King Lear Essays (286 words) - British Films, Films,

King Lear In the King Lear play, Shakespeare creates many conditions in which humans live in the world. The main characters in the play are used to portray Shakespeare's ideas. One of these ideas which Shakespeare is trying to portray is evil between the characters and in the world which are emphasized throughout the play. The evil, created by humans, is outweighed by good in the world of King Lear. Evil was created by humans who decided to do wrong to others. Duke of Albany, said that all evil people will be justly punished (ACT V, iii, 303). Albany indicated that it is the people who caused evil and people decided to do evil, not gods. Lear believes that since Edgar is out on the heath he must have given everything to his daughters as well (ACT III, iv, 62ff). Since he believes that Edgar gave everything to evil Lear must believe that people are the cause of evil. It were Lear's daughters who decided to do wrong to Lear and it was Lear's fault in giving away all of his land. Si ughters are the humans in the play, it is the humans who caused the evil and Lear believes that humans were the ones who created evil. Edgar, is another character in the play who believes that evil is caused by humans and not the gods. Edgar said, "The gods are just, and of our peasant vices make instruments to plague us" (ACT V, iii, 169). Edgar clearly says that the gods are right and it is the people who are responsible for promoting evil in the world. It is us who make the instruments necessary for evil to spread and plague the world. In the world of King Lear many characters believe evil was caused by the people and not by the gods.

Christmas Essays - Course, Curricula, Christmas, Underwater Hockey

Christmas Essays - Course, Curricula, Christmas, Underwater Hockey [Instructor Name] [Course Number] ` Christmas Holiday was very big for me growing up but my favorite holiday was Christmas in the anticipation leading up to it was amazing I couldnt even sleep the night before on the other hand the preparation for Christmas morning was great and the day before Christmas spending the day at Grandmas house watching NBA games and playing in the backyard with my cousins before every family dinner, Chelsea give us a family prayer to bless the food. Christmas time is fun to enjoy the company of my family. It all starts on the day of Christmas Eve, I wake up in the morning and I prepare myself to clean up the house. This process takes a good two hours to clean the whole house. Then when the house is clean that's when my family starts to come over. The time I share with my family is the time we talk about old stories that has happen to our lives throughout the year. My family loves to cook a whole lot of fatting foods like tamales. Tamales is like a big tradition during Christmas, it's a long process to make tamales so it's the best time for my mother and aunts to catch up on gossip. While I am waiting for the tamales to be cooked I am usually on the phone with my friend's trying to find out where all the Christmas parties are at. Christmas was big for me growing up the anticipation for Christmas was out this world. Praying on Christmas eve night right before I go to sleep. Giving Sanata my Christmas list in November so I can be the first house he stop too. I just knew I was going to get everything because I was a good boy leading up to Christmas. I look Christmas and my anticipation as a kid, I was very exticed for Christmas I had. Around midnight is when we gather in the living room to open our gifts. Then after I clean up the mess from all the gifts. My friends start to come over to my house. Most of the time they usually come over because they just got to bored at home. I don't mind having my friend's over at my house when I am spending some time with my family. This is good because I don't have to leave my house to early to just be with my friends. After an hour or so that has pasted by at home, my phone is ringing off the hook. All my friends seem to call early on Christmas Day, they are only calling to see what I got from Christmas. Not only then the anticipation change for me so did the household preparation when I was kid growing up after thanksgiving we start to set up our fake Christmas tree that we had since I was a baby. The Christmas tree we had to put it together part by part at end you could have tell its wasnt real after we put the Christmas tree up we put the light around the tree that sing to us once we hit the button really get annoying after a while drive you so crazy make you want unplug the light so it would stop sing and then come to the outside preparation we had to put the Santa and The deer and light around bushes we did all that as family which mean its just me and my dad while my sister and my mom sit back watch us and boss us around while we doing it. Our outside preparation was the easy part but the part which just want to take break because you be working on the inside of the house and the Christmas tree. Im older now so when come to household preparation we dont do anything no more but the Christmas tree that we still have and try put light around it we stopped doing the Christmas preparation once I became a freshemen in high school and My sister was a junior in high school I miss the days when we the took the household preparation serious as a family. When come down to Christmas dinner after

