The Second Coming

Lowes Companies Inc. Essays - Financial Ratios, Free Essays

Lowe's Companies Inc. Essays - Financial Ratios, Free Essays Lowe's Companies Inc. Home Renovation Retail Industry - Risks and Opportunities The home renovation retail industry is a vast industry with high competition to gain market share. This is industry also heavily relies on the economy when it comes to sales and customers. The crisis in 2008 led to a decline in industry sales for a connective two years but the sluggish economic growth recovery, led to a gradual increase in sales growth which averaged 3% in 2010-2011. (Case pg.2) This shows when the economy is down and the interest rates have lowered, home owners are more willing to invest into their property to raise its value. This case highlights that about 75 % of homeowners completed a renovation project on their property at least once a year, with the average cost of a single renovation being around $4,100. (Case pg.2) This poses a huge risk for this industry if the economy starts to steadily increase. The data shows that the amount of customers would decrease. This means if you don't capture enough market share before the economy increases you could face man y financial problems such as being liquid enough to meet financial obligations Other than the interest rates effecting this industry the weather also plays a big role in sales. During the first couple winter month's sales tend to decline or be much lower than the warmer season. (Case pg.2) This can be considered a huge risk especially if the economy rises. Winter months also provide a huge opportunity in this industry. If a company like Lowes can develop a strategy to attract customers and move the same amount of merchandise as they do in the other 3 seasons, have a huge potential to capture a large portion market share and develop brand loyalty. Lowe's Current Strategy Lowes current strategy is based on their core values which is currently states as to "offering quality home improvement products at the lowest prices, while delivering superior customer service." (Case pg.4). This shows Lowes has decided to focus on offering the lowest price. Lowes strategy is also broad because they offer over 40,000 different stock units which suite the needs of many demographics to obtain the most market share. (Case pg.3) Lowest obtained this strategy based on their relationship with their manufactures. Unlike many other companies in this industry at the time, Lowes bought their inventory directly from the manufacture instead of buying from distributors. This allowed them to offer lower prices than their competitor. These prices were also lower than average consumer of this industry was accustomed to. This method of strategy helped develop the company's name and reputation they currently holds. (Case pg.3) Competition The home hardware market is highly concentrated with as many as 23,000 stores in the US at the time of the case. Also at this time Lowes had three huge competitors in this market which together controlled 90% of the market revenue. (Case pg.2) currently in Canada Lowes, Home depot and RONA are the major players in the hardware/home improvement industry. Home Depot was currently the world largest home improvement retailer in the world. Their current vision is "vision to provide customers with the know how and tools to performs task while saving. (Case pg.3) This vision helped Home Depot obtain a huge portion of the market share and a strong position in this industry. Their second competitor RONA was founded in 1939 by a group of hardware store operators. They joined forces together to pool their orders for products to obtain an economy of scales to gain better prices on their merchandise. RONA was also crowned, largest retailer and distributor of home renovation in Canada in 2012. (Case pg.3) These competitors offering vary similar products and services offering the lowest prices and quality services are crucial to compete in this industry. Current initiatives Lowes current initiative is to change form a total home improvement retailer to a home improvement company. (Case pg.4) By changing from a retailer to a company Lowes plans on offer not only products but also motivation, inspiration and support to their customers in an on-demand manner. This new strategy Lowes plans to implement is to continue to obtain substantial gown and capture larger market

Chinese Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chinese Art History - Essay Example Artistic features did not only feature in religious matters but, also the politics of the community. History indicates that political dynasties in China had a specific symbol. For example, Han dynasty (206 B.C –A.D 220) used bronze horse as its symbol. Within the Hans territory, the sculpture of the horse appeared in various centers. This enabled the society to recognize the ruler of that time. The painting of the emperors appeared in most public places as a means of promoting their interest to their communities. For example, the painting of the Han dynasty founder Liu Bang was critical in demarcating Liu’s territory. Ideally, the political figures instituted their rules by placing the sculptures or portraits in various temples or public places. In most cases, the subject of the emperor swore their allegiance to the temples where their rulers resided. When a political dynasty collapsed or when a change of power transfigured in the Chinese communities, the new ruler coul d build his dynasty. The portraits of the predecessor could no longer feature in public places. Further, territory demarcation could follow by placing the portraits of the new ruler. This system did not only, helped the community to identity their leaders but also swear allegiance to them. The politicians expanded their territory by placing their sculptures among the communities they ruled. For example, Wu Di expanded his territory to areas such as Mongolia, east of Korea among other places by instituting the sculpture of his Terra Cotta Army. (Wang 84). 2. Many Chinese works of art deliberately refer to the past in one way or another; using examples from at least three different historical periods, discuss some of these references and explain how they affect the viewer's understanding of the meaning of the work. The Chinese community used art to promote various interests such religion, education, or philosophy. For examples, during Confucianism period, Zhou Dynasty (1122-221 B. C), artists sculpted portraits that illustrated Confucian principles as the guide to the society (Wang 85). The viewers of the portrait were to remember the Confucian principles whenever they saw the portrait. The portrait of Confucian symbolized moral aspects in the community such as humanness as found in the legendary writings of Confucian. The Confucian period emphasized morality above divinity thereby influencing the Chinese community to incline towards the principles of Confucianism. The viewers of the Confucian portrait reflected the Confucian philosophy. In essence, the portrait served as a reminder to the Confucian philosophy. The viewers of the Buddha portrait used it to illustrate the divine nature proclaimed by Buddha. His followers used his

