Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Babylonia and the Law Code of Hammurabi

Babylonia and the Law Code of Hammurabi Babylonia (roughly, modern southern Iraq) is the name of an ancient Mesopotamian empire known for its math and astronomy, architecture, literature, cuneiform tablets, laws and administration, and beauty, as well as excess and evil of Biblical proportions. Control of Sumer-Akkad Since the area of Mesopotamia near where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers emptied into the Persian Gulf had two dominant groups, the Sumerians, and Akkadians, it its to as Sumer-Akkad. As part of an almost endless pattern, other people kept trying to take control of the land, mineral resources, and trade routes. Eventually, they succeeded. Semitic Amorites from the Arabian Peninsula gained control over most of Mesopotamia by about 1900 B.C. They centralized their monarchical government over the city-states just north of Sumer, in Babylon, formerly Akkad (Agade). The three centuries of their domination is known as the Old Babylonian period. The Babylonian King-God Babylonians believed the king held power because of the gods; moreover, they thought their king was a god. To maximize his power and control, a bureaucracy and centralized government were established along with the inevitable adjuncts, taxation, and involuntary military service. Divine Laws The Sumerians already had laws, but they were administered jointly by individuals and the state. With a divine monarch came divinely inspired laws, violation of which was an offense to the state as well as the gods. The Babylonian king (1728-1686 B.C.) Hammurabi codified the laws in which (as distinct from the Sumerian) the state could prosecute on its own behalf. The Code of Hammurabi is famous for demanding punishment to fit the crime (the lex talionis, or an eye for an eye) with different treatment for each social class. The Code is thought to be Sumerian in spirit but with a Babylonian inspired harshness. The Babylonian Empire and Religion Hammurabi also united the Assyrians to the north and the Akkadians and Sumerians to the south. Trade with Anatolia, Syria, and Palestine spread Babylonian influence further. He further consolidated his Mesopotamian empire by building a network of roads and a postal system. In religion, there wasnt much change from Sumer/Akkad to Babylonia. Hammurabi added a Babylonian Marduk, as chief god, to the Sumerian pantheon. The Epic of Gilgamesh is a Babylonian compilation of Sumerian tales about a legendary king of the city-state of Uruk, with a flood story. When, in the reign of Hammurabis son, the horse-back invaders known as the Kassites, made incursions into Babylonian territory, the Babylonians thought it punishment from the gods, but they managed to recover and stayed in (limited) power until the beginning of the 16th century B.C. when the Hittites sacked Babylon, only to withdraw later because the city was too distant from their own capital. Eventually, the Assyrians suppressed them, but even that was not the end of the Babylonians for they rose again in the Chaldean (or Neo-Babylonian) era from 612-539 made famous by their great king, Nebuchadnezzar.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Unknown Citizen VS The enormous radio essays

Unknown Citizen VS The enormous radio essays The Unknown citizen by W.H. Auden and The enormous radio by John Cheever both share the same idea about society. Both the poem and the short story are hypocritical and show how individuals hide behind the shield of conformity. In the Unknown Citizen Auden describes the perfect man, yet in whos eyes does he meet perfection? The first time I read the poem I interpreted it differently than I do now. I first thought that the character was the ideal person who reached ultimate perfection yet as I read it a second time I realized I was wrong. In all of the lines that I thought were complimentary, as I reread them I found them very impersonal and vague. In line nine Auden says he wasnt odd in h is ways, In lines fourteen -fifteen he bought the paper everyday...reactions ...were normal in every way, and also in line twenty-three he held proper opinions for this time of year. I read all of these as very general, like the speaker is rewarding him for being a perfect clone of what every one else is. The speaker in this poem is always referred to as we therefor the speaker must be society. In the conclusion of the poem the speaker questions wether the man was happy and free and answers it himself by saying the question is absurd and if he was not okay, they would know. Yet Im sure everything was not perfect in this mans life, but they didnt know. I also interpreted the title differently, the unknown citizen this also contributed to my idea of this man being just like everyone else. Because he is unknown for his accomplishment because it is the norm, he did nothing more and nothing less than what was expected of him. He didnt get fired and noone complained about him yet the speaker doesnt go on to explain the important role he played. The speaker identifies the man as JS/07/m/378". ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

