Human Behavior Essay

Human behavior can negatively or positively affect the environment. Environmental settings such as pollution, crowding, heat, or noise may be a source of that can negatively impact the environmental quality, conditions. The environment can be positively impacted by structures, green areas or health facilities. There are simple solutions that can help in getting started with these efforts. Explain how environmental cues shape behavior and provide at least one example Environmental cues are the normal elements that the general public does not control. For this reason, individuals are required to obey the rules with regard to the environmental cues. Examples would be the environmental cues such as sustenance accessibility and high temperature fluctuations commonly upset the nourishing routines of wildlife. A grocery store, as another example can has been sensibly designed to give the experience to take full advantage of the amount of money you will spend by the time you walk out. This i ncludes fundamentals like inserting necessities such as milk and eggs on the furthest side from the entry so you have to walk through additional lanes to get there, placing foods with kid appeal on lower shelves so they can see and request it, as well as placing impulse objects by the cash registers to get your attention while waiting in line. Even the smell drifting from the bakery has been intended to increase the amount of items in your shopping cart. The human mind typically takes part in certain actions centered on the familiar environmental cues and patterns. If people gather in an environment where the use of drugs is rampant, this means that majority of the population will take on to this behavior without bearing in mind the harmful effects that their acts could have in the long run. This means that human beings have a part of planting something in the environment that can generate change and reduce the negative effects that are currently experienced. A good model would be  implementation of a practice to make use of decomposable bags for grocery shopping as a replacement for the disposable plastics. This is because the plastics ordinarily have harmful effects on the environment in several ways. People typically do not dispose of the correctly and they have the potential of being a health risk to animals if they happen to swallow them while eating. The implementation of this method will influence the environment positively in the long run because the behaviors of people will change accordingly. Evaluate how behavior can be modified to support sustainability and how this can limit a negative impact on the environment Behavior can be modified for example in our daily activities. Most people wake up in the more and brush their teeth as well as shower. Both of these activities require using water. Instead of letting the water run constantly while engaging in these activities a person can turn the water off while brushing and only use as needed or when showering rinse with the water to get wet then turn off while lathering up and back onto rinse off. This will all lessen the time the water is being used for less waste. When grocery shopping a person can elect to use either paper or their own environmentally safe bags for shopping. Sometimes a person tends to utilize their car out of habit and convenience. Instead of driving to the corner store a person may elect to walk or ride a bicycle. This in turn will reduce the amount of pollutants released in the air, also affording exercise for the individual. Describe how social norms influence behavior and beliefs about the environment Social norms affect t he method in which people conduct themselves, depending on the communal experiences and what the society expects of them. With the current generation nonetheless, these social norms have been washed away in many communities and this has had a very negative impact on the environment as well as the society at large. For instance, smoking was strictly prohibited for students and other younger generations. This is currently not the case as campus students are leading in smoking. This on the other hand has impacted the environment in a negative manner. Smoking on campus is still a problem and imposes a health risk for students and negative environmental impacts. There is a need to protect students, faculty and staff from exposure to second hand smoke on college campuses and create anticipation that this living and working environment be smoke free.  The argument that a person who smokes in the campus exposes the other nonsmokers to second hand smoke, something which can have negative effects to both their health. There are policies that can be implemented in campus to lessening the rate of smoking and chan ge the current attitudes of students towards this act. This is actually proven from the findings that students who study in areas where smoking is prohibited do not smoke at all in their entire lives. Smoking on campus has become widespread in spite of the health and environmental effects that are connected with this act. This is something that is raising voices of many advocates and particularly because of the negative effects that are connected with it. The worst part is that the people who do not smoke are also affected from the discharged smoke. It is consequently significant to come up with guidelines that will help in removing this act. This is the only way in which the environment will be kept and the health effects connected with smoking with diminish considerably. Identify at least two possible solutions that could successfully change behavior and habits in order to lessen negative environmental impact There are several possible solutions to possibly change the behaviors and habits that negatively affect the environment. The option of utilizing public transportation in turns reduces the fact of at least one extra vehicle being on the road that will cause pollution. Once people get rid of the negative associations that come with using public transportation. Another method would be to use energy efficient appliances. An individual can start off by replacing all the light bulbs in the house with energy efficient ones. Also replacing appliances to conserve the environment over a period of time. There are many things that individuals can do on a daily basis to positively impact the environment. It may be easier to start out in small steps maybe within the individual household, then work towards others on the outside. Any step or effort made is a positive step in the right direction. Changing the behavior and effects on the environment takes the work of all individuals that share this Earth. One person can only make so much of a difference. References Festinger, L. (2009). An Introduction to the Theory of Dissonance Vergragt, P. (2006). How Technology Could Contribute to a Sustainable World. Vries, H.  D., Backbier, E., Kok, G. and Dijkstra, M. (2006), The Impact of Social Influences in the Context of Attitude, Self-Efficacy, Intention, and Previous Behavior as Predictors of Smoking Onset. Journal of Applied Social Psychology

Language and structure Essay

Language and structure are used in Kew Gardens to create certain effects though language and structure. One of the main meanings presented in Kew Gardens is how man kind is part of a larger picture. Furthermore, Virignia Wolf depicts a bigger picture through the use of extended metaphors. For example, the use of a snail and comparing this to the path of human life, and how it is scattered with obstacles. Imagery is used to create many effects as stated above in the first paragraph. One type of language used by Virginia Wolf is extended metaphors. For example, Wolf writes â€Å"The snail, whose shell had been stained red, blue and yellow. † In the following quote the shell is described with many adjectives to describe the beauty of life. For example, she writes â€Å"blue and yellow. † The use of the following evidence once again emphasises the use of imagery to create the effect that life is eternal and beauty. However, the use of imagery is some what of a contradiction from a normal snail emphasising to the audience that although man envisions a perfect picture of everything it may not seem the case. There is also a greater use of personification in the language to create meaning. For example, â€Å"tongue shaped leaves† and â€Å"yellow gloom of the throat† The following quote just like the snails idealises things. By idealising flowers just like the snail it juxtaposes with the description given of people within the text. Emphasising to the audience that humanity is part of a bigger cycle. Presenting to the audience how human life is intertwined with the flowers in the garden that is essential for our survival. Wolf’s tone and style can be considered very descriptive with little action. The use intense description makes nature sound tranquil and pleasant whilst the deliberate lack of description on human does the opposite creating meaning that man is not as great as it assumes. For example, Wolf gives the descriptions of the of an old, poor women as ‘Sugar, flowers, kippers greens. ‘ Emphasising my point above that through description Wolf makes humans sound dull and self centred. Furthermore, another point which can be emphasised is that Wolf uses language in order to make humans be portrayed as judgemental people. However, through the use of descriptive language on the parks it shows that nature can be appreciated by all. â€Å"The ponderous woman looked through the pattern of falling words at the flowers. † This quote creates a meaning to the audience that although Victorian society is divided by class. Our lives as humans are short and in insignificant and that like nature and the park we are forgotten and we become that cycle of intense beauty. This point can be suggested to have been created by Virginia Wolf because in Victorian society they followed the Bible which states ‘ashes to ashes dust to dust. ‘ Which can be interpreted just like Kew Gardens that we enter with and we end with nothing. However, we ourselves are part of humans nature. Lastly, through dialogue action Virginia creates the effect that going against nature results in disastrous consequences. For example, as the old man states in his dialogue â€Å"heaven was unknown to the ancients as Thessaly, William and now, with this war, the spirit matter is rolling between the hills like thunder†, and â€Å"women! Widows! Women in black! This quote by the old man demonstrates that although man wishes to feel invincible the message of peace and cooperation has to happen just like nature with man in harmony. Therefore, Virginia Wolf through tone and style and dialogue shows how nature and man live side by side. Furthermore, that although man wishes to be invincible and conquer everything through the old man we as humans acknowledge just like nature that we have to live in harmony to accept our existence.

Differences in Children's Personalities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Differences in Children's Personalities - Essay Example 2. Agreeableness: Compassion and cooperation are characteristic of children with this trait (Davidson n.p.). They prefer to be in company with others. They tend to be friendly with everyone, hardly giving any chance for conflicts. The only problem with this attitude is that people may exploit their friendliness (Davidson n.p.). 3. Neuroticism: Anxiety is quite common in these children (Davidson n.p.). They easily become nervous for even simple reasons. Special attention is required to provide these kids with a safe and pleasant atmosphere which keeps them free from frequent apprehensions. 4. Openness: Children with this trait tend to be adventurous (Davidson n.p.). They enjoy trying new things and taking risks. Though these kids impress others with their creativity, they also pose a problem by not paying heed to their parents at times (Davidson n.p.). 5. Extraversion: Assertiveness is the main feature in this trait (Davidson n.p.). Though these kids mostly love to converse with others, they often prefer loneliness as well. Being a center of attraction is what these children always

Are rules or principles more important to any discussion of law Essay

Are rules or principles more important to any discussion of law - Essay Example However, on a balance, Hart’s theory of law is more important to any discussion of law. The discussion that follows examines both theories and demonstrates why Hart’s theory is most essential to discussions of law. Dworkin takes the position that law functions primarily on principle. By taking this position, he systematically rejects Hart’s rules’ principle. Principles in the context of Dworkin’s theory contemplate norms, policies and principles in general.3 Principles, for the most part will determine how a legal issue will ultimately be decided. While principles do not make law they are determining factors.4 Rejecting Hart’s contention that judges are permitted to use discretion in determining difficult cases, Dworkin maintains that judges are bound to consider standards used by previous judges. There is according to Dworkin an answer for every legal conundrum. The answer is found in society’s morals and values.5 Dworkin divides discretion into two categories. They are weak and hard discretion. With respect to weak discretion Dworkin concedes that judges are permitted to exercise discretion only by reference to his authority. However, Dworkin rejects the notion that judges may exercise discretion in the hard sense. In other words judges are not permitted to exercise discretion outside of his or her authority.6 The general right to exercise discretion implies that the decision maker is not bound by standards and authority.7 Hart takes an entirely different approach. Judges can only legislate to a certain extent.8 As a positivist, Hart advances the theory that law is the entirety of obligations and rules. There are some instances where ambiguous rules are applicable and the courts are forced to decide between two or more applicable rules. In such a case the judge is not bound by any particular authority or standard and has an unfettered discretion.9

