John milton

When I consider how my light is spent†, and â€Å"How Soon Hath Time†, the poet refers to his blindness and the use of time. From the death of his infant son, to the death of his wife, down to Milton becoming blind, surprisingly, he had yet to let these obstacles stop him from being the amazing writer/Poet we was. â€Å"When I considered how my light is spent†, is a sonnet referring to his blindness nd his secret obsession with time.Towards the end of this sonnet he questions his God as to why Milton's â€Å"one talent† (line 3) was taken from him (his sight) and how it is possible to serve God with his blindness. Milton knows that he is talented, â€Å"though my Soul more bent to serve therewith my Maker, and present my true account, lest he returning chide;† (lines 4-6) his soul desires â€Å"bent† to use his skills in the service of his â€Å"Maker,† God, but doesn't know how to deal with it: â€Å"And that one talent which is death to hide† (line 3). It is ironic because here is a man who is incredibly talented, et isn't able to use his talents.Because its â€Å"Lodged with [me] useless, though my soul more bent†, where he almost bluntly states that he knows he has an amazing talent, which is his astounding ability to write amazing poems and such writings. â€Å"He does consider his blindness briefly in the poem, but taking Milton's work so literally as to suppose that his blindness was all that he was talking about doesn't give credit to Milton's completely abstract thinking nor his depth of understanding holy literature. â€Å"( Georgii ). The start of the poem goes smooth as he tells the reader is view of being blind.Then midstream the poem he slips into the conversation about god as his maker and how Milton is supposed to serve God in his blind state. He refers to â€Å"Light†, which is also referred to in the bible. He attempts to describe man's relationship with god. I believe he i s referring to light in the form of which Jesus speaks of light when quoting the Bible (all forms) Jesus says, â€Å"and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Matthew 5:15;Contemperary English Version): â€Å"Jesus proceeded here to show them that the very reason why they were enlightened was that others might also see the light, and be benefited by it.When people light a candle, they do not conceal the light, but place it where it may be of use. So it is with religion. It is given that we may benefit others. It is not to be concealed, but suffered to show itself, and to shed light on a surrounding wicked world† (Barne's). In the scripture it also says â€Å"For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that ill not be known or brought out into the open. (Luke 8:17). As I am still referring to Milton's â€Å"Light†. His talent is nothing to hide, but feels as though, due to his loss of sight. Because he can no longer see light he is forced to â€Å"see† in another way. Fore his blindness does not attect ni ty to write, but it only makes it more difficult but not impossible. The bible also states, â€Å"The light of the body is in the eye; therefore when thine eye is single thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body is full of darkness.If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light† Here, eye does not literally mean eye in the sense of seeing but in the sense of what is within a person. Solely speaking that Milton isn't necessarily an evil person but due to his own insecurities feels as though. Because of his â€Å"dark world and wide†, feels he has not yet seen the light. Milton claims his talent is â€Å"useless†, and by not using his talent to write an epic poem, Milton thinks he's wasting it.In the Bi blical story, â€Å"a master gives servants oins (talents) to turn a profit on them; when one servant buries the talent instead, the master chides him for not putting it in the bank and earning interest. The master is supposed to be God† (web. ) So this chimes into â€Å"lest He returning chide†, that he wants his â€Å"true account† meaning he wants to be recognized for what he's worth. His One talent was far more than a biblical day-laborer could expect to earn. â€Å"His state Is kingly: thousands at His bidding speed, And post o'er land and ocean without rest; They also serve who only stand and wait†.Meaning that god is holy and bove all, because he created your talent he only serves those who wait. By the end of this poem he shows that he has learned the conclusion to his hidden talent which is not to sit and do nothing or wait without any effort or prolonging for what you want but Instead, he's trying to say that god only serves those who wait for b etter or remain faithful to his kingly name. While this amazing epic poem stresses the fact that god is behind you, one of his other sonnets expresses otherwise, â€Å"How soon hath time†, talks about aging and how it happens so fast.Hes Just turned 24 and everything is feeling like its going so fast. His life is excelling at a faster rate than he'd like, and he Just wants to do great things with his life. I don't think he feels as he's done enough for where he is, even though he clearly has. At the end he calms down and takes a break. He says the heavens will lead him to where he should be. And he wants to use all of his talents God gave him, and use them to his full potential. â€Å"My hasting days fly on wtih full career, But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th. Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth, John milton When I consider how my light is spent†, and â€Å"How Soon Hath Time†, the poet refers to his blindness and the use of time. From the death of his infant son, to the death of his wife, down to Milton becoming blind, surprisingly, he had yet to let these obstacles stop him from being the amazing writer/Poet we was. â€Å"When I considered how my light is spent†, is a sonnet referring to his blindness nd his secret obsession with time.Towards the end of this sonnet he questions his God as to why Milton's â€Å"one talent† (line 3) was taken from him (his sight) and how it is possible to serve God with his blindness. Milton knows that he is talented, â€Å"though my Soul more bent to serve therewith my Maker, and present my true account, lest he returning chide;† (lines 4-6) his soul desires â€Å"bent† to use his skills in the service of his â€Å"Maker,† God, but doesn't know how to deal with it: â€Å"And that one talent which is death to hide† (line 3). It is ironic because here is a man who is incredibly talented, et isn't able to use his talents.Because its â€Å"Lodged with [me] useless, though my soul more bent†, where he almost bluntly states that he knows he has an amazing talent, which is his astounding ability to write amazing poems and such writings. â€Å"He does consider his blindness briefly in the poem, but taking Milton's work so literally as to suppose that his blindness was all that he was talking about doesn't give credit to Milton's completely abstract thinking nor his depth of understanding holy literature. â€Å"( Georgii ). The start of the poem goes smooth as he tells the reader is view of being blind.Then midstream the poem he slips into the conversation about god as his maker and how Milton is supposed to serve God in his blind state. He refers to â€Å"Light†, which is also referred to in the bible. He attempts to describe man's relationship with god. I believe he i s referring to light in the form of which Jesus speaks of light when quoting the Bible (all forms) Jesus says, â€Å"and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Matthew 5:15;Contemperary English Version): â€Å"Jesus proceeded here to show them that the very reason why they were enlightened was that others might also see the light, and be benefited by it.When people light a candle, they do not conceal the light, but place it where it may be of use. So it is with religion. It is given that we may benefit others. It is not to be concealed, but suffered to show itself, and to shed light on a surrounding wicked world† (Barne's). In the scripture it also says â€Å"For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that ill not be known or brought out into the open. (Luke 8:17). As I am still referring to Milton's â€Å"Light†. His talent is nothing to hide, but feels as though, due to his loss of sight. Because he can no longer see light he is forced to â€Å"see† in another way. Fore his blindness does not attect ni ty to write, but it only makes it more difficult but not impossible. The bible also states, â€Å"The light of the body is in the eye; therefore when thine eye is single thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body is full of darkness.If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light† Here, eye does not literally mean eye in the sense of seeing but in the sense of what is within a person. Solely speaking that Milton isn't necessarily an evil person but due to his own insecurities feels as though. Because of his â€Å"dark world and wide†, feels he has not yet seen the light. Milton claims his talent is â€Å"useless†, and by not using his talent to write an epic poem, Milton thinks he's wasting it.In the Bi blical story, â€Å"a master gives servants oins (talents) to turn a profit on them; when one servant buries the talent instead, the master chides him for not putting it in the bank and earning interest. The master is supposed to be God† (web. ) So this chimes into â€Å"lest He returning chide†, that he wants his â€Å"true account† meaning he wants to be recognized for what he's worth. His One talent was far more than a biblical day-laborer could expect to earn. â€Å"His state Is kingly: thousands at His bidding speed, And post o'er land and ocean without rest; They also serve who only stand and wait†.Meaning that god is holy and bove all, because he created your talent he only serves those who wait. By the end of this poem he shows that he has learned the conclusion to his hidden talent which is not to sit and do nothing or wait without any effort or prolonging for what you want but Instead, he's trying to say that god only serves those who wait for b etter or remain faithful to his kingly name. While this amazing epic poem stresses the fact that god is behind you, one of his other sonnets expresses otherwise, â€Å"How soon hath time†, talks about aging and how it happens so fast.Hes Just turned 24 and everything is feeling like its going so fast. His life is excelling at a faster rate than he'd like, and he Just wants to do great things with his life. I don't think he feels as he's done enough for where he is, even though he clearly has. At the end he calms down and takes a break. He says the heavens will lead him to where he should be. And he wants to use all of his talents God gave him, and use them to his full potential. â€Å"My hasting days fly on wtih full career, But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th. Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth,