In relation to perception,what does it mean that we all lok at Essay

In relation to perception,what does it mean that we all lok at different situations in the work place though different lenses Why it is important for a manager - Essay Example The mind then processes it and makes it available for retrieval. The perceiver then responds according to the interpretations of the perceived situation or object. In the workplace, it is very important for a manager to understand how perception may help or hinder his management. There are different situations happening within the workplace that may affect the performance of the management and the employees depending on their perception of the issue or situation. The issues and events happening around the workplace are interpreted differently depending on their rank and status in the workplace. For example, an employee may see a rewards program as ineffective because of the lack of enticing rewards it offers and a manager may see it as ineffective because of the lack of participation from the employees. Depending on his role in the workplace, the individual interprets the situation in relation to his level of work. Understanding that the workplace is a vast field of opinions and interpretations, the manager can use his perception and that of his subordinates to improve their work performance and work relationships. The primary responsibility of a manager is to oversee and to manage the business or his assigned department, including the people within. With this responsibility comes the different situations in which he has to use his decision-making skills effectively and efficiently. Perception is very important in fulfilling this responsibility. Filtering out information that are not necessary to fulfill the task is important (Howard n.d.). Knowing what is needed information and what is not needed is important as it will define how the manager interprets and analyzes the situation. When making decisions, analyzing facts is more important than judging the situation based on intuition. Perception of an action depends on the meaning attributed to the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Competitive Benefits Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Competitive Benefits - Research Paper Example Therefore, this discourse kicks off by analyzing the benefits that come with compensation components and ways in which organizations whose employees are unionized can remain competitive. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees who are represented by a union receive higher salary as compared to the non- union workers. Moreover, they have more access to various benefits such as medical insurance, despite the declining rate of union membership. Research shows that in the year 2001, only 18 million workers were under a union as compared to 16 million workers in the year 2011. Nevertheless, it is without doubt that unions have an affirmative effect on various aspects of job quality such as employee benefits and wages (Long, 2013). Therefore, this treatise focuses on analyzing how a firm whose workers are represented by a union can remain competitive against the non-unionized workers. It will also give limelight to the role of benefits and the components of an employee benefit package. It is without doubt that compensation benefits play a major role in reducing turnover, enhancing productivity, and increasing the rate of morale among workers. Employee benefits are non-wage compensation that is offered to workers in addition to their normal salaries. For organizations that endeavor to hire competitive workers, they have an attractive benefits package that is either monetary or non-monetary. For instance, the monetary compensation benefits can include bonuses, profit sharing, and stock options among others. There are also the non-monetary benefits such as health insurance, pension plans, disability insurance, paid holidays, educational assistance, flexible working hours, sick leave, work at home oriented programs, retirement plans, and dental insurance among others. It is to be noted that such benefits are paramount in attracting, motivating, rewarding, and retaining workers (Reddick & Coggburn, 2012). Research shows that

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Thinking and Decision Making Essay Example for Free