Learning from a world class designer, Erik Spiekermann

Learning from a world class designer, Erik Spiekermann Learning from a world-class designer and typographer, Erik Spiekermann Today, our CEO Emmanuel has the amazing  opportunity to interview Erik Spiekermann. Erik is a world-famous art historian, typographer, designer and author who says  he is â€Å"suffering from typomania: a sickness that is incurable but not lethal.†Erik is the designer behind many global brands and publications such as Audi, Bosch and The Economist. Erik also designed exclusive typefaces for Nokia and  Mozilla, as well as designing the reading app  Blloon  from his own design agency Edenspiekermann.Followed by over 300,000 people on Twitter, he is frequently asked to contribute to books and magazines on a range of topics from visual language to bicycles (he owns 13 of them).When I first reached out to you to present you Reedsy and our cover designers, you said to me:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"There are plenty of great cover designers out there and while I love designing covers, I find that way too easy and superficial. I have seen too many books with great covers but horribly designe d content. It’s like great packaging, but when you open it, the food inside looks brown and boring. It may still be nourishing, but my appetite is gone. I am interested in designing the actual words, adding an aesthetic dimension to the text while making it easily readable and appropriate to the medium.†I thought it was fantastic to see that you wouldn’t stop at the cover and pay attention to the design and craftsmanship of the entire book, similar to what Apple does with their iMarvels. But do people generally understand the importance of design for books the same way they now care about the craftsmanship behind their iPhones?Design works not because people understand or even appreciate it but because it works subliminally. Just like background music in a store. Nobody would admit to being influenced by it, but it generates a mood, whether we listen consciously or not.Are you a maverick or a trendsetter?You cannot deliberately be a trendsetter, just like you can not design a classic. Only time will tell if something becomes a trend. My track record isn’t bad - probably because I look around, read a lot, travel and generally have my ear to the ground. I’m probably a maverick because I’ve never written or read a business plan but have raised a few successful businesses.I have seen your complaints about the printed version of The Circle: not enough leading, wrong typeface, etc. What do you look for when you first open a book? Could you give us an example of a beautiful novel and tell us a little bit why you like its design?I don’t have one in front of me, but if we were near my bookshelves in Berlin, I’d pull out some of the books from Andere Bibliothek, like this one, Der Nazi und der Psychiater we happened to have designed. They have every book designed by a different designer and I do my own typesetting. It doesn’t take any longer to pick the right typeface and try it out than it does to pick the wr ong one. You do have to read the book (if only diagonally) and you have to know your typefaces and how to use them. But that is the craft I expect every graphic designer to know.Are some publishers better than others at publishing nicely designed books? What about indie authors?Yes, some take more care. I have no idea about indie authors, but most authors are their own worst enemies when it comes to designing their books. They are way too close to them. If you establish a good template and perhaps even pick just one typeface that works for whatever type of books you publish, you can just flow your manuscript into it and get 80% quality.I read on a Kindle and I’ve never changed the typeface, the margins or the spacing. It doesn’t look very refined, but I find it pleasant to read. Am I missing something? Which e-reader has the best typefaces? Are there e-reader settings you believe enhance the reader experience?I know nothing about e-readers. What little I’ve seen made me despair. Things may be better by now but I have not been interested. But the same goes for a screen that goes for paper: consider your text, your substrate, your audience and know the rules of typography. Most editors don’t and seem to consider designers a nuisance and a superfluous expense.Do typographers and book interior designers have a new role with the progressive switch to ebooks?Yes, but the same one as always. It may be more difficult because the engineers always pretend that nobody can get past their technical constraints.As a more general question, what are the innovations in the publishing industry you find most interesting?The fact that I don’t really need a publisher anymore, except perhaps for distribution. I am going to publish the German version of my â€Å"Stop Stealing Sheep and find out how type works†. I am the author and the designer and deliver a complete ready-to-print pdf anyway. The printing costs aren’t that much of a d eal and I can generate enough demand through my own channels. The printer will warehouse the books for me, so all I have to do is pay someone to do the shipping.By the time most first-time indie authors reach the phase of book development generally reserved for design, they are chomping at the bit to see their book finished. What are the top three features of a good book design that authors should value above all others?I have never been involved with indie authors, so I’ve never had to make up any rules for them. What I do as a designer is what I mentioned above: I bring content, media and audience together.You share your time between San Francisco, Berlin and London. Which city cares the most about typography?London. They have more tradition and variety although Berlin has higher technical standards. If it hadn’t been for WWII with its interruption and subsequent definition of German culture and intellectual life, it would be ahead. But the continuum broke when Germa n intellectuals left the country. That cut was too deep to ever heal.Many thanks for answering my questions, Erik!Best from SF. Erik SpiekermannFollow Erik Spiekermann and Reedsy on Twitter:  @espiekermann  and @ReedsyHQWhat do you think the future holds for book design and typography? Do you agree with Erik that  Ã¢â‚¬Å"design works not because people understand or even appreciate it but because it works subliminally†?

Reading Activity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reading Activity - Assignment Example As much as women were drawn to humanism, they also got attracted to the scientific revolution and have excelled so much in the field of science. Various women have become lead astronomers, entomologists and great scientists, proving beyond reasonable doubt that women can do better in what previously was male dominated fields. Women like Margaret Cavendish, Mari Merian and Maria Winkelman are classic reference to the importance of educating a woman in the society today (Spielvogel). Despite the difficulties women go through as they try to access education and pursue their careers, women have emerged to be successful and have even excelled more than their male counterparts. It is important for a society to put the girl child on the spotlight in terms of education and career opportunities so that women are empowered to bring about gender parity as well as enlighten the whole society because educating a woman is like educating the whole

