Music, Music And Music - 1293 Words

There is no better way to measure how far society has evolved, but through music. It has been a vessel used to evince key emotions when words do not seem to be enough. The dulcet hum of the violin or even the sharp notes from an electric guitar are more than enough to express those intangible, yet impressionable feelings that cannot be fully appreciated through words. However, combine words and music together and the composer has a tool that can awaken a thousand souls all at once. Over the millenniums, music has had a profound ability to capture revolutionary moments, condemn injustice, and raise hope for change in the future. In particular, music and singing have played an integral role in inspiring, mobilizing, and giving voice to civil rights movements around the world. ‘‘The freedom songs are playing an active and vital role in our struggle, said Martin Luther King, Jr, during the Albany Movement. ‘‘They give the people new courage and a sense of unity. I think they keep alive a faith, a radiant hope, in the future, particularly in our most trying hours . Or as Folk Singer Phil Ochs once said, one good song with a message is capable of bringing across a point more deeply to more people than a thousand rallies. However, fast track to the modern era, and more infrequent are the antiwar sentiments of artists like Bob Dylan of the USA, or the government-challenging and anti-apartheid lyrics of musicians like South Africa s Miriam Makeba. The exchange of suchShow MoreRelatedMusic : Music And Music949 Words   |  4 Pagesdefinition of music is very different to many people. Some say that music is the arrangement of sound and silence. Others like myself say music is that and much more. Music is an aural form of art that is used to express emotion and touch the hearts of the listener through the use of phrasing, dynamics, style and tone color. Music is a very universal art form. There are not many people in this world who do not listen to at least some form of music weather it be pop or rock music on the radio, orRead MoreThe Music Of Music And Music1518 Words   |  7 Pageswill be. For instance, in the music section of my Perceiving the Performing Arts class, our Professor made the class, consisting of musicians and non-musicians, sing the next chord that he was going to play and we all successfully did. Just like with language, in a simple sentence we can assume the next word. Like in this sentence â€Å"the piano is out of __,† we expect the next word to be â€Å"tune.† This is because there’s some kind of neural connection that we have between music and pleasure. So how doesRead MoreMusic And The Music Of Music1929 Words   |  8 Pagesbeen in both chorus and band, along with general music classes through fifth grade. Although, I did not have very much knowledge on music history or the many different music composers. My knowledge in music was mainly revolved around music theory and harmony. When the semester began I was not positive what was in store for me, however what I was sure about was two things. One, I would love whatever we learn for I have a deeply rooted love for music. And two, I would leave this class with an abundanceRead MoreThe Music Of Music902 Words   |  4 PagesMusic collections is one of the most important stage in multimedia content and the collections are very huge. A single iPod can hold as many as 10,000 songs, such collections are searched by title, composer and performer, which allows for basic storage retrieval of music. This system contains many features which include 1) Harmony 2) Rhythm 3) Instrumentation Access to this features supports in turn benefits individuals: 1. Tell me the song that goes. (query by example) 2. Could you increase theRead MoreMusic Influences On The Music1508 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Nowadays listening to music is a widespread phenomenon all over the world. People tend to listen to it on a daily basis wherever they are: in a public transport, gym, shop and etc. As well as bringing the relaxation effect, music can help to concentrate better while studying or working or even bring an inspiration. Moreover, according to scientists, our brain tends to react on our favourite music in the same way as it would react on some delicious food or a psychoactive drugRead MoreClassical Music And The Music1478 Words   |  6 Pagesattention of everyone in the music hall. The conductor, Evan Feldman, and the UNC Symphonic and Woodwind Orchestra at Memorial Hall elegantly performed several classical pieces that was widely enjoyed by classical enthusiasts and family members. The concert supplied the audience with a night that at times, brought calmness and serenity, but at others gave abrupt aggression and force. Today, classical music is considered traditional and one of the earliest forms of music played in concert halls. ThusRead MoreMusic And Dance And Music Essay1555 Words   |  7 PagesThere is no denying that when decent music is playing people cannot help but get in the dancing mood. Studies show that people, even when still in the womb, react to music. This reaction just grows and grows as a person develops... â€Å"children between 1 and 2 years of age were made to listen to Credence Clearwater Revival’s â€Å"Heard it Through the Grapevine† [and] within a minute of listening to the insistent drums and guitar riffs, the babies started to move in synchronicity with the song (BrenshoflRead MoreThe Music Of Music And Music1876 Words   |  8 Pagescaused Beethoven to become a genius in music performance and composition. Imagine if he wasn’t made to learn about music. Since he is one of the greatest influential composers in music, his knowledge wouldn’t have been passed down through the generations. Students shouldn’t be forced to learn about music like Beethoven was, but they can choose to love it on their own. They can only get this opportunity if music programs are added to part of their education. When music education classes are added to theRead MoreThe Music Of The World Music Essay1634 Words   |  7 Pagesand society, therefore it cannot be performed. Artists perform their music. While musicians do not perform their race, since it is an inherent quality of all people, it is often, but not always, seen as inauthentic when musicians perform outside of their race, gender, or class. This is especially true when someone from a more privileged class performs the art of the lower class. While completely replicating a certain style of music can often be seen as inauthentic, certain artists can easily performRead MoreMusic And Its Effects On Music1871 Words   |  8 Pagesworking, cleaning, showering, exercising, dancing among many other things while listening to music. Music can be calming. Music can be uplifting. Music is universal. Music is a commonly discussed topic. But it is mainly discussed whether or not it is appropriate to use in an educational environment. Music is seen as a distraction. Some see it as an efficient medium to appease the mind. It is theorized that music creates out of the box ideas to life and improve critical thinking. Albert Einstein once

Sojourner Truth - Ex-slave and Fiery Abolitionist Essay

Sojourner Truth - Ex-slave and Fiery Abolitionist According to many sources â€Å"Ain’t I a Woman?† is Sojourner Truths most recognized impromptu speech. The speech was given at a women’s rights convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851. Frances Gage, a feminist activist and author, recorded the event. The speech was published more than twelve years later in 1863. Frances Gage reported that Truth encountered hissing and hostility as she began to speak. Yet there is much debate and conflicting reports on how she was received. According to Carleton Mabee, â€Å"Gages account is not consistent with other reports written immediately after the speech† (Delivered). Contrary to Gage’s reports, it is reported that Truth did not encounter hostility,†¦show more content†¦She escaped the bondage of slavery in the 1820’s and gained legal freedom in the year 1827. â€Å"A deeply religious woman, Isabella took the name Sojourner Truth after God spoke to her† (Sojourner). She was convinced that God had called her to preach throughout the country, spreading the truth. Sojourner Truth was a figure of imposing physique. â€Å"She was more than six feet tall and built like a linebacker with huge muscles from working in the fields† (Newsweek). She was a riveting preacher and spellbinding singer who dazzled listeners with her wit and originality. She ended her famous speech with, â€Å"Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner aint got nothing more to say. (Newsweek) Truth was an illiterate woman of remarkable intelligence. Sojourner became a national symbol for not only strong black women, but to white women as well. She helped all women who were unhappy with the limitations imposed upon them. She was one of the most outspoken advocates, active in both the campaign to extend equal rights to all women and abolition (America). She is also known for other moving statements such as â€Å"An abolition affair! and Womans rights and niggers! (Biographical) She also â€Å"put protestors in their place†(Newsweek). I believe that most Americans today feel women have the same rights as men. They believe that women now have equal rights, but do they really? In many cases women do have equal rights. TheyShow MoreRelatedSojourner Truth By Nell Irvin1257 Words   |  6 PagesSojourner Truth is an ex-slave and fiery abolitionist who dazzles listeners with her wit and originality. She is straight talking and unsentimental, Truth became a national symbol for strong black woman. Like Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, she is regarded as a radical of immense and enduring influence; however, she is more remembered more for her myths than her personality. In the book, Sojourner Truth A Life, A Symbol, the author Nell Irvin Painter, goes beyond the myths, words, and photographs

