Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The Freedom of the Streets Work, Citizenship, and Sexuality in a Gilded Age City by Sharon Wood

The Freedom of the Streets Work, Citizenship, and Sexuality in a Gilded Age City by Sharon Wood Book Summary In the book, ‘The Freedom of the Streets’, Sharon Wood explores the socioeconomic challenges of Davenport’s women in the aftermath of the Civil War. Wood describes the interrelated issues of sexuality, gender and prostitution, which dominated public morality debates during this era. The book explains how in the aftermath of the Civil War, economic hardships forced young women in small Midwestern towns to move to big cities such as New York and Chicago, as well as the smaller Iowan city of Davenport in search of paid employment.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on â€Å"The Freedom of the Streets: Work, Citizenship, and Sexuality in a Gilded Age City† by Sharon Wood specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The young women looked for work in factories, offices and storehouses, and formed self-support groups in a bid to establish themselves as single, independent working women (14). The ir lifestyles and presence in the city streets had a dramatic impact on urban life, public perceptions and social institutions of the 20th century urban centers. Important Lessons from the Book Wood offers a detailed study of the place of young women in America in the 19th Century cities. In particular, the author delves into prostitution in the city streets of Davenport, Iowa, how it was perceived and its ramifications on the society. In Wood’s view, the struggles of the young women forced them into prostitution, which, in Davenport’s context, was considered a form of gainful employment. Wood’s approach gives the reader an all-new perspective on prostitution that is different from the typical perspectives offered in other studies. From a public morality perspective, prostitution was considered a social evil that contravenes moral values. Though considered one of the dangers of social growth in urban centers, prostitution played a role in shaping the civic insti tutions and politics of the 19th Century cities. Another important lesson from this book relates to the significance of small cities and towns in the industrialization of America. Wood focuses on Davenport to emphasize on the role of smaller cities during this era. She contends that their smaller geographical size allowed people to live in defined communities, which â€Å"may be lost in the vastness of large cities like Chicago and New York† (4). The vivid account of Davenport’s women, public lifestyles and prostitution offers glimpses into the forces behind the civic and political transformations of the 20th Century. Moreover, the book shows how the relations involving Davenport’s prostitutes, the public and the city officials determined how social and civic institutions would operate in the turn of the 20th Century. How the Author did it The book begins with an account of the struggles of Davenport’s young women, who were trying to establish themselves as working class women by engaging gainful employment. To support one another economically and enhance the accessibility of employment opportunities for women, young women who believed in â€Å"the idea of self-support for women† (67) formed a ‘Lend a Hand Club’.Advertising Looking for book review on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This club, under the leadership of Jennie McCowen, recruited young women from several occupations including clerks, teachers and domestic servants (65). As the working women lived in defined communities, their presence in the city streets when walking to work was associated with prostitution. To remove this stigma, they forced the city officials to employ a policewoman to tackle the problem of prostitution that was on the rise in the city streets. Through this account, the author shows that social stigma was associated with women workers who dominated public sp heres such as city streets and entertainment areas. In the following sections of the book, Wood focuses on the prostitution in Davenport’s streets. In Davenport, the public perceptions of ‘paid sex’ varied depending on gender, economic class and age. She notes that â€Å"men and women, young and old, working and middle class† (78) held different views regarding prostitution. Wood uses police records of rape cases to explore the common line of defense used by the perpetrators or the â€Å"sporting men† (78). The defendants often argued that it was the young women’s misbehaviors in the public sphere that prompted them to assault their victims. Moreover, the young women’s presence in areas such as city streets and entertainment spots frequented by men shaped the public perceptions and justified the â€Å"sporting men’s† actions. Davenport adopted a regulated prostitution strategy in tackling the problem of prostitution. Its approach (regulated prostitution) required brothel owners to pay a monthly fee to the city officials to get a registration license. Davenport banned unregistered ‘paid sex’ in public places such as hotels and lodgings. Besides banning unregistered prostitution, Davenport’s city officials engaged in strategic anti-prostitution campaigns to prevent teenage prostitution. According to Wood, the â€Å"Good Shepherd Home†, served as an informal reformatory center that protected young girls from exposure to teenage prostitution (82). Drawing from cases of girls who were sheltered in this home, Wood explains how Davenport’s novel approach helped reduce teenage prostitution in this city. What the Author was trying to do Wood attempts to explore the public perceptions surrounding gender, female sexuality and prostitution in small cities in the 19th Century. Through her account of the young women’s struggles and the public presence of young women, the a uthor examines how public perceptions largely defined the women’s place in society.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on â€Å"The Freedom of the Streets: Work, Citizenship, and Sexuality in a Gilded Age City† by Sharon Wood specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Working women, fearful of being maligned as prostitutes for venturing out into the city streets, had to coerce city officials to remove prostitutes from Davenport’s streets. The author underscores the issue of social stigma and how the anti-prostitution campaigns were discriminatory. The young women’s relations with the city officials and the public perceptions would later define the political, social and civic institutions of the city in the 20th Century. Reference List Wood, Sharon. 2005. The Freedom of the Streets: Work, Citizenship, and Sexuality in a  Gilded Age City. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Definition and Examples of Point of View