Thinking and Decision Making Essay The following are the three different styles of thinking that would be discussed in this paper a) Pragmatists, b) Synthesists and c) Realists. Pragmatists: People possessing this thinking style are practical thinkers. They do not believe in making long-term plans or setting long term goals. Rather they set small goals to be accomplished in a short phase of time. So their penchant for quick results means they divide the long-term goals in different parts and accomplish them one by one, which gives them a sense of achievement from time to time. They are very quick at acknowledging others’ ideas and possess a good sense of humor. They consider conflicts as a means of understanding other people’s viewpoint and make maximum use of it by brainstorming and experimenting its impact. Since they try to make use of every situation, good or bad they are very creative in nature. They easily adopt any strategy that suits the situation or has the potential for success or further growth. They are innovative and pay attention to minute details as they think that every minute step or detail play a significant part in the larger picture. They have the zeal and stamina of accomplishing their goals, come what may and also have the potential to make others believe that what they are doing is right. This style of thinking is what makes one a leader. They convince everyone about their vision by moulding the same idea in different ways so that it looks convincing enough to everyone. They plan the risks beforehand so there is little chance of them not being able to handle a crisis situation. Synthesists: The people belonging to this style of thinking love arguments and conflicts. They do not have the patience to wait for the conflict to get fully blown up. So they try to trigger up the trouble so that the problem gets solved as soon as possible rather than waiting for it to gradually come in full force. Even when there is not much conflict or commotion in a particular situation, they find one point or the other to be satirically amused or skeptical. In conflict situation they observe both the sides of the argument and come up with a new angle or idea. Hence this style of thinking helps in building good observation skills and fuelling creativity. Synthesists want to grasp all that is going in a person’s mind. They are smart enough to understand but still in order to let the person open up, they start a debate then quietly observe his feelings. They love to ruffle up hidden reactions. People possessing this style of thinking don’t set aside others’ ideas. Rather analyze different viewpoints to understand a situation well. Synthesists style of thinking makes a person good at speculation. They have the ability to brainstorm and come to different solutions or reactions of a situation, which can be termed a creative activity. So nothing surprises them much, because their minds are engaged in so much of speculation that nothing is unexpected for them. Realists: The people possessing this type of thinking style are ‘no-nonsense’ kind of people. They are frank, forceful and direct. Instead of relying on others’ point of view, they rely on themselves the most to discover things. They are always engaged in empirical discoveries and love concrete facts. In order to handle a crisis or conflict situation they ask straight questions. They always know where they are heading because they have a set objective, know what resources they have at hand and have the capability of analyzing how those resources could be used in the best possible way. They very well know their strong and weak points and do not hesitate to take outside help in areas where they are not capable enough. They break a problem into several logical parts and then solve them one by one. They calmly handle situations but can get aggressive if someone or something is very ambiguous or unrealistic. If the three styles of thinking are compared and contrasted then it is quite evident that the three of them overlap in certain areas while are poles apart in others. Both pragmatists and synthesist’s believe in quick solutions. Both these styles of thinking facilitate creativity. Goodbrand had described pragmatists in the following way: â€Å"they dont shy away from conflict but neither do they relish it like the synthesist.† (para.24) This aptly brings out the contrast between the two.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like realists, pragmatists have a definite goal and they too break the task into small targets and try to accomplish them systematically. Both the styles of thinking believe in acknowledging any outside idea that has been used in the process of thinking.   Both these styles of thinking oozes confidence and strong will power. While people of pragmatist style of thinking are good tacticians and find one or the other way to get a task done, the realistic styles of thinkers are very frank and straightforward. It is difficult for them to use any tactics rather; they propagate the ‘matter of fact’ aspect of getting a task done.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The following qualities are common in both realist and synthesist style of thinking: â€Å"Understanding that people see situations from their own perspective and that all perspectives have their own viewpoints and that as much can be learned from looking at a situation from another viewpoint as can be learned from looking at it through your own eyes.† (Goodbrand, para15) However, where synthesists believe in speculation, realists believe in matter of fact and empirical evidence. Also, in order to get other’s point of view or a hidden fact synthesists might ask ambiguous or dumb-smart questions. The realists abhor ambiguity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since critical thinking means dividing information into categories and sub categories, realist and pragmatist style of thinking affect critical thinking because both these styles of thinking focus on this format of problem solving or target achievement. Since one of the steps of critical thinking is synthesis, synthesist style of thinking naturally has an affect on it too.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the workplace scenario the process of decision-making involves the following three steps: a) intelligence, b) design and c) choice. According To Rue and Byars (1992, p.52) â€Å"The intelligence stage involves searching the environment for conditions requiring a decision. The design stage entails inventing, developing and analyzing possible courses of action. Choice, the final stage, refers to the actual selection of a course of action.† The different stages of critical thinking overlap with the decision making process. In workplace conflict the motive of both decision-making and critical thinking is to bring an end to the problem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The three styles of thinking discussed in this paper can be explained in the context of critical thinking and decision making by the help of the following workplace example: An organization’s, departmental head is under pressure by the conflict between his two colleagues. He wants to bring this conflict to an end because it affects the work of the whole department. Now we assume that he has the pragmatist style of thinking, he would use tactics to end the problem. He would try to speak to both the subordinates separately and try to mould them to come to a common viewpoint and settle their conflicts. He would find out who of the two is less rigid and try to convince him that if he behaves more rationally then the whole department would benefit. He will not try to jump in the problem but wait for the right time to confront both of them together. On the other hand if he has the synthesist style of thinking he would not wait for the problem to aggravate further. Rather he would try to coax them to speak up their mind and let them argue. He would consider this argument as an opportunity to observe both the sides of the story. Then he would critically analyze the whole situation and decide their further course of action. If the departmental head thinks from a realistic angle he would ask both the parties to have a meeting with him and would fire straight questions to them to get the entire reason of the conflict. Then on the basis of the concrete fact he would try to come to a decision in the best possible way and calmly sort out the problem between the subordinates by dealing with each aspect of their problem one at a time. References Rue, L.W., Byars, L.L. (6 Ed.). (1992). Management Skills And Application. USA: IRWIN. Goodbrand, A.D. (1997) The Art of Thinking. Retrieved Jun. 28, 2007 from http://sern.ucalgary.ca/courses   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   /seng/698/alang/minor.html Wikipedia. (2007) Critical thinking. Retrieved Jun. 28, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thinking

Friday, November 15, 2019

Dialogue Essays - Freshly Cut Grass -- Dialogue Essays

Dialogue Essays - Freshly Cut Grass The air sings with the fragrance of freshly cut grass. As a backdrop to other things, children are at play, swinging too and fro, running and skipping; there are toddlers who toddle and mindful mothers who watch on in painful and patient distraction. The sun is everywhere: in the corners of the pavilion, bearing down on the tennis courts, caressing the flower beds, the convection of its heat pulling at the carpet-like lawns, dragging out bodily its scent. Meanwhile the park keeper potters about, the days' work done, reluctant to leave his eternal garden with its endless memories. Standing in the shade of elm he drifts away, and almost never comes back. He half-watches half-feels the bumble bees bumble from flower to flower. Else where, there is great inactivity, and everyone is busy doing it to a degree close to perfection. The park keeper, a simple man in blue overalls, T- shirt, straw hat, blue pumps and pockets full of silence, seeks out the cool of deeper shadow, retiring to the hidden security of his tool shed, where he sits in the stripy curve of a well worn deck chair. Door ajar, pipe smouldering, gazing out into the summery world through eyes bright with the light of nearly wisdom, he surveys his universe with unhurried care. A days grass cutting concluded, the park keeper presently plays part of an extra, superfluous to the tale's needs, and knowing this, he fades from focus. Over a ways, cross legged, mounted on a blanket and hiding on the inside of a book, sits the person of Doris, who, like her name, is of another age. On display, for the world to see, like a dusty exhibit in the quiet, unvisited corner of a dead museum, she aw... ...im again. She saw him everyday for the rest of her life. It was all so long ago, akin to a dream. It had been real enough though, and she is strangely thankful for it. Thankful to have known existence, and felt the terrible pain of it. She can almost feel the echo of its sorrow. Doris is all but dead, and she all but knows it. The fire of her life is fuelled by a few remaining drops of hope, but even they will soon be exhausted. She stands to leave. Walking by the park keeper in his hide-away, he gives a smile of recognition. Of his routine, she knows it well. Next Friday he will once again mow the lawns, releasing their fragrance into the air, to fill the world with sweet perfume. Doris will be there, to breathe it deeply, gasping for more, until it fills her mind, until she becomes drunk, once again, with that smell of freshly cut grass.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Edgar Allen Poe