Independent research into retailing of (lace wigs) Lacehairwigs.co.uk Essay

Independent research into retailing of (lace wigs) Lacehairwigs.co.uk - Essay Example They have earned the reputation of been more realistic looking and less detectable. To attach the wig to wearer, they are glued to the head scalp and are long lasting. They are resistant to various climatic conditions thus the wearer can swim, shower as well as engage in other activities without causing damage to the wig. Although the lace wig may seem a new idea, it has existed for a very long time now. It was first invented in France by Leguet in the early 19th century (Institute of Textile Technology, 1994). However the patent rights holder of the lace wig is Telier who, after long court battles with other wig creators, won the patents rights custody. Some cultures have embraced wigs so as to protect bald heads from the ultra violet rays of the sun. The European counties embraced a different approach in dealing with wigs. Wigs were worn simply to boost people’s status in the society. In some contemporary societies, wigs are worn as a symbol of respect and mainly found on official proceedings like court cases (Lhboutique, 2010). The lace wigs have been in use for quite a long period now. They have been used by the health practitioners, artists in the entertainment industry, kings, the young as well as the elderly. They have been used for various reasons like health problems, ornamental and others just for fun. In the past the lace wig was mainly worn for prestige as it was expensive thus could not be afforded from the low income earners. The lace wigs have also been worn by people for criminal reasons as the wig creates a new look for the wearer. In the contemporary society, wigs are worn by a range of people all with different motives which range from ornamental to criminal activities. The modern man has resorted to wearing wigs, and in particular the lace wig, instead of natural hair for various reasons. One of the reasons for doing this is health problems especially among cancer patients. Cancer treatment through chemotherapy and radiotherapy

Discussion point Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussion point - Essay Example The point in this scenario is to make a choice in regard to prioritizing which debt to clear first. Michael needs to understand that it his legal obligation to pay his mother since it was a loan which is legally binding. However, the loan seems to have been unsecured because it was leased and in line with the evidently missing Personal Property Security Act (PPSA). There are two critical legal concepts that Michael need to understand in regard to his mother. It is not indicated if they perfected any collateral towards the loan and this means that in the event he could not raise the loan, the mother cannot claim anything. However, considering the case of Golf, in the event that Michael failed to honor his lease obligation, VW would repossess the Golf. In an attempt to avoid bankruptcy from the debts including the loan he owes the mother, Michael has Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act at his disposal in which he can make a proposal of paying only a portion of the debts e.g. paying back 50 c ents for every dollar

