Life’s Fragility free essay sample

He lay there, immobilized, while blood flowed down his arms and pooled in his hands. The concrete parking lot was not an ideal resting spot, but apparently he had no choice. I noticed his gray hair was taking on a reddish tone. He must have hit his head, I thought. I saw him fall. My mom and I were driving through the grocery store parking lot around 9 o’clock on a Tuesday night. A plastic bag in either hand, he exited the store. I saw him struggling to find his car. I looked away, probably engaging in some banter with my mom. I looked back and saw him fall hard on his back. A woman in her mid-twenties, the only other person around, rushed over. I saw him struggling to regain consciousness. The woman darted into the store for help. My mom stopped the car and we ran over just as the store employees arrived. We will write a custom essay sample on Life’s Fragility or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He tried to get to his feet, but instead fell painfully on his face. My mom managed to help him up as he struggled to regain his balance. â€Å"Do you know this man?† the store owner asked. â€Å"Yes,† Mom replied. â€Å"He’s her father.† She was referring to me, of course; the elderly man was my dad. I was standing next to a man whom I had not seen or heard from in almost a year. How could I be his daughter? I thought. I noticed his footing was still unstable as he began to laugh. A fierce smell of alcohol exuded from his mouth. He recognized me, at least, but his words were so slurred I had no clue what he was trying to say. Honestly, I didn’t care. He had hurt me more than humanly possible and now I was supposed to listen to his drunken rambling? We drove him home. My eyes filled with tears. Apparently, I actually cared about the guy. That night I could not stop crying as the scene played over and over in my head. The vivid pictures still appear a year later. As we entered the unlocked door to his apartment, I noticed the kitchen. A pizza lay half-eaten on the stove. Empty pill bottles covered the counter. A bottle of vodka sat in the sink, and the trash was loaded with beer cans. As a matter of fact, the entire place reeked of beer. The living room carpet was so stained, I was unsure of its original color. A DVD player, which I gave him for Christmas, lay unopened on his filthy couch. I continued to explore his place since I had not been here since elementary school. In the bedroom, I opened his closet and found a huge pile of clothes on the floor. What happened to my dad? Where was I when he went through this horrible transformation? Could I have helped? I have only seen my dad a few times since that day. The first was at the hospital. He supposedly had what they call an alcoholic seizure. He recovered, as always. The next time was Christmas. Instead of being inundated with expensive, unwanted gifts, I received nothing from him, not even a card. I remember the last time I saw him as clearly I see these words forming in front of my eyes. He was moving to Florida and my mom, being the nice person she is, offered to help him pack. I unwillingly came along. It started out like so many of their fights: he refused to admit he was an alcoholic. I don’t remember exactly what was said, but I remember how it felt. He began cursing. The excruciating sound of those words filled my ears. I couldn’t take it. My dad, who did absolutely nothing to help me in my life, started verbally abusing the only person who has always been there for me. I started crying and quickly exited the apartment, slamming the screen door. â€Å"See, you got what you wanted,† he yelled at my mom as I was leaving. That was the last sentence I heard him speak. When I’m asked who influenced my life the most, I’m expected to say my mom or my grandma – someone who has actually been there for me. But instead, I think of the person who only made an impact on my life during this last year, and not a good one either. He made me see life in a whole new light. That line is cheesy, I know, and it’s probably used by thousands of high school seniors attempting to write the most heartfelt essay, but I don’t know how else to explain it. I was hurt. I hated him for a time. I even occasionally pitied him. However, I have never regretted having him as my father. He showed me the dangerous side of alcohol, so I will never end up like him. His troubles made me realize the fragility of life. That night I saw him for what he had become and I’m a better person because of it.