Mergers & Acquisitions Paper Essay

Mergers and acquisitions is an important aspect of corporate strategy, finance and management. This is done with the buying, selling, dividing and combining of different companies and similar entities. It can help an enterprise grow rapidly in its sector as well as the new sector it just acquired without the hassle of creating a subsidiary from scratch. This activity is on the rise worldwide. According J. Finnegan in â€Å"Global Mergers and Acquisitions Activity Continue to Rise† article, this increase has been accompanied by the return of mega-deals (value exceeding $10 billion) driven primarily by large multinational corporations flush with cash in the U.S. Two of the biggest acquisitions in 2012 are from the Energy Industry and Tech industry where Duke Energy Corporation acquired Progress Energy Inc. and Google acquired Motorola Mobility. I) Duke Energy Corp. acquired Progress Engergy Inc. According to Yahoo finance, in the first case in the energy industry, when the merger was announced on January 10, 2011, the transaction value totaled $26 billion, including Progress Energy’s debt. Currently based on Duke Energy’s share price and including Progress Energy’s debt, the transaction is valued at about $32 billion. Duke Energy Corporation (DUK) announced that it has acquired Progress Energy Inc., effective July 2, 2012. The original Duke Engergy includes Duke Energy International, which operates power plants in Central and South America; Duke Energy Renewables, which develops and owns wind and solar projects in the U.S.; and Duke Energy’s Midwest generation and Duke Energy Retail, which generate, market and sell electricity in the Midwest. Now, the new entity has nearly $49 billion in market capitalization, total assets more than $100 billion and 7.1 million electric users in the Carolinas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. The transaction makes Duke Energy the largest U.S. utility and increases its ability to build new power plants to meet future greenhouse-gas emissions limits. Earlier, Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (EXC) was the largest U.S. utility. The new company would be known as Duke Energy with headquarters in Charlotte, and substantial operations in Raleigh, North Carolina. Duke Energy would trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol â€Å"DUK†. Pursuant to the merger deal, Progress Energy has become a wholly owned direct unit of Duke Energy. On a standalone basis, Duke Energy had an adjusted earnings per share guidance range of $1.40 – $1.45 for 2012. Under the terms of the merger agreement, each share of Progress Energy common stock has been converted into the right to receive 0.87083 shares of Duke Energy common stock. Due to the effect of the 1-for-3 reverse stock split, which was completed related to this merger transaction, this guidance range is the equivalent of $4.20 – $4.35 per share. The combined company continues to target 2012 adjusted earnings per share range of $4.20 – $4.35. The reverse stock split is designed to reduce the number of outstanding Duke Energy shares. The merger is expected to keep the company’s long-term goal of 4% – 6% growth in good shape. Overall, their strong balance sheet, ongoing capital expansion projects and an above average dividend yield are very good signs that this merger and acquisition is working well for them. II) Google acquired Motorola Mobility One of the world’s most valuable brand name in the tech industry is Google, Inc. – a silicon valley native company. Founded in 1988 out of a garage, it has now become the largest and most popular search engine on the Internet. Its strong growth is credited to its creative, think outside the box and risk-taking culture. In recent years, it has been involved in a lot of new ventures and mergers and acquisitions with different industries to expand its operation. One of its new product is the Android operating system offered for free to smartphone manufacturers to compete with the Apple iphone’s iOS system. Google has also been trying to produce and release its own smart phones but hasn’t met much success. In addition, it is facing the risk of many lawsuits relating to pattern with Apple. So in smart and bold move, Google has decided to acquire phone maker Motorola Mobility and completed this deal in May 2012 for a whopping $12.5 billion which makes it the largest Google acquisition ever! This will definitely push it deeper into the fast growing cell phones industry. Motorola Mobility used to be a strong player in the cell phone industry but in recent years, it has struggled and suffered constantly. As its line of smartphones has waned in popularity, Motorola Mobility has suffered losses totaling $1.7 billion during the past three years while Google has earned a total of $25 billion over the same stretch. The acquisition is largely a defensive one from Google’s perspective. Google needs Motorola’s trove of 17,000 cellphone patents (plus an extra 7.500 that are awaiting approval) to defend Android phones against lawsuits by Apple, which accuses them of copying iPhone features. It’s now playing in Apple territory. Buying Motorola gives Google the ability to control both hardware and software, by making its own integrated smartphones and other devices. Under the term of the acquisition, Google will acquired all outstanding common shares of Motorola for $40 per share and transaction costs were $50 million. Out of the 12.4 billion total purchase price, goodwill takes up to $2.6 billion, patterns takes up to $5.5 billion with only $670 million to other net assets. Although it initially was drawn to Motorola Mobility for its patents, Google has been signaling recently that it has been drawing up more ambitious plans for Motorola Mobility. Besides producing smartphones and tablet computers, Motorola Mobility also makes cable-TV boxes that could provide Google with a springboard for delivering more of its services, including advertising, to living rooms. References Goldman , David. â€Å"Google seals $13 billion Motorola buy.† 22 2012: n. page. Print. . â€Å"Google completes $12.5B acquisition of phone maker Motorola Mobility after China clears deal .† 22 2012: n. page. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. . Finnegan, Jim. â€Å"Global mergers and acquisitions activity continues to rise.† 24 2011: n. page. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. .

Solve thes problem Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Solve thes problem - Speech or Presentation Example From a table, the probability of a value being to the left or equal to this z-score is .8962; so the probability to be to the right of z = 1.2649 (or to the left of z = -1.2649) is: For 99% confidence intervals, 99% of the area under the curve will be shaded when the endpoints are 2.5758 standard deviations away from the mean. The endpoints for this confidence interval are found by: Adding a sample size m = 75, find the sample mean (m2) of the added sample that would lead to a p-value > 0.05 for the combined sample. Find the probability of obtaining a sample mean from the added sample within the needed range. To calculate the probability that Type 1 error occurs, we want to calculate what is the probability that the null hypothesis is correct ( the p-value is greater than .05 significance level) and the mean of the sample is in one of the tail ends 12. This would result in an interval (6.9 to 13.1). The probability that there is a Type 1 error when the original rejection criteria is used: mean 12, is the probability that the mean falls within the intervals 6.9 to 8 and 12 to

Using Inductive Reasoning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Using Inductive Reasoning - Essay Example The enlightenment process occurred in the writing â€Å"The library card† is essentially different from that which Plato has described. Plato in his writing is talking about the spiritual enlightenment which leads to salvation. It is about a divine awakening in a person which changes his perception and view about the whole world and himself. When the idea of a human being changes due to the enhancement of his knowledge cannot be completely categorized as spiritual enlightenment rather it is just a revolution in his thoughts and outlook about him and the world. Nevertheless, an intelligently awakened can find the path of spiritual awakening more easily as he is open to new ideas and concepts. The contradictions in two writing The author of the essay explains the way in which he had an opportunity to experience the sense of awakening with the help of different books and novel.  He is a black man had very little knowledge about the real living style and thoughts of white men. H e lived in a time when blacks were oppressed and considered nothing more than slaves. Nevertheless, he had a hidden passion for reading but found no access to books due to the situation he was living in. Even then he managed to get access to books and this was a turning point in his life. He had the chance of reading the predicaments of a white revolutionist who denounced the western customs and practices.H e also became aware of certain names he never knew before which the book mentioned. Slowly he was progressing towards more of reading which was changing his attitude and perception towards the white dominant society. He has been gaining enlightenment with the assistance of the books and novels he was reading. He was gradual that all the whites are not the same, people have different values and ideas. It was also realizing that it is not fair to view everyone in the same way as people are different in their own ways. This changes his attitude and behavior of white men. He was more compassionate towards them and also wanted to fight against injustice prevailing in the society. The difference in the enlightenment described by Plato and the author.

The Council of Nicea Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Council of Nicea - Term Paper Example The council discussed and came into an agreement, in the church of Alexandria, concerning the terms of Jesus in relation to the Father. In addition, the council came into an agreement concerning the date for Easter, which is the most documented event in the Christian history. This assignment will discuss the reasons for Nicaea council, the agendas discussed, Nicene Creed and the effects of the Nicaea council. Reasons for Nicaea Council Different reasons led to the gathering of the Nicaea council in 325 AD. Earlier, in 313 AD, Christianity was practiced without fear of persecution by any group. Since there was no persecution, Christianity spread and grew enormously. As Christianity grew rapidly, there emerged many church heretics. These false church heretics made it difficult to explain the correct teachings about Christ since there was a mix up in teaching; different church leaders had different views regarding Christ teachings (Wordsworth 37). This difference in teachings about Chri st made the council seek the correct teaching. Hence, with this confusion in Christ teaching, the council of Nicaea gathered in order to discus the correct teachings of Christ. One such false teaching about Christ was that Jesus had no relationship with the Father, which taught that Jesus was a superficial creature. This teaching caused chief controversies within the church and was condemned by the council of Nicaea. With the gathering of the council, Bishops and Constantine were able to come up with a common teaching of Christ through the formation of the Nicene Creed, which contained the statement of faith for the Christians (Wordsworth 40). The other chief reason for the council assembling; was to discuss and set the date for Easter. The council of Nicaea discussed the issue of Easter and came up to a conclusion that Easter should be celebrated by all Christians in the first Sunday after Equinox. The council resolved the issue raised by various individuals regarding the nature of Jesus. Although some people argued that Jesus had no relationship with God the Father, the council concluded that Jesus has a connection with the Father (Davis 40). Agenda of the Council of Nicaea The council’s gathering was not without an agenda and procedure. The council gathered in order to discuss agenda such as the Arian question. The Arian question entailed the relationship that existed between Jesus and God (Wordsworth 56). Those who supported the Arian argument claimed that Jesus was the first creature to be created by God, and there existed no connection between Jesus and God. According to their argument, those who supported the Arian argument, Jesus was a superhuman. On discussing the agenda, the council ruled that Jesus and God were one in being. The second agenda discussed by the council concerned observation of the Paschal or better known as Easter. Christians differed on the actual date of celebrating the Easter. On discussing the agenda, the council concluded that all Christians should celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after Equinox. The third agenda discussed by the council of Nicaea was the Meletian schism. The council decided that Meletius should not ordain new clergy. He could not go out of the town for the purpose of ordaining Melitian leaders. The fourth agenda to be discussed by the Nicaea council comprised the validity of baptism (Davis 43). The council condemned the argument of heretics that baptism was not necessary. The council conclud

Explain the role of management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Explain the role of management - Essay Example Managers look specifically at the individual's performance at any one time while leaders look at a team and their future prospects (Maundy, 2001) Managers within an organization do the planning for most of the sectors such as policy formulation, financial, marketing of products, and control of major assets. They also exercise their power on any issue arising such as the decision making processes. The leaders in an organization are responsible for building the large workforce and human resources within the company. These leaders also inspire, innovate, mentor, set examples, and revolutionize all the employees within the organization in order to achieve the best from them and also achieve the organization goals and objectives. (Maundy, 2001) The first function is planning-it can be defined as the process of developing the objectives and mission of the organization. A manager must also organize-this involves coordinating and dividing tasks among members of the organization. Here, the manager assigns responsibilities to team members. Staffing is another managerial function and can be defined as the filling and maintaining of all the positions available in a company. Some of the activities involved in this function include: recruiting, training, hiring, evaluation and compensation. Managers are also expected to control members of staff. This involves measuring performances, setting performance standards and taking corrective or preventive measures to ensure that the standards set are adhered to. Communication is another vital element in management and involves the transfer of information from management down to other members of the organizational structure. Lastly, managers are expected to motivate their team members, this involves influencing or channelling people's behaviour to accomplish the missions and objectives of the organization. (Mullin, 2007) Importance of team approach in achieving organisation's goals The model below is a pictorial representation of John Adair's action centred leadership. He believed that a manger has three roles; 1) he must plan, assign, review tasks of the organisation 2) he must communicate, create a culture of ethics, hive feedback to the team 3) he must understand individuals, develop, train and recognise each individual's efforts An organisation can be viewed as a combination of two sets of workers i.e. management and subordinates. Both categories have their own goals that have to be directed towards overall goals of the organisation. It is important for management to try and align employee goals with organisational goals. This means that everyone in the organisation will be working towards the same direction. This can be achieved by creating a sense of loyalty among employees and through communication. This implies that workers will work hand in hand with management thus achieving overall goals. In contrast, if every member of the organisation focuses on their own needs and did not consider their work group as a team, resources will be drained and losses will occur. Case study Taking an example of a hospital like

World Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

World Civilization - Essay Example In general terms, it is a term that stands for the close ties between people and states of the world culturally, economically and politically (Ostrom, n.d). Proponents perceive that, civilization has played a key role especially in political sphere an argument which has received major backing from civilization nationalists. For example, they have a uniting factor in the view that International institutions such as World Trade Organization have positively influenced political ties among member states. Dividing the two sides in the middle is the issue and the role of technology in globalization (Mancur, 1965). Proponents have identified with the remarkable positive contributions predisposed by technology such as faster access to information and more jobs created such us the online jobs. On the flip side, critics have expressed deep reservations on the security lapses that technology has exposed most countries to as a result of technology. They have also expressed concerns on global mor al decadence that has been wide spread as a result of civilization through technology (Clough, 1990). Civilization has destabilized the stand of poorer states and uncovered people to dangerous and harmful competition. Their concern is rational and understandable especially since the gap between the poor and the rich has become more prevalent in recent ages. Poverty can be deliberated in various ways, for instance, relative to a nation’s individual average consumption level or in terms of well being of citizens. By common agreement, civilization has increased rapidly since early nineteen eighties. If civilization leads to poverty, then Nations that have been economically incorporated through trade and investment should be worse. But, some nations in the world have become more integrated into global economy have made tremendous progress while others like Sub-Saharan Africa that have remained in isolation and have experienced a sharp decline (Clough, 1990). The fissure or gap be tween the poor and the rich groups of people in the world has increased. Inequality would rise with this tremendous increase in poverty. One of the common feature discussions connecting poverty and civilization is the general conception from the stance of impoverishment to lead to world developments. When governments accumulate debts in private markets engaging a decline in world demand for their products, prices of common goods would undergo depreciation leading to recession. Underdeveloped countries and small business owners are at distant from adjusting their technology as often as their developed, larger, wealthier counterparts. Due to inability to merge with wealthy and multinational firms, small firms and underdeveloped countries are pushed to carry on their businesses locally thus never expanding and reaching their full capacity. Technological advances are being made each day all over the world but the bad news is that they are proving to be unaffordable. This high cost of pr oduction leads to fixed consumer prices, which are high. Civilization has become a weapon in the politics of oppositional activities, rallying on the idea that of diverse global ills. Civilization is viewed as a symbol of civilization threat. The main argument behind it is that it tends to refer the United States and other developed countries as hegemonic powers that promote civilization for their own benefits. In turn, they harm the cultural, environmental, and economic interests of other countries of the world. Instead of establishing a universal human progress, it has made the gap between the poor and the rich to widen. About beliefs, the Constantine worshiped Christianity because he grew up in a background that believed in

Nothing has color, color is false truth Term Paper

Nothing has color, color is false truth - Term Paper Example Through such introduction, our mind captures such information and is recoded in our minds, only to be retrieved later when the information is needed. The existence of colors on an object may be therefore an illusion as it does not exist in an object. In this thesis paper, a deeper examination is carried out on the validity of claiming that colors dont exist through an evaluation of numerous arguments on the same through past and current studies. Through numerous studies on colors, philosophers have argued on the existence of colors in an object, especially on skeptics of color on whether it exist or not. In my view, through what we learn about colors, an interpretation of the same is usually reflected immediately we the object associated with color. In the case of a tomato as discussed by Charles Landesman, the color red is used as a sample to explain on the assumption we tend to have color. To our understanding, we even anticipate on what we expect to see through our assumptions on what color is associated with which object. In this case, the belief that tomatoes are red is skeptical as this can be criticized through the underst anding our mind on the reason to which tomatoes may lack a color to be associated with (Werner p.215). Through the use of biological science, numerous scientific explanations can be used to explain the reasons we tend to perceive, that tomatoes are red in color. Similarly, there are several cases where our brain tends to give feedback that is direct to what we want to see. In most cases, this is based on the argument that when we set our minds in particular manner, we tend to get a similar interpretation of an object. In regards to a tomato being red, the chemical reactions of an object and the reflection of light may give a different meaning of an object. The majority of people may suggest on what they want to see, rather than the reality of an object. We tend to perceive things through our past experiences, especially on what has

Taking a Lesson From A River Runs Through It Essay

Taking a Lesson From A River Runs Through It - Essay Example He became a professor in Chicago, married his first love and lived a more serious life while his younger brother chose to stay in his hometown in Montana. He loved the provincial life that included fly fishing, his favorite pastime. However, he was also quite indulged in gambling, drinking and the dangers such vices are attached with. He had a lot of friends but he also gained enemies who in the end cut his life short. The story practically presents how the two boys were raised as sons of a Presbyterian preacher and how they were taught to catch fish. The summer that the older sibling, Norman, went home from college took most of the period of the narration where it was revealed that the younger brother, Paul, died. Norman and Paul’s story reflects a lot of religious lessons lived by the characters of the story. One can see how they have been raised, being taught every time the father gets a chance to give them a lesson such as reverence to nature, applying balance in how he do es things, showing them love and acceptance despite themselves and finally learn how things are connected to each other. From the beginning of the story, it has been evident that as a minister, the father has taken it as his obligation to become a teacher first and foremost in his own family. He spent much time not only in taking care of his flock but especially in taking care of his children. In fact, he personally taught Norman how to read and write as well as fish. He was a conversationalist who resorted to intellectual conversations in disciplining his children instead of getting angry at the wrongs of his children. He applied what God told Moses when they were in the wilderness, instructing them to teach their children in the way they should go, teaching them when they are walking, sitting or lying down. In relation to the manners of the reverend Maclean’s teaching, he made use of time and nature to his children’s education. As he reverenced the time given to him, he managed his activities well so that he was able to have enough time as a husband, a father and a minister all at once. When he performs his duties as a father and teacher to his children, Maclean teaches them about secular matters such as fly catching and allows them to make a connection to Biblical characters such as the disciples who were fishermen. He used the rich Montana nature to connect with God. For instance, when hey were young, the minister walked with his boys and told them a story about stones, mentioning that inside the stones, there are words. Then, he encouraged them to listen to the stones and water in the river. It may have not been implied in the narration but such teaching was a reflection of the natural pantheistic view of revering nature. As a result, in their fishing, the boys were taught to be in tune with the river and the fishes. Although Norman was not able to learn it, he saw how his brother found his own way of communicating with nature. In the movie, there was a scene wherein Paul was able to catch a big fish in an extraordinary manner, a manner of his own. When he brought the fish to his father and brother, he was congratulated and appreciated for his perfect job, being able to swim with the fish so he can catch it. In response, he said that he only needed three more years to think like a fish. This shows an example of the religion of nature, wherein one should synchronize his actions with nature in order to have a peaceful relationship with it. The reverend Maclean showed such character in training his children and it was compounded by his sense of reason. This was evident even during the two boys’

Human biology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human biology - Essay Example Changes in hormone levels can create poor oocyte quality. Controlling blood levels are also determining factors used to time oocyte retrieval and increase the number of oocytes that are retrieved (2005). The three hormones that can be tested so the best time for oocyte retrieval are LH (Luteinizing Hormone), oestradiol and progesterone. An increase of LH is an important variable as it is an indicator that ovulation has begun and that the release of an oocyte has already begun. Many times if the LH levels are high, the possibility of retrieving mature eggs may be difficult, which is why most LH surges will delay the process of IVF. Oestradiol stimulates the lining of the uterus, making it ready for the arrival of the embryo (2005). The longer the oestradiol level rises the more mature the eggs will be. The problem with measuring the oestradiol levels is that they vary from person to person. This variance can make it difficult to measure whether it is appropriate to have a high or increased oestradiol levels for four days as opposed to eleven days. Also, one level may be considered high for one person, but low for another. Progesterone developed when the presence of LH increases and when oestradiol has readied the lining of the uterus for the embryo. This means that the presence of progesterone is acceptable during the process. However, levels that are considered too high for a particular patient are an indication that the quality of the eggs are poor. 'The woman's reproductive system is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary ovarian axis'(1998). "Neurons that secrete GnRH in the preoptic and arcuate nucleus areas and stimulate the production of follicle-stimulating and LH, which can in turn create oestradiol and progesterone'(1998). The presence of follicle is an indication that eggs are being produced and possibly mature. The more follicles that are present, the higher the oestradiol levels. The advantage of stimulating follicular development increases the likelihood of pregnancy as the uterus is ready and eggs are more likely to be mature and of good quality. Multiple oocytes are likely to be also. Based on the figures present, it is clear that during normal cycles, the levels of LH, oestradiol and progesterone are affected. These hormonal levels are particularly affected by the presence of hormones. Hormonal levels are decreased with the use of certain steroids. Hormonal levels are much higher with treatments. Any hormone that stimulates ovulation is likely to increase the risk of multiple births. This is the case because ovulation inducement can create a "polyfollicular response," which increases the risk for multiple births as more than one egg is released (2004). IVF is known among the medical community to decrease the risk of unwanted multiple births. IVF is works effectively because the doctor and patient have a great amount of control over the process. IVF allows the physician to actually control the number of embryos that he/she implants. The fact that the process is so controlled increases the success rate of pregnancy even though only one embryo is implanted. REFERENCES Gemzell, Carl, 2004, Gonadotrophins and Steroid Hormones, viewed 06/13/2004, www.tylermedicalclinic.com Gleider, Norbert, August 1 2004, Limiting Embryo

Power Politics Essay Example for Free

Power Politics Essay â€Å"†¦what is happening to India today is not a problem†¦the issues †¦are not canses. They are huge political and social upheaval that are convulsing the nation. †   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Those are the exact words that Roy (24) had used to describe what is happening to the world that is beyond the realm of common human understanding: globalization led on and operated by â€Å"experts†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And just how will a common human understand when every time they try to, at the end of the day, they are relegated to being â€Å"just a citizen† who are, to experts, are â€Å"too emotional† and just lack the ability to eventually understand when explained to (if the experts even try to do the explaining part).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is the phenomenon characterized by experts who have acquired technical knowledge on certain matters take the matter into their own hands—not wanting to be questioned or contradicted and seemingly not encouraged to do their tasks with sympathy. They believe that they have all it takes to do it all, and be all, for all. The usual behavior of an arrogant little child who thinks he knows all he needs to know and thus scoffs at any questioning remarks on how he does his tasks, sneers at any suggestion or idea unlike his own, or flares up at any tap on his shoulder that gently reminds him that he is not of possession of every knowledge yet; a kind of behavior that is often times not tolerated.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   And that is what needed to be done. This arrogance should be broken down. And this could not be accomplished by mere taps on the shoulder anymore. A sterner reminder is needed; a reminder that even the too emotional and comprehension-challenged common citizen still has a say on how he lives his life—or at the very least, has the natural right to be made to understand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Therefore, the author urges the humanity to speak, and speak loud, now or forever be made to hold their peace. Works Cited Roy, Arundhati. Power Politics (year of publication). 24-33.

