the lottery Essay Example For Students

the lottery Essay The Lottery Shirley Jacksons The Lottery portrays a small town in which the citizens gather for a yearly lottery. Unlike the typical lottery, this is not one you would want to win. Throughout The Lottery, Jackson focuses on families from the village in order to demonstrate the role of separation of genders. Gender is defined as the sexual identity of a person, especially in relation to society or culture. Gender divisions exist within the community in The Lottery and issues of gender help to explain the characters action and thoughts. During the lottery, everyone is equal and the society is genderless. Although the men draw as the head of the household, the women partake in the final rounds and the stoning of the victim. We will write a custom essay on the lottery specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now This is evident when Mrs. Delacroix selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands(200). This shows that even though women did not normally participate in town events, the lottery was an exception to the rule. Young girls were also equal to young boys during this event. Both the girls and the boys stoned the victim along with the rest of the community, regardless of gender. This suggests that the lottery serves as a great equalizer abolishing all forms of separation of gender. Despite this equality during the lottery, gender does drive this story. Division of labor is evidence that a separation of gender exists. Due to the fact that Mr. Summers and Mr. Graves are men in the village, they are given the opportunity to administer the lotter. By having this chance, they gain the ability to prove to the people in the community that men are the holders of the highest positions. In his making of the list, Mr. Summers imposes his power upon the community, by determining who will draw from the box first. Gender plays a role in the purpose of the lottery. The lottery is set up to show women that by producing more children, they will lessen their chances of being chosen. This is due to the fact that in larger families, the chance of one person being chosen is reduced significantly with each additional member of teh family. The opposite is true for small families. Because women are the producers of children, they are the main target of the lottery. They are encouraged to produce more children, thereby taking upon even more responsibilities as a housewife. The social status of women in this society shows that division of gender exists. Contrary to the superiority of men, women were disenfranchised in this village. The role of women in this society is that they are to be at home with their children while their husbands work. Jackson portrays women as wearing faded house dresses and sweaters. ..standing by their husbands(195). This shows their lack of power and low placement in society. Bill Hutchinson proves his authority over his wife when he forced the slip of paper out of his wifes hand in order to determine who in his family would be the victim(200). They were thought of as housewives and were not given the privilege of representing their family under most circumstances. This, of course, puts women at a disadvantage. Another disadvantage for the women is that when they marry, they must draw with their husbands famliy in the lottery. Since the men are to chose the slip, the women have no say in their own fate and must accept the responsibility if their family is chosen. Only if her family is chosen, is she allowed to pick a slip, determining if she will be stoned to death. This is evident when Mr. Summers asks Mrs. .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d , .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d .postImageUrl , .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d , .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d:hover , .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d:visited , .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d:active { border:0!important; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d:active , .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uda7a1583a08a1f757952e8faee96c55d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The World I Come From Essay Dunbar who will be drawing for her husband due to his absence in the lottery. She replies Me, I guess. Mr. Summers answers with astonishment, wife draws for husband, dont you have a grown boy to do it for you(196-7). The same is true of Mrs. Hutchinson who leaves her housework in order to attend the lottery. Mrs. Hutchinson, forgetting what day it was, dried her hands on her apron and hurried to be with the rest of the people from the village(196). Before attending the lottery, she is required to