I know that the sun will rise tomorrow morning Essay Example

I know that the sun will rise tomorrow morning Essay Example I know that the sun will rise tomorrow morning Paper I know that the sun will rise tomorrow morning Paper How is it that I am so sure of this one statement to be absolutely true, without question? Perhaps my personal experience can be held responsible, or my indefinite ability to rationalize and subconsciously conduct legitimate reasoning. The puzzling question still remains, however, unanswered. One of the most amazing gifts given to us human beings was the ability to see. Our eye, the most complex organ in our bodies except for our brains, is said to contribute towards 85% of our total knowledge. Because of our capability to see, we see the sun raised high above the horizon every morning. Mind you, this is every single morning. Couldnt this be counted as factual proof that the sun will rise tomorrow? During the past 16 years of my life, I have never encountered a day when the sun had not risen to welcome me for another, beautiful, granted day. Nor has any other human being, dead or alive. I think it is safe to say that lifes processes, its patterns, this one anyway, will not change for another zillion years to come. Take note, I am not suggesting that I know the sun will keep on rising every morning. I am merely stating the fact that I know the sun will rise tomorrow morning. Inductive reasoning allows me to come to this very conclusion. Because of my own experience with the sun, added with experience of every single human being that has/is tread/treading this planet, I can conclude that the sun will rise tomorrow morning. David Hume, a Scottish philosopher, once stated, Induction is based on experience. The most straightforward way to approach this statement would be the use of scientific evidence. Scientists have concluded that, instead of the planets and the sun rotating around the Earth (like medieval, religious philosophers had concluded), the Earth, along with all the other planets in the solar system, rotate around the Sun. The reason why we see the sun every single day can be explained by the relationship between the Sun and the Earth. Because of the Earth tilt (23. 5 Degrees), the fact that the Earth rotates within itself, and the fact that the Earth, while rotating within itself, orbits the sun, the suns rays only hit half of the Earth at once. We are, half of the day, exposed not to the suns rays, and the other half exposed to the suns rays, which creates day, and night, inevitably. This is exactly why the North and South Poles are always blanketed over a think layer of ice, for it doesnt get exposed to the suns powerful rays as much as other places do on the face of the Earth (in fact they dont get exposed to sunlight for 6 months during the period of one year, but that can be explained logically by angles the positioning of the Earth). Hence, depending on where you are on the Earth, the times at which the sun will rise will differ, but the sun will always rise no matter where you are. Rational accounting and science can help us proceed closer to that shaded answer in the distance, whilst providing even more evidence to prove that the sun will rise tomorrow morning. Human beings constantly question everyday transactions, whether that is a certain action, or a sentence long statement. The ability to question our inner thoughts is crucial, for it is what makes us human. No other animal can rationalize like we do. For this matter, we must question the belief that the sun will rise tomorrow morning. How may we come to refute this belief? One may have learned in Mathematics class, that the probability of something occurring is never zero. The word never, in this context, is perfect because it is certainly never. So why, one may ask, that with the suns detrimental 6000 degrees-Celsius core, is it said that the sun will not explode in our life time, let alone tomorrow? Scientists say that it will happen during the course of 5~6 billion years from now. Wouldnt tomorrow be included within the time span of during the course of 5~6 billion years from now? Hence, what would the probability of the sun exploding before sunrise tomorrow morning be? All we know is this: Certainly not 0%. The number could be very close to zero, but it will not be zero. That alone is enough evidence to refute the simple belief that the sun will rise tomorrow morning. Who knows if the sun will be sucked mercilessly into the dark hells of the black hole? It probably wont happen, but it could. This is inevitable. Another slight possibility is that the media was lying to us the whole time. Sure, the media lies to us viewers all the time, whether that is through domestic complications, and/or patriotic cover-ups (weve seen this innumerable times during the course of our history). How do we know that we have been lied to all this time about the suns existence? Who knows, maybe all the governments in the world came together and decided to plant a massive, ultra-beam satellite into the skies, and with one switch of a button, the light rays could be switched off just like a light bulb. Now the possibility of this being the truth is incredibly low, as many would agree, but is definitely not zero, for we civilians have never looked up there to see for ourselves if thats the ultimate truth or not. I know the sun will rise tomorrow morning. However, there are other things in life we think we know, but if thought about thoroughly, can be easily questioned. Thus it is important for us to analyze how we came to know such fundamental, but fascinating verities. Many forces that have come from our society, our experience, our instinct, have influenced us to become knowers of particular beliefs, or ideas. These forces can ultimately shape who we really are, and what we indisputably know.

Analysis Of Coleridge Jackson

Coleridge Jackson Coleridge Jackson was a story poem written by American black woman Maya Angelou, born April 4, 1928, living in a struggle for black equality. My boss, I think this poem is written to support and sympathize with equal pace of black Americans. The first line is very powerful and puts the image of Koleridge in the head of the reader as soon as the sentence is turned into a sentence. The phrase There is nothing to worry about Coleridge Jackson is limited, and objection can not. An analysis of the rhythm of ancient crewmen of Ancient sailor frost by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is a long poem about the supernatural activities of sea crew and their crew. This work is the original of Lyrical Ballads, two books created by William Wordsworth and Coleridge. Wordsworth intends to make ordinary people into an exceptional appearance in his work and Coleridge's goal is to make this exceptional lineup normal. Fog .. was first published Critical Analysis of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Colleric William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge were first released in the UK in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Writing movement for outdoor philosophy. Wordsworth and ST Cole Ridge are often considered pioneers of the British Romantic Movement but their collective theology and philosophy are often criticized but they are often criticized by writers because of their excellent fame as a poet It is seldom to be taken to. General Efforts ... The literary romantic era from 1798 to 1832 was the era for the literary style of the 18th century. This period is full of poets who devoted faith to their work and poetry, such as William Wordsworth, a very famous romantic poet of this era. In contrast, during the Victorian era, the poets wrote about their environment and had a pessimistic view of life. In 1797 and 1798, he lived in Somerset's Netherstoy, now known Coleridge Cottage, and was the most productive in Coleridge's life. In 1795, Coleridge met the poet William W ordsworth and his sister Dorothy. (Wordsworth visited him and was fascinated by the surrounding environment and borrowed Alfoxton Park, three miles away.) Coleridge also wrote the iconic poem Kubla Khan, Coleridge in addition to the ancient sailor Rime . I insist on insisting - as a result of the opium's dream, in delusion; and the first part of poet Cristabell. The writing of Kubura Khan on the legendary palace of the Emperor Mongolian Emperor Kubrai Khan and Ksarayi is said to have been interrupted by the advent of Pollock - it has been modified in various scientific contexts. Novel and Lolita of Nabokov

