Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Kitty’s Diary Essay

Dear Diary, My day today proved to be one of the strangest and most revealing in my life. I’ve been speeding forward so rapidly with everything that I’ve barely had a proper chance to stop and look back. My opportunity came today, when apparently Helly was having some ‘family issues’. I know you’re only a book, but you don’t have to be a genius to work out why Loopy sent me to help her instead of Liz. To be honest, Helly helped me just as much as I helped her today. When I first found her in the storage cupboard, she was a right old mess, I tell you, tears streaming down her face like waterfalls, and clutching more tissues than I thought humanely possible. She looked as if she was suffering from a severe fever. Once Helly had settled down (well as far as someone in a state like her could settle down) she explained enough for me to understand the conflict she had going on with ‘Toad-Shoes’. After shifting myself into a near-comfortable position I launched into my Goggle-Eyes story. I realise that the next part may sound a bit vain, but I am really, rather a good story teller. I could tell from the sparkle in Helly’s eyes that she was entranced, and could have happily settled down and listened all day. Actually, she did, almost. A few hours. Close enough. As I recalled the events, they seemed to re-enlighten in my mind; it was as if I was reliving every single minute, but with a completely different attitude to everything. It’s an amazing but queer feeling, to lose yourself in your own story. I could imagine it all in my mind. I thought back, observed my every action, and at the same time telling what I did to Helly, making me feel quite like I was commentating on my own life. My emotions all merged together, what I felt then to what I feel now. Reflecting on it, there are so things I wish I never said, however, I could never really shake off that smug little feeling you get; whenever I did something horrible to a certain someone, my immediate reaction would be embarrassment and a short glance at Helly to make sure she wasn’t as disgusted as I was with my childish actions, but, as I regret to admit, then followed by a small ‘Ha ha’ in my mind. It shocked me (in a good way, don’t worry) how much I’d changed these past few months. Helly’s little dilemma made me realise just how much I just wanted to tell somebody else what I had been through, going from absolutely loathing a disgusting specimen that eyes’ popped out at my mother dressing, to loving someone who had now lightened up everything and made me happy. True, Gerald (see, I’m calling him his proper name now) is blunt, rude, and occasionally makes such bad jokes that it’s slightly worrying, but I guess as time went by I got used to having him around, so used to it in fact that it’s a surprise if he’s not around our house by at least 4pm. I now realise that he was incredibly patient with what nuisance I was causing him. I find it incredible how much I used to hate him, but how I was silly enough not to realise that he was part of my life until it was too late. At the end of my tale (it actually lasted all morning, can you believe it? ), Helly made me realise that I have grown so attached to him, that I can swear on my life I wouldn’t mind if he and mum got married. It’s the complete opposite to what I had said to Gerald when he first walked in, can- Uh oh. Mum’s coming; she’ll kill me if she finds up I’m up this late again writing in you. Better go NOW. Night!

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Feelings of war in his poems ‘Exposure’ and ‘Spring Offensive’ Essay