Reducing the driver texting while driving can significant reduce the Essay

Reducing the driver texting while driving can significant reduce the number of car accident - Essay Example Texting while driving kills thousands of people each year. To stop these completely preventable accidents, every person who drives needs to stop texting in the car and wait to answer the phone. Distracted driving, which is the practice of not paying full attention to the road, is a big killer, and cell phone usage is one key factor. According to the FCC, in 2012 alone â€Å"driver distraction was the cause of 18 percent of all fatal crashes,† totaling more than 3300 deaths and over 421,000 injured people (FCC). While there are a number of ways that drivers could be distracted in their car, text messaging stands out as a very notable culprit. There are a huge amount of at-risk drivers who use cell phones. A poll from 2014 showed that 90% of all Americans own cell phones, 64% of which are smartphones (Pew Research Center). On top of that, studies have found that â€Å"text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted† (FCC). This is because, as can be imagined, the driver of a car who is trying to text has his or her attention split between a screen and the road. Distracted driving accidents have increased a lot in the past decade due to an increase in cell phone and smartphone usage. From 1999 to 2008, there was an increase of almost five percent in the number of fatal accidents which involved distracted driving (Wilson & Stimpson 2214). This makes sense when thinking about the increase in cell phone usage during that time. And the last few years of this period are the biggest increase, which ties in with more smart phones being popular for teenagers. Just from 2005 to 2008 there was an increase of 28% in distracted driving deaths (Wilston & Stimpson 2214). But there is still hope for the texting disaster. As Alosco et al. showed in a simulated driving study, texting as well as eating caused â€Å"impaired performance,† and interestingly, those who took part in the study after the fact understood that â€Å"texting