Why Cigarette Smoking Should Be Banned Free Essays

Cigarette smoking should be banned. Cigarette smoking is a dangerous habit that not only affects the user in a negative physical and psychological way but also endangers others around them. Would you play Russian roulette – A deadly game of chance involving a revolver and a single bullet– and then force others around you to participate? Cigarette smoking has detrimental effects on both the user and innocent bystanders effectively initiating a game of Russian roulette. We will write a custom essay sample on Why Cigarette Smoking Should Be Banned or any similar topic only for you Order Now Considering the dangers of cigarettes, banning them could potentially protect society from their dangerous effects. The physical effects of smoking are quite frightening and include a wide variety of diseases. These include but are not limited to: cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and a wide variety of cancers. A common outcome of the more serious tobacco related diseases is death. It is noted on the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) website that ‘More deaths are caused each year by tobacco than all deaths caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), illegal drug use, alcohol use, motor vehicle injuries, suicides, and murders combined. (CDC – Fact Sheet – Tobacco-Related Mortality – Smoking Tobacco Use, 2011) With all this evidence pointing to the physical dangers of cigarettes, why then do people continue choosing to engage in this behavior? Perhaps the psychological effects of cigarettes can account for the continuation of their use. Cigarettes can have not only a stimulating effect, but also a perceived calming effect and can also induce feelings of eupho ria. Nicotine in tobacco causes these perceived effects and feelings. Nicotine is a psychoactive drug found in tobacco products, and it is this chemical that causes users to develop a dependency on cigarettes. One particular cause for alarm is taken from the CDC website. ‘Research suggests that nicotine may be as addictive as heroin, cocaine, or alcohol. ’ (CDC – Fact Sheet – Smoking Cessation – Smoking Tobacco Use. 14 Nov. 2011) With this in mind, we now start to understand the psychological dangers of smoking cigarettes. The addiction compels the user to continue smoking. Having looked at the physical and psychological effects of smoking on the users, let us now take a look at how detrimental cigarette smoking is to non-smokers. Cigarette smoking is extremely dangerous to non smokers. Secondhand smoke is a mixture of side stream smoke — smoke from the end of a lighted cigarette—and mainstream smoke—smoke exhaled by a smoker. This secondhand smoke contains 250 known harmful chemicals of which 60 are known to cause cancer. This dangerous concoction of chemicals in the smoke puts those that have chosen not to smoke in harm’s way. According to the website of the American Cancer Society, each year, second hand smoke is responsible for ‘an estimated 46,000 deaths from heart disease’, â€Å"About 3400 lung cancer deaths’, and ‘Between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in children’. (â€Å"Secondhand Smoke. â€Å", 14 Nov. 2011) The list carries on, but we can now see how cigarette smoking not only affects smokers, but non smokers too. As detrimental as cigarettes are to everyone’s health, there are still those that claim it is their right to be able to smoke. Opponents of cigarette banning claim that it is their civil right to choose to smoke and that society does not have the right to dictate what people do to their bodies, regardless of whether it is unhealthy for them or not. They claim that if the government bans cigarettes on the basis that it is harmful to one’s health, then they may as well ban other things that pose a health risk, like â€Å"junk food†. The problem with this argument is that while eating junk food does pose a health risk to the person eating it, there is no immediate health risk to the people around them. Even governments have started to recognize the dangers of cigarettes by allocating smoke free zones where smoking is not allowed. Even though this is a step in the right direction, it still does not keep everyone safe from the dangers of cigarette smoking. By examining the all the information, it is easy to see that cigarette smoking is particularly dangerous on both physical and psychological levels while also needlessly endangering non-smokers. Could the banning of cigarettes potentially wrestle the revolver from the hands of the smoker and finally put an end to this dangerous game of Russian roulette? How to cite Why Cigarette Smoking Should Be Banned, Essay examples

Grief Counselling free essay sample

Attachment, loss and the experience of grief. Attachment Theory founded by John Bowlby (1977) it explains how we as humans obtain affectionate bonds with others and how when they are threatened how we as humans tend to react. He suggests that these attachments come from a need for security and safety. (P7) when it comes to loss of a loved one it then explains how we as humans are very much the same as the animal world in the way that we grieve a loved one. Grief is the term used to describe the loss that someone has experienced , morning is the process that the person goes through in adapting to the loss bereavement defines the loss to which the person is adapting to. Grief affects people in very different ways it can effect them physically, emotionally and cognitively, all of this can effect the way in which people function and go about there everyday life, this is all very normal and everyone who is grieving will go though this process in one way or another. We will write a custom essay sample on Grief Counselling or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Chapter 2 25-47 understanding the mourning process. Since mourning is a process, it has been viewed in various ways, primarily as stages, phases, and tasks of mourning. The tasks of mourning are: to accept reality; to experience the pain; to adjust to environment without loved one including external, internal and spiritual adjustments; to relocate and memorialize loved one. The second task in this chapter is that of the counsellor who is helping the client through the grieving process. The counsellor needs to look at the following things; the person who died, nature of attachment, circumstances of death, personality mediators, historical mediators, social mediators, concurrent changes. Chapter 3 51-80 Grief counseling Facilitating uncomplicated grief Grief counselling is not for everyone who has had a loss, most people are able to work though the mourning process on their own without any outside help. Some may just need time to process their loss and time to try and rebuild their lives after the loss this can be done on their own or some ay need the help of a counsellor to walk alongside them. The counsellor then needs to identify weather or not the bereaved fits into the at risk Category, at risk meaning at risk of falling into the category on complicated grief. Some medications can be helpful when going through the grief process, but are mainly helpful in dealing with anxiety issues or insomnia issues. Grief counselling can also be effective in counselling the be reaved as it gives them more support than just the counsellor. Chapter 4 83- 98 Abnormal Grief reactions: Complicated Mourning. This is looking at why people fail to grieve. Many factors can stand in the way as to why people fail to grieve. These are; relational factors, these are what type of relationship did the person have with the deceased. Circumstantial Factor; this relates to the circumstances of the loss they can be a hindrance if there is uncertainty as to how the deceased died. Historical factor; if the person has had trouble grieving in the past they may have trouble grieving in the future. Personality Factors; some are unable to cope with distress and this makes it hard for them to grieve appropriately.

International Tensions Between 1871 - 1914 Essays -

International Tensions Between 1871 - 1914 International Tensions between 1871 - 1914 With some tough footsteps in which to follow, Wilhelm II was led towards a military lifestyle. He surrounded himself with the German military and its militaristic society. As the Kaiser grew older, he wanted ?a place in the sun? for the German people and to do that, Germany needed to have colonies overseas. There wasn't much room left for new colonisation, never the less, Wilhelm built up the German military and under the Tripitz Plan, built a naval fleet to rival that of Great Britains. The British completion of the HMS Dreadnought in 1906, brought unexpected results. The HMS Dreadnought represented a true terror weapon of the day whose speed, armament, and firepower obsoleted every other battleship in existence. Kaiser William II of Germany hated and envied Britain for having a stronger navy than his. He increased the German navy and built many warships. Britain responded with building more ships and in creasing its navy too. This started a race for building more and better warships and it created tension and competition between the two countries, it was called the arms race. The British were aware of the fact that the defeat of the their navy would mean the end of their empire while the defeat of the German navy wouldn't ensure the absolute defeat of Germany. The relations between these two countries dropped dramatically as the result of this race and it assured the joining of Britain to the Franco-Russian side in the event of a conflict. Germany and France were rivals for centuries, the rivalry had increased since the beginning of the century and the end of the 19th century. This happened because of the war between those two countries in 1870-71, when Germany defeated France. Germany took over the areas of Alsace and Lorraine and the French people wanted to revenge Germany and take back the lands. France could not start a war against Germany, simply because of the reason that Germany had more

