The Effects Of Video Games On Levels Of Aggression

In â€Å"The Effect of Online Violent Video games on Levels of Aggression† Jack Holligdale and Tobias Greitemeyer want to find out the effects video games have on aggression. Violent video games have previously been identified to be the most popular video games played by consumers. Research into the effect of violent video games on levels of aggression has led to concerns that they may pose a public health risk (Holligdale Greitemeyer, 2014). Holligdale and Greitemeyer examined whether playing a FPS (first person shooter) game online would exacerbate the negative effects of violent video game play on aggression. A first person shooter game, is a game in which the gamer experiences the action through the eyes of the main protagonist, centered on a projectile weapon (Holligdale Greitemeyer, 2014). The pair also examined the effect of particular game experiences including difficulty, enjoyment and action, previously identified to be associated with increased aggressive thoughts , on levels of behavioral aggression. The independent variables in the study are neutral and violent video games either online or offline. The dependent variable in the study is the amount of aggression shown by the participant. Prior research such as cross-sectional studies have found positive correlations between violent video game play and real-life aggression. Some longitudinal studies have showed that habitual violent video game play predicts later aggression after video game play. There have alsoShow MoreRelatedVideo Games And Aggression : A Debate Between Socialization Hypothesis And Selection Hypothesis1740 Words   |  7 Pages Feiyang Qian Could Playing Violent Video Games Predict Aggression? A Debate Between Socialization Hypothesis and Selection Hypothesis Bard College Word Count: 1722 Along with the increase of population who play video games, there raised a huge concern about the video games and its possible outcome. One potential issue is the relationship between violent video games and aggression. There are two seemingly competitive hypotheses from previous studies, interpreting the relationship:Read MoreThe Sociological Impact Of Video Games1188 Words   |  5 PagesImpact of Violence in Video Games Video games have had a troubled history of being associated with negative trends in emotional behavior in those who indulge in them. Since the inception of video games more narratively complex than Pong, a great deal of research has been conducted on the psychological and sociological effects of violence and competition in video games. Findings on this topic have been largely divided between two camps, one which believes that violent video games cause violent behaviorRead MoreViolent Video Games And Its Influence On Behavior1187 Words   |  5 PagesViolent Video Games and Its Influence on Aggressive Behaviors What images pop up in your head when you hear the word aggression? Have you ever thought whether violence portrayed in different forms of media make people more aggressive? The immediate reaction to such a word is fighting or violence. Many issues are determinants of aggression but media violence has played a huge role in influencing aggressive behavior. Over the past years, aggression has been tied to numerous video games thatRead MoreThe Effects of Violent Video Games Essay1685 Words   |  7 PagesSince violent video games, like Mortal Kombat, were created, adolescents who play these games become more aggressive than before. To me, playing violent video games is unsafe for these people since they have the negative influence on these people. I believe that researching on that topic would help us get the sense of what problems to avoid. I wish to know what are the possible effects of violent video games on adolescents’ aggression. The independent variable is violent video games, and the dependentRead MoreVideo Games And Its Effect On Society1298 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction During the advent of video games, the world was taken by storm, as this new type of entertainment caught the attention and imagination of the populace; but as this attention grew, concern and scrutiny weren’t far behind. Controversy finally got its chance in the 1990s, when games finally upgraded to 16-bit, giving them the ability to depict realistic blood and gore in games like Moral Kombat; which was criticized for excessive violence, a reason Congress used to create the EntertainmentRead MoreThe Number Of School Shootings1613 Words   |  7 Pagescorrelation between the increased numbers in young adolescents playing video games containing violence, and the increased numbers of teenage school shootings. Brad Bushman believes there is a correlation between â€Å"video game violence and violence† (2013, p. 376) To explore the correlation, one must first understand the definition of aggression. Eden and Eshet-Alkalai use Anderson and Bushman’s (2003) definition: â€Å"who define aggression as a behavior that is directed toward another person (either virtuallyRead MoreThe Effects Of Violent Video Games On Children1074 Words   |  5 PagesVideo Games. Anderson et al. (2008), Anderson et al. (2010), Browne and Hamilton-Giachritsis (2005), Erwin and Morton (2008), Gentile and Stone (2005), and Jason et al. (2005) revealed a correlation between violent video games with immediate and later aggressive behavior. All of the research for the effects of violent videos games are conducted on older children and current research has not yet studied young children or preschoolers. It is important to note what research exclaims about the long-termRead MoreVideo Games : An Increase Level Of Aggression1327 Words   |  6 PagesHollingdale and Greitemeyer (2014), Video games that are violent are identified as very popular games that are played by the consumers. There is a concern that violent video games may pose a public health risk due to the levels of aggression due to the effects of the video games. In a cross sectional studies it has been found that there is a positive correlations with real life and video game aggression. Also in longitudinal studies shows that playing violent video games constantl y it can predict thatRead MoreVideo Games : Video Game Violence Essay1693 Words   |  7 PagesVideo Game Violence Blood and gore, intense violence, strong sexual content, use of drugs. These are just a few of the phrases that the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) uses to describe the content of several games. The future of entertainment revolves around technology. Along with the evolvement of technology, video games are also changing. More ways of playing violent video games are created each year, but most of us have this question in mind; do violent video games influence peopleRead MoreVideo Games And Its Effect On Behavior1378 Words   |  6 PagesVideo games (electronic games that can be played on one’s computer, television or any display screen) are popular today adolescents. Although games are fun and entertaining many people worry about the violent content within some games. Violent video gaming has been a huge topic of concern because people fear it will lead to aggressive behavior. Although there is considerable evidence that link violent video games to aggressive behav ior and cognition, the interpretation of the connection differs

