Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses a Pantheon of Battles

Mesopotamian gods and goddesses are known from the literature of the Sumerian people, the oldest written language on our planet. Those stories were written down by city administrators whose jobs involved the upkeep of the religion, along with the upkeep of commerce and trade. It is likely that the stories first written about 3500 BCE reflect an older oral tradition, in fact, were written versions of ancient songs or oral recitations. How much older is speculation. Mesopotamia was an ancient civilization positioned between the Tigris River and the Euphrates River. Today, this area is known as Iraq. The Mesopotamian core mythology was a mixture of magic and entertainment, with words of wisdom, praise for individual heroes or kings, and magical tales. Scholars believe that the first writing of Mesopotamian myths and epics were mnemonic aids to help the reciter remember the important parts of a story. Entire myths werent written down until the 3rd millennium BCE when they became part of the curriculum for the Sumerian scribal schools. By Old Babylonian times (about 2000 BCE), the students had inadvertently built us multiple copies of the core text of the myths. Evolving Mythologies and Politics The names and characters of Mesopotamian gods and goddesses evolved over the millennia of the Mesopotamian civilization, leading to thousands of different gods and goddesses, only a few of which are listed here. That reflects the political reality of change brought about by costly battles. During the Sumerian (or Uruk and Early Dynastic periods, between 3500–2350 BCE), the Mesopotamian political structure was made up of largely independent city-states centered around Nippur or Uruk. The society shared the core myths, but each city-state had its own protecting gods or goddesses. At the onset of the following Akkadian period (2350–2200 BCE) Sargon the Great united ancient Mesopotamia under his capital at Akkad, with the city states now subject to that leadership. The Sumerian myths, like the language, continued to be taught in the scribal schools throughout the 2nd and 1st millennium BCE, and the Akkadians borrowed a lot of its myths from the Sumerians, but by Old Babylonian (2000–1600 BCE) times, the literature developed myths and epics of its own. The Battle of Old and Young Gods: Enuma Elish The myth which unites Mesopotamia and best describes the structure of the pantheon and the political upheaval is the Enuma Elish (1894–1595 BCE), a Babylonian creation story that describes the battle between the old and young gods. In the beginning, says the Enuma Elish, there was nothing but Apsu and Tiamat, mingling their waters together contentedly, a peaceful and quiet time characterized by rest and inertia. The younger gods came into being in that water, and they represented energy and activity. The younger gods gathered to dance, and doing so upset Tiamat. Her consort Apsu planned to attack and kill the younger gods to stop their noise-making. When the youngest of the gods, Ea (Enki in Sumerian) heard about the planned attack, he put a powerful sleeping spell on Apsu and then killed him in his sleep. In Eas temple in Babylon, the hero-god Marduk was born. At play, Marduk made noise again, disturbing Tiamat and the other old gods, who urged her to a final battle. She created a mighty army with a spearhead of monsters to kill the younger gods. But Marduk was awe-inspiring, and when Tiamats army saw him and understood that all of the younger gods supported him, they ran away. Tiamat stood fight and battled Marduk alone: Marduk loosed the winds against her, piercing her heart with an arrow and killing her. The Old Gods There are literally thousands of names of different gods in the Mesopotamian pantheon, as city-states adopted, redefined, and invented new gods and goddesses as needed.   Apsu (in Akkadian, Sumerian is Abzu)—the personification of the freshwater underworld ocean; begetter of the skies and earth, united with Tiamat at the beginning of timeTiamat (Akkadian word for sea)—primeval chaos; the personification of salt water and spouse of Apsu bearer of the skies and earth, also consort of KinguLahmu Lahamu—twin deities born from Apsu and TiamatAnshar Kishar—male and female principles, the twin horizons of sky and earth. Children of either Apsu and Tiamat or Lahmu and LahamuAnu (Akkadian) or An (in Sumerian meaning above or heaven)—the Mesopotamian sky god, father, and king of the gods, supreme god of the Sumerian pantheon, and city god of Uruk. Father of all the other gods, evil spirits, and demons, typically depicted in a headdress with hornsAntu, Antum, or Ki-ist—consort of Anu in Akkadian mythNinhursag (Aruru, Ninmah, Nintu, Mami, Belet-ili, Dingirmakh, Ninmakh, Nintur)—Mother of All Children, and city go ddess of Adab and Kishgoddess; she was the midwife of the gods,Mammetum—maker or mother of fateNammu—associated with water. Younger Gods The younger, noisier gods were the ones who created humankind, originally as a slave force to take over their duties. According to the oldest surviving legend, the Myth of Atrahasis, the younger gods originally had to toil for a living. They rebelled and went on strike. Enki suggested that the leader of the rebellious gods (Kingu) should be killed and humankind created from his flesh and blood mixed with clay to perform the duties shunned by the gods. But after Enki and Nitur (or Ninham) had created humans, they multiplied at such rate that the noise they made kept Enlil sleepless. Enlil sent the god of death Namtarto to cause a plague to diminish their numbers, but Attrahsis had human beings concentrate all worship and offerings on Namtar and the people were saved. Ellil (Enlil or Lord of the Air)—initially, leader of the pantheon, the god between heaven and earth where human activity took place, cult center in Nippur and made humanity activity his responsibility, god of the atmosphere and agricultureEa in Akkadian (Enki, Nudimmud)—god of the subterranean lake Apsu, from which all springs and rivers draw their water; said to have fixed national boundaries and assigned gods their roles; in Akkadian myth, Ea was the god of ritual purification, who is the father of MardukSin (Suen, Nannar or Nanna)—moon god, father of Shamash and Ishtar, city god of UrIshtar (Ishhara, Irnini, Sumerian Inanna)—goddess of sexual love, fertility, and war, Akkadian counterpart of the West Semite goddess Astarte, goddess of VenusShamash (Babbar, Utu)—sun god and part of astral triad of divinities (Shamash the sun, Sin the moon, and Ishtar the morning star)Ninlil—Enlils consort and a goddess of destiny, mother of the moon god Si n, city goddess at Nippur and Shuruppak, grain goddessNinurta (Ishkur, Asalluhe)—Sumerian god of rain and thunderstorms, city god of Bit Khakuru, chamberlain of the war godNinsun—Lady Wild Cow, city goddess of Kullab and the mother of DumuziMarduk—supplants other Babylonian deities to become central figure, the chief city god of Babylon and national god of Babylonia, the god of thunderstorms, had four divine dogs Snatcher, Seizer, He Got It, and He Howled; consort to ZarpanitumBel (Canaanite Baal—cleverest; sage of the godsAshur—city god of Ashur and the national god of Assyria and war, symbolized by a dragon and winged disk Chthonic Deities The word chthonic is a Greek word meaning of the earth, and in Mesopotamian scholarship, chthonic is used to refer to earth and underworld gods as opposed to sky gods. Chthonic gods are often fertility deities and often associated with mystery cults. Chthonic deities also include the demons, which first appear in Mesopotamian myths during the Old Babylonian period (2000–1600 BCE). They were restricted to the domain of incantations and were mostly depicted as outlaws, beings who attacked humans causing all kinds of diseases. A citizen could go to law courts against them and obtain judgments against them. Ereshkigal (Allatu, Lady of the Great Place)—supreme goddess of underworld, and wife or mother of Ninazu, sister to Ishtar/InannaBelit-tseri—tablet-scribe of the underworldNamtar(a)—the fate-cutter, herald of deathSumuqan—cattle godNergal (Erragal, Erra, Engidudu)—city god of Cuthah, underworld; hunter; god of war and plagueIrra—plague god, god of scorched earth and warEnmesharra—underworld godLamashtu—dread female demon who is also known as she who erasesNabu—patron god of writing and wisdom whose symbols were a stylus and a clay tabletNingizzia—guardian of the gate of heaven; a god of the underworldTammuz (Dumuzi, Dumuzi-Abzu)—both Sumerian god of vegetation, city goddess of Kinirsha, in Eridu viewed as male, the son of EnkiGizzida (Gishzida)—consort of Belili, doorkeeper of AnuNissaba (Nisaba)—cereal grain harvestDagan (Dagon)—West Semitic god of crop fertility and the underworld, fat her of BaalGeshtu-egod whose blood and intelligence are used by Mami to create man. Resources and Further Reading Hale V, editor. 2014. Mesopotamian Gods Goddesses. New York: Britannica Educational Publishing.Lambert WG. 1990. Ancient Mesopotamian Gods: Superstition, philosophy, theology. Revue de lhistoire des religions 207(2):115-130.Lurker M. 1984. A Dictionary of Gods, Goddesses, Devils, and Demons. London: Routledge.

