King Arthur And Zeus Essays - Mythology, Fiction, Religion

King Arthur And Zeus Inside the compilation of mythical stories of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table, retold by Roger Green, and Heroes, Gods, and Monsters of the Greek Myths, two major characters in each story that could be expressed in similar and contrasting ways are Arthur, the king and head of the knights of the Round Table, and Zeus, the supreme leader of all gods and mortals. Similar resemblances that can be found in both is their shadowy lineage, their major mortal flaws, and their nature to journey on epic quests. Even though they were very similar in some aspects, the two were also very different in other means. Arthur is much more kind to his people and cares about them, while Zeus does not view his subjects as worthy of him and treats them unjustly. An additional difference is Arthur is more mild and not taking harsh action all the time, though Zeus is known for being severe. There are many similarities as well as differences that are attributed to these two mythical characters. Arthur and Zeus can be noted for their mysterious childhood and ways they were treated at infancy. Both had prophesies of prosperity that led them into adulthood. When Arthur was born, Uther Pendragon, the leader of the Britons, killed a man and married his wife, Igrayne. Uther and Igrayne had one child, but not much longer after it was born, Merlin the enchanter took him away. Soon after, the boy was placed in the arms of Sir Ector, a noble knight. Later, the youth pulled the sword out of a stone that proclaimed that he was the king of all Britain. This young man would later on grow up to be King Arthur. Not unlike Arthur, Zeus also had a unnatural background. Before Zeus was born, there was a prophecy that stated that Cronos, the king of all gods, would be overthrown by one of his sons. When Zeus was born, he was concealed from his father. As time went by, Zeus waged a war against Cronos and defeated him. Though Zeus and Arthur came from entirely different locations and times, their childhood's were related on account of both of them being hazy. Even though some might not consider either of the two "mortal", Arthur and Zeus had very notable human-like flaws. They both seemed to rush to judgements hastily, and were very passionate towards women. When Arthur hears about King Pellinore and how he is shamelessly killing knights, Arthur runs off to fight. Obviously, Arthur does not give himself time to think, and would have died if it was not for Merlin. Another example would be when Arthur runs off to the Castle of Tarn Wathelyne and pays no heed to Sir Gawain's warnings. King Arthur ends up being tricked by Morgana Le Fay and would perish save a horrid woman who forced Sir Gawain to marry her for King Arthur's life. Many times King Arthur would have been killed if it weren't for his friends such as Merlin and Sir Gawain. Zeus showed the same characteristic even though it played no part in death for himself. The mighty god jumped to his feet and killed when he found out that Ascelpsius was curing mortals headed to the underworld. Later, Zeus regretted his act of terror and brought Ascelpsius back to life. Passionate feelings for other women, and desire for romance were huge faults in Arthur and Zeus. Arthur's feelings for Guinevere led to the downfall of the Logres. At first, when Arthur saw Guinevere, he immediately fell in love with her. Through carelessness and desire for romance, Arthur neglected Merlin's advice of not marrying the queen. When Guinevere and Lancelot had an affair, a war started, and the realm was destroyed. In Zeus' case, the gods are not affected by romantic affairs, but the mortals they make love with are affected. Zeus approached many different gods or mortals, even though he is already married to Hera. Hera occasionally followed Zeus, and punished the ones with whom he had affairs. The mythical figures Arthur and Zeus both have major moral flaws: rashness and crave for passion. King Arthur and Zeus are best known for their epic quests and accomplishments. The two figures seem to be born for the reason to journey on adventures. At age sixteen, Arthur ruled as the king of all Britons. He immediately set forth to drive all of the Saxons out of the island of Britain. This could be considered his first major