Global Culture And Cultural Imperialism Media Essay

Global Culture And Cultural Imperialism Media Essay Some scholars believe that globalization is a process that human race constantly across the spatial barriers, institutional, cultural and other social barriers so that we can achieve fully communication (material and informational) on a global scale and reach more consensus and joint-action. This process is a multi-dimensional, both unified and diverse and constantly conflictive. On this basis, the â€Å"cultural globalization† is considered as a process of looking for cultural integration and sharing within the conflict and the unity, which means all national cultures through the exchange, integration, infiltration and complementarity continually break their own cultural patterns and geographic limitations and move towards the world; continuously go beyond the boundaries of the national culture and get cultural identity under human judgments; constantly change the national cultural resources into human sharing resources. This kind of process is a formation and evolution of fo rce. In this way, â€Å"globalization† seems to be such a force, which is the source of capitalist countries in Europe and now mainly is the United States. They are in an attempt to maximally transform or digest the various differences or conflicts of the worlds national culture into the same. However we have to clarify that culture, which is the human-specific phenomenon, as the crystallization of human civilization and progress, permeates through all areas of social life. It plays an irreplaceable effect for the people to foster a correct world outlook, philosophy of life, conception of history and sense of worth. National culture is the soul of a nation and the spiritual symbol. It is the core of culture. Any nations culture, including mode of production, social structure, ideology, religion, ethics, customs etc, is the sign of the existence of this nation and the premise of continuation of development. In the context of globalization, the reason cultural diversity still can be maintained is because this closely linked by national independence maintaining. One of the basic characteristics of culture is ethnicity. This is the cornerstone for this nationality based on the worlds nations. If one nation completely denies their own cultural traditions, loses the national self-confidence, and is willing to accept the alien to assimilation, it is the beginning of this nations decline. Once any kind of culture losing their national identity, it does not exist as an independent culture any longer. Establishing of the so-called globalization which are dominated by one specific kind of culture, its essence is to implement a cultural hegemony. It is a typical cultural imperialism. The term of â€Å"cultural imperialism† is one of the numbers of terms emerging in the 1960s to criticize of society in a radical-spirit way. Since then this term is widely used by the intelligentsia. However its definition and connotation has always been fragmented and ambiguous. The referent is extremely broad and similar to one another in a high degree. This term came originally from the mixture of two words culture and imperialism, and these two words in itself is extremely complicated and prone to doubt. The objective for synthesis of this word is to provide a concept which is similar with a protective umbrella, meanwhile it accommodates a very a wide range of topics. In certain circumstances, it can be defined as: â€Å"The use of political and economic power to exalt and spread the values and habits of a foreign culture at the expense of a native culture† (Tomlinson, 1991). Such a definition itself tends to think that the essence of cultural imperialism is to pro mote and spread the values in the habit, and in this process, â€Å"political† and â€Å"economic† power only plays an instrumental role. However, many of the discussion about cultural imperialism, in fact, more emphasize on the significance of economic role. While all cultural factors, but is a tool, is one used to support political and economic domination. In other words, the process of the imperialist countries controls other countries is cultural advanced. The imperialist countries export to other countries cultural forms of supporting the imperialist relations, and then complete the state of the imperial domination. Just like American scholar Jameson pointed out in 1986 that the First World countries master the worlds cultural output initiative. They can mandatorily indoctrinate their own values and ideologies to the Second World through media. At the same time however, the disadvantaged and marginalized Third World countries can only passively accept. Their cultu ral heritage is at risk, and their cultural values and ideologies are under constant infiltration as well. The aggression and infiltration of the First World culture provoked opposition from Third World culture, and the struggle against cultural colonial and hegemony which resulting the cultural conflict is inevitable. For a curtain period, many countries from Europe to the Americas, from Africa to Asia, a lot of new content have been appearing for the popular culture and daily life. Jeans, McDonalds, rock and roll, Hollywood blockbusters, or even the Western middle-class lifestyle, taste and pursuit, etc., have been becoming the new kind of fashion. People enjoy the Western civilization through eating, drinking and being merry; accept unconsciously the edification and influence of Western culture. Such cultural infiltration is more effective than the wars using of aircraft and missiles. Some cultural infiltration could lead many countries lose not only their national identity, but themselves as well, and then accept the Western values and institutions involuntarily. The external violence, such as missiles, is not very terrible, but more frightening than the missile is the economic and cultural which is a sort of subtle and underhanded soft knife. If the old imperialism mainly used guns to conquer the world and enslave the weak peoples, the â€Å"cultural imperialism† in virtue of cultural infiltration, quietly conquers the hearts of people from other countries and allows them to consciously obey the superpower hegemony. In the context of economic globalization, any country with the independent cultural tradition must safeguard their own cultural tradition, cultural benefits and cultural security by taking positive measures. Many countries and even some western developed countries use â€Å"multi-polar cultural theory† to against American â€Å"unilateral cultural strategy†. For instance, in 1989, the European Parliament passed through the â€Å"Television without Frontiers Directive (TVWF)† to ensure the playing time for the European film and television works; At the same time EU determined the six standards of â€Å"cultural exception†; In 1993, France, Canada and other countries in the Uruguay Round negotiations put forward the â€Å"cultural exception† concept which states that cultural exports should be treated differently than other goods in trade negotiations because national cultures should be protected. In my point of view, economic globalization and economic integration is indeed a tide and trend which cannot be stopped. However in contrast, the culture probably cannot be fully integrated. Generally speaking, there are both globalization and integration factors for culture, but also exist factors that cannot be completely globalized and integrated. The anti-globalization demonstration in Seattle and the protest by German people when the U.S. president visiting to Germany demonstrated that even in the west itself, there are widespread anti-globalization voices. Culture is far beyond the simple material production. It is a more advanced and more complex human spirit activity. The cultural homogenization which right followed of globalization should not be prematurely optimistic estimated. However these issues are well worth pondering: what aspects of culture is the ability to globalize and integrate; what are not the factors? To answer these questions, a special study on â€Å"culture† should be necessary. First of