The Flaws Of Arrogance In Oedipus Rex By Sophocles

Benjamin Whichcote once said, â€Å"None are so empty as those who are full of themselves.† The words ring true through the character Oedipus whose tragic flaw of arrogance brought his downfall. In his timeless play, Oedipus Rex, author Sophocles unflinchingly illuminates the haughtiness and hubris displayed by the hero Oedipus. Through his candid exploration of the ship/captain and light/dark motifs, Sophocles makes an effort to ultimately bring the reader to the realization that arrogance creates an illusion to the truth and the potential dangers such pride poses for both the guilty party and those for whom the arrogant are responsible. Oedipus’ extreme pride and arrogance created an illusion for himself in which he lived blind to the†¦show more content†¦His arrogance restricts Oedipus from accepting the reality of the prophecy, ignoring the gravity of the situation as well as his own responsibility and duty to his people. Oedipus’ failure to acknowledge his horrifying revelation of murdering his father and sleeping with his mother until the very end, oppressed both himself and his people. Lines 16-17 of Oedipus Rex state, â€Å"Thebes is tossed on a murdering sea, And cannot lift her head from the death surge.† The lines show the state in which Thebes resided, fell upon Oedipus’ shoulders as its leader. The people of Thebes suffered because of Oedipus’ failure to accept that he was the one for whom the prophecy was intended. His failure to see the truth of the prophecy directly resulted in the city of Thebes suffering from a plague. Sophocles uses the ship/captain motif s to represent the adversity the protagonist faces with his country, as a result of Oedipus’ own tragic flaw. Every bit of destruction was the fault of Oedipus unwilling to own up to his crimes. Furthermore, Sophocles’ exploration of the light and dark motifs to show the results of the character’s illusions. Oedipus’ misconception of himself is represented many times with the motif of light and darkness. After Oedipus finds out about the truth of the prophecy, he compares his punishment and suffering to the dark night. (Sophocles pg. 71) â€Å"O cloud of night, Never to be turned away: night coming on, I can not tell how: night like a shroud!† Failing toShow MoreRelatedThroughout most famous Greek literature, a great hero usually saves the day. In the story of900 Words   |  4 PagesIn the story of Oedipus though, the good man with one minor flaw goes through great pain. This pain in the play Oedipus Rex is the focal point for the whole play. Almost every aspect of the play builds up and foreshadows Oedipus’ fall from power, and entry into pain. Sophocles in his tragedy Oedipus Rex creates a mood of dramatic irony using the dualities o f sight and blindness, and light and darkness. 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The play is an example of a classic tragedy, noticeably containing anRead MoreA Comparative of Shakespeares Othello and Oedipus Rex1511 Words   |  6 PagesShakespeare’s Othello and Oedipus Rex In Shakespeare’s work Othello: The Moor of Venice, Othello’s over trusting nature was revealed when his trust in false accusations about his wife Desdemona’s unfaithfulness causes him to kill her and himself, conveying Othello as a tragic hero. Oedipus, the main character in Oedipus Rex, is characterized as a tragic hero when he tries to run away from his fate and finds out that the cause of his fate was his attempt to escape it. 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Get Free Help About Ship Terms And Chartering

Question: Describe about the Ship Chartering. Answer: Introduction The shipping industry involves an activity called chartering. This activity in its simplest form involves a rental agreement where a charterer contracts to rent a ship from the ship owner. Depending on the type of charter and the type of ship involved in the rental agreement, the standard contract is called the charter party which requires specific details about the rate, duration and the terms which are decided by the ship owner and the charterer. The time charter refers to renting a ship for a fixed period of time. The general trend of chartering involves renting a ship for a specific number of voyages; however a time charter is hired for a specified number of days or period (Wijnolst and Waals 2011). Types of chartering The activity of chartering can be of different types which involve different types of charters. Thus, there are five popular types of charter namely the voyage charter, time charter, contract of Affreightment, trip time charter and bareboat charter. The Voyage charter is the most popular and involves renting a ship along with its crew for a voyage which starts from a load port till the discharge port. Under the voyage charter, the charter usually reimburses the ship owner for his services on per ton or lumpsum basis. Time charter is referred to the activity of renting a vessel for a specific time, instead of specific number of voyages. Under the time charter, the vessel owner manages the ship while the charterer decides the destination and the number of ports where the ship stops. The additional costs like fuel, commission and port charges are borne by the charterer. Contract of Affreightment is a rental contract very similar to voyage charter however under contract of Affreightment; the vessel owner agrees to carry a specific number of cargoes for a specific period on a pre-determined route. Trip time charter is similar to a time charter however a trip time charter is for a shorter trip and for a specified route (Morgan 2013). Bareboat charter is a rental agreement to hire a vessel where the complete possession and control of the vessel is transferred to the charterer and he takes both financial and legal responsibility of the vessel (Hoff et al 2010). Salient Features of Time Charter As stated above, a time charter is referred to renting a vessel for a specific time. There are many features of a time charter, some of which are stated as follows:- It is the responsibility of the vessel owner to provide a seaworthy vessel along with an efficient crew and master for the vessel to safety reach its final destination The activity such as loading, packing and discharging of cargo safety is the responsibility of the charterer (Coghlin et al 2014). The charterer has the authority to give the master of the vessel instructions about where and when the cargo needs to be shipped (Lindstad, Asbjrnslett and Strmman 2011). Additional costs like fuel, commission and port cost are to be borne by the charterer. There are two very popular types of time charters namely the Baltime and the New York Product Exchange (NYPE). The first one is considered very favorable for the ship owners while the later one favors charterers. The responsibility of a ship owner in Time Charter Contracts The primary responsibility of a ship owner in Time Charter contracts is proper description of the ship. The said description is required to be detailed. Under the time charter, the charterer take commercial employment of the ship which requires him to have knowledge of the commercial value of the ship, thus, a detailed description of the ship including details of its construction helps the charterer upgrade his knowledge (Weixia and Lindenbaum 2016). The next responsibility of a ship owner under the time charter contracts is of delivery of the ship. Under time charter contracts, sometimes a port is specified for deliver and sometimes an area is mentioned, thus, delivery always does not conclude the way decided and is determined by the charterer on a later date. Thus, if the vessel arrives too early, the charter is not obliged to take delivery till lay day and if it arrives too late, the charterer can cancel the agreement (Branch 2012). Another responsibility of the ship owner under time charter contract is to deliver the ship to the charterer in a good condition and guarantee its seaworthiness. The ship should satisfy the terms of the contract signed between ship owner and the charterer. This responsibility extends to maintain the ship in good condition during voyage. The responsibility of the ship-owner does not extend to always keep the ship free from issues throughout voyage but has the obligation to take quick actions and remedy defects as soon as they are brought to notice. The charterer can sue the ship-owner if the ship is not delivery in every possible way fit for cargo services (Chenya 2011). Under the time charter contract, the ship-owner bears the risk of delays unless the time charter contract has an exemption clause, which can exempt the ship owner if he established that the delay was due to an event mentioned in the exemption clause (Jansson 2012). Off Hire Clause of NYPE-93 Under the time charter clause, the charterer is obliged to bear the risk of delay, which requires the charterer to pay the hire price for all the days the ship is delayed unless the contract has any express term decided on the said matter. Thus, in most time charter contracts a hire-off clause is incorporated which clearly specifies when a charterer is exempted from paying the prices agreed for hiring the vessel (Kamwetu 2013). There are two types of hire-off clauses generally used in time charter contracts namely the net loss of time clause and period clause. The New York Produce Exchange (NYPE) and the Baltime form consist of the net loss of time clause. This clause makes the charterer deduct from the hire he is entitled to pay only if a list of qualifies off-hire events have caused the charterer to suffer some real loss of time in the entire duration of the voyage. Thus, there is no off-hire clause, unless some time is genuinely loss. Thus, the charterer is only permitted to decla re that a ship is off-hire when services offered by the vessel are delayed or interrupted. For example, if ship is loading cargos despite having engine failure, there is no loss of time (Goulielmos and Psifia 2016). The New York Product Exchange (NYPE) 93 is a charter form which is widely used for dry cargo charter under the time charter contracts. The NYPE 93 was issued by the Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (U.S.A) on 6 November 1913. Since its formation, the NYPE 93 form has been amended several times with last amendments on September 1993. The NYPE 93 is highly used in the commercial shipping industry and is recommended by the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) and The Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents (FONASBA) (Grammenos and Papapostolou 2012). The NYPE 93 form is in a form of a contract between the vessel owner and the charterer defining the details of the contract which includes party names, description of the ship, duration and many other terms which are usually incorporated in a shipping cartel contract. One of the important terms of a time charter contract is the Off-Hire clause which is most of the times included in the time charter contract (Baughen 2012). Thus, the off hire clause in the NYPE 93 form protects and favors the charterer exempting him from paying hire charges for any time that is lost due a list of events which are not under the control or with no fault on part of the charterer. Events leading to off-hire and remedies available to a Time Charter The off-hire clause in the NYPE 93 form details out a list of many events that lead to off hire including events that create loss of time due to deficiency, strike or shortage officers, crew or the port, damages arising out of breakdown of fire, machinery or engine. Loss of time also includes time lost due to arrest or detention of the ship excluding arrest or detention which is a result of any fault on part of the charterer or his employees and servants or detention by accidents of vessel or cargo unless they result from an inherent defect in the vessel, its quality and durability, dry-docking or painting bottoms of the vessel which disturbs the entire working of the vessel or for any similar reasons which prohibits the vessel to function its duties and work efficiently. In case of any of occurrence of any of the above mentioned events, the charter is exempted from paying hire rates from the occurrence of any loss of time (Kirkaldy 2012). Conclusion Thus, the time charter contracts are a type of a rental contract which a vessel owner and a charterer enter into for a specific period of time. The responsibilities of the vessel owner and the charterer depend upon the terms of the contract along with the type of charter contract and the type of ship. Thus, under the time charter contracts, an exemption clause called off hire is usually incorporated to protect the interest of the charterer. This off hire clause exempts a charterer from paying hire costs to the ship owner from the moment time is lost during a voyage without ant fault on part of the charterer, his employees and servants. Thus, the off hire clause in the NYPE 93 is highly recommended to serve the best interest of the charterer. Reference List Baughen, S., 2012.Shipping law. Routledge. Branch, A.E., 2012.Economics of shipping practice and management. Springer Science Business Media. Chenya, L., 2011. The Analysis on Off-Hire Clause of the Time Charter.Journal of the Postgraduate of Zhongnan University of Economics and Law,5, p.028. Coghlin, T., Baker, A., Kenny, J., Kimball, J. and Belknap, T., 2014.Time charters. CRC Press. Goulielmos, A.M. and Psifia, M., 2016. Shipping finance: time to follow a new track?.Maritime Policy Management,33(3), pp.301-320. Grammenos, C.T. and Papapostolou, N.C., 2012. US shipping initial public offerings: Do prospectus and market information matter?.Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review,48(1), pp.276-295. Hoff, A., Andersson, H., Christiansen, M., Hasle, G. and Lkketangen, A., 2010. Industrial aspects and literature survey: Fleet composition and routing.Computers Operations Research,37(12), pp.2041-2061. Jansson, J., 2012.Liner shipping economics. Springer Science Business Media. Kamwetu, M., 2013. The Off Hire Clause; a case of Any Other Cause?. Kirkaldy, A.W., 2012.British Shipping, Its History, Organisation and Importance. BoDBooks on Demand. Lindstad, H., Asbjrnslett, B.E. and Strmman, A.H., 2011. Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and cost by shipping at lower speeds.Energy Policy,39(6), pp.3456-3464. Morgan, M., 2013.Have recent off-hire, war risk and piracy clauses improved the position of time charterers by distributing the risk of delay caused by pirate attacks on their time chartered vessels more equitably as between owner and time charterer?(Doctoral dissertation, University of Cape Town). Weixia, G. and Lindenbaum, J.A., 2016. NYPE 93 Arbitration Clause: Where Ends the Open-End, The.J. Mar. L. Com.,37, p.245. Wijnolst, N. and Waals, F., 2011.Shipping industry structure. Delft University Press.