Greenery And Sustainability Urban Planning Environmental Sciences Essay

Greenery And Sustainability Urban Planning Environmental Sciences Essay Urban development through construction of roads, building, bridges and even landscaping can have significant impacts on the environment. Many environmentalists regard the preservation and introduction of greenery as fulfilling an indispensable urban infrastructure requirement. Chan and Lee (2008) suggest that urban renewal is commonly adopted to cope with changing urban environment, to rectify the problem of urban decay and to meet various socio-economic objectives. Although the provision of green spaces tend to be routinely advocated and implemented by the planning profession in developed countries, similar kinds of commitments are seen as weakly expressed in many third-world countries. In this essay, I attempt to argue that without a comprehensive sustainability effort and landscape plan, and even with one in some instances, rapidly expanding urban cities particularly in developing countries tend to grow relentlessly outward and upward to cause widespread environmental degradation, through the discussion of sustainable urban planning in one of the cities in developing country, which is Hong Kong. Hong Kong is located just within the tropics on the south coast of China, extending into the South China Sea, Hong Kong consists a land area of 1097 km2 and a sea area of 1700 km2, where there are 250 islands, the larger ones being Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island (Newcombe, Kalma, Aston, 1978; Warren-Rhodes Koenig, 2001). The terrain is mountainous and rugged with very little flat land for settlement, making Hong Kongs population has settled on the limited existing and reclaimed land available for development (Warren-Rhodes and Koenig, 2001). The city state of Hong Kong has one of the highest urban population densities on Earth (Newcombe, Kalma, Aston, 1978). In the past 150 years, Hong Kong has evolved into a thriving metropolis of 7 million people (Warren-Rhodes and Koenig, 2001). Despite significant differences in overall life conditions, the Hong Kong population enjoys a quality of life comparable, by many indicators of physical, mental and material well-being, with populat ions in the developed world (Newcombe, Kalma, Aston, 1978). Since the 1960s, Hong Kong has been transformed from a bustling entrepot to a light industry center in the 1970s and to a service-based economy in the 1990s accompanied by economic wealth of more than 10% rise in per capita GDP annually (Warren-Rhodes and Koenig, 2001). Hong Kong has paid a high environmental price for its success, where its records of pollution levels have caused a decline in environmental quality which is impairing the citys ability to lure international investment (Warren-Rhodes and Koenig, 2001). According to Warren-Rhodes and Koenig (2001), urban metabolism measures quantitatively a citys load on the natural environment. By knowing the metabolism background of Hong Kong, it will be easier to estimate the environmental level based on the development as well as population density of the city. In cities, metabolic flows arise from material use, food consumption and urban development; materials are stores as infrastructure; and materials and wastes are moved through manmade circulatory systems, with pollutants released to air, land, and water systems (Warren-Rhodes and Koenig, 2001). Since Hong Kong relies upon and appropriates heavily from natural ecosystems to produce foods and uses water as well as other resources to process wastes, it significantly augments and alters material flow and energy cycling through the environment. Concerns on the impacts on natural resources and the environment especially in the late 1990s have prompted the government to commission a study of how sustainable development could be achieved in Hong Kong (Warren-Rhodes and Koenig, 2001). According to Warren-Rhodes and Koenig (2001), enormous changes have occurred in Hong Kong over the past 26 years, where 1 million people have been added to the population each new decade, which bringing greater resource needs and waste generation habits, thus increasing the urban metabolic rates. It is argued that high metabolic rates can be beneficial to a citys survival, where compact cities with high population densities can achieve extremely efficient land, energy, and material use, thus reducing urban sprawl and conserving land for recreational and agricultural purposes (Warren-Rhodes and Koenig, 2001). However, based on studies, the benefits of Hong Kongs high urban metabolism are presently outweighed by the environmental costs, and it is predicted that as population expands to 8.9 million by 2016, energy, materials, water use and pollution discharges will rise accordingly (Warren-Rhodes and Koenig, 2001). Through this kind of urban metabolic check-up, it allows policymakers to ascertain enduring and root causes of environmental deterioration in a city. Newcombe, Kalma, and Aston (1978), warn on the mounting ecological distress and offered prescient advice on how to mitigate these problems through an adaptive urban management strategy that modifies operations of present urban systems and designs their expansion . . . at greatly reduced resource inputs. As in many other cities, Hong Kong has substantial improvement in its performance of local urban renewal projects (Chan and Lee, 2008). Since 1990s, the importance of sustainable development had been acknowledged and the Hong Kong government had committed to consider the concept holistically when making decisions about future development in the territory (Chan and Lee, 2008). The sustainability concept attracts the attention of the Hong Kong government as international experience proves that sustainable development creates good communities serving different needs of current population without sacrificing the resources available for the future generations (Chan and Lee, 2008). In order to have a more adaptive urban management strategy that modifies operations of present urban systems and design, it is important to first, identify the factors that can contribute to the urban management strategy itself. Some of the factors and areas that should be emphasized in urban design are waterfro nt development, cityscape, pedestrian environment and pollution mitigation (Chan and Lee, 2008). Participants of Council for Sustainable Development discussion forum indicated that urban design should be consisted of layouts of street and open space, design of building as well as transportation network, in creating sustainable urban living space in the Hong Kong territory (Chan and Lee, 2008). Since one of the areas that should be emphasized in urban management and design is by focussing on the layouts of street and open space, planning on strategies on green space provision in urban Hong Kong is seen as a crucial in this matter. According to Jim (2002), woodlands are not preserved in the urbanised areas, where private developers tend to have little statutory obligation or willingness to provide public open spaces, often results in poor protection or obliteration of natural vegetation in new developments and redevelopment schemes. A city generously endowed with high-quality greenery is a necessary ingredient of environmental quality and quality of life. Therefore, preservation and introduction of greenery in urban infrastructure is seen as a moral necessary under urban management and design not only for the environment, but also for the population wellbeing as a whole. With a compact and densely built-up urban fabric, tree growth in Hong Kong is severely constrained in the pervasively crowded and bleak environment (Jim, 1989). Jim (2002) states that, nearly all residents of Hong Kong are living in high-rise apartment blocks, which deprived of private open spaces as well as detached from the land and vegetation. The shortage of public green space has reinforced the lack of interest in greening of Hong Kong urban population, further aggravated by the poor quality of existing amenity greenery by both public and private on the desire for more greenery space (Jim, 2002). This is constrained by the cramped town plan, where the roads have narrow pavements with no tree strips at the roadsides or margin roadside for plantable spaces (Jim, 2002). The same goes to the buildings, where they were built directly next to the road, leaving no lot-frontage plantable spaces (Jim, 2002). The only open space and remnant of plantable spaces are the citys first public g arden, the Botanical Garden, which is located in the heart of the central district, and the Victoria Park, that was built with a charity donation in 1957 (Jim, 2002). Forest cover has been reduced over the centuries by shifting cultivators, sedentary farmers, and, in recent decades, countryside recreationalists (Jim, 1989). According to Jim (1989), without a clear policy to preserve existent trees in places affected by urban intrusions, very few specimens would be saved. Due to the lack of green space provision in Hong Kong, the work agents, namely the landscape architects, urban horticulturists, arboriculturists and urban foresters would be necessary to join planners to collectively contribute in the greenery and sustainable urban planning. According to Jim (2002), some six government bureaux (out of 16 policy-formulation bureaux) and 15 departments (out of 38 departments) are involved in greening issues. There had been some efforts done by the government in bringing more and better greenery in urban development in Hong Kong. One example is, the government decided in building public housing for low-income families that are mainly situated at peri pheral locations with land-conserving developments, where space between the individual buildings is done with open spaces for planting (Jim, 1989). To develop an action plan to bring more and better greenery in the city, earnest support and cooperation are needed from relevant quarters. One of the ways to achieve the greenery and sustainable urban city planning is through comprehensive development area (CDA) zoning, which aims narrowly at facilitating the amalgamation of small contiguous lots for redevelopment. Jim (2002) suggests that this can be done by developing guidelines for the matching of species with site conditions and to optimise the landscaping potential of planting sites, aiming at significantly increasing the number of species with attractive flowers, seasonal changes, outstanding tree form, large final dimensions, meritorious performance and other notable amenity traits. Another greenery and sustainable urban planning can be done in urban Hong Kong is by developing specifications to protect effectively trees destined for preservation in sites, especially those that are affected by buildings, roads and other constr uction activities, which are commensurate with the cramped built environment. In order to encourage the planting of trees within Hong Kong urban society, there need to be some association not only with the government, but also private-sectors and other. This can be done through development projects, such as the introduction of incentives, the dissemination of relevant messages or guidelines in the form of professional practice notes, and the organisation of seminars, workshops and other means of involvement and communication. In conclusion, despite all of these suggestions and action plans in bringing more and better greenery and sustainable urban development in developing cities like Hong Kong, these can only be done through collective cooperation by the government, both private and private developers, as well as high supports from the society. Due to the high urban population, the urban dwellers in Hong Kong city are the core factors in the widespread of environmental concerns by individual and collective responsibility in taking care of the environment as well as making Hong Kong a greener and sustainable for the future generations. By taking this greenery and sustainable environment concerns more seriously, there will be hope for a better quality of life in the future regardless the population density.