Captivity Narrative Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Captivity Narrative - Assignment Example My memory has not made me any justice yet, I could not recollect how I had gotten into this mess. The door opened, creakily. My heart beat fast, my tongue stuck as a huge figure, roughly six feet tall entered, probably male. The dark hood over his head ensured anonymity. The light that shone from the corridor made him even scarier. Slowly, it began to dawn on me. Walking from school, I had decided to use a shorter route to get home. My friend was a guest that day on a popular TV show so I got home earlier and catch up everything he said. Passing through this alley that was deserted and lonely, my instinct was spooked. However, the wave of excitation was stronger than it, so I proceeded. After all, the home was just a few meters away. I didn’t see anyone. He was quick and effective. How he carried me to this location is a mystery I am yet to unravel. But judging from the figure that stood at the door, it was easy to work for him. He had water and bread slices. He threw them at me, and since my choices were limited I ate as much as I could. I had no slightest idea what he wanted from me. Neither was he in a hurry to tell me He left and came back in approximately half an hour, accompanied by another man, a little shorter with an untidy mustache. He asked for my parent's contact and I obliged, then thinking it was a kidnap for ransom. I was threatened that if they didn’t cooperate I would be tortured, that death only wasn’t good enough for them. That is when they got my full attention. I am a sucker for pain and that idea sent wild ideas in my head, I thought of an escape but my options were just wild. Two hours later they came back, and this time around, there were in no mood of talking. The shorter guy started yelling angrily, his face turning red. Apparently, the contacts I had given him were not the ones he wanted, I tried explaining myself but from with my dry throat, I could only mumble few words. He didn’t care kicks and blows rained at an astounding speed. Initially, I tried to resist, but it was useless. I resigned to just sheltering my face. My initial screams were reduced to just mere whimpers as I became numb and number, and finally passing out.

The law and the media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The law and the media - Essay Example When defamation is established, there is a legal presumption of deceptiveness (Defamation). A report by the Washington post related to a weight lifting coach, Mr. Bob Hoffman stated that the coach sold valueless protein supplements called Hoffman’s high protein tablets. The article also clearly depicted that Hoffman also drove a Rolls Royce car and many of his athletes were discovered later to be using the banned anabolic steroids. Hoffman sued the newspaper stating that the news gave an impression that he supplemented himself by selling the protein tablets. The newspaper made counterclaims that the statements they collected were from individuals and there is no case of defamation. The law of defamation fully states or recognizes that truth is a complete defense, but defamation cases which are not direct, as in the above case always smudge the line between truth and fabrication. An article which is factually correct will omit or may imply falsely a material fact that will make the article harmful like a truly false report. Even though the weight lifting coach sold p rotein enriched tablets to his athletes, the fact that it contained anabolic steroids had no evidential support. The newspaper had published the article without undergoing scientific trials to establish the truth of their claim. Therefore the article was truly a case of defamation. Even courts have struggled to give a clear and true verdict to this matter. The media cannot defend false statements as facts. It is also not possible to defend on the basis of an omitted fact. The case of defamation against Mr. Hoffman is a true case of defamation because the newspaper has published false statement that caused loss of name and reputation for the coach in front of the public. The media should not use its influence and coverage to gain undue weightage among its readers by publishing defamatory articles (Cohn). Privacy can