all, there is a commonality side between human feelings and ideas. In the process of creating its own history, human beings also create their own spiritual and emotional world. Although for the different regions and different ethnic people, their display form for the emotional and other spiritual activities are varied, there are some common areas that are communicable and blended with each other. Only in this way, humans can be closely linked rather than gapped. In this sense, cultural globalization is feasible and should be. Secondly on the other hand, factors for culture which cannot be globalized and integrated still should not be ignored. These cultural factors constitute the core of the different national cultures. Language is one of such cultural factors. Language is the carrier of any culture; moreover also constitute the core of different cultures. We can see that the globalization of strong languages, such as English, is contributing to the demise of many minority languages. In nowadays, about 20 kinds of languages are disappearing around the world every year. With the disappearance of these languages, those related natural cultures of disadvantaged groups have been becoming extinct. What is more, discussing literature and art is inseparable with the language. For a nations culture, literature is the most distinctive and ethnic. If the language can be globalized, in addition to those nations who use strong languages, the literature works with other languages will also completely eliminate as the languages disappearing. Language for literature is not just a medium. Disappearance of the various and colorful national languages could lead the spirit of literature to be sameness and narrow. The demise of literature which is the most characteristic is a symbol of the demise of the national culture. Therefore linguistic, as the core element of culture is not possible to or should not be integrated. The idea of cultural globalization is not able to fully become a reality. On the one hand, it is a consequence of increasingly frequent cultural exchanges in the process of economic integration; it is a real-life activity within an era of communication and dialogue. On the other hand, different cultures must keep their own unique contents and large or small differences, so that it can be able to communicate and dialogue. Homogenization of culture, unlike the process of economic activities, is not straightforward. It has many extremely important and unintegrated factors. Moreover, cultural diversity is a basis for the harmoniously existence of human civilization world. In the same way, diversity of literature and arts make a healthy and vibrant future. However at the same time, we have to admit that a fact that cultural globalization is an irresistible historical trend. The reason is decided by the cultures own characteristics. The cultures all have their own roots and soil of survival and development. They inevitably have regional, local, special and relatively stationary characteristics. Once the national cultures abandon their traditional forms, thus it means giving up their history and losing the foundation and conditions for further development. Meanwhile, the cultures possess universal, dynamic, penetrative and expansive features as well. Although culture always manifested itself through the specific form of history, showing of human nature, strength and scale aspects during the activities of human beings changing the world also outlines the indispensable common elements of different nationalities and different cultural systems. Any culture, regardless how unique the form is or how varied the content is, is based on certain modes of production and a certain form of society. Any variety of large or small size of cultural system subordinates to the â€Å"mother system†. It has the most general feature of culture, which is the bi-directional convective. This characteristic determines any kind of national culture is the unity of the static and dynamic. It is both single and diverse; it belongs with both nation and the whole world. The â€Å"aboriginality† for any local culture, in fact, is only a relatively significance. At the present day, as the earth becoming a village, the trend of â€Å"one world one family† is increasingly obvious. Cultural globalization has become an unstoppable tide. Cultural globalization, in brief, is that while economic globalization, the local culture opening active dialogues to the exotic culture with an open posture, developing and replenishing itself during the mutual exchange. So that the global culture can present that both unity and diversity, univers ality and uniqueness can be accomplished without coming into conflict. In short, inexistence of the state of cultural isolation, interdependence and development of multi-culture, and co-existence of the particularity of local culture and the universality of the worlds culture constitute the organic content of the cultural globalization. It can be seen that cultural globalization must not be understood as an assimilation of different global cultures or â€Å"westernization†. On the other hand, it precisely shows a kind of scene that the world multi-cultural existing at the same time, interacting with each other and mutual constructing. Apart from this, with the trend of cultural globalization, there is an objective necessity for the various ethnic, regional and major cultural systems to occur â€Å"value conflicts† within the interaction. It is because different cultural patterns producing different culture bred factors, and they all have their own quality requirements and the specific scope of application. Therefore the â€Å"value confl icts† generated in the multi-cultural interaction is normal and inevitable. Undeniably, the entirely different cultural patterns formed under differentiation can create an advantage. On the other hand, occupying a higher position, including all of the cultural differences together could maintain an advantage as well. An Indian religion organization named â€Å"Baba† or can be said â€Å"Zaire† is a great example. The logo for â€Å"Baba† is a flower composed of two-layer petals and each layer contains 5 petals. Inside the 5 petals involves all kinds of the identity of the worlds major religions: Hinduism Europe Mother Fu, Christian Cross, Zoroastrianism fire, Islam Crescent and Buddhism The Wheel of Dharma. Each of the traditional logo is the product under the cross-culture, creation and new meaning. Such a strategy holds all the different religions that come from various cultures into one same faith: â€Å"Religion is only one, which is love; Language is only one, which is soul; Race is only one, which is human; God is only one, which is self†. This compatible spirit of the universe make â€Å"Baba† expand to the whole world, and its followers, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Mauritius, etc., have set up a total of more than 2,000 centers in 137 countries. In this case, it is no doubt that â€Å"Baba† is also a perfect successful example indicating the importance of creativity for cultural integration. Globalization has both advantages and disadvantages. Whether the globalization can benefit on national cultures development primarily depends on the definition of â€Å"globalization†. If the â€Å"globalization† aims to make a variety of culture develop and prosper jointly, that globalization is undoubtedly useful; if â€Å"globalization† is to make the western culture to dominate the development of entire world culture or advocate the â€Å"cultural imperialism†, this â€Å"globalization† is not acceptable from a cultural perspective. The impact of cultural globalization has big drawbacks on small nations. Under the powerful impact of globalization, the weak nations must give serious thoughts in order to avoid losing of autonomy for their local culture, and even assimilating by foreign cultures. Reference: Hamm, B. (2005). Cultural imperialism. Broadview Press. Jameson, F., (1986). Third-World Literature in an Era of Multinational Capitalism. Tomlinson, J., (1991). Cultural Imperialism. London: Printer. Yuanzi H., Xiaoyuan X.,(1998). Globalization and China. Beijing: CCTP.