12 Italian Loanwords

12 Italian Loanwords 12 Italian Loanwords 12 Italian Loanwords By Mark Nichol The Italian language and its Latin-derived relatives have enriched English with many words, primarily those pertaining to art, music, and cuisine. Occasionally, such terms lend themselves well to prose about matters outside those subject areas. For example, one might describe a shadowy cityscape with the word chiaroscuro (â€Å"light-dark† the element -oscuro is cognate with obscure), which refers to the technique in painting and later in photography and cinematography of producing distinct areas of light and darkness. Fermata (â€Å"stop,† related to firm), the term for an arbitrary extension of a chord, note, or rest, might be used metaphorically to refer to an awkward silence. And a person of nearly frantic demeanor could be said to have an espresso attitude, from the name of a type of coffee highly concentrated and therefore producing a potent jolt of the stimulant caffeine made expressly (hence the name) for a given customer. Here are other words derived from Italian that fall both inside and outside of the usual categories: 4. Extravaganza: This extravagant word originally referred to exaggerated performances or prose but now denotes an event marked by spectacular elements. 5. Ghetto: This term now associated with a socioeconomically depressed city neighborhood, of disputed etymological origin, most likely derives from borghetto, the diminutive of borgo, cognate with borough and burg (sometimes seen as -burgh in such city names as Pittsburgh). It acquired a powerful connotation due to the segregation (and persecution) of the Jews in Europe and especially in Nazi Germany; it’s also a sensitive term in reference to areas inhabited primarily by black people or members of other formerly (and sometimes currently) persecuted minorities. However, it is sometimes used neutrally to refer to a distinct area or one noted for a particular quality: Berkeley, California, is home to the original Gourmet Ghetto; the name has since been applied elsewhere. A business district or a part of a company’s offices, alternatively, might be referred to as a technology ghetto. 6. Lingua franca: The original lingua franca the phrase means â€Å"Frankish tongue† was the pidgin Italian, heavily influenced by other languages, employed in the Middle East during the Crusades of the medieval era. (Why â€Å"Frankish†? The Arabs traditionally referred to all Europeans as Faranji, meaning â€Å"Franks,† or â€Å"French.†) Now, it usually refers to a specialized vocabulary or jargon employed by a certain group. 7. Quarantine: The primary sense of this term (literally, â€Å"forty†), a reference to isolation of contagious or infected people, alludes to the medieval custom of restricting ships from plague-stricken areas from docking at a harbor for forty days; the original Italian expression is quarantina giorni (â€Å"(period of) forty days†). The term can be applied figuratively, for example, in reference to an effort to separate rivals or to keep a dieting person away from fattening food. 8. Regatta: This term for a boat race (usually one involving sailboats) stems from the name of a competition held by medieval Venetian gondoliers and means â€Å"contest,† though its verb form had a secondary meaning of â€Å"to haggle.† Figurative uses could include a reference to a parade of ostentatiously dressed people as a regatta. 9. Scenario: This theatrical term (â€Å"pertaining to stage scenes†) came in English to refer to an outline of a play, the equivalent of a treatment for a film. Later, it applied to a hypothetical or imagined situation. 10. Segue: Originally strictly a musical term referring to a seamless transition from one movement of a composition to another, segue (â€Å"there follows† it’s related to sequel and sequence) now applies to any such deft maneuver. Because -ue is rarely if ever pronounced as a separate syllable in English brogue, league, and vague exemplify the norm some writers who have heard but not seen the word misspell it segway (perhaps influenced by a small motorized vehicle called the Segway). 11. Sotto voce: This expression (â€Å"under the voice†) refers to the act of whispering so as not to be overheard, though it often applies to a stage whisper, a character’s speech supposedly unheard by other characters in a performance but amplified so that the audience can hear it. Offstage, the phrase might refer to a comment someone makes as if in confidence to someone else but deliberately uttered loudly enough to be heard by others. 12. Volte-face: This French word derives from the Italian phrase volta faccia (literally, â€Å"turn face†), which means to change one’s direction or opinion. The American English synonym of choice, used often in political and business contexts, is flip-flop, though the near-literal translation about-face, originally a military command to reverse the direction one is facing, is also seen and heard; U-turn is common in British English. 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund Phrases16 Misquoted QuotationsHow often is "bimonthly"?