Free Essays on The Effect Of Play On Our Young And Change On Our Elders

The Effect of Play on Our Young and Change on Our Elders It has been argued that video games are ruining today’s youth; that video games are taking away the imagination of children and planting violent seeds into their brains. But who exactly is making this argument? Its not the people who play video games, it’s the people who ban video games, and the parents who have never tried what they are so quick to mark as evil. This suggests that these concerned parents are afraid of change more than anything. They fear what is unknown and new to them because they don’t understand it, or more importantly take the time to understand it. The parents of American children in current times (especially conservative ones) are quick to blame anything they can for the actions of today’s youth. Listening to one of these finger pointers would lead you to believe movies and video games have come to life and forced kids to maim and kill. Somehow it doesn’t seem likely that world violence is caused by a few images on a screen . In the not so distant past, there weren’t any electronic devices built for fun, but as technology exploded in the past one hundred years radios, televisions, computers and much more have changed that. The parents today that weren’t exposed to video games growing up are only in their late thirties and early forties, so you can see this huge wave of gaming in the past fifteen years is quite new and unfamiliar to them. They grew up playing almost exclusively outside, but they also grew up in a much less violent world, with less abductions, and street crime. Child abductions and street crime didn’t start when video games hit the street, the boom in America’s violence came when the drugs of the late sixties and early seventies hit the street. The reality of is that video games and television are an alternative to playing outside, not a replacement. Ted Fishman, a father worried about the safety of his child in th... Free Essays on The Effect Of Play On Our Young And Change On Our Elders Free Essays on The Effect Of Play On Our Young And Change On Our Elders The Effect of Play on Our Young and Change on Our Elders It has been argued that video games are ruining today’s youth; that video games are taking away the imagination of children and planting violent seeds into their brains. But who exactly is making this argument? Its not the people who play video games, it’s the people who ban video games, and the parents who have never tried what they are so quick to mark as evil. This suggests that these concerned parents are afraid of change more than anything. They fear what is unknown and new to them because they don’t understand it, or more importantly take the time to understand it. The parents of American children in current times (especially conservative ones) are quick to blame anything they can for the actions of today’s youth. Listening to one of these finger pointers would lead you to believe movies and video games have come to life and forced kids to maim and kill. Somehow it doesn’t seem likely that world violence is caused by a few images on a screen . In the not so distant past, there weren’t any electronic devices built for fun, but as technology exploded in the past one hundred years radios, televisions, computers and much more have changed that. The parents today that weren’t exposed to video games growing up are only in their late thirties and early forties, so you can see this huge wave of gaming in the past fifteen years is quite new and unfamiliar to them. They grew up playing almost exclusively outside, but they also grew up in a much less violent world, with less abductions, and street crime. Child abductions and street crime didn’t start when video games hit the street, the boom in America’s violence came when the drugs of the late sixties and early seventies hit the street. The reality of is that video games and television are an alternative to playing outside, not a replacement. Ted Fishman, a father worried about the safety of his child in th...

Why Educators Should Do Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Why Educators Should Do Research - Essay Example Even though, the phrase reflective practice is understood and interpreted in diverse ways, reflective practice is considered as a way through which practitioners can form a wider level of self-awareness concerning the nature, as well as the impact of their performance. This is the type of awareness, which shapes opportunities for professional development and growth. According to Ash & Clayton (2004), awareness is vital for behavioral change. In order to gain a fresh level of insight into personal actions, the reflective practitioner imagines a dual attitude on one hand, the actor in a drama and, alternatively, the opponent who sits in the viewers watching and assessing the whole performance. In order to achieve this perception, people must come to an understanding of their own attitudes (Hartman, 2001). They need to develop a conscious awareness of their own behavior and its consequences and the theories-in-use or ideas, which shape their action strategies. A reflective practitioner, therefore, is someone who, at normal intervals, reflects on the work they execute, as well as the work procedure, and thinks how he or she can improve the work. He or she echoes on the work they have accomplished (Minott, 2009). A reflective practitioner is not happy to go on at the current standard, he or she wants to improve and they do not believe in the saying, ‘if it is not broke, then do not fix it’. Everybody ought to be a ‘reflective practitioner’, in essence, as in an educator’s case, when they are teaching various types of students. An educator needs to learn from the mistakes and experiences of others (Hartman, 2001). They need to look at what they are doing, as well as how other educators are doing the same thing and ask themselves whether anything be improved? Or whether anything can be done better? The plea to apply reflective practice for educators is that as learning and teaching are multifaceted, and there is not one accurate approa ch, echoing on diverse versions of teaching, and redesigning current and past experiences will lead to enhancement in teaching practices. As Minott (2009) confirms, reflective practice moves educators from their knowledge base of discrete skills to a level in their careers where they are capable of modifying their skills to suit specific situations and contexts, and ultimately invent new techniques. In applying a process of reflective practice, educators will be capable of moving themselves, and their classrooms, past current theories in practice. Minott (2009) concludes that educators should oppose establishing a classroom tradition of control and endeavor a reflective practitioner, constantly taking part in a critical reflection, therefore, remaining fluid in the active environment of the classroom. Personally, I cannot move forward with my work knowing that I have not achieved a certain goal or my students have not attained the mark they are supposed to as set by the standards of my school. I believe that students need to see their educator put it some form of effort towards them in order for them to assist put the effort needed to achieve academically. The effort I put, all the sacrifice is give, such a private tutoring without, has aided to the success of my career and also the achievement of my students academically. My sole duty as an educator is to make sure that my students succeed academically. This motto has not only assisted me into developing my knowledge, but also aided in the success of my classroom, as well as the reputation of my school. Part B In essence, everybody wants to be successful at what they do. The level of success depends just with the

Commen acssement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Commen acssement - Essay Example To begin with, there is the language barrier factor. Different countries communicate through different languages throughout the whole world. This could be a massive hindrance to the scope of business especially when the businesses are to serve the foreigners (Brush, 2013). Apparently, when a business is established in a country, its ostensible purpose is to serve the local population. Therefore, the investor should be well versed in the language of communication. This will ensure perfect communication as the entrepreneur will have perfect conversations with the local population. Consequentially, when the entrepreneur does not have experience in the language, it will be a hurdle to steer the business. As a fact, communication in business is the ultimate factor that will affect making contracts and closing sales. Secondly, before initiating a business in a different country, an entrepreneur has to consider the political climate. For a business to sprout there is need for a peaceful pol itical environment. This will ensure people have free access to the markets to make purchases. As such, the business will have constant demand for the products and services. However, this is disrupted when there is political tension. People will find it difficult to access the markets for products and services (Brush, 2013). This could lead a business into unforeseen losses, as it will be making meagre sales. Similarly, an entrepreneur has to consider property rights in a country. Some countries have stringent rules and regulations on foreigners in concerns to property rights. Some countries deny foreigners full ownership rights to property. This could be a blow to the investors, as they will have difficulty when they want to use some of their assets in some instances. For example, when the foreigners do not have full ownership rights, they are unable to use such assets as collateral for a loan. Previously, entrepreneurs have not been vigilant and categorical on the economic situati on of a country. However, when investing in a foreign country, it is prudent to consider the economic situation of a country. For example, a country that has a low debt-to-GDP ratio will be prudent (Brush, 2013). Similarly, an entrepreneur has to consider a country that has low and declining unemployment rate. The employed people will be an increasing demand market for the products. In addition to this, an entrepreneur has to consider a country that record high rates of consumer spending. As a fact, some entrepreneurs also consider countries that record increasing incomes with lowering inflation rates. This is a positive sign that the business will make commendable progress after its establishment. Consequently, a country that records an increase in the middle class also proves a perfect prospect for a business. When establishing a business in a foreign country, an investor needs to focus on the exchange rate. Some countries have the best exchange rates, which is a positive sign to a business. However, some countries are marred with the worst exchange rates in the world. This could be a negative sign to a business. For example, when some assets are introduced into the country, their value decreases instantaneously. On the other hand, the value of some assets will increase when they are transported into a country with a favourable exchange rate. This could affect the business in one way or another. Similarly, an entrepreneur has to focus on the economic development of the country (Brush, 2013). Countries