Quantitative analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quantitative analysis - Research Paper Example History confound defines events that occur during the data collection process to influence the dependent variable without effects from independent variable. The events may increase effects of the independent variable or reduce them and therefore compromises validity of data. Maturation confound however defines transitions in research participants’ cognitive or physical properties towards different rationale by the same person. A longitudinal study may involve change in age that associates with improved rationale and physical characteristics that may change an individual’s perception. Other factors such as education, stress, and physical strain may also influence a person’s rationale into different perspectives during a study. Test confound is another challenge to quantitative research and defines differences in results because of a research participant’s previous experience with the test instrument and the experience influences results from values that wou ld be observed on first encounter with the same test. Interactive effect is another threat to quantitative research and defines association between two or more confounds in a study. Interaction between treatment and history is an example results in different values from actual effects of a study’s independent variables (LoBiondo & Haber, 2013). Challenges of quantitative research are evident and offer a basis for differentiating between quantitative and qualitative research. Their understanding are therefore important, not only for development and implementation of qualitative research initiatives, but also for understanding differences between the two research methods in order to ensure development of a suitable research methodology for a study (Allwood, 2012). History confound is a significant threat to quantitative research because of its potential to alter results in a study. History can occur in a study’s internal or external environment and this defines the exten t to which it may be significant to a study. In a study to investigate effects of lecturers’ appearance on effectiveness of learning process, an independent forum on learning skills that averts students’ attention from a lecturer’s appearance is an external historic factor to the study. A seminar to lecturer’s on how to improve their lecturers is however, an external historical factor and both offer significant potential to shifting the relationship between lecture’s appearance and effectiveness of lecturers. The extent of such an impact on results further depends on effectiveness of the history factor. The challenge is based on factors beyond rationale of research participants and therefore defines independence from bias, unless the history event is selective to influence a proportion of research participants and their associated data. In the absence of bias, history has uniform impacts on phenomenon of study and therefore ensures reliability of c ollected data because of a possible uniform shift in relationships. Consistency in measures will therefore be attained in a historically confounded study but validity will be compromised because of lost accuracy on the effects of independent variables on the subject dependent variable. Possible existence of reliability but not validity in a data

Different modes of Internationalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Different modes of Internationalization - Essay Example There are various methods or strategies in which the corporations enter into the foreign markets. This essay provides a detailed analysis of the options that are available for a company for its overseas expansion. Trade Countries of the world get involved into trading relations with one another in order to get some advantage of the resources in which each of the countries specialises in. The absolute advantage theory of Adam Smith states that the countries that specialises in one particular resource would exchange the resource for something that the other country specialises in. For example one country may have enough amount of wine and a second country may have abundance in cheese. Then these two countries would exchange their resources of wine and cheese with the resource that they have in abundance. David Ricardo on the other hand had put forward his comparative advantage theory in the context of international trade. According to him the countries that have comparative advantage i n the production of one good would export that good to another country which has comparative disadvantage in the production of that particular good. Advantages of Trade Creation of jobs and attraction of investments from various sectors which otherwise would not have operated to the maximum capacity. Introduction and exchange of technology and knowhow of production which adds to the total income of the countries that are involved in trade. Access to the international markets and thereby the customers can buy the various types of products and services Increases the competition among the domestic and the foreign players. Disadvantages of Trade Various issue related to the cultural identities of the nations crop up like most of the companies like Coca cola or Microsoft are built upon the cultures of the US and the other nations are forced to embrace it. The emerging nations are forced to meet the demands of the developing nations and thus they do not often meet the needs of the domesti c markets. The safety standards and the compensation of the workers are often not up to international standards. Political constraints make the trade relations between countries complicated which may lead to imbalances in the BOP position of the countries. FDI Foreign Direct Investment is a form of investment that a company or an individual which is based in a particular country would make in a foreign country in form of investments in new projects or existing projects of local undertaking. The company or the project in the foreign country in which the company invests would prefer to maintain control over it. The economies in which there are prospects for growth and has sufficient resources, there would be considerable amount of foreign investments. There are several ways in which the FDI can be made. Setting up subsidiaries Getting equity control over an existing company in the overseas country Strategic alliances For example a company based in Germany may be interested in any comp any producing electronic products based in China. The company can get into strategic alliance with the Chinese company or may become of

International business term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International business term paper - Essay Example Since, the use of cosmetic products is very common in the market of China; therefore, Ajmal International can enter into this market with the aim of expanding and growing its business in other ancillary areas of the consumer goods industry. Also, the company can enter into the business of herbal cosmetics products in Turkey because the consumers in Turkey show a high preference towards the use of natural and herbal skin care products and make up products (Root 401). Ajmal international is a well equipped business in the GCC as viewed from the perspective of resources and capabilities. The financial profitability of the company and the market penetration capabilities of the business can be identified as key resources for the business that it can use in its international business expansion (Slywotzky and Hoban 441). As per the Resource Based View (RBV) of a company, the basic determinants of the success of a company in a new market are its international market entry strategies and the availability of firm specific resources, assets and capabilities. The VRIO analysis of the company, Ajmal International can be done to evaluate the resources and capabilities of the company which it can use in the international expansion process (Elmuti and Kathawala 78-80). It can be identified that Ajmal International has specific physical and human resources that it can use for setting up a successful business in the cosmetics market of China. The organizational resources of the company, especially the efficient sales force of the team can be used as an important asset for creating valuable strategies in the international business of the company. The skills related to the use of open innovation techniques in the company are found to be useful resources that can be used by the cosmetics company to create competi tive advantage in the Chinese consumer goods market. The resources of Ajmal

Marketing Research Report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Marketing Research Report - Coursework Example The research findings indicated that about 55% of the respondents used the laptops for online streaming. There was a correlation between age and streaming, with close to 75% of the subjects being between 18-24. The higher the income, the less likely for the subjects to engage in streaming behavior, with majority being those who earned between $10,000-$35,000. This is a demonstration that there was also a relationship between the free time, and online streaming. Those earning less were more likely to have more free time, hence being able to engage in the behavior. The conclusion of the study was that the penetration of Smartphones and the internet had played a huge role in enhancing online streaming. In terms of recommendation, there is a need to replicate the study on a larger population, in order to establish whether the findings were credible. The marketers should take advantage of the e marketing owing to the fact that it has become common phenomenon going by the statistics obtain ed from the study. The study aims at establishing the correlation between age, free time, income, sex and online streaming. The paper will contain the executive summary, background information, research methodologies, data analysis and findings, interpretation of findings, conclusion and recommendation and limitation of study. The online streaming has become a common social phenomenon globally. In the United States close to 28 million people aged 18 and above had a Netflix app, which they used in streaming. The internet penetration and the access to Smartphones has been one of the major factors enhancing the online streaming. The plummeting cost of internet access explains why a majority of the young people choose online streaming. Factors such as convenience, reliability and quality also affect the attitude of the consumers towards online streaming. Close to 70% of the people, prefer streaming since they can

Into Thin Air Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Into Thin Air - Case Study Example The implications of decision making and persuasion of a group by a mountain climbing leader led to the death of nine people within a single day as a bad storm walloped up on Mount Everest (Krakauer, 2009). From the narration of Jon Krakauer, it is revealed that during this mountain climbing experience, three more lives were lost before a month elapsed. This mountaineering experience at Everest took place in the spring of the year 1996. In decision making, information or knowledge is one of the most crucial elements of a leader of a group. This is because if there is lack of knowledge, making of choices is not likely to be informed. For example the climbers in the case study had no knowledge that anything was likely to go wrong as they started their commercial expedition for the Everest Summit at the South Col. It is lack of any knowledge of what was ahead that persuasion was achieved and the group made a decision to go ahead with the expedition. Nonetheless, leaders of a group are ob liged to make members aware of the risks which are associated with the decisions that they make (Robert, 2001). This is demonstrated in the case where it is said that all members of the mountaineering expedition were conscious of the possible trouble that they would face but they did not realize that it would lead to loss of lives and make it the worst mountaineering expedition at Mount Everest (Krakauer, 2009). ... Experience makes leaders capable of making the right decisions and the success they attain inn decision making is attributed to the faith that members of a group have for such leaders and their persuasion appeal (Robert, 2001). The decision making of the climbing guide for the team was a fixed and strict turnaround timing which Hall put at 1 pm. It is notable that during the climbing experience most climbers did not adhere to the turnaround time as posted by the guide. This is seen by the fact that some climbers turned around at 3 pm (Krakauer, 2009). In this sense it can be argued that the guide of the climbing expedition was not able to successfully persuade the group of the importance that was attached t adherence to the turnaround time and the possible consequences that would emanated from decisions of failing to turnaround when expected. The decision Hall had for the group for the 1 pm turnaround proved to be very costly for the whole group. This is because of the fact that at t his time the air at the mountain is very thin (Krakauer, 2009). It is in light of this sentiment that it is argued that the decision that was made by the leader of the group was not sufficiently informed. And if it was informed it s evident that the leader was ready to take risks associated to decision making. Nonetheless the ability of the leader in convincing the group to the 1 pm turnaround demonstrates how persuasion for a group would lead to decisions that are likely to lead to negative implications late on. Charisma and eloquence are usually attributed to the ability of leaders to make persuasive decisions that make members of a group convinced to follow suit to what is decided by the leader. In light of the case study, it can be argued that it is the