Management and Steel Industry Essay Example for Free

Management and Steel Industry Essay 1. List and elaborate some strategic issues facing NUCOR. Key strategic issues challenging NUCOR include legislation related to climate change, fluctuating cost and supply of iron ore and scrap steel, increasing amount of steel imports, production technology improvements and economic weakness. Changes in legislation could have severe impacts on the firm’s numerous production facilities and could be costly to become compliant. The fluctuations in both the cost and supply of iron ore and scrap steel directly impact the firm’s profitability because it is difficult to pass those costs on to the customers due to the price-driven level of competition in the steel industry. The rise of low cost steel imports increases the domestic U.S. supply which puts pressure on NUCOR. The firm must stay at the front of technological advances for the production and processing of steel in order to stay competitive. Common for many firms and industries, economic weakness is an issue that challenges NUCOR’s strategy because it can impact the demand for its reputable high quality steel products. 2. What are the key elements of NUCOR’s low cost strategy? What factors have helped NUCOR achieve a low cost position? Key strategy elements for NUCOR: Conservative financial strength Team-based culture and decentralized operations Vertical integration Diversification Innovation – information technology, speed of design process Close proximity to important customers Financially stable employees – higher than average wages and non-discretionary incentive programs Employee empowerment Honesty and openness within the company No employee lay-offs Factors that have contributed to NUCOR’s low cost position: Strong, long-term relationships with outside parties for services such as research and development, purchasing recommendations, advertising, public relations, and  legal or environmental regulation compliance Stepping away from the steel industry’s tradition of equalized freight and offering all customers the sales terms of price plus actual shipping costs Not offering customers volume discounts Fleet of nearly 150 trucks for product delivery Vertical integration from joist manufacturing into steel production Steel production utilizing mini-mill technology Holding workstations responsible for identifying bottlenecks to increase efficiency Sophisticated computer program is used to compute accurate bids Improvements in the melting and casting processes for steel production including â€Å"continuous casters† Flat organizational hierarchy 3. Please apply Porter’s Five Forces model to the steel industry. While doing so, clearly identify who is behind each force and what the impact is of each force on the profitability of the industry (high/medium/low). At the end, also provide a summary of all the five forces and propose whether you think the steel industry is attractive or not. The bargaining power of buyers is high due to minimal product differentiation, low switching costs, excess capacity of steel production and large volume purchases. The threat of substitutes is medium because substitutes such as aluminum and plastic would not provide equivalent strength and durability but could still serve the same purpose as steel. The bargaining power of suppliers is low primarily due to the product being a commodity, high ratio of imported raw materials, and low switching costs. The threat of new entrants is low due to the trend toward consolidation and high amount of capital required to establish production/processing facilities capable of achieving economies of scale. Rivalry is intense because the steel industry is mature with little differentiation among products and mergers both in the U.S. and across the globe creating giant companies with deep pockets. Generally speaking, I think the steel industry is unattractive primarily due to its maturity, significant capital requirements and intense price-based competition that ultimately lead to low profitability. 4. What are NUCOR’s resources and capabilities? Resources: Team-based organizational culture Alliances with outside parties for support services Joint ventures with Physical locations of plants in proximity to key customers Loyal employees comprised of production workers, department heads, support and administrative staff, and senior management Innovative mini-mill technology Own fleet of nearly 150 trucks for distribution Computer program to generate bids Plants, mills, equipment, and machinery Reputation Financial capital Capabilities: Management’s philosophy and leadership skills Successful quality control process Flat organizational hierarchy and incentive program that keeps the workforce cooperative and productive Acquisition management Multidivisional coordination Speed of design process 5. Elaborate on some of the key lessons you have learnt from the case analysis. The most significant lesson I learned from this case analysis is that management style and culture can be key to being competitive. These really are the two things that will give NUCOR sustainable competitive advantage  because they are the most difficult to find and imitate. Building such an impressive employee loyalty takes time and cannot be replicated easily. In addition, the minimization of the corporate bureaucracy is something that makes employees at all levels feel comfortable and as if they are part of a family. I think there are many companies, including the one I work for that could really benefit from adopting this management style.

Television and Media - Variety in TV Shows :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Variety in Television Shows There are many different television shows today, practically one for every person in the family. Comedies, dramas, action-adventure all these different forums of television, but they all seem to be about the same people. Threw all the different verity of shows on TV all the characters have common similarities with each other. They are mostly composed of white people and the upper class. Even if the show claims to be about the working class the characters are usually never seen working or even warring about money, they also never have a problem paying rent or buying new clothes. This gives a false image of the working class. The lack of a divers cast also misleads the audience the black population is expected to outnumber the white population in this country by the year 2009. Yet all major television stations don't have many if ant minority in their shows. This leaves most of America's people unrepresentative on television. If these stations where trying to portray the middle class they did not do so in an affective manor. Looking at the show "friends" the whole cast is composed of white actors and never has a minority ever been represented in the show. All the characters have jobs but are never seen at them, occasionally we see Monica in the kitchen where she works, or Rachel in the Coffey shop doing anything but work. Even with the unusual appearance at work the characters still seem to have great apartments and seem fashionably beautiful. "Friend" is one of the most popular shows on television today. How is that possible, the answer is that executives who write and produce the shows have no idea what its really like for young adults in society today. They assume things about the American public and pass it on as the real thing. This in turn is digested by the American public and watched because theirs nothing else that is entertaining enough to keep their attention the reason why television shows seem the same is because they are made and produced by the same people with a formula that i s followed by others. Look at the show "Will and Grace" it seems to have broken the mold of the usual sitcom.