Methodologies of data collection

Methodologies of data collection The standard and procedure of data collection and gathering can be done by formal and informal way and then, after collecting that data, you do analysis on this data and is called data collection or anthology. In this part of the research procedure, researcher uses different methods and procedures. These methods can include of interviews, surveys, Questionnaires and observation. The most difficult part after collecting the data is the analysis and presentation of this data. The data collection for this research work has been done by using Questionnaires, Interviews and observation of the self service checkout systems, customers and staffs etc. (Saunders et al 2009) Desk research or secondary data collection desk research or secondary data collection, the researcher uses already available data about the proposed research topic in the form of research paper, Books, Journals, Un-published research work, Newspapers, Government websites and research articles etc. this research has already been done by the researcher on the proposed research topic and the researcher is allowed to use these material in their research with proper references to the sources to elaborate more of their proposed research problem. These secondary resources help the researcher to find out more about the research topic and those researchers individual work and experiences to further explore or investigate about the research topic. And, finally, find those research gaps and further contribute to the body of knowledge. (Saunders et al, 2009) Field research or Primary data collection After doing the secondary research, researcher find out about the research gaps and need to explore it further about the proposed research problem. In this stage, researcher uses the Primary data collection methods for collecting the research data by using different methods such as Questionnaires, Observation, interviews, surveys and focus group etc. it is very important that data collected through primary data collection method should not be used by third parties and to reveal to anyone unless they have rights and permission from the authorities. As I mentioned in my previous section that the researcher uses different methods such as Questionnaires, Interviews and Observation to collect the necessary primary data. The researcher uses questionnaires to collect information from the customers about their feedback of the self service checkout system. (Saunders et al 2009) Qualitative data The qualitative data is utilized to get facts and figures about the customers feedback and quality of the system. Thorough this type of data collection, researcher search and collect the customers reaction to the respective product or services. E.g. do they like to use the self service checkout system? Do they like this new innovative product? What is their satisfaction level according to our 5 level reaction grid? In this dissertation, researcher has used data being collected from the supermarket customers feedback such as ASDA, Selborne Walk shopping centre and ASDA Supermarket, Bakers arms, London. In these supermarkets, researcher has conducted his research using different interviews techniques, Questionnaires and self observation etc. Quantitative data Numerical or quantitative data collection method is utilized to gauge and compute the scale of needed information. Quantitative data collection is very important step in any research work as researcher needs to find out about the average number of customers and their sampling method. This is the extremely important tool for collecting the required data in numerical form for the research work. This sort of data collection method has also been used to analyze the result and for data presentation. (Saunders et al, 2009) Customer survey and self service checkout system initiation In the supermarket environment, competitors are always looking for different ways of retaining the existing customers and attracting the rival supermarket customers by offering incentives and offers to lure them to their business. Different customers have different behavior and attitude towards product or services in the supermarket. Time has gone when customer can be satisfied and retained by offering cheap products or services, instead, now, they look for more in the terms of excellent customer services and good value for their money. Supermarket or retail is in boom period, and, it is very fast moving business. Customers like to have more value and better service for the money. Retailer after doing lots of research and analysis of the customers expectation and wants, they decided to use new innovative self service checkout system for faster, flexible, reliability, efficiency, privacy and improved checkout system for the ever changing customers requirements. Self service checkout system is a good technology for using the fast paced retail business to consumer (B2C) environment and it already has gained acceptance for the majority of the customers from around the world supermarket and especially, in the United Kingdom. As I find out about the possible future planning of ASDA supermarket in London, they intend to increase more self service checkout system than assisted checkout system in this year 2010. ASDA has already done the Survey form the customers about the possible expansion of self service checkout system in future. As I find out from the self service checkout supervisor about this possible future expansion. He has helped me observed the customers and asked questions to the customers about the liking of the self service checkout system. The survey I conducted among 10 customers at ASDA Supermarket and it was very obvious that they come to the big supermarket for the sack of getting good services as well as good price. The chart below shows how many percentage of the customer in the retail industry like Self Service Checkouts. In the chart different colors shows different opinions of the customers e.g. brown color represents strongly agreed, sky blue color represent agree, yellow color represents somewhat agree, red color represents disagree and light green color represents neutral. All the bars in the chart show the level in percentage. Q1: Do you prefer to use self service checkouts instead of Cashier? In this chart, the bars shows the participation of the customers e.g. in question 3, 25% customers were strongly agreed, 42% customers were agreed, 10% customers were somewhat agreed, 8% customers were disagreed and 15% customers were neutral. According the above we get conclusion that despite it is new system most people use self service check out as the manager at ASDA Supermarket pointed out that it will grow 10% every year in the next 20 year and we will change all our cashier in future. Q2: Self service check out reduces waiting time to checkouts? In this chart the bars shows the participation of the customers. 30% customers were strongly agreed, 45% customers were agreed, 8% customers were somewhat agreed, 5% customers were disagreed and 12% customers were neutral. The graph shows that most customers love to use the service, the first of all that is a new technology and it is natural that every ones wants to try the new technology such as if we look at computer usage. People love to use computer because user friendliness of the system. At the end, we get result that self service check system is really helpful to reduce the waiting time at self service checkout system. Q3:  Self service checkout creates a sense of privacy and anonymity? In this chart the bars shows the participation of the customers e.g. in question 7, 34% customers were strongly agreed, 41% customers were agreed, 12% customers were somewhat agreed, 5% customers were disagreed and 8% customers were neutral. The chart shows customer use it is more secure and keep their privacy intact. Q4: I appreciate the ability not to have to deal with anyone? In this chart the bars shows the participation of the customers e.g. in question 8, 51% customers were strongly agreed, 39% customers were agreed, 5% customers were somewhat agreed, 3% customers were disagreed and 2% customers were neutral. Q5: self-service checkouts (SSC) are easy to use? In this chart the bars shows the participation of the customers as; * 66% customers were strongly agreed * 27% customers were agreed, * 3% customers were somewhat agreed, * 2% customers were disagreed and * 2% customers were neutral Majority of the customer at ASDA Supermarket are said it is easy to use but According to the manager of ASDA Supermarket, it depends on the customer education that we dont have any problem with that customer who are familiar with self service checkout system. It is hard for those who never use this type of service, sometimes, they find difficult to use this system on their own without any assistance by the staff members. Q6: Please rate your impression of what according to the following scale? Strongly Dissatisfied Dissatisfied Average Very good Excellent Do you find our SSC system easy to use? Do you like to pay for shopping bags at SSC System? Do you find our staff at SSC System helpful? Our premises are clean and well lightened Products and food are well arranged in the supermarket Supermarket offers excellent value of money Our working hours are convenient for you Our staff are courteous and helpful to you while you are shopping with us This survey aim is to find out how the self service check out can increase efficiency, effectiveness in the retail industry beside that the industries putting their effort to satisfy their customers in different ways by implementing some strategy that could be useful to the companies as global competition is rising between industries customer satisfaction comes hot topic .self services check out has implemented in retail industry to reduce the time of the customers the survey I conducted from the manager in ASDA Supermarket that he pointed out the good thing is this service is very quick it does the transaction very fast that is a positive point to the ASDA Supermarket it reduces the customer complaint now days most customers are complaining the time that spend in the shopping in ASDA Supermarket for instance if a customer buy one item . they have to wait maximum 15 to 20 minutes in the queue it is a big challenge in our operational level how to decrease it we are trying to expand th e new service in all our store . it gives two positive impact to the company the first point it satisfies the customers the second point it saves the cost The new service is lost longer more efficiency that it helps too much in operational level it grows 10% every year like I could say 75% are satisfy like minority of the customers say it is not easy to use it is complicated even some of them dont trust on self service check the new service might do wrong transaction it might scan the items two times and he pointed out some inexperienced customer cause some delays they face for some problem how to do transaction but most educated people love to use the new service it gives empowerment to the customer . By long standing in queue every day as it happens in Tesco Supermarket. it is clear to understand that the new service could increase the customer satisfaction as well as it can save a lot of cost and reduce waiting time. The Research: My research is on the self service checkout system would involve doing some research work in the supermarket. I would like to use supermarket like as ASDA and TESCO that are very near to my residential area Walthamstow, London. Firstly, I decided to use the supermarket Morrison at Wood green, London, but, I did not get permission from management to conduct my research work by using my questionnaires to the customers and doing self observation at self service checkout system in the Morrison supermarket. I decided to go to my nearer supermarket â€Å"ASDA† to ask the manager to conduct my research work at the ASDA supermarket. Their accepted my proposal for academic research surprisingly. I convinced them that this information and data will be confidential and I will not disclose any information to anyone without their prior permission to do so. I observed customers at the ASDA supermarket by using the self service checkout system that how easy they can use the system without fa cing any problem and difficulty. In conclusion, I can say that older people were among the least that were reluctant to use the new self service checkout system. System performance was not as friendly as I anticipated because there were some technical loop holes in the system as customer scan the item and place into bagging area but instead of moving to next item scanning, system was asking the customer to place the item into bagging area. There was an Identification issue when customer wants to buy the Alcoholic drinks and other replacement of damaged items when there was a long queue of customer at the back of that serving customer. I observed the whole shopping time duration that vary in different mode of payment has been used. One item shopping time duration was approximately 45 seconds per minute and it vary as number of items in the shopping basket increases. Staff at the supermarket was not very friendly by the start of my research work as they were thinking me as a management man observing their working performance and pattern, but, Luckily, I did able to convince them as I am only doing this research work for the academic purposes and not for any other use. I enjoyed this research work as it gave me the insight of analysing and observing the customer behaviour and customer satisfaction shopping experience as stated by Prof. Phillip Kottler, â€Å"Customer satisfaction can lead to customer retention†