The Effect of Gender on Consumer Behaviour Free Essays

string(53) " influence students fashion decisions and purchases\." Introduction Consumer behaviour patterns are influenced by the culture, the psychology, the social and financial status of the person making a shopping excursion. The success or failure of the venture is affected by when, where, how and why people make the decision to go shopping. This report investigates the differences between the genders when fashion buying decisions are made. We will write a custom essay sample on The Effect of Gender on Consumer Behaviour or any similar topic only for you Order Now It seeks to determine if there are basic influences affecting choice. Are they persuaded by advertising in magazines or on televisionDo their friends or celebrities have an influence on their decisionDoes their social life play a part? Consumer behaviour is the study of why, when, where, and how people either do or do not buy products. It blends fundamentals of psychology, sociology, cultural experience and economics. This report covers an investigation into understanding the gender related buying decision making process, It seeks to find an answer to the question, why do ladies enjoy shopping and spending money and men do notThe survey also sought to confirm that women make more shopping visits then men and spend more money than men at that shopping. There are a number of additional factors which could also affect consumer behaviour, shopping enjoyment and spending, these could not all be included in the questionnaire, due to size and time constraints. Brand loyalty and advertising psychology, peer pressure relating to fashion and design, competition between brands and shops, and price, are all factors which affect the choice of fashion eventually made. Does a pair of jeans bought from the local market, against a pair of designer jeans from a designer boutique; really make any difference when all you are doing is studying. The other main factor is the internet and the numerous ways of perusing the latest design fashions and the ease of buying them. Historically men have had a dislike of buying trips[1], since emancipation women have taken on the purchasing role [2], buying the clothes, toiletries etc. For the man. The fashion explosion of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s with rock and roll, punk and boy bands moved that shopping trend back to the male. The substantially increased numbers of the female university population over the same time frame held the balance. However the internet, releasing the man from shopping trips and making available a whole and constantly changing choice of fashion products could well now have quite a different result if this survey was repeated in 3 to 5 years. Literature Review This report examines the effect of gender on consumer behaviour and the consequence those influences has on fashion choices. It analyses data from questionnaires to determine the influence of free time activities and the role of celebrities in the decision making process. In an article published in 2001 Otnes C.[3] States that she believes â€Å"Shopping is also increasingly recognized as contributing to the creation of self-identity of men and women and that it is possible for a man to simultaneously engage in consumer behaviour and maintain his masculine identity.† Otnes’s theory is that shopping for fashion is no longer seen as a female prerogative, there is no longer a stigma involved in men choosing fashions. She believes that this behaviour improves the self esteem, self expression and confidence of men. The feminist view of consumer behaviour and fashion is explored by De Grazia, Victoria. Furlough, Ellen. (1996) they write that; â€Å"Fashion codes and beauty standards are denounced as akin to purdah, footbinding or the veil – public sexual impositions on women, which, beyond domesticating women’s drive towards liberation, constrain them physically and violate their authentic selves. The other side argues that mass consumption liberates women by freeing them from the constraints of domesticity.† They hypothesise that pre emancipation, men controlled the finances and determined the shopping list. Since emancipation, this has changed, along with the greater numbers of women seeking university education and equality in employment and financial control. In a paper on gender related advertising published in Academy of Marketing Science Review, Putrevu S[4]. (2001) argues that wide advertising implications follow from the differences between genders. He believes, after observation that men, through pictures and music, benefit from nonverbal reinforcement of the verbal product message built into an advertisement. He believes that direct verbally descriptive messages carry more impact for the female. He goes on to suggest that â€Å"The rather strongly held gender identities suggest that appropriately targeted gender advertisements might be quite effective† This author believes that this marketing philosophy is very apparent in the design and targeting of fashion retail marketing and the role celebrities play in those adverts. In a wide ranging study on gender behaviour titled in 2007, â€Å"Men Buy, Women Shop,† researchers at Wharton’s Jay H. Baker Retail Initiative[5] and the Verde Group[6], a Toronto consulting firm, determined that women responded more positively than men to personal communication with sales associates. Men were more likely to react to more practical aspects of the experience, such as good parking, the length of the checkout line whether the item they came for was in stock. Some quite emotive phrases are used throughout the literature available on consumer behaviour Jennifer Waters[7], in an article in MarketWatch (2006) believes that â€Å" Men are on a mission, women on an adventure when shopping.† Paula Courtney[8], president of the Verde Group talks about â€Å"hunters vs. gatherers† this phrase was published in a paper titled â€Å"Men buy, Women Shop† (2007) According to Wharton marketing professor Stephen J. Hoch, gender behaviour when shopping, reflects differences throughout many aspects of life. â€Å"Women think of shopping in an interpersonal, human fashion and men treat it as more instrumental. It’s a job to get done,† he believes that the data available has implications for retailers marketing policies so they can design and develop a more segmented approach to building and maintaining loyalty among male and female customers. Recognising the large numbers of potential buyers involved based at universities[9], Cosmopolitan Magazine has devoted a whole section to influence students fashion decisions and purchases. You read "The Effect of Gender on Consumer Behaviour" in category "Essay examples" Their February 2011 edition offers discounts for students, 20% off specific lingerie items, a student shopping soiree, 10 ways to save money at university and 30 days of Fashion and Beauty to come. The Cosmopolitan magazine is totally female orientated, covering fashion in clothing and toiletries. The Sunday Times however caters for all genders in their weekly fashion section. Their February issue has an article headline â€Å"Combine cut-price student fashion with cool†, this offers tips for obtaining bargain outfits without damaging your credibility. The OK magazine takes the use of celebrity marketing to the extreme; the whole content is built around celebrity fashion and influences, mainly female but with the odd male celebrity article inserted. The shelves of magazine shops are literally full of female biased fashion periodicals with basically no male orientated publications, except for ‘pin up’ magazines. Confirming the results of the questionnaire and the gender which is most influenced by celebrity marketing. Methodology The purpose of this study was to examine whether there were basic differences in the gender behaviour of students, when choosing items of fashion. It also looked at the influences of celebrities in fashion advertising and whether this had a bearing on the choices made by the students. To obtain the information from which to draw conclusions, a questionnaire was designed and given to the 10 male and 10 female students, all in a relatively small age group, to eliminate any age influences. The procedure involved the right to withdraw and confidentiality related to the data was explained to each participant. It was decided to use questionnaires rather than aural interviews to gather the data, because this author felt that the data would be easier to obtain and collate and then be easier to represent in graphical format. Interviews are normally held at a pre-determined time and place, with the interviewer completing a form based on what the respondent says. Questionnaires usually consist of short closed ended questions, whilst interviews are often broad open ended ones. Questions 1 and 2 were age and gender identification. The gender split had been pre-determined and the age range was chosen to narrow the attitudes and fashion parameters of the participants. In a small sample of this size the input of an older student, with different fashion perceptions, could have serious effects on the data integrity. Question 3 asks how often the students were inspired in their fashion choices by a celebrity look. This question was the first related to the influence of celebrities in both a passive i.e. Advertising and non-passive role i.e. Television shows. Question 4 examines the free time activities of the two genders. Did they mirror each other or were there marked differences and could the responses to this question be significant in consumer behaviour. Questions 5, 7 and 8 were all celebrity biased. What influence did the participants think a celebrity had on themIf they had money to spend, would that be affected by the influence of a celebrity and how did they get in touch with the world of the celebrity. Question 6 asked the question, where did they get their fashion tips from? Results and Discussion The results of this survey[10] illustrate some quite interesting deviations between gender Behaviour and their attitudes to fashion purchasing. The age ranges were almost identical, 18 out of the 20 students questioned being between 18 and 23 years old. It can be assumed therefore that these students are spending time away from home for the first occasion, preparing for their adult life, living without help, making their own budget decisions but having the community and peer pressure of their fellow undergraduates. The answers to question 3[11] in that 70 % of the men surveyed seldom or never were inspired by a celebrity look, whereas 90 % of the ladies were, sum up the basic differences in consumer behaviour as highlighted by Wharton[12] that â€Å"Men buy, Women Shop† and that women visit shops, not only to purchase goods but equally to enjoy the experience. From question 4, it can be seen that one third of the ladies spent their spare time shopping, against one third of the men being involved in some sporting activity. It is also interesting that none of the ladies listed, used their computer as a free time activity but 40% of them, answered later, that they kept in touch with the celebrity world online and 60% of them got their fashion tips online. Questions 7 and 8 relate to favourite celebrity influences with a substantial majority of ladies saying they were positively influenced, whilst the men were the opposite. This was mirrored in a question relating to having ?1000 to spend, would they spend the money on a celebrity’s productThe majority of ladies saying yes, the majority of men, answered no. In hindsight there were a few more questions which would have improved the data information. A question on their fashion definition would have been useful; was it clothing, footwear or toiletries. How was the shopping done; physical visits, catalogues, television, charity shops, the internetHow often did they goHow much money, as a percentage of their income did they spend? Conclusion The data from the questionnaires confirmed a number of things relating to the original hypothesis, which was to determine whether there was a difference in consumer behaviour relating to fashion, between the genders and if so what were the influences? The differences were quite specific and at different ends of the available answers. Female students were very inspired by a celebrity look whereas men were not. In today’s enlightened society where all sexes took an interest in fashion, cosmetics and appearance, this cannot be attributed just to a basic desire to look and smell nice. This author believes the main influence in this area is the ease of use of internet shopping, where access to the latest designs, bargains, outlets of female fashion is instantly available at any time of the day or night and with, in most cases, next day delivery. From the questionnaire responses 75% of the women replied that they got fashion information from the television or the internet as against 35% for men. This is quite surprising when it is set alongside the results that show 35% of the men get their fashion tips from magazines but only 10% of the women did. However the answer to this apparent anomaly is the availability and design of onli ne magazines which are as colourful and full of adverts, articles and photographs as the paper version. They are mainly free to access with but as in the case of Cosmopolitan magazine some months out of date. A more traditional response was that 70 % of the women would spend ?1000, if they had it, on a celebrity’s product, against 80% of the men who would not. Considering that this author believes there are few fashion items available, for both genders, which are not celebrity endorsed, then it would be interesting to determine where the male ?1000 would be spent. This report is about consumer behaviour and the influences of celebrities on the fashion perceptions of different genders. In a report issued in 2004 Bakewell, C. Mitchell, VW[13] stated that they believed that: â€Å"The neglect of men in consumer decision making research is lamentable†. They point out that men make up a significant shopping group and will make dissimilar shopping decisions to women. They argue that retailers should appeal to their male customers, by improving the competence of the processes and value perceptions, associated with the shopping experience. In other words ‘overcome traditional male hostility’. Once again the results of the questionnaire confirm this. Men do not like shopping trips ‘per se’ and see them as a chore and an experience to be avoided. Only 10% of the men responded that they went shopping in their free time. In conclusion the evidence obtained from the survey showed quite different consumer behaviour between the genders especially relating to the influence of celebrities. Men had different communication avenues to fashion tips and celebrities, allowing those celebrities to have little or no influence on their consumer decisions. Women took far more interest in celebrity influences and were prepared to be persuaded by the celebrities’ attitude. The role of the internet is interesting, the results showing far more interaction between online uses by women than men. Equally the past relationship with parents was interesting, showing that neither gender was influenced at all, as far as fashion tips, by their parents. The conclusions are that celebrity involvement, either by magazine, online, advertising, television shows or shop fronts does influence the consumer behaviour of women in relation to fashion but not men. How to cite The Effect of Gender on Consumer Behaviour, Essay examples

Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs System †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs System. Answer: Introduction The main purpose of this statement is to study in detail about thefinancial accounting theory. Financial accounting theory or financial accounting can be defined as the specialized part of accounting that records, summarize, analyze even the little financial transactions of an organization(A 2017). In simpler words the recording of financial data of an organization to use it later as a source of information for future process is known as financial accounting. This project is more than an essay, it is a reflective journal in which the financial accounting theories will be discussed in four parts i.e. Record, reflect, analyze and new action. We will in this journal record the facts and information about financial accounting then we will see what it reflects and analyze and prepare a new action plan(Hussain 2015). I believe that the financial accounting is not only a specialized but a very important branch of account. As accounting is baseless if there are no financial aspects in it. Any organization in the world cannot operate successfully until the organization has a proper team or a branch that records the financial transactions of the firm and the work of the team can be referred as financial accounting(Pysh 2014). The recording of the financial transactions of the firm is done in order to know the financial standing of the organization. Hence recording of the financial accounting is very-important. It is not possible for an organization to interpret the firms profitability if it does not systematically record all the transactions of financial nature that occurs in day to day business operations. In business world financial accounting plays not only the role of recording transactions but also the role of portraying the image of the organization about its operations in front of the stakehol ders, so that they can know about the earnings of the company(Karen Burman 2008). Financial accounting theory or financial accounting is related to the recording analyzing and summarizing of the financial data of an organization. In this course I have personally developed a great understanding about the concept of financial accounting. Earlier I use to think financial accounting as only the recording of the different entries related to business but after studying this in our course I came to know about financial accounting in detail and the study of course has made an impact on me that without financial accounting it is not possible for an organization to tell its investors about the profitability of the firm. I found the most surprising thing while studying financial accounting that there are so many interesting things financial accounting has in its squad. Financial accounting is not limited to the financial condition of the firm, but it helps the organization into decision making as well. It gathers all the financial information, identifies and measures risk an d provides the firm with an accurate decision about investment projects and their-profitability(Tracy 2013). By studying the course of financial accounting i came to a conclusion that it holds an important part of the accounting world. For any business organization it is very important to perform financial accounting. As it tells the how much profit or loss is the business earning. There are three types of financial statements namely balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement(Ittelson 2012). These statements not only helps the organization to record and analyze but also gives its creditors and other stake holders a true picture of the firms financial position. I think financial accounting is a vast subject or a branch of accounting, I was wrong earlier as I only use to take this course as just a normal part of accounting that is only limited to preparing income statements or balance sheets. I just hated preparing balance sheets and other statements But after studying this course in detail now I can say that financial accounting is more than the preparation of balance sheet, it helps the organization or an individual in making decision about various investment purposes and without financial accounting an organization does not know whether it is earning profits or loss. Now I can use all this information further in my life and into my start up business that I am planning to open up soon. Conclusion After going through all the required information on financial accounting, a detailed conclusion is prepared here. Financial accounting is indeed a specialized branch of accounting, and as it is written above it is much more than the preparation of balance sheet or income statement. If studied in detail financial accounting can help an organization reaching the top from the floor. Financial accounting holds much more importance than other types of accounting such as: Cost accounting, Tax accounting etc. Bibliography A, N 2017, 'Financial Accounting Reporting', Wall Streets Journals, vol 5, no. 10, p. 33, viewed 1 Jan 2016, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4712479/. Hussain, PMM 2015, 'International Journal of Accounting Finance', InderScience, vol 2, no. 100, p. 3. Ittelson, TR 2012, 'Financial Statements', Emeral Insights, vol 1, no. 50, p. 10. Karen Burman, JK 2008, Financial Intelligence for Entrepreneurs , 2nd edn, Harvard Business Press. Pysh, P 2014, 'Financial Accounting Importance', in S Berg (ed.), Warren Buffet Accounting, 5th edn, WB Publishers. Tracy, JA 2013, 'How to Read a Financial Report', Entreprenuers Weekly, vol 5, no. 120, p. 25.

What do we understand by the idea of a politica Essays (218 words)

What do we understand by the idea of a political system'? How are different political systems connected to the traditions of social scientific thought? Illustrate your discussion with reference to at least TWO of the following cases - USA China Introduction: Definition of a political system Talking about the political system of the USA and China Talking about the other traditions of social scientific thought. Paragraph One: About the political system of the USA What is Liberalism? How the government of USA is liberal? What is Marxism? You are writing this as a example. How the people are benefiting from liberalism. How they are related to liberalism and communism Paragraph Two: About political system of China What is Communism? How the government of China is Communist? What is Conservatism? Again only example and definition How people are benefiting from Communism? How they are related to communism and liberalism Paragraph Three: How are different political systems connected to the traditions of social scientific thought and how are they related to the China and USA's political system Conclusion: Brief of the essay Don't answer as a first person, It shouldn't be first person ( no I, WE, YOU. ) Bibliography

How to Find the Birthplace of Your Immigrant Ancestor

How to Find the Birthplace of Your Immigrant Ancestor Once youve traced your family tree back to the immigrant ancestor, determining his/her birthplace is the key to the next branch in your family tree. Knowing just the country isnt just enough - youll usually have to get down to the town or village level to successfully locate your ancestors records. While it seems a simple enough task, a town name isnt always easy to find. In many records, only the country or possibly county, state, or department of origin were recorded, but not the name of the actual  ancestral town or parish. Even when a place is listed, it may only be the nearby big city, because that was a more recognizable point of reference for people not familiar with the region. The only clue Ive ever found to my 3rd great-grandfathers city/town of origin in Germany, for example, is his tombstone that says he was born in Bremerhaven. But did he really come from the big port city of Bremerhaven? Or is that the port he emigrated from? Was he from a nearby small town, perhaps elsewhere in the city-state of Bremen, or the surrounding state of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony)? To locate an immigrants town or village of origin you may have to gather clues from numerous sources. Step One: Take Off His Name Tag! Learn everything you can about your immigrant ancestor so that you will be able to identify him in relevant records, and distinguish him from others of the same name. This includes: The immigrants full name including her middle name or maiden name, if applicableA date of birth or the date of another event (marriage, immigration, etc.) with which you may be able to identify your ancestorA place of birth, even if it is just a country of origin for nowThe names of all identifiable relatives parents, spouse, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, etc. Immigrants often traveled with relatives or went to join one who had previously emigrated. These names will also help you to identify your immigrants family in their country of origin.Any other information that may help identify your ancestor, including religion, occupation, friends, neighbors, etc. Dont forget to ask family members and even distant relatives about your ancestors birthplace. You never know who may have personal knowledge or relevant records in their possession. Step Two: Search National Level Indexes Once youve determined the country of origin, look for a national index to vital or civil registration records (births, deaths, marriages) or a national census or other enumeration for that country in the time period in which your ancestor was born (e.g. civil registration index for England Wales). If such an index exists, this might provide a shortcut to learning your ancestors place of birth. You must, however, have enough identifying information to recognize the immigrant, and many countries do not maintain vital records at the national level. Even if you do locate a particular candidate this way, you will still want to follow the other steps as well to verify that your same name individual in the old country is actually your ancestor. Step Three: Identify Records Which May Include the Place of Birth The next goal in your birthplace quest is to find a record or other source that tells you specifically where to start looking in your ancestors country of origin. While searching, it is important to remember that your ancestors last residence prior to emigration may not necessarily be their place of birth. Look at research already done by others. In many cases, other researchers have already found where the emigrant came from. This includes searching through published indexes and genealogies, local biographies and town histories, and databases of compiled records.Locate original records related to the immigrants death, such as death records, church records, obituaries, cemetery records, and probate records. Obituaries published in ethnic newspapers are the most likely to contain specific information such as a town of origin.Check both civil and church sources for a marriage record and records of the childrens births.Search other types of genealogical records which may reveal an ancestors town of origin, including census records, court records, newspapers, and land and property records.Immigration records such as passenger lists and naturalization records are another important source in the search for an immigrants town of birth. While it may seem a better place to start, you usually ne ed the information found in previous steps to enable you to locate immigration and naturalization records. In the United States, for example, census records may reveal whether an ancestor was naturalized. Search for these records in each place where the immigrant lived, for the complete time period when he or she lived there and for some time after his death. Be sure to investigate available records in all jurisdictions that may have kept records about him or her, including town, parish, county, state, and national authorities. Be thorough in your examination of each record, making note of all identifying details such as the immigrants occupation or the names of neighbors, godparents, and witnesses. Step Four: Cast a Wider Net Sometimes after researching all possible records, you will still be unable to find a record of the home town of your immigrant ancestor. In this case, continue the search in the records of identified family members brother, sister, father, mother, cousin, children, etc. to see if you can find a place name associated with them. For example, my great-grandfather emigrated to the United States from Poland but was never naturalized and left no records of his specific town of origin. The town in which they lived was identified, however, on the naturalization record of his eldest daughter (who was born in Poland). Tip!  Church baptismal records for children of immigrant parents are another resource that can be invaluable in a search for immigrant origins. Many immigrants settled in areas and attended churches with others of their same ethnic and geographic background, with a priest or minister who likely knew the family. Sometimes this means records likely to be more specific than just Germany in recording a place of origin. Step Five: Find it on a Map Identify and verify the place name on a map, something that is not always as easy as it sounds. Often you will find multiple places with the same name, or you may find that the town has changed jurisdictions or even disappeared. It is very important here to correlate with historical maps and other sources of information to be sure that you have identified the correct town.