Community Health Advocacy Essay

The aspects of community and aggregate are closely connected and people tend to use the terms interchangeably. The best way to explain the difference between the two concepts is by examples to differentiate and get a clearer understanding of the difference between the two concepts. This paper will define aggregate and community giving a brief support from current literature. The paper will also examine and give the differences between the two terms plus describe and identify the chosen aggregate based on the health issue of heart disease. The Christoffel’s three stages of a conceptual framework for advocacy will be described. Then each stage as an aggregate selected is described. Community and Aggregate Terms Defines In community health care nursing, aggregate is defined as the whole population, which is being used to describe a given environment. The term aggregate is used to refer or define a group of people in a society who are believed to have similar or common problems and challenges in their life. These people should share similar characteristics and also they should be living in the same area. The group which is to be described should be suffering from the same medical or health care problem and should be in search of similar medication or health care services. Aggregate in nursing setting literally is defined as the entire, whole, or the sum of a given group with similar problems, (Nies & McEwen, 2010). Differences Between Aggregate and Community There are those people who use the term community when referring to aggregate. Aggregate and community are two different concepts but are closely connected. Community in nursing health care setting is used to refer to the general population in a given area. A community is the entire  population that includes the sick and healthy population. When discussing about the aggregate, we refer to the population, which is experiencing a health condition along with those who are responsible of taking care of the group that are sick. The entire population that comprise of healthy and sick in the society is referred to as the community, (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2009). Identified Aggregate and Description as a health Issue There are those people who use the term community and the term aggregate to refer to the same thing or to mean something the same. There stand significant differences between the term community and the term aggregate. When we talk of aggregate, we are referring to a population, which has similar medical problems or challenges and live in the same region or geographical area. For the community, it’s the general population that involves the sick and those who are not sick. In this case, Adults suffering from heart disease in Illinois is an aggregate population that is used to define the current health care challenges. In the state of Illinois, specifically the Sangamon county community, evidence shows that heart disease is the number one reason for death of adults in the entire state of Illinois and in Sangamon county (Illinois Department of Public Health [IDPH], 2010). Christoffel’s Three Stages of a Conceptual Framework for Advocacy Christoffel’s three stages for advocacy include information, strategy, and action. The stages take place concurrently. The first stage, information, includes naming, describing, and measuring the public health problem. The second stage, strategy, involves using the information in the first stage to develop a plan of action for the promotion of public health. The stage includes. This stage involves the communication of information to the public and health care professionals. Groups can then be assembled to focus on the issue and plan needed changes. Strategies can include public education messages, campaigns, and press conferences. This action may involve fund raising, persuading individuals to change their lives, and legislation involvement. To achieve action, changes in mindsets, behaviors, and resource provision. Public health advocacy transpires at two levels: the individual/family level and in the larger community level (Christoffel,  2000). Advocacy that focuses on the interpersonal or intrapersonal level is frequently referred to as patient advocacy. Patient advocacy involves any â€Å"activity that benefits a patient† (Torrey, 2010). It can apply individual patient care, groups that develop policies, and legislation changes to improve the health care system for patients. There are many examples of patient advocacy organizations, which include government groups such as the Center for Disease Control, American Heart Association, and individual patient advocates who act as healthcare assistants (Torrey, 2010). Applying Each Stage as an advocate for the Aggregate The first stage in the Christoffel’s advocacy framework talks about the information factor. The information names, describes, and measures the public health problem. When discussing the issue of heart disease. This stage can be used to describe the disease process, the risk factors involved, and it’s complications. During this stage, the private sector or the government sector get involved so as to develop the research needed that can be used to measure the public health problem. Evidence shows that this stage is relevant simply because it assists develop all statistical information and results that are suitable in order to address the advocacy challenge. The first stage in Christoffel’s advocacy framework is to develop a research on heart disease within the society. This stage will help develop relevant information on the mortality rate related to heart disease and/or its complications (Christoffel, 2000). The second stage in Christoffel’s advocacy framework is the stage of strategy. Having collected relevant information about the problem of health care issue, the second stage helps work on the information so as to understand the problem completely. In this stage, the central idea is to get results that will help come up with some strategies on how to approach the health problem. Experts in respective fields translate the research findings so that proper results are developed to develop a plan of action (Christoffel, 2011). The third stage in Christoffel’s advocacy framework is the stage of action. Strategies, which are developed in the second stage on how to handle the  health issue are implemented and monitored in the final stage of Christoffel’s advocacy framework (Christoffel, 2011). It is alleged that when strategies in stage two are implemented and monitored they provide the best results in respect to the health care environment, (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2009). Public health messages on the news and posters can help educate the community about heart disease. There are also local physicians who provide free learning seminars on specific diseases. Raising funds to help with campaign measures can also be implemented during this stage. Legislation can be educated on the health issue to convince policy makers to get involved. The main part of this stage is action. The goal is to influence people to change specific habits that will reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Conclusion The aspects of community and aggregate are closely connected, and in most cases a lot of people tend to use them interchangeably. These two terms are used interchangeably, but they have different meanings. There are those people who use the term community and the term aggregate to refer to the same thing or to mean something the same. There stand significant differences between the term community and the term aggregate. Aggregate is the populations that has similar health problems and are seeking similar health care services, but the community is the entire population that carries the sick and the healthy. The use of Christoffel’s advocacy framework helps solve a problem in accordance. References: Christoffel, K. (2011). Public health Advocacy: Process and Product. American Journal of Public Health Illinois Department of Public Health. (2010). Leading causes of death, Illinois, 2010. Retrieved from http://www.idph.state.il.us/health/bdmd/leadingdeaths10.htm Nies, M. (Mary Albrecht), & McEwen, M. (2010). Community/public health nursing: promoting the health of populations. Elsevier/Saunders Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2009). Foundations of nursing in the community: community-oriented practice. Mosby/Elsevier