The Medias Influence on Body Image Essay -- Papers Eating Disorders H

Eleven million women in the United States suffer from eating disorders- either self-induced semistarvation (anorexia nervosa) or a cycle of bingeing and purging with laxatives, self-induced vomiting, or excessive exercise (bulimia nervosa) (Dunn, 1992). Many eating disorder specialists agree that chronic dieting is a direct consequence of the social pressure on American females to achieve a nearly impossible thinness. The media has been denounced for upholding and perhaps even creating the emaciated standard of beauty by which females are taught from childhood to judge the worth of their own bodies (Stephens & Hill, 1994). To explore the broader context of this controversial issue, this paper draws upon several aspects influencing women?s body image. First, this paper examines the concept of body image and the problems associated with chronic dieting and the diet industry. Next, is an exploration of the prevalence and the source of body dissatisfaction in American females. It also considers existing research that presents several important aspects regarding the nature of the connection between advertising and body dissatisfaction. From these distinctions, it will be shown that the media has a large impact on women?s body image and that the cultural ideal of a thin body is detrimental to the American female?s body perception which often results in poor eating pathologies. Body image can be defined as a individual?s subjective concept of his or her physical appearance. Body image involves both a perceptual and attitudinal element. The self-perceptual component consists of what an individual sees or thinks in body size, shape, appearance. A disturbance in the perceptual element of body image is generally reflected in a... ...t Life Size. Sex Roles, 34, 287-293. Ogletree, S/, Williams, P., Mason, B., & Fricke, K. (1990). Female attractiveness and Eating Disorders. Sex Roles, 22, 791-797. Rabek-Wagener, J., & Eickhoff-Shemek, J. (1998). The Effect of Media Analysis on Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Body Image among College Females. Journal of American College Health, 47, 29-37. Shaw, J., & Waller, G. (1995), The Media?s Impact on Body Image: Implications for Prevention and Treatment. Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 3, 115-123. Stephens, D., & Hill, R., (1994). The Beauty Myth And Female Consumers: The Controversial Role of Advertising. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 28, 137-154. Stuhldreher, W., & Ryan, W. (1999). Factors Associated with Distortions in Body Image Perceptions in College Women. American Journal of Health, 15, 8-15.

Relationship between Greeks and Gods in Hippolytus :: Hippolytus Essays

Relationship between Greeks and Gods in Hippolytus  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      The play Hippolytus by the Greek playwright Euripides is one which explores classical Greek religion.   Throughout the play, the influence of the gods on the actions of the characters is evident, especially when Aphrodite affects the actions of Phaedra.   Also central to the plot is the god-god interactions between Artemis and Aphrodite.   In this essay, I hope to provide answers to how the actions of Hippolytus and Phaedra relate to the gods, whether or not the characters concern themselves with the reaction of the gods to their behavior, what the characters expect from the gods, how the gods treat the humans, and whether or not the gods gain anything from making the humans suffer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before we can discuss the play, however, a few terms need to be defined.   Most important would be the nature of the gods.   They have divine powers, but what exactly makes the Greek gods unique should be explored.   The Greek gods, since they are anthropomorphic, have many of the same characteristics as humans.   One characteristic of the gods which is apparent is jealousy.   Aphrodite seems to be jealous of Artemis because Hippolytus worships Artemis as the greatest of all gods, while he tends to shy away from worshipping Aphrodite (10-16).   This is important because it sets in motion the actions of the play when Aphrodite decides to get revenge on Hippolytus.   The divine relationship between the gods is a bit different, however.   Over the course of the play, Artemis does not interfere in the actions of Aphrodite, which shows that the gods, while divine, do have restrictions; in this case, it shows the gods cannot interfere with each other. (1328-1330)   The gods are sometimes evil and revengeful, though, as can seen by what Artemis has to say about Aphrodite: "I'll wait till she loves a mortal next time, and with this hand - with these unerring arrows I'll punish him." (1420-1422)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The relationship of mankind and the gods also needs to be discussed. This relationship seems to be a sort of give-and-take relationship, in part.   The Greeks believed that if they gave to the gods, through prayer and sacrifices, that the gods would help them out.   This is especially true of Hippolytus and his almost excessive worship of Artemis.   Also, Theseus praying to his father Poseidon is another example of this, only

The Color Red in American Beauty Essay -- essays papers

The Color Red in American Beauty "The beauty that addresses itself to the eyes is only the spell of the moment; the eye of the body is not always that of the soul." George Sand hit the nail right on the head when he said this in 1872. Appearance versus reality has been a central theme in many American creative works including the film American Beauty. American Beauty is a film that delves into your typical, middle-class suburban American home and slowly uncovers all of the abnormalities that lie within. The family is portrayed as normal but as the films tag line suggests "look closer" then it is possible to fully understand the implications that takes place in this seemingly happy home. The film is masterfully directed by the famous theater director Sam Mendes and encompasses a great number of cinematic techniques that appear fresh and exciting. Critics have mentioned many of these techniques. However, they failed to notice the clever use of color used throughout the film--especially the color red. Sam Mendes e ffectively uses the color red; as a central motif to accentuate mood and theme, to contrast families, and to reveal characters personalities and feelings. In American culture red is a color of various meanings and images. The color red is the essence of life; it is the color of blood. It can insinuate energy, vitality, passion, anger, power, excitement, and sacrifice. It is a grounding color. Red can stand for warmth, danger, love, sex, death, rage, lust, and beauty. Red is the color used for the women's clothing, the cars, the doors and also it is the color of Lester's blood splattered across the white table at the end of the movie. Red is the central motif of the film. Sam Mendes incorporated many of these meaning of red within the film American Beauty, Not only did Sam Mendes implant a motif of red, he also incorporated a motif of the red rose. Roses in American culture are the ultimate symbol of love, life and death. Flowers are a large part of the American culture. They have come to symbolize compassion, caring and love. The beauty of roses are superceded with danger, for they have thorns that can prick. Roses epitomize bea uty; perhaps that is why they chose the title American Beauty. The title American Beauty is a hodgepodge of symbolism; it encompasses a variety of meanings. For the viewer it can stand for the American beauty rose... ...aroline. Jane and Ricky are important too, they are the more grounded of the characters, they are both presented in neutral colors throughout most of the film. They represent balance and neutrality in the movie. Ricky's parents are not so neutral; they are dressed in pale, washed out colors to show their lack of vitality. Especially Mrs. Fritt's, she plays a minor role in the movie and that is precisely the point Sam Mendes makes. She is seen as a minor role in the family. She is usually wearing a long white nightgown and appears almost as a ghost in the picture, t her family, she barely exists. American Beauty is a fantastic film that encourages viewers to "look closer." Sam Mendes directed a film about American Beauty and foolish things that Americans do to keep up with appearances. He is urging us to find beauty in our lives, and to forget about having the perfect garden and home. He effectively uses the color red; as a central motif to accentuate mood and theme, to contrast families, and to reveal characters personalities and feelings. "Mere colour, unspoiled by meaning, and unallied with definite form, can speak to the soul in a thousand different ways."--Oscar Wilde

Crically Evaluate the Claim That Infants Have an Innate Knowledge of Object Properties. Use Evidence to Support Your Argument