GMAT Sample Questions, Answers and Explanations

GMAT Sample Questions, Answers and Explanations The GMAT is a crucial step in the business school application process.  Admissions committees use applicants  GMAT scores to assess their ability to succeed in a graduate-level program. The best way to prepare for the GMAT is to complete sample questions that test the same skills as the actual exam. The samples listed below resemble GMAT questions in structure, format, and skills tested. After completing all of the sample questions, review the answers and explanations at the end of this article. Integrated Reasoning Sample Questions The Integrated Reasoning section  contains 12 questions in four different categories: Multi-Source Reasoning, Graphical Interpretation, Two-Part Analysis and Table Analysis. You will have 30 minutes to complete this section of the GMAT. Question #1 Commodity Production: World Share (%) Production: World Rank Exports: World Share (%) Exports: World Rank Pork 8 4 20 4 Beans 13 3 24 2 Beef 32 2 22 3 Corn 47 1 34 1 Evaluate the table shown above, which displays data about American agricultural products. Answer YES to the following statement if the information in the table makes the statement true. Otherwise, answer NO. No country, including America, produces more than one-half of the worlds corn. Question #2 ABC Boats is producing a new speedboat called the Lake Skipper. The Lake Skippers fuel economy is R miles per gallon (R(m/G)) when it is driving a constant speed of S miles per hour (S(m/h)). Select the expression that represents the number of gallons of fuel that the Lake Skipper will use when driving at a constant speed (S) for 1 hour. Your answer should be in terms of the variables R and S. Select the expression that represents the number of gallons of fuel that the Lake Skipper will use when driving at a constant speed (S) for 60 miles. Your answer should be in terms of the variables R and S. You should make two selections total (one in each empty column). Gallons of Fuel in 1 Hour Gallons of Fuel in 60 Miles Expression S/R R/S S/60 R/60 60/S 60/R    Quantitative Reasoning Sample Questions The Quantitative Reasoning section  contains 31 questions in two categories: Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving. You have 62 minutes to complete this section of the GMAT. Question #1 If a b, c d, b c and e b, which of the following statements must be true?   I. a e  II. e d  III. a c (A) I only   (B) II only (C) III only (D) II and III   (E) I and III Question #2 On a 3-day trip to Italy, 4 adults ate $60 worth of spaghetti. How much would it cost for 7 adults to eat spaghetti on a 5-day trip to Italy if they ate the same spaghetti at the same cost per person per day? (A) $175 (B) $100 (C) $75 (D) $180 (E) $200 Verbal Reasoning Sample Questions The Verbal Reasoning section contains 36 questions in three categories: Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning and Sentence Correction. You will have 65 minutes to complete this section of the GMAT. Question #1 According to a recent study, the amount of work people are tasked with  rank as one of the high causes of workplace stress for American adults. (A) rank as one of the high causes of workplace stress (B) ranks as one of the more high causes of workplace stress (C) rank as one of the leading causes of workplace stress (D) ranks as one of the leading causes of workplace stress (E) rank as one of the higher causes of workplace stress Question #2 The cost of purchasing raw materials from Company A is fifteen percent less than the cost of purchasing raw materials from Company B. Even after taxes and transportation fees are added, it is still cheaper to purchase raw materials from Company A and have them transported than to purchase raw materials from Company B. Which of the following assertions is supported by the above statement? (A) Labor costs at Company A are fifteen percent lesson that labor costs at Company B. (B) The taxes on raw materials from Company A are more than fifteen percent of the cost of purchasing raw materials from Company B. (C) Company B inflates their prices to be more competitive than Company A. (D) It takes less time for Company A to mine raw materials. (E) The cost of transporting raw materials from Company A is less than fifteen percent of the cost of purchasing raw materials from Company B. Analytical Writing Sample Questions This section does not contain questions like the other three sections. Instead, you will be presented with a written argument. Your job is to critically analyze the validity of the argument and then write an analysis of the argument. The analysis should be an assessment of the reasoning used in the argument; you do not need to express your personal opinions. You have 30 minutes to complete the Analytical Writing section. Question #1 Many experts agree that reading can reduce stress and ease tension in muscles. Recently, two new libraries opened in the tri-county area. Consequently, the hospitals in the area should see a reduction in patients seeking treatment for heart attacks and strokes. To ensure that Lavender Hospital is not overstaffed, we should immediately reduce the number of emergency nurses at the hospital and allocate payroll savings to the radiology department, which desperately needs funds for new equipment. Write a critique of the above argument within 30 minutes. Question #2 Lick It Up Ice Cream began advertising in the local newspaper last month and saw its business increase by 15 percent over previous months totals. This rise in sales proves that newspaper advertising still works as well as it used to and can be used to make any food service company more profitable. Write a critique of the above argument within 30 minutes. Integrated Reasoning Answers and Explanations #1 Answer: Yes. This answer can be obtained by analyzing the table. Look at the Production: World Share (%) column for Corn and the Production: World Rank column for Corn. America is ranked first in corn production in the world and only produces 47% of the world share of corn. Therefore, it is true that no country, including America, produces more than one-half of the worlds corn. #2 Answer: S/R and 60/R. When Sspeed and Rmiles per gallon, S/R represents the number of gallons of fuel the Lake Skipper will use in one hour of drive time at constant speed. You would need to divide S by R to find out how much fuel would be used in one hour. When Rmiles per gallon and 60 represents the number of miles, 60/R represents the number of gallons of fuel that the Lake Skipper will use when driving at a constant speed (S) for 60 miles. You would need to divide 60 by R to find out how much fuel would be required for a 60 mile drive. Quantitative Answers and Explanations #1 Answer: D. It is true to say that e is greater than d and that a is greater than c. However, you cannot say that a is greater than e. Although we know that e is greater than b and that a is greater than b, there is no evidence that a is greater than e. #2 Answer: A. The answer is $175. To get to this number, you need to start by determining how much spaghetti costs per person per day. Divide 60 by 4 to get 15. This is the cost of spaghetti per day. Then, divide 15 by 3 to get 5. This is the cost of spaghetti per person per day. Then you switch from division to multiplication to get the cost for the second trip. Multiply 5 (the number of days on the trip) by 5 (the number of people on the trip) to get 25. Then, multiply 25 (the cost of food for five days) by 7 (the number of people) to get 175. It would cost $175 for 7 adults to eat spaghetti on a 5-day trip to Italy. Verbal Sample Answers and Explanations #1 Answer: D. The correct answer is ranks as one of the leading causes of workplace stress. This is the option that creates the most effective sentence without awkwardness or grammatical error. The verb ranks agrees with the subject of this sentence (amount of work). The word leading is also a better fit idiomatically than high and makes the sentence less awkward. #2 Answer: D. The cost of transporting raw materials from Company A is less than fifteen percent of the cost of purchasing raw materials from Company B. This is the only answer option supported by the statement. The statement does not mention labor costs, price inflation, or the amount of time to mine raw materials. The statement also clearly indicates that even with taxes and transportation fees, it is still costs LESS to purchase raw materials from Company A than Company B. Analytical Writing Answers and Explanations #1 and #2 Answer: There is no single correct answer or critique for either argument. However, each critique should 1.) restate a brief summary of the argument; 2.) analyze the use of reasoning and evidence in the argument; 3.) identify potential counterarguments, alternative explanations or questionable assumptions; and 4.) identify evidence that could have been used to strengthen the argument; 5.) provide a conclusion that sums up your critique. Check over what you have written to see if you have accomplished all five of these goals.

