Essay on K3D210- How Current Theories of Play Can Inform...

K3D210- How current theories of play can inform practice There are many theories into how children develop and how they learn. These are extremely important as they can be applied to modern strategies used for child behaviours. Presently, learning theories are placed into 3 categories: Behaviourist approaches – children learn as a result of what they see and what happens to them. Constructivist approaches – children learn actively rather than passively. Information processing- children learn cognitively. There have been many theorists who have opposing views on how and why children behave and how they learn. I will discuss 4 theorists, their theories and how they have influenced and shaped work with children. JEAN PIAGET was†¦show more content†¦Children can classify and order, as well as organise objects into series. The child is still tied to the immediate experience but within these limitations can perform logical mental operations. For example, can solve mental problems using counters and objects. STAGE- Formal Operational APPROXIMATE AGE- 11-15 years CHARACTERISTICS- Abstract reasoning begins. Children can now manipulate ideas, can speculate about the possible, can reason deductively and formulate and test hypothesis. Piaget developed a workable theory that has had considerable implications for education, most notably for child-centred learning methods in nursery and infant schools. Piaget argued that young children think quite differently from adults so therefore the teacher should adapt the teaching methods to suit the child. For example, nursery school classrooms can provide children with play materials that encourage their learning. Using sets of toys that encourage the practice of sorting, grading and counting. Play areas, where children can develop role-taking skills through imaginative play. Materials like water, sand, bricks and crayons that help children make their own constructions and create symbolic representations of objects and people in their lives. A teacher’s role is to create the conditions in which learning may best take place. As Piaget’s theory of child development is put into practice in nurseries and infant schools today I

Obesity And Its Effects On Children - 1500 Words

Obesity can affect everyone and anyone and affecting nearly 25% of all North American children. It can affect one during childhood or adulthood and sometimes their whole lives if their illness is never treated during childhood. Childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years. In 1980, the obesity rate of 6-11 year olds was 6.5%, in 2008 had tripled to 19.6%. For toddlers and preschoolers aged 2-5, the obesity levels have risen from 5% to 12.4% in the same amount of time. (Spark, 2010). Children are very vulnerable and can easily be prone to many illnesses because they are greatly dependant on their parents. Therefore, when a child suffers from obesity it is usually in the hands of the parents to help the child recover and better their†¦show more content†¦Children in the 85th percentile and above are considered to be suffering from obesity. Meaning 85 percent of other children have a lower body mass index (Parenting.org, 2016). A physician would also take in your childâ⠂¬â„¢s growth development. For example, BMI does not take into account a child’s height or muscularity. When diagnosing a child with obesity a physician takes many other factors into account before fulling diagnosing and referring treament. Misconceptions There are some misconceptions of obesity. It may often be mistaken for being overweight, meaning weighing more than you should. Instead, obesity is a chronic illness that refers to having too much body fat. Although, both concepts mean that your child has exceeded what is considered to be healthy for his or her age and height. Another misconception is that a child carries an ‘obese gene’.(Cohen, 2013). Where it is believed that children were born to be obese because there are obese people in their family. Although that it is not true, it is true that children with obese parents have a higher chance of being obese as well. It is not because of the ‘obese gene’ though, it is because they follow the same unhealthy lifestyle behaviors as their parents. Also, another misconception is that the lack fruits and vegetables is the reason for the obesity epidemic. Rather, this epidemic comes from the choices people make. People may head to the

Social Policy and Concept

Question: Discuss about theSocial Policy and Concept. Answer: Even though there are various types of theoretical perspectives, this essay will make a comparison between social democracy and neo-liberalism. It makes an analysis between the influences of these two perspectives on the chosen aspects of employment legislations in New Zealand since the year 1990. The essay will among other issues, address the debates regarding the role that is played by the State in a given society as well as the individualistic verses the collectivist approaches. The essay will also discuss the impact of various views on the most recent employment and social policy developments (Gearty, 2016). Based on the following commentary, it can genuinely be asserted that despite the fact that there has been dominance of Neo-liberalism in the most recent economic and politically history, some elements of social democratic ideologies can be regarded as presenting a level of social policy equality or balance right from the introduction of centralist politics that was being led by the government of Clark since 1999. However, it is prudent to note that even though there were significant differences which were attributed to policy changes in each of the perspectives above in regard to changes in policy, none of them can actually be linked or associated to tremendous enhancements in the social welfare of the concerned populations (Skinns, 2016). To effectively compare between Neo-liberalism and Social Democracy, a clear outline about them regarding their major characteristics should be made. On the part of Neo-liberalism, Belgrave, OBrien, and Chenye (2008) asserted that it was capable of gaining fame as a basis for the attainment of social well being during the 1980s. This was attributed to the fact that neo-liberalism was deemed as being an endeavor to effectively reinstate the conventional liberal free market principles which had been highly compromised as a result of heightened socialist movement which occurred between 1930s to 1970s. According to Hayek who was a renowned neo-liberal theorist (Duncan, 2007, Chenyne et al, 2008), it was asserted that the availability of uncontrolled markets presented people with an opportunity to not only have the freedom, but also the relevant freedom to attain the well being that can help them to seek for their own relevant and preferable interests (O'Malley, 2016). This argued is found ed on the assumption that people are always in a better position to both identify and pursue outcomes which are deemed to be desirable or preferable to them. According to views held by neoliberals, they strongly hold the belief that a free market presents individuals with the most effective channel for generation of economic growth in a country. They argue that this is because buyers and sellers use price signals in relaying preferences as well as the scarcity of resources across the available products and services in a market. As a result, this makes it easier for people to use such data and information in making informed choices about their specific needs. Producers on their part are known to attain monetary rewards when it becomes apparent that their services and products help the human population. As a result, individual pursuits that are capable of satisfying personal needs also have the ability of benefiting the entire society (Humpage, 2016). Based on this model, it can truly be expressed that it is the responsibility of the state to both develop and implement the relevant legislation that can enhance the effective functioning of t he market. The state is also tasked with the responsibility of not only guaranteeing equal opportunity for all and sundry in market involvement, but it is also tasked with ensuring that private property is well protected. One of the most important distinctions that should be highlighted in this research paper is between equal outcomes and equal opportunity (Schmidt, 2016). For instance, even though all people ought to have equal opportunity of pursuing their self interests, some people may have skills which are unique or even robust abilities in entrepreneurial skills. It thus becomes apparent that individuals having such skills having such knowledge or skills will have added advantage which will make them achieve higher returns at the expense of others in the market place. Owing to the fact that the market cannot essentially yield certainties and sureties in the outcomes, unequal outcomes become natural instead of being intentional. In addition to that, individuals who reap more benefits as opposed to other should never be victimized for succeeding on life (Dryzek, 2016). This is because their success can motivate other people to also work hard towards the achieved of more success. It has been asserted that the intervention of the state in market processes is known to greatly impinge upon the exercises of individual freedoms. This is because taxation is capable of undermining the rights of private property via neo-liberal perspective while on the other hand, service delivery and provisions which are controlled centrally are paternalistic and thus removes the freedom of people to freely make choices regarding the services that are required. As a result of such assumptions, a mandatory safety net ought to be given to individuals who are not able to meet or satisfy their needs and requirements. The ability of the market to fully maximize social well being is less convinced through social democracy. Social democracy, which is known to be a key critic of industrial capitalism, depicts an increase in the inequalities that are class-based due to unregulated or uncontrolled functioning of the market. Social democrats usually put more emphasis on not only equitable outcomes, but also provision of vulnerable members in the relevant societies (Upchurch Taylor, 2016). This can be achieved through intervention of the state through market regulation and redistributive taxation. As a result of this concern, most of the union movements which are well organized prefer social democracy because it caters for the general well being of the society and it also prefers to have collective responses to both economic and social disparities that exist in the society. Right from time immemorial, social democracy has been known to value collectivism as opposed to individualism. It thus holds the view that the human population is a social group as opposed to a composition of creatures that are detached. It also holds the opinion that membership in the community and nuclear families aid in shaping the identity of individuals. Another strong belief that exists is that cooperation and coordination strongly enhances social bonds and competition is deemed to be destructive because it is divisive in nature (Donzelot, 2016). Major industries that have significant national interests ought to be kept under public control as opposed to private control. Based on this, the state has a vital role to implement especially regarding decision making in the regulation or control of the economy and the distribution of resources. As from the year 1930 to the 1970s, the use of social democracy was known to uphold a theory which had been earlier created by John Maynard, an economist who was not even a socialist in the provision of credibility towards the argument. According to the economist, it was believed that governments or streets could easily intervene with the major aim of supporting instead of replacing and that that capitalism was a tool that could be used in reducing the volatility of the global market (Dawes Flew, 2016). This is because the system depended on total employment and the spending of the government on welfare, education infrastructure as well as education in the provision of goods and services which were unable to be produced by the markets. The conflict which exists between social democratic and neoliberal ideologies have led to the transformation of the current employment social policies in different ways (Morgan, 2016). Some of the major policy areas is the contrasting approaches towards relations in employment and the value of judgments that are attached in provision of help or support for individuals who search for employment. The implementation of the Employment Contracts Act 1991 resulted in major changes in the employment relations legislations to the objectives of neo-liberalism. This is because the act was the final stage in overturning of the industrial relations system which had existed since the late nineteenth century. On the other hand, the introduction of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1894 was aimed at the creation of enhanced efficiencies in the labor markets through the use individualized competition, contracts, and even industrial stability that was coerced instead of being enhanced via employment relations (Langille, 2016). Based on the above information, it can truly be concluded that even though neo-liberal political perspective or ideology had a significant impact on the transformation of social policy in New Zealand as from the 1980s, the use of social democracy should never be underestimated. This is because social democracy has over a long period of time evolved significantly and made positive contributions in the 21st century on its own. It has been asserted that Neo-liberalism is characterized with its preference for free markets as being the tool for the achievement of economic growth and distribution of resources in the entire society. It is also marked with placing people in positions that can be used to pursue and determine the life courses that they prefer. Modern social policy on its hand is more concerned with achievement of social justice as well as collective well being using a missed economy. References Cheyne, C., OBrien, M., Belgrave, M. (2008). Social policy in Aotearoa New Zealand (4th ed.). South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Dawes, S., Flew, T. (2016). Neoliberalism, voice and national media systems: An interview with Terry Flew. Networking Knowledge, 9(5), 1-10. Donzelot, J. (2016). City, Insecurity and Citizenship: The Emergence of Social Cohesion Policies. Dangerous Others, Insecure Societies: Fear and Social Division, 23. Dryzek, J. S. (2016). The Forum, the System, and the Polity Three Varieties of Democratic Theory. Political Theory, 0090591716659114. Gearty, C., 2016. Neo-Democracy:Useful Idiotof Neo-Liberalism?. British Journal of Criminology, p.azw010. Humpage, L. (2016). A Common Sense of the Times? Neoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ liberalism and Changing Public Opinion in New Zealand and the UK. Social Policy Administration, 50(1), 79-98. Langille, D. (2016). Follow the Money: How Business and Politics Define our Health. Social determinants of health: Canadian Perspectives, 470. Morgan, G. (2016). New actors and old solidarities: institutional change and inequality under a neo-liberal international order. Socio-Economic Review, 14(1), 201-225. O'Malley, P. (2016). Neoliberalism, Crime and Criminal Justice. Sydney Law School Research Paper, (16/10). Schmidt, V. A. (2016). The roots of neo-liberal resilience: Explaining continuity and change in background ideas in Europes political economy. The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, 18(2), 318-334. Skinns, D. (2016). Neo-liberalism and Austerity, Outsourcing and Punishment. In Coalition Government Penal Policy 20102015 (pp. 201-228). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Upchurch, M., Taylor, G. (2016). The Crisis of Social Democratic Trade Unionism in Western Europe: The Search for Alternatives. Routledge.