Judith Beveridge’s Poetry Essay

An inherent tension between nature and the material world is revealed in the imagery of Judith Beveridge’s poetry. Discuss the significance by referring to three poems. Judith Beveridge poetry reveals an inherent tension between nature and the material world. She questions human’s ability to understand and be connected to nature, examines human’s destructive power over nature and demonstrates the changing nature of the world from natural to materialistic. This is represented in her poems, Mulla Bulla Beach, Fox in the Tree Stump and Streets of Chippendale. Judith Beveridge’s poetry examines the ability of humans or the materialistic world to be interconnected with nature. In the poem Mulla Bulla Beach she examines a human’s ability to be part of nature, particularly from an outsiders perspective. She states â€Å" A new world to me, but familiar†, demonstrating how she can be related to nature. She also examines an insiders perspective on the beach, in particular the fisherman, stating â€Å" who are born hearing the sea always there† She examines how the fisherman have become part of the natural rhythm demonstrating how humans can be part of nature, and the tension between the material world and nature does not need to exist. She uses many similes to link humans or human objects to nature for example â€Å"Jellyfish clear as surgical gloves† and â€Å" tide winded shells pacing quietly as shore runners†. These similes demonstrate how humans can not only understand but also be part of the natural rhythm. This is also seen in Judith’s poem, The Fox in a Tree Stump. Judith examines how the child feels a connection to the fox and its innocent nature stating, â€Å" Fox hairs of dust sweated in my palms† although, this connection does not overpower the fear of her uncle, so she kills the fox. This demonstrates that although humans may feel connected to nature although this does not prevent them from destroying aspects of nature. Judith Beveridge examines the inherent tension between nature and the material world by examining a human’s ability to understand nature.