Parts of a Story The 11 Essential Story Elements You Need to Get Right

Parts of a Story The 11 Essential Story Elements You Need to Get Right Parts of a Story: The 11 Essential Story Elements You Need to Get Right Knowing the parts of a story are essential for getting your book right.Without constructing your book with these in mind, you could be taking the book idea you really love and need to get out into the world and just throwing it away.And if you really want readers to not only experience your story but to enjoy it, keeping these parts of a story top of mind is crucial.Here are the 10 essential parts of a story:CharactersSettingPlotConflictResolutionThemesMoralsSymbolismPoint of viewPerspectivePulling it all togetherNOTE: If youre ready to craft a strong story (with the help of an established fiction author as your coach), check out our VIP Fiction Self-Publishing Program. Learn more about it hereWhat are the parts of a story?There are infinite ways to write a book and tell a story.You can use endlessly different story structures and styles, but each story or novel is going to boil down to three fundamental elements: character, setting, and plot.These are your story’s main course , but what’s a meal without side dishes?We’re also going to cover conflict, resolution, themes, morals, symbolism, point of view, and perspective: what they are, how to use them, and how all of these literary elements work together to make a complete and filling dinnerI mean storyI’m hungry.Parts of a Story Plot: Characters, Setting, Plot, Other Story ElementsOnce youve got a solid story idea, the real work begins.Here are the 10 essential parts of a story every writer needs to get it right. Without these, your story (whether youre writing a short story or a full novel) will fall flat.#1 Characters Your audience should feel different levels of closeness to your different characters, depending on if they’re main, secondary, or background character.But one key thing to keep in mind about including characters is, if your character is important enough to have a name, they’re important enough to have a goal. What do your characters want? Their desire can be simple or complex, tangible or conceptmaybe they want a job, a house, approval, a child, contentment. If your character doesn’t want something, they won’t be compelled to act.Download this character sheet to dive deep into understanding your characters motives better: Download your FREE character development worksheet!If your character isn’t acting, they’re passive or they’re just a plot device. You want to avoid both, and this is usually accomplished through strong character development.#2 SettingThe setting is when and where your story takes place.Aside from the physical location and position in time, your setting can include:weatherpolitical climatesocial normscultural influencesTake the time to consider these aspects to build a complex world for your characters to interact with.Particularly in fantasy and sci-fi worlds, a lot of planning goes into establishing a convincing and engaging story setting that can either add to your plot or take away from it.#3 PlotYour plot is the actual storywhat happens, when, how, why, and what’s the result?There are a lot of different ways to structure your plot, but in general, a plot arc has five main points:Set-up/exposition The beginning part of your story where you establish the world, the characters, the tone, and your writing styleRising action The rising action is usually prompted by your inciting incident. Here, you escalate tension and problems, explore your characters. This is the biggest chunk of your book.Climax This is the sort of â€Å"moment of truth.† The culmination of everythingthe highest point of tension. The point the plot has been leading up to.Falling action What goes up, must come down. This is where you resolve any subplots and side stories.Resolution Wrap up.Heres a quick visual representation with explanations below:Guy Rolls Down Hill In Tire Towards CarDONT try this at home That was close! 😠¨Ã°Å¸Ëœ ¬Posted by UNILAD on Monday, August 13, 2018Heres what happened in the plot of this video:Set-up: Supporting cast prepping to roll our main character down a hill in a tire. We can tell from the vibe and energy that this is just some classic lad antics.Rising action: The tension builds as our MC gains momentum, and we can’t tell what’s going to happen.Climax: Our MC is speeding down the hill at this point, when he nearly collides with a moving vehicle! Then he disappears into the water! Is he okay? Tension is at its highest.Falling action: Our hero is safe! The vehicle and driver are fine.Resolution: His stoned pals cheer him on. All is well.Along with our three fundamental story elements, we can dive a little deeper and discuss conflict and resolution.#4 ConflictYour conflict should rise throughout (peaking at the climax).During the editing process, a good practice is to look at each scene and ask if there is conflict within it. Here are some questions you can ask yourself (or your beta readers):Does the scene add to the overall plot?Does the scene advance internal or inter-character relationships?Does the scene add to a subplot?Does the scene answer or bring about any plot-crucial questions?The conflict could lend to the overall plot, a subplot, conflict between characters, or ev en a smaller conflict that is resolved within that scene. For a story to be interesting, there needs to be conflict.Scenes that don’t add to that are fluff.#5 ResolutionI want to talk a little more about resolution, since it’s so important. How you end your story is what will sit with readers the longest.What’s the culmination of all we went through during the story? What did the characters learn that led them to the decisions they ultimately made? By the end of your story, all of your conflicts should have a resolution.In some cases, conflicts are intentionally left a bit open-ended without a solid resolution, but this should be done intentionally and there should be some sort of resolution, even if it’s an unsatisfying ending with a little remaining mystery.Further boiling a story down will reveal elements like themes, morals, and symbolism.#6 ThemesA theme is your story’s main takeaway. Your story can have one theme, or several.Some examples o f themes include:Coming of agewhat struggles come with it, what’s good about itForgivenesstrying to achieve it, avoiding it, accepting itDeathovercoming it, processing it, fearing itLoveovercoming it, processing it, fearing it (lol)EmpowermentDisplacementMotherhoodInjusticeGood versus badThe list is literally endless.The theme of your story helps to focus the narrative and answers the question: What’s the point? What have your characters learned? How are they changed, and what will they affect now that they are different?#7 MoralsThe moral of your story is related to themewhat message do you want your story to convey?If the theme is what the character learned, you can think of the moral as what the reader learned. Let’s take a coming of age narrativewhat are possible morals in that type of story?Don’t grow up too fastFollow your dreamsListen to the wisdom of othersAccept yourself as you areAppreciate where you are and what’s happening nowConsider what morals you want to convey, but avoid directly stating them when writing your book. This is part of the experience of reading your storyand thats for the readers.#8 SymbolismSymbolism is a literary device used to convey subtle meanings.A symbol can be anything from an object, a character archetype, an animal, an occurrence in nature. A window, an estranged father, a lion, a storm, a desk, a fire. Symbols have meaning connected to them.Here are some examples of symbolism in stories:A window might signify freedom, longing, hope.A lion might be bravery.A storm might be impending doom or threat.A desk could indicate creativity, work, neglect.It all depends on the context of the story and the connotations you assign to your symbols.Themes, morals, and symbolism are fun writing tools and parts of a story to work with, but be cautious of relying on them. They’re icing and sprinklesnot the cupcake.#9 Point of viewThe point of view of your story is simply who is telling the stor y. The most common in fiction are first-person, third-person limited, and third-person omniscient.First-person POV:First-person is the main character telling the story. It uses the pronouns I, me, myself.A strength of using first-person is that your reader will connect with your character very easilythe reader essentially becomes the character. If done well, this is a very intimate reading experience.A weakness of first-person is that your storytelling is limited to that perspective. It’s difficult to tell an entire story with a single, first-person narrator. It can be done, but it takes more effort than it might with a different point of view.Heres a first-person point of view example from my collection of short stories, Little Birds.Third-person limited POV :Third-person is an outside narrator telling the story. It uses the pronouns he, she, they.Even though it’s an outsider narrator, third limited keeps us in the point of view of our character(s)the reader only know s what the character knows.A strength of third-person point of view is the versatility. It’s much easier to have multiple point of view characters with third-person, as opposed to first. You can also flow between third limited and third omniscient in a novel.The weakness is you don’t get the closeness to the character you have in first-person, though this can still be created through strong character development and using the rule of show, dont tell.This is an example of a third-person point of view in Jenna Morecis The Saviors Champion.Third-person omniscient POV:Third omniscient is when an outside, all-knowing narrator tells the story. Third omniscient can jump into any character’s thoughts and knows things about the story the characters might not know.The omniscient narrator knows everything happening in the universe.The obvious strength of third omniscient is ease of storytellingyou’re not limited to any one character’s knowledge.The weakness i s you’re even further from your character and it’s that much harder to forge a connection between your characters and your readers.Author Erin Morgenstern does a great job with this point of view in her novel The Night Circus, seen below.# 10 PerspectiveEven though â€Å"point of view† and â€Å"perspective† are often used in the writing community interchangeably, perspective is actually different.Perspective refers to the character’s interpretation of the world and their attitude toward it. A character’s perspective can be determined by their personal storytheir upbringing, their opinions, their socioeconomic status, their education level, etc.Considering your character’s worldview when deciding their morals and actions will make your characters and story feel more authentic.While you outline your book and storys plot, characters, and setting, don’t forget to consider everything else we’ve covered. These elements work together to tell a complete and engaging story.#11 Put it all togetherYour story is more than all of these separate parts. You need to have a way to put them together that makes sense.You need a systemWhich is exactly what Self-Publishing School provides.