Outlook on Work and Vocation an Example by

Outlook on Work and Vocation It all started when a man is fertilized to become man. Of the million sperm cells that fought its way to the awaiting egg ready for fertilization work commenced. Work is the ransom paid for the sake of keeping alive. Man is condemned to labor because he must expiate the original sin. Nevertheless it should not be thought that labor suffices to restore man's lost status or dignity before God. Holy Scripture says that: All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled (Ecclesiastes 6:7).. (The Dictionary of the History of Ideas) But way above the ethical consideration surrounding the principles, value and meaning of work time, man and his life are encapsulated within those four letters. Any menial or grandiose kind labor or work gives meaning to the dignity and entirety of man and his life. It is through labor that he attains his initial respect and thus, reconcile that, part and parcel of his waking up everyday is to stretch his muscles; sweat his brow and dwell on his responsibilities. Need essay sample on "Outlook on Work and Vocation" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Work endows man with all kinds of reward and recognition that every aspect of his being need and deserve: physically, economically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually. It is the ultimate destination of the contribution of parental breeding; environmental influences and pursuits of formal and informal education: all to prepare man to work. Ancient thought, however, does not lack various expressions of a certain appreciation of human labor, apart from any prejudice that others may have had. In general such assertions are found among authors belonging to the school of Sophists and other minor schools. For example, Antiphon proclaims the harsh necessity of work insofar as life is accepted for what it is. This life is certainly not easy or sweet, but it nevertheless acquires meaning when it is crowned with success (Stobaeus, IV, 22.2.66; a fragment translated in I sofisti, ed. M. T. Cardini, Bari [1923], p. 126; also in Minor Attic Orators, Loeb Library, Vol. I). But Prodicus of Chios, in the circle of the Sophists, states the definitive thesis about work in his apology, Herculesat the Crossroad. Referring to Xenophon's Memorabilia (II, 1, 21-34), Prodicus insists on the virtue of labor which gives dignity to the life of man. (The Dictionary of the History of Ideas) So, time and civilization moved on immersed within the normal calling of work and labor. And man saw with the development of the times; the growth of civilization; the development of discoveries and invention; the challenging and competitive society he himself brought forth that work and labor can redound to newer light, complicated light, cynical light, inspiring light, challenging light, imperative light, robotic light. Now, work is a complex of and a paradox of moral and practical values. The conflict may start within himself. He may for a moment be in a driven position. He is confident of his qualification; the employment he is enjoined; the work objectives he shares. Along the line, he might transpire to be confused, angst ridden, even betrayed, even threatened. Conversely, there is an awakening as to how positive perspective of work can come about. Today we are experiencing a revolution in the workplace. Not only are institutions and huge conglomerates crumbling around us, our traditional ideas about work itself are dissolving. As a society we are undergoing a radical change in the way we think of work. We are starved for meaning and purpose in our lives, and with the breakdown in job security in the corporate world, we are no longer willing to separate our values from our work. There is a yearning to align life purpose with work to make it meaningful. The Buddhists call this Dharma, spiritual work, the vehicle for Spirit to express its blessing. It is both inner work, remembering our true Self, and outer work, the expression of our unique talents and role in the evolution of humanity. Work is meaningful when we add to the quality of life to those around us. Work is a vehicle for our creations to be a blessing to the world. (Naiman 1998) A modern day, celebrated American author, Louis Studs Terkel took into contemplation as to what workers have to say about their calling and their lives. He went and interviewed a great number and wide variety of workers, professionals, employees, career persons. All of the synopsis on their work and the meaning it correlated to their lives were all encapsulated in the book Working.. The subjects of the interview reflected in introspection on the wide spectrum of their daily lives vis--vis their jobs. There were the good and the bad. There were the innocent times and the knowing times. There were the abuse and there were the respect. There were times of job searching that resulted to either being accepted or rejected. And there were the experiences of transition in modernization of work: with the aid of mdoern machines and technology. And work as exemplified in the interiews of Mr. Terkel was for purposes of both achieving their meaning as human beings and ensuring their food on the table everyday. But there are many attributes that came about and around the workplace, the every changing demands and expectations redound to the likewises changes in demands and expectations of the worker from his work and his life. The infusion of different models of work pattern and expectations can create confusion. Work to have transcended for the better firstly went through raw stages, through infantile stages of trial and error. In the past, in the mass-production model, simple, narrowly defined jobs filled by people whor equired neither technical nor educaiton sophistication led to the need for complex, sometimes arcane processes in which employees has no sense of the big picture and the left hand rarely knew what the right was doing; whats more, no one seemd to care. While designed to meet the needes of companies, not customers, and short on overall efficiency, these processes provided control over the workforce, made all but the most basic training unnecessary, and enable the easy and inexpensive replacement of one worker with another. Employer were, in fact, frequently the least critical, least considered element in the process. In the mass-production model and its antecedents forcus was on compliance, not commitment; on doing what youre asked, not what you think; on money and trinkets as motivators rather than the work itself; on the accomplishments of the individual laborer, not the work group; and o n internal competition rather than internal cooperation.and this wont work. Nor will the practices that underlie it. (Heil, Parker, Stephens 182-183) A steelworker interviewed by Terkel said: I am a dying breed. A laborer. Strictly muscle work.pick it up, put it down. (Terkel xxxi). This can lead to reckoning that workers have the impression of being imposed upon, of being forced into responsibilities, of being dragged. But on the other hand, there is light at the end of the tunnel towards mans outlook on work. There is the reality of fast moving modernization of technology. Management principles have evolved into better and better heights. Between issues of economics and purchasing power and inflation and employment rates and growth indicators, man is still capable of viewing his work with a sense of vocation. The modern day worker can still find inspiration somewhere to elevate his sights; aim high; dream on; work hard. Social augmentations in the form of retirement plans; work incentives; recognitions have been put to place. This is apart from instilling in the worker, the professional, that he is the ultimate value in a workplace. The overall result of Terkels interview in Working.. regrettably may seem defeatist. But there is still a focal workforce that can see the better of light. They are now exposed to a more positive attributes of the workplace and the other members of the community of man that augment and are the beneficiaries of their labor. Understanding the nature of creativity and how to develop it at the personal and organizational level will help us create the world we want. . Understanding the cycles of creation will help us thrive in change, rather than to fear it. Developing our imagination, the language of the soul, allows Spirit to work through us as we answer our calling. The industrial revolution spawned the Information Age. With technology as king, it was supposed to save us from the drudgery of work and allow more time for leisure. However, the system itself had not changed. Work was still based on the old model of masculine values: logic, linear time, and linear thinking. Work was about consumption, security, status, domination, and control. Work was based on fear. The problem with the old model of work was that it had no heart, no soul, and no connection with human values. We are now moving from the Information Age into the "age of brainware" or "creation intensification," according to the Nomura Research Institute of Japan. Microsoft is an example of creativity in action. Like many companies born in the Information Age, it is constantly reinventing itself, dissolving old ideas and creating new models and new forms. "Microsoft's only factory asset is the human imagination," declared The New York Times in 1991. (Naiman 1998) One present-day work professional is interviewed to share views on her job and the result is definitive of how work has now evolved. Work can be viewed with positive attributes, wherein commitment is shared. It can thus come to pass that work can be a vocation wherein values that are priceless can be seen and even breed. I believe am aptly rewarded. Management in general values me. (Personal Interview 2007) There is of course the reality that work and vocation are exemplified at an extreme end of the spectrum. The case of the workers in China producing the Barbie Dolls have been put on the center of controversy. The workers described in Barbie's Betrayal saw their jobs as a demised sense of torture. They felt that they were discriminated against and that they had no true enjoyment or satisfaction for the works and toys that they helped to create. Mattel treated their employees as if they were criminals and humiliated them in front of other employees and management. There was no consideration for the rights of the workers or the conditions that they were being made to work in. (WebCT Discussions 2007) Conversely, the undertakings of a group towards to society and mankind truly illustrate the ideals and profound intentions of service. The Catholic Worker Movement focused on people working as a community. Dorothy Day, Founder of The Catholic Worker Movement believed people should help one another as a family. She wanted people to have a sense of belonging. People working together throughout the community would make a better way of life. (WebCT Discussions 2007) Therefore, work can be a vocation and answering a vocation requires work. There are heroes and there are also the deprived that can come about from the workplace and the work principles of modern day. The mystery of such paradox and cynicism can only be managed and handled on the personal level of the worker. Works Cited Page: Work. The Dictionary of the History of Ideas. Naiman, Linda. Creativity and the Meaning of Work Perspectives on Business and Global Change. World Business Academy and Berrett-Koehler. March, 1998, Heil, Gary; Parker, Tom; Stephens, Deborah C. One Size Fits One: Building Relationships One Customer and One Employee at a Time. Van Nostrand Reinhold International Thomson Publishing Inc.1997, p.182-183 Terkel, Louis Studs. Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do. New Press. New Edition. 1997, p, xxxi