How to Determine Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years

How to Determine Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years Have you ever been in an interview, or an annual performance review, and found yourself a little stymied by the very simple question, â€Å"where do you see yourself in 5 years?† It’s a question right out of the Interviewing 101 handbook, and the asker is probably more interested in making sure that your answer isn’t â€Å"following Phish around the country† than in hearing the nitty-gritty of your next 10  career steps. But that doesn’t make it any easier to answer, if you haven’t put much thought or energy beyond your next step. And it also doesn’t mean you should phone it in. 1. Why Have a Career Plan?2.  Okay, I Need a Plan- Now What?3. How Do I Figure Out What I Want to Do?4. Setting Your Goals5.  How Do I Come Up With a Strategy?6.  Be Ready to ReviseWhy Have a Career Plan?Even if you haven’t been called out on your long-term career plans directly, it’s an exercise worth doing for your own sake. What do you want out of your career? It can be so easy to get caught up in what’s happening now, or what’s happening immediately next. If you don’t have a career plan, no one’s going to blackball you as a slacker. Still, here are five irrefutable (okay, not easy to refute) reasons you should consider making a career plan for yourself.1. It gives you a foundation for your career.It’s good to have a base to come back to- a sense of what your purpose is. Coming up with a career plan lets you put specific goals around ones that might be a little on the vague side. â€Å"Become a manager† or â€Å"get promoted to VP† are great goals, but they’re short on specifics. The career plan can help you figure out the milestones you need to hit in the interim. This is especially true if you’re looking for a job, or are trying to break into a particular field. Knowing what you want ahead of time can help you figure out what the best opportunities a re.2. It’s not set in stone.A career plan can seem like a commitment, especially if you’re relatively new to your field. But this isn’t about putting a ring on it for good- it’s about sketching out your preferred outcomes, so that you can make your current and near-future actions more productive. You can change it up later, if you decide this career isn’t for you after all, or you want to take a totally different approach.3. Strategy puts you in more control of your own success. If you have an upcoming fantasy football draft, or you’re into hunting Pokemon, these hobbies have something in common: you have a strategy for success. Maybe you’ve obsessed over stats, injury reports, and sports gossip sites checking to see if that quarterback is going to bounce back from his rehab stint. Or you got a hot tip about where that rare Flareon is hanging out, and you want to figure out the best time to go hunting. Either way, you’re making a plan for success. Think of yourself as the general here. Are you guaranteed a specific outcome? Nope. But does your plan give you better odds of succeeding than wandering (or drafting) aimlessly would? Absolutely.4. You’ll learn more about yourself.Your values and priorities change over time- so assumptions and decisions you made way back when might not even be close to accurate anymore. If you put in the time to take stock of where you are now and where you truly want to go, it puts you in touch with your current self, rather than the self who was making career decisions years ago.5. All the cool kids are doing it.That reason never stops being valid, right?Okay, I Need a Plan- Now What?Here’s where the great idea of planning your career starts getting down and dirty- you need to start doing the actual work. According to Quora, this process can be broken down into a series of steps:Step 1: Conduct a self-assessment.What do you value most? What are your strengths and weaknesses as an employee? What skills and experience do you bring to the table?Step 2: Decide your career options based on the interests and strengths from that self-assessment.Once you have that snapshot of you as a professional person, the next part is hard: finding jobs that line up with your wants and needs. (More on that below.)Step 3: Name your career goals.What do you want to achieve at different points throughout your career? What about six months from now, a year from now, two years from now? You can spin this out as long as you want. (Bonus points if you pass Go.)Step 4: Develop your career strategy. How do you get to those goals? What smaller goals do you need to hit in the meantime to reach those larger ones?Step 5: Review and adjust that strategy as necessary.How does your career outlook change as your life changes? Remember, this is not a one-and-done exercise- you can change it as much as you want.How Do I Figure Out What I Want to Do?Some careers have very specific milestones, if The Sims taught me anything. For example, if you want to become a tenured teacher, first you have to get your degree, be a student teacher, possibly get your Master’s, get certified/licensed, and find a full-time teaching job. That’s pretty straightforward. If your goal is to be a VP of marketing somewhere, it’s less straightforward. Which industry are you marketing in? There may not be a direct line in your field, but rather a ladder of experience that you can gather from different places. If you know what you want to do but are a little unclear on the steps to get there, then internet searches are your best friend. Look for professionalRemember: Passion is Not a PlanWhen you’re making your plan (or even figuring out how to start), it’s important to keep in mind that you don’t need to use this planning process as an altar to your professional passion.Terri Trespicio, a branding strategist and life coach, talks about rejectin g the idea that you have one passion job or career in your life. Your career plan doesn’t have to be a tunnel vision view of your abiding passion in life- it can be as simple as an outline of the kind of experience you want to gain over the next few years. It’s not about limiting yourself to one track, it’s about giving yourself a lifeline you can follow even when things get rough (if you lose your job, if you hate your job, etc.). Think of this as a problem-solving exercise: what problems need to be solved for you to get to the next level?Quiz Your Way to a PlanThe self-assessment may be more than just your strengths and values- it might be even more basic: â€Å"What do I want to do when I grow up?† (If you’re anything like me, you ask yourself that question long after the point when no one would mistake you for not yet grown up.) There are lots of great resources out there that can help you narrow the wide world of careers into a manageable numb er of potential paths for yourself. These are tests, quizzes, and surveys online that you can do at your leisure, and not only offer insight, but recommendations on what you can do with your newfound (or newly confirmed) info.The Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorTruityPymetricsThe Johnson-O’Connor Career Aptitude TestThe MAPP Career Assessment TestThe O*Net Interest Profiler These resources (some free, some premium) can help you get a better snapshot of what you’re well-suited to do. The soul-searching about values and priorities has to come from within, but you can definitely get some outside help on how to translate your skills and abilities into a fulfilling career path, and a set of goals you can meet along the way.Setting Your GoalsAfter you figure out your strengths and what you’d like to do (in general), the next step is figuring out your goals. When you’re thinking about these goals, they should be:SpecificMeasurableAchievableRelevantTime-bound If you m ake your goals as specific and reasonable, and put a schedule around it (approximate is fine), you’re more likely to hit them. Goals that are vague or too difficult will quickly get left behind as you concentrate on other things.How Do I Come Up With a Strategy?The strategic plan is the result of that round of asking yourself questions (or using one of the online self-assessments as an oracle). And it involves†¦more questions.What additional skills/experience do I need to hit my goals?What kind of network will I need?What jobs or companies would help me achieve those goals?What weaknesses can I fix to meet these goals?What kind of experience would be most helpful to me?But at this point, your questions are getting more refined, and more centered around what you want to be doing. You’re ready to start writing down milestones (goals) and a few bullet points for each that provide more information.Be Ready to ReviseRemember, this plan is not an all-or-nothing document , which shall not be changed. You will change, your circumstances might change, and your field might change. All of the potential for shifts in your plan mean you need to be ready to keep thinking about your career plan, and whether it still works for you. Maybe it’s an annual check-in with yourself, with a yearly reminder set for a quiet Sunday. But once you’ve gotten in touch with where you want to be at various points in your career, it’ll be easier to keep the plan in your mind as you move forward with opportunities and make decisions.