Managing diverse workforce Essay Example for Free

Managing diverse workforce Essay Workforce diversity includes the obvious differences we see when we look around: race, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, religion and ethnicity. But it’s also the less obvious traits, the subtle differences that often register with us unconsciously, such as socioeconomic status, marital status, educational background, language, accent and appearance. We all have something that makes us unique, some special talent or ability that we bring to the table that differentiates us from our colleagues. That’s diversity at its best. Sourcing and managing people from a diverse background have become a critical part of an employment and management strategy. Workers who vary in age, gender, ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background or culture, ethnicity and language, make a positive contribution to an organization’s workforce — they’re an asset to organization culture and the bottom line as companies and managers are realizing every day that passes. There is a common belief that a diverse workforce brings innovative and creative solutions to an organization from ‘outside the box’. An effective corporate diversity program is a powerful way to gain a competitive advantage and stand apart from competition. It can’t be overstated that diverse workforce brings real bottom-line value to any organization. Diverse workforce allows organizations to break barriers, attract new customers and build customer-base and help form strategic alliances with partners across the globe by having better knowledge of the target markets and establishing better communication capabilities and having ability to communicate in a variety of languages including understanding of cultural differences. Just over half of the employers polled in Canada said they anticipate a shortage of quali? ed workers in the next ? ve years and approximately 67% believe they currently have a more diverse workforce than 5 years ago. These forward-thinking companies are not only placing an emphasis on making a positive contribution to their workforce – but on their bottom line. Source:Randstad Despite Workforce diversity is becoming common phenomenon across Canada, managers of today are increasingly facing the challenges of handling a diverse workforce and being sensitive to this diversity (Tjosvold, 1985). The rationale behind this research is to understand challenges organizations are facing as a result of managing diverse workforce. Additionally the research would try to look into various ways managers can overcome these challenges and make managing diverse workforce a real success. The concept of managing diversity originated in America following the growing need to manage cross-cultural and individual differences in an increasingly diverse demographic workforce (Cox Blake, 1991). In Canada, immigration and large numbers of women entering the workforce promoted diversity management efforts since the 1990s, although the workplace composition differs from that in the USA (Miller A. Rowney, 1999). Experts (Fernandez, 1993; Rice, 1994; Carnevale and Stone, 1994) indicate that business owners and managers who hope to create and manage an effective, harmonious multicultural workforce should remember the importance of the following: Setting a good example: This basic tool can be particularly valuable for small business owners who hope to establish a healthy environment for people of different cultural backgrounds. This is because they are generally able to wield significant control over the business basic outlook and atmosphere. The leaders must exhibit strong commitment to addressing issues like myths, stereotypes, and real cultural differences, as well as organizational barriers that interfere with the full contribution of all employees. Communicate in Writing: Organization policies that explicitly forbid prejudice and discriminatory behavior should be included in employee manual, mission statement and other written communications. Diversity should be a super-ordinate goal instead of a goal assigned to individual group. Training Programs: Awareness and skill building training programs provides information on cultural norms of different groups and how they may affect work behavior. New employee orientation programs are ideal for introducing workers to organization’s expectation regarding treatment of fellow workers irrespective of their cultural or ethnic background. Recognize individual differences: There are number of dimensions around human relationships. These include but not limited to: acceptance of power equality, desire for orderliness and structure; the need to belong to a wider group etc. Difference should not be assumed to be cultural. Other sources are personality, aptitude or competence ( Goffee, 1997). Actively seek input from Minority workers: Seeking opinions of minority groups and their involvement on important matters is beneficial not only because of the contributions they can make but also as it sends a message that they are valued by the organization. Revamp reward system: An organizations performance appraisal and reward system should encourage and reinforce effective diversity management. Flexible Work environment: Cox (1994) indicated that flexible work environment could be highly beneficial for and to people of non-traditional cultural background because their approaches to problems are more likely to be different from past norms. Continuous Monitoring: Experts recommend that business owners and managers establish and maintain systems and routines that can continually monitor the organization’s policies and practices to ensure that it continues to be a good environment for all employees. Periodic surveys should be conducted by management to understand employee’s needs (Jorgensen, 1993). Impact of Diversity on Organizational Culture: Hill and Jones defined organizational culture as those set of norms, values, and attitude that defined the way the employees of an organization behaved and interacted with each other and with others outside their organization (Hill and Jones, 2001). Organizational culture has been seen as instrumental in impacting individual employees in an organization. A positive organizational culture promotes diversity by taking advantage of diverse talent pool as well as intellectual capital whereas a negative organizational culture will stifle and discriminate against diversity and thus affect the work environment and consequently the employee productivity (Chatman and Spataro, 2005). Thomas identified that organizational culture is responsible for the systematic and planned way in which a diverse workforce is managed in an organization and their skill sets are put to use for the benefit of the business (Thomas, 1992). With dramatic adoption of diversity as a value-add across number of organizations, it’s become important to make sure organizational culture promotes workplace diversity. It means extensively analyzing a organizations current culture and changing those parts that limit cultural diversity. Also, it means recruiting new employees for the skills they can bring to the organization rather than their cultural homogeneity. Lastly, it means working with a management team to help them understand that cultural diversity is a business issue, and their own careers will benefit from enabling their employees to reach their full potential (Managing Diversity, 1999). Diversity management contains three (3) components: 1. Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action programs direct attention to laws that guide recruitment and promotion. 2. Valuing differences centers on interpersonal qualities that shape managements relationships with their employees. 3. Managing diversity focuses on the diverse quality of employees work-life needs such as childcare, family leave, and flexible holiday schedules. It requires setting policies and procedures that empowers managers to meet employees needs (Galagan, 1999; Jenner, 1994; Wilkinson, 1999). Managing diversity is managing human resource needs, says Ben Harrison. ( Jenner, 1994). Human resource personnel alone cant do the work of managing diversity. All levels of managers should implement programs designed to heighten awareness of cultural differences, foster appreciation for these differences, and identify the commonalties among the various ethnic groups. Managing diversity is an effort that will involve all members of the organization In order to reap the fruits of diversity. The process should start by including managing diversity into the overall strategy, this will promote cultural synergy and effectively integrating the better elements associated with multiple cultures. This tactic will help in aiding of identifying and implementing of new practices in companies with diverse units. Steps to be taken to begin managing diversity are: 1. Assess your organizations needs by conducting an organizational audit to determine which diversity problems exist. The audit should consist of surveys, interviews, focus groups, or a combination of these. 2. One should learn all s(he) can by exposing him/herself to different types of people, for this can reduce Stereotyping. 3. Strengthen top managements  commitment level. White males control the resources and feel most of the fear; therefore, they should be informed of the importance of their involvement, for this can reduce if not eliminate their fear. 4. Develop new selection criteria that include personality characteristics. Promote cultural synergy by effectively integrating the better elements associated with multiple cultures. 5. Invest in communication training to reduce prejudice and develop 6. Choose soluti ons that balance strategy to achieve the organizations goals. 7. Build diversity into your leadership team: You must plan for the development and promotion of your employees. 8. Look for ways to adjust your organization to your workers. This means the organizations culture should be employee oriented. Instituting flexible management systems to accommodate diverse workers can do this. This includes job sharing, flextime, and separate reward and benefit systems. (Managing Diversity, 1999,Galagan, 1999;Nelton, 2000) Conclusion At the end of the day appreciating diversity in people means recognizing, accepting, and supporting their differences. In addition, properly managing diversity means creating an environment that takes advantage of the different characteristics of everyone, which is in the best interest of the organization and the employee. The concept of managing diversity was developed as a result of the changing demographics of workforces, imperfections of Affirmative Action programs, and discrimination laws. Managing diversity involves consumption of all program and resources to building systems and a culture that unite different people in a common pursuit without undermining their diversity. It differs from solely using from Affirmative Action programs or other of its kind, because it creates an environment where all individuals can contribute to their maximum potential. Attaining support from top management is the most important implementing step in the process, which is necessary to ensure success. Additionally, it reduces the fears of the dominant group. Through the use of all valuing diversity, managing diversity and affirmative action companies create a qualified, diverse work force that appropriately reflects the demographics of its communities.