Analysis Of A Cosmetics Advertisement

Analysis Of A Cosmetics Advertisement Free Online Research Papers Question: Select a full page advertisement from either a newspaper of a magazine and do a semiotic analysis of how the representation ‘works’. To whom is the advertisement addressing, and the whom is the message directed? Advertisements are a rich source for semiotic analysis. The term semiotics derives from the Greek word semeion meaning sign. The birth of the science of semiotics can be attributed mainly to the work of two men, the American philosopher Charles Peirce, and the Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. The meaning of a sign is not contained within itself, or as Daniel Chandler says, the message is not the meaning but arises in its interpretation and context (Chandler, 1998: WWW). Semiotics therefore refers to a kind of social interaction between the individual as a meaning maker and the sign offering different interpretations. The semiotic analysis of advertising believes that meanings of adverts are to move out from the page, to lend significance to our experience of reality. We are encouraged to experience the advertised, in terms of the mythic meanings on which adverts draw (Bignell, 1997: 33). Successful advertisements commonly combine textual and visual images to produce a maximum effect of persuasion on the directed audience. However, these effects will predominantly materialize with individuals who identify with and share the same cultural knowledge. Nonetheless, cultural knowledge is more than simply comprehending what the codes signify; it is developing and maintaining an awareness of the things that might be suggested by the code through systems of difference, denotations and connotations (O’Shaughnessy Stadler, 1998: 82). What follows is a semiological analysis of a Clarins advertisement for a fragrance in women’s magazine, Harper’s Bazzaar, Australia. This Clarins advertisement reveals values and standards, as well as ideological attitudes present amongst women in contemporary Australia. Language is linear; we select from groups of similar terms (paradigms) and chain the selection together in an ordered sequence (syntagm). In the Clarins ad, the paradigm for the word ‘tranquillity’ may include; silence, unconsciousness, coolness, composure or even the after effects of drugs. However, the connotations of ‘tranquillity’ are associated with peacefulness, freshness, serenity, contentment, harmony, soothing; words which create and establish pleasant feelings. Saussure suggests that each instant of communication (parole) is drawn from a total system (langue) which must exist for possible performance. Hence, in order to communicate, we must be competent in the general language system to associate signs to meanings. Furthermore, colour signs contribute to effective communication. The Clarins ad is composed largely of light blue, selected from a paradigm of colours. Like all signs, these colour signs work at two different levels: denotations and con notations. The ad denotes a rounded bottle sitting on a water surface, whilst the light blue affect emphasizes the theme of ‘tranquillity’. Research reveals that colours have subconscious psychological significance, accordingly â€Å"Dark Blue represents ‘Depth of Feeling’ and it has emotional correspondence with tranquillity, calmness, recharging, contentment, tenderness, unification, sensitivity, love and affection† (Chandler, 1998: WWW). Consequently, the Clarins advertisement is a form of propaganda designed to appeal to the audience by means of establishing a sense of pleasure. The colour red is used effectively to pursue its purpose. Blood red is associated with vibrancy, rage, passion, stimulation, excitement, desire and liveliness. The contrast of the red against the light blue disrupts viewers from the position and ambience created by the blue. The red connotes the trendiness of the fragrance, as well as promoting the make Clarins. Viewers ’ acknowledge that although the fragrance is ‘cool’, the product is ‘hot and in’. Furthermore, the demeanour of the fragrance can be semiotically analysed. The bottle appears to be floating on blue surface, connoting water. It is lying back in a relaxed motion. This suggests the ease and freedom of the fragrance. Signs communicate through a system of difference, for example, if the bottle of perfume was presented lying flat down onto a brown surface, the entire meaning would change. Instead of tranquillity and cleanliness, the perfume would look dirty and unattractive. Hence, text, colour and demeanour are all carefully selected and combined. These paradigmatic and syntagmatic dimensions of language are crucial operations of communication, in that they structure its possibilities. Subsequently, the signifier and the signified are culturally shared and arbitrary; they depend on cultural knowledge. Further research shows that this knowledge is influenced by all sorts of social forces such as traditions, fads, politics, cultural norms and so forth. As aforementioned, the colour blue in the Clarins advertisement connotes water. However, the audience are not told that the blue surface is water. An interpretation of it as water is dependant on the context. The audience are not consciously aware of this ‘natural’ association. Roland Barthes refers to this naturalised cultural knowledge as a myth (Barthes, 1977: 32). According to Barthes, myths are powerful messages circulating in society. They appear to be natural, inevitable and normal when they are particular beliefs that circulate as a type of social maintenance. Myths work with pre-existing denotative language, distorting and stressing certain language and beliefs (Barthes, 1977: 32). In exemplificat ion of this, in the Clarins ad, the perfume denotes a certain fragrance in a rounded blue bottle, while its connotations are of beauty, remembrance, freshness, pleasant aroma, identity and stylishness. Hence, the sign ‘perfume’ is also part of an older set of myths which might include class, status, courtships, gender relationships, identity and remembrance. â€Å"The basic denoted meaning is greatly embellished and interrelated with other social value systemsA mythic method is superimposed on the ordinary meaning† (Chandler, 1998: WWW). Each image contains an implied view of society, of the world and our roles in it. These images reveal sets of values, beliefs and feelings that together offer an ideological view of the world (O’Shaughnessy Stadler, p.96). Ads often present ‘ideal’ situations to create pleasure. The Clarins ad offers us an image of a stylish yet relaxed fragrance. These feel-good feelings present the ideology of happiness and contentment. This image is conveyed through the signs and signifiers whose connotations are discussed earlier. Each instance (parole) of communication shows us parts of the implied whole. This is described as metonymy in semiology (O’Sullivan, 1994). â€Å"Metonyms are signs in which one part or element stands for something larger†. For example, the physical bottle of perfume in the Clarins ad can be interpreted as metonym for a woman. The implied narrative is: any woman using the perfume will feel a sense of contentment, balance, tranquillity and in essence, beauty. The bottle is lying back connoting any freedom and relaxation. The shade of the lid is cream, which may connote the woman’s facial skin colour. Hence, women viewers will spontaneously identify and empathize with the fragrant bottle. Due to the reason that the advertisement is located in the social context is of a leading woman’s magazine, relaxation and personal pampering proves to be a winner. Also, Clarins is a French brand and the French are world leaders in fashion. The ad connects to ideologies of happiness and ideologies of being a successful and modern (‘new’) woman. The ad connects to contemporary values through its use of signs and how their paradigmatic meanings are multiplied up syntagmatically through the selection and combination of those signs and codes. Finally, the Clarins ad proves to be successful because the signifier is effectively signified. The context of a women’s magazine is suitable in organizing what the ad ‘implies’ to its most predominantly female audience. Viewers spontaneously decode the ad because the signs used are culturally recognized which incorporate social influences such as tradition, fashion, economics and what the advertisement perceives and strives to persuade us as the audience to perceive as cultural norms. REFERENCES Bignell, Jonathan (1997): Media Semiotics: An Introduction. Manchester: Manchester University Press Barthes, Roland (1977): â€Å"The Rhetoric of the Image.† Image, Music, Text. Ed. and trans. Stephen Heath. New York: Hill and Wang Chandler, Daniel (1998): Semiotics for Beginners URL aber.ac.uk/media/Documents/S4B/sem07/ (Accessed 3rd September, 2004) O’Shaughnessy, Michael (1999): â€Å"Semiology†, â€Å"Reading Images.† Media and Society: and Introduction 2nd Edition. Melbourne: Oxford University Press Research Papers on Analysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaThree Concepts of PsychodynamicRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesPETSTEL analysis of IndiaResearch Process Part One19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite Religion

An Overview of Genetic Engineering essays

An Overview of Genetic Engineering essays Imagine a world full of 'mini Hitlers' seeking world domination, killing millions as their solution to establish a superior race or bunch or 2 headed humans eating a pig with 6 legs. These scenarios may sound like something out a science fiction novel, but this is the kind of things that people think about when they hear the words 'genetic engineering' Genetic engineering is now an important part of this world. It is used to cure diseases, develop food that grows faster and food that's healthier. Without genetic engineering, it will not be possible to feed the 10 billion humans expected by the year 2030. Only by using this new technology can we increase food production enough so that it is possible to feed this growing world. This can be done by producing plant varieties that are more precisely adapted to local conditions. This also helps poor farmers by reducing their expenses such as pesticides. In developing worlds, there are over 100 million children with vitamin A deficiency causing huge problems such as blindness. These people eat mainly rice and rice has no vitamin A. Right now the only way they can get enough vitamin A is by costly supplements that don't reach everyone. So scientists are genetically engineering rice so that it contains vitamin A, and this rice seed could be distributed to the poorest areas of the world, a brilliant and simple idea. So how can consumers live in the developed world benefit from plant biotechnology? Using modern biotechnology scientists have already produced food with improved flavor, food that is better for health and food with better qualities. Examples of these are apples and sweet corns that are insect resistant, frost resistant strawberries, and seedless grapes. One of the main reasons why people oppose genetic engineering is that they think biotechnology is an imprecise science and so it will likely to result in unanticipated outcomes and dangerous surprises. But did you know th...