Media Production Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Media Production - Essay Example This essay describes The Brock Group company, that has its presence in America, Canada and South America where its employees serve their clients in multiple areas. One of the main objectives of the company is to aid heavy industrial customers as a one stop provider of complementary services. In this essay main vision and values are described and analyzed. Safety is the core mission which sees that everyone is committed to the prosperity of the organization. The fundamental goal is to alleviate occupational injuries and illnesses through dedicated comprehensive safety training and the administration of safety programs. Commitment and safety commitment, that are considered more than the goals or the commitment of the organization. Safety culture is upheld that ensures risks are identified and eliminated. Ultimately, popular culture and artistic talents, nurtured and conserved by actions of communities such that of Brock Community. In conclusion of the essay, culture is of major importa nce and must be preserved from generation to generation as a learning tool of our origin and birth of creativity. The Brock Community has in no doubt made an impeccable contribution to the society it exists. Through its social responsibility, Brock community has demonstrated that the events which are organized by its members bring positivity to the world. Ultimately, popular culture and artistic talents, nurtured and conserved by actions of communities such that of Brock Community.

The New Modern Architecure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The New Modern Architecure - Essay Example Peter Eisenman is an American architect who contributed highly to modernism in architecture. Thus, this paper will examine how Eisenman’s work has influenced the modernism movement in architect not only in the form of the design but also through the graphic representation, which is demonstrated by OMA current work in Point city/South City, Netherlands, 1993.† Peter Eisenman was commonly regarded as a theorist and teacher, but currently he is often called a deconstructionist due to his ability to swirl the controversy with buildings that seem disconnected from their environment, as well as their historical context. For this reason, he highly influenced modernism in architecture. His first public building was the Wexner Center for the Arts in Ohio, which he designed along with Richard Trott. His designs, as well as writings, represent an attempt to liberate from meaning while shunning external references. In addition, Eisenman’s house designs were meant to be theore tical experiments, which existed in abstraction and developed them without any influence from clients, or any concern for their use; Thus, Eisenman’s modern architectural work was based on the conceptual procedure through which the architecture was produced (Eisenman 54). Eisenman has large-scale housing, innovative facilities for educational establishments, urban design projects and several inventive private houses. Some of his current projects include a large condominium housing block in Italy, and a 6-building City of Culture of Galacia found in Santiago de Compostela (Eisenman 54). Most of Eisenman’s buildings are based on shifted grids that collide with one another; for example, the Wexner Center, which was built in 1983 to 1989. This is a form of modern architectural design because traditional buildings were based on single grids in which all walls were perpendicular and parallel to each other. Therefore, basing the walls of rooms on different grids that are not parallel to one another, Eisenman is able to perplex people who use the building expecting a traditional look. Eisenman broke up the traditional forms of architecture in the Wexner Center building into fragments, which mock the traditional solid feel of the old building. Also, the famous column of the building, which hangs from the ceiling, does not reach the ground, which also mocks the traditional design of how a column should appear (Chou 121). This is an illustration of Wexner Center building (1983-1989) designed by Eisenman (Siegel 1). It is an excellent example of how Eisenman influenced modernism in architecture by breaking down the traditional forms of architecture and incorporating modernist elements. Another example of how Eisenman has influenced modernism movement in architecture can be seen in the point city-south city project, Netherlands. This project is an example of how the OMA used technics similar to Eisenman’s in the representation matter, when it diagramme d, collected data and information and incorporated them in the design process. The ancient themes that were never used before have now become the most widely used formulas used to guide the development of Netherlands. According to Garcia (172), the OMA diagram is enigmatic and paradoxical and is characterized by a series of ironic hybrids of juxtaposed and quixotic contradictory concepts, as well as