Conflict Resolution Essay Example for Free

Conflict Resolution Essay Leaders must learn how to deal with issues that may arise among their followers. Some of these issues may consist of the leader managing conflicts, handling communication challenges among team members, or addressing organizational communication needs. The communication process is important step for the transfer and understanding of meaning between individuals when working toward a goal together (Robbins Judge, 2013). With the correct style of communication utilized leaders can help to avoid conflicts among groups. Storybook #1 How would you react when a team member is being vague and trying to spin bad news to sound more positive, thereby making it harder for the team to actually approach and resolve the issue? Communication is an essential tool for the group’s success when working together as a team. When a team member chooses to be evasive or sugar coat issues or problems with a project can result in a missed deadline or complete failure depending on how bad the problem is. If a problem arises, the best thing to do is discuss it with the entire team as soon as possible to allow time to address the issue and come up with an alternative plan. How could you encourage someone to continue to voice his or her opinion or to share an idea when you know he or she is hesitant to do so? For someone who is hesitant to share his or her opinion or idea, leaders should encourage their participation by offering some their own opinions and ideas on the matter and asking a question or two regarding his or her thoughts. Through back and forth dialogue, slowly the leader would obtain the individuals ideas and opinions on the project. By obtaining everyone on the teams thoughts, a well-informed final decision can be made on how to proceed. By doing this, the reluctant team member will believe that they have contributed to the project. Storybook #2 As a manager, how would you relay an important negative message with as little impact on your team as possible? Why would you choose this method?  As a manager, delivering any negative message is a hard thing to do. It is even harder when you are trying to do it with little impact on your team.  Communicating a negative message is a difficult task and must be handled delicately to minimize the demotivating impact of the message. Negative message routinely pop up in the business world and can impact personal relationships. It is important for managers to determine the most appropriate way to deliver a negative message to employees. Managers can deliver bad news either with the direct approach or the indirect approach. The direct approach seems to be the best used when managers want to get to the point quickly and when the bad news is not too serious. When individuals compromise they are using a direct approach to resolving conflict by giving up something to gain something (Duggan Media, n.d.). The indirect approach is best used when you need to prepare the audience for what he or she is about to discover. This method is an excellent approach because it shows compassion and shows that the leader is actually making an effort to provide options. What is the best way to handle gossip before it spreads? The best way to handle gossip before it spreads it to try to catch it as it happens. Gossip usually spreads fast therefore; I would try to capture the gossip before it gets out of hand. As a manager, gossip is the negatively spreading of rumors about someone or something so by capturing the event is a great way to establish a nice working environment for everyone. How might you handle your team’s feelings after a negative situation has occurred that does not directly affect your team but affects others around them? There are several ways to handle a team’s feelings after a negative situation has occurred. As a manager, you have to know all your team’s personalities because everyone in a negative situation handles things differently. Some may need to be left alone whereas others need more of an explanation further on the negative situation. Handling negative feelings with a team depends on the team’s individual personalities. Storybook #3: What strategies would you use to help your team alleviate stress caused by deadlines before any conflict arises? Each day managers are confronted with scenarios that require attention. These can range from balancing a budget, customer service, and conflicts within teams. Managers must determine the best way to handle these situations on a case-by-case basis.  Managers must choose the best option based upon corporate culture, persons affected, and the nature of the scenario. Conflict in the workplace is inevitable and healthy. It breeds new ideas and creativity when handled properly. Conflict among teams that disrupts productivity and risks deadlines should be handled immediately. Allowing disruptive conflict in the workplace to linger, presents a threat of missed deadlines, which results in decreased revenue. This can devalue the company and the manager’s reputation, and cause the company to miss out on future opportunities for revenue in the marketplace. An important leadership responsibility is to interpret confusing events and build consensus around. Reacting to a disruptive conflict in the workplace immediately would demonstrate the manager taking on this important role. A leader immediately stepping in willing to meet with the individual’s one-on-one and as a whole to come to an agreement demonstrates what an effective leader he or she is. A manager could easily spend minutes, hours or even days trying to figure out what is standing in the way of a team coming together and successfully meeting their deadlines, but a great leader intervenes and help everybody come together to resolve conflicts to meet his or her deadlines. Multiple perspectives often conflict with one another and it is difficult to determine the best solution. Actions sometimes support one perspective. When faced with a dilemma the leader needs clarity in identifying varying perspectives to make the best decision. Opening a communication channel between emp loyees and management is a key step in establishing a comfortable environment. Conclusion Each of the Storybook scenarios demonstrates how leaders must use different methods of communication to avoid conflicts. Leaders must analyze the situation to determine which principle or style of communication is best suited for the particular circumstance. It is the leader’s responsibility to avoid conflicts among the group and to ensure that communication is being exchanged in the correct matter among team members. References Duggan, T., Media, D. (n.d.). Indirect Direct Approaches to Conflict. Retrieved from http://www.smallbusiness.chron.com Robbins, S. R., Judge, T. A. (2013). Organizational Behavior (15th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

The Siege by Helen Dunmore - Chapter 17 Essay Example for Free

The Siege by Helen Dunmore Chapter 17 Essay The chapter begins with Anna sharing how she feels about winter and the snow. Anna has always loved the first snowfall of winter. She knows as soon as dawn comes that it’ll be today. The sky remains dark, with a yellow tinge to the clouds. The light has a sharp, raw edge. Everything is waiting, silent and expectant. Snow will come. She thinks the snow will wipe away all mistakes. Light will stream upwards from the immaculate white of the ground. When the first snow falls, Anna always goes to the Summer Garden. There, the noise of the city is muffled, and the park is eerily luminous. Small, naked ­looking sparrows hop from twig to twig, dislodging a powder of snow. The trees are lit up like candelabra by the whiteness they hold in their arms. Underfoot, she hears for the first time the squeak of snow packing into the treads of her boots. She bends down, scoops up a handful of the new snow, throws it up into the air and watches it scatter into powdery fragments as it falls for the second time. And although she’s cold and she ought to get home, she always stays much longer than she means to, because she knows that this feeling won’t come again for another year. The snow will continue to fall, thaw, freeze, turn grey with use, be covered again and again by fresh blizzards. But nothing again will have the freshness, exhilaration and loneliness of the first snowfall. She’s the one thing still warm and alive in a world which is going to sleep. She looks up, into the snow which spirals down the steep funnels of the sky, whirls into her face, lands on her eyelashes and melts into tears. And then she goes back to the apartment, along streets where trams are already thrashing the new, soft snow into slush. Children skid around street ­corners, yelling, their faces blazing crimson. Soon it’ll be time for skis and sledges. And tomorrow, when she wakes, the snow will be thick and crusted with ice. The sun will be out, and all the shadows will be blue. This is how she has welcomed the snow every year of her life. But this year she will not welcome it in that way. The first snow falls on the fourteenth of October, drifting down through the sky and settling on the ruins of shelled houses, on to tank ­traps, machine ­gun nests and heaps of rubble. The snow is silent, but ominous. No one knows, this year, whether it will be an enemy or a friend. The Russian winter defeated Napoleon, people say to one another. Perhaps it will defeat Hitler, too. A ring of siege grips the city. Nothing comes in, nothing goes out. And in the suburbs, within sight, the Germans have dug themselves in. There they stay, hunkered down for winter in deep trenches, behind defended firing ­positions. The Germans have always been good at digging trenches, say older Leningraders who fought in the last war. Luxury trenches, they have, with carpets and chairs and pictures hanging on the walls. There they squat in the outskirts of Leningrad, like wolves at the mouth of a cave. They pour shells on to the city, but they do not advance any farther. This is blockade. swinging their arms. They write letters to their families, saying that they’ll be home soon, when they have won the war. Behind them, unbroken supply lines stretch all the way back to Berlin. The Germans are altering their rolling ­stock to fit Russian railway lines. They have got the harvests of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on hand, and they can wait as long as they have to. An iron ring squeezes around the besieged city, slowly throttling it. Marina and Anna talk about Marina’s roles, and how she played so many roles, one including Cordelia in For My Cordelia. ‘Oh Anna, I played so many roles. I kept it for the stone, not for the inscription. Besides, I never identified with the character. I am much too aggressive. I would have taken Lear by the shoulders and shaken some sense into him. That kind of vanity amounts to madness, don’t you think? All of us are to grovel on the floor declaring our love for our great leader. But of course, you have to find a way into every part.’ Q: How much money do they have left? A: Five Hundred. Q: What is one role that Marina potrayed? A: Cordelia in For My Cordelia