Describe the methods used to calculate value added. How does value Essay - 4

Describe the methods used to calculate value added. How does value added contribute towards understanding the connections betwee - Essay Example Value added concept of income measurement has been viewed as the increase in the wealth of an economic body. It is traditionally rooted to the evaluation of national income in macro economics, measured by national economy productive performance.2 This concept is referred to as National or Domestic product and represents a specific period’s national economy. This is a common use of this concept but it has also been applied in many other different areas of business operations and economics as a positive performance and economic gauge. This makes value added a measure and indicator of an economic entity’s performance and has a fairly long period of application in the field of economics.3 Value added represents a calculated value, and for this reason, it is well related to accounting. It is also contrasted from the traditional calculation of income in that, it can be and has been used in all the three accounting systems i.e. managerial accounting, financial accounting and t he national accounting system. It is also distinguishable from income computation whereby value added is constantly described internationally as a difference of expenses from revenues. It can be defined in two ways that will be discussed below and this gives value added concept another critical characteristic commonly known as the dichotomy of value added.4 Subtractive method is the first method of calculating the value added and it is defined as: Value Added (VA) = O – I. Where O = Output; I = Input. This means that when being compared to accounting income, it is perceived as the net figure. The value expressed is the value that an economic body, such as a person, an industry or a company adds to the products and services it purchased or received from other entities during its creative or own productive economic activities.5 In the second one, additive method, the value added is represented by the total sum of the distributed parts that constitute the created wealth. This is done with respect to the reality that all the created wealth is well distributed i.e. by being allocated in some way. When considering a company, value added calculation is defined as: VA (Value Added) = RE + RG + RCP + NAP. Where RE = Remuneration of employees; RG = Remuneration of government; RCP = Remuneration of capital providers; NAP = not appropriated income i.e. retained earnings.6 The two formulas above disclose the characteristic content that value added concept has. This concept can be divided into social aspect, represented by the additive method, and performance aspect which is articulated by the subtractive method. This shows that in addition to economic information given by this concept, value added also offers social information through identification of the part of the yield that goes to every contributor of the whole process in a company.7 Value added concept has evolved besides its historical principal function in national accounting to several other uses and appl ications in the three; financial, national and managerial accounting. The two sided feature of value added i.e. performance and social characteristic, is depicted clearly by the concrete and possible applications. Hence it has been argued as a way to estimate productivity of an economic body through their way of using productive factors.8 This makes the

Import Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Import Project - Essay Example 1. SWOT Analysis Firstly, with regards to why this product has been chosen, it has come to the attention of the stakeholders for this group that there exists a very large submarket for goods within the wine community. As a function of the fact that this community consumes goods based upon utility, function, and the level to which glasses and other tools of the trade can increase the overall experience as well as the taste of the wine. Accordingly, the product is relevant due to the fact that it fills a particular need for resilient wine glasses that are neither exorbitantly expensive no so cheap that they can be considered as little more than a novelty item to be disposed of or shelved away. Naturally, with regards to how the product itself is differentiating, this is of course denoted by the product name and description. Whereas there exist many fine examples of extremely expensive wine glasses on the market, there exist relatively few offerings that both serve to integrate consumer needs with the utility of a wine glass that is not highly fragile. In the past, cheap wine glasses had sacrificed form and function for their resilience; utilizing thick glass or crystal in order to prevent breakage; however, due to the new magnesium fusion process whereby the glass is blown, much thinner crystal is able to be used. In such a way, the glasses have the feel of the much more expensive crystal wine glasses, are able to exhibit the same benefits and/or weight, and are several times more resistant to breakage. Naturally, with regards to the simplicity of the product, it is difficult to get much simpler than a glass that displays a high resistance to breakage. Although it may be seen as something of a luxury good, due to the price range, the product itself is basic and simple as a function of what it is intended to do and the overall demand that exists within the market for a product that can integrate with such a need. In such a way, the glasses themselves fall adequate ly between the more expensive examples of fine wine glass crystal that sells for many times more than the going price for these break-resistant offerings. Furthermore, it is the understanding of the analysis that has been performed that the consumer rational to spend a bit more money on the break-resistant wine glasses will be affected by the added value that will be integrated due to the fact that having break-resistant wine glasses will necessarily reduce the overall amount of money spent over time due to the fact that such a high percentage of wine glasses of lower and higher prices tend to break. Furthermore, yet another added value that will help to integrate the product with the consumer is the fact that these glasses are also dishwasher safe. One of the greatest annoyances for individuals that drink a lot of wine is the fact that the best crystal wine glasses are never intended to go in the dish washer and take the high heat and temperatures therein. Naturally, a SWOT analysi s would begin by stating that the strength of the product is the fact that it fills a particular need within the customer base that is currently under-represented. This is accomplished due to the fact that these wine glasses are substantially more resilient than those other products that have been billed as break-resistant in the past. Similarly, the greatest weakness that is exhibited is the fact that very little is known or understood with relation to this product by the

Analysis of Various Programs Essay Example for Free

Analysis of Various Programs Essay I will produce various systems to manage and run a supermarket. I will use a lot of different programs. Each will be used differently and for various tasks. Some of the packages and programs I will use are: Microsoft Word This program I cannot do without and is most important. I will use this word processing program to type up all of my documentation. Because of its many uses, I can also use this program to make posters, letters etc. The main use for this program, however, will be the word processing. Advantages: * Can change size, font, colour and shape of text. * Can insert pictures that can be resized and moved freely. * Has a formal layout that is easy to use. * Mistakes can be rectified easily. If writing by hand and you make a mistake, you would have to use liquid paper. Using a word processor you can just delete the mistake. * Spelling and grammar checks can be used. * Documents can be changed, saved and loaded an infinite amount of times. * Drafts of documents can be printed and proofread. If any mistakes are made, the document can be reloaded, changed, printed and resaved. * Text and pictures can be moved. Disadvantages: * The whole page cannot be viewed efficiently without first either zooming out or going into Print Preview. * Pictures and text boxes cannot be moved easily. * You must have access to a computer to open or view the document. * Cant put pictures on as easily as a DTP program. Microsoft Publisher This program would be useful for the advertisements and the posters, and possibly the letters. It would be best to use for these tasks as the program was purposely written to perform these tasks. Advantages: * Text boxes and picture boxes can be moved easily and more efficiently than Word. * The whole page can be viewed, zoomed in and zoomed out and still can be used efficiently. * Text can be placed anywhere on the screen instead of in set places on a page (like Word). * Borders can be placed on the page by just outlining a picture box that covers the page. Disadvantages: * Large file size. * Crashes now and again. Microsoft Excel This spreadsheet program is ideal for working out all of my costs. Its mathematical capabilities are very useful for this type of task. I could also use it to make graphs for business and financial statistics. (I could also use Microsoft Works for these tasks) Advantages: * It has the option of typing formulae into the cells. These formulae will perform mathematical calculations that are quicker and easier than working it out in your head. * The formulae in the cells work with each other and with the cells, so if you change a cell or a formula, the other cells with formulae in them will change to compensate. * Can produce graphs with one click of the mouse. * Has a layout that is easy to use and to see. * Can be used to make simple tables. Disadvantages: * I cant think of any, this program has no faults. Microsoft PowerPoint This program is wonderfully useful if you want to make a slideshow. It has the capability of making not just still slides, but slides that animate and move. I could also use it to make little presentations. Advantages: * Slides can be made up of images, text, animations and sounds. * Slides can be animated and changed automatically, making a fully working slide show. * It can be used for advertisements and educational shows. * Its many functions and efficient layout makes making slides easier. * Sound can be used. * Timings and transitions are fully customisable. Disadvantages: * The amount of different controls can be overwhelming. * Large file size can restrict the size of the presentation. Microsoft Works This program is very useful as it has all the major programs fitted into one. It has a Database, Spreadsheet and Word Processor in one. This could be useful in ways described below. Advantages: * Spreadsheets, Databases and Word Documents can be transferred from and to each other without exiting the program.

Middle Eastern History Essay -- essays research papers

1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Statecraft and the unity of state and religion The fact that three quarters of the Koran is focused on civil procedure makes us appreciate how important establishing the state was to Muhammad. He embedded in these procedures in the Koran because he wanted no separation between religion and state. For good reason, having no split between these two facets leaves no gray area of rule that conforms to one system and not the other. He did not want the loyalties of his people to clash between their faith and their government. This achievement originated through the Koran’s integration of scriptures and civil guidelines. 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Absence of Clergy The absence of clergy within the Islamic faith is attributed to three causes.  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the early days of Islam, Muhammad would preach in the holy city of Mecca. During this time, Mecca was filled with Christians, Jews, and Pagans. The Christian and Jewish clergymen would mock Muhammad day and night; they discouraged and embarrassed him with hopes to break his will. Its safe to assume that from the start, Muhammad has a negative feel towards clergyman.  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Islamic faith is the much more self-serving than any of the other major religions. You convert yourself, marry yourself, & pray yourself. Muhammad did not feel it was essential or even necessary to institute a higher authority in the place of worship.  §Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Before Muhammad become The Prophet, he was very established, and greatly successful as a businessman. And his business intellect led him to the conclusion that it would be a waste of funds to setup a higher authority in the mosques. After all if he were to succeed at spreading Islamic influence into the Persian and Arabian Empires, he would need all the funds he could get.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3) Law Issues a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Legal procedures The Islamic judicial system has somewhat a resemblance to the American judicial system. The greatest similarity is the practice that a person is innocent until proven guilty. Another likeness is the practice of Habeas Corpus. This provides that no person shall be held against his or her will without being formally charged with a crime. However, a major difference in regards to legal procedure between our two cult... ...nbsp;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Toleration of other religions and traditions Muhammad the statesman felt that it would have been ridiculous and unproductive to be abusive of other religions. After all, Muslim religion was built on Christian and Jewish faith. To attack the foundation, would be undermining the very faith of Islam. Because Islam is both a religion and a state, Muhammad felt it would be easier to run his state welcoming other religions. This principle allowed the great Muslim conquests into the Arabian and Persian territories to be so successful. If communities did not convert, they simply followed the credo of Islamic statehood and kept their religion. 9)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Education Before Muhammad was a successful, lucrative businessman, he was a poor, illiterate orphan. In fact, when Muhammad first received revelations from Allah, he wasn’t educated enough to transcribe them on paper. Just as the absence of prejudice amongst genders and classes, the availability of high education to all is also a pillar in the Islam way of life. If you are of Muslim faith, the Koran states that it is a requirement to become educated.