Alcoholic Authors Essay Example for Free

Alcoholic Authors Essay Essay Topic: American literature , Alcoholism The prominence of alcoholism in American literature, at least in the first half of the twentieth century, and the relationship between great authors and alcoholism has become somewhat of a literary cliche. Icons such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, and Jack Kerouac are as famous for their work as they are infamous for their drinking habits. These authors have created a legend out of themselves just from their notorious habits of drinking. Of the seven native-born Americans awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, five were alcoholics. The list of other twentieth-century American writers also affected with alcoholism is very long. I researched these authors’ lives to find out how they all were infected with the same disease, alcoholism. Some said that drinking boosted their creative abilities, while others thought of it more of an escape from the confines of their own imagination, to which they were bound for all hours of the day. Drinking does fit the loner lifestyle that many of these authors had. It was viewed as a cure for writers block, an escape from their own minds, and most importantly, as a tool to cure the emotional hardships that they endured. It is not a coincidence that the greatest writers and artists also had very troubled childhoods and adult lives. Look at Edgar Allan Poe and Vincent Van Gogh; both were both severely troubled emotionally and depressed, and yet they still produced artistic and literary genius. So what is this connection between alcoholism and the great authors of the early 19th century? I will take an in-depth look at a few of the most influential alcoholic authors, such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Edgar Allan Poe, and Tennessee Williams. I will look at factors that may have led them to their alcoholic habits, such as their childhood, troubled lives, or depression. From there, I will then look at how alcohol affected their works, positively or negatively. And as we all know, alcoholism was also double-edged sword that led to the destruction of their careers, and ultimately to their deaths. â€Å"I have absolutely no pleasure in the stimulants in which I sometimes so madly indulge. It has not been in the pursuit of pleasure that I have periled life and reputation and reason. It has been the desperate attempt to escape from torturing memories, from a sense of insupportable loneliness and a dread of some strange impending doom. † This quote by Edgar Allan Poe perfectly depicts why many of these great authors fell back into the grasp of alcoholism. Many were troubled spirits who had tough lives, and used alcohol as an escape from their woes. Poe’s depression was caused by his alcoholic father, the death of both of his mothers, the death of his loving wife, the separations of his siblings, and an abusive foster father. No doubt, these losses and hardships sculpted Poe into who he was as a person and author. He relied heavily on alcohol to ease his pain. Another notable case of hardships and emotional struggle that led to alcoholism was Tennessee Williams. As a child he was exposed to a very problematic family. His hard-drinking father favored his brother, as Williams was sensitive and seemed to be homosexual at a very young age. He was closest to his sister Rose, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia and institutionalized. Later on, he had troubles dealing with his sexuality, which led to heavy drug and alcohol abuse. He married Frank Merlo, whom provided balance to his bouts of rage and alcoholic abuse. Williams sunk into even deeper depression after Merlo left him, because of his alcoholism. Williams won the Pullitzer Prize for Drama after writing, A Streetcar Named Desire in 1948. He wrote this largely based off of events from his own life, most vividly portraying his alcoholic habits through Stanley. Another example of a great author whose troubled life had led him to become an alcoholic is Ernest Hemingway. Like Williams, he was also an award-winning author who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. During his final years, Hemingway’s behavior was similar to his father’s before he himself committed suicide. Hemingway was diagnosed with the genetic disease Hemochromatosis, which causes mental and physical deterioration. His brother and sister also committed suicide as well. In addition to Hemingway’s mental illnesses, he was an alcoholic for most of his life. After his death, in the writing, â€Å"Ernest Hemingway: A Psychological Autopsy of a Suicide†, Christopher Martin talks about the possible causes of Hemingway’s suicide. He discovers after careful reading of Hemingway’s works, that they reveal the possibility of conditions such as, bipolar disorder, alcoholic dependence, traumatic brain injury, and narcissistic personality traits. Hemingway was obviously troubled mentally and emotionally, and relied heavily on alcohol. Hemingway is one of the most well known alcoholic authors to this day. It was a common trait amongst many of the alcoholic authors to have emotional hardships and struggles. There is no doubt that these authors’ works were affected strongly by their addiction to drinking. As discussed previously, some stated that it boosted creativity, immediately cured writer’s block, and even relaxed them from the pressure of writing. Dr. Donald Goodwin, the author of â€Å"Alcohol and the Writer,† performed research on the correlation between authors and alcoholism. He concluded that writing in itself does not encourage alcoholism. Instead, he suggests that creativity is inspired by insanity because, â€Å"creative writing requires a rich fantasy life. † Alcohol promotes this same fantasy life as it skews one’s perceptions. Goodwin concludes that writing and alcoholism are products of the same lifestyle, rather than writing as a profession encouraging alcoholism. â€Å"Writing involves fantasy; alcohol promotes fantasy. Writing requires self-confidence; alcohol bolsters confidence. Writing is lonely work; alcohol assuages loneliness. Writing demands intense concentration; alcohol relaxes. † For example, William Faulkner, from the very beginning of his career, drank while he wrote. He claimed, â€Å"I usually write at night. I always keep my whiskey within reach. † Faulkner was also a Nobel Prize winner for his novels and short stories. Hemingway found whiskey as a sort of relief from his day to day routines, almost medicinal. Hemingway once stated, â€Å"When you work hard all day with your head and know you must work again the next day what else can change your ideas and make them run on a different plane like whisky? † This sort of mindset was one similar amongst many other great authors alike. In Goodwins book, he has a chapter titled, â€Å"The Loner Theory. † Alcoholism is basically a disease of individualism. People who are affected are those who, from early childhood, have a strong sense of being psychologically alone and on their own in the world. These people feel that they can get emotional release from drinking. We can see this individualistic character in many great authors. Goodwin goes on to compare writing and being drunk. He claims, â€Å"Writing and alcohol both produce trancelike states. A gift for creative writing may involve an innate ability to enter trancelike states. Being a loner, may facilitate trancelike states when it is time to write, and encourage drinking to overcome the shyness and ? isolation when it is time to relax. † This reasoning and logic is clearly evident in many of the author’s lifestyles. As much as these tendencies helped many of them produce creative work, it also led to many of their careers’ demise and eventually, death. The infamous drinking habits of Hemingway, Poe, Faulkner, and the like, all eventually led to their death or career demise. Many of these alcoholic authors were on a slow decline creatively. Many thought that their alcoholism deadened their creative thought process and rather turned them into more drab and emotional writers. Faulkner’s prose was slowed down by his sclerosis, while Hemingway’s style was drowned in emotions. Hemingway ridiculed his friend Fitzgerald when he went public in Esquire, talking about his downfall publicly. Hemingway was disgusted, and invited him to cast his, â€Å"balls into the sea—if you have any balls left†. Many authors attempted to get sober but found they could not write without alcohol. Many would just have one big hit and then decline from there, fighting sobriety and the ability to write without alcohol. Hemingway struggled to find happiness later on in life and eventually committed suicide. Faulkner died of a heart attack that was attributed to his heavy alcohol abuse. Edgar Allan Poe’s death was largely due to alcoholism. It is still a bit of a mystery as to how he died, but according to newspaper articles at the time it was due to cerebral inflammation, which is commonly linked with alcoholism. Many of these great authors were known for their great works as well as their drinking habits. Sadly, alcoholism led to many of their declining health in later ages. Their creative spark was slowly dulled over time by drinking, and many lived unhappy lives. There is an irrefutable link between many authors and alcoholism. Many of them happened to live in the same time frame, and were legends amongst the population largely in part to their drinking habits. Their alcoholic tendencies are all largely due to their loner lifestyles that they all shared. No doubt, they had great artistic minds. Many of them were award-winning authors who are icons American literature. However, their drinking habits are just as famous as was their work. Unfortunately, these habits eventually led many of them to their downfall. Many took their own lives, drank until they passed, or died because of other health complications due to alcoholism. Drinking was a cure for writers block, an escape from their own minds, and also a tool to cure their emotional downfalls that their troubled lives had brought upon them. It is not a coincidence that the greatest writers and artists also had very troubled childhoods and even adult lives. There is a direct connection between the tendencies of â€Å"loners† to be dependant on alcohol, and the tendencies of many authors to be loners. In conclusion, many authors had troubled lives and childhoods that led them to become emotionally scarred. This led to alcoholic habits. Next, many of them enjoyed working and writing while intoxicated. It suited their personalities. Alcoholism is an individualistic disease, and writing is typically an individual art form. Just as these authors found comfort in drinking, many of them drank their lives into the gutter; quite literally in Poe’s case. The same thing that they found comfort in, used as a tool for their writing, led them to demise. Their mental and physical health deteriorated, and ultimately many of them died unhappy. However, these authors were legends in literature. Hemingway, Faulkner, Poe, Fitzgerald, and Williams to name a few, all of these authors graced us with their genius, although some of them paid the price of their genius with mental and physical deterioration due to a life-long love affair with alcohol. Works Cited Dardis, Tom. (1989). The Thirsty Muse: Alcohol and the American Writer. Fields. Goodwin, Donald W. (1988). Alcohol and the Writer. Andrews McMeel Publishing Padgett, John B. (2006, August 17). William Faulkner: Frequently Asked Questions.