The role money plays in everyday life

The role money plays in everyday life Although money plays an important role in everyday life, it takes away the value of being warm and compassionate towards others. We all have a different outlook on money. Some can be mature when handling money by saving for the future or a rainy day, while others believe spending it at the moment it touches their hand while saying, you cant take it with you. How important is money to you? But, if you believe you will have money then you will, if you believe you wont, then you wont have it. Its all about having great motivation and the right attitude in seeking it ambitiously. By not having a positive attitude towards obtaining money, you will ignore the opportunities that are brought to you which may cause you to lose out on money. However, you can begin to attain money in many ways by having being positive and having an open mind about it. Try not having a negative attitude about having money, this way it wont be so hard to attain it. You cannot attract something that deep in your h eart you despise. This is a most common attitude for many people. They desire money, but their attitude is negative and therefore repellent. If you want to attract money, you have first to get rid of all negative thoughts and attitude about it. A habit of many years has to change. (Attitude Towards Money and How to Change it, 2008) Do you make money your first priortiy or is it less important? What is your attitude about money? Most people tend to think that being into the latest fashion is important or going with the most popular items in entertainment is important rather than saving. For instance, I have a family member who seems to be constantly struggling to make ends meet, but once he gets a large amount of money what does he do, he spends it all on material things that have no value. He should learn how to save for a rainy day; eventually they do come back around. When you think positive about money, the outcome is a great one. When thinking negatively about money the outcome can and may leave you destitute. Your thoughts about money can soon become a reality. So keep an open mind about having money. Money is an important part of life, it affects us in all areas of our lives either directly or indirectly. Money affects our relationships, our career choices, education and so on, but what is even more of importance is our attitude towards money. How do you feel about money, what thoughts come to mind wh en you think about money, how do you use money and most importantly why do you have the attitude? This is not so much about how important money is to you, but more about the underlying reason and emotions about money. (Money Attitude Your Money Psychology, 2009). Read more: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/examining-your-attitudes-about-managing-money.html#ixzz1JLPkZxUw http://www.successconsciousness.com/blog/affirmations/attitude-toward-money-and-how-to-change-it/, Remez Sasson, dec 09, 2008, Attitude Toward Money and How to Change It Money Attitude Your Money Psychology Money Attitude Your Money Psychology by Ray on October 14, 2009 What is Money Attitude? We have believes and attitudes about everything of importance to us, we have an attitude towards religion, war, fashion etc. and of course we also have an attitude towards money. Money attitude is your beliefs about money; what does money mean to you, what does it represent? How do you feel about money? How much does money influence your non-financial decisions? Money attitude is your way of thinking about money. How is Money Attitude Established? Everyone has an attitude towards money, for some money is a central issue, for others money is just a tool, yet some use money to control things and people. How do we develop our money attitude? Is it a learned behavior and can we change it? As with many attitudes and behaviors money attitude is mainly a learned behavior (although psychologists will continue the nature vs. nurture debate), how you perceive money will heavily depend on your childhood and the environment you grew up in. Did your parents fight about money? Did a parent control the other with money? Did you have wealthy parents who lend you their credit cards? Your past experience and environment is the biggest factor to you money attitude, the good news is that money attitude is a learned behavior and what is learned can be unlearned. Your Money Attitude Given that money affects many areas of our lives it is important for you to have a good understanding of your money attitude. Have you ever taken some time to analyze your emotions about money? If not than this is the perfect time to analyze your money attitude, get a better understanding of your perception of money, how do you feel about money? Why Care About Your Money Attitude? Our emotions control most of our behavior, these can be desirable behaviors or undesirable. Many of the choices we make in life from marriage to careers and education all stem from our emotions. Making financial decisions is not any different than any other decisions we make in life; do you feel that it is important to show how much money you have? Maybe your parents grew up during the war and great depression and you have learned importance of saving for a rainy day. No matter what your money attitude is, if you want to have a better understanding of you finances, control your finances and make changes to your undesirable financial behaviors than you need to understand your money attitude. Without understanding how you feel about money and where those emotions come from you will not be able to successful make changes to your financial life. Money changes everything: exploring your attitudes toward money can be the first step in making personal and global transformations by Frances Lefkowitz | Sept, 2004 Lets talk money. Not numbers, but feelings. Because the way we feel about money saysand shapesmore about us than we realize. Usually money is seen in black-and-white terms: We have enough of it or we dont. But money is also a hugely emotional, psychological and symbolic entity in our lives; we each bring our own meanings, emotions and experiences to our relationship with it, says psychotherapist Kate Levinson, Ph.D. In leading her Emotional Currency workshops, Levinson finds that such feelings can be a catalyst for personal transformation. Its an incredibly good vehicle for seeing our issues and vulnerabilities because it touches on almost all aspects of life and it reveals deep parts of our psyches, including our needs, fears and desires, she says. Most PopularCBS MoneyWatch.com Blogs 6 Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook 10 Best Worst States to Make a Living How to Protect Your Retirement Savings from Identity Theft and Internet Fraud 10 Steps to Avoid Losing Your Shirt in a Divorce Frugal to a Fault? 6 Dumb Money Saving Mistakes Money affects career and relationship choices, and shows up in issues of control, safety, self esteem and well-being, says Deborah Price, a money coach in Healdsburg, Calif., and author of Money Magic: Unleashing Your True Potential for Prosperity and Fulfillment. Just about every decision we make, and much of our personality, is formed in some way, shape or form by our beliefs around money. Price, like Levinson and a small but growing new breed of money therapists and holistic financial planners, believes that talking about money is not just good for the bank account, its also good for the soul. Women, couples and baby boomers in particular seem to be responding to this new approach to money management. People are looking for help with the whole picture, says investment advisor Christopher Peck of Holistic Solutions in Sebastopol, Calif. Theres a growing perception that things like money, feelings and what happens in your community arent separate. love and money Equating love and money is a habit we often pick up from our families, says Price. Rather than saying I love you or spending time showing it, parents indulge their children with material gifts as a way of demonstrating or compensating for affection. When these kids become adults, they can feel unloved unless they are being given something. Money can be a hot-button issue for women because its intertwined with the concept of caretaking. You could take two independent, capable people, but when you put them in a relationship, their expectations around money change. A lot of old stuff surfaces, says Price. Suddenly, a woman may feel that the man should be the provider, and if he isnt, then he doesnt love her enough, Price explains. Self-worth issues easily become magnified in relationshipsand the lower the self-esteem, the higher the need or expectation. Thats what happened with a couple who came to see Levinson. Both partners were self-sufficient, with good jobs, incomes and credit ratings. But after their wedding, the wife began mismanaging money and racking up debt. Marriage uncovered her need to feel taken care of, and overspending was a way of asking for attention. Once the couple understood this, the husband made a greater effort to look after his wifebut in non-monetary ways like cooking and running errands. The wifes overspending stopped, and she had become aware of a powerful, hidden desire. When couples sort out their money problems together, says Mark Zaifman, of Spiritus Financial Planning in Santa Rosa, Calif., they learn how to work as a team to solve other problems as well. health and wealth Money is the No. 1 source of stress for 73 percent of Americans, according to a recent survey conducted by the American Psychological Associationand stress over money definitely has an effect on your physical well-being, says Zaifman, who teaches a Financial Wellness Series at Santa Rosas Integrative Medical Clinic. These connections are prompting experts to redefine their concept of financial fitness. Its about attending to both the financial and the emotional aspects of our money lives, and integrating our beliefs, needs, values, relationships, passions and desires into our decisions about earning, spending and investing, says Levinson. Advisors like Peck help create portfolios that reflect this. He wants people to ask themselves, How is what Im doing with my money helping to build a better world? Similarly, Price queries her clients, How are you using money in your life to transform yourself and the world around you? These are the right questions, says Lynne Twist, author of The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship With Money and Life. When our money life aligns with our heart and soul, thats financial wellness, thats prosperity, says Twist. Its through the act of generosity that we experience our financial wellness. strategy and change So where do we begin? Price tells clients to write a money biography, a personal history that documents their experiences with money from childhood to the present. Another tool she utilizes is a life inventory, an overall net-worth statement. (See How to Create Your Perfect Money Relationship, at right.) According to Prices clients, this can spark change. The biography and other exercises help you see what qualities youre not paying attention to, says Vivian Nast Faulkner, a stained-glass artist in Kansas City, Kan. Faulkner had always had trouble putting a price on her work, she says, because I wasnt including myself in the financial equation. Working with a money coach helped her to discover her inner assetsshes a quick learner, for example, and she has a talent for recognizing opportunityand to raise her prices to match the going rates. Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning the devil says, OH CRAP, SHES UP!

Book Review of Primo Levis Survival in Auschwitz Essay -- European Hi

Book Review of Primo Levi's Survival in Auschwitz World War II was a war that took many lives from civilians that deserved to have a life of their own. They were ordinary people who were victims from a horrible and lengthy war that brought out the worst in some people. In Primo Levi's Survival in Auschwitz, Levi gives a detailed account of his life in a concentration camp. Primo Levi was a young Italian chemist who was only twenty-four years old when he was captured by the Nazis in 1943. He spent two long and torturous years at Auschwitz before the Russian army freed the remaining prisoners of the camp. He tells about life inside the camp and how tough it was to be held like an animal for so long. He says they were treated as inhumanly as possible while many others in the camp would end up dying from either starvation or being killed. They had to do work that was very strenuous while they had no energy and had to sleep in quarters that resembled packed rat cages. With all of this, Levi describes the complex social system tha t develops and what it takes to survive. The soc...

Doctor Faustus as Tragic Hero Essay -- Doctor Faustus Essays

Doctor Faustus as Tragic Hero Doctor Faustus died a death that few could bear to imagine, much less experience.   After knowing for many years when exactly he would die, he reached the stroke of the hour of his destiny in a cowardly, horrid demeanor.   Finally, when the devils appeared at the stroke of midnight, tearing at his flesh as they draw him into his eternal torment, he screams for mercy without a soul, not even God Himself, to help him.   However, what to consider Doctor John Faustus from Christopher Marlow's dramatic masterpiece The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus is a very debatable issue.   For example, one can see that he threw his life away for the sake of knowledge, becoming obsessed with the knowledge that he could possess.   In this case, he is unarguably a medieval tragic hero.   However, when considering the fact that he died for the sake of gaining knowledge, pushing the limits of what is possible in spite of obvious limitations and, eventually, paying the ultimate penalty, he could be considered a Renaissance martyr.   These two points of view have their obvious differences, and depending on from what time period one chooses to place this piece of literature varies the way that the play is viewed.   However, the idea of considering him a martyr has many flaws, several of which are evident when considering who Faustus was before he turned to necromancy and what he did once he obtained the powers of the universe.   Therefore, inevitably, the audience in this play should realize that Faustus was a great man who did many great things, but because of his hubris and his lack of vision, he died the most tragic of heroes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Christopher Marlowe was born on February 6, 1564 (Discoverin... ...is truly merciful because he forgave such a blasphemous heathen as Faustus.   Faustus could have become an example for all of mankind and proven that if he could be forgiven, then all could be forgiven.   However, because he was stubborn, ignorant, and blind, he refused to see that he was never truly damned until he was drug by the devils into the heart of hell itself.   Works Cited: Discovering Christopher Marlowe http://swc2.hccs.cc.tx.us/HTMLS/ROWHTML/faust/index.htm Henderson, Philip. Christopher Marlowe. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1974. Marlowe, Christopher. The Complete Works of Christopher Marlowe. Ed. by Fredson Bowers. Cambridge: CUP, 1973 Snow, Edward A. "Marlowe's Doctor Faustus and the Ends of Desire." Two Renaissance Mythmakers: Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson. Ed. Alvin Kernan. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997.

Henry Clay :: essays research papers

Clay was born on April 12, 1777, in Hanover County, Virginia. He was born to John Clay, a minister. His mother Elizabeth Hudson was After studying for the bar with the eminent George Wythe, Clay, at the age of 20, moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where he developed a thriving practice. He was blessed with a quick mind, a flair for oratory, and an ability to charm both sexes with his easy, attractive manner. That he loved to drink and gamble was no drawback in an age that admired both vices. Clay, ambitious for worldly success, married into a wealthy and socially prominent family and soon gained entry into Kentucky's most influential circles. While still in his 20s, he was elected to the state legislature, in which he served for six years, until 1809. Clay established his great reputation in the United States House of Representatives, where he served intermittently from 1811 to 1825. In his first term, he became one of the leading "War Hawks"—the young men whose clamor for hostilities with England helped bring about the War of 1812. Clay was selected as one of the commissioners who in 1814 negotiated the Treaty of Ghent, ending that war. In 1820-21 it was Clay above all who engineered the Missouri Compromise, quieting the harsh controversy that had erupted by maintaining an equal balance between free and slave states. Although he himself was a slave owner, Clay's views on slavery—as on most other issues—were moderate. He was thus able to command the support of men fearful of extremism.In the presidential election of 1824, after his own candidacy had failed, Clay threw his support to John Quincy Adams, whom the House early in 1825 elected as the sixth president. When Adams named Clay secretary of state, his Jacksonian opponents charged "corrupt bargain!" The charge was unfair, but Clay was haunted by it throughout his subsequent career. Although Clay was a practical politician of flexible rather than rigid beliefs, he did emerge as the great champion of the "American System." He called for a protective tariff in support of home manufactures, internal improvements (federal aid to local road and canal projects), a strong national bank, and distribution of the proceeds of federal land sales to the states.Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1831, Clay served in that body until 1842 and again from 1849 until his death. In 1833 he devised a compromise tariff that resolved the crisis brought on by South Carolina's attempt to "nullify" the prevailing tariff set by Congress.