Utopia for the Twentieth Century :: Philosophy Marxism Essays

Utopia for the Twentieth Century There are many utopias. No one has ever seen them except in imagination, and yet they are real enough, for they have influenced our destiny over the centuries. ----- Alain Martineau The socio-political philosophy of Marx and Engels emphasizes both the capacity as well as the inevitability of oppressed peoples to take up arms in a desperate effort to do away with conditions which do not correspond to their true material and psychological needs. This is the process by which the fulfillment of Marx's species-being may eventually become a reality --- a struggle which will annihilate those circumstances which produce a great deal of misery, ending them through conflict. As one of the most successful political theories of the twentieth century in terms of the widespread influence it has had for over a hundred years now, Marxist doctrines translated into political practices have themselves contributed toward a considerable amount of human suffering, as the examples of the Bolshevik and Khmer Rouge revolutions demonstrate. While there is a great deal of justified criticism against labeling these revolutions as being authentically Marxist, the fact remains that to a larg e extent, many of the violent tactical formulas which were considered justifiable by Marx and Engels have been translated and adopted by twentieth century political movements, quite often with the result that an oppressive order is exchanged for another order which in turn becomes equally oppressive. This may be due, in part, to the fact that the tactics which Marx believed were necessary to liberate humanity and usher in utopian conditions were prescribed for the framework and social conditions of the nineteenth century Industrial Revolution in western Europe. Undoubtedly, the transition from the previous century to the present has brought with it unprecedented changes in levels of technology, economic and social conditions, political structures, environmental crises --- as well as a transformation within our individual and social consciousness themselves --- which have never before been witnessed by humanity. If Marxism is to continue to hold promise for our effort to liberate ourselves from undesirable social conditions, there is a need to adapt it so that it may address the peculiarities of the twentieth century, those which Marx himself could not have seen. Additionally, the humanist and utopian ideals of Marx and Engels, such as freedom from bondage as well as social harmon y, ought to be preserved and promoted. The contributions of twentieth-century Marxists are invaluable to us for this reason.

Hinduism and Buddhism vs. Confucianism and Taoism Essay

Hinduism is, some would say, the world’s most ancient and sprawling religion. Its scriptures and teachings are voluminous and wide-ranging, addressing everything from science and history to philosophy, art and, of course, spirituality. Comparatively speaking, the Hindu teachings are uniquely inclusive rather than exclusive. One of its early Vedas openly recognizes the universality of the spiritual path: â€Å"Truth is one; sages call it by different names.† As in Buddhism, Hinduism stresses the necessity of letting go our compulsive attachment to, and fascination with, the ego or the self, so that we can realize The Self, or selflessness. The differences in supreme beings between Hinduism and Buddhism show two extremes of the same idea. Hinduism believes in one Supreme Being, but separates its characteristics into many different Gods. Everything is a part of the Supreme Being. Buddhism sees the individual’s thought and nature as supreme, and therefore does not ha ve a single God, and so turns inward instead of outward. Similarities between views of man and nature greatly show the progression from Hinduism to Buddhism as the same ideas of everything being one and the same are expressed in different contexts. Both religions are also similarly based on attaining certain knowledge in order to reach salvation or Nirvana. Taoism and Confucianism have to be seen side-by-side as two distinct responses to the social, political and philosophical conditions of life two and a half millennia ago in China. Whereas Confucianism is greatly concerned with social relations, conduct and human society, Lao Tzu emphasized the need to look beyond the promises and treaties of human beings for a source of peace and contentment; and he urged to return to nature’s way, that is, a simple and harmonious life. Chuang Tzu developed Taoism emphasizing on the natural way as opposed to the artificial and contrived way of persons. The Tao is similar to the Christian God in that is omnipresent and all powerful. It is also an impersonal, impartial force, however, much like â€Å"the force† of George Lucas’ Star Wars. Tao means, more or less, â€Å"the way of things,† both material and immateria l, not dissimilar to the Buddhist term dharma. Taoism centers upon the absolute necessity, uniqueness, pervasiveness and indefinable elusiveness of this peculiar â€Å"way.† The following passage from the Tao Te Ching is a typical description of the Tao. â€Å"The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao. The name that can be named is not the eternal name.† Confucius thought that the problems of his time originated from  sovereign power used without moral principle. To cure this problem, he urged that the government should be administered for the benefit of all the people; and this is possible if the government officials were of the highest personal integrity and cared about the people as much as they did about themselves. (Do unto others as you would have them do unto you). 3. Perfection can be realized by following the inner Way (Tao) of nature. Tao is manifested in the workings of nature, for what individual things possess of Tao is the te, or function, of Tao. Tao, as a source, provides for the very existence of beings, but the function of Tao provides for their distinctness. Nonaction (wu-wei) is what things inherit from Tao as their function. â€Å"Tao invariably takes no action, and yet there is nothing left undone.† Non (artificial) action is letting things be accomplished in a natural and spontaneous way. The word â€Å"jen† means ‘virtue,’ ‘benevolence,’ ‘true humanhood,’ ‘moral character,’ ‘love,’ ‘human goodness,’ and ‘human-heartedness’. What makes us human is a matter of feeling as well as thinking; Chinese emphasize on the heart, rather than the reason, as the central feature of human nature. To realize jen, guides to action in everyday life are needed. Confucius found these guides in the rules of li (propriety). Li governs customs, ceremonies, and relationships established by human practice over the ages; and jen is realized through li. Jen is the ground of li; what makes li a standard of conduct is the fact that it is in accord with jen. Customs and regulations not in accord with jen are not really li. By li, we tame our unruly impulses and transform them into civilized expressions of human nature: that is, li is the means by which our humanity (jen) can be evoked and developed. â€Å"†¦ Li is the principle by which the ancient kings embodied the laws of heaven†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The word â€Å"li† means propriety in everything: moral discipline in personal conduct, the general principle of the social order, ritual and ceremony, a system of social relationships with definite attitudes toward one another, love in the parents, filial piety in the children, respect in the younger brothers, friendliness in the elder brothers, loyalty among friends, respect for authority among subjects, and benevolence in rulers.