The Political, Social and Economic Impact of WWI on European Society Essay

The Political, Social and Economic Impact of WWI on European Society - Essay Example This essay declares that socialism emerged as a significant force, which was a result of the Russian revolutions. The society of each warring European nation altered; for instance, in Britain the class system changed as the lower class consciousness, progressed; in France a whole generation of men demised, in Eastern Europe populations were again growing up as young nations popped up on the political map, while Germany survived by forming a non-imperial recognition. This report stresses that WWI, which is also referred to as one of the bloodiest battles of the century, had immense impacts throughout Europe. From the political perspective, the war left an evident scene of how it affected the main powers of Europe. For nations, such as Britain and France, the regime change was unessential, while in Germany there was a crucial change with far reaching consequences, whereas in Russia, the impact was drastic as well, resulting in two revolutions. Therefore, the war left a chain of political effects which were both direct and indirect. For instance, WWI pushed forward the idea of unity rallied behind people’s governments enhanced by the patriotism feeling. In the 1914 in France, during the formation of the Union Sacre, it was clear that the socialist ideas were put down so as to favor the nationalistic tendencies. Correspondingly, in Germany such a tendency was witnessed when Burgfrieden’ pursued contamination of socialism during that pe riod. The same enthusiasm, to certain extent, was also noted in Russia. Furthermore, according to Mazzini3, the French republicans understood the internal question in 1848 when they decided to abandon the European initiative, set aside their aspirations of Lamartine Manifesto and pursued strengthening of organizations of labor. The question of nationality entailed understanding the alliances of people, the power balance which was anchored on novel foundations. The changes in political aspects that were impacted on by the WWI were reflected mostly through the collapse of the European empires and monarchies. As the Ottoman Empire and the Austria-Hungary totally diminished, the WWI also led to the destruction of the Russian and German monarchies as they were transformed into republics. Furthermore, this was integral in the promotion of nationalism across and outside Europe resulting into the demand for independence among colonies of European nations. Additionally, a lot changed on the social front as men had mostly participated in the war while women were left in charge of their nations’ establishments and businesses. Women were initially considered as homemakers, whose core duty was to serve their families, but the