Edgar Allen Poe Research Paper Since the beginning of time, people have been interested in dark and depressing stories about horror. Edgar Allen Poe was a great writer of his time. Many people enjoyed his dark and gloomy stories. Edgar Allen Poe wrote during the romantic era and his dark and depressing life greatly influenced his gothic writing and his famous story The Cask of Amontillado. Edgar Allen Poe lived a really depressing life. Poe married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm. He died two years after his wife in 1949 due to brain lesion. TCA) (gothic literature) Before his death he went to the best schools then later joined the army, after he was forced out of school due to bad depts, where he published two of his collections. (TCA) After he got discharged from the army he joined the United States Military Academy at West Point were he published his last collection. (TCA) Poe Published three collections. (TCA) His first collection published while he was in the army, Tamerlane, and Other Poems â€Å"by a Bostonian. † Went unnoticed. TCA) His second collection, AL Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor poems published in 1829 only received slighty more attention when it appeared. (TCA) His third collection Where Peoms was published in 1831. (TCA) Poe wrote during the romanticism period. Although Poe wrote in the romanticism era, Poe mainly wrote gothic literature. (gothic literature) Romanticism was the era of writing the focused on humankind and used emotion to show its writes works. (gothic literature) Romanticism began in the mid 18th century, the n later picked up 19 century, and then declined in the late 19th century. gothic literature) Romanticism was very touching to most individuals during its time. (gothic literature). The romanticism era included writers such as Edgar Allen Poe , Nathaniel Hawthorne, and many other writers of its time frame. The Cask of Amontillado is one of Poe ’s famous stories. (TCA) The Cask of Amontillado is like many of Poe’s other stories, One in particular The Tell-Tale Heart I, another one of Poe’s famous stories. (TCA) Were in most of his murderers, Montressor doesn’t understand his antagonist. Read also Edgar Allan Poe DrugsMany of Poes other stories have a narrator harming another human. (TCA) The Cask of Amontillado is about two men Montressor and Fortunato who are great friends. (TCA) One day   Montressor made Fortunato believe that they were just going to see  an Amontillado, a type of alcoholic beverage called cherry. (TCA) When really Montressor lures Fortunato into his families wine cellar. (TCA) Were Fortunato gets very intoxicated. (TCA) As Montressor and Fortunato get deeper into Fortunato’s families wine cellar Fortunato gets even more intoxicated. TCA) Until Montressor Later traps Fortunato into a room very deep into the cellar, were Fortunato later dies. (TCA) Edgar Allen Poe wrote during the romanticism era and his dark and depressing life greatly influenced his famous story The Cask of Amontillado. Edgar was a well know american poet and short story writer. Poe was particularly important to the ongoing influence of the Gothic on contemporary liter ature Edgar depressing life lead him to be one of the world’s most know horror writer of his time. â€Å"Gothic Literature. Literary Movements for Students: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Literary Movements. Ed. Ira Mark Milne. 2nd ed. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2009. 281-309. Gale U. S. History In Context. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. www. galegroup. com Benton, Richard P. â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado: Overview. † Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Ed. Noelle Watson. Detroit: St. James Press, 1994. Literature Resource Center. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. www. galegroup. com Clendnning, John. â€Å" â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Edgar Allen Poe. † Short Story Criticism Ed. Anna Sheets Nesbit.Vol. 35. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. 335-341. Stewart, Kate. â€Å" â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Edgar Allen Poe. † Short Story Criticism Ed. Anna Sheets Nesbit. Vol. 35. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. 347-350 â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Edgar Allen Poe †Short Story Criticism Ed. Anna Sheets Nesbit. Vol. 35. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. 297-298 Poe, Edgar A. â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado. † Web. 9 Dec. 2011. . Didn’t know how to make the single equation mark so I just used another equation mark*

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Comparative Study of Wuthering Heights, Translations, and I’M No Scared