Geographic Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geographic Information Systems - Essay Example Natural catastrophes such as hurricanes can have devastating effects on the life and economic stability of any area hit. This has been experiencing more than once in America where lives and property have been lost and the government forced to spend so much on rescue and restoration mission. It is, therefore, a big relief that such a problem can be effectively solved through GIS and thus reduce the loss or avert the danger as a whole. As mentioned earlier, GIS is all about collection and use of date. To solve the problem of the hurricane, several sets of data are necessary. First, the system must indicate the kind of problem expected, the specific time and region of the target and the population involved (Fu & Sun, 2011). This information will help in setting up a response plan and help evacuate the area if possible before the problem hits. The information will also help in alerting the authorities in time for mitigation measures (Singhroy, 2003). Secondly, the problem will also require information on the accessibility of the area, geological structure, weather pattern and hence the possible route of the hurricane in relation to the prevailing winds (Goodchild, 1996). In all these situations, the GIS provided vital information on the location, scale and possible effects of the hurricane on the people and the structures. Using the maps, the rescuers can locate the problem and even trace a safer route to evacuate the people and reach to them during the rescue operations (Goodchild, 1996). Further, the information also notifies the authority on the crisis that can result from the hurricane if it reaches the power plants. I believe that the development of the GIS is a welcome technological input to solving both natural and manmade problems. Using the information so developed, the danger is either evaded or the destruction