Travel Egency Essay Example for Free

Travel Egency Essay The purpose of this report is to determine the current business environment of the travel agency industry in New Zealand and some key factors of being success in the business. Booking the fare through travel agency can be convenient and time-saving, but there are many alternative ways out there in the market as well, such as book directly from the Airline Company, online booking website, etc. Findings indicate invest in the travel agency can be profitable but there are a few aspects to analyse before entering the market. Key factors the investor should be considered are: customer loyalty probability, sustainable development and market segmentation. Introduction There is a growing number of people book the fare or a trip through either travel agency or online website in New Zealand. Toda, Makino, Kobayashi Morimoto (2007) indicated that going on a leisure trip is good for people’s mental health, and this can also be a key driver to the increase. Furthermore, there are some positive effects relates to the travelling as well: meeting new people, gaining more exciting experiences, etc. So, not only existing travellers, but also everyone can be classified as a potential customer to the investor. An analysis of both external business environment and internal business structure will be undertaken. There should be a vivid picture presented in the investor’s mind, about travel agency industry’s future, through this report. Discussion Customer Loyalty and Profitability  Travel agencies do its business by providing service to the customers and gain commissions from it. Keeping loyalty customers is the priority to the customer oriented company as they directly and continually contribute to the business (Van Riel, Semeijn Pauwel, 2004). The profit margin generated by the travel agency is very low, and the industry is heavy reliance on the loyalty customers (Oppermann, 1997). So, travel agency should strive as much as possible to develop long-term relationship with its customers (Poujol Tanner, 2010). Losing customers can be really costly in today’s highly competitive market. According to Bovee and Thill (2010), the cost of attracting a new customer is far more than the cost of keeping the existing customer. In order to establish advantageous positions within the industry, the agency must has high quality relationship with its customers by fully satisfying the customers’ needs and wants; because the quality of customer relationship is directly proportional to agency’s profitability (Aborumman, Alhawary Irtaimeh 2011). Consumers are keen to pay for the trip at the lowest price by using the most efficient way, which is booking through the travel agency, for an example, the average difference between the ticket the customers found and the ticket the House of Travel found is 150NZD (â€Å"Agents†, 2004). However, â€Å"Is your travel agency playing ‘fare’? † (2001) appeals that only 51% of the agents can provide complete fare and flight information to the customers, and only 20% of them actually acknowledge their customers about the overrides received. This can be truly risky to the travel agency, as all the agencies are providing similar product, so the quality of service would be considered as a key factor (Van Riel et al. , 2004). Richard and Zhang (2012) also indicate that the customers can be less price-sensitive once they become loyal to a brand, and less likely switch to another brand simply because of price. Sustainable Development Having a sustainable development strategy is essential to a business to be successful in the competitive market. From the research, about 80% of the travel agency in New Zealand was or currently is operate under the franchise business model (Oppermann, 1997). In this way, the franchisor will provide the online management and online booking system for the franchisee to use, which can be a major benefit to the investor. In addition, the sustainable development strategy is also important from the business structure’s point of view. Oppermann (1997) indicates that 22 per cent of the travel agency had only one or two fully time employees, 58 per cent had 2. to 5 and only 6 per cent of the agency had more than 10 full time employees. By adopting this team-based strategy, the business can gets more customer satisfaction and be more efficient and profitable (Dunford and Palmer, 2002). The Flight Centre is a typical example for this: the Flight Centre split all the employees and retail stores into three management level, the primary level is called ‘family’, which contains three to seven employees, usually is on the retail store basis. The medium level called ‘village’, which contains our to five families that are geographically near each other, and create a close working relationship. The top level called ‘country’, which contains about 20 stores. The country leader has the right to directly report to the head office (Dunford et al. , 2002). Under this development strategy, the revenue and performance of the family, village and country directly linked to the agent’s salary, the individual has to work hard to increase customers’ satisfaction and the revenue of the family, so that he or she can get better paid. In this way, the investor can directly benefit from the increase of sales and also minimize the risk from the management level. Marketing New Zealand travel agency industry is facing a very board market, as everyone can be a potential customer. All the agencies are trying to provide unbeatable price for its customers. From the agencies’ view, some businesses have concentrated on a few specific market segments (Bovee et al. , 2010). For instance, Flight Centre New Zealand, as an Australian-based international travel agency, now owns 130 stores around New Zealand, and over 1500 stores all over the world. The company provides several different travel packages and more relevant information for the heavy-user segment rather than the light users (Dunford et al. , 2002), as the heavy users are more focus on the quality of the trip instead of price (Goldsmith Litvin, 2012); Studentflight, as a part of Flight Centre New Zealand is targeting on the young age student customer by provides special offer to the students. On the other hand, some agencies are only focus on one market segment. For an example, CTS New Zealand, which is a Chinese-based travel agency, provides the flight booking service only from or to New Zealand, not all over the world, on an extremely low price compare to others. Some other companies, such as the STA Travel Service, their product mix (not only provides assistance on booking tickets and accommodations, but also visa application, travel insurance, etc. ) also helps the company to gain more market share in the industry. Industry Structure Analysis Understand the industry structure is crucial to the investor. Travel agency industry can be defined as a highly competitive industry. First of all, there is a high threat from the substitutes and competitors. Direct distribution shows a growing proportion in the current market segment, for an example, many airline companies, such as Air New Zealand, start to distribute the ticket direct to the customers in order to cut out the commission payment to the travel agency (Oppermann, 1997). The travel agency industry is forced to innovate the way they do business due to this fact (Rhodes, 1999). However, the threats are not only come from the airline companies, but also other travel agencies. For instance, the House of Travel, Flight Centre and some other travel agencies both developed the online booking engine, so that the consumers can book the ticket, accommodation and enjoy other services online. In addition, the internet-based and home-based business model can be a major threat to the traditional type of agency, especially the internet- based agency which provides 24 hours 7 days in a row service and global accessibility for the customers (Thom Chen, 2012). Nowadays, 35% of bookings are completed online (â€Å"Bums on seats†, 2005). The supporting services provided by the online agency, such as currency calculator, weather forecast, can also be a competitive disadvantage to traditional agency (Van Riel et al. , 2004). From the internet and home-based travel agency point of view, the barriers to entry is low, due to there is almost no fixed cost involved, all you need to start a business is a computer with a booking system, a phone, and a customer list. Secondly, the supplier power is keep increasing over years, as the upper level supplier has the power to decide the commission rate that they pay to the agency. The suppliers also interested in distribute the ticket to the client by themselves rather than through the travel agency. The bargaining power of the travel agency is low. Thus, the buyer’s power is high in the industry. There are all kinds of travelling information on the internet, compare to the past, the consumers are not fully reliance on the travel agents to schedule their trip anymore. According to Dunford et al. (2002), 80% of the travel revenue was generated by 25% of the customer, and these 25% of people is relatively price-sensitive, which means the agency has to provide better service to keep those customers (Van Riel et al. , 2004). The consumers have certain degree of bargaining power. In summary, the travel agency industry is highly threatened by the competitors and the substitutes, the barriers to entry can be low, and there is almost none of switching cost, the supplier’s power and buyer’s power is high. Overall peaking, the travel agency industry may not be an attractive industry. Conclusions An analysis of the travel agency business in New Zealand has been presented in this report; few conclusions can be drawn from this. Investing in the travel agency industry and operating under the franchise business model carries a lower risk compare to operate individually. In order to being profitable in the industry, the investor should focus on developing long-term relationship with its customers by providing customize service and product for them. The investor also needs to concentrate on developing the appropriate sustainable strategy for the business. As travel agency industry is a highly competitive industry, careful determine the market segment and trying to differentiate their service and product seems necessary. The investor can be successful in the market, but there are numbers of factors need to be examining before truly entering into the market.

The Right to Die Essay example -- essays research papers fc

The Right to Die The word Euthanasia originated from the Greek language: eu means "good" and thanatos means "death". Euthanasia (Greek, "good death") is the practice of killing a person or animal, in a painless or minimally painful way, for merciful reasons, usually to end their suffering. However, some people define euthanasia to include both voluntary and involuntary termination of life (Humphy 12). Like so many moral/ethical/religious terms, "euthanasia" has many meanings. Euthanasia, in the strict sense, involves actively causing death. This is, in some cases, legal like in the Netherlands, but in few other countries. Euthanasia, in a wider sense, includes assisting someone to commit suicide, in particular physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Allowing death -- e.g. by not providing life support or vital medication-- is not considered euthanasia if it is the patient's wish (Robinson). It is sometimes called passive euthanasia in cases where the patient is unabl e to make decisions about treatment. â€Å"Living Wills† and â€Å"Do Not Resuscitate† orders are legal instruments that make a patient's treatment decisions known ahead of time; allowing a patient to die based on such decisions is never considered euthanasia. Terminal sedation is a combination of medically inducing a deep sleep and stopping other treatment, with the exception of medication for symptom control (such as analgesia). It is considered to be euthanasia by some, but under current law and medical practice it is considered a form of palliative care (Humphry 14). Advocates of euthanasia generally insist that euthanasia should be voluntary, requiring informed consent, and that it should only be used in cases of terminal illness that cause unbearable suffering, or an eventual, complete loss of awareness. Its opponents challenge it on several ethical grounds, including a slippery slope argument that it is the first step towards compulsory euthanasia (Leon 22). Voluntary euthanasia is the truest and fullest form of euthanasia wherein the individual requests euthanasia - either during illness or before, if complete incapacitation is expected (a coma would be an example). Euthanasia in these cases differs from suicide by existing only within the context of the amelioration of suffering in the process of death. Volition must be informed and free (i.e. not under duress fr... ...ssional leaders announced that they were drafting a bill that would order the reinsertion of Schiavo's feeding tube and allow a federal court to review the case. If passed, President Bush plans to sign it (Stacy). Works Cited Capek, Stella M., Elaine Fox, and Jeffrey J. Kamakahi. Come Lovely and Soothing Death: The Right to Die Movement in the United States. New York: Twayne, n.d. End of Life Choices: Compassion, Dignity, and Control. 2004. End-of-Life Choices/Compassion In Dying: Compassion & Choices . . Euthanasia. Ed. Lisa Yount. San Diego: Greenhaven P, Inc., 2002. Humphry, Derek. Eugene: Hemlock Society, 1991. Lipper, Tamara. Between Life and Death: Behind the unprecedented showdown over one woman's fate.. 2005. Newsweek. . Robinson, B.A.. Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide. 02 Sept. 2004. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. . Stacy, Mitch. Schiavo Kin Wants Feeding Tube Reinserted. 20 Mar. 2005. MSNBC Wire Services, The Associated Press. . The Ethics of Euthanasia. Ed. Daniel A. Leone. San Diego: Greenhaven P, Inc., 1999. Wickett, Ann, and Derek Humphry . The Right To Die: Understanding Euthanasia. New York: Harper and Row, 1986.