Critically evaluate the claim that infants have an innate knowledge of object properties. Use evidence to support your arguments. Object properties have been systematically associated with the Piagetian approach of cognitive development and in particular the sensorimotor period. Until the 1970’s, Piaget’s influential stance that knowledge of object properties is only learned from around nine months old had not been questioned.However, due to more contemporary studies there have been claims that not only do younger infants exhibit behaviours suggesting that Piaget’s assumptions may underestimate cognitive abilities but some studies have controversially suggested that newborns have shown to have a certain amount of innate knowledge. This has lead to claims that there are some innate or core cognitive abilities for dealing with object properties, in contrast to Piaget’s view that ‘humans do not start out as cognitive beings’ (Berk, 2009).It is im portant to state the significance of grasping the notion of object properties because according to Piaget this represents the start of symbolic thought or mental representation – an expression of intellectual behaviour (Davies & Houghton, 1991). However, this claim is a subject of dispute for investigators, who disagree on the degree of this inbuilt knowledge. This essay shall be using relevant research to critically evaluate the claim that infants have an innate knowledge of object properties, concentrating on the notion of object permanence.Piaget theorised that knowledge of object permanence does not begin until the coordination of secondary circular reaction substage of sensorimotor period. He provided evidence for his assumptions, such as obscuring an object from an infant using a hand and seeing whether the child would reach for the object. Piaget concluded that the lack of searching by the infant implied a lack of object permanence, but Bower (1971) criticised Piagetâ €™s use of search tasks because infants could be lacking the performance ability for reaching rather than competence to understand object permanence.Therefore, studies were conducted using visual methods, whereby the infants’ looking was used to measure object permanence (Bower et al, 1971, 1972) to address the flaw in Piaget’s method by bypassing the need for the infant to perform the reach. Bower (1971) conducted a study showing infants a moving object disappearing behind a screen, and the results suggest infants from four to six months old show evidence of object permanence and as early as eight weeks old in a few participants, thus strongly contradicting Piaget’s assumptions.In addition to this visual method, Baillargeon (1985; 1987) used habituation as it is concluded that infants spend longer looking at new stimuli, therefore infants are familiarised with it. Baillargeon and DeVos (1991) habituated infants to a small carrot, then a tall carrot moving s ide to side behind a screen, alternately. Violation-of-expectation test trials were conducted, whereby the screen that had previously hidden the carrots changed in colour and included a window. The infants were shown the small carrot trial which follows physical laws, and were then shown the tall carrot trial which violates physical laws.Results showed that infants as young as two and a half months looked longer at the tall carrot event than the short carrot event, suggesting that younger infants have some understanding of object properties. However, there have been criticisms of both the habituation technique and the violation-of-expectation-method. Bogartz (2000) is suspicious of the use of the habituation technique as he states that infants will react with interest to any novel stimuli. He also criticised the way the results were analysed separately, suggesting they should have been analysed together.Further, the violation-of-expectation method has been labelled as only measuring some sort of implicit understanding of object properties rather than the fully-conscious understanding that Piaget was referring to in his theory (Berk, 2009). Nevertheless, Baillargeon insists that the consistent findings from this and other studies use essential controls that aren’t included in opposing studies (Bogartz, Shinskey & Schilling, 2000), and also uphold that the findings can be generalised to lots of object related unexpected events (Berk, 2009).Interestingly though, some researchers do not halt at the suggestion that Piaget underestimated younger infants cognitive abilities, but instead refute Piaget’s assumption that ‘humans do not start out as cognitive beings’ (Berk, 2009) and in fact have some innate cognitive abilities. There have been suggestions that knowledge of object properties depends on visual information relating to perceptual abilities of the infant, addressed in a study by Valenza, Zulian and Leo (2005). They tested infantsâ €™ ability to recognise a correspondence between one version of a simple shape with another.Results showed infants recognised a correspondence more between a partly occluded shape and a non occluded shape than a non occluded shape and an unoccluded shape with a gap, implying that there may be some innate ability. The importance of the simplicity of the shapes used in Valenza et al’s study (2005) had been addressed by other researchers such as Kellman and Spelke (1983) who stated that the type of visual information used by younger infants differs from the visual information used by older children, therefore implying that there may be different thresholds of information needed for different ages (Johnson, 1995).A study was conducted using a rod and box display with additional motion cues on two and four month olds. Despite the first experiment showing that infants at two months old held no preference for the disjointed rod, when the proportion of the box occluding the rods was decreased the two month olds showed a preference for the broken rod display over the complete rod display, therefore suggesting that there may be an innate low level representation of object properties (Kellman & Spelke, 1983).This and further studies (Kamawata et al, 1999) lent support to Johnson’s (1995) threshold model where visual information must match the perceptual abilities of infants in order to show knowledge of continuous object properties along with attending abilities. However, some researchers take on a more reserved view, giving potential alternative explanations for the innate knowledge of object properties.For example, following on from certain studies using darkness to hide objects resulting in evidence that infants search in the darkness earlier than they search for objects hidden by an occluder (Bowers and Wishart, 1972), Shinskey and Munakata (2003) conducted a study comparing the two conditions. Infants were given toy and no-toy trials in both the da rkness and the occluder (a cloth) conditions. Results support the notion that infants are ore sensitive to searching for objects in darkness compared to objects hidden by an occluder. Researchers gave three potential explanations for this dissociation. Firstly, a means-end explanation was given, stating that they simply searched more in the dark because they don’t have the physical ability to retrieve the occluder, lending support to Piaget’s concept that the ability to problem-solve lays with means-end action sequences (Berk, 2009).Secondly, graded representations may explain why infants’ representations can resist an interference of darkness to allow reaching but the interference may be too severe when an object is occluded. The results also introduced the notion of interruption of a plan to reach for the object due to a one second delay before the infants’ arms were released which may have led to less searching on occluder trials (in addition to anothe r object in the way).The researchers seemed to conclude that this study has supported the concept of a genuine sensitivity to objects hidden in darkness and that the origin of this dissociation between an occluder and darkness lies with the complications of retrieval. However, another potential explanation could be linked to Piaget’s observation that when one object is placed on top of another the infant cannot distinguish one from the other, leading back to idea that it can be representatively complicated.On the whole, a large section of the research on knowledge of object properties conflict with Piaget’s assumptions. Findings show his theory underestimates the abilities of infants (Bower, 1971; 1972; Baillargeon, 1985; 1987; 1991), and although these studies are not free from criticisms (Bogartz, 2000), support of these findings is abundant, along with some controversial findings which suggest low level innate knowledge of object properties.Valanza, et al (2005) stu dy was supported by others (Kellman & Spelke, 1983; Kamawata et al, 1999) and the threshold model was proposed (Johnson, 1995). Nevertheless, other studies showing dissociations between abilities of searching for objects using darkness and occluders are less willing to settle for the explanation of innate knowledge and provide alternatives, including a means-end explanation, the notion of graded representations and interestingly the concept of interruption of a plan (Shinskey & Munakata, 2003).In conclusion, while there is convincing evidence that Piaget strongly underestimated the abilities of younger infants, the claim that infants have an innate knowledge of object properties remains questionable, as although evidence for it introduces some potentially interesting advances, there is simply not enough known, specifically into where the complications of the knowledge lies and if this were ascertained then a greater understanding could be reached. References Berk, L. E. (2006). Chil d Development (7th ed. . Needham Heights: Allyn & Bacon Davies, R. & Houghton, P. (1991). Mastering Psychology, The MacMillan Press Ltd: London Kellman, P. J. & Spelke, E. R. (1983). Perception of partly occluded objects in infancy. Cognitive Psychology, 15, 483-524. Shinskey, J. L. , & Munakata, Y. (2003). Are infants in the dark about hidden objects? Developmental Science, 6(3), 273-282. Valenza, E. , Zulian, L. , & Leo, I. (2005). The role of perceptual skills in newborns' perception of partly occluded objects. Infancy, 8(1), 1-20.