No Easy Task

The well being of a nation begins with the development of its younger generation. They are the ones that will assume the task of running and maintaining the well being of this nation in the future. Unfortunately the task of to lead these youths in the right direction is no easy task. Numerous articles and studies have confirmed that our youth problems is a rising issue and should receive extra attention. Youth problems range from poor school achievement to youth pregnancy, crime, and drug addictions. Many experts have noted that one of the major causes that contribute to youth having problems is the lack of strong family value and substantial home-life. Youth belonging to this category are normally ones that have single parents or weak or uncaring parents. The above perspective along with some other variables, such as income level, media influence, and educational level, should explain why the youth problem phenomenon occurs. One of the fundamental ways to view why youth develop problems is to view their family structure. Many youth do not have what is considered to be a healthy or complete family. For example, if a youth is raised by a single parent, he or she may lack many of the family essentials, such family warmth, love sharing, or normal family life. The youth may also develop shame feelings among his or her peers. Another scenario might be a youth raised by weak and uncaring parents. The youth might not receive the adequate attention and guidance necessary for their thoughts, actions, and perhaps wrongdoing. In this case the youth may develop two types of feelings. They will either feel abandon because of the parents uncaring nature, or, the youth might feel exceptional freedom because the parents simply is weak or do not care. In both cases, youths having such family structures develops much higher percentage to differentiate themselves from their common peers. The second variable that seems to have a large influence as to why youth develop problems is the income level in which they reside. Income level is one of the issues that can t be changed so easily. Government aid and subsidies could only do so much in the aid of poverty stricken neighborhoods. Generally a great percentage of youth growing up in such a poor neighborhoods have a higher chance in exposing themselves to the numerous problems, such as, pregnancy, drugs, crimes. It is unfortunate, but no doubt that environment in which these youth grew up in are surrounded by such factors. Government funding and local group activist have trying to cure these blighted neighborhoods. Local activity centers, and youth organizations, and schools are fighting there ways into these area in hope to help give youth of these communities a better chance to succeed. Another variable that should be considered in why youth develop problems is media influences. Like Debra J. Saunders noted in her December 1999 editorial, youth are constantly being expose to the electronic media set out to influence youth to follow certain trends and mode of thinking. This is very true in this cyberspace, electronic media era. The Internet, television, and other media unconsciously place many messages in the minds of the youths. The youth are spending more of their time attracted to these media than they are in their necessary duties. The power or the media is so great that many of the youths mode of thinking are drawn to the character lifestyles of movies idols. The media have directly manipulated what is reality and what is fantasy in the mind of the youths. Therefore youths often try to be somebody or do something they saw from these electronic media exposures. Perhaps that the numerous in school shootings by teenage youths across the nation are the indirect results from too much media exposures toward youths. The final area that seems to contributes to youth problems are the educational level in which the youths are associated with. Educational levels vary greatly in schools that youths attend. The educational achievement accomplished by students determines if new educational programs are needed to aid underachieving students build there necessary skills to advance. Because the lack of such programs in some school, many youths in this category, find it difficult to continue their educational course. Therefore the rate of youth problems is the dependent variable of the drop out rate. Many students choose to alternative course of action if they cannot succeed in school. Their minimum knowledge is insufficient to land them much hope in making it the real world. Consequently problems are prone to along the route for these youths. We have briefly looked into the issue on contributing factors in youth problems. The variables we discussed are family structures, income level, media influences, and educational levels. It is important to acknowledge how these links intertwine in the life of a developing youth. Though we cannot simply generalize that a youth will develop problems once they have encounters with any or all of these variables for there are numerous successful examples for us to refer upon. But numerous studies have shown that the risk for youth to develop problems such as teen pregnancy, crime, drugs, and violence is at a higher rate when they are being raised in an environment that contains the variable we have discussed today.

Assignment On Unilever Bangladesh Ltd Essay

Introduction Unilever is a multinational corporation, formed of British and Dutch parentage, that owns many of the world’s consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. Unilever employed 174,000 people and had worldwide revenue of â‚ ¬40.5 billion in 2008.[1] Unilever is a dual-listed company consisting of Unilever NV in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Unilever PLC in London, United Kingdom. This arrangement is similar to that of Reed Elsevier, and that of Royal Dutch Shell prior to their unified structure. Both Unilever companies have the same directors and effectively operate as a single business. The current non-executive Chairman of Unilever N.V. and PLC is Michael Treschow while Paul Polman is Group Chief Executive. History of Unilever Unilever was created in 1930 by the amalgamation of the operations of British soapmaker Lever Brothers and Dutch margarine producer Margarine Unie, a merger as palm oil was a major raw material for both margarines and soaps and could be imported more efficiently in larger quantities. In the 1930s the business of Unilever grew and new ventures were launched in Latin America. In 1972 Unilever purchased A&W Restaurants’ Canadian division but sold its shares through a management buyout to former A&W Food Services of Canada CEO Jeffrey Mooney in July 1996. By 1980 soap and edible fats contributed just 40% of profits, compared with an original 90%. In 1984 the company bought the brand Brooke Bond (maker of PG Tips tea). In 1987 Unilever strengthened its position in the world skin care market by acquiring Chesebrough-Ponds, the maker of Ragu, Pond’s, Aqua-Net, Cutex Nail Polish, and Vaseline. In 1989 Unilever bought Calvin Klein Cosmetics, Faberge, and Elizabeth Arden, but the latter was later sold (in 2000) to FFI Fragrances. In 1996 Unilever purchased Helene Curtis Industries, giving the company â€Å"a powerful new presence in the United States shampoo and deodorant market†. The purchase brought Unilever the Suave and Finesse hair-care product brands and Degree deodorant brand. Mission of Unilever Our Vitality mission commits us to growing our business by addressing health and nutrition issues. We focus on priorities including children and family nutrition, cardiovascular health and weight management. The growing demand for more Vitality in life provides us with a huge opportunity for growth. The way we work and the products we develop are shaped by consumer trends, along with the need to help raise health and hygiene standards in both the developing and industrialised regions of the world. Mission Statement of Unilever is: â€Å"feel good, look good/and get more out of life† Purpose of Unilever At the heart of the corporate purpose, which guides us in our approach to doing business, is the drive to serve consumers in a unique and effective way. This purpose has been communicated to all employees worldwide. Values of Unilever As a responsible corporate entity, Unilever Bangladesh aims to play its part in addressing environmental and social concerns through local actions and in partnership with local government and organizations Range of Unilever Our work with academic groups and other third-parties ensures that we are connected with the very best and most up-to-date scientific thinking. Using the synergies across R&D, we define and design technology that brings vitality to life, delivering a continuous stream of innovation to our business. This map shows our six principal R&D sites.

The Royal Order of Adjectives

The Royal Order of Adjectives The Royal Order of Adjectives The Royal Order of Adjectives By Jacquelyn Landis Have you ever wondered why we instinctively say â€Å"the shiny new red car† and not â€Å"the red new shiny car†? The reason is that there is a royal order for adjectives, and most native English speakers learn to use it as we’re forming our first complete sentences. Adjectives fall into categories, and those categories comprise the royal order: Determiner (articles and other limiters: the book, your car) Observation or opinion (a genuine fraud, an interesting book, an expensive watch) Size and Shape (tiny, fat, square) Age (young, old, new) Color (blue, sea-green) Origin (American, Chinese) Material (describing what something is made of: silk, copper, wooden) Qualifier (final adjective, often an integral part of the noun: vacation resort, wedding dress, race car) Typically, writers know better than to string together more than two or three adjectives at a time, and we don’t seem to struggle too much in getter their order straight. Where it gets confusing is in deciding when to use commas to separate a string of adjectives. You probably already know that equal adjectives should be separated by commas, as in this example: The singer wore a beaded, feathered costume. â€Å"Beaded† and â€Å"feathered† are equal adjectives, ones that belong to the same category (material) in the royal order. You could switch their position, and the rhythm of the sentence would still be correct. However, when you create a string of adjectives, be mindful of both their proper order and of the fact that you needn’t use commas to separate adjectives of a different category. The singer wore an antique purple beaded, feathered costume. Only one comma is necessary in the above sentence because â€Å"beaded† and â€Å"feathered† are the only adjectives belonging to the same category. If you’re ever in doubt about where to place commas in a string of adjectives, refer to the royal order. It’ll be your faithful guide. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:70 Idioms with HeartRules for Capitalization in TitlesEmpathic or Empathetic?