Modern Labyrinth Essays -- Literacy Analysis

Film is a form of storytelling, and all stories are, in essence recycled, contemporary films must modernize a story of the past to make it accessible to modern audiences. This is the case with the film, Pan’s Labyrinth. The myth of â€Å"Theseus and the Minotaur† has been rewritten and modernized in the 2006 film, Pan’s Labyrinth. The myth â€Å"Theseus and the Minotaur† and the morals that exist within it, present a context in which it will be possible to interpret and analyze the film Pan’s Labyrinth as a modern day rewriting of the myth. In order to understand how Pan’s Labyrinth has been rewritten, it is important to first understand the original myth of â€Å"Theseus and the Minotaur†. According to Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, the story of Theseus and his quest to slay the Minotaur begins long before Theseus’s birth. â€Å"Minos, the powerful ruler of Crete, had lost his only son†¦while the young man was visiting the Athenian King† (Hamilton 211). In order to seek revenge, Minos invaded Athens and â€Å"declared that he would raze it to the ground unless every nine years the people sent him a tribute of seven maidens and seven youths† (Hamilton 212). When the victims reached Crete, they would be sacrificed to a beast that was â€Å"half bull, half human†, known as the Minotaur (Hamilton 212). The Minotaur was housed in a labyrinth where â€Å"escape was impossible† (Hamilton 212). â€Å"To this place, the young Athenians were each time taken and left to t he Minotaur† (Hamilton 212). This ritual continued until one year, Theseus, son of the Athenian king and heir to throne, offered to be one of the victims. Unbeknownst to the people, Theseus had every intention of slaying the beast. â€Å"When the young victims arrived in Crete they were paraded before the inhabitants o... ...ce to bravely and defiantly act against authority rather than blindly remain obedient. This film shows the power of innocence over evil and the triumph of imagination over colorless servitude just as the original tale of Theseus and the Minotaur, but with a darker new interpretation. Works Cited Filmtracks Modern Soundtrack Reviews. (2007, January 05). Retrieved May 04, 2012, from http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/pans_labyrinth.html Goodykoontz, B., & Jacobs, C. P. (2011). Film: From Watching to Seeing. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. https://content.ashford.edu Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. 1942. N.p.: Back Bay Books, 1998. Print VC. (2010, September 23). The Vigilant Citizen. Retrieved May 05, 2012, from The Esoteric Interpretation of Pan's Labyrinth: http://vigilantcitizen.com/moviesandtv/the-esoteric-interprentation-of-pans-labyrinth/

Between Harrison Bergeron and a&P

Tim Kenda English 102 Short Story Essay 2/28/10 Heroism Through Choice When people think of heroes, they often think of muscle bound men in spandex with unrealistic powers of flight, strength, or x-ray vision. But in real life, heroes are often determined based on the smallest of situations and their outcomes. In both of the stories I have chosen (A&P and Harrison Bergeron), the main characters are classified as heroes because of their willingness to defy the authoritive forces around them, whether it be the store manager Lengel in A&P or the Handicapper General in Harrison Bergeron, as well as their willingness to strike out on their own instead of adhering to social norms. In Harrison Bergeron, the main character Harrison stands up to a society that attempts to dull his individual qualities by ripping off his physical handicaps and temporarily liberating all of the oppressed people watching the television for a moment. In A&P, the main character stands up to his dreary, Sunday school teaching boss when he feels as though his boss has embarrassed three female customers in a grocery store. Both Harrison and the cashier pay the price for their defiance (Harrison gets killed and the cashier loses his job), and it is because of the character’s selflessness that the actions appear heroic. Both characters fit the definition of a hero, the cashier for his willingness to lose his job over what he deems an inappropriate action by his manager, and Harrison for ripping off (literally) the shackles that his society has placed on him in a fight to show his individualism. The fact that they performed these actions with no thought towards their own outcome helps outline their true heroic qualities. In the story A&P, the cashier exhibits a heroic quality when he quits his job due to a perceived insult made by his manager to three young ladies. While it first appears to be a dangerous and rash decision (quitting your job over an apparent slight made by your manager to a girl you do not know), the underlying factors actually make this a very heroic choice. When the cashier quits the A&P, he is not quitting as a direct result of that one insult but rather he is quitting because he does not want to work in what he views as a strict and religious workplace. After he quits, he looks back and sees â€Å"Lengel in [his] place in the slot, checking the sheep through. † and then goes on to describe Lengel by saying â€Å"His face was dark gray and his back stiff, as if he’d just had an injection of iron. †(Updike 529). When he sees Lengel in this state, he realizes that moments before that had been him. At the end of the story, the cashier becomes a symbol of the thoughts of many young people during the late fifties and early sixties. He does not want to work in the same dreary place for his whole life. He does not want to be just like his parents and Lengel. And despite that fact that he knows it will be hard, he makes the decision to strike out on his own, and consequently to fight back against what he views as a dreary and depressing reality. That is a hard decision to make, and a heroic one as well. As a result of his actions, the cashier in A&P not only commits a heroic gesture, he also becomes a symbol of the change that was taking place in the late fifties and early sixties. Many young people at that point in time were breaking away from what their parents were doing and were bravely striking off onto their own paths, just like the hero in our story. The overall theme of the story mirrors the same path, showing the drear and the tension and the uncertainty that crept into the American conscious following the start of the cold war and the adolescent urge to do something better than what ones parents did. The cashier represents many of America’s younger generation in that aspect. In the story Harrison Bergeron, the main character is a â€Å"genius and an athlete† and is sent to jail for â€Å"suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government. †(Vonnegut 536). He then breaks out of jail and declares on national television that he is the emperor. Now in our society, these actions would be considered those of a madman or a lunatic. But in his society, Harrison’s actions are very heroic. When Harrison rips off his handicaps and declares to the world he is emperor, he represents the idea that individualism and competition are superior to similarity and monotony. His actions also represent the destruction of the limitations that society has attempted to place on him just because he was different. Also, the fact that he did this and was then killed makes it even more heroic. This shows us that Harrison’s real intent was not to simply take over the world, but rather his intent was to show everyone that they could be different and they could fight the limitations imposed on them. The theme of this story is one of oppression and normalcy, and idea that Harrison attempts to destroy. Harrison becomes a symbol of freedom and liberation, showing us as readers that it is possible to break free of social normalcy despite the possibly grave consequences. In both Harrison Bergeron and A&P the main characters in the story are considered heroic for their willingness to stand up against authority and their ability to commit what they perceive as â€Å"good† actions regardless of the consequences they face. In both stories society is a dull, oppressive place, and the characters fight against the oppression in their own unique ways. And ultimately each character suffers a consequence as a result of their actions. But despite these consequences, which in the story were apparent before the characters committed their actions, both characters made their choices based on what they believed was right. This is why the cashier and Harrison are both heroic figures in their stories. Works Cited 1. Updike, John. _A&P. Literature and its Writers. Ed. _Ann Charters, Samuel Charters. Bedford/St. Martins, Boston. 2009. 2. Vonnegut, Kurt. _Harrison Bergeron. Literature and its Writers. _Ed. Ann Charters, Samuel Charters. Bedford/St Martins, Boston. 2009.