The Hobbit Double Entry Journal Prompts

Nicholas Gangone Ms. Sottas Double Entry Journal Prompts March 20, 2013 â€Å"But men remembered little of all that, though some still sang old songs of the dwarf-kings of the Mountain, Thror and Dragon, and the fall of the lords of Dale. † (Tolkien 176) â€Å"I hope I never smell the smell of apples again. † (Tolkien 179) â€Å"But the Master was not sorry at all to let them go. They were expensive to keep, and their arrival had turned things into a long holiday in which business was a standstill. † (Tolkien 185)Although the men keep alive old traditions in a new era, this quote symbolizes how the majority of things have changed in this world. This excerpt situates the dwarves in the present time frame where power has shifted to evil forces, how the dwarves lost control of their mountain city, and also how old legendary maps don’t so well in a new environment. The men never really experienced what it was like to live in a time where everyone and everythin g blended harmoniously. After reading this in the book, I immediately made a mental connection to a memory of the 6th grade.At the peak of the swine flu epidemic, my school started to administer vaccines to protect the students against the disease. I forgot to hand in a consent form to give them permission for a vaccine, so instead of getting a vaccine, I got the nasal mist in my nose. The nurse asked me what my favorite fruit was, and I replied â€Å"umm.. apples! † Not knowing what it was for, she made the thick goo they shot up my nose apple flavored. This was probably one of the weirdest feelings I have ever experienced. Just like Fili, I did not want to smell apples for a long time.This excerpt I picked reminds me of a part of the Odyssey. The specific part I am referencing to is the Suitors. After learning how expensive it is to have company over for an occasion, the connection I made between both pieces of literature only emphasizes this idea by giving more evidence. à ¢â‚¬Å"Not at any rate until the songs have come true! † (Tolkien 186) â€Å"They beat on it, they thrust and pushed at it, they implored it to move, they spoke fragments of broken spells of opening, and nothing stirred. † (Tolkien 190) â€Å"Tomorrow begins the last week of autumn. Said Thorin one say. â€Å"And winter comes after autumn,† said Bifur. â€Å"And next year after that,† said Dwalin, â€Å"and our beards will grow till they hang down the cliff to the valley before anything happens here. † (Tolkien 193) I purposely picked this quote to talk about my reasoning of how these words relate to the current generation of music. There is little or no rate of songs that are produced today that stay true to the art of music. For starters, most songs today aren’t even made with â€Å"real† instruments. Secondly, almost all of the big time artists are auto-tuned.It isn’t the strongest reference I have made, but I just canâ€℠¢t stand how the stuff they call music is so greatly praised. As the group searches for the secret entrance Elrond has promised the dwarves based on the map, their failure to open the door foreshadows further struggle. The group will encounter more forms of resistance, because this isn’t even the worst part of their luck they have been blessed with. This quote also shows the much repeated theme of perseverance displayed throughout the novel. The excerpt I presented here shows how the race against time is presented for the crew.This is because they do not have forever to complete their tasks. Since they get agitated at how long parts of their quest take, it highlights qualities of the average Joe that they possess. They are not a group of godly, or immortal beings. We saw them cut down to size similarly when they were trapped by the wolves. â€Å"The most that can be said for the dwarves it this: they intended to pay Bilbo really handsomely for his services; they had brought him to do a nasty job for them. And they did not mind the poor little fellow doing it if he would: bit they would all have done their best to get him out of trouble, if he got into it† (Tolkien 196) I have absolutely no use for dragon-guarded treasures and the whole lot could stay here forever, if only I could wake up and find this beastly tunnel was my own front-hall at home† (Tolkien 198) â€Å"†¦but rising from the near side of the rocky floor there is a great glow. The glow of the Smaug! † (Tolkien 200) I had to chew this quote up a little bit and ponder upon it. A side of the dwarves that has not yet been shown is expressed here. I believe it is greed. The dwarves seem to be using Bilbo for his talents – which make up a good thief.There isn’t much to say about the dwarves if they used Bilbo all along as their scapegoat. Bilbo speaks for himself in this quote. He is not there to be someone’s tag along. He has a mind of his own and kno ws what is right and wrong. He also yearns for the safety and comfort of his own home when thrown into the midst of a sticky situation. I can say that Bilbo is a very convincing being. I specifically picked this quote because we have heard of the dragon throughout the whole book, but this is the first actual account we have about Bilbo’s encounter with the dragon – first hand.The dragon is pictured as any other dragon from a mythical tale would be. The first and most important trait being the dragon having firey breath. It is because of the dragon’s ability to promote havoc that gives the story an interesting outcome. â€Å"Now do be careful! † whispered the hobbit, â€Å"and as quiet as you can be! There may be no Smaug at the bottom, but then again, there may be† (Tolkien 215) â€Å"Suddenly Bilbo’s arm went towards it drawn by its enchantment. His small hand would not close about it, for it was a large and heavy gem; but he lifted it, sh ut his eyes and put it in his deepest pocket. (Tolkien 217) â€Å"Hear, hear! † cried Bilbo, and flung himself on the ground. In the rock-chamber there would have been room for a hundred and there was a small chamber in the back. There they laid out all of their burdens. †(Tolkien 224) I like this quote because it emphasizes Bilbo’s resourcefulness. He thinks through every possible consequence before he acts. This is a very useful trait to have, especially for someone that is on an adventure where one silly mistake can prove fatal. Acting so vigilantly will later prove fruitful for Bilbo.This is a substantial quote in a rather small chapter. Here we are introduced to the turning point of the story – the Arkenstone. This is just one of the few treasures Bilbo retrieves. The arkenstone is one of the main reasons Thorin set out to reclaim what was once his ancestors’. This quote also foreshadows Bilbo’s future resourcefulness. After reading the rest of the story, I noticed that the men start to reclaim what is theirs. It almost acts as a foreshadowing tool. The men, especially Thorin, know what’s rightfully theirs and how it has been taken from them.It will only be a matter of time before they find out if they can hold on to their newly conquered area. â€Å"The King beneath the Mountain! They shouted. His wealth is like the Sun, his silver like a fountain, his rivers golden run! The river is running gold from the Mountain! they cried, and everywhere windows were opening and feet were hurrying† (Tolkien 226) â€Å"Already men were jumping into the water on every side. Women and children were being huddled into laden boats in the market-pool. † (Tolkien 228) â€Å"Arrow! Said the bowman. â€Å"Black arrow!I have saved you for last. You have never failed me and always I have recovered you. I had you from my father and he from of old. If ever you came from the forges of the true king under the Mountain, go now and speed well! (Tolkien 229) I interpreted this quote as a great example of dramatic irony. The townspeople, who think the golden colored river in the distance is amassed wealth, are horribly wrong. The gold is in fact, a raging dragon ready to destroy everything in its sight. Everyone starts to cry cheers of joy, when they should be crying tears of sadness.From this quote, I perceived a very strong mental image. The quote shows the true wrath of the Smaug. At the time The Hobbit was written, 1930, women and children were put first in the event of a disaster. For example, in the movie Titanic, one could see how women and children were loaded onto life boats before men. Here in this quote, if men were the first ones to give up and jump into the water, no one had a chance at survival by far. There would be no one to help others get on their way to safety. This quote stresses the theme of tradition throughout the story.Because the arrow was handed down from generations of old, it had a much higher importance. The archer believed the arrow had more â€Å"experience† seeing more time in battle situations. It is also interesting to read about how much faith was invested into his last shot. This excerpt also sparks my curiosity as to how the archer talks to the lifeless arrow like an old friend. â€Å"Now we will return to Bilbo and the dwarves. All night one of them had watched, but when morning came they had not heard or seen any sign of danger. But ever more thickly the birds were gathering.Their companies came flying from the South; and the crows that still lives about the Mountain were wheeling and crying unceasingly above. † (Tolkien 234) â€Å"Hail Thorin! Why do you fence yourself like a robber in his hold? We are not yet foes, and we rejoice that you are alive beyond our hope. We came expecting to find non living here; yet now that we are met there is matter for a parley and a council. † (Tolkien 240) â€Å"The whole place stil l stinks of dragon,† he grumbled to himself, and it makes me sick. And cram is beginning simply to stick in my throat. † (Tolkien 243)I picked this quote to explain how the foreshadowing of Thorin reclaiming his ancestor’s mountain cabin wraps up. The dwarves are hiding out in the mountain, and now they will have to hold off against whoever feels obligated to collect the dragon’s treasures. As the narrator switches points of views, he pictures birds thickly gathering. When you see something abnormal occur in nature, you get a feeling something bad is about to happen. This picture Tolkien painted compelled me to keep on reading. Expecting the dwarves to be dead, the humans and their allies have come to claim the dragons’ treasures.The humans mean no harm to the dwarves, and once they find them there they suggest they should split the riches. Thorin, feeling all of it is his become very defensive and abruptly declines. This is the first time in the nov el I found Thorin to be so bold in his actions. Considering they greet him with an overly-polite â€Å"Hail Thorin! †, I think he should have gave them a small share for slaying the dragon. Although I am not in the situation personally, I couldn’t say what I would suggest. After finally reaching what his whole journey was driven off of, he would need time to make a decision.I find quote humorous and ironic. Thus because Thorin wanted to remain close to his newly acquired treasures, and now he has to being that the mountain is besieged. Now, Thorin has had enough of the mountain when the fun just started. â€Å"Now the days passed slowly and wearily. Many of the dwarves spent their time piling and ordering the treasure; and now Thorin spike of the Arkenstone of Thrain, and bade them eagerly to look for it in every corner. † (Tolkien 244) â€Å"I am tired of stairs and stone passages. I would give a good deal for the feel of grass at my toes.I would give a good d eal for the feel of strong drink in my throat, and for a soft bed after a good supper! † (Tolkien 246) â€Å"All in good time! † said Gandalf. â€Å"Things are drawing towards the end now, unless I am mistaken. There is an unpleasant time just in front of you; but keep your heart up! You may come through all right. There us news brewing that not even ravens have heard. Good night! † (Tolkien 249) This is one of my most favorite examples of dramatic irony I came across in the novel. Thorin is searching for the Arkenstone restlessly.What he doesn’t know is that Bilbo swiftly retrieved it on one of his first adventures into the mountain. At one point Bilbo gets worried after Thorin says he would put his life on the stone to get it back. Bilbo doesn’t want a conflict to erupt between the three races. The dramatic irony throughout this novel up to this point made it much more fun to read. Eventually Bilbo is tired of sticking it out in the mountain. He l ongs for him humble life so he takes matters into his own hands. Offering the Arkenstone, something so valuable to his expedition, to avoid conflict is something that was just in his nature.An action like this was very brave for him, but he knew what he needed to do. In this quote, Gandalf is congratulating Bilbo on a job well done, yet not to become complacent because it is not all over yet. I think that it is essential Gandalf appreciated Bilbo’s actions of bravery and how he carries out what he believes in with such finesse. Bilbo gets excited because of Gandalf’s compliments, and I felt happy for him. â€Å"By the beard of Durin! I wish I had Gandalf here! Curse him for his choice of you! May his beard wither! As for you I will throw you to the rocks! He cried and lifted Bilbo into his arms.Stay! Your wish is granted! † said a voice. The old man with the casket threw aside his hood and cloak. â€Å"Here is Gandalf! And none too soon it seems. If you donâ₠¬â„¢t like my Burglar, please don’t damage him. Put him down, and listen first to what he has to say! † (Tolkien 250-251) â€Å"The Goblins are upon you ! Bolg of the North is coming, O Dain! Whose father you slew in Moria. Behold! The bats are above his army like a sea of locusts. † (Tolkien 255) â€Å"It was a terrible battle. The most dreadful of all Bilbo’s experiences, and the one which at the time he hated most. † (Tolkien 257)This quote that I picked only further emphasizes the fact that Gandalf’s and Bilbo’s views correspond with each other. Nothing bad can really result from a duo with supernatural powers and great resourcefulness. I also appreciate how Gandalf cuts Thorin down to size. I believe that the riches he sits upon got to his head and now he somewhat corrupt. In this part of the book, we are introduced to a new character, â€Å"Bolg of the North†. According to the book, Bolg is the son of Azog. This is very in teresting because earlier in the book we learned Azog was the goblin who killed Thorin’s grandfather, Thror.This reminds me of the short story we read earlier in the year, The Interlopers, and how the hostility remained between the generations of family. This explanation of the battle given on the account of Bilbo really made me realize the degree of severity in which it occurred. If this was worse than Bilbo’s experience of being chased up a tree by wolves and then having it slowly burnt down with him stuck up there, then this battle must have been pretty bad. I would have to say it was by far Bilbo’s nightmare occurring in reality. â€Å"When Bilbo came to himself, he was literally by himself† (Tolkien 261) There indeed lay Thorin Oakenshield, wounded with many wounds, and his rent armour and notched ace were cast upon the floor. He looked up as Bilbo came beside him. â€Å"Farewell, good theif,† he said. I go now to the halls of waiting to sit b eside my fathers, until the world is renewed. Since I leave now all gold and silver, and go where it is of little worth, I wish to part in friendship with you, and I would take back my words and deeds at the Gate. † (Tolkien 262) â€Å"So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their ending! † said Bilbo, and he turned his back on his adventure.The Tookish part was getting very tired, and the Baggins was daily getting stronger. â€Å"I wish now only to be in my own armchair! † he said† (Tolkien 268) This statement, which opens up the 18th chapter, highlights the life of solitude Bilbo longed for the whole time he was away from his ascetic life. Tolkien shows how he was forced to cope by himself with no one there for him as they were either dead or in hiding. I felt a lot of sympathy here for Bilbo because he was always there to lend a hand to everyone else but in this instance, no one was there for him.Thrown in a much different situation, Thorin acts completely different towards Bilbo. Even though I disliked Thorin a lot since the beginning of the book, I looked at his character with a lot more respect after he parted by making amends with everyone – especially Bilbo. Bilbo definitely deserved an apology and I revere Thorin for delivering it. I noticed that as time went on in the book, Bilbo kept longing for his hobbit hole. Since his Tookish blood that has longed for adventure is now satisfied, he needs time to recover from everything he has seen and experienced.Now fueled and fired by the drive to get home, nothing is going to stop Bilbo. He is now a much stronger, wiser, and keen hobbit. â€Å"The dragon is withered, his bones are now crumbled; His armour is shivered, His splendor is humbled! Though sword shall be rusted, And throne and crown perish With strength that men trusted And wealth that they cherish, Here grass is still growing, And leaves are yet swinging, The white water flowing, And elves are yet singing C ome! Tra-la-la-lally! Come back to the valley! † (Tolkien 269) â€Å"Bless Me! What’s going on? He cried.There was a great commotion and people of all sorts, respectable and unrespectable, were thick round the door, and many were going in and out – not even wiping their feet on the mat, as Bilbo noticed with annoyance. † (Tolkien 274) â€Å"Thank goodness! † said Bilbo laughing, and handed him the tobacco-jar. † (Tolkien 276) This excerpt, the elves being the speakers behind it, recite these lines in song. This quote shows how the slaying of the dragon and triumph over the goblins and Wargs not only positively affected Bilbo and the dwarves, but life in all of the lands. Because of their brave actions, everyone can now live much more peacefully.In this quote, Bilbo finally returns home. He’s been ‘round the world and back – literally – only to find his belongings are being auctioned off to strangers. If I was in Bilb o’s situation I would have probably gone berserk and thrown everyone out, one by one. I couldn’t even have imagined such a thing happening to Bilbo. If there was one thing I can see Bilbo caring about is his good ‘ol pipe and tobacco. These two items are the perfect combination to calm down and relax such a humble hobbit like Bilbo. I happy that at least his pride wasn’t stripped from him at his homecoming. Bilbo has returned at last.