Corporate Culture and the Effective Execution of Strategy Essay

What is corporate culture? Corporate culture refers to the character of a company’s internal work climate – as shaped by a system of shared values, beliefs, ethical standards, and traditions that define behavioral norms, ingrained attitudes, accepted work practices, and styles of operating. Every company has its own unique culture. The character of a company’s culture or work climate is a product of the core values and business principles that executives espouse, the standards of what is ethically acceptable and what is not, the work practices and behaviors that define â€Å"how we do thing around here,† its approach to people management and the â€Å"chemistry† and the â€Å"personality† that permeates its work environment. The chief things to look for include the following: 1. The values, business principles, and ethical standards that management preaches and practices. 2. The company’s approach to people management and the official policies, procedures and operating practices that paint the white lines for the behaviour of company personnel 3. The atmosphere and spirit that pervades the work climate. 4. The way managers and employees interact and relate to each other 5. The strength of peer pressure to do things in particular ways and conform to expended norms. 6. The actions and behaviours that are explicitly encouraged and rewarded by management in the form of compensation and promotion. 7. The company’s revered traditions and oft-repeated stories about â€Å"heroic act† and â€Å"how we do things around here†. 8. The manner in which the company deals with external stakeholders Discuss the ways in which corporate culture can either help or hinder effective execution of strategy. Strong culture can help a powerful effect on the strategy execution process. This effect may be positive or negative since a company’s present culture and work climate may or not be compatible with what in needed for effective implementation and execution of the chosen strategy. A culture that is grounded in actions, behaviours, and work practices that are conducive to good strategy implementation assists the strategy execution effort in three ways: 1. A culture that is well matched to the requirements of the strategy execution effort focuses the attention of employees on what is most important to this effort. Moreover, it directs their behaviour and serves as a guide to their decision making. In this manner, it can align the efforts and decisions of employees throughout the firm and minimize the need for direct supervision. 2. Culture-induced peer pressure further induces company personnel to do things in a manner that aids the cause of good strategy execution. The stronger the culture, the more effective peer pressure is in shaping and supporting the strategy execution effort. Research has shown that strong group norms can shape employee behaviour even more powerfully than can financial incentives. 3. A company culture that is consistent with the requirements for good strategy execution can energize employees, deepen their commitment to execute the strategy clearly, and enhance worker productivity in the process. When a company’s culture is grounded in many of the needed strategy –executing work for, and the merits of what the company is trying to accomplish. As a consequence, greater numbers of company personnel exhibit passion in their work and exert their best efforts to execute the strategy and achieve performance targets. In sharp contrast, when a culture is in conflict with what is required to execute the company’s strategy well, a strong culture becomes a hindrance to the success of the implementation effort. Some of the very behaviors needed to execute the strategy successfully run contrary the attitudes, behaviors and operating practices in the culture. Such a real dilemma for company personnel. Culture-bred resistance to the actions and behaviors needed for good strategy execution, particularly if strong and widespread, make a difficult problem that must be cleared for a strategy’s execution to get very far.

Hoebel, The Cheyennes: Indians Of The Great Plains Essay

E. Adamson Hoebel’s The Cheyennes: Indians of the Great Plains is a detailed, comprehensive ethnographic study of the tribe’s beliefs, practices, and adaptation to their harsh environment. Though not the strongest Plains people, the Cheyenne used their strengths to overcome their obstacles and maintain a cohesive, stable culture. A sedentary village culture of the Algonquian language family, the Cheyenne moved from the upper Mississippi valley to the high plains of Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming around 1800 to escape the hostilities of the neighboring Lakota (5). Their settled ways were disrupted and they became horse-riding and nomadic, leaving behind their village ways. Hoebel depicts their culture as structured yet flexible, â€Å"rational and skilled in cultural adaptation† (103), and geared toward internal harmony as a means of maintaining cohesion. The harsh plains environment, with extreme weather and little water or wood, â€Å"is the essential ecological fact controlling the Cheyenne† (63). They adapted to this by becoming mobile, moving according to where resources could be easily obtained, mastering their gathering, hunting, and trading skills over a wide area, and relying heavily on horses. Their religion is hierarchical, with being at all levels endowed with spiritual powers. Spirits can manifest in human form and their attributes lie in their knowledge of how to operate within the universe. Hoebel writes that the Cheyenne believe â€Å"the universe if essentially a mechanical system which is good in essence, but which must be properly understood and used to keep it producing what humans need† (89). They see the universe mechanically, with spirits responding somewhat predictably according to human acts. To survive in their dry grassland environment, the Cheyenne divided their labor rigidly along gender lines. The women gathered roots, berries, and seeds while also foraging for wood, raising and mending tipis, while the men hunted big game (mainly bison, antelope, and elk) for meat and smaller animals (wolves and fox) for fur. Gender roles govern not only labor, but also most areas of Cheyenne social life. Males and females generally stop mixed-sex socializing at adolescence, and males join any of five military clubs once they reach fighting age, while women have only the Robe Quillers (an outgrowth of their role as makers of clothing). However, some deviation exists – â€Å"Contraries† become transvestites while overdoing the warrior role, while â€Å"halfmen-halfwomen† are homosexual. (Both are isolated yet tolerated. ) The Cheyenne economic system relied heavily on trade, though because of their location on the high plains they had limited access to many traders. They often served as intermediaries between poorer and richer tribes, traveled great distances to trade their meat and vegetable goods (as well as robes and leather goods) for more food, as well as ornamental items like beads and silver jewelry. Their most important commodity was the horse, often acquired in trade or stolen from enemies in raids. Cheyenne politics were organized by family, kindred, and band, and governed by the tribal council, where power lay â€Å"not in the hands of aggressive war leaders but under the control of even-tempered peace chiefs† (43). Composed mainly of older men elected for ten-year terms, the council worked to resolve internal conflicts, which were considered more threatening than war, and had a nearly supernatural authority. A head priest-chief (the Sweet Medicine Chief) and five medicine chiefs presided and had control over most rituals. Hoebel’s study examines most major areas of the Cheyennes’ lives and depicts them as a tribe that survived not by overwhelming power, but by adapting well to a demanding environment, trading as well as possible, and maintaining internal harmony and stability. Hoebel, E. Adamson. The Cheyennes: Indians of the Great Plains. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1978.