Blood Brothers by Willy Russell Essays

Blood Brothers by Willy Russell Essays Blood Brothers by Willy Russell Essay Blood Brothers by Willy Russell Essay Essay Topic: Literature On the 20th October 2010, we went to watch ‘Blood Brothers’. Written by Willy Russell, the story is a gripping, emotional and sometimes comical tale of twin brothers from Liverpool who are separated at birth due to the financial desperation of their single mother. Brought up in completely different social backgrounds, their birth mother’s obsessive attempts at keeping her sons from discovering each other lead to a tragic conclusion. I was really surprised how they started the play with a flashback but it worked well, it made me realise that the play is going to have a tragic ending. It also engaged me to want to watch the play and find out what happens further on into the story. It allowed me as the audience to feel sympathy for the characters without knowing them. My favourite actor was Sean Jones who played the part of Mickey. This is because I really enjoyed how he acted like a seven year old, he used his enthusiasm clearly to make his acting realistic and believable. He portrayed this by using his body language and facial expressions effectively. He was really successful in showing he was upset and arrogant when he wasn’t allowed to play outside, which is originally what a real seven year old would do. Sean Jones used his levels effectively to present himself as a seven year old. When his mother told him he wasn’t allowed to go outside, he immediately fell to the floor to show sadness. He also made sure he was engaging with the audience by using facial expressions. One effective facial expression, I personally thought was good was when he dropped his face in an exaggerated way like a child would do if they were sad. His voice was loud and confident to show that Mickey was able to speak his mind, and slightly high pitched to present his age. Sean also showed a shy side of Mickey when he was around Linda. He showed this by placing his hands in his pockets and looking away as if he was embarrassed. When Mickey was depressed, Sean presented him clearly and effectively. He showed Mickey was depressed by slowing his voice and making it seem slightly slurred. Even though his voice was quite slurred he still kept it loud and understandable. Sean also showed anger by shouting and steeping forward in a threatening way. He was at the front of the stage to make him seem closer to the audience; I think this was to show he was superior and dominant and felt like he had control over the situation. The other actor I favoured was Nikki Evans who played Mrs. Johnstone because I thought she had a very powerful voice. I think she showed a motherly side to all the children throughout the play. The scene I thought she was effective in was when she gave Edward the locket and she came down to his level. She previously acts quite vicious and keeps on shouting at him, but to me makes it clear she is protecting Mickey and Edward. Both movement and voice were used successfully by this actor, showing Mrs Johnstone was tired and worn out from having a quite stressful life. This therefore made me feel quite sympathetic for her because she clearly couldn’t manage another child and had no choice to give Edward to Mrs Lyons. In the play I didn’t like the one character, Edward played by Paul Davies because I feel like the actor didn’t change much from a 7 year old to a much older person. Unlike Sean, Paul didn’t put as much energy into his movement around the stage. The scene I really didn’t like which involved him was the shooting scene as he didn’t make his acting seem dramatic instead he was more boring and dull. He could have improved this scene by using his body language to portray his innocence and weakness. His facial expression didn’t change much unlike Mickey because he was just having a same face, and not changing. For example when Sean Jones said the ‘f’ word Paul Davies had a little bit of a shocked face but not much. The scene I thought was most effective was when Mickey and Edward first meet and become ‘Blood Brothers’. I like this moment because I find that it’s really sweet and makes the audience feel happy and warm. The actors really showed their enthusiasm which made them look and feel like a seven year old. Mickey tried to impress Edward and attempted to show off, by pulling his jumper over his knees, saying words like ‘piss off’ and the ‘F’ word, this made Edward feel like Mickey is amazing and that he should be his best friend. This proved to us that they were younger than they actually were by using the stage well, by running around as if they were playing a game. I was really disappointed with the last scene. In my opinion there was a lot of poor acting; Edward’s facial expression was completely blank and to me seemed to have no fright in it what so ever. Also the how the police run in through the audience wasn’t effective because it was quite distracting and confusing as I didn’t know where to look. The lighting was a vital part to the play, it helped to create atmosphere. I felt that the use of red presented an evil feel towards the play. Red originally represents anger, murder and hatred. This happened when Mickey thought Linda was having an affair with Edward, in rage Mickey grabbed a gun and ran off the stage in search of Edward. They also used lighting to illustrate places they were, like when they were at the cinema and the lights were dimmed but certain lights were flickering on their face which made it look like a real cinema. These also made the audience feel like their part of the story and as if there watching a real film. They also used lighting to portray their emotions, for example when they got rehoused out into the countryside, the lights turned bright and happy, as if it’s a new start to their life, a new beginning. The lighting became brighter to show their emotions turned happy. This made me feel happy for the Johnstones as they got to start a new life for themselves. In the scene were Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons swear on the bible the lights went dim and a spotlight came down on them. I felt that this was effective as it created a tense environment for the audience and slightly sinister. It also effectively marked the moment. I think the use of music was extremely effective in showing me the different stages of the characters’ lives. ‘The devils got your number’ was dark and sinister, I think it symbolises Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons as if making a deal with Satan. The fact that the Narrator was singing it made it feel more effective in my opinion; this was because it made you see the narrator as the devil always reminding Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons of their deal. The music they chose went well with the scenes and create different moods, for example when Mrs. Johnston sang ‘and we went dancing’ song created a happy and a jolly mood, before she had children and her husband left her. The music changed when conflict grew for example when Mickey accused Edward of having an affair with Linda, the music changed to a fast tempo with makes the audience alert. The music also changed when they moved to the countryside which makes the music happy and bright. This makes people feel happy and good as if it’s going to be a good new start. The use of music also portrayed their age, such as the difference sounds of the gun shots. The gun a considerably high pitched, quite ‘ping’ when they were younger, to me this could reflect on their immaturity level and how their life consists of happiness, whereas the gun made a loud, agitated ‘bang’ noise when they older, perhaps this shows that all their happiness have been diluted due to the fact they’ve grown up and symbolises tough times in the character’s lives. The use of the narrator was really effective. The fact that the narrator was in every scene, I feel that it was effective as it portrayed to the audience that he is being represented as the never leaving past for Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons even though it was the audience who only knew of his existence. He is used to taunt the two characters which eventually led Mrs. Lyons to insanity. Without the narrator, I feel the play wouldn’t have been as effective as you wouldn’t get a deeper view of the play and it generally wouldn’t make any sense. It also wouldn’t show the progress of Mrs. Lyons madness as clearly. They also used the narrator as thought tracking. The thought tracking was effective as I feel it allowed the audience to interact with the characters feelings and thoughts. In my perspective I feel it presented a clear perspective of each character. The contrast in class was clearly shown from the start of the play. The accents the characters consisted off allowed us to make a judgement on where they fit into society. The ‘scouse’ accent may be looked down up when compared to the way Mrs Lyons talked. The tone the actors playing the Lyons’ were quite patronising, as if they knew they were better and enhanced the way they talked to portray to the audience. The movement the actors across the stage also helped show the difference in hierarchy. Sean Jones, who played Mickey, made himself look more relaxed and didn’t make himself look approachable, whereas Paul Davies, who played Edward, had good posture and presented himself as a polite character. The costume the characters wore helped show their class as Sean wore loose fitting clothes with holes in, this reflected how poor his family is and how Mrs Johnstone ached to provide for children but diteriates. Paul however wore smart, fitted clothing that looked expensive. This portrayed that Edward was clearly brought up in a well off house. The set in ‘Blood Brothers’ was really effective because they showed the fact there was two different houses involved in the play. The difference in the houses was that on the rougher side, the houses were dull and boring, parts of the walls were crumbling and they had broken windows. On the other side of the street was the more posh and more well of houses, the houses on the more well off side had fixed windows, unbroken walls unlike the rougher side of the street. This gives off a theme of class and how it affects people in different backgrounds. In the end I feel like it’s a good play with lots of humour and effective acting. It was completely different to what I expected but a lot better than I thought it would be. It consists of humour, romance and tragic deaths which would generally allow you to not take your eyes of the stage. It’s a humorous, comical play which will leave the audience mind blown. The actors that took part really did well and their characterisation was brilliant. They all spoke the same accent, even though they weren’t all from Liverpool, which I congratulate them on. The fact there were hardly any people on the stage, I enjoyed as it made the play simple and not complex. I definitely would really take the opportunity to see this play again and I would highly recommend it to a friend or relative.