The Catacombs And Christian Persecutions Essays - Catacombs

The Catacombs and Christian Persecutions The Catacombs and Christian Persecutions The catacombs are the ancient underground cemeteries used by the Christians and the Jewish people in Rome. The Christian catacombs began in the second century and the hollowing out continued until the first half of the fifth century. In the beginning they were only burial places, but later they gathered to celebrate their funeral rites, and the anniversaries of the saints and of the dead. During the persecutions the catacombs were used as places of momentary refuge for the celebration of the Eucharist. After the persecutions they became real shrines of the saints and held centuries of relics of Christians from all over the empire. In the first century, the Roman Christians did not have their own cemeteries. If they owned land then they would bury their relatives there, if they didn't they had to bury them in common cemeteries, the Pagans were also buried here. That is why Saint Peter was buried in the great public necropolis (city of the dead) on Vatican Hill, it was available to everybody. Saint Paul was also buried along the Via Ostiense, a section of the catacombs. In the first half of the second century the Christians started burying their dead underground, this is a result of donations. That is how the catacombs were founded. Many of them began and developed around family tombs whose owners, newly converted Christians, did not reserve them to the members of the family. They did open them up to their fellow people, showing the faith. As time went on and room started to run out in the catacombs, the catacombs grew larger by gifts and by the purchase of new properties, sometimes by the Church itself. With the edict of Milan announced by the emperors Constantine and Licinius in February 313, the Christians were no longer persecuted. They were free to practice their faith, to have places of worship, to build churches both inside and outside the city, and to buy plots of land without fear of seizure. Although the Christians had their freedom to worship any religion, the catacombs continued as regular cemeteries until the beginning of the fifth century. This is when the Church returned to burying only above ground or in the basilicas dedicated to important saints. When the barbarians came down to Rome, they completely destroyed a lot of monuments and demolished many places, including the catacombs. Powerless towards the destruction, the Popes ordered to remove the relics of the saints to the city churches, for security reasons. When the transfer of the relics was completed the catacombs were no longer visited. They were totally abandoned, except for the tombs of Saint Sebastian, Saint Lawrence and of Saint Pancratius. Over the course of time, landslides, rock movement, and vegetation hid the entrances to the other catacombs. The very traces of their existence were lost. During the late Middle Ages they didn't even know where they were. The Christian religion developed rapidly in Rome and all over the world past the 1st century. This was because it was original and suitable for all mankind to believe in. It was also due to the testimony of fervour; this was that the Christians expressed brotherly love and charity to everybody. The Roman authorities were at first unconcerned about the new religion, but soon the people showed themselves hostile to the authorities because the Christians refused to worship the ancient pagan deities of Rome, and also the emperor. The Christians were accused of disloyalty to their fatherland, atheism, hatred towards mankind, and also hidden crimes such as incest, infanticide and ritual cannibalism. Because of this they were held responsible for all natural disasters such as plagues, floods, famines, etc. The Christian religion was proclaimed strange and unlawful by most that's why it was outlawed and persecuted. It was considered the most dangerous enemy of Rome. The first three centuries constitute the age of Saints, which ended in 313 with the edict of Milan. At this time the emperors Constantine and Licinius gave freedom to the Church. The persecutions were not always continuous and universal, nor equally cruel and bloody. Periods of persecution were followed by periods of relative peace. Christians faced persecution with courage, a very large percentage with heroism, but they did not submit to it without resistance. They defended themselves with great strength by defeating the accusations of those crimes as being false and groundless and by producing the contents of their faith. Bibliography 1.) Celebrating Sacraments Joseph Stoutzenberger 2.) Church and State in Early Christianity, ca. 30-600 Hugo Rahner Translated by Leo Donald Advise 3.) The Oxford Illustrated History of Christianity John McManners

The Internet Essays - Digital Technology, Media Technology

The Internet Essays - Digital Technology, Media Technology The Internet Science:Computers(:Internet) The Internet - By: Matt Garner The Internet, or net, is a vast network of computers that connects many of the world's businesses, institutions, and individuals. The Internet is composed of many parts, including the World Wide Web, FTP, IRC, Newsgroups, Gopher, WAIS, Archie, and of course Electronic Mail (Email). The Internet is mainly used for communication. Email is the most heavily used resource of the Internet- over 40 million email messages are sent through the Internet a day. The second most used resource, called the World Wide Web, or WWW, consists of pages of words, images, sounds, and video. The Internet is continuing to grow at 40% a year, with about 20 million users, mainly in USA, Canada, and Australia, but still many all over the world. You can do many things on the Internet, such as shop for just about anything, bank and manage money, watch and listen to live cable televison and radio broadcasts, talk to other users with voice like a telephone, conduct international meetings, and access all kinds of information on any subject imaginable. As mentioned earlier, the WWW consists of pages and pages of text, images, sounds, and video. Unlike pages in a book, there is no maximum size for a page, and there is HyperText Links. If you click on any one of these links, the computer will automatically go to the page specified by the link. The WWW is programmed in a computer language called Hyper Text Markup Language, or HTML. Searching the Web can be a difficult thing to do, or if you use a search engine, it can be really easy. Since so many new web pages are added to the Web a day, a very good index is hard to keep, and an alphabetical listing of millions of web pages would be almost impossible to navigate through. To help this problem, people developed search engines that search the Web for you. Some search engines, like Yahoo, search in a big web directory they have made of hundreds of thousands of web pages, that is organized like a phonebook. Other search engines, like Alta Vista, or Magellan, search in a list of Web pages it has created as it surfed the web all by it's self. People usually access the Internet through a computer using a device called a modem. Modems connect people to the net through telephone lines. Some companies, and the "heart" of the Internet, Use Fiber-Optic cables to connect. Fiber-Optic cabled are made of hair-thin strands of glass that carry information at the speed of light as pulses of light. Fiber-Optics are thousands of times faster than standard copper telephone lines. The Internet began in the 1960's. In 1962, the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the United States Department of Defense developed a network of computers called ARPAnet. At first, this network only connected military and government computer systems. The purpose was to make all information safe, so that in disaster or war, if one computer was destroyed, it's information would not be lost. In 1966, the ARPAnet was expanded to include universities and other institutions. One of the first universities to be added was Utah State University. Soon, large companies and corporations were added, too. By 1990, anyone with a computer, a modem, and Internet software could connect to the Internet. There are many things in the future of the net, including video conferencing, online virtual reality worlds, and faster Internet connections.