Culture critique of dominant economic narrative assignment Essay

Culture critique of dominant economic narrative assignment - Essay Example In the plot summary, Norma Rae, a single parent of two, works in a textile milling company. Incidentally, she works in a company where all of her family members and fellows are also employed. The working conditions are more than just terrible: the ambiance is hot, depressing and covered in dust, and jammed with an ear-piercing clang of obsolete equipment. The working conditions are relatively unhealthy and potentially injurious. Most of all, the benefits do not seem to equate the amount of work carried out by the workers: inferior salaries, extended working hours, and marginal health protections. Seen this way, there is indeed a marginalizing and struggling employment conditions among those belonging to the working class, especially women. The perspective of class in the America possesses a quality that is relatively difficult to pin down. In an unprejudiced and fundamental expression, it is a dominant reality in the United States. But still, the intricacy and changing aspects of cla ss relations, especially the undercurrents of class brawl, have been touched on by the mass and popular culture in conditions that equally personalize and compress the inconsistencies characteristic in such dealings (Giroux, 1). In other words, the notion of class has been downgraded to expectable methods that signify modes of conceptual shorthand. Apparently, highly influential industries like the Hollywood have taken the part of a no inferior or negligible role in contending with the class-based issues in ways as to deprive them of any societal definition. This turns out to be, for the most part, apparent when evaluating how the world's biggest entertainment industry has described the working class in life, culture and civilization. With relatively small number of exemptions, Hollywood's dealings with the those belonging to the working class and happenings has been portrayed by the kind of reductionism that operates simply to support those myths and moral standards that provide th e conceptual foundation for the predating arrangement of social relations (Giroux 2). The form and substance of most Hollywood movies, including "Norma Rae", that touches on the issue of the working class, especially women, provide the content in plane, superficial illustrations that convey nothing regarding the hidden existing reality of the life and skirmish of the working-class. Basically, the representation of the working class life and culture is established within the ideas that weigh in to its concealment (2). Social mobility substitutes class brawl in movies such as Blood brothers, Working Girls, and The Devil Wears Prada. Illustrations of psychosis and short-lived irrationality flourish in movies such as Taxi Driver and Joe. In "Norman Rae", there is a subtle exaltation of masculinity and a fete of racism and sexism, which provide the description of the plot of the film. Aside from the struggle that Norma gained from belonging to the working class, and working in a rather m asculine type of job, there is a racial indignation in the fact that the salaries

Cathedral written by Raymond Carver Essay Example for Free

Cathedral written by Raymond Carver Essay In the story Cathedral written by Raymond Carver, it seems that stereotypes of the blind form barriers between the blind and the sighted. The man in the story has always had misconceptions of the blind which came from the movies (Carver 1). The title, Cathedral, is significant because it helps the man envision the life of Robert. As Robert, the blind man, entered his life, it was hard for the man to form any bond with Robert due to his visual impairment. The man even created a picture in his mind of what Robert would look like, and how he would act. This is because the man has never had any interaction with a blind person, making him have preconceived ideas about Robert. Having Robert stay at the mans house left the man feeling quite uneasy. Not only was Robert a threat to his wife, he also thought that Robert may be a hassle to deal with. The man stated, I wasnt enthusiastic about his visit. He was no one I knew. And his being blind bothered me (Carver 1). Because the man had such strong images in his mind about Robert, the first time he saw Robert caught him by surprise. Roberts appearance was not unordinary, and did not look like a blind person. He wore brown slacks, brown shoes, a light brown shirt, a tie, a sports coat. Spiffy (Carver 32). At this point, the mans ideas about the blind peoples appearance had been contradicted. When the man realized that his assumptions about Robert were false, and that they actually shared some things in common, he began to feel more comfortable with Robert, even being, glad for the company (Carver 84). This is the first time the man was being polite and friendly to Robert. Soon after, a bond between Robert and the man had begun after a program about cathedrals came on the television. The man becomes aware that, There were times when the Englishman who was telling the thing would shut up, would simply let the camera move around over the cathedrals (Carver 92). The silence in the room became awkward for him because he realized that Robert did not know what was happening when the narrator stopped speaking. Since the mans stereotypes were beginning to shed during the cathedral conversation, the man came more open with Robert, and realized that Robert is not much different from the rest of society. The two of them began to  compare how well each of them envisioned the cathedrals. Robert gave facts that were heard tight off the television, demonstrating his limited knowledge. The man also attempted to describe this cathedrals, theyre really big,(Carver 100) he explains, theyre massive(Carver 100). At this point, he understood just how little he actually knew about the cathedrals, even with a picture right in front of him. Now the man is awakened to his newly, humbled, equal position along side Robert, with the help of the cathedral. With the mans stereotypes diminishing, he became to trust Robert and is giving him a chance to build a relationship. When Robert brought up the idea for the man to draw the cathedral out as Robert follows, the man was able to appreciate what blind people go through. When he finished the drawing, Robert said, Well are you looking?(Carver 125) The man replied, Its really something(Carver 126). The man had allowed himself to experience, even if for just a few minutes, what Robert experiences every second of his life. This was the same man, who only a few hours ago did not want Robert to be in his house. Overcoming prejudices, fears, and misconceptions are only possible when you allow yourself to get close to a person who these feelings are directed towards. By the man becoming close with Robert, he was capable to see what was necessary to gain an understanding of what life is like for a blind man, with the help of the vision of the cathedral. The man began to draw the cathedral to try and help Robert visualize what one looked like. What he did not realize is that Robert was actually helping him visualize what blindness felt like.