Female Knights

Female Knights There are plenty of fierce women who have battled their way through history in politics and warfare. Although from an academic standpoint women could not generally carry the title of knight, there were still many women in European history who were part of chivalric orders and performed the duties of female knights without the formal recognition. Key Takeaways: Female Knights During the Middle Ages, women could not be granted the title of Knight; it was reserved for men only. However, there were many chivalric orders of knighthood that admitted women and female warriors who performed the role.Documented stories of women- primarily high-born- prove that they donned armor and directed troop movement in times of war. Chivalric Orders of Europe The word knight was not just a job title, it was a social ranking. For a man to become a knight, he had to be formally knighted in a ceremony, or receive an accolade of knighthood for exceptional bravery or service, usually in battle. Because neither of these were typically the domains of women, it was rare for a women to carry the title of knight. However, in parts of Europe, there were chivalric orders of knighthood that were open to women. During the early medieval period, a group of devout Christian knights joined together to form the Knights Templar. Their mission was twofold: to protect European travelers on pilgrimage in the Holy Land, but also to carry out secret military operations.  When they finally took the time to write down a list of their rules, around 1129 C.E., their mandates mentioned a pre-existing practice of admitting women to the Knights Templar. In fact, women were permitted as part of the organization during its first 10 years of existence. Lorado / Getty Images A related group, the Teutonic Order, accepted women as Consorores, or Sisters. Their role was an auxiliary one, often related to support and hospital services during times of war, including on the battlefield. In the mid-12th century, Moorish invaders laid the town of Tortosa, Spain, under siege. Because the towns menfolk were already off at battle fighting on another front, it fell to the women of Tortosa to set up defenses. They dressed in mens clothing- which was certainly easier to fight in- picked up weapons, and held their town with an array of swords, farm implements, and hatchets. In the aftermath, Count Ramon Berenguer of Barcelona founded the Order of the Hatchet in their honor. Elias Ashmole wrote in 1672 that the count granted the women of Tortosa numerous privileges and immunities: He also ordained, that at all publick meetings, the  Women  should have precedence of the  Men; That they should be exempted from all Taxes; and that all the Apparel and Jewels, though of never so great value, left by their dead Husbands, should be their own. It is not known whether the women of the Order ever fought in any battles other than defending Tortosa. The group faded into obscurity as its members aged and died out. Women in Warfare During the Middle Ages, women were not raised for battle like their male counterparts, who typically trained for warfare from boyhood. However, that doesnt mean they didnt fight. There are numerous examples of women, both noble and lower-born, who defended their homes, their families, and their nations from attacking outside forces. Margaret of Anjou directed troops during the War of the Roses. Hulton Archive / Getty Images The eight-day siege of Jerusalem in 1187 relied on women for success. Nearly all of the citys fighting men had marched out of town three months earlier, for the Battle of Hattin, leaving Jerusalem unguarded but for a few hastily-knighted boys. The women, however, outnumbered men in the city by nearly 50 to 1, so when Balian, Baron of Ibelin, realized it was time to defend the walls against the invading army of Saladin, he enlisted the female citizens to get to work. Dr. Helena P. Schrader, Ph.D. in History from the University of Hamburg, says that Ibelin would have had to organize these untrained civilians into units, assigning them specific, focused tasks. ... whether it was defending a sector of the wall, putting out fires, or ensuring that the men and women doing the fighting were supplied with water, food and ammunition. Most astonishing, his improvised units not only repulsed assaults, they also sortied out several times, destroying some of Saladin’s siege engines, and two or three times chasing the Saracens all the way back to the palisades of their camp. Nicholaa de la Haye was born in Lincolnshire, England, around 1150, and inherited her fathers land when he died. Married at least twice, Nicholaa was the castellan of Lincoln Castle, her family estate, despite the fact that each of her husbands tried to claim it as their own. When her spouses were away, Nicholaa ran the show. William Longchamps, a chancellor of Richard I, was heading to Nottingham to battle against Prince John, and along the way, he stopped at Lincoln, laying siege to Nicholaas castle. She refused to yield, and commanding 30 knights, 20 men-at-arms, and a few hundred infantrymen, held the castle for 40 days. Longchamps eventually gave up and moved on. She defended her home again a few years later when Prince Louis of France tried to invade Lincoln. Women didnt just show up and perform the duties of knights in defensive mode. There are several accounts of queens who traveled into the field with their armies in times of war. Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Queen of both France and England, led a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. She even did it while dressed in armor and carrying a lance, although she didnt personally fight. During the War of the Roses, Marguerite d’Anjou personally directed the actions of Lancastrian commanders during battles against Yorkist opponents while her husband, King Henry VI, was incapacitated by bouts of madness. In fact, in 1460, she defeated the threat to her husband’s throne by calling on the Lancastrian nobility to assemble a mighty host in Yorkshire that ambushed York and killed him and 2,500 of his men outside his ancestral home at Sandal Castle. Finally, its important to note that over the centuries, there were countless other women who donned armor and rode into war. We know this because although medieval European writers documenting the Crusades emphasized the notion that pious Christian women did not fight, the historians of their Muslim opponents wrote of crusading women battling against them. The Persian scholar Imad ad-din al-Isfahani wrote, a woman of high rank arrived by sea in late autumn 1189, with an escort of 500 knights with  their forces, squires, pages and valets. She paid all their expenses and also led them in  raids on the Muslims. He went on to say that there were many female knights among the Christians, who wore armour like the men and fought like men in battle, and could not be told apart from  the men until they were killed and the armour was stripped from their bodies. Although their names have been lost to history, these women did exist, they simply were not granted the title of knight. Sources Ashmole, Elias. â€Å"The Institution, Laws Ceremonies of the Most Noble Order of the Garter Collected and Digested into One Body.†Ã‚  Early English Books Online, The University of Michigan, quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A26024.0001.001?viewtoc.Nicholson, Helen, and Helen Nicholson. â€Å"Women and the Crusades.†Ã‚  Academia.edu, www.academia.edu/7608599/Women_and_the_Crusades.Schrader, Helena P. â€Å"Surrender of Jerusalem to Saladin in 1187.†Ã‚  Defending the Crusader Kingdoms, 1 Jan. 1970, defendingcrusaderkingdoms.blogspot.com/2017/10/surrender-of-jerusalem-to-saladin-in.html.Velde, Francois R. â€Å"Women Knights in the Middle Ages.†Ã‚  Women Knights, www.heraldica.org/topics/orders/wom-kn.htm.