Weather Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Weather - Essay Example ere tornadoes, so as to give them a considerable amount of time to gather their family and important documents/collectables and seek shelter at a safe and secure place. Radars are mechanical devices which work by sending and receiving signals which are further used to analyze weather conditions. Coming to the technical side of the issue, radars work by sending out radio waves which then reflect off minor atmospheric particles such as raindrops, ice and dust amongst others. When the waves sent off to these particles come back or return to the mechanical device, the data is used to measure the strength and time period of these waves to determine whatever weather based characteristics they may portray, such as location based precipitation (Lubchenco & Hayes, 2012). Currently the National Weather Service is using a Doppler based radar. This radar is also capable of measuring the frequency of the waves, which can be decoded to information about the velocity and direction at which precipitation in the atmosphere is moving. Even though the Doppler Radar is a sophisticated device that is used by many weather forecasters all over the globe, the device is far from perfect. The major setback associated with the Doppler Radar is the fact that it doesn’t tell meteorologists anything about the shape of the particle from which the waves retract, which leaves them open to guesswork to determine whether such a particle was a rain drop or a piece of snowfall, therefore making them unable to make detailed analysis out of the information that comes out of it. Dual polarization enables forecasters to differentiate with a significant amount of confidence between the types of participation found in particles and the it’s amount, something which the Doppler Radar majorly lacked at. Dual polarization, in very simple words enables forecasters to comprehend weather the particle that a radio wave retracted back from to the Radar was a rain drop or a dust particle (Lubchenco & Hayes,

