan. He was the ‘Fallen Hero’ in Milton’s epic poem. Wilde however described the tortures of gaol, illustrating how hellish they were. In his poem he writes about a soldier, Trooper Charles Thomas Wooldridge being charged with murder by slitting his wife’s throat with a razor. This is an example of a fallen hero. However; I believe Wilde can also be seen as a ‘Fallen Hero’. He portrayed his own situation through the imagery of the soldier as a metaphor for his condition in his poem. He fell from the height of his popularity, in 1895 to degradation and never recovered. He was so ashamed of his humiliation that although Wilde never hid his authorship of the poem, it was published under the name ‘C.3.3.’, which stood for building C, floor 3, cell 3, at Reading. Wilde speaking of his hell on earth says: â€Å"The wall is strong; And that each day is like a year, A year whose days are long.† (Verse 1) The differences between Wilde’s hell and Milton’s hell are that Milton’s hell is open for Satan to run free. â€Å"Here at least We shall be free; the Almighty hath not built Here for his envy, will not drive us hence: Here we may reign secure† (line 258) Satan feels now he is out of God’s hand, he is free and has more power than ever. God will not be able to touch Satan and Beelzebub were they are, and Satan will â€Å"reign secure† (line 261) In Wilde’s poem, he describes his hell as a confined, claustrophobic area, where nobody has freedom. They are: â€Å"Each in his separate Hell,† (verse 10) Each prisoner is deprived of, senses, confrontation, food and water. Society which has locked them up, acts as God. Society is the law, and law is not always right: â€Å"I know not whether Laws be right, Or whether Laws be wrong;† (verse 1) The word Law in this poem, has a capitol L this is to personify the word, and raises the word law from guidance, into a high power. The quote is saying Law, which is society, perhaps is judging mistakenly. The next quote highlights this fact: â€Å"But straws the wheat and saves the chaff† (verse 2) This quote is a play on the saying ‘Separate the wheat and chaff’. The saying means to distinguish the good from the bad, the precious from the worthless. This saying literally occurred regularly in the ancient agricultural practice of winnowing. This is said in the Bible: ‘Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.’ (Matthew 3:12) In Wilde’s poem, he says that more bad people are not imprisoned, than good people are imprisoned. The Satan in Milton’s poem intended to be the ‘Fallen Hero’? I believe he is the anti-God or anti-hero. If this is the case, I believe Satan is not a hero, but is a character that consists of many heroic qualities; â€Å"A mind not to be changed by place or time. The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.† This shows Satan’s determination and resilience. He will not change his mind. The reader respects Satan’s energy, resilience, bravery, not concerned of what evil archfiend has these traits. Satan is able to see what power he still has, he now has a land of his own, which he will make a Heaven, and he will believe God’s Heaven to be a Hell. Nobody appreciates Satan’s heroic qualities as much as Milton. Satan’s passionate and ambitious character is more intriguing than God’s reasonable and mild personality. Milton has sculpted the character of Satan to be a desirable character in the beginning to represent the temptation man faces when dealing with the devil. As in The Fall of Adam and Eve, Eve resists into the temptation of the Devil, and brings sin into the world. This is the beginning of the Devil’s war against God and this is what Milton’s Epic is about to answer the earlier question, although William Blake said memorably in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell in 1790: â€Å"Milton†¦was a true poet, and of the Devil’s party without Knowing it† Milton was a strong puritan and would never allow an evil character to become the true hero. There is a big difference between both focal characters in the two poems. As I mentioned before, we admire Satan’s heroism in spite of what mars him. The word marred is also used in Wilde’s poem: â€Å"And by all forgot, we rot and rot, With soul and body marred† In Milton’s case Satan’s actions are marred, and his persona is as gallant as ever. However in Wilde’s poem he describes the prisoner’s soul, body and persona marred. The soldier and Wilde are completely decrepit, and destroyed. Satan does not give up; he keeps on going determined to defeat God. â€Å"What though the field be lost? All is not lost; the unconquerable will, An the study of revenge, immortal hate, And courage never to submit of yield:† (line 105) Even once Satan has lost the battle, he feels, he is finally free from God’s slavery. This a big difference between Satan and Wilde, Wilde gave up. Satan has the ability to look at the bright side of the situation: â€Å"This downfall; since by fate the strength of gods† (line 116) â€Å"This the seat That we must change for heaven, this mournful gloom For that celestial light?† (Line 244) â€Å"With rallied arms to try what may yet Regained in heaven, or what more lost in hell?† (line 269) Satan in this situation believes that losing this battle was an act of a fate. Being defeated, in the long run, was a good thing. The battle was worth the risk of ruling heaven, even if it resulted in a loss and being thrown into hell. â€Å"Better to reign in hell, than serve in heaven.† Fate has led Satan to have a land of his own to rule. It is best to have power in a land of vice, than to be under slavery in a land of good. â€Å"In arms not worse, in foresight mush advance. We may with more successful hope resolve To wage by force or guile eternal war Irreconcilable to our grand Foe,† Satan and his henchman, Beelzebub, feel after they were defeated they feel they can fight back by learning from their mistakes. They will approach the war not by strength, but by intelligence. They learned God’s foremost weapon was thunder. â€Å"Who thunder hath made greater?† (Line 258) Although Satan lost his battle against God he can still win the war. The primary difference between the two poems is the determination of the two Fallen Heroes Satan has resilience to fight back and defeat the omnipotent; however Wilde allowed society, which was his omnipotent to crush him. Milton managed to write this poem as a result of his return into society he fought back, and was able to write about the positives of his fall. Wilde however, took a vast piece out of him, and was only able to write about the negatives of his experience. I believe, if Milton had been trampled to the same extent of Wilde, he would not have been able to write the best piece of literature ever. Similarly, if Wilde was not hit at such an degree, he would have been able to write about the encouraging points of his life. Milton and Wilde differ in such a way; it is difficult to contrast the two poets. However being able to see the difference in manner of literature, after different levels of crushing by society, enables you to see the true Fallen Heroes; Milton and Wilde.