Biographical Approach to Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” Essay

Literature is always said to be the echo of life. It reflects the time, the mind’s state, and author’s life. Whenever one looks into any literature piece, they do not only read what is on the text but also try to understand the context that matters. These contexts include the life of the author, the era it was written, the social condition during the time it was set, and others. There are many ways in which a literary piece can be read and interpreted. The act of interpreting a literary text is called literary criticism. As said by Lamb (2003), literary criticism is an attempt to assess and comprehend the creative writing, the literature of an author. In this paper, the researcher uses a type of literary criticism to institute the meaning of the text. The researcher uses biographical approach to literary criticism. Eagleton (1996) describes this approach as a strategy of relating the author’s life and thoughts to his/her works. This allows the reader to understand elements employed in the work, plus to relate works to authorial meaning and readers. MHS Composition Guide states that there are central biographical questions needed to reflect on in taking this approach. These questions are: †¢ What biographical facts has the author used in the text? †¢ What biographical facts has the author changed? †¢ What insights do we acquire about the author’s life by reading the text? †¢ How do these facts and insights increase (or diminish) our understanding of the text? These questions wil used in the development of the body of this paper. In this paper, the researcher also attempts to give assessment in life to her short story, and to the main character of the short story â€Å"The Story of an Hour†. Horward (2005) states that Katherine O’Flaherty, also known as Kate Chopin, was one of the most renowned female writers of her time. Her universal themes are what made her extraordinary. She wrote several short stories including â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, â€Å"Euphrase†, â€Å"Mrs. Mobry’s Reason†, â€Å"A Shameful Affair† and many others. Kate Chopin was raised into a home of women in St. Louis. This had been a very big influence to her writings, mainly on her views about feminism – views about women. Chopin was later widowed at 32, and there she started writing for herself and for her six children. Chopin was an extensive reader that is why she was able to write stories of herself into creative ones. In the early 1970’s, it was the resurrection of women’s rights movements, and Kate Chopin was one of those contributors to the occurrence. She contributed a lot with her writings about women, daytime dramas, the feminine mystique, women’s liberation, Mars vs. Venus, self-help and open marriages. Definitely, Kate Chopin’s early experiences had a great influence on her writings. One of her celebrated short stories is â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and it is entirely famous not only in American Literature – but also in the world. While reading the short story, the reader finds connection between the life of the author and the life of the main character of the short story. These connections are the similarities that the reader had taken into consideration: Chopin and Her Father’s Loss One of the main events in the story is a loss of someone very important, more particularly, Mrs. Mallard’s husband’s loss. Josephine, Mrs. Mallard’s sister, had brought the sad message that there was a railroad disaster and of those listed as ‘killed’ was Brently Mallard, who was Mrs. Mallard’s husband. In Kate’s life, she had lost someone too, in a railroad accident in 1855 to a train accident. A Widow Mrs. Mallard is sooner or later, assumed to be a widow, but readers will soon find out that Mr. Mallard is alive. In Kate’s life, his father had widowed her mother. Both experienced having lost someone very special and as well as being widowed but definitely, their responses to the loss may entirely be different. In the end, before she would have learned about Brently’s return from the accident, Louise died of heart disease – of joy that kills. This suggests that she had a monstrous joy, because it killed and consumed her to death. Perhaps, Chopin would just let Louise die instead of seeing Brently again, wherein she will be living like a prison again. Freedom for Women In â€Å"The Story of An Hour†, Chopin has made no suggestion to the readers that Mrs. Mallard was sorry for her husband’s loss. Instead, she has uttered ‘over under her breath’: â€Å"free, free, and free! †, which suggests how happy Mrs. Mallard is to have lost her husband, because she has now freedom of herself. The joy she senses in possessing her freedom is something which consumes her. In Kate’s life, she was used to write about resurgence of women’s rights. She experience a period when there was this declined and confinement of women’s public needs like education, the vote, rights to her own property and her own children. Those events drove her to write this kind of feminist text instead of choosing other universal themes. Briefly, the title of this novel, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† is a image of the feelings provoked by the main character, Louise Mallard. In connection to this, it can be confirmed that this novel is a reference to Kate Chopin’s life since most of the events in Louise’s life are similar, or at least made a great influence to that of the story, â€Å"The Story of an Hour†. The biographical approach made by the researcher accomplishes its purpose because an understanding able of the issues behind the book went through by tracing the history and life of Kate Chopin. Literature can bring us to the world of the author. Therefore, this research established that literature reflects the time, state of mind, and the life of the author through understanding the connection between Kate Chopin and Mrs. Mallard in the short story, â€Å"The Story of an Hour. † References: Original Text: References Chopin, K. (1976). The Awakening and Selected Stories of Kate Chopin. New York: Signet Classic. Eagleton, T. (1996). Biographical Approach. An introduction to Literary Theories (2 ed. ) University of Minnesota Press. Horward, A. ( 2005). A Woman Ahead of Her Time. Retrieved 28 April 2010 from: http://www. angelfire. com/nv/English243/Chopin. html Lamb, A. (2003). The topic: literary criticism. Retrieved 24 April 2010 from:

Nikola Teslas Inventions and Bio

Nikola Tesla's Inventions and Bio Nikola Tesla was born in 1856 in Smiljan Lika, Croatia. He was the son of a Serbian Orthodox clergyman. Tesla studied engineering at the Austrian Polytechnic School. He worked as an electrical engineer in Budapest and later emigrated to the United States in 1884 to work at the Edison Machine Works. He died in New York City on January 7, 1943. During his lifetime, Tesla invented fluorescent lighting, the Tesla induction motor, the Tesla coil, and developed the alternating current (AC) electrical supply system that included a motor and transformer, and 3-phase electricity. Tesla is now credited with inventing the modern radio as well; since the Supreme Court overturned Guglielmo Marconis patent in 1943 in favor of Nikola Teslas earlier patents. When an engineer (Otis Pond) once said to Tesla, Looks as if Marconi got the jump on you regarding Marconis radio system, Tesla replied, Marconi is a good fellow. Let him continue. He is using seventeen of my patents. The Tesla coil, invented in 1891, is still used in radio and television sets and other electronic equipment. Nikola Tesla Mystery Invention Ten years after patenting a successful method for producing alternating current, Nikola Tesla claimed the invention of an electrical generator that would not consume any fuel. This invention has been lost to the public. Tesla stated about his invention that he had harnessed the cosmic rays and caused them to operate a motive device. In total, Nikola Telsa was granted more than one hundred patents and invented countless unpatented inventions. Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse In 1885, George Westinghouse, head of the Westinghouse Electric Company, bought the patent rights to Teslas system of dynamos, transformers, and motors. Westinghouse used Teslas alternating current system to light the Worlds Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago. Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison Nikola Tesla was Thomas Edisons rival at the end of the 19th century. In fact, he was more famous than Edison throughout the 1890s. His invention of polyphase electric power earned him worldwide fame and fortune. At his zenith, he was an intimate of poets and scientists, industrialists and financiers. Yet Tesla died destitute, having lost both his fortune and scientific reputation. During his fall from notoriety to obscurity, Tesla created a legacy of genuine invention and prophecy that still fascinates today.