The texts that I have studied and prepared for my comparative course are: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Translations by Brian Friel, and I’m not scared directed by Gabriel Salvatores. When I address the cultural context of a text I refer to the worlds of the texts, the circumstances which face the plots and the characters of the texts. Some elements of the cultural context of each and every text are the world’s attitudes, social rituals, and structures. Coming to grips with the general norm of the society with in each texts and how the characters behave enables me to enjoy each text all the more.Understanding the world in which each text is set in and thus being able to compare the aspects of their society and what is involved in their material and spiritual lives ostentatiously influences the resolution of the narratives which gave a better impact and added to my enjoyment. I greatly enjoyed seeing the connections between the texts and how their worlds were intert wined in their similarities and differences. Particularly these connections were more vivid to me in the areas of Role of Women in Society, Setting, and Class Structure, within the Cultural context of each text.All three texts revolve around a patriarchal system where the men were the primary authority figure and were central to society. They hold the central roles of political leadership, moral authority, and control of property. The entailment of female subordination is most apparent in Wuthering Heights where only through marriage is a woman able to gain recognition, position, and a place in society. Being compelled by this, Catherine Earnshaw betrays Heathcliff and really herself as well due to her love for him.Unable to cope with marrying a slave and an outcast in her patriarchal world she accepts Edgar Linton’s proposal for marriage. Edgar’s family were the most elite family in the novel thus giving Catherine a better future than what circumstance she might be in if she marries Heathcliff. Catherine: â€Å"It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now. † In the same way, Maire doesn’t marry Manus in Translations due to his lack of position, property and his inability to provide for a family. Maire sees that the man that she marries will dictate her position in society and so decides that marriage with Manus was not the foremost option.Maire: â€Å"You talk to me about getting married – with neither a roof over your head nor a sod of ground under your foot. † In both circumstances, a society where men hold prestige constrains women to be only able to aspire to be a wife. Marriage, in their patriarchal world, seems to be the only possible way to be able to make a living. The subservient role of women is further illustrated by Wuthering Heights’ patrilineal system which inhibits the property and title of a family to be inherited by the female lineage.Heathcliff effectively utilises this system for his benefit. Knowing that the wealth of a family can only be inherited by the male lineage, he arranges the marriage of young Cathy and his son Linton. Since Edgar died with no son to carry on his family name, his family’s inheritance would therefore be handed to whoever young Cathy marries. The male is dominant and is clearly seen as the head of the family. Similarly to I’m not scared, we see a macho world where power and strength are valued and power rest with the males.Pino tells his son to do his press-ups and they arm-wrestle. Anna, Michele’s mother, is physically assaulted by Felice, one of the gang. In his household, Pino is very much in charge and his wife is obedient to him. Even though in each text, women were inferior to men we also see in some cases where the text subverts the traditional or stereotypical idea of women and their place in society. In translations Bridget shows control when she directs Doalty to hide the animals when the army threatens to kill them .Maire is described as: â€Å"†¦a strong minded, strong bodied woman†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She works as hard as any man in the community at the hay harvesting and plans to go to America in order to provide for her household in which she the head. Maire: â€Å"The best harvest in living memory,†¦ (Showing Jimmy her hands. ) Look at these blisters. † Maire: â€Å"There are ten below me to be raised and no man in the house†¦. † During the Victorian era in Wuthering Heights, women were expected to be obedient, disciplined and faithful. Catherine does not conform to these expectations.There is also a subtle reversal of roles in young Cathy’s marriages where, contrary to traditional norms, she appears to be the dominant partner. She tended to Linton who was a spoilt, sickly weakling. Later Hareton also needs help and encouragement to develop after years of degradation at the hands of Heathcliff. Comparing the cultural context of the narratives heightened my en joyment and helped me have a better experience and insight into the role of women and how they lived their lives subservient under men in a patriarchal society.One of the aspects of cultural context I enjoyed covering on my comparative course is how the class structure in each narrative is divided up. Social class is not solely dependent on the amount of money one has. Rather, the source of income, birth, and family connections plays a major role in determining one’s position in society. England in the nineteenth century was an extremely class-conscious society and social class is an important element in Wuthering Heights. We see the distinction between the two families in Emily Bronte’s novel and their rank on the social ladder.At the top of the locality’s social class, one finds the rich and refined Linton family who live in the sumptuous surroundings of Thruscross Grange. The Lintons were superior to the Earnshaw family and live in Wuthering heights. Within t hese ranks we also see how the cultured from the rustics and those higher up the social scale from those lower down are separated. Speech patterns and accents distinguish the servants such as Zillah, Joseph and Nelly Dean from their masters. An example of this would be Joseph’s Yorkshire dialect and young Heathcliff’s outsider accent which he spoke when he was brought from Liverpool.Equally noticeable in Brian Friel’s Translations is the subtle class diversity between the more educated who were able to speak English as well as Irish and the less educated who only speak Irish. Also noticeable is the feeling of social superiority felt by the English to the Gaelic community of Baile Beag as reflected in Captain Lancey’s condescending attitude. This parallels with Hindley’s deprivation of Heathcliff to a servant. Hindley is a well-educated man who has an outstanding stand in society while Heathcliff was seen as an illiterate vagabond brought in from Li verpool by Mr Earnshaw.Turning to I’m not scared we see how the village of Acqua Traverse is in keeping with the film’s premise that Southern Italy was a deprived place where the people, out of desperation, could understandably turn to crime. The buildings are shabby and clustered around a dusty courtyard. It is reminiscent of Baile Beag with its hedge school in a dusty barn and Hugh’s description of the place with its Hugh: â€Å"Mud cabins and a diet of potatoes. † The people’s aspirations in I’m not scared are simple. Anna dreams of visiting the seaside and eating in a restaurant. The people in Southern Italy were poor and run-down.The difference between the social standing of Southern Italy and Northern Italy lead to the country experiencing spate of kidnappings hence the kidnapping of Filippo. Filippo is from a family among the ranks of the higher hierarchy of Italy at that time. This caused him to be held against his will to be held fo r ransom by the people of Acqua Traverse in hopes that their lives might change for the better and for them to be able to climb higher in their social ladder. Similar to the situation in Translations, Maire desires to go to America in order to acquire a better subsistence.In each text, class structure plays an important role and affects the behaviour of the characters in how they respond to society and the norm and in what choices they make in connection with their rank the class system. Studying the significance of class structure in the cultural context of each narrative benefitted me in my understanding of each text which made my study all the more pleasurable. The setting in the cultural context of a text is definitely important when looking at character development, conflict, and the overall plot.It's the setting for all that is to come; it can convey so much about whom the people are and the way they live. The setting of a narrative can be a character of its own. In all three narratives, the setting is conveyed in a remote, rural location far from any centre of population. I’m not scared shows scenes depicting children romping through the endless fields of golden corn under a blue sky or cycling along dirt-track roads baked solid by the sweltering sun. The entire plot of I’m not scared unfolds over a few days of scorching sunshine near harvest time.This parallels with Translations where Baile Beag is experiencing an unusual heat wave, and similarly just after the hay harvest. We see Owen tell Yolland that it is†¦ Owen: â€Å"The first hot summer in fifty years and you think it’s Eden. † This reminds us in Wuthering Heights where Catherine stays at the Lintons for a few weeks after being bitten by a dog. Cathy receives a taste of luxury and she is drawn to it and is deceived to think that she desires to marry Edgar due to the luxury which she relishes.In the end, both Yolland and Cathy have to face the consequences of the pursuit of their vain desires. Wuthering Heights, however, is in opposition to Translations and I’m not scared. Bronte has placed her novel in a variety of ambience. Ranging from the opening scenes of snowfalls and lashing gales, to blooming springs, radiant summers, and drowsy autumns. In Salvatore’s film, as we see the camera pan across the rolling hill and valleys and sweep over the fields of waving grain, one is struck by the beauty and the emptiness of the landscape.The only sounds are of animals, birds, and insects. Our eyes take in the vivid colours of the red and orange poppies. Then we trace the horizon dividing the golden corn and the purple petals of other flowers from the blue sky to create a wonderfully rich effect. This countryside reminds us of Bronte’s descriptions of the moors. Young Cathy: â€Å"†¦with the bees humming dreamily about among the bloom, and the larks singing high up overhead, and the blue sky and bright sun shining steadily and cloudlessly. †Whether in I’m not scared, Wuthering heights, or Translations, one should not be fooled by mere appearances. The cawing of a crow and the hissing of insects create an ominous effect suggesting all is not well. For underneath the beauty of the landscape lies a terrible secret. In the country side near the tiny village of Acqua Traverse, a young boy named Filippo is being kept hostage in a hole in the ground. In the same way the potatoes in Baile Beag gives a deceiving sweet smell. As Maire says: Maire: â€Å"Sweet smell! Sweet smell!Every year at this time somebody comes back with stories of the sweet smell. Sweet God, did the potatoes ever fail in Baile Beag?†¦ † The sweet smell became the blight of the potatoes in the Great Famine of Ireland. Likewise in Wuthering Heights, Mr Lockwood perceived Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange to be quite a lovely place to be from seeing the beauty of its landscape. Only until later in the novel do es he come to realize that the landscape had a different story to tell with its storms and prevailing winds which reflect the turmoil the families of the landscape endures.Gathering together all that I have learned from my study of the cultural context of Wuthering Heights, Translations, and I’m Not Scared in reference to Role of Women in Society, Class Structure, and Setting, I was able to compare and differentiate the cultural context of these texts for my comparative course. In doing so it further enhanced my understanding and enjoyment of the narratives and made my experience more real and gave a greater impact.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Broadcast vs Broadcasted as Past Form