The eNotes Blog Reading Round-Up April

Reading Round-Up April We asked everyone in the office to talk about their favorite books from last month. Take a look at our favorite reads from April, and let us know in the comments which books youll be adding to your to-read list. From poetry to physics, theres something for everyone here! Human Hours by Catherine Barnett Page count: 80 Genre: Poetry Publish date: 2018 I picked up Catherine Barnetts Human Hours after hearing her read her work here in Seattle. I was first taken by her reading voice- quiet and carefully holding the poems words- and I find that the experience of reading her poems on the page is similar. Her work is arresting in its simplicity and directness, its refusal to hide that it seeks something. Even when it doesnt explicitly ask, or when it isnt set off by a question mark, her poetry is a question of sorts, an invitation to hushed conversation. The first line of Barnetts poem â€Å"Epistemology† reads, â€Å"Mostly I’d like to feel a little less, know a little more.† And her poems, for me, stitch the gap between feeling and knowing. They can make emotion seem orderly, for a moment; they can make thought felt. - Emma, Editorial Intern The Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene Page count: 569 Genre: Nonfiction; Science Publish date: 2003 This March, I read the Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene. Theoretical physics is a difficult topic for most people, but Greene is one of the few authors whos able to make it accessible to the average reader. In this book, he launches into an exploration of spacetime that challenges our fundamental conceptions of reality. His use of metaphor and analogy allows for a reader with little to no background in science to follow complex topics such as Einsteins theory of general relativity, quantum mechanics, and string theory. While the book is overall accessible, it ramps up in difficulty as it goes along, and the last section is particularly challenging and requires multiple reads to understand. Still, the topic is fascinating, and Greene is a fantastic writer. This book will challenge you and open your mind to new, unbelievable ideas. - Anna, Editorial Intern Good Omens by Neil Gaiman Terry Pratchett Page count: 412 Genre: Fiction; Fantasy Publish date: 1990 After trying- and failing- to read through a nonfiction book in March, I looked to my fellow book-loving colleagues to point me in the right direction and found myself speeding through Good Omens. The novel puts a spin on the classic â€Å"end of the world† scenario and asks, â€Å"What if no one knew what they were doing?† Heaven and hell behave akin to disgruntled colleagues or roommates, demons from hell don’t actually know how the world works, and an angel loves sushi too much to want Armageddon to occur. Gaiman’s and Pratchett’s writing styles perfectly complement one another, and I found myself laughing out loud while reading this book. I very much enjoyed Good Omens- it was the perfect novel to get me back in the swing of reading. - Kate, Marketing Coordinator The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders Page count: 368 Genre: Science Fiction Publish date: 2019 Set on a tidally locked planet where humanity has settled in the distant future, Charlie Jane Anders’s second novel explores themes of colonialism, trauma, climate change, and social justice, and carries icy echoes of Ursula K. Le Guin’s classic The Left Hand of Darkness. Anders has a gift not only for wildly imaginative world-building but for revealing her characters’ (often troubled) interior states with vivid realism; there were moments when I had to put the book down and take a deep breath. There’s bleakness and brutality in the future Anders has imagined, but there’s beauty too, as well as dark humor. Most strikingly, The City in the Middle of the Night offers the possibility of a paradigm shift in the idea that â€Å"to join with others to shape a future is the holiest act. This is hard work, and it never stops being hard, but this collective dreaming/designing is the only way we get to keep surviving.† - Jules, Editor Witchmark by C. L. Polk Page count: 318 Genre: Fantasy; Romance Publish date: 2018 This April, I read C. L. Polk’s debut novel Witchmark. Set in a charming world that combines magic and modernity with the aesthetics of Edwardian England, it follows Dr. Miles Singer, a psychiatrist in an underfunded veteran’s hospital, as he tries to escape his past and conceal his magical abilities. However, when a dying patient- and fellow mage- reveals Miles’s true identity to a handsome and mysterious stranger named Tristan, he is forced to decide between maintaining his anonymity and learning to control his abilities. From there, Miles and Tristan become embroiled in an increasingly high-stakes conspiracy that reveals shocking truths about the corruption plaguing their society. Equal parts romance, murder-mystery, paranormal drama, and political thriller, Witchmark left me both satisfied and wanting more. I will definitely be picking up the sequel, Stormsong, when it is released in 2020.    - Marissa, Edorial Intern Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett Page count: 265 Genre: Fiction; Fantasy Publish date: 1988 â€Å"Theres nothing wrong with cackling. In moderation.† - Esme Weatherwax I was given Wyrd Sisters for my birthday and now all I want to do is read Pratchetts Witches series over and over again. Wyrd Sisters features Esme â€Å"Granny† Weatherwax- now one of my favorite characters- and the two other members of the infamous Lancre coven, Gytha â€Å"Nanny† Ogg and Magrat Garlick. Its a fun take of a motley of Shakespeare plays, notably Macbeth and Hamlet: we get the three witches from the former and a play within a play for the latter. This book had me cackling out loud so frequently that I was side-eyed and shushed more than once. Ill never forget Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Oggs utter confusion watching a play for the first time (the concepts of acting and fourth walls and such are completely unknown to them), and young Magrat nervously informing Granny that, in theatre, â€Å"all the women are played by men†- because Granny Weatherwax has â€Å"Views.† Im so excited that I have four more â€Å"Witches† books to read, though Im struggling with whether to greedily gobble or relishingly savor the rest of the series. - Sam, Head of Marketing The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston Page count: 204 Genre: Autobiography Publish date: 1975 This month, I read The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston. The book is a series of stories based on Kingston’s experience as a Chinese-American woman and focuses in detail on her mother’s experience both in China and in the United States. While partially autobiographical, Kingston incorporates elements of fiction into the narrative, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality. It took me a little while to get into this book, but I ended up enjoying Kingston’s stories. I was especially interested in reading about the narrator’s mother, whose outlook on life is complicated and unconventional. The stories detail the difficulty of bridging traditional and contemporary values, illustrated by the narrator’s perception of her mother. The beautiful prose made it all the more readable. - Mary, Editorial Intern The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton Page count: 351 Genre: Fiction; Classic Publish date: 1905 This April, I read Edith Whartons The House of Mirth, which tells the story of Lily Bart, a self-possessed socialite looking for a comfortable life without compromising her values- which, lets be honest, sounds perfectly reasonable. However, we see Lilys desires contend time and again with the restrictions imposed on her class and, in particular, her gender in Gilded Age New York. Wharton’s novel is a heartbreaking tragedy and poignant indictment of a society whose debilitating limitations destroy a spirited woman. - Wes, Managing Editor

Negotiations and strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Negotiations and strategy - Essay Example Due to this increase, News Corporation is currently liquid with an estimated cash flow of approximately $2.4 billion. Analysts believe that the cash flow of operations will increase to $3 billion within the next 2 years. This cash flow allows News Corporation to have greater flexibility to invest in capital-oriented projects as well as to prepare for the upcoming challenges it might face. On the downside, News Corporation has a large outstanding debt amounting to $11 billion. It is speculated that inflation of interest rates would increase its debt and cause a negative impact on its operating income. However, history tells us that the company was able to survive the largest bankruptcy restructuring in history when it suffered major setbacks in the 1990s. Not only did it survived the restructuring, it also bounced back to generate a 315% increase in its net profits in the mid-90s. 4. Under the license permit, the creative team of the Neighborhood obtains the total freedom of all necessary decisions included but not limited to the cast selection, crewmembers, cutting and editing. At this point in the negotiation, we would like to discuss further the creative issues involving the format of the show. We feel uncomfortable with Fox Entertainment’s proposal to change the format of the show to suit their Fox Sports Network programming. The fact that the is no clear showing that the focus on the lives of purely high school athletes in the inner city might prove to be quite limiting on our part. Furthermore, there are no current bases that will give us some ideas of whether or not such change would prove to be profitable. The current format of the neighborhood is analogues to the plot of Laguna Beach: The Real orange County, which is gathering huge following at the moment. To recall, Laguna Beach revolves around the lives of upper class

Marketing Research in Theory and Practice Essay

Marketing Research in Theory and Practice - Essay Example Marketing Research in Theory and Practice Before embarking upon discussing the research report on the given topic, it would be appropriate to define some concepts and terms used in the present study. â€Å"Marketing research†, according to the American Marketing Association, â€Å"is the function that links the consumer, customer and the public to the marketer through information-information is used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, evaluate and refine marketing actions; monitor market performance; and improve understanding of marketing as a process.† In other words, marketing research refers to the systematic procedure for the collection and analysis of data regarding some specific market product. It enables the manufacturers, industries and companies to have a comprehensive and analytical assessment in respect of the views, preferences, requirements as well as prospects and perils of the consumers, retailers and stakeholders involved in sales and purchase of their product. The data gathered and interpreted during marketing research significantly supports the organizations draw out future plans according to the changing trends a nd scenario of the market. It is considerably helpful in enhancing the organizations’ volume of production and sales. â€Å"Marketing research† Zaidi & Javed opine, â€Å"concentrates on data collection related to market product while interacting with the consumers, gathering information from them and interpreting results about various aspects of a market product.†

Vogue female magazines Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Vogue female magazines - Research Paper Example The primary objective of this research is to take advantage of my background in public relations, organization communication, international marketing and advertising to pursue an in depth research in the customer loyalty aspect of the Chinese Edition of the popular Vogue Female Magazine. As we know that a magazine is a periodical publication containing articles, photographs, advertisements and other features that primarily relies on advertisement and sales to accrue revenues. Thus customer loyalty is an aspect of business that is of cardinal importance, so far as assessing and assuring the profitability in a publishing business is concerned.On the accomplishment of a Masters degree in International Management from Loughborough University, I realized that I am immensely interested in the marketing issues associated with customer loyalty and retention. So in this research I intend to combine the knowledge I gained while pursuing my Masters and Bachelor degree to conduct an in depth and thorough research on the customer loyalty and retention issues faced by the International Chinese Edition of the popular Vogue Magazine. All the relevant data will be collected through return mail (on paper or through website), questionnaires and sales figures, which will aid in the sorting out and study of issues associated with the customer loyalty aspect of the publication under consideration. If this research turns out to be successful, it will serve as a rich source of reference for many foreign publishing companies. that are interested in entering the Chinese speaking market so as to enhance their global market share. After all Chinese is the second most spoken language in the world and the Chinese magazine market has a vast potential and scope that can be exploited by the foreign magazine companies. I would specially like to mention that while pursuing my Bachelors degree I not only achieved a high score of 87 in the 'Research Methods' course, but also finished a dissertatio n that was published in the Shi Hsin University's Journal of Graphic Communication and Technology. The topic that I choose for this dissertation was 'A Study of International Chinese Edition of Vogue Female Magazines' Market Segmentation and Positioning'. I preferred to join the Manchester Business School because I am particularly interested in the practical aspects of the business theories and dogmas and the Manchester Business School is an institution that believes in transcending the barriers between theory and practice so as to arm it's students with the right knowledge that will go a long way in ensuring that they become the business elite of the future (Manchester Business School, 2008). Manchester Business School is an institution that is committed to research (Manchester Business School, 2008). I am confident that the topic selected by me fits well into the priorities of the Marketing and Research Centre and Marketing Research Cohort at the