Life and Work of Leonora Carrington, Activist and Artist

Life and Work of Leonora Carrington, Activist and Artist Leonora Carrington (April 6, 1917–May 25, 2011) was an English artist, novelist, and activist. She was part of the Surrealist movement of the 1930s and, after moving to Mexico City as an adult, became a founding member of Mexicos women’s liberation movement. Fast Facts: Leonora Carrington Known For: Surrealist artist and writerBorn: April 6, 1917 in Clayton Green, Clayton-le-Woods, United KingdomDied: May 25, 2011 in Mexico City, MexicoSpouse(s): Renato Leduc, Emericko WeiszChildren: Gabriel Weisz, Pablo WeiszNotable Quote: I didnt have time to be anyones muse... I was too busy rebelling against my family and learning to be an artist. Early Life Leonora Carrington was born in 1917 in Clayton Green, Chorley, Lancashire, England, to an Irish mother married to a wealthy Irish textile manufacturer. In a family of four children, she was the only daughter, alongside her three brothers. Although she was educated by excellent governesses and sent to good schools, she was expelled from two different schools for rebellious misbehavior. Eventually, Carrington was sent abroad to Florence, Italy, where she studied at Mrs. Penroses Academy of Art. When Carrington was ten, she first encountered Surrealist art in a gallery in Paris, which cemented her desire to pursue a career as an artist. Her father strongly disapproved, but her mother supported her. Although she was presented at court when she came of age, Carrington was mostly disinterested in the niceties of society. Newcomer to the Art World In 1935, Carrington attended the Chelsea School of Art in London for one year, but she then transferred to London’s Ozenfant Academy of Fine Arts (established by the French modernist Amà ©dà ©e Ozenfant), where she spent the next three years studying her craft. Her family was not openly opposed to her artistic pursuits, but by this point, they were not actively encouraging her either. Carringtons greatest champion and patron at this time was Edward James, the noted Surrealist poet and art patron. James bought many of her early paintings. Years later, he still supported her work, and he arranged a show for her work at  Pierre Matisses New York gallery in 1947. Relationship With Max Ernst At an exhibition in London in 1936, Carrington encountered the work of Max Ernst, a German-born Surrealist who was 26 years her senior. Ernst and Carrington met at a London party the following year and quickly became inseparable, both artistically and romantically. When they moved to Paris together, Ernst left his wife and moved in with Carrington, making a home in the south of France. Together, they supported each other’s art and even made works of art, such as quirky animal sculptures, to decorate their shared home. It was during this period that Carrington painted her first clearly Surrealist work, Self-portrait  (also called  The Inn of the Dawn Horse). Carrington depicted herself in dreamy white clothes and with loose hair, with a prancing hyena in front of her a rocking horse flying around behind her. She also painted a portrait of Ernst in a similar style. When World War II began, Ernst (who was German) was immediately treated with hostility in France. He was soon arrested by French authorities as a hostile foreign national and was released only because of interventions of several well-connected French and American friends. Things only got worse when the Nazis invaded France; they arrested Ernst again and accused him of creating â€Å"degenerate† art. Ernst escaped and fled to America with the help of art patron Peggy Guggenheim- but he left Carrington behind. Ernst married Peggy Guggenheim in 1941, and although their marriage soon fell apart, he and Carrington never rekindled their relationship. Institutionalization and Escape Terrified and devastated, Carrington fled Paris and headed to Spain. Her mental and emotional state deteriorated, and ultimately her parents had Carrington institutionalized. Carrington was treated with electroshock therapy and strong drugs. Carrington later wrote about her horrific experiences in the mental institution, which also reportedly included assault, abuse, and unsanitary conditions, in a novel, Down Below. Eventually, Carrington was released to the care of a nurse and moved to Lisbon, Portugal. In Lisbon, Carrington escaped the nurse and sought sanctuary in the Mexican embassy. Renato Leduc, a Mexican ambassador and friend of Pablo Picasso, agreed to help get Carrington out of Europe. The pair entered a marriage of convenience so that her path would be smoother as a diplomat’s wife, and they were able to escape to Mexico. Aside from a few journeys north to the United States, Carrington would spend most of the rest of her life in Mexico. Art and Activism in Mexico Carrington and Leduc divorced quickly and quietly in 1943. Over the next couple of decades, Carrington spent time in New York City as well as in Mexico, interacting with the art world at large. Her work was unusual among the Surrealist community in that she did not use the works of Freud as a major influence. Instead, she utilized magical realism and the idea of alchemy, often drawing on her own life for inspiration and symbolism. Carrington also went against the grain with regards to the Surrealists’ approach to female sexuality: she painted as she experienced the world as a woman, rather than the male-gaze filtered depictions of many of her counterparts. In the 1970s, Leonora became a voice for the women’s liberation movement in Mexico City. She designed a poster, called Mujeres conciencia, for their movement. In many ways, her art tackled concepts of gender identity and feminism, making her an ideal fit to work with their cause. Her focus was psychological freedom, but her work was primarily towards political freedom for women (as a means to this ultimate goal); she also believed in creating cooperative efforts between the movements in North America and Mexico. While Carrington was living in Mexico, she met and married the Hungarian-born photographer Emerico Weisz. The couple had two sons: Gabriel and Pablo, the latter of whom followed in his mother’s footsteps as a Surrealist artist. Death and Legacy Carringtons husband Emerico Weisz died in 2007. She survived him by about four years. After a battle with pneumonia, Carrington died in Mexico City on May 25, 2011, aged 94. Her work continues to be shown at exhibitions across the world, from Mexico to New York to her native Britain. In 2013, Carringtons work had a major retrospective at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin, and in 2015, a Google Doodle commemorated what would have been her 98th birthday. By the time of her death, Leonora Carrington was one of the last-surviving Surrealist artists, and undoubtedly one of the most unique. Sources Aberth, Susan. Leonora Carrington: Surrealism, Alchemy and Art. Lund Humphries, 2010.Blumberg, Naomi. â€Å"Leonora Carrington: English-Born Mexican Painter and Sculptor.† Encyclopaedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leonora-Carrington.â€Å"Leonora Carrington.† National Museum of Women in the Arts, https://nmwa.org/explore/artist-profiles/leonora-carrington.

Market Research and Analysis Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Market and Analysis - Research Proposal Example The paper will define the threats and opportunities within the company through the service quality that is offered. These will be combined with different components which can be used to assist with the growth and development of the company. Through this research, it was defined that restructuring the organizational environment to fit the needs of consumers in different regions will help to set the company apart from the continuously changing trends while allowing the company to continue to grow into a different level of recognition within the community. The competition that is within the oil, gas and petroleum market is one which continue to fluctuate according to the needs of consumers and the approach which is taken with those who are demanding different formats for the gas that is consumed. A gas station that is known in the UK for carrying a specific reputation among consumers is Tesco. Tesco gas stations in the UK are known for the main mission of the company, which is based on offering convenience of gas at a lower price. This is combined with the smaller convenience stores that are inside of the station and which have created a different approach to the gas that is offered. The approach which Tesco is using is based on having diverse payment alternatives, such as using fuel and club cards and saving objectives that are available for the petrol. This is combined with concepts such as premium petrol and other alternatives to offer different forms of quality with the gas that is available (Tesco, 2011). Despite the main components of Tesco, there is a sense of difficulty with remaining ahead because of the service quality that is provided by the company. Even though Tesco is able to provide competitive prices and convenience stores, there is a question of the service quality on a variety of levels. This is based on the level of

Riordan Corporate Compliance Plan Research Paper

Riordan Corporate Compliance Plan - Research Paper Example The company has grown in operation and thus, its growth comes with many risks and liabilities (eCampus, 2005). This is because with the expansion, it will increase its capital base, resource base, and customer base. Location in different regions around the world such as China also implies that the company will be faced with different international rules and regulations that it will have to comply with. Therefore, with all these risks, the company requires a concrete risk management plan that can be used to ensure that any perils and hazards facing the employees and management of the organization are well handled. Risk management in the organization will require involvement of a number of persons in the organization (Hopkin,  2010). This implies that the internal environment of the organization will have to be keenly assessed in order to identify the major areas that can lead to risks in the company (COSO, 2004). The objects that have been set in the company will also be keenly asse d in order to identify ways in which the risks might lead to failure of achieving the set objectives. In addition, both internal and external events that might lead to occurrence of the risks in the company will also have to be identified. Once such events have been identified, the risks will then be assessed and analyzed. Policies and control actions will also be identified in order to find the effective risk responses. Information will also be very important in the risk management plan. This is because; information will be used to learn more about the risks and ways of managing them. On the other hand, information has to be accompanied by communication. Once the relevant information about the risks has been identified, it has to be effectively communicated to the rest of the employees. In addition, Riordan Manufacturing will have to establish clear communication in order to ensure effective risk management (COSO, 2004). For instance, in the case of enterprise liability, the compan y has to ensure effective relationships with the community, in order to ensure that it minimizes its liability. After effective communication has been identified, the company will then have to monitor different sections of its operation that will require change or modification in order to ensure proper risk management (COSO, 2004). Enterprise Liability Enterprise liability refers to the responsibility that the organization has to its actions towards the public. The enterprise liability of Riordan Company involves many individuals such as the authorities responsible, the society, the employees and the management of the organization. Riordan Manufacturing is liable for a number of issues resulting from its operations (eCampus, 2005). For instance, the company is liable for any kind of pollution that it causes to the public. Since Riordan Manufacturing is a Company dealing with plastics, it might cause pollution to the environment through the gases that it emits. Therefore, this might cause a risk to the company’s operations since; higher authorities dealing with environmental conservation could sue the company. This is a risk that can only be managed by ensuring that the management of the organization communicates to the employees effectively about applying the right production methods. Employees in the company could also be trained on how to recycle waste products produced by the company (Hopkin,

Solution of Ms-95 Assignment Dec 2011 Essay Example for Free

Solution of Ms-95 Assignment Dec 2011 Essay Course Title:Research Methodology for Management Decisions Assignment Code:MS-95/SEM II /2011 Coverage:All Blocks Note : Answer all the questions and submit this assignment on or before 31st October 2011, to the coordinator of your study center. 1. Under the circumstances stratified random sampling design is considered appropriate? How would you select such sample? Explain by means of an example. 2. â€Å"Experimental method of research is not suitable in management field. † Discuss, what are the problems in the introduction of this research design in business organisation? 3. What is the meaning of measurement in research? What difference does it make whether we measure in terms of a nominal, ordinal, interval or ratio scale? 4. â€Å"Interpretation is a fundamental component of research Process†. Explain. Why so? Describe the precautions that the researcher should take while interpreting his findings. 5. Write shot notes on a) Criterion of good research. b) Dependent and Independent variable. c) Casestudy method. d) Components of a Research Problem. 1. Under the circumstances stratified random sampling design is considered appropriate? How would you select such sample? Explain by means of an example. Stratified sampling is commonly used probability method that is superior to random sampling because it reduces sampling error. A stratum is a subset of the population that share at least one common characteristic. Examples of stratums might be males and females, or managers and non-managers. The researcher first identifies the relevant stratums and their actual representation in the population. Random sampling is then used to select a sufficient number of subjects from each stratum. Sufficient refers to a sample size large enough for us to be reasonably confident that the stratum represents the population. Stratified sampling is often used when one or more of the stratums in the population have a low incidence relative to the other stratums. Stratified sampling strategies Proportionate allocation uses a sampling fraction in each of the strata that is proportional to that of the total population. If the population consists of 60% in the male stratum and 40% in the female stratum, then the relative size of the two samples (three males, two females) should reflect this proportion. Optimum allocation (or Disproportionate allocation) Each stratum is proportionate to the standard deviation of the distribution of the variable. Larger samples are taken in the strata with the greatest variability to generate the least possible sampling variance. A real-world example of using stratified sampling would be for a US political survey. If we wanted the respondents to reflect the diversity of the population of the United States, the researcher would specifically seek to include participants of various minority groups such as race or religion, based on their proportionality to the total population as mentioned above. A stratified survey could thus claim to be more representative of the US population than a survey of simple random sampling or systematic sampling. Similarly, if population density varies greatly within a region, stratified sampling will ensure that estimates can be made with equal accuracy in different parts of the region, and that comparisons of sub-regions can be made with equal statistical power. For example, in Ontario a survey taken throughout the province might use a larger sampling fraction in the less populated north, since the disparity in population between north and south is so great that a sampling fraction based on the provincial sample as a whole might result in the collection of only a handful of data from the north. Randomized stratification can also be used to improve population representativeness in a study. Advantages over other sampling methods †¢   Ã‚  focuses on important subpopulations and ignores irrelevant ones †¢   Ã‚  improves the accuracy of estimation †¢   Ã‚  efficient †¢   Ã‚  sampling equal numbers from strata varying widely in size may be used to equate the   Ã‚  statistical   power   of tests of differences between strata. Disadvantages †¢   Ã‚  can be difficult to select relevant stratification variables †¢   Ã‚  not useful when there are no homogeneous subgroups   Ã‚  can be expensive †¢   Ã‚  requires accurate information about the population, or introduces   Ã‚  bias. †¢   Ã‚  looks randomly within specific sub headings. =========================== There may often be factors which divide up the population into sub-populations (groups / strata) and we may expect the measurement of interest to vary among the di fferent sub-populations. This has to be accounted for when we select a sample from the population in order that we obtain a sample that is representative of the population. This is achieved by stratified sampling. A stratified sample is obtained by taking samples from each stratum or sub-group of a population. When we sample a population with several strata, we generally require that the proportion of each stratum in the sample should be the same as in the population. Stratified sampling techniques are generally used when the population is heterogeneous, or dissimilar, where certain homogeneous, or similar, sub-populations can be isolated (strata). Simple random sampling is most appropriate when the entire population from which the sample is taken is homogeneous.