Broadcast vs Broadcasted as Past Form Broadcast vs Broadcasted as Past Form Broadcast vs Broadcasted as Past Form By Maeve Maddox DM wonders about the usage of words such as â€Å"cast, broadcast, and cost.† As far as I can remember the past tense and past P. of broadcast is broadcast; however recently I checked an online dictionary and it has broadcasted. Is this an American standard or has it always been like this?†¨ The three examples, cast, broadcast, and cost belong to that dwindling category of strong verbs that continue to change their past forms. Broadcasted has already made the leap. The alternate form broadcasted is in the big dictionaries on both sides of the Atlantic. Merriam-Webster lists it among the inflected forms: broadcast also broadcasted; broadcast also broadcasted; broadcasting; broadcasts The OED gives it a nod in very tiny type after its definition of the radio transmission use:  Inflected pa. tense and pa. pple. broadcast. occas. broadcasted. AskOxford is unequivocally accepting: broadcast: verb (past broadcast; past part. broadcast or broadcasted) 1 transmit by radio or television. Although broadcasted has gained acceptance in the realm of radio transmissions, I would hesitate to use the -ed form to refer to sowing. Broadcast entered the language as an adjective to describe the spreading, or casting, of seed by hand, as opposed to planting it in furrows or holes. The first recorded use of the adjective is 1767. The first documented use of broadcast as a verb, still in the context of spreading seed, is 1813. It acquired its radio sense in 1921. When it comes to the regularized forms â€Å"costed’ and â€Å"casted,† writers will want to exercise caution. In modern usage casted is not universally accepted. It’s not even in the online Merriam-Webster Abridged (yet). It is in the OED, but only as an obsolete form of cast. â€Å"Elijah Wood was casted as Frodo Baggins,† sounds horribly incorrect to my ears, but an online search for casted without quotation marks brings up 3,030,000 hits; with quotation marks, 1,250,000. These numbers suggest that â€Å"casted† as the past tense of cast, at least in the context of choosing actors for a role, will eventually make it into standard usage. The form casted also crops up as a suffix in computer jargon: Using modern OpenGL and GLSL for preprocessing and ray-casted visualization, the BlockMap and its evolution are used to build a realtime multiresolution renderer for large urban models. The OED entry offers 83 numbered definitions for cast as a verb, including its use to express the casting of metal, the casting of lots, and the casting of aspersions. For these the standard past form is undeniably cast. (My search also turned up numerous examples of the nonstandard form casted in connection with the casting of metal.) Costed has not replaced past tense of cost in ordinary speech. I don’t think that many native speakers above the age of five would say â€Å"The gum ball costed a quarter.† As a transitive verb meaning â€Å"to estimate or fix the cost of production of an article or piece of work,† however, the accepted past form is costed: Rich world money systems place no value on coral or Amazonian rainforest. They cannot be traded, so they cannot be costed. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:20 Pairs of One-Word and Two-Word FormsWhat the heck are "learnings"?