Death Penalty Persuasive Essay Essay Example for Free

Death Penalty Persuasive Essay Essay The death penalty is an issue that has the United States quite divided. While there are many supporters of it, there is also a large amount of opposition. There are five different forms of execution in the United States: hanging, electrocution, lethal injection, lethal gas, and firing squad. All of these should be illegal. Capital punishment is defined as killing of someone for a crime. But also, murder is defined as killing one human being by another. Both are acts of violence. There is nothing more inhumane than tolerating the killing of another human being. According to the Abolitionists, capital punishment is nothing but an act of violence. There are 32 states with the death penalty, and they must change. These states need to abolish it on the grounds that it carries a dangerous risk of punishing the innocent, is cruel, and for religious reasons. The United States needs to abolish capital punishment in the states that allow it. To fully understand why they should abolish the death penalty, I will first analyze the reasons why they should. First reason the death penalty should be abolished is because the risk of punishing somebody innocent. â€Å"We’re only  ­human, we all make mistakes,† is a commonly used phrase, but it is tried and true. Humans, as a species, are famous for their mistakes. However, in the case of the death penalty, error becomes too dangerous a risk. The innocent lives that have been taken with the approval of our own government should be enough to abolish capital punishment. The wrongful execution of an innocent person is an injustice that can never be rectified. There’s always the chance of the innocent being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A handful of evidence from a strong lawyer could sentence someone to life in prison, and even the death penalty. One could be spending and ending his life in captivity for simply walking down the wrong street on the wrong day. That person does not deserve to serve the time that’s not rightfully his. It’s a small fault in the justice system that is not easy to overcome. In the case of the death penalty, error becomes too dangerous to risk. The innocent lives that have been taken with the approval of our own government  should be enough to abolish capital punishment. Another reason to abolish the death penalty is because it is cruel. Many people favor the death penalty because it helps families get over the wrong done to the family; however, in most cases, closure is not the result. Losing a loved one, no matter how that person is lost, is unbearable. Pain like this is shocking and the victim’s family holds onto the hope that the execution of the murderer will bring relief and closure. Nevertheless, when execution day arrives, the pain is not eased. No relief can be gained, for their pain is an unavoidable, natural process of life. They believe that they are different from those who have taken their loved ones and they demonstrate their  ­difference by refusing to sink to a murderer’s level. According to Edna Weaver, whose daughter was murdered in New Jersey, expressed relief that the defendant was spared the death penalty. She said that she did not want William Severs Jr. executed for killing Tina Lambriola in 2002 because she wanted to spare his mother the pain of losing a child. Im so thankful it came out the way it did. . . . I wouldnt want another mother to feel like I do its a feeling I could never put into words. . . . At least his mother will be able to write to him, she will be able to send things to him, Weaver stated. Finally, the last reason they should abolish capital punishment is because religious reasons. Many religions, such Catholicism, follow the rules that God sent to use through the Ten Commandments. One of the most important of those ten states, â€Å"Thou shall not kill.† If you are executing an individual, that clearly violates this commandment. Murdering any person, no matter what the individual has been convicted of, is a mortal sin. In the Old Testament; the Lord said that it is okay to give a man Capital punishment if he has committed serious crime. Then in the New Testament he said we should not take the life of another man but if that man disobeys the laws of his country then he shall be punished equally according to what he had done. With the many advances that society has made, executing people for crimes the person may have or may not have committed is still practiced. It violates so many religious beliefs. It is a cruel and unusual practice that must be done away with. Society must advance and eliminate the death penalty. We need to understand that the best way to prevent any possible  murders in the future is not let the killer walk free. Nothing good comes of hate, and nothing good can ever come from capital punishment. It cannot continue to be accepted by a nation that claims to have liberty and justice for all. The death penalty is murder on the sly and it’s dead wrong.

Audio Engineer Essay -- essays papers

Audio Engineer An audio engineer is responsible for the operation of the soundboard and other equipment in the recording of music, words, sounds, or any combination of such material. There are several types of engineering positions available in today's studios. In large studios, there are usually several engineers, each with the own duties and contributions. There are recording engineers, recording assistants, set-up engineers, maintenance engineers, and even mix-down engineers in some cases. In smaller studios the engineer is usually responsible for all of these duties. As a rule, the engineer should be able to set-up, use, and fix the equipment they work with. In the studio, the recording engineer has to prepare for the recording sessions by setting up the necessary equipment, run the equipment during the session, and break down afterwards. While this sounds all too simple, one must remember that the engineer must work with the producer and the act to achieve the sound they're looking for, as well as troubleshoot any technical problems. This is not always a smooth process. The engineer must employ both creative and technical skills, applying their knowledge and experience to helping create music in collaboration with the artist and producer. There are many degree programs offered by schools around the world, leaving the prospective recording engineer with several routes of training. One method of receiving training in the audio engineering field is through short course and seminars. While these serve only as an introduction to the field by themselves, they are also instrumental in keeping professionals abreast with current trends and technologies affecting the industry. Such seminars are also a great source of networking for the professional. Short courses and seminars are an excellent way of supplementing a one or two-year program to enter the field. These schools tend to concentrate on the actual usage and maintenance of studio equipment. Hands-on experience and intensive exposure to the equipment is an advantage of such a program. Most offer considerable job placement services as well. Trade or occupational schools are a good choice if someone wishes to someday become a recording engineer. A student may also choose to attend a university or college and pursue a four-year degree in audio engineering. Most of these progr... ...ate education for entry into the field. The annual income of an audio engineer can range from $12,000 at an entry-level position to upwards of $125,000+ for top positions. Remember too that successful freelance engineering is very lucrative. Not only can the reputable freelance demand higher pay, but may also share in the royalties of a particularly successful project. There a few things that one needs to consider before choosing to pursue a career in audio engineering. A recording engineer often has to work long, irregular hours. An engineer must also be able to work well under extreme pressure. It also helps if the engineer has a good musical ear, as well as an appreciation of music. Naturally, it helps to be fairly adept technically and electronically. If you feel like this is you, and you can handle working for a long time without reward (hopefully not too long), then a career in audio engineering could be for you. Bibliography: Resources Field, Shelly. Career Opportunities in the Music Industry. 3rd Ed. New York: Facts on File, 1995. Martin, George. Making Music. New York: Quill, 1984. Http://hrdc.igr.com/lmi/occ prof/5225 html (career overview)