How TV Can Effect Children Positively Essay

Introduction: I decided to see if television, which is notorious for having negative effects on children’s education and attitudes, could have any positive effects. Surprisingly, there is a fair amount of studies that have been done that have seen positive correlations between TV-viewing and academic and social success, though there are even more sources that point out the negative effects. Through my own observations of my little siblings and cousins viewing habits, I felt confident that I could come up with an idea as to which side of this debate was correct. In my experience, my relations tend to favor watching Disney Channel and PBS. As will be noted later these channels tended to get the highest ratings for positive influence upon children by their parents. The parents surveyed also claimed that their children watched TV for relatively short amounts in a day. I concluded in my hypothesis that television watching can prove to have positive influences on children depending on the channel and programs watched as well as how many hours it is viewed. Literary Review In order to support my hypothesis I looked into research that has already been collected on the subject. I found many sources that claimed that extreme amounts of â€Å"regular† television programming for young children can be extremely harmful. However, using school resources on the online databases, I was able to find multiple scholarly journals that support my hypothesis. In the first source, â€Å"One longitudinal study (Anderson, Huston, Schmitt, Linebarger & Wright, 2001) found that adolescents who watched educational programs as preschoolers had a positive effect on their grades, behavior, creativity, and social behavior during later years (Austin).† This finding is monumental because it not only shows that academia can be improved through television watching, but that social behaviors can also be positively affected. It is important to note, however, that this study specifically highlights that  Ã¢â‚¬Å"educational programs† are the TV shows that showed this positive success in young children. These are shows that specifically strive to improve children, rather than the cartoons and other less positively influential programs that children often chose to watch. These â€Å"educational programs† are, in fact, good for a child’s development, but they are not always a child’s or even a parent’s first choice of watching material. That same journal goes on to support this claim about the importance of â€Å"educational programs† while also highlighting that â€Å"moderate levels† of television viewing is important, â€Å"The utilization of informational television†¦can have a positive impact on student achievement if properly channeled. Moderate levels of meaningful and supervised television viewing may be better for children than too much or no viewing at all (Austin).† Television stays true to the old proverb that too much of a good thing is always harmful. However, it also is better than nothing which I found intriguing. Television has been proven to have positive effects and, fortunately, that cannot be denied. Many will argue that these proven positive effects are outweighed by the negative effects of aggression, lack of social interaction, and academic neglect. However according to this, â€Å"The report by Jonson Et Al. is interesting in that it presents an association between the amount of television viewed at young ages and subsequent aggressive behavior as adults; however, it does not show causation (Kids).† it is not as big a problem as it is usually perceived to be, since a lack of causation implies that the television did not necessarily cause the aggressive behavior. Those children could have genetically been aggressive individuals or have become more aggressive due to their environments which, it is important to note, allowed them to watch television longer than the average child. Another study counters those who point to television as the source of aggression, â€Å"Kenny makes a compelling case that†¦the advent of the TV era in the world’s poorest spots†¦can help make them better places to live, producing more thoughtful, less violent, and better-educated people (Forget Twitter).† Television can be a powerful tool, especially when it is being used to shape young minds. Before it was used to inspire and influence young children it was used quite powerfully, â€Å"In 1988, [by] Jay Winsten, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and the director of the school’s Center for Health Communication, [who] conceived†¦to introduce a new social concept–the â€Å"designated driver†Ã¢â‚¬â€œto North America (Rosenzweig).† As we know today, designated drivers and the campaign to not drink and drive has become a widespread phenomena. Winsten was able to incorporate this idea of not drinking while drunk into TV shows for adults on many channels and in many different ways, and he found unprecedented success. The lessons that are taught in mainstream adult media are strong enough and prevalent enough to make a difference. Children programs are even more well known for trying to incorporate educational components and teach morality. Sesame Street, utilizing these ingrained messages, found similar success in children’s television, â€Å"Early research on Sesame Street found that†¦ preschoolers who watched the program extensively developed more positive attitudes toward people of different groups (Wilson).† Sesame Street is an educational program that specifically targets young children, and tries to teach them life lessons as well as academics. They are using their influence and power in the television industry to improve the lives and situations of toddlers globally. From episodes that teach tolerance in politically charged Israel and Palestine to education for children who would otherwise receive very little, Sesame Street is one of many television programs that has a positive effect on children. My Research Many of the more â€Å"educational† programs feature on PBS or Sprout where the more entertaining shows feature on Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney Channel. I used my research to discover how many hours children watch these channel, how educational or influential parents found the varying channels to be, and which channel the child preferred to watch. This research will show how positive the parents felt the effects of certain channels are on  their children and whether or not they are influencing their children to watch these stations for the most amounts of time. I utilized a survey questionnaire to obtain my information because a questionnaire allowed me to ask a wider population in a shorter amount of time. I asked the age of the children in question, how many hours of TV they watched in a day, which kid-aimed station they watched most often, and then I asked the parents to rate the influence of the various channels as having a strong negative influence, moderate negative influence, no noticeable influence, moderate positive influence, and strong positive influence. I had listed the channels to rate as the most popular kids stations: Disney (including Junior, XD, and Channel), Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Sprout, and PBS as well as an â€Å"other† category that one parent added the Hub to. PBS, which is known for its educational programming, received the most strong and moderate positive ratings and did not get rated for any of the other, less positive, ratings. However, only one parent claimed that PBS was the station their child watched and enjoyed most often. The Disney Channel was the most popular station in terms of children watching it, but received as many moderately negative and no effects as it did positive ratings. Cartoon Network, which, unsurprisingly, features a mostly cartoon program, by far did the worst, getting no positive reviews and only one no effect rating. As importantly as the content children are viewing is the amount of time they are viewing it for. Only one family claimed that their child, a 10-year-old, watched over four hours of TV. This particular family also gave the most negative ratings to all of the stations except Disney, which the child viewed the most, and PBS. All the other families that gave PBS the highest positive ratings and the one family that cited it as their child’s most watched, had viewing hours of 30 minutes to 2 hours a day which are relatively healthy amounts of television for children to be viewing. By pairing PBS, the most education-aimed channel, with the smallest amounts of view time, parents were noticing high amounts of positive influence of television on their children in both academics and social skills. This information clearly supports my hypothesis. In conclusion, television has a surprising number of positive effects on children. But these rewards can only be reaped by certain programs and only  with healthy amounts of viewing times. By encouraging healthy viewing habits and healthy viewing choices parents can help improve the lives of their children even if they are in the poorest, most desperate situations. Works Cited Austin, William P., and Franklin T. Thompson. â€Å"Television viewing and academic achievement revisited.† Education 124.1 (2003): 194+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 June 2014 â€Å"Forget twitter, think TV.† Foreign Policy 175 (2009): 1. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 June 2014. â€Å"Kids, TV viewing, and aggressive behavior. (Letters).† Science 297.5578 (2002): 49+. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 June 2014. Rosenzweig, Jane. â€Å"CAN TV IMPROVE US?† The American Prospect (1999): 58.Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 1 June 2014. Wilson, Barbara J. â€Å"The Future of Children, Princeton – Brookings: Providing Research and Analysis to Promote Effective Policies and Programs for Children.† – The Future of Children -. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 June 2014.

Italian Culture Healthcare and Education Essay

Italy is recognized around the world due to its decent cultural approach towards education, business, healthcare and society. Italian’s culture diligently maintains high standards of healthcare system as well as education systems which provide the best and affordable healthcare services and free educational opportunities to the people. Italian Culture towards Healthcare Italian culture towards healthcare is highly recognized due to the provision of high standards healthcare services and medical assistance at very low cost. Italian doctors are very devoted and expert in their profession and the healthcare treatment services are maintained at higher levels. It is wise thinking of Italians who prefer to cover their hospitalization and surgery cost through private health insurance providers which, of course, avoid inconvenience faced due to long waiting lists (â€Å"Healthcare in Italy†, Allianz). The official name of Italy’s Health System is ‘Servizio Sanitario Nazioanale’ which provides low cost healthcare services to the entire European citizens. The healthcare services include ‘in-patient’ treatments such as medications, tests, family doctor visits, surgeries during hospitalization and medical assistance provided by various medical specialists. Other healthcare services are too offered which include dental treatments, out-patient treatments and provision of medicines and drugs. The Italian culture mandates the health insurance for every foreigner which must cover the entire healthcare treatment from the arrival moment till the departure moment, failing which ‘permit to stay’ (permesso di soggiorno) is not granted (â€Å"Healthcare in Italy†, Allianz). Italian Culture towards Education Education in Italy is perceived to be an essential necessity of life. Italian’s culture has regulated education as a compulsory requirement for 6-16 years of children and free education is too granted to facilitate people. There are five grades in Italian’s educational system namely ‘Kindergarten / Playgroup (Scuola Maternal), Elementary School (Scuola Elementare), Middle School (Scuola Media), High School (Liceo) and University (Universita) (â€Å"Italy Education System†, Italiamia). The educational system in Italy consists of public and private standards. Both the standards are developed more progressively than UK and Germany educational systems. Various universities for postgraduate education have been established in Italy namely ‘University of Bologna’ which is the oldest university in Western and ‘La Sapienza University’ which is the biggest university in Italy (â€Å"Italy Education†, Maps of World). Italy’s educational system was constituted by ‘Legge Casati (Casati Act) in 1859. The vision of this act was to diminish illiteracy among children and enhance their learning needs. The single town regulates the primary education system, the province regulates the secondary education system and the state regulates the universities education system. The educational system was further streamlined by ‘Legge Gentile Act’ in 1923. The compulsory age of children for education was increased up to 14 years and option for promotion towards ‘Middle School’ was granted upon completion of five years primary education which could further be continued up to ‘High School’ (â€Å"Italy Education System†, Italiamia). Conclusion  Inadvertently, Italian culture towards healthcare and education is very appreciating and is a symbol of developed country of the world. Since, Italian culture has maintained the higher standards in healthcare and education systems; therefore, it is right to claim the Italy as one of the best country of the world which cares about the life of its people with love. In short, Italy’s healthcare and education culture should be adopted by every developing country in order to maintain good health and develop learning needs among people which will of course, benefit the same in the prosperity of a country.

Scientist max planck Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Scientist max planck - Research Paper Example heoretical research, Planck revealed a quite extraordinary breakthrough: ‘the law of radiation of bodies as a function of temperature could not be derived solely from the Laws of Maxwellian electrodynamics’ (Einstein 1995, 106). To reach findings in agreement with the related trials, a particular frequency’s radiation had to be dealt with as if it is composed of photons of the ‘individual energy hf’(Weast 1973, 44) in which h is the universal constant of Planck. This breakthrough became the foundation of all experiments and studies in physics in the twentieth century and has almost completely directed its progress from then on. Without this breakthrough it would have been impossible to formulate a feasible theory of energy and atomic and molecular dynamics that direct their transformations (Jammer 2000). Furthermore, it has ruined the entire structure of orthodox mechanics and electrodynamics and creates a new mission for science that is, looking for a new theoretical foundation for the whole of physics. In spite of substantial incomplete achievements, the question remains far from an agreeable answer (Einstein 1995). However, it is still impossible to dispute the fact that the quanta of Max Planck revolutionized twentieth century physics. The efforts of Max Planck in thermodynamics resulted in the development of the quantum theory. To give explanation of the shades of hot lustrous matter, Planck suggested that energy is emitted in incredibly miniscule and isolated quantized quantities or packs, rather than in an endless and steady wave (Weir 2009). He coined the term ‘quanta’ to refer to these packs of energy and he was successful in establishing that each quantum’s energy is equivalent to the radiation’s frequency multiplied by h (Hoffman 2008). This figure, shown in the form of erg-seconds, quantifies each quantum’s energy (Weast 1973). An erg ‘is the amount of energy needed to raise a milligram of mass by a distance of 1 centimeter’

Etihad airways Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Etihad airways - Essay Example The company has essentially covered a wider market within the short period of time. Etihad Airways has effective marketing mixing strategies that comprise of short-term policies and the long term objectives. The company’s short term strategies are increasing costs while increasing yield as well as maintaining customer value throughout and starting a status quo development of providing luxury at the least cost. Long term strategies are aimed at increasing profits by more than 5-10%, increasing customer value by 8-10% by the end of 2015 and increasing the number of staffs by 15% as well as increasing inbound holidays to Abu Dhabi by 2030. Etihad Airways segregates its services in Etihad Diamond first class and Etihad pearl Business class which is integrated with actual staff provision and the multi-cuisine availability on board. The augmentation and differentiation of the services provided by the airline company gives it maximum competitive advantage over other competitors such as Emirates Airlines, Air Arabia, Fly Dubai, and Qatar airways (Travel and Tourism News Middle East 2013, n.p). Etihad Airways has an advantage in Abu Dhabi since it is the center of tourism attraction and therefore the company has chauffer service in Abu Dhabi airport and many other airports for the first class and business class passengers. The company also uses another marketing strategy of providing 24 hour departure facilities which is different from other companies and an early hour arrival which is only unique and identifiable with the company. Furthermore, the company uses market penetration pricing strategy that is intended to increase its market share through delivering same services at same price as compared to other competitors. The company has well trained staffs which gives it high prospects particularly in its luxurious segments which made it notch very high in customer benchmarking. The company has had bundled pricing efforts