How does Owen use the seasons and nature to illustrate his feelings about war? Compare his treatment of the natural world in ‘Exposure’ and ‘Spring Offensive’. Owen signed up to fight in the war in 1915. He thought that war was romantic and heroic but when he was in the front line he realised that it was the exact opposite of what he thought it would be. He uses nature and the natural world to represent this evil place but also in his poetry the natural world is the soldier’s one source of comfort. So in this essay I am going to discuss how Owen portrays the natural world in his poems ‘Spring Offensive’ and ‘Exposure’. To begin with the tone in ‘Spring Offensive’ changes as the poem progresses. This mimics the mood of the soldiers. Even though the tone changes throughout the poem it is noticeable that the theme of the soldiers not wanting to go into war. Even in the ‘quiet’ moments in the poem the threat of suffering is present. However, the tone in ‘Exposure’ is different to the tone in ‘Spring Offensive’ because the tone in ‘Exposure’ is mainly one of frustration, despair and desolation. This is felt by the soldiers as they wait to go into battle but it appears that that time will never come. Nature adds to the tone in ‘Exposure’ because as they are waiting to go into battle it is the weather that is doing them damage. Also the rhythm and rhyme in ‘Spring Offensive’ is a very important part of the poem. It is important because it gives the reader a bigger insight into the poem. When he pairs â€Å"last hill† and â€Å"stood still† together the repeated ‘ll’ sounds gives the reader the feeling that the journey the soldiers are taking is a long one. When he uses â€Å"grass† and â€Å"glass† it gives the reader a better idea of the distress the soldiers are feeling through the harsh ‘ss’ sounds. He also uses â€Å"together† and â€Å"heather† to create pace to show the soldiers’ movement. But, the rhythm and rhyme in ‘Exposure’ isn’t as important as the rhythm and rhyme in ‘Spring Offensive’ because it doesn’t explain much more to the poem. All it does is use half rhyme because perfect rhyme has no place in this poem as it would create a sense of fluid movement which the sol diers never feel. Further more, the imagery in ‘Spring Offensive’ changes in every stanza to create a different feeling each time. The poem starts of by making the soldiers sound like they are beasts; â€Å"they fed, and eased of pack-loads, were at ease†. Also it tells us that the soldiers are accepting that they are going to die. I know this from the line â€Å"knowing their feet had come to the end of the world†. It also goes on to make nature sound like its comforting the soldiers as â€Å"marvelling they stood, and watched the long grass swirled†. It also makes summer sound like it is helping the soldiers forget about the pain they are suffering; â€Å"and though the summer oozed into their veins, like an injected drug for their bodies pains†. Then the feeling of war being heroic returns with nature offering golden gifts to the soldiers; â€Å"blessed with gold their slow boots† but it is still letting us know that the soldiers are reluctant to go into war; â€Å"slow boots†. The use of the simile â€Å"like sorrowing arms† unites nature with the natural suffering of the families left behind. Near the end of the poem there is the image of pounding sea. This gives the image of the soldiers crashing into a â€Å"surf of bullets†, tossed upon the â€Å"upsurge† of hell. Nature’s power and force is linked with the hellish power of war. The final stanza shows nature returning to a peaceful state, but the memories of battle are still present. However, the imagery in ‘Exposure’ remains the same the whole way through the poem. It is just mainly showing nature as the soldiers’ main enemy. The wind is personified and is said to â€Å"knife† the men. Silence is also personified as an invisible but real threat. Image of men’s suffering linked again with nature, â€Å"mad gusts†¦like twitching agonies of men among its brambles† which is letting us know nature can cause pain. This is the opposite of ‘Spring Offensive’ where nature has healing qualities. In this poem the power of god seems to be dying. War is more powerfully destructive than god’s ability to create. Death is the main image in ‘Exposure’ but it is death through nature rather than through weapons; â€Å"frost will fasten†¦shrivelling many hands†¦Ã¢â‚¬  the signs of death are shared by the corpses and by the living. The men are described as â€Å"ghosts† because the suffering of war has caused the men to die inside; this means they aren’t vulnerable to emotions anymore. The dreams the soldiers have are concentrated on nature in its restored form, â€Å"grassier ditches†¦littered with blossoms† this idealised view of nature only exists in a wishful form. Also the language in ‘Spring Offensive’ tries to affect the reader’s emotions. The poem starts of with harsh constant ‘K’ sounds which are aurally discomforting; â€Å"to face the stark, blank sky beyond the ridge†. This mimics the soldiers’ distressing existence. It also goes on to use of the connective â€Å"so†, this suggests harmlessness and ordinariness but it introduces the deathly action of their charge. The language in ‘Exposure’ is used in the same way as the language in ‘Spring Offensive’. There are harsh consonant sounds and sibilance emphasises the bitter and bleak conditions of the men. So to conclude Owen uses nature and seasons to show that he thinks that war is an awful place and that you feel the negative effects of war even if you aren’t involved in a battle at that time.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Vietnam and Gulf Wars Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Vietnam and Gulf Wars - Essay Example The decision to send U.S troop to Vietnam did not take into considerations the view of the public or the Congress. Negative impressions by the public and many political bigwigs persisted throughout the time that the U.S troops were in Vietnam. The public was up in arms at the amount of money that was used during this time of war in Vietnam. The losses were not only in monetary terms but also in the number of soldiers who perished (Rosenau 46). So many soldiers died and others were also injured. It was the first time that the United States had suffered a loss in war. The Vietnam War left an economic dent that was felt throughout the U.S. apart from that, shame and perceived weakness in military force and policies were exposed for the whole world to see (McNamara and VanDeMark 67). The eventual pull out of the force seemed like an acceptance of a mistake and defeat. The eventual effects of the Vietnam disaster were still lingering in the minds of the American public and political players. When the ‘free Kuwait† decision that ultimately led to sending of troops in the Gulf region was made, the American citizens were not very pleased. They criticized the decision. The aftermath of Vietnam had an effect on the foreign policy decisions and the reluctance of people to go through an ordeal like the previous one. The public saw it as another catalyst for an economic slowdown and massive loss of lives for an international situation that did not â€Å"scream† out for their participation. According to the public and some political players, it was not necessary to go to war at the moment leave alone going there with brimming confidence of a win. Since the US aimed at being the superior power, involvement in the war led to the breaking of relations especially after the US invaded Grenada and Panama (Murrin, et al. 844).   Countries such as the Soviet Union were silently not amused by the antics of United States. Slowly, U.S was creating a divide and even causing tensions with its long-term allies.  Ã‚  