Why Some Conservatives Oppose Gay Marriage

Why Some Conservatives Oppose Gay Marriage While some conservatives oppose gay marriage, others do not. For conservatives who do oppose it, the issue has less to do with homophobia and more to do with protecting the Judeo-Christian view of marriage. Social Conservatives and Wedge Issues While it is true that social conservatives have been on the front lines of wedge issues, not all conservatives are as deeply passionate about them as others. In fact, a large portion of the conservative movement- fiscal conservatives and crunchy conservatives, for example- may find themselves disagreeing with social conservatives on issues like gay marriage. Nevertheless, simply identifying as a conservative is enough to earn the vitriol and condemnation of the LGBT movement. Opposition to Gay Marriage vs. Homophobia Most gay rights advocates voice opinions of their own. Conservatives are motivated by homophobia [or hate], they say. Conservatives use their religion as a way to oppose gay marriage, others opine. Still, others believe that conservatives dont harbor the same hatred for divorced people, vandals, or other sinners. They have a special hatred for gays and lesbians. Comments like these force even those who have no particular sentiment either way to take up sides and defend their loosely-held convictions (whether they lean to the right or the left on this issue). I dont support gay marriage is not the same as I hate gays, and those on the left are frequently too blinded by their advocacy to recognize it. Those that do simply refuse to acknowledge it. Not everyone who opposes gay marriage is a homophobe, and not everyone who opposes gay marriage hates people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender. By branding the religious end of an entire conservative movement as hateful, the people making such remarks come off as hateful of conservatives. It boils the issue down to one or the other, without considering those in between. Marriage As a Sacred Symbol For many people (not just religious conservatives), marriage is a sacred symbol of heterosexual love and commitment. Seeing it changed in such a profound way would be like the National Rifle Association suddenly claiming the rainbow flag as its symbol. Just as this would change the meaning of the flag in a way that is unpleasant to the LGBT community, so too would gay marriage change the meaning of marriage to a large part of the married community. Separation of Church and State? There is a common misconception among those on the left that the Constitution mandates a clear separation of church and state, yet that language is nowhere to be found in the document. The phrase was taken from a letter by Thomas Jefferson and bound into law by an activist Supreme Court in 1878. The Constitution deals with the issue of religion via the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. In the former case, Congress cannot pass laws based on religious principles and in the latter, the government cannot keep people from practicing their religion. National recognition of gay marriage is believed by many conservatives to be an example of government interfering with their right to practice their religion. They see it as akin to the government changing a basic tenet of their religion, not unlike forcing Orthodox Jews to eat pork or forcing Catholics to use something other than water in their baptisms. It reduces the covenant of marriage to a bureaucratic rubber stamp and also bastardizes the holiness of it. Recognition of Civil Unions vs. Marriage As it relates to the federal government, the trouble begins with how marriage is treated. There are very few mainstream or common-sense conservatives who will argue that a gay persons life-partner shouldnt be afforded the same rights as a married persons spouse, especially in instances where one of the parties is ill. The trouble with existing federal law is that it recognizes the institution of marriage, which is a holy, religious practice. While atheists will argue marriage is a legal covenant, most conservatives (and even many liberals) will concede that it is an act of religion. Most mainstream conservatives believe that civil unions would be a better way for the federal government to bestow benefits on couples. State vs. Federal While there are many conservatives who believe the institution of marriage should be defended as a covenant between a man and a woman, many more believe that the federal government shouldnt be dealing with the subject at all. Its a matter of jurisdiction. A large majority of conservatives believe the gay marriage issue is a states rights issue since there is no explicit language regarding the subject in the Constitution. According to the Tenth Amendment (Article X of the Bill of Rights), The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. If it were a matter of the states, there undoubtedly would be states in the U.S. that would permit gay marriage and others that wouldnt. For the majority of conservatives, this is fine as long as the voters of these states are the ones making the decisions (not the lawmakers). The Bottom Line For most mainstream conservatives, gay marriage isnt the issue it is for social conservatives. While there is a crossover for many on the right, political conservatism is less about wedge issues and more about limiting the size and scope of government, building a strong national defense and enabling the freedom of enterprise. Many conservatives who took a states right stance have put the issue on the back-burner since the Supreme Court decisions legalizing gay marriage and prohibiting state restrictions and bans.

Personal Statement for the admission of University of California

For the admission of University of California - Personal Statement Example My main motivation behind this application for admission in your University is my keen interest and experience in the field of Economics /Business major. I have completed third year in the Community College. I feel confident to seek admission in your University as the next step of the ladder of education and as the natural progression of my present academic qualifications. I hail from a business family from China. My father owned a factory and he was a watch manufacturer. He handled his business well and possessed good experience in production and marketing but the economic crisis of the 2007 was beyond the control of any prudent businessman. With such a severe jolt to the economy of the country he also suffered heavy losses and had to shut down the factory and our family budget was in shambles. Until then father used to manage everything, I did not have an idea as to what the family budget was, and suddenly we were in dire straits. At that juncture, I realized the value of money. As an inquisitive young man I began to do my own research as to why the country’s economy went haywire affecting thousands of families like us and what preventive or remedial measures would be necessary to challenge such a precarious situation. Each dollar was important, and we learnt how to prune the family budget and how to segregate the luxuries from the necessities. I was still in the high school, and the idea sprouted in my mind that the intricacies of business, the causes for rise and fall in prices and the events that led to the economic crises must be studied with a scientific approach. I broached the subject of economic theories with lots of application and got solution to some of the questions that bothered me. That was the beginning of my interest in the subject of Economics/Business. My next task was to cement my theory knowledge with real life applications. To gain practicalities of market functioning, I did my internship with an insurance company during the summer holidays in Hong Kong. Besides the experience in dealing with insurance related issues I got an opportunity to study the computer applications, as the working of the insurance company was totally computerized. Insurance companies have developed many types of packages depending on the need of various types of customers. Mostly, customers are not aware of the differentiation in different policies. Soon I developed expertise in handing insurance customers and completed the documents as per guidelines provided by my Supervisor. Though insurance business involves lots of discussions and convincing with the customers, I conclude that ultimately the issue is that of faith and mutual trust. Once the customers are convinced about the services and the end results of the products offered, they are willing to buy the policies. This internship completely changed my outlook about the application of technology in office procedures and the enormous advantages the clientele derived out of the same. Business tools and strategies have changed and are continuously on the change with rapid progress that is taking place without intermission in technology. If given an opportunity I will make it a point to make a detailed study of computer and technology applications in the insurance sector and prepare a research paper on the subject. My father was not much educated in the academic sense of the term, but he was a man of practical wisdom. He often used to say, ‘I study in the college of self-education, where my mind