Author Exploration Paper: Saki Essay

Born on December eighteenth, 1870, Hector Hugh Munro was the third child of Charles Augustus Munro, an inspector general in the Burma police. H.H. Munro’s mother, Mary Frances Mercer, was killed a mere two years after her youngest son was born. She was killed by a runaway cow in England (Merriman). After her death, H.H. Munro and his siblings were raised in England by their two aunts and grandmother. These three adults were often the inspiration for many female characters in Munro’s stories (â€Å"A biography of Saki†). Mrs. DeRopp, in â€Å"Srendi Vashtar†, is modelled after his aunt Agnes (â€Å"H.H. Munro: About the Author†). His aunts were both very strict, and they often used the birch and whip as a form of punishment. However, if Saki had not faced such harsh trials as a child, his future works might not have been as rich as they are today{Subjunctive mode}. Due to the Munro children’s poor health, they were forced to be taught by governesses at home. At the age of twelve, H.H. Munro was finally able to attend school in Exmouth and Bedford Grammar. H.H. Munro’s father retired when Hector was sixteen. For a few years, the small family traveled the continent before his father arranged a post for him in the Burma police. Munro spent thirteen months in Burma. Although sick on multiple occasions, Munro was able to study Burmese animals, and he even raised a tiger cub during his time there(A Biography of Saki†). In 1984, Munro was forced to return to England after contracting malaria while in Burma.In 1896, Munro begn to write political satires for the Westminster Gazette. These essays were later collected and published as The Westminster Alice. In 1902, Munro published a collection of his short stories, called Not-So Stories. Munro also published only one work of serious non-fiction called The Rise of the Russian Empire. This was the only piece ever written by Munro to contain his real name on the book jacket. For all of Munro’s other pieces, however, Munro’s name was nowhere to be found. Instead, Munro chose to write under the pen name of â€Å"Saki†. The name Saki can mean one of two things, either Munro was referring to himself as a breed of monkey, or he saw himself as the cupbearer of Fitzgerald’s Rubaiyat. It is more probable that the latter option is true, for Saki had often expressed his admiration for Fitzgerald’s work (Hitchens){Compound sentence}. During his lifetime, Saki also served as a war correspondent before moving to Paris to write for The Morning Post and a French paper. He briefly revisited England in 1907 when his father became ill and died in May. Saki then opened a club, The Cocoa Tree, and continued to write for many newspapers and publish his short stories. When war was declared in late 1914, Saki enlisted in the army although he was officially too old{Complex Sentence}. He also surprised many of his admirers by turning down several commissions and insisting that he serve in the trenches, claiming that he couldn’t lead soldiers if he didn’t first know how to be one (Hitchens). He continued writing{gerund phrase} while in the army about his life on the front until November in 1916. Near the village of Beaumont-Home on the river Somes, Saki was shot by a German sniper. On the verge of a crater, the great storyteller shouted, â€Å"Put that bloody cigarette out!† Those were to be the â€Å"great Saki’s† last words (Hitchens). Although Saki’s hand would write no more, it is quite clear that Saki’s writing has definitely been influenced by his life events. H.H. Munro, or Saki, lived and wrote during the late 1800s and early 1900s. This time period was speckled with various wars and revolutions, and gave birth to the world’s first great war. Throughout these major events, Saki was there to witness, record, and eventually give his life to these skirmishes. During his life, Saki traveled to the Balkans, Russia, Poland, and France as a foreign correspondent from 1902 to 1908. While in these countries, he witnessed â€Å"Bloody Sunday† in St.Petersburg and the Russian Revolution of 1905. He also criticized the government for its â€Å"inept handling† of the Boer War (Silet). Saki’s many travels allowed him to be exposed to hardships and dangers that â€Å"†¦did much to alter the tone of his work† (Silet). Saki’s travels to Europe also â€Å"†¦introduced him to European Folk Literature† (Silet), a genre that supplied him with both subject matter and the darker vision of many of his later fiction. When not traveling the world, Saki was often found in England, where he made observations about the Edwardian society that he lived in. He later transformed these observations into many short stories, based on the upsetting of the monotonous routine of everyday life (Silet). However, towards the end of his life, Saki’s work is darker; there seems to be less humor in his writing as time goes on (Silet). During this period of his life, a hint of naturalism begins to creep into his writing, nearly extinguishing the flickering tongue of humor that used to be evident in all of his work. Saki’s use of naturalism is very apparent in his later fiction, such as the short stories â€Å"Dogged† and â€Å"The remoulding of Groby Lingfoughn†(Elahipanah). Although Saki wrote many different stories, sometimes using multiple genres, there is no question that the many world events that occurred during Saki’s lifetime greatly influenced Saki’s writing. Saki has often been called a â€Å"master of the short story†(Hitchens). Aside from this title, Saki was also a master of satire. Satire is generally witty and ironic, and uses carefully hidden hints in the text to convey its message. The genre rarely attacks specific individuals, and often uses extremes to bring the audience to an awareness of the danger in a particular society (â€Å"Characteristics of Satire†). More specifically, Saki was an Edwardian satirist–he often made fun of his society, and many of his short stories have to deal with extraordinarily strange events happening to the ordinary people of his social class and time period (â€Å"H.H. Munro: About the Author†). Saki’s earlier stories are typically more humorous; his later stories are darker and more macabre due to his many experiences with war and the darker sides of humanity (Silet). Naturalism, a genre that shows the harsher side of life and portrays the idea that man is powerless against nature{appositive phrase}, is also apparent in some of Saki’s aforementioned later fiction. Many figures from Saki’s childhood (mainly his aunts Agatha and Charlotte) are also used as models for many of Saki’s female characters (Silet). The characteristics of satire and and naturalism are both clearly portrayed through Saki’s writing. Saki’s short story â€Å"On Approval† includes many of the classic characteristics of satire that are also found in Saki’s other works. Having lived in England for much of his life, Saki knew the the city well, and chose London, a city he often frequented, as the setting for this story (â€Å"A Biography of Saki†). Gebhard Knopfschrank, a self-pronounced artist, moves to London from his small farm to try his success at painting. As time goes on, Knopfschrank becomes more and more poor, rarely purchasing meals. However, one day, Knopfschrank enters his boarding house and gleefully buys â€Å"†¦an elaborate meal that scarcely stopped short of being a banquet.† (â€Å"On Approval†). The other boarders, believing that Knopfschrank has finally sold his his art and been discovered as a genius, rush to purchase Knopfschrank’s ridiculously expensive paintings, eager to buy his work{infinitive phrase} before their prices increase with his fame. Later, the boarders realize that Knopfschrank has not sold a single painting at all. In fact, a wealthy American has accidentally hit, and killed, many animals back on Knopfschrank’s farm. The American hastily paid â€Å"‘†¦perhaps more than they were worth, many times more than they would have fetched in the market after a month of fattening, but he was in a hurry to get on to Dantzig.’† (â€Å"On Approval†). Saki’s use of satire in this piece is evident. At the end of the story, Saki, through Knopfschrank’s character, ridicules Americans and how they constantly rush around using money to get out of their problems, saying, â€Å"‘†¦God be thanked for rich Americans, who are always in a hurry to get somewhere else† (â€Å"On Approval†). This general attack on a specific group of people is an element commonly used in satire (â€Å"Characteristics of Satire†). This story also uses satire in another way–it is very ironic. Irony is almost always found in satire â€Å"(Characteristics of Satire†). On the last night of his stay, Knopfschrank sells many of his works, noting â€Å"Till to- day I have sold not one of my sketches. To-night you have bought a few, because I am going away from you† (â€Å"On Approval†). This is an example of situational irony. Satire is also evident yet another way in this piece–Saki writes the story in such a way that he makes the members of the boarding house’s unfortunate mistake seem more humorous than tragic, which is a key point of satire (â€Å"Characteristics of Satire†). Saki also states in the text that Knopfschrank â€Å"†¦fancied he could paint and was pardonably anxious to escape from the monotony of rye bread diet and th e sandy, swine-bestrewn plains of Pomerania† (â€Å"On Approval†). This quote portrays a common theme that often appears in many of Saki’s writings–the upsetting of everyday routines. The use of Saki’s genre satire and his personal connections to the setting of the story are evident Saki’s â€Å"On Approval†. Saki’s short story â€Å"The Interlopers† has clearly been influenced by Saki’s own life and genre. This tale, which takes place in a small strip of disputed forest, is about two enemies–Ulrich von Gradwitz and Georg Znaeym–who are both out late on a stormy night, patrolling their borders with their huntsmen, each trying to catch and kill the other. After wandering for some time, the men come face to face with each other. Before either can react, however, there was a â€Å"†¦splitting crash over their heads† (â€Å"The Interlopers†) and a towering tree {participial phrase[present]} falls and pins both men to the ground. The two talk for a time, at first trading insults, but their exchanges soon become much kinder as the men begin to offer each other their friendship. By the end of the story, the former enemies have now become friends, and they see dark figures rushing towards them. Believing these figures to be their men, coming to rescue them, the two feel that all of their troubles are over, before coming to the startling realization that the forms, presumed to be their saviors, are actually the things that will be their deaths–wolves. The story ends with Ulrich letting out â€Å"†¦the idiotic chattering of a man unstrung with fear.† (â€Å"The Interlopers†). This story contains many examples of irony, which is both a staple of satire (â€Å"Characteristics of Satire†) and a common element in many of Saki’s other stories. Dramatic irony is shown in the middle of the story, when the two enemies, fighting over a piece of land, are eventually killed by that land. Irony is portrayed in the story yet again by having the two former enemies end a century-long family feud mere moments before their own death. Saki even states in the text that â€Å"†¦if there was a man in the world whom [Gradwitz] detested and wished ill to it was Georg Znaeym† (â€Å"The Interlopers†). This story also connects to Saki’s personal life through the story’s setting. This story takes place in a forest located â€Å"†¦somewhere on the eastern spurs of the Carpathians† (â€Å"The Interlopers†), an area that Saki visited while traveling with his family (Merriaman). Saki’s â€Å"The Interlopers† includes aspects of Saki’s life, genre, and environment in its telling. Many different facets of Saki’s life and his satire can be found in his short story â€Å"The Lumber-Room†. In this story, a young boy, Nicholas, is banned from the garden and forced to stay at home with his unpleasant aunt as punishment while his cousins are taken to the seaside for a vacation. While at home, Nicholas manages to pull off a great trick on his aunt; he compels her to believe that he is in the forbidden garden while Nicholas steals the key to the mysterious lumber-room. Once inside the mysterious room, Nicholas explores the room, discovering dozens of prizes. While in this room, Nicholas hears his aunt calling and hastily runs to her, only to discover that she has fallen into the water tank in the forbidden garden and is trapped inside, calling for help. Nicholas then explains to his aunt, whom he believes to be â€Å"†¦the Evil One† (â€Å"The Lumber-Room†), that he cannot help her because, due to rules laid out by her, he is not allow ed to enter the garden. Nicholas leaves the aunt in the water tank until a maid discovers her. Meanwhile, the other aunt and the children return from their visit, which turned out to be disastrous. While sitting at dinner, Nicholas reflects on the tapestry that he saw, and speculates that the huntsman may still escape from the wolves with his hounds. This story displays many different aspects of Saki’s own childhood. Saki himself was actually raised by his two aunts. Saki, like Nicholas, also despised two aunts, and often based many of his female characters off of them (Hitchens). Saki was a practical joker (â€Å"A Biography of Saki†), quite similar to Nicholas in the story. Saki was also very fond of animals during his lifetime (â€Å"H.H. Munro: About the Author†), and displays this love of animals in â€Å"The Lumber-Room† by scattering many of them throughout the story. Nicholas finds some of these animals in the lumber room; there are many animal-themed items, and Nicholas soon discovers brass figures shaped in the images of â€Å"†¦hump-necked bulls, and peacocks and goblins† (â€Å"The Lumber-Room†). There is also a beautiful book depicting colorful birds. Saki shows his love of animals by placing them in this â€Å"†¦storehouse of unimagined treasures† (â€Å"The Lumber-Room†). Saki uses irony, an important element of satire, in this story as well. When Nicholas’s aunt is trapped in the water tank and needs Nicholas to save her, Nicholas is unable to because she dictated earlier that he was â€Å"†¦not to go into the gooseberry garden† (â€Å"The Lumber-Room†). Saki uses both satire and his own life experiences to give this story true life and color. The events of Saki’s life are heavily apparent in his short story â€Å"Sredni Vashtar†. In this story, Conradin, a young boy{appositive phrase}, is forced by his sickness to stay with his despised cousin, Mrs. DeRopp. One day, however, Conradin is able to smuggle an internecine ferret into the shed by his room. Conradin names this ferret Sredni Vashtar and creates a religion around this feral god. His aunt soon grows suspicious as Conradin begins to spend all of his time in the shed, showing fervid devotion to the gracile ferret. As time goes on, Conradin grows more and more obsessed with the ferret, and begins to chant â€Å"‘Do one thing for me, Sredni Vashtar.’† (â€Å"Sredni Vashtar†). Finally, his aunt goes to investigate the shed, puzzled as to why Conradin finds it so interesting. During her visit to the shed, a scream is heard coming from it. Moments later, a sleek shadow darts off into the night, its maw red and dark with Mrs. DeRopp ’s blood. This story reflects Saki’s own childhood in many ways. Saki, like Conradin, was weak when he was young, and was not deemed healthy enough to attend school until the age of twelve (Hitchens). Conradin also feels that â€Å"†¦without his imagination† (Sredni Vashtar†) he would not have been able to live due to†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦drawn-out dullness† (â€Å"Sredni Vashtar). Saki writes that he sometimes felt the same way (Silet). Saki, like Conradin, was also confined to the care of an overbearing relative whom he greatly disliked–his aunt, Agatha (Silet). In â€Å"Sredni Vashtar, Conradin hates Mrs. DeRopp with â€Å"†¦a desperate sincerity which he was perfectly able to mask.† (â€Å"Sredni Vashtar†). Saki most likely felt this same way towards his own aunts. Mrs. DeRopp is actually based off of Saki’s despised aunt (Silet). Clearly, many references to Saki’s early childhood are made in Saki’s â€Å"Sredni Vashtar†. Saki’s short stories, which are often about extraordinary things happening to extra-ordinary people, are as applicable in today’s world as they were during Saki’s own lifetime. Many of Saki’s works utilize the key aspects of both satire and naturalism, perfectly. Saki uses ironic wit and exaggerated scenarios to enthrall the reader in his works. This same method is often found in political cartoons today. Saki has also used his considerable talents to influence other authors, such as P.G. Wodehouse. One well-known actor (Hitchens) that was heavily impressed by Saki’s work was the late Noà «l Coward (Hitchens). While staying at a county house, Coward discovered a copy of Beasts and Super Beasts (a collection of Saki’s short stories) and was captivated by the author’s work (Hitchens). â€Å"‘I took it up to my bedroom , opened it casually, and was unable to go to sleep until I had finished it’† (Hitchens). When referring to his own writing, Saki often called it ‘â€Å"true enough to be interesting but not true enough to be tiresome’† (Hitchens). This view of Saki’s prose is quite clear–although his work mainly focuses on the people of Saki’s day, the tremendous events that occur to them keep Saki’s work interesting and engaging. There is no doubt that Saki was able to create imaginative works that captivate the reader, beautiful short stories that are incredibly detailed, and unique texts that are unlike any other author’s{Parallel construction}. This makes Saki’s stories interesting and fun to read.Saki’s work has definitely been influenced by his personal experiences, his environment, and the genre of satire. Saki’s ironic short stories reveal to his readers his personal view on the disturbance of daily routine, events that still occur quite often today.