Chocky - Tv Vs The Book :: essays research papers

Chocky The Novel Chocky was written by John Wyndham and was later adapted into a TV drama by the BBC. The producers, Pamela Londale and Vic Hughes, kept the same title for the TV series as the Novel, and named it Chocky, but the Film text had some changes in events, different character interpretation and alternative way of showing foreshadowing. The Film version differs quite a lot from the Novel. There were a number of changes to the plot, but most of these were only little issues. One of the major differences in plot was Matthew’s relationship with Colin. Colin was Matthew’s next door neighbour in the Novel, but there was no close friendship or relationship between them. However in the Film, Colin is Matthew’s best friend, classmate and neighbour, whom Matthew was always visiting and playing with. One of biggest changes occurs in the character Piff. Piff was Polly’s long gone imaginary friend in the Novel who was only talked about, whilst in the Film Piff was still around and living. Another change from the Novel was the way in which Chocky helped Matthew. Chocky gave Matthew the ability to draw properly, helped him to swim and then save Polly, and taught Matthew to do the binary code in both texts. However in the Film Chocky also gave Matthew super strength to play cricket, develop fast reflexes to play computer games and do the rubix cubes at amazing speeds. The Film Editor, Oscar Webb left out some scenes and added some different ones. One of these new scenes included the visit to the planetarium. Later we saw Chocky entering Matthew’s body during a Maths class, along with other scenes in the class rooms, such as biology, not previously mentioned in the Novel. Also Matthew visited Colin’s house on numerous occasions and we saw Matthew’s Mother and Father shopping for a new car and then Matthew winning a cricket game. The editor also added more detailed facts about the holiday at the Cottage. All of these extra events added more to the Film than the original Novel. n 2 - The two texts had quite a few different character interpretations. One of the major differences being in the interpretation of Chocky. In the Novel Chocky was only a voice in Matthew’s head which Matthew would translate to other people, whilst in the film she had an actual voice which was presented by the Actor, Glynis Brookes’ voice.

Outline Basketball Shoes

Product Category – Basketball Shoes Definition (Dictionary. com) Basketball – a game played by two teams of usually five players each on a rectangular court having a raised basket  or goal at each end, points being scored by tossing the ball through the opponent's basket. Shoe – an external covering for the human foot, usually of leather and consisting of a more or less stiff or heavy sole and a lighter upper part ending a short distance above, at, or below the ankle. Basketball shoes are used when playing basketball. Line types Safety/Performance Shoes made for optimal performance while preventing injuries *EVA for cushioning (light) * Polyurethane for stability (heavy) * Stiff material on the medial side reduce inward rolling * Anti-microbial fabric reduces bacteria Fashion * Celebrity endorsement * Wide variety of color schemes * Word of Mouth Types High-top Pro: * Provides the most ankle support, safest Con: * Heavy, slower movement Mid-top Pro: * Increased mobility for jumping and fast direction changes Con: * Not the best for movement or protection Low-top Pro: Lightest, allows quicker movement changes, easier jumping, and speedier running Con: * Little protection. Smaller players will use these Product lifecycle Target Market Male High School Basketball Players Problem Recognition *Join Basketball Team * Want to fit in with peers Information Search * Internet * Price * Quality * Retail Store * Employee Expertise * Immediate Selection/Comparison * Peer Word of Mouth * Scoop on the latest dope kicks * Determine safe choices Alternative Evaluation and Selection * Mostly deliberation of collected information Limited Decision * Prices are not extreme * Can have multiple pairs of shoes * Outlet Selection and Purchase * Online * Retail Store * Provides immediate purchase * Postpurchase Processes * Wear dem shoes * Games * Stomping around town, lookin’ fly for the sweet honeys * Donate to secondhand stores * Throw away * Hand down t o family members * Sell lightly used shoes online Scientific proof that High-tops are structurally superior to Low-tops. http://www. tpec. edu. tw/%2Fself_store%2F79%2Fself_attach%2F95_5_paper1. pdf