Occupational Folklife Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Occupational Folklife - Assignment Example Partaking in this activity assists us to bond out of the classroom and develop friendly relationships on and off the field too. This helps us to come together as a group and identify as one. The values and skills stressed during the soccer match are those of teamwork, hard work, commitment, and dedication. Each member of the opposing team gets expected to understand the concept of teamwork and how it is vital in helping their team to win and play excellently. Teamwork in soccer is displayed by passing the ball to your teammates and also through attacking or defending against the opposing team as a unit. Each member also has to show dedication and commitment by making time to participate in this activity after class and group work. As members of the group study, we encourage each other to show up for matches and always give our entire effort when playing for our teams. Members encourage each other to dedicate part of their extra time towards playing soccer together. Soccer is a physically demanding game and requires hard work to maintain physical fitness and shape. As a group, we undertake warm-ups and some physical exercises together before playing. By exercising, member s get to ensure their levels of physical fitness are commendable and thus do not strain physically during the match. Through playing soccer as an informal activity, the individual status or ranks within the group become forgotten until the match is over. The activity helps the group to bond and relate to each other as team members and friends on a casual basis. Soccer assists the group members to relate to each other on a friendly level where we share a joke about each other or let loose of the seriousness that comes from knowing each other on our academic levels. Group members do not mind about their academic performances’ while on the field playing, but rather become focused on assisting their teams to win.  

Marks and Spencer Financial Statements Coursework

Marks and Spencer Financial Statements - Coursework Example Many of the private companies in the UK use International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) conceptual framework for financial reporting (Holland, 1998) and address issues regarding fair value accounting in terms of the 8 phases, out of which four are active: the objective and qualitative characteristics, elements and recognition, measurement, and reporting entity. The conceptual framework itself provides guidance on which measurement bases to be used or outcomes to be obtained through the measurements decisions. The measurements of the different segments are aimed at fair value to meet the qualitative characteristics of the framework. As IFRS includes fair value measurements required by the United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (UK GAAP) (Ballard, 2010, p 704), it is obvious that the different identifiable components (Connolly, 2012) like pension and other associated costs and liabilities of M&S are according to fair value measurement that meets the qualitative characteristics of the framework (Ballard, 2010, p 703). Also, according to the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), the objective of fair value measurement is â€Å"to provide guidance for selecting measurement bases that satisfy the objectives and qualitative characteristics of financial reporting† (FASB, 2009b, p2; Ballard, 2010, p 703). The qualitative characteristics aid financial reporting in the selection of a measurement method which the company has attained through identifying its employees as their valuable asset and also having certain policies and schemes like the pension scheme and work, health and safety schemes as part of its sustainability drive (M&S How We Do Business, 2011). Further, identifiable segments are reportable or operating segments of the company that have reported revenue of more than 10% of the combined revenue of both internal and external revenue of all other segments. Also, if the profit or loss of a particular segment, like employee remuneration or employee benefits, including pension benefits, is greater than profit or loss of all operating segments combined or the assets are worth more than 10% of all combined operating segment assets, then the segment is said to be reportable (Connolly, 2012, p2). This means that M&S has the option of not including the employee remuneration benefits or pension liabilities and costs in the financial report. Measurement is defined in the IASB’s framework as â€Å"the process of determining the monetary amounts at which the elements of financial statements are to be recognized and carried in the balance sheet and income statement† (IASB, 2001, p 99; Ballard, 2010, p 706). M&S has recognized the measurements relating to employee remuneration, costs, and benefits in its financial statement in 2011 (Appendix 1 & 2). Many of the financial reporting institutes have recognized that there exists ambiguity in standard s attained in financial reporting. There are limitations in financial reporting and public information disclosure as it is common practice with companies to practice mandatory and voluntary public and private disclosure of information that is targeted at specific stakeholders of the business (Holland, 1998).