Moral & Cultural Relativism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Moral & Cultural Relativism - Essay Example One person may hold the opinion that strawberry flavor is sweeter than a Vanilla flavor. According to that person, no reasoning can be applied to decide whether his opinion concerning the taste is right or wrong. In this case, the opinions concerning ice cream tastes are relative. In the context of mathematics, when one presents a calculation like 3+3=5, we term the situation as wrong. We do not say that the calculations depend on the taste and perception of the person doing it but we say that the person is wrong. In this case, there are clearly defined standards that differentiate right from wrong. This mathematical example amounts to a context of absolutism. When extended to the contexts of morality, these contexts lead to the aspects of moral relativism and moral absolutism (Rauchut 349). Moral Relativism vs. Moral Absolutism Moral relativism advocates that there are no universal or defined moral standards governing social situations within any given social setting. Moral relativi sts advocate that there are no moral codes of conducts which apply universally at all times. With respect to this assertion, no one can say that someone is wrong or right because such a claim would amount to judging people based on some standards, which is contrary to the ideas of moral relativism. ... In the context of morality, absolutism asserts that moral codes of conduct are relevant at all times, regardless of the situation surrounding the same moral codes. However, moral absolutism allows for flexibility when evaluating morally violated contexts. Absolutists usually allow for the reasoning on the code of conduct with respect to the situation under consideration. For example, according to moral absolutism, the act of killing is wrong. However, the situation surrounding the action might justify the action as appropriate, but not as right. Therefore, moral absolutism acknowledges the existence of universal moral principles everywhere in the world (Rauchut 361). Arguments for Moral Absolutism In the context of morality, I will stand for the aspect of moral absolutism, and stand against moral relativism. In moral absolutism, one can judge a situation as right or wrong, irrespective of the situation under consideration. In the context of social interactions within any given human population, there are situations which are guided by some set of moral principles. For example, stealing is wrong. It is natural to see a parent disciplining a child because the child has stolen from a neighbor. According to absolutism, the act of stealing is based on the unnecessary economic predicament caused by that action to the victim. Therefore, moral principles advocate that it is absolutely wrong to steal, irrespective of the situation. If moral relativism were applied in such a situation, it would argue that the parent should not judge the child as right or wrong by the act of stealing; hence the child would not have been punished. Therefore, moral absolutism helps in developing

Rhetorical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 11

Rhetorical Analysis - Essay Example The author achieves this by employing superior common ground, detached diction, and an academic tone to place the reader on a scholarly level observing an ancient disciplinary measures practice. The author in his book wrote about the Panopticon under the title â€Å"Panopticism† where he metaphorically alludes to the way authority takes charge and control of the people. He uses the seventeenth century order and case scenario to show the reader how people’s respect for the ones in power comes from their fear of the authority as opposed to the authority’s actual strength. The order was formulated at a time when the plague rose, and it functioned to separate people one by one from the eldest to the youngest, in terms of towns, classes, as well as individuals. This in terms of rule and authority was the ideal method of running a city. Having isolated everyone to quarters and giving orders to be followed, which the people feared to break for the consequences that would follow. The common ground for â€Å"Panopticism† is surveillance or the watchful eye of the law or authority instilling conditional obedience in its subjects through rule of fear. Theoretically speaking, the Panopticon is a building constructed in the shape of a circle with holding cells in multiple rings, built in a storey form. A tower is erected in the center of the rings in order to observe the prisoner’s activity. Each cell has sufficient room for holding one person and is partitioned by a wall from the next to deter prisoners from seeing each other as well as eliminate chances for mob action. The front side is blocked with bars while the back has a window to let in light so that the prisoner cannot hide. The author uses this model/theory to prove the effect of using fear to quarantine people and make them very submissive to authority. The people in the text were ordered to stay indoors, and none was to leave on pain of death. The syndics were given authority over

Report on HSBC Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Report on HSBC Experience - Essay Example This position came with the role of ensuring the clients served are fully satisfied in their queries. None of the clients was to have unanswered questions upon visiting the desk occupied. As a result, one of the things needed to in order to perform effectively the role was ensuring that information was on the fingertips. The job’s tasks included helping the clients fill loan forms, opening accounts, offering professional advice as well as guiding the clients through the online transactions. The duties that came with this job included serving clients, selling company products, responding to customers’ phone queries. Besides serving clients at the customer care desk, the position entailed promoting the products by working with a group of salespeople every one weekend per month. Other weekends’ duties involved compiling the sales reports and customer’s comments. Every day there would be a meeting where each officer was expected to give their experiences in th eir respective roles. These duties needed the highest portrayal of professionalism since many of the clients came from high social classes. The duties and tasks demanded discretion and high level of ethics observation because one had to look at the client’s account. The description detailing how the duties were undertaken includes that loan forms had to be filled only by the client but under the direction of the officer. The opening of the account-required the client to fill the blank spaces but confirmed and approved by the officer.

Great Depression in America Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Great Depression in America - Coursework Example The basic cause of the Great Depression was a drop in aggregate demand, which led to a decrease in output as producers as well as merchandisers observed an unplanned increase in inventories. The sources of the reduction in spending differed during the course of the Depression, however, they cumulated into a massive drop in aggregate demand. During the Depression itself, different factions gave explanations regarding the catastrophe that goes contentedly with their personal interests. The Hoover management held global fiscal forces responsible and sought to â€Å"stabilize world currencies and debt structures†. ‘New Dealers’, aimed at finding a domestic solution to the catastrophe, said that the Depression was a calamity of ‘under-utilization’, that low earnings and high costs had made it extremely complicated to acquire the commodities of the industrial financial system; and that a shortage of demand had caused the financial slump.One of the earliest significant post-war explanations came was given by economists ‘Milton Friedman’ and ‘Anna Schwartz’, in their ‘Monetary History of the United States (1963)’. They argued about what has identified as the ‘economic interpretation’. Hey claimed that Great Depression was caused by a ‘radical contraction of the currency’ (Rothbard, 2011, p. 103). This argument goes well with the ideas that Milton Friedman has supported for several years.

Report and Letter Concerning Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Report and Letter Concerning Law - Case Study Example First of all, Mr. Ford is liable for having been negligent to Ms. Smith.   In the case of negligence, one must establish a duty of care.   To define negligence is to realize that it is the following.   It is:   â€Å"[c]onduct that falls below the standards of behavior established by law for the protection of others against the unreasonable risk of harm.   A person has acted negligently if he or she has departed from the conduct expected of a reasonably prudent person acting under similar circumstances.†      Obviously, Mr. Ford’s conduct was well below standards established by law to protect others against risk of harm according to the rules of the road.   Mr. Ford put Ms. Smith at unreasonable risk of harm.   Mr. Ford, subsequentially, by diverting his vehicle from the proper direction on the road in front of him, did not act as a reasonably prudent person in making the choice to pass the cars that were ahead of him—solely for the purpose of o vertaking the cars in front of him.To maintain negligence was a â€Å"cause of action,† there are four criteria which must be met:1. â€Å" [T]he defendant had a duty [or a promise to exercisecare] to the plaintiff..[;] [2.]   [T]he defendant breached that duty by failing to conform to the required standard of conduct..[;] [3.]   [T]he defendant’s negligent conduct was the cause of   harm to the plaintiff..[;] and [4.]   [T]he plaintiff was, in fact, harmed or damaged.†Ã‚  ... 1. " [T]he defendant had a duty [or a promise to exercise care] to the plaintiff..[;] [2.] [T]he defendant breached that duty by failing to conform to the required standard of conduct..[;] [3.] [T]he defendant's negligent conduct was the cause of harm to the plaintiff..[;] and [4.] [T]he plaintiff was, in fact, harmed or damaged."3 As it concerns Mr. Ford, he first had an obligation to Ms. Smith that that he had the duty to her to be a responsible driver. He then breached such obligation to be a responsible driver by going into her lane just because he wanted to overtake the line of cars ahead of him. Mr. Ford's third cause of action, that his conduct was harmful to Ms. Smith-as Ms. Smith consequentially broke her left fibula and was left with three cracked ribs-is an obvious factor, seeing as how the facts of the case prove this. Lastly, it is apparent that Ms. Smith was harmed in the accident. All of these aspects help prove further that Mr. Ford was negligent towards Ms. Smith. From having suffered this negligence, Ms. Smith has some recourse in presenting her case as a personal injury case in court. Ms. Smith could sue for pain and suffering incurred, which would include the "mental and emotional trauma which are recoverable as elements of damage in torts."4 Mr. Ford would not be able to receive any monetary awards due to damages on his car. He would have no case, as he would be the defendant. Further, the fact that Ms. Smith was convicted of not having vehicle insurance two days prior to the accident does not have a bearing on her receiving benefits from this torts case. However, Mr. Ford is liable to Ms. Smith for having been the cause of Ms. Smith's health problems and subsequent future

Advertising and Promotion In Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Advertising and Promotion In Business - Essay Example However, in order to attain such a position and image, effective advertising and promotion is essential. This is because; advertising means, a set of information or potential message communicated to the customers in order to improve its rankings and popularity in the market among others. By doing so, the level of awareness of the customers over the features and benefits of the products might get enhanced resulting in amplification of their reliability and consistency over the brand. For example: in classic advertising procedure, a specific problem is presented in front of the customers along with a solution to resolve the problem. This encourages the customers to purchase such type of product or services that may amplify the profitability and uniqueness of the brand or organization in the market1. Thus, advertising or marketing is recognised as a process of communicating the features and advantages of the product or services to its potential customers in order to improve the total sa le and revenue of the organization. However, in this process, the sender or the communicator presents the message to the receiver. He encodes the message and then decodes it and attains value information as presented below. By doing so, the level of relationship with the customers also gets enhanced resulting in amplification of the brand value and market share of the organization in the market among others. Due to these reasons, promotion and advertising is considered as holistic approaches of marketing. Â  