ACE Principles and How the Principles if Used Properly can Positively Assignment

ACE Principles and How the Principles if Used Properly can Positively Affect Quality in an Organizations Products and Services - Assignment Example In this system, there would be a built-in process of integration of various functional areas of an organization to the quality processes and systems. The principle of internal marketing emphasizes on achieving motivation of the employees through appropriate training, support, and reward systems, so the service to the external customers becomes very satisfactory. Kotler indicated that the principles of internal marketing look forward to accomplish the highest degree of customer satisfaction possible, and it is only possible through employees delivering quality service. The philosophy of total quality management takes the approach of integration of all functions and processes across the organization to achieve continuous improvement of quality. It has been indicated that the total quality management is a process of integrated functions within an organization in order to achieve continuous improvement of quality and services, where customer focus, defect prevention, performance measurem ent, and continuous improvement are inherent.It has been indicated that enhancement of organizational performance is actually closely related to the soft aspects of quality management practices... Thus it is an important question what would be the ideal parameters and indicators of employee performance which can generate customer satisfaction and at the same time maintains quality. It has been demonstrated that a system approach for operations may lead to this goal in the most efficient manner. This therefore involves a management approach to achieve quality where identification, understanding, and managing the interrelated processes as a system may contribute to the efficiency in achieving the objectives of the organization. In this manner, the management would involve integration and alignment of the processes that will best achieve the desired results. Ability to focus the effort on the key processes would generate confidence about effectiveness, efficiency, and effectiveness of the organization. If quality management means a system approach of operation of continual improvement, the system needs to be structured with the objectives of the organization in mind, and the processes must be aligned in the most effective and efficient way. It is also important that the system must demonstrate a universal understanding of the interrelations and interdependencies a mong the different processes within that system. A structured approach is indicated since it integrates the processes. The employees thus armed with a better understanding of the common objectives may develop a sense to eliminate the barriers in cross-functional areas, so there is a harmony between different roles and responsibilities. A system approach may also help developing a more comprehensive understanding of organizational capabilities, and thus a definition of specific activities within a system and its operations

Costs of Workplace Conflicts Essay Example for Free

Costs of Workplace Conflicts Essay Not all cost factors are relevant to every conflict, but every conflict incurs several of these costs. 1. Lost work time Managers’ Time: Studies show that 42% of a managers time is spent on conflict related negotiations among employees. Over 65% of performance problems result from strained relationships between employees, not from deficits in individual employees skill or motivation. Individuals’ Time: Studies show that 52% of employees have lost work time worrying about how they have been treated. 22% have deliberately slowed down their work in response to rude or insensitive behavior. Tension and stress reduce motivation and disturb concentration. A loss of 25% (doing things other than work related activities, such as discussing the dispute, playing computer games, finding reasons to get out of the area) reduces an average work week to fewer than 20 hours. 2. Absenteeism and Illness Absenteeism has been shown to correlate with job stress, especially the stress associated with anger toward co-workers. Science has determined that nearly every physical illness and injury, from viral infections to  cancer to workplace accidents, is partially psychogenic. That is, caused in part by psychological or emotional conditions. 3. Heath costs It is estimated that 75 – 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems. Since the rate of claims affects the premium paid by an employer to its insurer, insurance is an indirect cost of workplace conflict. An estimated 16% of employees feel that poor interpersonal relations are a source of stress at work. The total value of lost work time due to stress is estimated to be $1.7 billion. Workplace stress and work-related conflict are among the top eight reasons why employees request counseling assistance. 4. Reduced decision quality Decisions made under conditions of conflict are inferior to decisions made when cooperation prevails. The best decision-making happens when there is a free-flowing of information. When there is a conflict, it is not uncommon for information to be withheld or distorted. If conflict is present between people who share decision-making authority, as in the case of team-based decisions, the resulting decisions are likely to be contaminated by the power struggles between those people. 5. Restructuring Often, design of workflow is altered in an attempt to reduce the amount of interaction required between employees in conflict. Often the restructured work is less efficient than the original design. 6. Loss of skilled employees Studies show that 12% of employees have quit a job to avoid a rude co-worker. Seventy five percent of people who felt they have been bullied at work have left their jobs to make the bullying go away. Chronic unresolved conflict acts as a decisive factor in at least 50% of departures. 7. Cost to replace employee Conflict accounts for up to 90% of involuntary departures, with the possible exception of staff reductions due to downsizing and restructuring. It’s estimated that the real cost of turnover is equivalent to one full years pay (finding and training replacements, customer satisfaction and retention, lowered efficiency for all who work with new hire). 8. Sabotage/theft/damage Studies reveal a direct correlation between prevalence of employee conflict and the amount of damage and theft of inventory and equipment. Often covert sabotage of work processes and of management’s efforts occurs when employees are angry at their employer. 9. Lower morale From time to time, most employees experience erosion of job motivation due to the stress of trying to get along with a difficult person. To figure the financial cost, as a baseline figure, use the productivity that would have occurred had no conflict occurred. Then, estimate a percentage decline of that productivity. Multiply that percentage times the dollar value of the total compensation of the person(s) affected. 10. Legal costs Corporations that have developed collaborative conflict management systems report significant litigation cost savings: Brown and Root reported an 80% reduction in outside litigation costs, Motorola reported a 75% reduction over a period of six years, NCR reported a 50% reduction and a drop of pending lawsuits from 263 in 1984 to 28 in 1993. 11. Other? Conflict is a good example of how harm can be produced in the workplace and of how this harm spills over into families and communities. Such harm includes both inner-directed harm (suicidal behavior, recklessness, agitated depression and abuse of alcohol, drugs) and outer-directed expressions (threatening behavior, emotional and/or verbal abuse, bullying, harassment, assault, domestic violence, road rage). Summary Workplace stress costs US industry $300 billion a year in absenteeism, turnover, diminished productivity, medical, legal and insurance fees.xv The greatest stresses come from interpersonal conflicts.