The Impact Of The Norman Conquest English Language Essay

The Impact Of The Norman Conquest English Language Essay By the end of the Old English period an event took place which had a major impact on the English language. This event was the Norman Conquest, in 1066, which marks the beginning of the Middle English Period. The invasion is a milestone in the history of England, and played a key role in the development of Modern English. But another view sees the events of the occupation as having a negative effect on English, and as a national catastrophe that destroyed a sophisticated native Anglo-Saxon culture (Graddol et al, 1996:120) and disrupted the progression of the English language. Short states that Higden Ranulf, an English chronicler and Benedictine monk, saw French as one of the principal reasons why the English language had degenerated in Medieval England (2007: 29). Nevertheless, others claim that the Norman Conquest contributed to an enormous enrichment of the English vocabulary (Hughes, 2000: 111). English would probably have pursued another evolution had William the Conqueror not s ucceeded in appropriating the English throne. It would most likely lack the immense amount of French vocabulary that characterizes the English language today, and that make English look, on the side of lexicon, like a Romance language. No other previous event had had such an impact on the language. The Scandinavian invasion in the eighth century had affected English, but not as profoundly as the Norman Conquest. This is because the speakers of Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse could understand each other, since they were communicating through similar Germanic-root words. Whereas, Norman French was a foreign Romance language which was completely alien to a population speaking a Germanic language. The conquerors continued to speak their own language in Britain. Watson argues that Normans were ruthless people who had no interest in the culture, literature and learning the language of the conquered people. English, which had been the official and literary language, was demoted to be the languag e of the serfs (Watson, 2002: 17). Since the two languages, Norman French and English, were not mutually understandable and French was the language of the rulers, English speakers had to adapt to the newcomers and learn some key expressions. Thus, the Norman invasion brought bilingualism in the British Isles with French and English living alongside each other for a long time. It is estimated that around 10 000 French words (Mcrum et al, 1986: 82) poured into English during the Norman rule. These words are found in every sphere: art, literature, law and government. Modern English has retained a large number of these words which have been completely assimilated into English in their structure, pronunciation and spelling. The Normans represented a small proportion of the population, however, their language had a massive impact upon society, since they were in position of power. According to Short, the number of French speaking incomers at the start of the 12 century was around 15 000, which would represent less than 1% of the total population of some 1.75 million (2007: 26). This is the reason why Norman French is not the spoken language of England today, despite its dominance in Britain for almost three centuries. Baugh Cable claim that the Norman Conquest changed the whole course of the English language (2002: 208). Thus, such a consequential event deserves to be explored in detail. First Chapter Historical Background Normans were descendent of Vikings from Scandinavia who settled down in the northern region of France in the ninth and tenth centuries. This region was known as Northmannia, the land of the Northmen, later shortened to Normandy. The Normans became Frenchmen culturally and linguistically (Pyles, 1964:153) soon assimilating the French customs, marrying local women, converting to Christianity, and giving up their own language and acquiring French. England had had close ties with Normandy long before the conquest in 1066. In 1002 Æthelred the Unready, king of England between 78-1016, had married a Norman woman and his son known as Edward the Confessor, who was raised in France, was more French than English. During the 24 years of his reign, Edward brought many of his Norman friends over to England giving them important positions in the government. When Edward the Confessor died childless, William the Conqueror, who was a second cousin of the late king, believed he was entitled to be Edwards successor even though he had no right to inherit the English throne. (Loyn, 1991: 65-67). So when the accession to the throne was denied to him, he attacked England, and with his exceptional abilities he won the battle of Hastings and on Christmas Day 1066, William was crowned king of England (Baugh Cable, 2002: 112). The rule of William the Conqueror brought with it vast changes to the social, political, religious and linguistic (Fennell, 2001: 95) structure of England. Dominance of the French language in England Williams possession of the English throne had far-reaching consequences. One of the repercussions was the introduction of a new nobility. The old English nobility was virtually annihilated and replaced with Norman followers. Mcrum et al. (1986: 73) argue that William also purged the English church: gradually Norman bishops and abbots occupied the cathedrals and monasteries, and for many generations after the conquest, the great estates and important positions were held by French-speaking Normans. The most significant consequence, however, was the dominion that the French language acquired in England. The Norman Conquest brought not only a new way of life but also a new way of speaking. The Norman incomers mother tongue was French and it remained so until the second half of the 12th century. French became the language of the ruling class and their servants. It was adopted across the entire range of written registers: literature, legal proceedings, commerce, government businesses and p rivate correspondence (Ingham, 2010: 1). The members of the new commanding class continued to use their own language once they settled in England. First, only those of Norman origin would speak French, but soon through intermarriage and relation with the supreme class, many English people found it to their benefit to master the new language. Therefore French became the language of power and prestige (Hughes, 2000: 13). The status of French in England from 1066 onwards is comparable to the importance of English in the British Empire in the 19th and 20th century (Freeborn, 1998: 81). For almost three hundred years after the conquest English ceased to be the official language of the land (Hughes, 2000: 110), existing only as language of the masses. Short claims that the survival of French for three centuries, even after the loss of Normandy in 1204, is the result of a desire on the part of the Norman descendants to retain and strengthen their sense of separate identity (2007: 13). He b elieves that Anglo-Norman was a means of social and political self-definition and self-preservation. All the kings of England spoke French as their first language. Command of French would also be found amongst the middle class. Knights also had a tendency to using it, even if they were English natives. Merchants and tradesmen spoke French, and also clerks and bailiffs would use the language due to the fact that different services were conducted in that language. Nonetheless Latin remained the language of church and scholarship. It was the language of records used for any documents that were felt to be important to be left to posterity. Though French had cultural and social prestige in this period, both English and French were regarded as inferior to Latin (Knowles, 1997: 47). So from 1066 there were three languages that pervaded medieval England: Latin, French and English, and literature, religion, law, science were all conducted in languages other than English (Mcrum et al, 1986: 7 3). Short estimates that 80% of the population in Britain was monolingual English speakers, 16.5% bilingual French speakers, and 3.5% trilingual Latin, French and English (2007: 28). Latin was the unifying European language par excellence (Totter, 2000: 23). It was learned and studied in the schools and universities in England. Latin was the language of religion, culture and power and it was established all over Europe. Nonetheless Latin was mainly used for written purposes. The language was spoken by a tiny minority of the English and it was employed only in the highest ecclesiastical circles (Trotter, 2000: 24). Latin, however, was certainly not the spoken language used in court. French was the language used in the kings court (Ingham, 2010: 95). Nevertheless, in spite of the fact that English was ousted by the two prestigious languages, it was never wiped out. It had a low status and it was reduced to an informal- colloquial vernacular, but it was still used to a great extent by the lower classes. Fennell states that there was diglossia in England for a long time with French as the High language and English as the Low language (Fenell, 2001: 117). However, Baugh Cable maintain that if the Normans did not appreciate English as a vernacular this should not be interpreted as an oppressive language attitude towards English. A few generations before they had themselves renounced their own Germanic language in favour of Latin and French. The perception that Normans were hostile to the English language is without foundation (Baugh Cable, 2002: 117). It is true that English was considered to be an unsophisticated tongue, however there is sufficient evidence of mutual respect and peaceful cooperation between the English and the Normans (Baugh Cable, 2002: 117). William the Conqueror himself made an effort at the age of forty-three to learn English without succeeding. In general, the upper classes were indifferent towards the English language because their activit ies in England did not require the use of it, and French was for them more useful. Survival of English How did English manage to survive and not get absorbed in the dominant Norman tongue? Mcrum et al (1986: 75) suggest that there are three important motives that explain the survival of English. First of all, Old English was too established, too vigorous, and, thanks to its fusion with Scandinavian languages, too hardy to be wiped out (Mcrum et al, 1986: 75). Despite the written records becoming Latin and French, English continued being the speech of commoners and it would have needed many centuries of French rule to obliterate it as the vernacular of ordinary people. They were not going to stop speaking English just because they had been conquered by a foreigner. Second, the fusion between Normans and English was rapid, as Normans intermarried with English people. The French-born mixed with the English-born. Thus, future generations living in Britain would feel more English. The Norman ancestors were forgotten with time and young people identified with the natural language of most in habitants in Britain. One hundred years after the invasion, an anonymous chronicler wrote that The two nations had become so mixed that it is scarcely possible today, speaking of free men, to tell who is English and who is of Norman race (Baugh Cable, 2009: 120). The Francophone incomers seemed to have become fully integrated with English people. Third, and most important reason, the Anglo-Normans lost control of their French territory across the Channel. When King John lost Normandy in 1204, conflict began to develop between France and England, which concluded with the Hundred Years War. The ex Norman nobility became English, as many nobles had to declare themselves either French or English. The loss of Normandy established an independent English nation and a feeling of national consciousness and identity began to arise in the British Isles (Short, 2007: 31). English people began to be more interested in their native language, therefore the trilingual setting of medieval England e xisting following the Norman Conquest started to disappear. The initial trilingual situation developed into oral bilingualism, although it was not omnipresent in England, and progressively culminated into vernacular monolinguism (Trotter, 2000: 25). Chapter 2 Re-establishment of English The rivalry created between England and France meant that interests between English and French were no longer the same. This resulted in the decline of French and re-establishment of English. Fennell believes that if England had remained in the control of France, French might have continued to be used in England forever (Fennell 2001: 117). This did not happen though. While French had been necessary to the English upper class during the two centuries following the Norman Conquest, in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries its use was artificial. French lost its importance gradually and became a second acquired language after English till it disappeared. Evidence of the passage of Anglo-Norman from a mother tongue to an acquired language has its roots in 1160s but also the first murmurings of discontent surfacing form those of Anglo-Saxon stock who see themselves as excluded an denied professional advancement by their ignorance of French (Short, 2007: 26). At the start of the fourtee nth century Anglo-Norman seemed to have lost its prestige completely. Slowly English won its way back to being ubiquitous in England. French passed into oblivion in the fifteenth and English was re-established, but it was a new language in vocabulary and in spirit, wholly different in character, rhythm and feeling from the Anglo-Saxon (Watson, 2002: 18). Under the influence of Chaucer poets began to write in English, but also literature was highly influenced by French. When English re-emerged as the written language of England, it was extremely altered in structure; however, Romaine claims that debate still continues about the extent to which change was internally or externally motivated (1998: 7). These differences in the English language remained immutable. Freeborn (1998: 51) argues that when reading English texts from the 12th century onwards, there are changes in grammar, vocabulary, spelling and word form. Of course, the English language did not change overnight in response to the Norman Conquest. Fennell, on the other hand, maintains changes in English did not happen as a result of the conquest. He states th at the influence