The Reggio Emilia Approach

The Reggio Emilia Approach Introduction Environment consists of what surrounds us. It is a very important component since it influences the way an individual grows and develops. While to adults, environment may not be of much importance; for a developing child it is very important.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Reggio Emilia Approach specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Kerka (1999), an environment which provides children with learning opportunities is very important since it gives them a chance to investigate and explore the world around them. The importance of the environment to a developing child (one at preschool and also in primary school level) shall be discussed using the Reggio Emilia approach. The Reggio Emilia approach The Reggio Emilia approach focuses on the importance of the learning environment to a child and how it affects how the child learns and relates with other people. The approach indicates that it is always important for children to be able in a way to control how they conduct their education. This would be easier if the environment could offer opportunities through which the developing child could learn through touching and seeing. The approach tries to promote the intellectual development of the child through a systematic focus on images and symbolic representation. The approach also notes that it is very important for the children as they develop, they be exposed to an environment which allows them to express themselves freely without feeling intimidated. The approach also indicates that the environment should allow developing children to explore and discover the relationship between them and others as well as the surrounding environment (New, 2000). The curriculum focuses on interactions which move in line with the children interests. The ability of the environment to construct a knowledge base through which children are able to interact with leads to it being referred as the thir d teacher. The importance of the learning environment The importance of the environment in which a child develops in depends on the services that it is able to provide the child with. One of the major importance lies on its ability to give a child a space through which he or she can have a meaning and relate to. In this case, the environment offers various experiences and it is through these experiences that children are able to change the way they relate to each other, experience different life experiences and change their way of thinking towards some issues.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More An environment through which a child develops also affects learning and relationships due to the different surrounding which a child is exposed to. For example, if we take an example of preschool, when children are exposed to others at young ages; they are able to learn through playing, photographs, pictures and so on. They interact freely and this gives them a chance of being innovative. In this case, the environment offers them a comfortable space where they are able to learn from each other. When the same kind of environment is provided in the classroom, the children are able to learn since the environment communicates and engages with them efficiently. Another importance of environment lies in its ability to provide the aesthetic value to the developing child. Aesthetic value enables children early in their development stages to express their feelings using colors, drawings and design. It is important to note that the aesthetic value of the environment does not have to be achieved by visiting places like museums rather the materials provided in the classroom can be able to provide this kind of environment. The way the environment is organized helps the child in concentrating on whatever activities they are engaged in. It also motivates the child in doing work i n creative ways. References Kerka, S. (1999). Creativity in adulthood. Washington, D.C. Office of Educational Research and Improvement. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED429 186. New, R. S. (2000). Reggio Emilia: Catalyst for Change and Conversation. ERIC Digest. Retrieved from: https://www.ericdigests.org/2001-3/reggio.htm