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Slippery Slope Fallacy - Definition and Examples

Slippery Slope Fallacy s In informal logic, slippery slope is a  fallacy in which a course of action is objected to on the grounds that once taken it will lead to additional actions until some undesirable consequence results. Also known as the slippery slope argument and the  domino fallacy. The slippery slope is a fallacy, says Jacob E. Van Fleet, precisely because we can never know if a whole series of events and/or a certain result is determined to follow one event or action in particular. Usually, but not always, the slippery slope argument is used as a fear tactic (Informal Logical Fallacies, 2011). Examples and Observations To judge from the news stories, the entire nation is coming to resemble San Francisco after a heavy rainfall. In the press, the phrase slippery slope is more than seven times as common as it was twenty years ago. Its a convenient way of warning of the dire effects of some course of action without actually having to criticize the action itself, which is what makes it a favorite ploy of hypocrites: Not that theres anything wrong with A, mind you, but A will lead to B and then C, and before you know it well be up to our armpits in Z.(Geoff Nunberg, commentary on Fresh Air, National Public Radio, July 1, 2003)The slippery slope fallacy is committed only when we accept without further justification or argument that once the first step is taken, the others are going to follow, or that whatever would justify the first step would, in fact, justify the rest. Note, also, that what some see as the undesirable consequence lurking at the bottom of the slope others may regard as very desirable ind eed.(Howard Kahane and Nancy Cavender, Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric, 8th ed., Wadsworth, 1998) The Slippery Slope of Voluntary EuthanasiaIf voluntary euthanasia were to be legalized it would prove impossible to avoid the legislation, or, at least, toleration, of non-voluntary euthanasia. Even if the former can be justified, the latter clearly cannot. Hence, it is better that the first step (legalizing voluntary euthanasia) not be taken so as to prevent a slide into non-volunteer euthanasia.(John Keown, quoted by Robert Young in Medically Assisted Death. Cambridge University Press, 2007)The Slippery Slope of Public MuralsI hope the art mural at 34th and Habersham will not be allowed. You open the gate for one, you open it for all and youll have it all over the city. A person wanting to paint on buildings is nothing more than upscale graffiti. More than likely it will go too far.(anonymous, Vox Populi. Savannah Morning News, September 22, 2011)All Politics Takes Place on a Slippery SlopeLogicians call the slippery slope a classic logical fallacy. There’s no reason to reje ct doing one thing, they say, just because it might open the door for some undesirable extremes; permitting â€Å"A† does not suspend our ability to say but not B or certainly not Z down the line. Indeed, given the endless parade of imagined horribles one could conjure up for any policy decision, the slippery slope can easily become an argument for doing nothing at all. Yet act we do; as George Will once noted, All politics takes place on a slippery slope.That’s never been more true, it seems, than now. Allowing gay marriage puts us on the slippery slope to polygamy and bestiality, opponents say; gun registration would start us sliding into the unconstitutional morass of universal arms confiscation. An NSA whistle-blower, William Binney, said last week that the agency’s surveillance activities put us on a slippery slope toward a totalitarian state . . .. And this week we’re hearing a similar argument that President Obama’s decision to arm Syrian re bels, however meagerly, has all but doomed us to an Iraq-style debacle . . .. These critics may be right to urge caution, but in their panicked vehemence, they’ve abandoned nuance and succumbed to summoning up worst-case scenarios. UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh points out that metaphors like the slippery slope often start by enriching our vision and end by clouding it. Decriminalizing marijuana doesn’t have to turn the U.S. into a stoner nation, nor does sending M-16s to Syrian rebels inevitably mean boots on the ground in Damascus. But that’s not to say we shouldn’t watch our footing.(James Graff, The Week. The Week, June 28, 2013) The Slippery Slope of Immigration ReformIn a well-meaning effort to curb the employment of illegal aliens, and with the hearty good wishes of editorialists who ordinarily pride themselves on guarding against the intrusion of government into the private lives of individual Americans, Congress is about to take this generations longest step toward totalitarianism.There is no slippery slope toward loss of liberties, insists Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming, author of the latest immigration bill, only a long staircase where each step downward must be first tolerated by the American people and their leaders.The first step downward on the Simpson staircase to Big-Brotherdom is the requirement that within three years the federal government comes up with a secure system to determine employment eligibility in the United States.Despite denials, that means a national identity card. Nobody who is pushing this bill admits thaton the contrary, all sorts of safeguards and rhetorical warnings about no t having to carry an identity card on ones person at all times are festooned on the bill. Much is made of the use of passports, Social Security cards and drivers licenses as preferred forms of identification, but anyone who takes the trouble to read this legislation can see that the disclaimers are intended to help the medicine go down. . . .Once the down staircase is set in place, the temptation to take each next step will be irresistible.(William Safire, The Computer Tattoo. The New York Times, Sep. 9, 1982)