Oedipus’s transition from the beginning to the end Essay

Sophocles’ Greek tragedy, â€Å"Oedipus† displays how fate and destiny, rather than chance, determine the events within human life. It is this fate that turns Oedipus’ seemingly perfect existence full circle, leaving him with less than nothing in the end. During the course of this story, Oedipus undergoes a complete conversion because of his personal quest to find out his true identity. He eventually learns the truth, but at a great cost. He finds that he isn’t who he believed himself to be, and he loses everything in the process. Oedipus therefore undergoes an absolute transition from a kingship to exile, from wisdom to confusedness, from admirability to utter shame. When Oedipus is first seen, he is clearly noted as the ruler of Thebes. The priest in fact regards him as, â€Å"Great King of Thebes and sovereign Oedipus†¦ † (Line 14). At the moment, Thebes is afflicted with a terrible and mysterious plague, which can only be eliminated when the murderer of Laius, the former King of Thebes, is exiled or killed. It is apparent that the people trust and admire their King, and so they look to him for help and guidance. This is why Oedipus acts so swiftly to find Laius’ murderer no matter what the cost may be. Oedipus once again exercises his kingship and power against Creon, upon hearing from Teiresias (a prophet) that he himself killed Laius. He accuses Creon of treason and sentences him to death. Even though the whole chorus and his wife, Iocasta, are against him, his will is still carried out until he himself decides otherwise. Such makes Oedipus the most powerful man at this point. However, as the events progress, Oedipus finds out that he indeed killed Laius. Upon hearing this, Oedipus’ whole world shatters, and he can no longer bear the truth. He blinds and willingly sends himself to exile. Oedipus loses his title and all the power that it stands for. He is left with nothing but his life in the end. Oedipus gained his Kingship by defeating the mythical man eating Sphinx and solving its riddle. The riddle was, â€Å"What has four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three at night? † Oedipus was the only one who answered, â€Å"Man†, causing the Sphinx to finally kill herself. Man crawled as a baby in its youth, walked with both feet during mid life, and walked with a cane when old. Answering this riddle saved the kingdom of Thebes from the feared Sphinx, and so Oedipus was forever recognized for this. Oedipus’ wit, however, was also the cause of his downfall. This is shown during Oedipus’ debate with Teiresias. As Oedipus exclaims, â€Å"†¦ my skill has brought me glory†, Teiresias replies, â€Å"And this success brought you to ruin too† (lines 441-443). In other words, Oedipus fulfilled the dark prophecy placed upon him by defeating the Sphinx and thus, marrying Iocasta. In this tragedy, Oedipus is faced with the riddle of his identity. However, despite his wit, he is never able to solve the riddle on his own. In fact, he is confused practically throughout the course of the story. Iocasta even solves this riddle before he does, explaining her sheer reluctance of him trying to find out. It takes a whole cluster of clues for Oedipus to finally see that he was his father’s murderer, and his mother’s husband. Finally, Oedipus begins the tragedy with all the qualities of an admirable King. Oedipus genuinely loves his subjects, as can be seen in lines 58-60 â€Å"My children, what you long for, that I know indeed, and pity you. † He calls his citizens his children, signifying his seniority, but also his devotion to them. He is proud of his citizens and of himself. He wants to prove that he is a good king to his people, and so he allows Creon to speak his news from Apollo in front of all Thebans. He tells Creon, â€Å"Let them all hear! Their sufferings distress me more than if my own life were at stake† (93-94). Also, he sincerely wants to save his citizens by finding Laius’ murderer as soon as possible. Therefore, he cares about his people even more than he does himself. Towards the end of the story, however, Oedipus becomes the epitome of shame throughout the kingdom of Thebes. In ancient Greece, family and heritage was one of the most important virtues practiced. And thus, killing one’s own father was the most dishonorable action, next to marrying one’s own mother. Oedipus, sadly, performed both of these shameful crimes which were considered worse, even, than mass murder. So Oedipus went from being the pride of Thebes to its worst shame. Oedipus is indeed so ashamed of his actions that he tells his advisor, â€Å"†¦ Quick as you can, I beg, banish me, hide me, slay me! Throw me forth into the sea, where I may sink from view†¦ There is no man alive can bear this load of evil but myself†. Oedipus’ transition is evident in how he is now pleading and begging his own advisor to banish him from Thebes. Thus, Oedipus loses everything, including his own dignity. In conclusion, Oedipus makes a tragic transition from having everything to having nothing. Because of his quest for the truth, he finally found it and suffered the most in the end. However, despite the shame in what Oedipus did, one must still admire his spirit to continue looking for truth. It is admirable how he chose blindness rather than death, and in a way, punished himself for his past sins. Such a trait still makes him a hero, at in that sense. Sources: 1. http://www. users. globalnet. co. uk/~loxias/myth. htm#interpretation 2. http://cgi. sparknotes. com/hlite. rmpl? words=oedipus&pd=0&page=section5. rhtml&guide=%2fdrama%2foedipus.

Preludes by T.S Elliot and Vitae Lampada by Sir Henry Newton Essay

Reading both poems for the first time, there seemed to be no distinct or even vague similarities between the two poems, Preludes, by T.S Elliot and Vitae Lampada by Sir Henry Newton. However, after reading each thoroughly a few more times and carefully evaluating them, several key similarities and as always, differences, began to reveal themselves. Both Preludes as well as Vitae Lampada begines with a time introductory statement. â€Å"There’s a breathless hush in the close tonight.† From Vitae Lampada, and â€Å"The winter evening settles down† from Preludes. Both these sentences inform us of the time, a sort of evening, just after dark. The very next sentences from each poem are also similar. â€Å"Ten to make and a match to win† and â€Å"With smells of steaks in passageways†. These sentences are written by the poets to set a scene, as one would set a scene in a drama play, but in poetry, with words. These two sentences give us a strong visual image of what the rest of the poem is about. â€Å"Ten to make and a match to win† is similar to that of a game of cricket, and as in cricket, it gives a certain tension of the stakes, to win the match. Prelude’s â€Å"With smells of steaks in passageways† gives us a vision of a lonely passageway, with smells of steaks suggests that the person the author is describing could possibly be an outcast of society, wondering around the streets in evening. Vitae Lampada goes further into describing itself. â€Å"And It’s not for the sake of a ribboned coat, or the selfish hope of a season’s fame.† -immediately tells us that what they are encountering in their match, what they need to win, is not a one man team, but rather the whole team working as one. Not for personal glory but for much higher stakes, for the entire team. Preludes now introduces a picture of a low, dirty place. â€Å"The grimy scraps, of withered leaves about your feet.† A grimy place, a dirty place, somewhere that is not well maintained, with stray withered leaves across the floor. The next few lines† The showers beat on broken blinds and chimney pots.† Once again an image of a badly maintained place, with rain beating on broken pots that are left behind. On the whole, a negative image. Vitae Lampada, is also setting in a negative image, an image of lost hope and despair. â€Å"The sand of the desert is sodden red -Red with the wreck of a square that broke;† A square, in this case is referring to a formation of troops. Sir Henry Newbolt is comparing the aspect of war, with a game of cricket and this extended metaphor has worked exceedingly well in managing to contrast and yet bring the two closer together. Sodden red suggests that a great many soldiers have died and their blood spilled across the battlefield. The next two lines, add deeper to the feeling of despair. â€Å"The gatling’s jammed and the colonel dead, And the regiment blind with dust and smoke† The soldiers that Sir Henry Newbolt is referring to here is not in a bright situation, with their guns jammed, and their leader (colonel) dead, and the entire regiment of them blind in the dust and smoke, it is indeed apparent that a deep feeling of desolation is introduced. And, as in Preludes, a negative image is painted. Revolving around time appears to be the main theme in Preludes. The start of the second stanza â€Å"the morning comes to consciousness,† lets us know that the morning has come, after the evening in the first stanza. And time is also in the fourth stanza â€Å"the conscience of a blackened street.† could possibly mean after dark. And a few lines before, four and five and six o’clock suggests that time is moving quickly. The final stanza of Vitae Lampada uses a few † strong words† possibly to reinforce it’s meaning. â€Å"Every one of her sons must hear, and none that hears it dare forget.† Her sons, this of course, means the country’s people and the strong word â€Å"must† hear, hear the patriotism perhaps? And â€Å"dare† forget. â€Å"dare† is a strong word, a threat even. Threatening them to remember their loyalty, and to never forget it. Vitae Lampada’s last few lines, bring a sudden contrast, compared to the rest of the poem. The second stanza is an image of despair, but here, the final touch to the sense of patriotism is added. â€Å"Bear through life like a torch in flame, and falling fling to the host behind.† This sentence carries a great deal of meaning to the main theme of the poem. Bear through life like a torch in flame suggests that these troops, instead of hopelessness, now carry a symbol, a beacon of light. The torch, could be as a baton is passed on in a game of relay. â€Å"As falling fling to the host behind†. When a soldier falls in battle, his effort is not lost, not wasted, but instead, passed on to those behind, as they march forward, with the flaming torch. These two poems have indeed, very different ideas and themes, but they both have several things in common. For a start, both Preludes and Vitae Lampada use time description to allow the reader a window in which to see the rest of the poem. Both are describing, metaphorically, aspects of life. And they both, to an extent, use negative images to describe, to paint their visual images to the reader.