The Human Need for Love in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Essay -- Franke

The Human Need for Love Exposed in Frankenstein    Written in 1817 by Mary Shelley, Frankenstein is a novel about the "modern Prometheus", the Roman Titian who stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. The story takes place in several European countries during the late 1700's. It is the recollection of Victor Frankenstein to a ship captain about his life. Victor is a student of science and medicine who discovers a way to reanimate dead flesh. In a desire to create the perfect race he constructs a man more powerful than any normal human, but the creation is so deformed and hideous that Victor shuns it. The creation then spends a year wandering searching for companionship, but everywhere he goes he is shunned and feared. Hating life the creature turns its misery on its creator, killing off Victors family. Frankenstein chases the monster to the North Pole, in an attempt to kill it. Weakened by the cold and long chase, a dying Victor is taken aboard a ship, where he relates his tale to the captain and dies soon after. The next night the monster visits the ship and looks upon Victor's body, ashamed by all of the killing he has done the monster flees into the Arctic Ocean, never to be seen again. Frankenstein appears to be a novel about the evil ways of man, but it is truly about the human soul and how it needs friendship and love to survive. This theme is apparent from the opening letters from the ship captain to his sister in which the captain writes, "I have but one want which I have never yet been able to satisfy ... I have no friend" (Shelley 7). The captain is about to embark on his life's dream of sailing to the North Pole; he has a good crew and a fine ship but still wants a friend to share the excitement with. ... ...nd misery, because he killed all that he loved. It is at this moment that he realizes that he doesn't hate Frankenstein but actually loved him like a father, but was so consumed by self loathing and hate that he killed all he loved. With this passing thought the monster leaps from the ship into the ice filled sea, and is never seen again. At first it is seen as a story about man and the evils he can do, yet Frankenstein is actually about the friendship of the soul. Without this basic need the body either withers away and dies or turns to another source, like murder or drink, to fill the hole. Both fatalities can be seen in the story, with Victor's friendship and the monster's anger. Neither one fills the gap in their soul, but eventually consumes them until they die. Work Cited Shelley, Mary W. Frankenstein. Great Britain: J.M Dent & Sons LTD. 1959.

Black Family Essay

Visual media†¦ â€Å"The Coconuts† series on Afrotainment†¦ (South Africa)†¦Giving Blacks a false sense of who they’re meant to be. H. Games†¦video†¦board games†¦Quiet blacks with games, video, board games and try to impose responsibilities and the idea of working hard after given them all the freedom. I. Memory replacement†¦ when whites lift Blacks’ memories and replace them with a white identity. II. A. Black African†¦ A term that was/is seen as offensive, and characterized by grim or grotesque satire B. Dictionary definitions†¦ something bad, dirty, soiled, sinister, evil, etc†¦ C. Evidence of negative identity†¦ if you don’t speak of your race you will be fully accepted in the white world. D. Definition of â€Å"beauty†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ It’s all dependent on what the media/culture portrays as beauty. E. Silence towards Black identity†¦renders rewards†¦ rewarding by white community because you’re being submissive and the silence is shown as a symbol of equality. F. Current â€Å"New Face of Africa† series on Afrotainment†¦ Halle Berry, Tyra Banks Mr. Valerie, L. C Bolanga, Tofjne G. Self-mutilation†¦bleaching†¦ tattoos†¦ Blacks are the highest consumers who use these products in order to mold themselves into what the media portrays as beautiful. H. Kenneth Clark’s â€Å"doll test†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Black children were shown black and white dolls and asked a series of question pertaining to images. They picked the white dolls to describe pretty, smart, and the one they liked most. I. â€Å"Africans in Denial Syndrome†¦class discussion by Dr. King†¦ Africans denying their origins. J. African Symbols†¦ Kojo- Heavenly and all knowing. K. Corruption in and outside of Africa†¦ Foreign countries passing laws banning cultural habits in societies. L. African adornment†¦Kenyan Parliament†¦ No longer allowed to wear their attire. M. Devaluing â€Å"Culture†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Not recognizing African culture because most blacks don’t even identify themselves as Africans. N. Assimilation versus Absorption†¦Assimilation involves the integration of people’s identity into a different culture whereas absorption refers to taking in the culture and doing as those in the different culture do while retaining your own identity/culture. O. Pan-Africanism†¦ is the highest form of resistance to slavery. P. The â€Å"best† of what it means to be an African†¦is being the descendants of kings and queen. III.

Development of Egyptian Pyramids from Sumerian Ziggurats Essay

The Egyptian pyramid structures represent a great range of civilization techniques that have been used in various other parts such as in Rome and Greece. This is despite the fact that the eventual architectural construction of pyramids in Egypt took place in slow transitional steps during the 3rd transition to a unique Egyptian character and permanency in the 4th dynasty although the â€Å"idea was brought to Egypt by the Mesopotamians† (Isler 90). The original idea came from the structures of the Ziggurats that are of various sizes and whose bases range from 20 meters on the side and 90 meters on a side. They are usually very high temples built on a platform of adobe brick with a series of platforms that create a stepped pyramid. They are therefore of major importance as they are mainly used for city planning and are dedicated to the god or goddess of the city’s patron. This is a major form of civilization which was introduced in Mesopotamia through the epic journey of Gilgamesh in 2700 B. C who later built the city of Uruk (Hooker par. 3-6). His account which was inscribed in some of the oldest and earliest tablets existed before those provided on the pyramid texts. Since the structure of ziggurats does not have a specific definition, the staged towers which possess consciously constructed stages are generally referred to as ziggurats. They are mainly found in the area of Mesopotamia. The siak ziggurat dates back to 5500 B. C although it is not yet clear what was anciently used to classify structures as ziggurats. Most temples on accumulated ruins were the original staged towers even though the stages which were made of accumulated ruins were not constructed for the tower. Hence the structures are only referred to as ziggurats when the stages are constructed and modeled after the piled up ruins. Some of their functions arise since they were built as a representation of mountain to offer protection for the temple against floods, and religiously they appear in the form of unity since they form a place where the gods dwell. There are a number of evidences that the Egyptian pyramids borrowed their building techniques from the Sumerian ziggurats. For instance, the ziggurats â€Å"and typically the elamite ziggurat exhibit a striking resemblance â€Å"(Isler, 32) and are similar in shape to the early Egyptian pyramids most especially the step pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara except that they do not â€Å"possess a sanctuary at its apex and had a system of internal tunnels and chambers† (World Mysteries par. 3) . In addition, they date some years later than the earliest ziggurats as the great pyramid dates back to around 2500 B. C. The architectural forms of the pyramid began as a simple mastaba which was built in several stages. This step pyramid is a product of the â€Å"Egyptian third dynasty which was simultaneous with the early dynastic period in Mesopotamia† (Walton par. 1-5). However, they are built by use of mud bricks, a technique developed in Palastine in the Neolithic period and not in Mesopotamia. The civilization in Egypt which is accompanied by the technique of building pyramid tombs is a sign of concern about death and the search for immortality. This is because they were worried about the nature of death and the hope for survival after death, a factor realised by Gilgamesh when he discovers â€Å"the fateful truth that death awaits every person† (Smart 201-203). Works Cited Hooker, R. Gilgamesh. 6 June 1999. 24 August 2010 . Isler, M. â€Å"Sticks, stones, and shadows: building the Egyptian pyramids. † USA, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 2001. 32-90. John H. Walton. Is there archaeological evidence of the Tower of Babel? 2001. 24 August 2010 . par. 1-5 Smart, N. â€Å"The World’s Religions, 2nd Ed. † USA: Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998. 201-203. World Mysteries. The Age of the Great Pyramid. 2009. 24 August 2010 .