The Insurance Companies and the Crisis

In developed countries the size of the insurance market is about eight to twelve percent of the GDP. In the United States the assets managed by the insurance sector are higher than the assets of the banking sector. This is one of the most important pillar of the economy and financial system. At the macroeconomic point of view, level of insurance increases the financial stability of the economy, reduce uncertainty by enabling effective risk management, and support economic activity and stimulate savings and investment.Insurance sector will also increase the efficiency of the entire financial sector by reducing transaction costs, creating liquidity and economies of scale. A modern, well-functioning insurance sector is essential for achieving sustainable economic growth. With the advent of the global financial crisis, the economy is experiencing a very hard time. The insurance industry as well did not avoid the problems. Lack of access to deposited funds in the banks, insurance premium reduction or increase in number of claims, forced the insurance companies to a very difficult challenge – how to carry out current activities and pay due compensation?Many insurers began to lose its liquidity. Insurance industry as one of the few propped the financial crisis at the beginning. Insurers constantly were expanding their offer – not only just for individuals but also for business companies, and were continuing decreasing the prices for life insurance. However, it does not apply to all types of the services provided by insurance companies to entrepreneurs. Finally end of 2007 and 2008 have been rich in events associated with insurance sector.Fall in the stock market, the limitations and difficulties in accessing foreign funding, weakening the financial situation of enterprises caused rapid deterioration of the global economy and have had an impact on the financial performance of the insurance sector. Any disturbances in the banking sector directly affected t he financial results of the insurers. Insurance companies seek to ensure that activities are safe, profitable, and enable timely payment of obligations.Insurers do not give up the cash investments into shares quoted on a regulated market, which can provide significantly higher returns than investments into safe securities. On the background of European insurers’ investment exposure in 2007 and 2008 can be generalized that the most important source of losses for the insurers have proved their investments in debt securities CDOs SPV securitization companies, which face insolvency. These companies has completely lost its value and the guarantee of the solvency. After the collapse of SPV companies, liabilities took over the insurance sector.The situation of the insurance sector in 2008 were gradually deteriorating as well as the solvency ratios of individual insurance company. As an example of big problems on insurance market during crisis I would like to use IG case. The rapid f all in the share price and unsatisfactory liquidity led to lower ratings of AIG by the four major rating agencies including Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investors Service. Standard & Poor's lowered scores for two levels because of less flexibility in raising funds for additional collateral for the loans, and concerns about the growing losses.Similarly, preserved Moody agency, which downgraded AIG for 2 degrees as well. It is clear that the company has liquidity problems. In the first three quarters of 2008, AIG Group lost 18. 5 billion of dollars. Poor results and poor ratings of AIG could cause problems to raise the capital needed to rescue the company. The company asked Central Bank for help. Finally, the government and the Fed did not committed to the downfall of a company in which millions of Americans are insured and agreed to give to AIG financial assistance.The transaction for a two-year revolving credit for 85 billion dollars to ensure the liquidity of the AIG compa ny in exchange for a nearly 80 percent. shares has been approved in September 2008. In case of problems with the implementation of the obligations of the insurer, a domino effect could embrace the whole world, AIG bankruptcy would affect banks and investment funds, which are the main holders of debt securities. In addition, AIG was a major seller of credit default swaps. Bankruptcy of the AIG could force financial institutions in the USA, Europe and Asia (that bought these swaps) to accounting losses.Fed’s decision made was based on the law given to it by the passed bill about the Federal Reserve. It allows the central bank to lend money to companies outside the banking sector under unusual and urgent circumstances. In the agreement, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson forced resignation of current AIG President Robert Willumstada, which was replaced by Edward Libby. In case of Poland, Insurance market were rapidly growing for few years before the crisis. The history of life ins urance in Poland cover a period of about 130 years.The development of life insurance in the first place was associated with an increase in wealth of the society. With the increase in GDP, which is a key determinant of economic status of the country, increased the expenditure on life insurance. In Polish conditions the development of insurance occurred in the nineteenth century. The first Polish insurance company was established in the Austrian partition and it was a Krakow Mutual Insurance Society founded in 1868 in Krakow ( as the name suggests), which a year later began conducting life insurance business.It functioned on principles similar to today's mutual insurance companies. In Poland we could observe the dynamic growth on the insurance market during last years, both in terms of the companies range of products offered and collected contributions. Privatization, further market openings, the adjustment process of the integration with the European Union, and above all the impact o f the launched in 1999 pension reform, the insurance sector are making one of the most promising sectors of the Polish economy.During recent crisis in Poland for example, were noted some main decision-making direction changes in investment policy insurance: * Repeat â€Å"opening up† of Life Insurance Companies to invest funds in real estate. * Abandonment invest their assets in investment certificates other than in the open and closed funds * Disposal of all bonds of the institutions belonging to countries outside the European Union (For Life Insurance Companies). In the current crisis in financial markets, insurance sales, as well as other products and services, has become much more difficult than before.Customers are afraid to invest in financial products and very carefully take the decision of purchasing. There is growing consensus that this crisis will survive only the best sellers. The best sellers are those who see long-term benefits of building and maintaining lasting relationships between insurer and customer. Such a relationship should be based primarily on mutual trust and benefit for both parties. It is crucial to continuously monitor changes in customer needs and proposing solutions to it, which will bring real benefits to it.The today’s internal problem of insurance companies is that insurance companies reward their brokers primarily for acquiring new customers. In life insurance commissions for the following years of the contract are much lower than thus for the first year. This is obviously the most reasonable in today's market situation, but the other side is that such system makes that the agent is much more absorbed in gaining new customers and does not think about them in the category of long-term relationships. This carries a risk of decline in the quality of sales and customer satisfaction.Another issue is the differences in the rates of commission between the products. If the agent is concentrated primarily in the fact to s ell a particular product, which has a better profit, it is likely that the actual identification of customer needs in this area is not a priority for him. Usually it will try to persuade the customer to buy through the pressure and the use of different types of manipulation. But do not forget that the customer who bought life insurance, trust bestowed on both the agent and the company and the contracts are renewable every year. The customer is also a source of new contacts.The customer is more satisfied with the purchase and maintenance, including a greater number of friends to recommend an agent and company. An interesting issue in my opinion is that in Poland close to thirteen thousand of entrepreneurs in the 2008 has opted to temporarily withdraw from the movement of the vehicle. * ‘For many of us is the only chance of surviving the crisis’ – explains Jan Kazulski, Wroclaw Transport Association The government not only allowed to the use of temporary de-registr ation of the car on a larger scale, but released from the obligation to pay by this time a full OC.This is the way how they are trying to deal with the crisis. At the adopted amendments will lose more probably insurance companies. Government explains that option of a refund of contributions for the period in which the vehicle is temporarily withdrawn from service, is already operating in several countries in Europe. The insurance sector in the economy plays a very important role, apart from this obvious, that is protective, contributes to the accumulation of capital in the economy. Accumulation of capital in most concerns life insurance.In case of Poland, despite the current financial crisis, the insurance market in Poland will grow. The pace of growth will be slower than in the past years, and customer requirements in terms of quality sales and after-sales services will increase considerably. Summing up, the financial crisis had a significant impact on insurers. For example the ins urance on Polish market has declined for about 22. 33 percent. Its value has declined by almost 9 billion zlotys – from 39 billion zlotys in 2008 to slightly over 30 billion zlotys at the end of 2009.The record level of disbursements included both property insurance and life insurance policies.Bibliography: * Gazeta Ubezpieczeniowa (Articles from Jan and Feb 2009) * Gazeta Wyborcza ‘Rekordowa strata AIG’, ToP, AFP, 2009-03-02 * http://www. quotes-r-us. org/home-insurance/current-financial-crisis-and-insurance-companies * http://articles. latimes. com/2009/mar/30/nation/na-aig30 * Yahoo! Finance, as of October 23, 2008. * Robert P. Hartwig, Ph. D. , Insurance Information Institute, â€Å"2008—First Half Results,† September 30, 2008.