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Death penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 4

Death penalty - Essay Example This essay will outline the debate on death penalty and provide an in-depth explanation of the proponents and opponents of the issue and their differing attitudes. The United States is one of the few nations of the world, which still employs death penalty as a form of punishment for some crimes. The penalty is considered as barbaric and contrary to the values of humanity, as well as American values of human treatment of individuals. However, there are some people who do not object to the death penalty and consider it as a crucial tool that can be employed in the fight against some that have a huge impact on the victim. There are some instances when an innocent person may be hanged to death yet they have not committed any crime. Such mistaking of criminals has led to numerous objections of the death penalty. Since the 1950s, most of the Americans have supported death penalty. There has been, however, tremendous changes in the attitudes towards death penalty since this time with few people supporting execution of murder criminals during the 1960s and 1970s. During the mid-1990s, the debate on death penalty took a new twist with a lot of emphasis been placed on the gender and racial aspects of death penalty. The support for death penalty was low among the blacks, women, as well as Hispanics while white males supported death penalty. Numerous polls conducted in the United States have sought to get know the attitudes of American public towards death penalty. From the studies conducted, it is clear that the attitudes of people towards death penalty are guided by their emotions (Lerne and Wilmoth 234). In the United States, criminal punishment has been riddled with controversy with some people opposing it on the grounds that what motivates law enforcers is revenge as opposed to ensuring that the victims get justice. In most instances, the United States law convicts criminals to death penalties in the case of murders. People who support this point of view hold

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Mimetic Violence in The Road Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mimetic Violence in The Road - Essay Example They work towards getting what they desire, and when they eventually get it, it becomes apparent that they seem to desire the possessor of the object also, not just the object. The second stage is Mimetic Rivalry. At this stage, the desire becomes so strong that it begins to reveals its violent side. At the Skandalon or Scandal stage, the violence has become so immense that it is capable of disrupting the life of an entire community. The situation becomes so scandalous that it becomes very difficult for the players to give up. Scapegoating stage, the fourth, is where a victim is picked and blamed for the sad turn of events. This is the stage where peacekeeping finally fails. Then the final stage which is known as Sacred Violence comes; the scapegoat is punished, most times killed, supposedly at the command of a god. But this doesn’t end the violence. It gives rise to persistent mimetic violence. There are different types of mimetic violence but one feature common to all is tha t the minority in the society are often the scapegoats. In some cases, it is the women. In others, it is the poor. Generally, the scapegoats are those that are not considered to be indispensable in the society. Examples of Mimetic Violence The examples of mimetic violence abound. A typical example is when politicians contest for elective offices. All the stages of that come before mimetic violence are all experienced. Even though in some climes, people are not killed during electioneering, the level of competition still reflects mimetic violence. However, in many places like Africa, during political strife, the mimetic stages eventually arrive at the level of violence. Another example of Mimetic Violence is that which is encountered is found in William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Hamlet.† Mimetic violence also develops to its final stages in the play. Hamlet and his Uncle, Claudius, try to skim out each other (for the prize – the throne). The situation at the end b ecomes very bloody as both of them get killed. However, it seems Hamlet remains the hero while Claudius is the scapegoat. Examples and Usage of Mimetic Violence in Cormac McCarthy’s The Road Before much analysis is done on how mimetic violence plays itself out in the novel, it must be clearly stated that the third person narrator in the novel uses such expression like â€Å"the man†, â€Å"the father† and â€Å"the boy† to refer to the fact that the characters represent any member of the human society. Hence, all the characters are involved in mimetic violence in at least one stage. One of the earliest revelations of mimetic violence in the novel is depicted when the boy and his father leave their original home to embark on a journey because they needed to survive. The fact that the circumstance in their original place had ceased to be welcoming reveals the high play of mimetic violence. Recognizing how hopeless their situation is, the man’s wife c ommits suicide; that is mimetic violence. One cannot but wonder why it is the woman that had to sacrifice her life. Why is it not the man that had to commit suicide? That question should actually be directed at the author. The choice of the woman as the one to commit suicide is a depiction of how the people who are considered to be less important than others are the