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The role of the technology in facilities management Case Study

The role of the technology in facilities management - Case Study Example , maintenance and operations plans, corporate facilities processes, space inventories, real estate, projects through construction, renovation and design, equipment and furniture inventories. Facilities management is a critical interdisciplinary field in the modern business world which encompasses the coordination of people, space, organization and infrastructure especially in association with the administration of hospitals, hotels, convention centres, office blocks, schools, arenas, shopping complexes etc. Facilities management is used to facilitate a wide number of activities in business and is slowly emerging as a core function within a business from being a supporting function in businesses. There are eleven key competencies associated with facilities management which is applicable in the facilities management processes, irrespective of in which sector the facilities management is applied. These core competencies include emergency preparedness, communication, finance, strategy an d leadership, property management, real estate, business continuity, environmental stewardship, human factors, maintenance and operations, quality, property management, sustainability, project management and technology. This case study deals with the technology factor in facilities management with respect to the role of technology in facilities management in the hospitality and other relevant tourism sectors across the world. The information technology support provided to the facilities management in an organization can significantly improve the functioning of facilities management in an organization as a main supporting services. However, with the integration of new technologies, facilities management is evolving as a main business function and is ceasing to be a supporting service in any organization, especially in the capital intensive industries like construction, manufacturing, hotel industries etc. Technology is highly needed in facilities management. The main function of the

Friday, November 1, 2019

Deniers of Genocide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Deniers of Genocide - Essay Example One of the most controversial cases of genocide occurred in Nanking China in 1937-38 when occupying Japanese forces tortured, brutalized, raped, and murdered hundreds of thousands of Chinese men, women, and children over a six-week period. Its limited duration and scale of devastation portrays it as one of the most intense periods of violence in world history. Yet, decades of denial by the Japanese government and conflicting first hand accounts have fuelled a debate in regards to the accuracy of the event, and it has even been questioned as to its authenticity. As the story continues to evolve and more facts come to light, historical researchers revise the history of the incident and are themselves targets of controversy and risk the accusation of being revisionists. Psychological, cultural, and pragmatic forces delayed and minimized Japans public acknowledgement of their involvement in the Nanking massacre and have routinely impeded the historians efforts to adequately record the ev ent. History is not a set of facts, but is a dynamic concept of evolving knowledge that is interpreted in the context of the past and re-evaluated in the framework of the present. Terms such as genocide, ethnic cleansing, massacre, and atrocities suffer from semantics and the diverse subjectivity of worldviews can characterize an event to a nations advantage or disadvantage. Determining when an excessive use of force crosses over into genocide can make, "Politicians, scholars, relief agencies, and distinguished judges at international tribunals regularly agonize over whether to apply the label".1 States may suppress information or produce disinformation in a self-serving attempt to protect their image and self-interests. Historical scientists grapple with these complexities as they attempt to draw a clearer picture of past events, and suffer when activists rewrite historical accounts based on their own political or social agendas.