The Chrysalids by Thomas M. Wagner Essay Example

The Chrysalids by Thomas M. Wagner Essay Example The Chrysalids by Thomas M. Wagner Paper The Chrysalids by Thomas M. Wagner Paper The Review of â€Å"The Chrysalids†, written by Thomas M. Wagner in the year 2004, explores the elements of the book that made it a memorable reading experience, while also discussing the points that rendered the book’s focal issues moot. Wagner compliments Wyndham’s use of his book to explore the themes of xenophobia, intolerance and bigotry that were prominent in society during the period, but criticizes the climax, involving the Sealander Lady and her justification for her actions during the rescue. The piece involves strengths surrounding Wagner’s use of informal language, his focus on critical themes explored throughout the text, and his discussion of the flawed survival of the fittest trope. The article is not without its weaknesses, failing to deliver topic sentences throughout, and introducing a new point in the concluding paragraph. Informal language tends to be used in situations where writers want to bring across their points in a succinct manner, without complicating the information being delivered. Wagner’s use of informal language is prominent throughout the article, bringing across a particular tone that is used to highlight his view of the piece’s climax. Examples of informal language being used can be found in paragraph 9, ‘So far, so good’ and paragraph 14, ‘I almost needed a crane to hoist my jaw from the floor’. Both examples bring across a more personal tone, and link the writer to the target readers more directly. Because of Wagner’s use of a thesis statement in his introductory paragraph, there was provision of information on the strengths and weaknesses that were present in the text. This thesis statement provides readers with knowledge of what is to be expected. He discusses the themes with the text, that focused on the issues of xenophobia, intolerance and bigotry that were heavily prominent during the period when the text was written. He draws a comparison between the book and the Nazi Par

8 steps to managing your time effectively as an admin assistant

8 steps to managing your time effectively as an admin assistant If you’re an administrative assistant, chances are good that youre supposed to rock at everything related to time management.  This vital job skill might not come naturally to you, but it is something you can learn (and become great at) over time. Even if youre on top of things, it’s always possible to streamline even more.Here are 8 strategies for how to manage your time effectively (or even more effectively) while on the job.1. Stop procrastinating.Getting a sense of just how much you procrastinate is often a good motivator to beat this common habit once and for all. Put a little tick mark or X next to a task on your to-do list for every time you think about doing it, but then put it off for later. Start noticing how many tick marks pile up. Pretty crazy, right? Wouldnt it take a lot less of your mental energy just to get something done? Then, you could cross it off and move on!Tackle your tasks promptly. Handle each email or piece of paper only once, and then get i t off your desk. It’s not doing anyone any good just sitting there.2. Keep your inbox clean.Letting emails and snail mail pile up in your inboxes is the kiss of death. Learn how to quickly process information, synthesize it, and turn it into action. When you get a message of any sort, deal with it then. Sort your emails into file folders, leaving only the actionable items. Then breeze through those until you’ve got a blank slate.3. Don’t try to multitask.Unless youre a whiz at doing lots at once, multitasking often ends up meaning you don’t do any tasks. Tackling a lot of little things will decrease your productivity, no matter how good you are at splitting your focus. Practice mindfulness at work. Take it one task at a time. Go a little slower, and you’ll find your productivity and quality of output both increase. Dare to work slowly- if you do it right the first time, you’ll save time overall.4. Eliminate interruptions.Of course, youll get interrupted throughout the course of a day. Just don’t let each one derail you. Keep interactions short, and don’t put down your pen or change your body language to answer questions. Keep coworkers from lingering for a chat. Be friendly, but dismissive when you’re really in the zone.5. Cultivate efficiency.Don’t make extra work for yourself, and take unnecessary steps. Organize tasks in like bunches–for example, aim to make two trips to the copier per day instead of twelve. Plan your errands to maximize efficiency.6. Set a schedule.Set times for each day where you will check your email, then turn off your notifications- except for things marked urgent. You don’t have to read each one the second it comes in. As long as you’re checking multiple times a day- say for five minutes every hour, or ten minutes every two or three hours- you’re not going to miss anything crucial. (And see step 2: when you do take the time to read messag es, deal with them then and there!)7. Prioritize in order of importance.Always manage your workday so you’re dispatching the most important things first. Log an hour first thing (perhaps even before that first cup of office coffee and that first email check) on your most important project. Even if you can’t get that task done in that hour, you’ll have made serious progress and will be more likely to get back to it and complete it that day.8. Organize the spaces around you.Keep your desk clear of clutter. Keep your web addresses sorted alphabetically, and by category. Keep your to-do list lean and mean by revamping it every afternoon before you leave. If all elements around you are neat, clean, and orderly, its much easier to be efficient. Time spent looking for things is time better spent on completing tasks!

Theories explaining homelessness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Theories explaining homelessness - Essay Example In this paper the issue of homelessness will be discussed thoroughly by having a look at national homelessness factsheets with an emphasis on sociological theories to help understand the reasons of this social problem. Homelessness is a condition caused by numerous factors that affect people of various demographics in the United States. Among the most affected groups are African-American and White people, especially single men and children aged between 5 to18 years are seriously affected by this condition. Also, there are groups of people who are victims of domestic violence such as women who leave their homes to get rid of violence. Among the homeless people, there are mentally ill individuals and drug addicts as well, who do not have accommodation facilities. The main reason of homelessness is poverty and unemployment, offering people little opportunities to earn and pay for their housing facilities. However, there are other reasons as well such as domestic violence, mental illness, drug addiction, lack of affordable residence and little public assistance. According to a study, 10% of homeless people are suffering from mental disorders (Drake, Osher & Wallach, 1991). There is need to take certai n steps, for instance, controlling mental illnesses and addiction, poverty and unemployment and violence by providing healthcare, psychological and financial assistance to people in need in order to deal with this issue. Classical sociological theorists Emile Durkheim and Max Weber had given their views on society and its issues decades ago in the form of grand sociological theories. Durkheim gave a concept of anomie, a state of being normal in a society that could be applied to the social problem of homelessness that America is facing today. According to him social problems enter in a society when it lacks moral unity and norms and values are unable to create

Development of Reproductive system in Fetus; Genetic, endocrine and Research Proposal

Development of Reproductive system in Fetus; Genetic, endocrine and environmental factors - Research Proposal Example The primordial germ cells migrate to these ridges from the primitive yolk sac at this stage (Bullough and Bullough, 185). During the sixth week of gestation period the gonads begin to develop into testes in case of male fetus or transform into ovaries after waiting for some more weeks in case of female fetus (Bullough and Bullough, 185). This development of fetus reproductive system either to form testes or to form ovaries is controlled by the genetic factors established during fertilization. If the cells of the embryonic body contain the TDF gene usually carried by Y chromosome then the gonadal ridges form the seminiferous tubules and related ducts which later develop to secrete testosterone for the development of male reproductive system. In the absence of TDF genes the gonads wait until the twelfth week to begin to develop into female reproductive organs. This inherent tendency of growing into female reproductive system is known as Eve plan (Bullough and Bullough, 185). The primitive eggs present in the female fetus begin meiosis until they reach the â€Å"prophase arrest stage† and remain inactive until puberty. With the development of permanent kidneys the ovaries or testes come out of the thoracic abdominal cavity and take their final position in the pelvic cavity (Bullough and Bullough, 185). The fetal growth is a process controlled by several factors including genetic makeup of the fetus, the success of the implantation process, the availability of nutrients and oxygen to the fetus, hypoxia, cigarette smoking, infection, maternal nutrition, and a variety of growth factors, cytokines, and proteins of maternal and fetal or placental origin (Giudice, 307). Among the genetic factors IGF gene is also found to have considerable importance in fetal growth. Studies on human fetus showed that the natural deletion of exon 4 and 5 from IGF-I gene can cause huge restrictions in the physical and mental development

Literary Response #4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Literary Response #4 - Essay Example As the poem develops the speaker’s emotional state takes on a more somber and forlorn tone. Millay writes, â€Å"but the rain/ Is full of ghosts tonight, that tap and sigh/ Upon the glass and listen for reply;/ And in my heart there stirs a quiet pain/ For unremembered lads that not again/ Will turn to me at midnight with a cry† (Millay, 3-8). In these lines Millay uses the image of the ghosts in the rain to symbolize the speaker’s past lovers. One can envision the speaker looking out at the rain and attempting to recollect these past individuals. Upon realizing that the speaker will never again share a moment of love and intimacy with these past lovers the speaker’s emotional state is punctuated by a quiet pain. The image of the rain as the ghosts of past lovers is highly effective as rain has an immediate visceral effect of creating the emotion of sadness and slight depression; when coupled with the image of past lovers that the speaker will never again be able to spend time with, it is not difficult for the viewer to not only understand, but also feel this somber emotional state. As the poem advances and ultimately concludes the speaker’s emotional state is explored in greater depth, with more complex images. Millay writes, â€Å"Thus in the winter stands a lonely tree,/ Nor knows what birds have vanished one by one,/ Yet know its boughs more silent than before:/ I cannot say what loves have come and gone;/ I only know that summer sang in me/ A little while, that in me sings no more† (Millay 9-14). In referring to the lonely tree, the speaker is actually referencing herself. The image of winter conveys both the passage of time, as well the coldness that accompanies the speaker’s loneliness. While previously the speaker’s emotional state was perceived as slightly somber, this image of winter is starkly dark and despondent. This despondency is advanced in the following image of birds that once frequented the tree