Illegal immigration in the US

Illegal immigration in the US Illegal immigration is one of the main disasters of the USA. One of the main problems connected with the immigration is Mexico and its border. The Mexico illegal immigrants remain one of the most devastating problems of the USA. One of the main problems which the USA considers as important is illegal job positions. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Illegal immigration in the US specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the situation may be considered from another side. The USA is full of Mexican immigrants because they remain in demand in the country. If US employees were not interested in Mexican workers, the illegal immigrants would leave to another county. Therefore, the battle with illegal immigrants should start with either understanding the necessity of the immigration policy change or with making more severe the conditions for those who employ illegal immigrants. The problem is rather controversial and deserves much attention. Immigrants are different, however, there are many cases when illegal immigrants bring more good for the society in comparison with those who are the native citizens of the country. I like the offer of John F. Kavanaugh who is sure that illegal Mexican citizens should be offered the legal positions if they work and bring profit to the country. Of course, such offer is too general and immigration law should be changed in this way. It is important to think about the details of the changes to make sure that only those immigrants are offered legal placement who are really useful to the country. Those immigrants who managed to find jobs and bring profit to the American society should become the respected citizens of this country. Mexican immigrants are numerous in the USA. Many reasons make these people come to this country. Most of Mexicans come to the USA to protect themselves and give better lives to their children. There are those who hide from the police and other r easons why Mexicans appear in the USA. Of course, the changes are necessary and having the prohibition law and the measures aimed at reducing the number of illegal immigrants from Mexico, USA becomes the country of residence of many illegal immigrants. One of the main reasons of this situation is the necessity of American employees in illegal workers. The level of fines is too high, however, employees still continue hiring illegal immigrants as these people are ready to work for lower salaries and there is no need to pay for these people taxes. The situation may be corrected on by the changes in immigration policy. If people want to become the citizens of the USA, they are to prove that the USA needs these people. Having found the job and having shown that a person works for the benefit of the USA, he/she may be accepted as the deserving member of the US society. There are a lot of cases when illegal immigrants bring more profit to the USA than its legal citizens, native inhabitant s. Advertising Looking for essay on ethnicity studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The changes in the immigration law may help open the doors to those who really need it. However, the police should pay attention to the fact that the number of those who do not bring any profit and just create additional problems may increase. Therefore, the changes should be made with regard to the negative effect and only with the agreement of the police structures who are gong to be responsible for maintaining order.

Elaine Pagels - Biblical Scholar, Expert in Gnosticism

Elaine Pagels - Biblical Scholar, Expert in Gnosticism Known for: books on Gnosticism and early Christianity Occupation: writer, professor, Biblical scholar, feminist.   Harrington Spear Paine Professor of Religion at Princeton University. Received a MacArthur Fellowship (1981).Dates: February 13, 1943 -Also known as: Elaine Hiesey Pagels Elaine Pagels Biography: Born in California on February 13, 1943, as Elaine Hiesey, married to Heinz Pagels, theoretical physicist, 1969. Elaine Pagels graduated from Stanford University (B.A. 1964, M.A. 1965) and, after briefly studying dance at Martha Grahams studio, began studying for her Ph.D. at Harvard University, where she was part of a team studying the Nag Hammadi scrolls, documents found in 1945 that shed light on early Christian debates on theology and practice. Elaine Pagels received her Ph.D. from Harvard in 1970, then began to teach at Barnard College in that same year.   At Barnard, she became the head of the religion department in 1974. In  1979 her book based on her work with the Nag Hammadi scrolls, The Gnostic Gospels, sold 400,000 copies and won numerous awards and acclaim. In this book, Elaine Pagels asserted that the differences between the gnostics and the orthodox Christians was more about politics and organization than theology.   She was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 1981.   In 1982, Pagels joined Princeton University as a professor of early Christian history.  Aided by the MacArthur grant, she researched and wrote  Adam, Eve, and the Serpent, which documented the shift in Christian history when Christians began to focus on a meaning of the Genesis story which stressed the sinfulness of human nature and sexuality. In 1987, Pagels son Mark died, after years of illness. The following year her husband, Heinz, died in a hiking accident. In part out of those experiences, she began working on the research leading to The Origin of Satan. Elaine Pagels has continued to research and write about the theological shifts and battles within earlier Christianity. Her book, The Origin of Satan, published in 1995, is dedicated to her two children, David and Sarah, and in 1995 Pagels married Kent Greenawalt, a law professor at Columbia University. Her Biblical work is both well-received as accessible and insightful, and criticized as making too much of marginal issues and too unorthodox. In both The Gnostic Gospels and Adam, Eve, and the Serpent, Elaine Pagels examines the way that women have been viewed in Christian history, and thus these texts have been important in the feminist study of religion. The Origins of Satan is not so explicitly feminist. In that work, Elaine Pagels shows the way that the figure Satan became a way for Christians to demonize their religious opponents, the Jews and the unorthodox Christians. Her 2003 book,  Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas , contrasts the Gospel of John with the Gospel of Thomas. She makes the argument that the Gospel of John was written to counter the gnostic ideas, especially about Jesus, and was adopted as canonical instead of the Gospel of Thomas because it fit better with the viewpoint of the other three gospels.   Her 2012 book, Revelations: Visions, Prophecy and Politics in the Book of Revelation, takes on the often controversial New Testament book.   She notes that there were many books of revelation circulating, both Jewish and  Christian, and that only this one was included in the Biblical canon.   She sees it as directed to the general public, to warn them about the war between the Jews and Rome that was then in progress, and assuring that it would turn out with the creation of a New Jerusalem. Cultural Impact Some have posited that the publication of The Gnostic Gospels inspired a more popular culture interest in gnosticism and hidden threads in Christianity, including the famous The Da Vinci Code novel by Dan Brown. Places: Palo Alto, California; New York; Princeton, New Jersey; United States Religion: Episcopalian. Awards: Among her prizes and awards: National Book Award, 1980; MacArthur Prize Fellowship, 1980-85. Major Works: The Gnostic Gospels. 1979. (compare prices) Adam, Eve and the Serpent. 1987. (compare prices) The Johannine Gospel in Gnostic Exegesis. 1989. The Gnostic Pau: Gnostic Exegesis of the Pauline Letters. 1992. The Origin of Satan. 1995. (compare prices) Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas. 2003. (compare prices) Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity.  Co-author Karen L. King. 2003. Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation. 2012.

General Concepts and Variables Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

General Concepts and Variables Assignment - Essay Example . Read the examples of studies that have then in the email addresses or search in a newspaper or magazine a report of a study and answer the following questions. Internet usability http://www.uberbin.net/archivos/estrategias/usabilidad-los-hombres-lo-prefieren-rapido-las-mujeres-mejor.php Purchase Online Travel http://isabelvazquez.com/2009/02/10/la-compra-de-viajes-por-internet/ a. Research question Is there gender differences in web usability criteria? b. Research Questions Do the majority (82%) prefer specialized web sites compared to traditional Agencies when informing and purchasing travel notes in Spanish network? c. Population and sample Population is Internet users (Men and women using the internet) d. Say if it is an example of descriptive and inferential statistics. Purchase online travel is an example of inferential statistics The internet usability case is an example of inferential statistics 3. Select which of the following options can be defined as variable: a. The number of women enrolled in Sec 4 of Mat210 Not a variable b. The grade point average of the students of the USC Variable