Quotes From the Movie Wedding Crashers

Quotes From the Movie 'Wedding Crashers' The tagline for the movie Wedding Crashers is Lifes a party. Crash it. The movie deals with the exploits of two men, John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey, who crash weddings hoping to have a good time, drink free alcohol and pick up women. The film has several hilarious moments that make viewers laugh out loud. The following ​Wedding Crasher quotes take you on a journey through this laugh-a-minute comedy. John Beckwith What are you doing? Its a game of touch football, every time I look over youre on your ass again.What are you going to do for an encore? Walk on water?You know how they say we only use 10 percent of our brains? I think we only use 10 percent of our hearts.Im sorry I called you a hillbilly. I dont even know what that means.Love doesnt exist, thats what Im trying to tell you guys. And Im not picking on love, cause I dont think friendship exists either.Were brothers from New Hampshire. Were venture capitalists.I am going to go dance with the little flower girl. Oh, and I might be a charter member of Oprahs book club. Jeremy Grey Tattoo on the lower back? Might as well be a bulls eye.Grab that net and catch that beautiful butterfly pal.Im gonna go see Dr. Finklestein, and Im gonna tell him we have a whole new bag of issues. We can forget about mom for a while.I felt like Jodie Foster in The Accused last night.I happen to know everything there is to know about maple syrup! I love maple syrup. I love maple syrup on pancakes. I love it on pizza. And I take maple syrup and put a little bit in my hair when Ive had a rough week. What do you think holds it up, slick?I hope you flip your bike over and knock your two front teeth out! You selfish son of a bitch! You leave me in the trenches taking grenades, John!A friend in need is a pest.Im just warming up. Last week I did an exact [balloon] replica, to scale, of Wrigley Field. Honest to God. I dont have anywhere to put it.She hasnt returned your phone calls, she hasnt responded to any of your letters, she didnt respond to the candygram. God knows what happened to the kitten you got for her. Cause she didnt keep it, and I know youre not raising the goddamn thing. I think its very obvious at this juncture that she just flat out does not wanna see you. Im not perfect, but who are we kidding. neither are you. Chazz Reinhold Grief is natures most powerful aphrodisiac.  I almost numchucked  you; you dont even realize!  Yeah, her boyfriend just died. Dude died in a hang-gliding accident! What an idiot . Mrs. Kroeger You shut your mouth when youre talking to me! Todd Cleary Death, you are my bitch lover. Vivian Would you say youre completely full of shit or just 50 percent?

Applying Critical Discourse Analysis on a news report Essay

Applying Critical Discourse Analysis on a news report - Essay Example Quoting Byzantine emperor Manuel II Palaeologus, and referring to the concept of jihad or holy war, the Pontiff challenged, â€Å"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached† (Pope Benedict XVI, â€Å"Pope’s Speech at University of Regensburg,† para. 8). The Pope later indicated the remarks were taken out of context and that he was merely quoting statements made by the medieval emperor, for which he later apologized. The textual excerpts below gleaned from Reuters news reports are particularly interesting in terms of discourse analysis. The first section of the paper analyses both texts using methods of analysis including Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) methodology of Norman Fairclough and those suggested by Jan Blommaert. A second section applies other approaches that are useful and relevant, such as member categorization analysis (MCA). Indians set fire to an effigy of the Pope as a wave of protests ripples through the Muslim world. Words written more than 600 years ago still cause offence when taken out of context. The Pontiff’s care to point out that he was quoting someone else doesn’t seem to have prevented an angry reaction in some quarters. The statements are ugly and unfortunate. The Pope needs to take a step back, and should apologize to the Islamic world. Further north police had to restrain protestors in Jammu and Kashmir. Churches in the West Bank and in the Iraqi city of Basra were attacked, although the damage was minor. The church in Basra is Christian Orthodox and not aligned with the views of the Pope. Extra security outside the Pope’s summer residence on a very unsummery day. The Pontiff made a further apology, this time in person, to try to quell the anger in the Muslim world over his quote of a medieval philosopher. Pilgrims outside the Castel Gandolfo residence

Principles of Criminal Investigation Term Paper

Principles of Criminal Investigation - Term Paper Example However, lack of advanced forensic technology in the 1980s can be regarded as one of the reasons it took too long to link someone with the Green River killings. In 1982, authorities found five murdered women in the Green River. One unique thing about the murders is that all the killings had happened through strangling and the murdered women practiced prostitution. The discovery of the bodies alerted the locals on a possibility of having a serial killer targeting prostitutes. The area where the murdered bodies were discovered had Sheriff Officers and everyone had optimism that the murders would be resolved as soon as possible. Contrary to locals’ expectations, more bodies were discovered in and around the Green River. The bodies mostly include those of teenage women found naked and without any possession (Morehead, 2012). The police department remained to collect skeletons of unknown women without any trace of the murderer. Over a period of two years (1982-84), the police department listed 49 murder victims and described them victims of the Green River Killer. This could be later followed by the formation of the Green River Task Force that had the mandate of looking into the increased serial killings. The task force comprised of detectives from police departments across the United States. The task force conducted investigations on the murders and obtained a lot of evidence from hundreds of suspects. Unfortunately, none of the evidence gave any definitive evidence that could link anyone to the serial killing (Morehead, 2012). The continued delays in getting hold of the serial killer added budget constraints on the task force, which led to reduction of personnel within the task force. By 1992, only one detective had remained to deal with the Green River case (Reichert, 2005). According to Reichert (2005), in the 1980s, forensic technology was less advanced, which posed numerous challenges during the collection of evidence. In such cases,