Critique article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critique - Article Example t, 2000, p.783) The author begins with the conceptual analysis of the resistance to change and describes the process of eventual alteration in employee responses. He presents a summary of different literature on this issue with an approach to critique. It finally talks in favor of a bottom up process of evaluating the responses instead of presenting a simple generalization of the concept. For the purpose of reaching his point the author presents certain concepts and categorizations relevant to the issue. The author introduces the concept of ‘resistance to change’ as, â€Å"critical theorists and labor policy scholars argue that the interests of managers should not be privileged over the interests of workers† (Piderit, 2000, p.783). This simplification of the concept overlooks the complex analyses of the responses from the workers. This also overrules the positive intentions behind some negative responses. Complementing this view Pasmore points out that a resistance is actually a product of interaction or communication between the two agents involved in the change process. He also echoes Piderit’s view that a change need not be a ‘bad’ thing. The agent implementing the change should therefore go back to the background and the objectives of the change process rather than simply trying to overcome the resistance (Pasmore, p.214). In this context the role of leadership is worth mentioning. Resistance has to be worked through or managed by the lead ers in the ideal manner (Markham, 1999, p.16). Power and Eastman (1997) brings up the role of transformational leadership in bringing about organizational change and determining the course along which the change might occur. Transformation leadership can help in implementing change through articulation of the vision adopted by the leader, the followers or subordinates accepting this vision and an analogy stuck between the interests of the followers and the vision projected before them. The role of leadership in

Friday, July 26, 2019

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

International Management - Essay Example Given the fact that the company has somehow been left behind, in terms of revenue, by the various cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s in the market which are offering almost the same products at much lower prices. The author also showed that the company Starbucks must be able to reenergize, not only in the way it does business in the market, but also with their everyday business with people who comes into its coffee shops. The author stated that the coffee business is a crowded playing field in the sense that many food chains like McDonald’s and Dunkin Donuts (companies which don’t include coffees in their menus before) are now creating and selling their own posh coffee creations. Another reason for the need to reenergize the company is its declining reputation. According to the survey conducted by Schultz â€Å"the Starbucks experience has been significantly downgraded as a consequence of its rapid expansion.† The once hip vibe turned into â€Å"disparate markets,† even if compared amongst the Starbucks chain of coffee shops. Starbucks company should also focus on the way the company is connecting with its customers on a day to day basis. This entails the catering of coffee drinkers at the different times of day. It is also noticeable how high-tech Starbucks stores have been; but in some cases, the store must also give importance on creating an atmosphere conducive to fostering human interactions. The company’s strength lies in the fact that is a pioneer coffee shop in the industry. It has already established a name and a reputation amongst coffee drinkers as offering the best coffee concoction in the business. Experience is also one of the company’s strengths. As it had been in business for so many years, the company somehow knows the coffee market. In putting the phrase â€Å"refocus on the experience† on a different context, Starbuck company could reevaluate the years with which they have operated and compare it with