Paper On Elements Of Satire In Gullivers Travels

Paper On Elements Of Satire In Gullivers Travels Satire can be used in many different forms for writers to express themselves. Satire is used by writers in all types of literature to communicate with their readers. More importantly satire allows writers to send their readers messages in a very indirect way. This means writers can express themselves without being prosecuted. This makes satire an incredibly powerful tool because it allows writers to expose corruption, oppression, and lies that many people end up believing. Gulliver first goes to the island of Lilliput where he is shipwrecked and wakes up tied down to the ground. Hes been tied down by the tiny natives called Lilliputians. The Lilliputians are an extremely petty people which would put people to death for fraud or ingratitude. They are also an extremely corrupt society, for example they use rope dancing as a way to get and hold public office. With Lilliputians, Gulliver has to watch his back and take into consideration that they may be plotting against them. The Lilliputians pettiness can clearly be seen in their argument over the correct end of an egg to break with Big-Endians who actually protest to the death against the emperors order that all shall break the egg at its small end. The Lilliputians are also at war with the Blefuscudians and the emperor tells Gulliver to intervene in order to end the war. He does, but the emperor then tells him to destroy all their ships so that they can enslave the Blefuscudians. Gulliver refuses and hi s luck with the Lilliputians starts taking a turn for the worst. A fire breaks out one night and Gulliver puts it out by peeing on it. This incident combined with rumors that he hit on the emperors wife and that he was a traitor in leagues with the Blefuscudians get the emperor to turn on him. The emperor plans to have Gulliver blinded, however Gulliver finds out and escapes. Eventually Gulliver gets home to have another adventure later on. These little people represent much more than just some imaginary characters created by Swift. They are actually a representation of the bureaucracy and political polices OF Swifts time. Swift is pointing out how petty and corrupt those in power actually are. Swift uses their size as a metaphor to show how small politicians are morally. He is trying to show how pathetic, greedy, and self-centered their deeds are. By showing how they plot behind closed doors in secret hes also criticizing the political system which allows politicians to do that and make pacts that are in their best interest instead of the peoples. In addition, he also exposes the coldness of politics, like the coldness of the proposer in A Modest Proposal. The emperor had no problem killing and enslaving a city of people. Swift is merely showing that is also happens in real life through satire. Next Gulliver travels to Brobdingnag where he finds that giants are the natives of this land. Gulliver is found by a farmer and stays with him until the queen of the country buys Gulliver from him and gives Gulliver to the king as a present. Gulliver spends time with the royal family learning their language and their culture. Gulliver also has several incidents while in this country that start giving him a negative attitude of the country. One day Gulliver tells the king about Englands history, however the king is disgusted with Gullivers account of Englands history. According to DeGategno the enlightened King responds to Gullivers description of European hypocrisy, avarice, and hatred, and memorably declares the bulk of your natives, to be the most pernicious race of little odious vermin that nature ever suffered to crawl upon the surface of the earth (DeGategno). Gulliver doesnt like the kings reaction and starts thinking he might be reacting like that because he is less educated than him. Gulliver tries to repair his image with the king by telling him about gunpowder and how England uses it to solve conflicts and win wars. However, this completely backfires on Gulliver instead of being intrigued the king is disguised with this violence. He says that he is amazed that such an impotent and groveling insect as Gulliver could entertain such inhuman ideas and threatens Gulliver with death if he ever mentions gunpowder again. After this Gulliver doesnt try to change the kings mind about how he feels about England. However, he does start to look down on aspects of the Brobdingnagian society such as their education, laws, books, language, and military. He concludes that their education, law, and society as a whole is inferior to that of England. Eventually Gulliver starts becoming home sick and wishes to be around people that are as smart as he is. Luckily for him one day a bird picks up the box that he is carried in and drops it in the sea. Though Gulliver almost drowns he does manage to escape and is eventually rescued by some sailors. The sailors take him back home. However, Gulliver doesnt stay in England for too long in fact in another couple days Gulliver sets sail again and goes on another adventure. Brobdingnag was the exact opposite of Lilliput. In Lilliput Gulliver is surround by evil, but in Brobdingnag he is evil. This can be seen by the kings reaction tp Gullivers description of European history and how Gullivers feelings change during his stay. Gulliver starts looking down on Brobdingnagians in a way thats almost Lilliputian. It seems that he doesnt like being criticized and adding that he already feels inferior to Brobdingnagians due to their size differences he starts protecting his esteem; so he strikes back like a Lilliputian. This is yet another way Swift is using satire to communicate with the reader. Swift doesnt just use the characters that Gulliver meets, but every tool he has available. I believe DeGategnos word are very relevant to this when he says that Swift seeks nothing less than his readers participation in a thoroughgoing physical, intellectual, political, and moral analysis of mankinds condition (DeGategno). After setting sail, as a surgeon, Gullivers ship is captured by pirates, however they let Gulliver go in a small canoe and eventually he ends up in Laputa, which is actually an island that floats in the sky. Laputa is very different from Brobdingnag and Lilliput in that there are many different types of people. Brobdingnag had giants and Lilliput had tiny people and each had their own lesson, yet Laputa is filled with different types of people and has several different lessons. I cant help but believe that Swift named the first city that Gulliver travels to Laputa as a way to describe the events that were to come. I say this because in Spanish Laputa actually means the bitch. Gulliver sees that the inhabitants of Laputa are a very strange people. Since they are constantly thinking about math and music they actually have servants called Flappers that remind them when to listen and when to talk. They also constantly worry about things like the sun dropping out of the sky. This causes many women in Laputa to commit adultery since most of their husbands are lost in their own thoughts. Gulliver then travels to Lagado where he meets Lord Munodi who acts as a guide for him. Munodi takes Gulliver to go see the Academy of Lagado where he meets a group of professors that are involved with some extremely ridiculous experiments. Gulliver sees that theyre trying to extract sunbeams from cucumbers, turn human excrement back into its original food, transform ice into gunpowder, and build houses from the roof down. Three professors were developing a strategy for improving the language of their country by eliminating all words except nouns or eliminating all words and having people carry around all the objects they need to express themselves. Another professor which is responsible for public affairs tries to cure diseases and corruptions of public officials with the same prescriptions used for curing diseases of the body. The same professor also says that citizens should inflict physical pain upon public officials until what they want is granted or absolutely refused. The professor goes on to say that Senators should vote the exact opposite of their opinion since it would be in the publics best interest. Lastly he says that if political parties cant come to an agreement they should take a hundred leaders of each party, cut their brains in half, and have all the leaders trade one half with one of their opponents. His rationale for this plan is that when the two half-brains are left to debate the matter between themselves in the same head theyll eventually reach an agreement. Gulliver actually has a positive reaction to the professors proposals and seems to think they may be able to actually work. Though, he may just want t o see the politicians killed off. After visiting the academy Gulliver starts wanting get back to England and go back home, so he goes to Maldonada in order to find passage to Luggangg from which he can get to Japan and finally back to England. He discovers that no ships will set sail to Luggangg for a month, so Gulliver decides to visit an island thats close by named Glubbdubdrib. The inhabitants of Glubbdubdrib are sorcerers, and their Governor is capable of calling spirits back from the dead. Once he arrives Gulliver decides to ask the Governor to summon ancients who were most renowned for being intellectuals. He first meets Homer and Aristotle and all of their commentators. He discovers that in the underworld, these modern commentators avoid the ancient philosophers because of the shame they feel at having so grossly misrepresented their work. Gulliver also has Descartes and Gassendi brought back to life to explain their principal theories to Aristotle. However, Aristotle isnt impressed; he dismisses their theories and actually compares them to being like fads in fashion. It seems that as the scholars become more recent the less intellectual they actually are. Gulliver concludes that the world has been misled by histori ans who give qualities such as bravery, virtue, piety, and honor to those who were only cowards and scoundrels. Afterwards, Gulliver returns to Maldonada and leaves to Luggnagg. Once Gulliver arrives at Luggnagg he is detained by a custom-house officer because he is a stranger. Gulliver is then transported to Traldragdubb where he visits the King of Luggnagg. When he arrives in the throne room, he has to crawl on his belly and lick the floor as he goes until he comes within four yards of the throne, then he raises himself up on his knees and bangs his forehead on the ground several times. This is how Luggnaggians approach their king. The king is kind to Gulliver and gives him housing, gold, and a pass to Japan. Before Gulliver leaves he hears about a group of people called Struldbrugs who are immortal. Clear, Swift is criticizing social codes imposed by royalty. Gulliver then decides to learn more about these people and pay them a visit. Gulliver imagined that the Struldbrugs lived a wonderful life where they never grew old, however he could not have been more wrong. The Struldbrugs actual do age, they just dont die. This turns out to be a nightmare for the Struldbrugs because once they pass the age of eighty they basically live in absolute misery. The Struldbrugs are hated by society and are denied the deaths they so badly want as their bodies and minds continue to age and decay. When Gulliver finally meets some Struldbrugs he is disgusted by them and completely changes his mind about how he felt about immortality. Afterwards, Gulliver returns to Luggnagg and from there goes to Japan. From Japan Gulliver eventually makes his way home to England where he is reunited with his family. The adventure to Laputa, Lagado, Glubbdubdrib, and Luggnagg has a couple different lessons that Swift is telling the reader. The first one in Laputa, he is criticizing people like Pangloss in Candide. In Laputa they rely solely on reasoning to the point that their reasoning is corrupted and has no reason at all. According to Brackett, Swift satirizes the Royal Academy in a depiction of an academy at nearby Lagado where members attempt absurd acts (Brackett). I believe that it is also criticizing peoples reliance on technology. I also think this point may be more relevant today that it was during Swifts time. The sorcerers are used to show how backward humanity is becoming. All of the scholars of the ancient were actual intellectuals, however the most recent ones were simply people who got lucky and become famous in history; they didnt possess any superior intellect. Swift also makes it a point to say that people recorded in recent history many times are not what they seem. Getting re corded in history seems to be more like survival of the fittest than who actually deserves it. Finally, the Struldbrugs are to teach people that immortality is not all that its cracked up to be, eventually everyone would get tired of life and would want to rest in peace. After being home for five months Gulliver embarks on another adventure as a captain of a ship. To no surprise the trip is plagued by tragedies. First his crewmen start dying of distemper and when he hires men to replace them they mutiny against him. The crew then leaves Gulliver on a longboat near a beach. Gulliver lands on the beach and starts exploring the land in hope of finding some people. He finally finds some creatures that he has never seen before. After watching them for a bit Gulliver believes that these are the most disgusting creatures hes ever seen. One of the creatures, which are called Yahoos, approaches Gulliver and he hits it away from him. This causes the Yahoo to yell which attracts more Yahoos. They then attack Gulliver by climbing in trees and defecating on him. Then a horse appears and the Yahoos run away in fear. The horse, which is a Houyhnhnm, looks at Gulliver as if studying him and looks disgusted when