of French on English is neither extreme nor special (Fennell, 2001: 130). Many loan words have been borrowed from French, but there is no marked structural change that can be revealed. It is also hard to demonstrate French influence on word order. There is no influence on concord as well. According to Fennell, changes in the English language are simply due to gradual change (2001: 131). The Lexicon: Loan Words from French While the loss of inflection was only indirectly due to the use of French in England, French impact is much more noticeable on the vocabulary. A huge body of French words became part of the English language. The influx of French words began slowly and continued with varying pace for a long time. Most of the Norman French loanwords entered English during the Middle English period, and they actually came fastest when French was dying out (Barber et al., 2010: 155). Some scholars argue that actually the main borrowings by English tool place from 1250 onwards (Hughes, 2000:110). In the eleventh and twelfth century the number of words borrowed from French was minimal, and in the thirteenth and fourteenth century the amount of loanwords increased significantly. When bilingual speakers changed over to English for such purposes as literature and government, they needed specialized terms that they were habituated to in these domains (Barber et al., 2010: 156). The influence, however, was reci procal. Numerous English words were introduced into the French spoken in England as well. From the very start of the century it is possible to find Anglo-Norman poets incorporating words of Old English origin into their works (Short, 2007: 22). Where two languages live alongside each other for a long time a substantial transference of words from one language to another is unavoidable. Despite that, English had more to gain form French than vice versa, therefore the number of French words that entered English was incredibly vast. Many of the words borrowed by English are words to do with war, ecclesiastical matters, heraldry, hunting, the law, arts and fashion. The earliest adoptions from Norman French are encountered in 1137: tresor treasury, Canceler Chancellor prisun justice and tenserie protection money (Hughes, 2000: 111). These words indicate a whole new Norman vocabulary of power. Other words that infiltrated English in the 12th century are: duc duke, cuntess countess, curt court, messe mass, clerc scholar (Graddol et al, 1996: 123). Also these loanwords demonstrate the domination of the Normans in influential institutions such as the church and the royal court. The Norman Conquest made French the language of the official class in England. Therefore it is not the least bit astonishing that many word having to do with administration and government are of French origin. Some of the earliest loans from French are: service, prison and castle (Pyles, 1980: 324). Other words include: crown, state, empire, au thority, sovereign, parliament, assembly, treaty, alliance, country, attorney, chancellor, judge, jury, noble, royal. The word office and the titles of many offices are also French: coroner, treasurer, marshal, governor, councillor, minister, warden, and castellan (Baugh Cable, 2009: 169). In the religious domain amongst many words there terms such as: abbot, clergy, preach, sacrament, vestment. As English was the language of the masses, it is not surprising that the original terms for livestock were retained: ox, sheep swine, deer, calf. Whereas words such as beef, mutton, pork, bacon, venison, veal were used for the flesh of the animals, eaten mostly by the higher classes (Fennell, 2001: 107). Family relationships such as: mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter kept their Germanic names. Nevertheless, family relationships expressing more compound social relations such as: uncle, aunt, cousin, nephew, niece were designated by French terms. The terms father-in-law and mot her-in-law show native English words, but they are in fact calques, loan translations from Old French. Numbers did not lose their original, native names, and parts of the body kept their English terms. This is because such terms are core words and resistant to borrowing except in situations of exceptionally long and fervent contact. One remarkable example is the word face: this term was borrowed from French in the late thirteenth century as an informal term (Fennell, 2001:107). Titles of rank were taken from French such as: baron, count, duke, marquees, peer, prince and sovereign (Barber et al., 2010:156). However, English words were retained such as: earl, king, knight, lady, lord, and queen. Literary borrowings of French only entered English in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. English writers started borrowing French words, as they were certain about an acquaintance with French on the part of their readers. While a considerable amount of French words came into English thro ugh this method, many are no longer in use since they filled no real communicative need. Norman French vs. Central French An interesting fact in Modern English is that despite many words being borrowed from French, the pronunciation of the English words differs considerably from their French counterparts. An important thing to be pointed out is that Modern French is not like eleventh-century French. There were two main dialect groups in Old French: the language of the north langue doÃÆ'Â ¯l, and the language of the south and central France langue doc also known as the dialect of Paris (Knowles, 1997: 47). The Norman Conquest brought with it the Northern dialect which developed characteristics of its own and then is called Anglo-Norman. There were significant differences in the pronunciation between the two vernaculars. In Anglo-Norman ca- was pronounced as cha- chie- in Central French. So for instance, the Anglo-Norman word caitif caitiff changed its pronunciation into chaitif in Central French. The same can be said for other words that are pronounced with ca in English and cha in French such as: ca tch which has derived form Anglo-Norman catel, became chacier in Central French and subsequently chaser in Modern French. Other differences in the manner of speaking of the two dialects are the pronunciation of some consonants. Where the langue doÃÆ'Â ¯l had [w, k, ts] would be pronounced as [g, ts, s] in the langue doc. The English word wicket (AN wiket) was transformed into guichet in the Parisian dialect. In the same way waste representing the Anglo-Norman waster was in Central French guaster. Consequently, there were two French sources often leading to the same word being borrowed twice. Many adoptions from Norman French coexisted with the Central French equivalent words which were assimilated at a later date. So we have Norman French: catch, warranty, launch, wage, warden, convey, gaol, beside Central French: chase, guarantee, lance, gauge, guardian, convoy, jail (Graddol et al, 1996: 123). In the thirteenth century, the Anglo-Norman dialect lost some of its importance in England, and the Anglo-Norman realised that the French they spoke was no longer fit for purpose. The Central French dialect of Paris had begun to exercise a strong influence in France, therefore the Anglo-Norman patois was regarded as uncouth and obsolescent (Barber et al. 2009: 151). Giraldus Cambrensis, a writer of the early Middle Ages, contrasts the elegant French of France to its unsophisticated Insular counterpart which he disregards as gutter French (Short, 2007: 14). Due to its prestige, the dialect of Central France became the standard language in court and fashionable society in England. As Central French became fashionable it was from this dialect that many words were borrowed at this period. After the Norman Conquest duplications in English were very common. Many of the French words that came into use conveyed meanings that were already expressed by a native English word. In this case one of two things occurred: either one of the words was lost, or they both survived but they had different meanings. In some cases the French word died out, but in most cases it was the Old English word that ceased to exist. For example the OE word anda competed for its status with the word envy and managed to survive until the time of Chaucer, but at some point the word became obsolete and died out. The replacement was not always sudden; often both words carried on to being used for some time, and the English word often persists in the dialect today. The Old English word eam which has been substituted by the French word uncle is still used in Scotland (eme). Where both the French and the English words existed they acquired different significations. English was not deficient in vocabulary, and in many cases when a new word poured into English it existed side by side with newer borrowed word. Hence, there are many pairs of words in English whose meaning is similar. So there are the native words which survive alongside the French words such as: begin/commence; freedom/liberty; child/infant; happiness/felicity; friendly/amicable; hearty/cordial; house/mansion (Watson, 2002: 19). Watson argues that the native words are vivid and homely whereas the French words are colder, more aloof, formal, dignified (Watson, 2002: 19). French had also an impact on the increase of the number of prepositions, which was already considerable in Old English. Strang (1970: 274) maintains that during the period 1170-1370 the number of prepositions was larger than any before. She attributes this process to two processes. The first of these is compounding and analogical formation. The second process includes loans from French. A number of prepositions such as countre, sans and save were borrowed directly from French. Others, such as during, excepting and saving were anglicised versions of French words. Some prepositions are calques on originally French equivalents, e.g. notwithstanding derives from Old French non obstant. The borrowing of French words had also an impact on English grammar. Many grammatical points were reconstructed on the French model. For instance, the use of who was remodelled on French qui. Old English used who just to ask questions such as who are you?, and this the equivalent of the use of qui. But qui was used in French also in a relative clause, such as the boy who lives next to me, for which English used the. Middle English started to use who as a relative pronoun under French influence (Mustanoja, 1960: 187-206). English was influenced by French also in the formation of passive forms. Old English used the verb weorpan (to become) to form passive idioms, but this became unusual after the Norman Conquest. Modern English uses the verb to be to construct passive sentences just like Modern French (Mustanoja, 1960: 438-9). Another point of Middle English grammar such as the counterfactual modal perfect is attributed to the influence of French. Old English lacked the modal and auxiliary have combination. Its appearance starts in southern Middle English and then it seems to have spread in the north, given that the use of Anglo-Norman was more prevailing in the south of England. Fischer, on the other hand, claims that French did not play any role in the development of the modal perfect construction in English. Kida (2007: 285) argues that there was also some French influence on word order in Middle English which changed from VO (verb + object) to OV (object + verb). When analysing the word order pattern in Foedera, she notices that Norman French was more in favour of the OV word order positioning than of the VO ones, and this fact led to the development of OV word order configuration in the English language after the Norman Conquest. Kida believes that this change in word order disposition in English must have probably come via an increasing quantity of bilingual speakers, speaking both English and Norman French, who created more OV word order structures in English than monolingual native speakers. Nonetheless, this influence was not permanent as English went back to its VO word order few years subsequent to the Norman Conquest. Another grammatical characteristic of Norman French comparable to the English grammar is the placement of modifiers in front of the noun. This explains why English did not dispose of premodification in the Middle Ages and still preserves this feature in Modern English. Premodification is generally a feature of OV languages and English had a VO structure. Hence, it can be deduced that Anglo-Norman played also a role in the conservation of premodification in English up to the present day (Kida, 2007: 285-290). French influence is most obviously marked in the spelling. New conventions were used for the [S] sound creating spellings such as and eventually . The word house had an [u:] sound, so the Old English spelling was . However the [u] sound was represented by [ou] in French, therefore, the spelling was changed to . The pronunciation of the word changed later in time (Knowles, 1997: 40-50). Other French conventions were adopted in English such as the use of for and for (Freeborn, 2001: 82). Mustoja (1960: 45) affirms that the influence of foreign languages such as Latin and French plays a considerable role in the development of gender in Middle English. This is due to a large proportion of ME literature being translated directly from French. Additionally, the authors of original works were usually acquainted with French. Therefore, it frequently occurs that a noun is assigned the gender of the corresponding French noun even though it is not a direct loan. For example, death (OE masculine) becomes feminine in ME under the influence of French la mort. Also moon (OE mone), which is masculine in Old English, has become feminine in ME, again influenced by French la lune. Ship (OE scip, neuter) becomes feminine in ME on the analogy of OF la nef. But the nouns moon and ship have often been encountered as masculine nouns as well. This dual application of genders to the same noun is explained as the general confusion between the masculine and feminine forms of the definite artic le in Picard and Anglo-Norman (Mustanoja, 1960: 47) two OF dialects which played a key role in the influence of French upon Middle English. Conclusion The Norman Conquest has had a significant impact on the English language. As the examples above demonstrate, the invasion has influenced English considerably not only in terms of vocabulary but also spelling, pronunciation and grammar. If English is today the richest It is astonishing that engli