Thursday, July 25, 2019

The 1920's And the American Dream Speech or Presentation

The 1920's And the American Dream - Speech or Presentation Example In the 1920s, the viewpoint of the American Dream focuses on personal success in life regardless of their origin and social status. According to this perspective, the most important thing is for an individual to work hard in attaining their goals. Reference to this can be drawn from the book â€Å"Advertising the American Dream: Making way for Modernity† by Marchand Roland. In this work, the author gives a description of a character in which case he feels this figure represents the quintessential 1920s person who is living the American Dream. The writer says that this man not only succeeds in the fast-paced, contemporary urban milieu of tall storied structures, taxicabs, and luxury driven people, but also perceives himself well-experienced in the latest moves in fashion, modern lingo as well as popular activities. The book’s relationship to the American Dream is seen in the number of times it talks about the Great Gatsby. On the contrary, any reader of the work cannot d eny the link between the writers definition of the man living the American Dream and the Portrayal of Jay Gatsby, who works his way from a humble background to become a millionaire (Marchand, 99). In the Great Gatsby, the protagonist epitomizes the issue of personal success. We see an individual who is financially successful as well as in the social status, ultimately creating a novel individual out of himself regardless of his underprivileged past life. It is however evident that all the wealth that Gatsby acquires associated with the American Dream eventually lead to its demise. Consumerism and Excess material Wealth The 1920s and the American Dream is marked by consumerism and acquisition of excess material wealth. This identifies the culture of wealthy Americans as seen in Gatsby. At any moment Gatsby finds the opportunity, she displays seen through the lurid style of outfit. She has a huge mansion in which case she organizes frequent parties to show off to the rest of the Ameri can populace how hard working she has become. The American Dream in the 1920s can as well be referred to in terms of Veblen’s work, â€Å"The Theory of the Leisure Class.† He points out that a person gaining and sustaining the admiration of men is not sufficient through controlled wealth and power (Fitzgerald, 140). According to Veblen, the wealth and power should be put into substantiation. Veblen who advocates for the idea of conspicuous consumption that precisely describes the events in the Great Gatsby is attempting to establish that individuals that emanate from humble backgrounds and attain wealth through their hard-work, try to destroy reverence and admiration by showing off through purchases. Houses shown in the Great Gatsby are conceivably the most evident indicators of the inexorable completion to proclaim personal status. This is because a majority of the rich try to outshine each other in the size and amenities of their homes. It can therefore

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Technology Brought Both Advantages and Disadvantages to Students Research Paper

Technology Brought Both Advantages and Disadvantages to Students - Research Paper Example As the paper declares one of the great advantages of new technologies in the classroom is the digitalization of learning resources such as books and journals by converting them into electronic formats that not only embraces text and illustrations, but also multi-modal features such as animation, sound, music, video, in addition to hyperlinks. The current generation of books is nothing close to the conventional formats, particularly because, by using software like Adobe Reader or Microsoft Reader, students can access a large proportion of learning resources in the form of e-books by viewing them on their personal computers both at home and at school. The digitalized learning resources provide a broad reservoir of learning resources, which students can access easily by purchasing e-books from online bookstores or by renting them free from online libraries. According to the discussion findings the electronic book resources have many advantages over the conventional books because they often have user-friendly interphases and editing tools that allow the reader a lot of control over the reading resources. Introduction of learning technologies has also created new opportunities for extended learning, particularly because students are able to conduct extra research on their own away from the classroom situation, in addition to the knowledge delivered in the classroom. Technology enhances both teaching and learning efficiency in the classrooms.... Reader, students can access a large proportion of learning resources in the form of e-books by viewing them on their personal computers both at home and at school. The digitalized learning resources provide a broad reservoir of learning resources, which students can access easily by purchasing e-books from online bookstores or by renting them free from online libraries (Larson 122). The electronic book resources have many advantages over the conventional books because they often have user-friendly interphases and editing tools that allow the reader a lot of control over the reading resources. For example, the students can utilize those tools to manipulate the text in so many ways including editing, deleting, marking passages, highlighting, and even inserting comments on sticky notes, among many other things. This way, students engage more with the learning material, thereby enhancing their comprehension and overall performance; in this case, technology leads to enhanced student perfo rmance because it leads to the transformation of learning experiences in the classrooms. Introduction of learning technologies has also created new opportunities for extended learning, particularly because students are able to conduct extra research on their own away from the classroom situation, in addition to the knowledge delivered in the classroom. The internet is a rich source of diverse information and learning resources that students can utilize on their own away from the classroom, thereby not only transforming their experiences by understanding the knowledge gained in the classroom further, but also extending their learning experiences through additional information. The pervasive spread of information and technology has facilitated the access of course material by students