Gulliver touches him. The horse takes Gulliver to a large building. Gulliver starts calling the horse he meet the master horse because he seems to have authority over the other horses. They then meet up with another horse and the horses take Gulliver to a courtyard where they bring a Yahoo and have it stand next to Gulliver. Gulliver first realizes that the Yahoos are actually humans and hes completely horrified, then he realizes that the horses are actually comparing him to the Yahoo and is horrified even farther. Gulliver then tries to make a point to distinguish himself from the Yahoos for the Houyhnhnms. The Houyhnhnms teach Gulliver their language and Gulliver starts trying to convince them that hes not a Yahoo. Gulliver tells the master horse the story of how he got to the Houyhnhnms, but the master says his story is the thing which was not. The master is implying that he is lying, but since all Houyhnhnms always speak the truth their language does not have a word for lying. The Houyhnhnm master asks Gulliver more questions about his past. Gulliver tells the master that in his world people are the masters and horses are the beast. The master cant believe what he hears and replies that it isnt possible for a Yahoo to be master over a Houyhnhnm because they are superior both physical and intellectually The master tries to understand humanity more through Gulliver and so they have many conversations. In these many conversations Gulliver goes over topics such as poverty, ambition, crime, envy, oppressions, lust, law and politics. He also informs the master of Englands history and the master says that he has a good idea of what human nature is capable of. At one point the master again points out the physical weakness of Yahoos to Gulliver and Gulliver decides to tell him about gun powder. The master is appalled by what Gulliver tells him and orders Gulliver to be silent. The master then says that Yahoos who pretend to have reason are far more detestable than those who do not because it isnt really reason that they have but something that increases their natural vices. After Gulliver spends three years with the Houyhnhnms he becomes very attached to them. He believes that they are pure and innocent and starts losing his humanity in exchange to be more Houyhnhnm-like. He makes clothing out of Yahoo skin and whenever he starts missing his family or friends he merely thinks of them as Yahoos. Gulliver has found happiness among the Houyhnhnm, however one day his master tells him that he must leave. With the help of the masters servant Gulliver builds a boat and leaves. Gulliver doesnt go straight home because hes actually sick of humanity. He considers all humans Yahoos and wants nothing to do with humanity. Even when he finally gets home his own wife and kids disgust him. The story ends with Gulliver allowing his wife to have dinner with him and him talking about how everyone reminds him of a Yahoo. Swift is showing the two possibilities in human nature in the last portion of Gullivers Travels. One is that humans may choose to embrace their uncivilized animalistic nature, as did the Yahoos, and the other that they might reject all emotion to function only with logic, as did the Houyhnhnms. For example, the Yahoos throw their feces at each other and spend all day on the beach picking up shiny stuff. However, the Houyhnhnms find their behavior disgusting and illogical. The Yahoos throwing feces at each other represents how little respect humans have for each other. Them worshipping shiny stuff represents humanities obsession with objects that arent really as valuable as we make them to be. The Importance of Being Earnest is a very funny play that satirizes social roles and the customs of Oscar Wildes time. The satire is very light hearted because Wilde wrote it for the upper classes he was actually poking fun at. However, when we look at it day we can see how ridiculous many of their customs were and how petty the upper-class could be. The play starts off with a conversation about marriage between Algernon Moncrieff and his servant Lane. It also sets the tone for the play as Algernon concludes that Lanes views seem negligent and that Lanes class seems to have a lack of moral responsibility, here Wilde is using irony because it is in fact Algernons class that lacks moral responsibility. The play becomes satirical very fast as Jack Worthing admits that Earnest is an alter ego he pretends is his brother that often needs his help in the city and Algernon admits that he also has an alter ego named Bunbury, who often needs his help in the country. Wilde is using this to show how ridiculous their customs were and that for someone to get away somewhere and still be respectable in the eyes of society they had to make up another identity. The first scene also has Jack proposing to Gwendolen which she accepts, but her mom tells her she cant engage herself. Lady Bracknell then asks Jack some personal questions to see if he is suitable for Gwendolen. All seems fine until she realizes that he doesnt have parents, at this she finds him unacceptable and leaves. In this scene Wilde is criticizing the social code as petty and cruel. The irony becomes even more incredible when Algernon goes to Jacks house in the country saying that his name is Earnest and hes Jacks brother. Algernon introduces himself to Cecily, as Earnest, and very quickly the two fall in love. When Jack gets home and discovers that Algernon is posing as his imaginary brother, Earnest, he is furious and tells him to leave. However, Algernon doesnt and in fact he meets up with Cecily and proposes to her. She accepts and tells him that she loves him because his name is Earnest, which is ironic because its the same thing Gwendolen told Jack. Afterwards, Algernon contacts Dr. Chasuble to christen him so that he can change his name to Earnest, the irony here is that Jack has also done this. The story continues when Gwendolen comes to visit Jack, but since he isnt home Cecily meets with her until he comes back. They immediately like each other and agree to call each other by their first names. However, while they converse they learn that they both plan to marry Earnest even though Earnest doesnt really exist and they both plan on marrying two different people. After the girls start believing that they are in love with the same man they turn on each other and start calling each other by their proper titles. In this scene Wilde is exposing how petty the upper class is through Cecily and Gwendolen, at first they call each other by their first names and then revert to proper titles because of their argument. Jack finally comes home and finds the Cecily and Gwendolen having tea. Immediately Gwendolen asks him if hes engaged to Cecily. He denies the claim and Cecily tells Gwendolen that he is actually her guardian Mr. John Worthing. At this Algernon enters and Cecily says that he is the true Earnest. She then asks him if he is engaged to Gwendolen. He denies the claim, but Gwendolen says that his name is actually Algernon Moncrieff. The girls make up and after Jack tells them that there is no Earnest they both leave the house. The satire in this makes the play hilarious and is the reason why Wilde can get away with making fun of the upper class. The third and final act starts with Cecily and Gwendolen asking the Jack and Algernon why they lied. They both respond that is was necessary for them to see each other and Gwendolen and Cecily forgive them. However, Lady Bracknell enters and after seeing Gwendolen with Jack she wants to know whats going on. Gwendolen tells her that shes marrying Jack, but the Lady Bracknell stills refuses to allow it. For a comic effect she also asks Algernon if this is the home of Bunbury and Algernon tells her that Bunbury is dead. He then introduces her to Cecily and tells his aunt that theyre engaged. Lady Bracknell isnt sure she approves until she discovers that Cecily is wealthy. Jack then says that he wont allow Algernon to marry Cecily unless she allows Gwendolen to marry him; still Lady Bracknell refuses to consent. Afterwards Lady Bracknell discovers that Jack is her sisters lost son and that Jack is Algernons older brother. With this knowledge she consents to his marriage with Gwendolen. In this play we see not only the pettiness of upper class people through Lady Bracknell, but also their greed and shallowness through her immediate consent to Algernons marriage once she discovers that Cecily is rich. Wilde also uses marriage to criticize the aristocracy for corrupting a traditionally sacred ceremony into a financial contract that is based on wealth and status. In addition, Wilde is criticizing the leisure life style of the upper class. This entire play has absolutely no action and the drama is completely self created. He shows how far nobles lives are from regular peoples through characters like Lane and Dr. Chasuble, who actually have to work instead of fooling around in social drama. Satire also allows Wilde to criticize the rich and powerful without offending them by making the characters look absurd and unbelievable. As Virginia says the absurdity of the situations is made doubly absurd by the contrasted grace and dignity of everyones utterance (Brackett). The o utcome is a witty comedy that makes fun of the very people watching it! Truly, Wilde is a genius. The Man That Was Used Up starts with an unnamed narrator meeting the famous Brevet Brigadier General John A. B. C. Smith. He instantly falls in love with the Generals physical characteristics. He describes the General as having the head of hair that would have done honor to a Brutus and the handsomest pair of whiskers under the sun. The narrator is not only captured by Smiths physicals, but almost everything about him he says that he never heard a clearer nor a stronger voice and when he spoke to him he said the gallant soldier preferred topics of philosophical interest, meaning hes well educated. The narrator decides that he wants to learn more about the General, but with respect to the tremendous events which occurred during the Bugaboo and Kickapoo campaign, a time of war. The narrator asks around to find out more about the General, but he discovers that the only thing people ever talk about when it comes to the General is his accomplishments. They never seem want to talk about his personal life. They only talk about how great the General is and comment on the wonderfully inventive age. The narrator then starts getting suspicious and starts thinking that there might be something that people are hiding or at least not showing. He decides to visit the Generals home. When he enters he doesnt see anyone home or anything strange. However, he does observe a strange bundle of things on the floor. The narrator kicks the bundle in order to move it and discovers that the bundle can talk. The bundle turns out to be the General and the story begins to unwind. The General calls his servant and has him put him together piece by piece. At this time during the story the reader discovers the real General Smith. He is completely fake all his limbs need to be attached including his legs, arms, shoulders, eyes, teeth, and even his tongue. While the General is being assembled he actually recommends people to the narrator who can provide the best body parts for whatever part is needed. In this scene we not only see that the general is fake on the exterior but also on the inside, before the general was seen as an intellectual elite however while his servant is putting him together he goes now, you nigger, my teeth! this is completely unprecedented behavior from the General and its a glimpse at the real person that he is. The General is actually a lot like the officer in The Nose and Gregor Samsa from The Metamorphosis. He is like the officer from the Nose in that he is a public figure with authority, but is completely fake. His authority is derived completely from what people see him as. If he tried to hold a public position as a bundle of human skin he would be shunned. Peeples confirms this in hes writing when he says Smiths prosthetic body parts can be read as emblematic of the cultural icons exalted reputations: the story advances the notion that public figures are largely artificial creations (Peeples 25). The General is also like Gregor Samsa, in the way that if Gregor would have never had his metamorphosis he would have eventually ended up like the General. The General did not have a transformation so he stayed in the machine and was completely absorbed by it until he started becoming one. The worst part is that since there was no intervention for the general, like Gregors, he never saw how much damage he was actually doing to himself. In fact, he embraced it, according to Peeples, the man that was used up expresses no regrets at having being dismantled by savages, for his new parts seem to work better than those of mere mortals (Peeples, 25). This made the General become the man that was used up. This story may use many devices of absurd, but it makes its shocking points thanks to satire. The story builds up the image of the General through satire. The reader is able to see how highly regarded people like the General are in real life. The absurd is used to rip down the beautiful picture of the General as was previously painted, still this is a form of irony to show people that what they may worship may actually be much less than we they believe it to be. In conclusion satire can be used in many different forms for writers to express themselves. Because satire allows writers to send their readers messages in a very indirect ways, writers can express themselves without being prosecuted. As has been in Gullivers Travels, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Man That Was Used Up satire is an incredibly powerful tool because it allows writers to expose corruption, oppression, and lies that many people end up believing.