The World's Most Ethical Companies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

The World's Most Ethical Companies - Essay Example Blue Shield was started in 1939 by the Medical Association of California. It is based at San Francisco, California. It is one of the oldest health insurance companies and has over 3.5 million members and approximately 65,000 physicians (Richards, 2010). The company has developed several health plans. The main ones are individual health plans and family health plans as some of its products, as it offers to the community. The main purpose of the company is to ensure quality provision of health care services and effective costs favorable to the community. These outstanding motives make the company excel in meeting the needs of the consumers, its approach to the environment, and general employee treatment. 2. Determine at least two (2) ways in which the chosen company behaves in a morally responsible way toward each of the following: a. Consumers  b. The environment c. Employees 2.0 Ethical Behaviors practiced by the company towards the Environment The company wants to develop to be a responsible health care institution. This has been defined by its support of the community development and commitment in taking care of its consumers, who are mainly registered members. The effort made in this case is working hard to be socially responsible. This includes reducing the environmental pollution, recycling of material wastes and provision of composite services as explained below. 2.0.1 Reducing environmental pollution This is one of the vital steps taken by the company. It aims at maintaining good health in the surrounding community, as well as the whole environment. Blue Shield believes in a healthy environment as a critical contribution to the well being of the people of California. Pollution has been reduced by curbing air pollutants that come from the Bay Area including treatment of chemical wastes and dumping products in a safe and environment friendly manner (Reece, 2004). These pollutants are presumed to carry substances that make asthma condition of the affected patients worse. It is in the company’s mission not to only see profitable activities but also to strengthen and protect both the community and environment. 2.1.1 Providing Recycling and Compost Services This has been one of the company goals in its intention to maintain a healthy environment. The company recycles several materials that are environmentally unfriendly but reusable. Items such as plastics, bottles, and used cans and paper are recycled. These materials are not just from the company’s outputs, but also those by the community delivered to the company through a third party. In addition, to ensure a clean environment, there is an effort to use recyclable wares by Blue Shield. The materials can decompose, hence contributing as important nutrients to the soil. The company has also employed the services of a vendor, who takes IT materials for recycling (Reece, 2004) 2.1 Ethical Behaviors of the Company towards Customers The company service to customers is explai ned in their goals, which state clear adherence to complete and satisfactory service to its consumers while ensuring quality and affordable health care. High customer retention rate and ability to have repeat clients are the measures through which the company uses to gauge the effectiveness of ethical behavior and Blue Shield has realized the customers are satisfied. Secondly, the employees mandated with the responsibility to serve and take care of customers and attend to

Signs of American Life (McDonald's Restaurants) Essay

Signs of American Life (McDonald's Restaurants) - Essay Example A country's culture can be judged by many things, such as its language, films, drama, literature and of course, its cuisine. Although there are many regional variations of its cuisine, the single most visible form of American culture as exemplified by its cuisine is its fast foods. Fast food service restaurants are invented in America and McDonald's is its foremost example that combines the can-do spirit, its stringent individualistic attitudes towards life in general; a hurried pace of life, such that even eating is hurried and harried. In old Europe, eating is done in a leisurely manner as shown in its fine dining establishments but in America, it is different. A general mood is do things quickly in order to achieve material things in life and get ahead. Alexis de Tocqueville hit it on the right spot to have observed this restlessness in Americans; a general tendency to acquire material things that lead to disillusionment, disquiet, unhappiness and an unstated feeling of getting le ft behind by the faster, next fellow. (Tocqueville 1). Long before the term â€Å"keeping up with the Joneses† was coined or invented, Alexis de Tocqueville had already put it succinctly what one single trait to describe the Americans. In his statement, â€Å"it is strange to see with what feverish ardor the Americans pursue their own welfare; and to watch the vague dread that constantly torments them lest they should not have chosen the shortest path which may lead to it† in which an observer gets the impression most Americans are always outdoing each other, not wasting even a single moment by eating fast. Instant coffee, instant meals and instant gratification are exemplified by McDonald's Restaurants in which a customer can order a quick bite and have it within a matter of minutes. McDonald's has been immensely successful because it catered to this American trait of having everything at once, not a minute longer than necessary. People who are always on the go who ne ed a quick bite can hop into any McDonald's outlet and expect to be served very