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Financial Analysis for Managers DQ4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial Analysis for Managers DQ4 - Essay Example In organizations, for the investors' interest, abundance in the company's working capital depicts a positive sign in making financial amendments and integrations internally and also in the market to compete other companies. After globalization, a number of companies are comparing their positions in the market by considering their past and current records and predicting their futures associated with liquidity and solvency of firm's assets (Bernstein et al, 1997). Today the policy makers, especially the governments, deeply observe the trends in variations of the working capital of organizations to impose rules and regulations on them. Even the investment decisions from giant companies are also based on the extent of working capital that a company possesses. Inventories act as the important assets for various businesses and they also influence the revenue generation of different companies. Inventory costs are essential to determine because it affects the income and asset levels. The net income of an organization is dependent on the inventory costs, except for the service organizations, as the net income is directly linked with the costs of goods sold. Inventory costs can be categorized in two ways.

Monday, July 22, 2019

National Geographic Essay Example for Free

National Geographic Essay The first website is the National Geographic (www.nationalgeographic.com), which is very diverse in terms of the topics it features and discusses on their site. It talks about the environment, humanity, history, entertainment, and travel. Due to the variety of topics, the website caters to everyone and anyone who seek reliable information. Five topics were researched including the brain, heart, skin, digestive system, and lungs. The search was very easy because the website has its search option where users can type what they are looking for and the website will generate the nearest results that it can find. Other topics can also be accessed with ease because the website features hyperlinks on the left side and on top, which are very easy to find. For the topics that were researched, images and graphics were available for users to understand the topic better. It also has a â€Å"Daily News† section, which features the latest news about the environment, space, and people. The website does not contain any grammatical errors and information are organized in such a way that they fall in the proper category. It also posts contact information so that users can contact the company if they want to research more or if they want to verify what they have learned. Considering that National Geographic is a known company with its own television channel, it is not hard for users to trust the content of its website. The website is very easy to navigate and it presents everything in such a way that users would not question the contents. For those who would use the website to research on educational topics, they would certainly find useful and accurate information because the National Geographic is known to conduct researches, documentaries, and studies. The company consults professionals and specialists to make sure that everything they post are correct and accurate. Wellness. com is a community for people who want to learn more about wellness and improve their lifestyles. It is also a place where people who have knowledge about wellness and healthy living can share what they know to those who want to obtain information. According to the website, it aims to create a place where people can obtain wellness information that can be trusted and used by everyone. In terms of evaluating the website for its accuracy and reliability, it can be said that the website can probably do better. Much of the information posted can be questioned because the authors are the members of the community and everyone just shares information with each other through the site’s forums. The members can post blogs about different topics, mostly about simple things like lying to get treatment for menopause, self-criticism, and breast cancer. The website has its search option that would return results from the site’s blogs and forums. Due to the importance of obtaining health-related information only from professionals, the website lists providers by category. Users are also given the option to search a provider by name. Information on health is categorized and listed alphabetically so that users do not have a hard time finding specific topics. It also offers wellness information for pets so that users who have pets have a place to gather information. Multimedia content is not available in this website and there are not much images featured. However, to compensate for its cons, the website has its contact page where people can contact the organization if they have any inquiries or recommendations. Overall, it is not a great place to obtain accurate information but it is a good place to find people who share the same experiences and thoughts. If a person wants to find a community to belong to in terms of wellness and health, then Wellness. com is the right place to go.