Underground Railroad :: essays research papers

One Way Trip to Freedom One hot day in 1850, a man named Jeb staggered out of the woods, looked about him to get his bearings, and plunged down a lane toward the river. He only had a few moments of freedom before he heard the baying of hounds. He splashed up to his knees in the shallow stream and wade. The dogs tried desperately to pick up the scent but the water had destroyed it. He had no time to waste. All he could think of was the North Star. That was his hope. That was where his freedom lay. (Flight to Freedom, Henrietta Buckmaster.) The Underground Railroad was a desire for all slaves. They would use the Underground Railroad when they were fed up with working for their owners to escape for freedom. The Underground Railroad is a part of my history. It has always interested me so I decided to look deeper into the history, the influential people, and the actual journey of the Underground Railroad.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Slavery had lain like a terrible sore on our country for two hundred years. Many were ashamed of it. Slave smuggling had became so profitable that the master of a slave ship could permit nine slaves out of ten to die from neglect and still lose no money. Humane men were deeply shock. They protested, and then they did more than protest they helped the Negro. The Black Africans who were enslaved fought against it from the start. Men like Thomas Jefferson, preparing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution tried to have slavery outlawed. To abolish slavery meant to abolish profits which were astronomical, profits which were shared North and South. But to not abolish slavery struck at some of the deepest principles of Americans. For the next sixty years-until the crash of the Civil War- no issue was as important as slavery. It divided homes, it spoke for the conscience, it made political parties, it challenged religion, and it turned men into brutes and in to heroes. It created the Underground Railroad. The first slave who helped a fellow slave to escape drove the spike in this invisible railroad. The unknown first fugitive, the softly stepping men and women who dared the dangers of swamps and mountains and of cold and rain, the outstretched hands of friends, the disguises, the courage, the gunshots along the border, and a long invisible â€Å"train† which chugged so silently and sent up such invisible smoke- all these proved in the end irresistible.

Constellations

Being asked most people would name the twelve constellations of the zodiac and some more they have heard of or even seen (most common is surely the Big Dipper, though it is not a constellation but an asterism). In total there are 88 constellations, which can be divided into eight constellation families (see Menzel, â€Å"A Field Guide to the Stars and Planetes†). Many names we use nowadays came from the ancient Greeks. They used to assign their gods and heroes to certain figures in the sky. Due to their northern location they only gave names to those regions visible from their countries.The regions around the celestial south pole got some of their names when the astronomer Johan Bayer made his notes about the south regions of the sky. He followed the tradition of the names of the ancient, mainly connected to the sea and its creatures. Later on the french astronomer La Caille added the last 13 to fill the star-poor regions between the existing groups. He finally broke with the traditional namegiving and used scientific equipment or instruments (there is only one exception, which is Mensa, the Table Mountain).It should be noted that although now common, this is only the western view of the star patterns. Noone knows when mankind start giving names to stars and grouping of stars. It is most likely that constellation names were invented by early sailors for navigation purposes. But also in the deserts they might have been a good help for the people to find their ways. Therefore its quite naturally that each culture grouped the stars differently and gave them names from their natural and social enviroment.The constellations of the zodiac we know nowadays reach back to the days of the Babylonians and Chaldeans, 2000 to 3000 years ago. Back then the sun passes through twelve constellations we still assign to the zodiac. But since these old days there have been several changes to the assignment of the stars. The sun is now passing through thirdteen constellation s along the ecliptic. After the sun left Scorpius in the last week of November it moves through Ophiuchus, the Serpent Holder, in December before reaching Sagittarius, the Archer, end of December.