Convey the story Essay Example for Free

Convey the story Essay Heloise and Abelard by James Burger has its place among the most famous biographies that were written about the pair of lovers who lived in Medieval Age, and which is based on the correspondence the two held. It opens a new perspective on the life of the Dark Ages, on its institutions and philosophies, and most of all, on its theology. The lovers who became the victims of the religious age they lived in, that could not admit their love, or any other type of love, for that matter, except religious love. The characters themselves are besides the initiators of free love, the ones who foresee the escape from the too rigid, rule-based religion of the Medieval centuries: â€Å"Let us read after this the famous Colloquy of Erasmus, The Franciscan, and we will find repeated all the essential ideas of Heloise: Christ preached but one religion, the same for layfolk and monks; the Christian renounces the world and professes to live only for Christ, and St. Paul did not preach this doctrine for monks but for everyone; layfolk, even the married, are bound to chastity and poverty quite as much as monks; in short, the only rule binding the Christian is the Gospel. Once she has adopted this course, Heloises frank and direct reason would not let her stop. Carried away by her own logic she was to touch, one after the other, almost all the critical points on which the humanists and reformers of the sixteenth century are so insistent. Why forbid meat to monks? Meat in itself is neither good nor bad. Let us not attach religious importance to things which in fact have none. Nothing counts save what can lead us to the kingdom of God. Let us forget, then, these exterior practices common to truly pious souls and to hypocrites, It is only interior acts that really count for the Christian. The rest is Judaism. † (Gilson, 132) Thus, the point that the story of Heloise and Abelard is trying to make, is that theirs was the one of the most tragic examples of the many failures of the Medieval Age, which persecuted through religion and rigid commandments, trough enclosing monasteries and punishments of all kind, instead of opening the road to what true spirituality means. The touching and tragic story of the lovers impresses because of the nobility of their thoughts and feelings, and also to the spectacular love story, which remains intense throughout their lives. Love is blended with the Christian doctrine, and the lovers try to find a bridge between the two, something that will only be found later in the history or religion, with the advent of humanism. 2. Explain who Heloise and Abelard were. What is their background and upbringing? What brings their paths together? Heloise and Abelard form one of the most famous couples known for their romantic love, so often compared to such immortal stories like that of Romeo and Juliet. However, their story is the real account of a twelfth century couple that lasted throughout the centuries both because of the unusual love story that united them, and also because of the startling sincerity and openness of the letters that favors a clear view of their characters and lives, and of the circumstances of the century they lived in. Pierre Abelard was a well-known philosopher and theologian of the Middle Ages, whose studies have been concerned with mainly with logic and dialectics in the early years, and then with ethics and theology later on in his life. Of the account he himself gives of his early life in the letter addressed to his friend Philintus, we find that in his early youth he discovered his â€Å"natural genius for study†, and became â€Å"smitten with love for books†, so much so that he decided to renounce at once the fortune that father had bestowed on him as his eldest son, to his brothers and to dedicate himself entirely to learning. His passion and ambition to become a great logician soon brought him notoriety inside the circles of scholars, and he stood out as one of the most reputed teachers of his time. It is in the midst of his glory as a philosopher that the event that will change his life forever occurs: he sees Heloise, the niece of a certain Fulbert. She is belongs to a lower social class than he but she is equal in all else to him: she is literate and very learned, perhaps even surpassing him in depth of thought and feeling. All these were unique and very rare qualities in a medieval woman. Abelard concocts the perfect means of making her acquaintance, with a clear intention to conquer her and make her his mistress. He talks to the uncle, and after having offered him a sum of money, he obtains the latter’s assent to instruct his daughter as her teacher. Heloise, who has reason enough to admire him for his knowledge and brilliant mind, soon falls in love with him and becomes his lover, without the slightest resistance. It is here that their fascinating but tragic story actually begins. 3. Who was William of Champeaux? Discuss his influence in the life of Abelard. Why did Abelard achieve both acclaim and notoriety? Abelard has been, because of his originality of thought, in controversy with many of the philosophers of the age, among these, William of Champeaux, who began by being his teacher, but who was soon outwitted in the lectures he gave by his student. This naturally created animosity between the two, and it became even more founded when Abelard started teaching himself, and drew to his side most of the students that formerly had been instructed by Champeaux: â€Å"I put myself under the direction of one Champeaux, a professor who had acquired the character of the most skilful philosopher of his age, but by negative excellencies only as being the least ignorant! He received me with great demonstrations of kindness, but I was not so happy as to please him long; for I was too knowing in the subjects he discoursed upon, and I often confuted his notions. Frequently in our disputations I pushed a good argument so home that all his subtlety was not able to elude its force. It was impossible he should see himself surpassed by his scholar without resentment. It is sometimes dangerous to have too much merit. Envy increased against me in proportion to my reputation. † ( I) Abelard was many times an envied scholar, and later on, he was even accused of heresy for his ideas, by the enemies he always made in his circle. But, nevertheless, he became more and more notorious, because of the originality and novelty of his ideas, and especially because of his passion and ability for logic and argumentation. 4. How do Heloise and Abelard fall in love? What challenges must their relationship overcome? What were the consequences for both Abelard and Heloise? What is transcendent or universal about their love story? Together in the house of Heloise’s uncle, under the assumed masks of teacher and student, Heloise and Abelard begin their love story. As it becomes clear from Abelard’s own confessions in the letters to her, and from the imputations she brings on him, in her turn, the beginning of their of their affair was due more to his lust and incontinence rather than to his feelings for her: â€Å"Was it not the sole thought of pleasure which engaged you to me? And has not my tenderness, by leaving you nothing to wish for, extinguished your desires? Wretched Heloise! you could please when you wished to avoid it; you merited incense when you could remove to a distance the hand that offered it: but since your heart has been softened and has yielded, since you have devoted and sacrificed yourself, you are deserted and forgotten! † (II) Heloise however, seems to have given herself completely to her feelings to him, from beginning to end of their love story. After they remained together for the space of a few months, but their love was son discovered by Heloise’s uncle, who, enraged, demanded compensation from Abelard for his offense against the family honor. Abelard decides to marry Heloise, and when the latter becomes pregnant he sends her away to Britanny, to the care of his sister. The actual situation of the two lovers can not be fully comprehended without placing it in the Medieval context. Thus, it would perhaps seem natural to a modern reader that marriage be a solution for Abelard and Heloise, one that would confer legitimacy on their bond, both from the point of view of religion and from that of moral. However, this was not the case at all, for a few clear reasons. First of all, both Abelard and Heloise were both learned people, with such strict and high spiritual aspirations that they were incompatible with the idea of lay marriage. Abelard wanted for himself the kind of pure life that he admired in Saint Jerome or Seneca, and which would bring him the glory he longed for. For Heloise his glory would have been her glory too, so she was actually the one who withstood all she could the idea of marriage. In the strict sense of the world, according to the Medieval moral and religious laws, Abelard had the right to marry, without losing by this act the right to teach or his clerical dignity. The actual danger was that they, as all Medieval scholars, regarded marriage as a form of weakness and incontinence, that would inevitably and permanently drive a scholar away from his prayers and philosophical inquiries. Marriage was therefore considered degrading, and not a lot better than fornication for the ones who aspired to become theologians, because it had the same consequences – surrendering to sensual pleasures and forgetting one’s duty to God: â€Å"If therefore laymen and pagans have lived thus, without the restrictions of a religious profession, how much the more is it your duty to do so, you who are a cleric and a canon, lest you should come to prefer shameful pleasures to the divine service, lest you cast yourself into the gulf of Charybdis and perish, lest you should destroy yourself in these obscenities to the mockery of the whole world. (III) It is precisely in this conflict between their great passion and their aspiration for spiritual heroism, that the tragedy of Heloise and Abelard begins, even more so, when we consider that the spiritual ideals they tried to attain were not imposed on them from the outside, but were their own, and therefore as powerful as their love. It is this context that makes possible the famous and extraordinary statement of Heloise to Abelard, in which she declares that she would rather be his mistress or his prostitute than his wife: â€Å"You cannot but be entirely persuaded of this by the extreme unwillingness I showed to marry you, though I knew that the name of wife was honorable in the world and holy in religion; yet the name of your mistress had greater charms because it was freer. The bonds of matrimony, however honorable, still bear with them a necessary engagement and I was very unwilling to be necessitated to love always a man who would perhaps not always love me. † (II) As she herself declares it, Heloise believed in the disinteresedness of love, and considered, ahead of the time she lived in, that marriage does nothing to preserve the purity of love, but, on the contrary, makes it the slave of ambition or other advantages that are not love itself. Love is not to be confused with mere life or be put under the same necessities as the latter, as it would happen in a marriage, and this is seemingly what the story of Heloise and Abelard signified: a love that surpassed in intensity and nobility the limitations of simple life: â€Å"You have very justly observed in your letter that I esteemed those public engagements insipid which form alliances only to be dissolved by death, and which put life and love under the same unhappy necessity. ( )With what ease did you compose verses! And yet those ingenious trifles, which were but a recreation to you, are still the entertainment and delight of persons of the best taste. The smallest song, the least sketch of anything you made for me, had a thousand beauties capable of making it last as long as there are lovers in the world. Thus those songs will be sung in honor of other women which you designed only for me, and those tender and natural expressions which spoke your love will help others to explain their passion with much more advantage than they themselves are capable of. † (IV) Heloise already takes pride in their love story as something universal that will be used as a ground for comparison for future couples who will be bound by so great a love. The two loved each other with such great ardor and nobility, that their love is pure in spite of their sin. In spite of Heloise’s noble attitude that can not consent either to the loss of glory by the man she loves or to the degrading of noble and free love by binding it to the hearse of marriage, the two eventually contract a â€Å"secret marriage†, a compromise imposed by Abelard, so as not to lose Heloise but at the same time, to maintain his respectfulness in public. Abelard sends his wife to the monastery of Argenteuil to avoid further rumors about their marriage, already dressing her in the nun habit, without knowing that she will wear it forever afterwards . The climax of these happenings comes with the barbaric act of revenge that Heloise’s uncle commits. He bribes the servants of Abelard and these allow for someone to enter the room of their master by night and castrate him. This terrible and symbolic revenge is perhaps what made the love story between Heloise and Abelard legendary. Afterwards, they both retire in convents, Heloise being the first to put on the veil, at Abelard’s command, who not being able to posses her anymore, shuts her up from the world in his jealousy, so that she might never belong to anyone else. This is perhaps the greatest and incontestable act of love and sacrifice she performs for him, surrendering herself completely, and renouncing the greatest thing for him: not the world, as he thought, but him, the man she loved. Their love becomes transcendental and universal through the very passion that fettered them when they were together, but which also manifested itself in their acts of renouncement.