Lily’s Reflections in Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse Essay

Lily’s Reflections in Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse Embodying the spirit of the female artist, Lily Briscoe in To the Lighthouse examines critical issues pertaining to her role in Virginia Woolf’s novel. In Part Three of the novel, Mrs. Ramsay’s legacy plays an especially important role in Lily’s thinking processes. Flowing experimentally like the sea that day, Lily’s thoughts encompass the novel’s themes of the passage of time, the role of the woman, and the role of the artist. Though time can break down physical matter, its prodding cannot disperse vivid memories. In the beginning of Part Three, Lily feels that Mrs. Ramsay’s death signals the deadening of emotions over time, for she can feel â€Å"nothing, nothing – nothing that she [can] express at all† (125). Lily feels that without Mrs. Ramsay’s art of bringing people together, everything becomes â€Å"aimless†, â€Å"chaotic† and â€Å"unreal† (126). Lily echoes Mr. Ramsay’s sentiments of having â€Å"perished† and wishes Mrs. Ramsay were in charge of the household again (126). Although Lily is a friend of the Ramsays, she is deeply affected by the unravelling of the Ramsay’s family life and remarks, â€Å"The empty places. Such were some of the parts, but how bring them together?† (126). Lily is able to solve this dilemma at the end of the story; however, for the moment, she can only imagine Mrs. Ramsay saying â€Å"life sta nd still here,† for this is the older woman’s way of turning a moment into something permanent (138). Later in her mind’s eye, Lily sees Mrs. Ramsay through William’s eyes and thinks â€Å"beauty had this penalty – it came too readily, came too completely. It stilled life – froze it. One forgot the little agitations; the flush, the pallor, some queer distortion, some light or s... ...izes it on the canvas. Lily is no longer a passive woman confused about her artistic abilities. Time’s passage is inevitable, but Lily learns that she can match wits with time by using her artistic talents. Mrs. Ramsay had shown Lily that time can be stopped with beauty, but Lily opts for a more realistic capture of time with artwork that transcends all ages. As a female artist, Lily dashes Mrs. Ramsay’s hopes as well as overcomes the societal expectations for her to become married. Not only does Lily redefines what it means to be a woman, she also renews the image of the artist. Intertwining her reflections on time, womanhood, and artistry, Lily emerges as a more mature person in the end of Woolf’s novel To the Lighthouse. Work Cited Woolf, Virginia, To the Lighthouse. Edited by Susan Dick. Oxford, United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishers 1992.

Home Depot and Lowes Essay

Case Summary Value Line Publishing analyst, Carrie Galeotafiore had followed the retail building-supply industry for approximately three years. Within a week the investment-survey firm will be publishing Galeotafiore’s quarterly findings on the industry along with the five-year financial forecast for the industry’s leaders, Home Depot and Lowe’s. In an effort to increase their top and bottom-lines, Home Depot and Lowe’s have implemented strategies like improving customer service, attracting professional customers, and introducing a more favorable merchandise mix. Combined sales from the two companies accounted for more than a third of the industry’s sales. In the mean time, smaller hardware stores struggled to remain in the game. Galeotafiore reports shows confidence in the methods Home Depot deployed to achieve their goals and attributed Lowe’s margin expansion to their thrust into the major metropolitan markets. This case will mainly focus on the strategic issues involved with Home Depot and Lowe’s, the industry trends, the financial outlook for the respective companies, and whether or not Galeotafiore has the depth of knowledge and experience to make a correct call on the companies’ performance.Finally, the report will be substantiated with financial ratios comparing one company with the other, showing possible alternatives and proposing recommendations. Case Analysis This segment will narrow down the major issues of the case, along with the quantitative perspective showing historical trends and the projected level of economic activity. In 2001, the Economist Intelligenc Unit (EIU) estimated the retail building-supply industry to be approximately $175 billion with stores similar to Home Depot and Lowe’s capturing one third of the 51% of sales in their category. Despite the slump in the economy in 2001, growth was at 4.2% which representd a decline from 7.7% in 1998. Strategic issues for Home Depot and Lowe’s Home Depot’s CEO, Bob Nardelli’s goal was to increase their margin through declining cost in product review, opening more tool-rental centers and improving purchasing aspects. All of the above were an effort to remain  competitive. Galeotafiore stated in her report that stores which provide programs similar to the Service Performance Improvement offered by Home Depot tend to fear better in operating margins, inventory turnover and productivity, than the do-it-yourself establishments. Jefferies’ analyst Donald Trott downgraded Lowe’s, due to a declining housing-market bubble and, based on an opinion that their stock price was richly valued compared to Home Depot’s. However, on the brighter side, Lowe’s management told analysts that over the next two years, it expected to maintain sales growth between 18% and 19% and over the next three years from 2002 to 2004 it is expected to open 123, 130 and 140 stores respectively entering metropolitan m arkets with populations over 500,000 like the Boston and New York markets.

What liquid will cause metals to corrode or rust faster

I have decided to base my experiment on four different types of metals and four different liquids. I will be using a penny, nail, paper clip and a needle as my four metals. My four liquids will be vinegar, beach, lemon water and salt water. To get started, the metal contents should be established. Today’s pennies are mostly made of zinc with a thin layer of copper overcoating. A nail is a form of carbon steel or black iron. Paper clips are made from a low grade steel. A needle is made from stainless steel. Examining the liquids and lemon juice is a citric acid. It should have corrosive actions on some of the metals, but not all. I believe that it will not affect this penny, except to clean it and shine it. I don’t think it will affect the paper clip either. I think that the only way it will have any affect on the needle or paper clip, will be if they were damaged or scratched. Corrosion would be caused If that were the case. I also think there were not to be any corrosion to the nail with lemon juice. Vinegar water is used to clean things. Related article: Vinegar Battery Review of Related Literature I don’t think the vinegar will rust a eedle, paper clip, nail, or penny the fastest. There will be a minimal affect on The steel material. The carbonation of water, vinegar and oxygen on the air will form iron oxide on the nail, the scientific name for rust. Vinegar will remove any corrosion and clean the penny. Bleach is a chloride, like vinegar, I think the affects will be minimal on Most of the metals. Since bleach contains oxygen, it would be most likely the liquids to rust the nail the fastest. The affect on the penny will be more like a cleaning agent, like vinegar and lemon uice, than as a corrosive. I think that salt water will be the best Corrosive liquid. Salt water will cause corrosion faster because the salt will act as a catalyst steel up the change and erode the materials. I feel it would corrode all of the metals. The needle may be the only metal it may not affect it, like some other liquids, it may not rush unless the metal has been scratched deep. In conclusion, I think that salt water will be the most corrosive liquid and the nail made from carbon steel will be the most corrosive metal, in the least amount if time.