The John Dewy Principles

â€Å"The correlate in thinking of facts, data, knowledge, already acquired, is suggestions, inferences, conjectured meanings, suppositions, tentative explanations:–ideas, in short. † Out of the authors that I have read this year, Alfred North Whitehead and John Dewey are the two that I have found the greatest commonality with in the subject of obtaining and gaining information. Whitehead speaks on education relating back to Life. It seems to be the only way to become a person that can understand the world around him/her is to be a person who learned using life as the main force in education. â€Å"There is a proverb about the difficulty of seeing the wood because of the tress†¦ The problem of education is to make the pupil see the wood by means of the trees. † I think that he and I touch base with the idea of life being the driving force in education. Whitehead continues with distaste for formulated subjects and views Life as the only subject matter for education. Dewey seems to feel as though life should be the main subject matter for education. Dewey expresses an interest very similar to Whiteheads in the three stages in which education travels. Whitehead felt that romance was the first stage of education. Dewey stated that the pupil must first † have a genuine situation of experience-that there be a continuous activity in which he is interested for its own sake. † He continues with the methods that would best help the pupil to formulate their own conclusions. Secondly, that a genuine problem develop within this situation as a stimulus to thought; third, that he process the information and make the observations needed to deal with it; fourth, that suggested solutions occur to him which he shall be responsible for developing in an orderly way; fifth, that he have opportunity and occasion to test his ideas by application, to make their meaning clear and to discover for himself their validity. † This brings us to the scientific method. Now, instead of being fed information, we begin to formulate knowledge. There is a problem (noticed detail), thinking, hypothesis (educated idea), experiment, conclusion which compares to the hypothesis and reaches for a proof or disproof. We have created proof or even a habit. Whitehead expresses the danger of the implantation of inert ideas. Dewey wrote that â€Å"†¦ ideas are anticipations of possible solutions†¦ and tested by the operation of acting upon them. † Dewey was concerned with the school problems that are assigned to students becoming empty pointless problems that importance ends with the beginning of the pupil as a human. An idea that came to mind was to have a basic break down as far as the needed subject matter that has to be covered yet letting the pupil†s go out and find it in their lives as human beings. Dewey would describe this as an unscholastic approach. A problem that can lie here, is insufficient material being covered or students not fulfilling their part. Another potential problem would lie in the size of the class. A larger class size would have the great possibility of some student's ideas being left uncovered. I considered how that might have a worse effect than inert ideas. Their ideas being left uncovered leave them with a lack! on the information as a whole. The realism of the situation is another factor to consider as well as the time prospective. In closing, I understand and agree with both Whitehead and Dewey's propositions for a more efficient style of acquiring a more fruitful, long term, though process, it would take more than I think is possible without lengthening the academic year. And what student would really want that?