William Shakespeare Essays (1384 words) - Incidental Music, Prospero

William Shakespeare Essays (1384 words) - Incidental Music, Prospero William Shakespeare One may find it ridiculous to contrast between Shakespeare and existentialism in its 20th century form, however one must keep in mind, that existentialism does not appear as a single philosophical system. It is more an attitude of life, a general vision - existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre is known to have stated that existentialism was never invented, it has always existed as the ultimate foundation. Upon that light, why not seek the foundations from the work of the forefather of all dramatists? It is above all na?ve to claim Prospero?s Epilogue in Shakespeare?s play The Tempest a mere conventional appeal for applause or the stripping of the imaginary glamour built up by the plays magic. Even the greatest of artists would rather give away his life than surrender his art to be judged solely by the public. Art for an artistic genius is practised for its own sake; art for the purpose of art. Existence for the sake of existence itself - stripped of meaning, of value and of subjective interpretation. In its bear meaningless form, something still remains: the necessary Natural Law, a philosophical concept considered the basis of human well-being, a system of the values that determine human existence. Throughout The Tempest Prospero?s character portrays an image of a nearly Nietzchean superhuman capable of disclaiming authority, killing God. He is in control of every situation and event as if the chain of causes and effects would be a conductible melody waiting for an artist?s touch. On the other hand he is very human: a wronged duke and a father, a symbiosis which Shakespeare displayed with the use of Prospero?s garment as a theatrical tool. An artist is the creator, the maker of realities yet he remains human, an animal with feelings and urges, ties only waiting to be cut. The view implied is not far from the ideologies that emerged from the great suffering of the second world war: a man is capable of constructing himself a framework of personal and social meaning, but his true animal nature remains unchanged. In the heart of existence, life has no predefined meaning, it is a mere passage of survival from necessary birth to necessary death. Prospero's and his daughter's situation on the island was hopeless, however Prospero had chosen a function for his life - revenge. Prospero created a meaning for his life, built a synthetic reality to keep him sane on the path towards the finality of human death. Early existentialism begins to appear. The literatory image behind The Epilogue of The Tempest greatly involves the attitude and interpretation of art. Having constructed a window or more or less a door to an imaginary world for the audience, Shakespeare has succeeded in fusing art and reality. Upon that light it is incomprehensible to assume his need to address the subjective yet neutral third party, the audience - shatter the synthetic reality. However, The Epilogue is a beautiful and humble ending to a story filled with strong magical elements - the control is given to the audience, they are given Prospero?s magical garment. The passive third party is given a choice of interaction, chance to rise beyond spectatorship. An interesting aspect to The Epilogue of The Tempest is the fact that it was Shakespeare?s last play - the final words of a great artist. Due to the lack of historically trustworthy biographical information of Shakespeare?s character, it is difficult if not impossible to determine the effect of his life situation to the message itself. Whether justified or not, The Epilogue seems like a farewell - a humble artist handing over his life to the audience to which he has dedicated his entire life. When examining The Epilogue with the restriction of intertextuality, one is forced to focus on the character of Prospero. Why does he leave a farewell, why does he become the ultimate link from the world of the play to the world of the third party, the audience. His importance as the narrator of The Epilogue creates a third dimension to his character traits, he becomes the God-figure that seems limited to living on a island yet he can perform metaphysical leaps between dimensions. The person speaking is the author himself, for in

Business Environment and Strategic Managment Essay

Business Environment and Strategic Managment - Essay Example Indeed, after the completion of the installation process, the business strategy needs to be periodically monitored as of its performance (Harrison 2012). In this way, weaknesses and failures can be identified early so that major risks in regard to all business operations are avoided. According to Herzog (2010) the strategic management process can be also completed in just three phases: â€Å"a) situation assessment, b) strategy development and c) strategy implementation† (Herzog 2010, p.17). The development of the phases of strategic management process, as described above, is based on a series of tools, also known as strategic tools. The key role of these tools is to ensure that the decision-making process is adequately supported (Herzog 2010). Certain of these tools are quite popular. Reference can be made, for example, to SWOT analysis, PEST analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, Benchmarking, Forecasting and Financial Ratios (Herzog 2010). Each organization chooses the stra tegic tools that most respond to its needs taking into consideration the existing resources and the risks involved, both in the short and the long term (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson 2010). Also, the type of industry in which each firm operates is expected to influence the firm’s strategic management process, meaning also the strategic management tools that will be used for achieving the business objectives ((Daft, Kendrick and Vershinina 2010). The business model is another important criterion taken into account by strategic managers when having to choose the strategic tools employed in the achievement of business goals ((Daft, Kendrick and Vershinina 2010). Qatar Petroleum (QP) is the most powerful competitor in Qatar’s oil and gas sector; the company... This paper approves that the strategic management process incorporates a series of phases, aiming to help businesses to keep their value at high level. According to the literature, four are the most common phases of strategic management process: at a first level, the â€Å"vision and mission of the organization are reviewed† then, â€Å"the internal and external organizational environment needs to be analyzed† using the information retrieved through the research and the analysis developed in the previous two phases, the strategic manager proceeds to the identification of strategy that is most appropriate for supporting business goals, the â€Å"implementation of the chosen strategy† can be completed; at this level, the strategic management process should not be considered as terminated. Indeed, after the completion of the installation process, the business strategy needs to be periodically monitored as of its performance. This essay comes to the conclusion that strategic management tools can be used in both planning and evaluation of a company’s strategy or direction. According to Henry Mintzberg’s strategy can be defined as â€Å"a pattern in a stream of decisions†; based on the above definition it can be claimed that strategic tools can be effectively used for the evaluation of the performance and the strategic objectives of an organization. The specific approach to strategic management has been used in order to explore and evaluate the business strategy of Qatar Petroleum. Three widely used strategic tools have been employed: SWOT, PEST and benchmarking analyses.

Philosophy of Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Philosophy of Science - Essay Example This paper discusses the problem of induction and how it impacts current knowledge and approach to science. This discussion revolves primarily around works of David Hume and Karl Popper due to the former theorising on induction more than any other philosopher and the latter revealing inapplicability of induction for science and scientific method. Alan Musgrave (2004) in his critique of induction problem introduces Hume's argument as the basis for understanding the dilemma. Musgrave distinguishes Hume's three points, namely: (1) we reason, and must reason, inductively; (2) inductive reasoning is logically invalid and (3) to reason in a logically invalid way is irrational. Thus, the problem of induction is a problem confronted by scientists and philosophers concerned with science, but more specifically it is a problem for scientific method. Furthermore, it is a problem for the practice of science, for scientific endeavor, and it is a problem for the procedures of science. From the critical perspective, as science is or ought to be, it faces and must solve the problem of induction. David Hume created a philosophical system to explain his understanding of human nature. He provided a solid non-metaphysical explanation of the nature of human thought to use as a foundation to his philosophy. As an empiricist, Hume believed our knowledge is of the phenomenal world and is gained through experience. The following passage addresses not only his opinion regarding metaphysics, but his basic belief regarding the significance of ideas and impressions: All ideas, especially abstract ones, are naturally faint and obscure: the mind has but a slender hold of them: they are apt to be confounded with other resembling ideas; and when we have often employed any term, though without a distinct meaning, we are apt to imagine it as a determinate idea annexed to it. On the contrary, all impressions, that is, all sensations, either outward or inward, are strong and vivid; the limits between them are more exactly determined: nor is it easy to fall into any error or mistake with regard to them (Hume, 1985, p.49). Hume built a unique system of knowledge. Creating complex ideas by comparing or combining simple ideas is the province of understanding, which includes imagination as well as the intellect. Everything we believe comes from experience, either as a simple idea derived from direct experience or as a complex of related ideas abstracted from experience. Human understanding comes from applying the intellect and imagination to ideas in order to form beliefs about the phenomenal world. Hume claimed there are only three types of connection between ideas: resemblance, contiguity in time and space, and cause and effect (Hume, 1999, p.101). Therefore, beliefs are gained by applying the intellect and imagination to ideas to abstract what they have in common, including location