How I Wrote My Novel by Building a Community

How I Wrote My Novel by Building a Community How I Wrote My Novel by Building a Community Giuseppe Porcaro is the author of DISCO SOUR: an existential odyssey of a heartsick politician trying to save a war-torn, post-austerity Europe from algorithmic autocracy. In this article, he talks about the collaboration behind his latest novel, which was inspired in large part by interactive events he organized during the writing process.When I first started working on DISCO SOUR, I had a story stuck in my head, and this romantic dream of writing on the beach, sipping on a coconut through a straw and hammering out my book in a couple of weeks. So, I bought a ticket to Indonesia and settled on the island of Gili Meno, where I rented a bungalow by the beach. Fresh Bintangs (local beers) took the place of the coconut.Learning that there’s more to writing a novel than just, well, writingAfter three days on the island, I fell in the mud after a tropical storm and severely dislocated my arm. A local suggested that I visit their aunt in a nearby village because she was an osteopath and would be able to help heal my arm.Finally, I organized a workshop for interactive world building for DISCO SOUR with Librebook, an independent bookstore in Brussels. Jessica Woodworth, an American filmmaker, and Pieter de Byser, a Belgian theatre director, joined to give their own perspectives on creating imaginary worlds.How community-building contributed to my novelAll of these events made my writing journey a unique and collaborative one. They provided a wealth of information for character development and even inspired entire scenes: without these events, the book would have been entirely different. For example, during the â€Å"Eurovisions† event, Denis Maksimov sketched the concept of â€Å"State of Noland,† and the role of free economic zones in hacking nation states. This concept became key in developing the backdrop for my novel: the outbreak of a European civil war.I also included snippets of conversations about dating apps that were recorded during the T inderpolitics performance, and the dance parties I hosted were instrumental in depicting many of the disco scenes.One of the most valuable outcomes of this whole process was the community that formed about DISCO SOUR. Readers became part of the story, helping create the world of the novel simply by showing up and taking part in my events. I also created a Facebook group (which acquired 800 followers), and a newsletter (which has grown to 1,000 subscribers) to keep participants of the event up-to-date on the writing journey. "By throwing events inspired by my book, I allowed readers to become part of the story." However you choose to write your novel, make sure you have funEvery author has a unique approach to writing a book. However, it can be said across the board that creating a story with which you’re happy takes time and consistency, and, above all, it has to be fun. If you don’t have fun writing it, people won’t have fun reading it. "If you don’t have fun writing your book, people won’t have fun reading it." And as any independent author knows, writing a novel is only half the battle. Drumming up interest is the other half. And while my decision to involve people in the writing process was for creative reasons, facilitating shared, face-to-face experiences with potential readers was also an excellent way to build buzz and encourage people to become invested in DISCO SOUR. I learned a great deal from my friends, filmmakers, journalist, native English-speakers (English being a second language for myself), Reedsy professionals, and avid readers - all of whom helped my story grow.Please share your thoughts, experiences, or any questions for Giuseppe Porcaro in the comments below!The book is available for pre-orders on Unbound.I would like to thank Michael Rowley and Jessica Hatch, who I worked with to develop and finalize the manuscript.

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.

Marketing Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Case Study - Essay Example The IKEA products are often referred as ‘start up furniture’ which is bought by the consumers for their first home. It is due to this reason that the company focuses on income level, age, education etc while targeting the market segment. The market has been segmented in the following manner: Segment Age Group Annual Income Level Psychology Education 1 18 - 25 >$ 34500 This particular age group has a tendency of being driven by social trends. They generally do not possess much knowledge about ethical trading. High school and College (education) 2 26 - 35 $34500 - $ 68000 This age group has knowledge related to ethical trading and they remain ready to purchase quality products by paying high prices. College and masters level (education) 3 36 - 65 >$ 69000 This age group purchases products in order to represent their self image in the peer group. Educational level does not have any influence on the purchasing behaviour of this particular age group. IKEA mainly targets the y oung group with lower income level (Business Today, 2013). The affordable price offerings increase the demand of the company’s products in the market. The college students those who belong to the young generation cover wide target market for the company as it mainly consists of those individuals who are planning to purchase furniture for 1st time. Another target segment set by IKEA on the basis of demography is the family life cycle. The company targets new families who require furniture for filling their houses but do not have high money to spend for this purpose. IKEA always provides quality products and services to these young families and they provide stores which are entirely environment friendly. The stores have specially designed playing area where the parents can keep their children at the time of shopping in order to complete it in a peaceful manner. The company targets those customers who want high value for their money invested and opt for quality products with com paratively cheap prices. Thus from the above table, target segments 1 and 2 are the target segments for IKEA. Answer 4 PESTEL Analysis Pestel analysis would help in the environmental scanning of IKEA (Lorat, 2009). Political The level of consumer taxation and corporate tax which is regulated by the political authorities of any particular country has an effect on the after-tax income of any corporation. The corporate tax rate has an impact on the profitability of the organization thereby affecting the after tax income as well. IKEA regional earnings are generally subjected to the regional tax laws. The corporate tax rate of any region has an impact on the business structure as well. The special business structure of the organization plays a vital role in the tax rate. IKEA business structure has a subsidiary model which instructs the subsidiaries of the company to abide by the regional tax rules and regulations. In addition to the corporate tax, the trade barriers such as tariff and quotas also have an effect on the businesses. The major reasons behind imposing tariffs and other trade barriers are: protecting the local employment, retaliation, national security etc. However imposition of tariff increases the prices of the products that are imported in the country. This benefits the local producers in place as they are not forced to raise the prices. In case of IKEA, their higher reliance on the local producers rather than import of the products decrease the extent of influence of tariff and other trade b