Definition and Examples of Point of View Point of view is the perspective from which a speaker or writer recounts a narrative or presents information. Also known as a viewpoint. Depending on the topic, purpose, and audience, writers of nonfiction may rely on the first-person point of view (I, we), the second-person (you, your, youre), or the third-person (he, she, it, they). Author  Lee Gutkind points out that point of view is innately tied to voice, and a strong, well-executed point of view will also lead to a strong voice (Keep It Real, 2008). Examples and Observations Point of view is the place from which a writer listens in and watches. Choosing one place over another determines what can and cant be seen, what minds can and cant be entered. . . . The main choice, of course, is between the third and first person, between a disembodied voice and I (in nonfiction synonymous with the author). For some, the choice is made before sitting down to write. Some writers feel obliged to use the third person, by tradition the voice of objectivity, the disinterested mode of address appropriate for the newspaper or for history. Other writers, by contrast, seem to adopt the first person as a reflex, even if they are not writing autobiographically. But choosing a point of view really is a choice fundamental to the construction of nonfiction narratives, thus carrying relevant consequences. No moral superiority inheres in the first or third person, in their many varieties, but the wrong choice can deaden a story or distort it enough to turn it into a lie, sometimes a lie composed of facts.(Tracy Kidder and Richard Todd, Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction. Random House, 2013) Subjective and Objective Viewpoints Pronouns reflect the various viewpoints. You can choose first-person (I, me, us, our), second person (you), or third person (he, she, they, their). First-person is considered intense, subjective, and emotionally hot. It is the natural choice for a memoir, autobiography, and most personal-experience essays. The reader is the center of attention for second-person. It is the favored point of view for instructional material, advice, and sometimes admonishment! It is intimate without being intenseunless the voice of the author is authoritarian or controlling instead of instructive. . . . Third person can be subjective or objective. For instance, when used for an as told to personal-experience essay, third-person is subjective and warm. When used for news and information, third-person is objective and cool. (Elizabeth Lyon, A Writers Guide to Nonfiction. Perigee, 2003) The First-Person Narrator Its hard to write a memoir or a personal essay without falling back on the I. In fact, all nonfiction is really told in the technical first-person point of view: there is always a narrator doing the telling, and the narrator is not some fictional persona but the author. This single point of view is one of the important- and frustrating- hallmarks that distinguishes nonfiction from fiction. Yet there are ways to mimic other points of viewand thereby to tell a more natural sort of story. Listen to the opening lines of Daniel Bergners God of the Rodeo: When he had finished workbuilding fence or penning cattle or castrating bull calves with a knife supplied by his boss on the prison farmJohnny Brooks lingered in the saddle shed. The small cinder-block building is near the heart of Angola, Louisianas maximum-security state penitentiary. Alone there, Brooks placed his saddle on the wooden rack in the middle of the room, leapt onto it, and imagined himself riding in the inmate rodeo coming up in October. No sign yet of the author- a strictly third-person presentation. . . . The author wont enter the story directly for many more lines; hell duck in once to let us know hes there and then disappear for long stretches . . .. But in fact, of course, the author has been with us in every line, in the second way that an author participates in a nonfiction story: tone. (Philip Gerard, Talking Yourself Out of the Story: Narrative Stance and the Upright Pronoun. Writing Creative Nonfiction, ed. by Carolyn Forchà © and Philip Gerard. Writers Digest Books, 2001) Point of View and Persona [T]hese issues of point of view really point to one of the most fundamental skills in creative nonfiction, to writing not as the author but from a constructed persona, even if that persona is taking on the I to tell the story. That persona is formed by time, mood, and distance from the events that are being narrated. And if we decide to foreground the artifice of this construction by using more stylized points of view, such as second- or third-person, we create even more of a relationship between the narrator and the narrated, a high awareness that we are engaged in the reconstruction of experience and not pretending to be mere transcribers of that experience. (Lee Gutkind and Hattie Fletcher Buck, Keep It Real: Everything You Need to Know About Researching and Writing Creative Nonfiction. W.W. Norton, 2008) Obi-Wan Kenobi on Point of View Obi-Wan:  So, what I told you was true . . . from a certain point of view. Luke: A certain point of view? Obi-Wan: Luke, youre going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view. (Star Wars: Episode VIReturn of the Jedi, 1983)

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Choose a good topic for me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Choose a good topic for me - Essay Example Yusuf describes it as westernization. The globalization has been elaborated well by the media, which disseminates information to the entire world, making the world appear as just a small global village (2:41a). Globalization has therefore enabled people to gain education from abroad especially from the west. The beneficiaries of this high-quality education and intellect can then travel back to their countries and develop them, thus benefitting the society at large (33:10a). Yusuf argues that the best intellect originated from the West, a reason majority of scholars will fly there to gain it, he gives the example of the reporter Dr. Khaja who is from India but now working in the West (4:31b). Although there has never been an ideal government that existed, Yusuf points out that Islamic governance has existed for long enough and can, therefore, be regarded as a good form of government. The globalization discussed can, therefore, bring brotherhood in the sense that those who gain the intellect from other countries can use the intellect to assist their country people, which is a virtue of good action. The democracy which has come with the globalization can then be used to solve problems which could otherwise bring harm to the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Industry and Market Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industry and Market Analysis - Essay Example (Bieber, Meurer, Surmann & Rassek, 2013) A telephone interview with the General Manager of The Surrey Hotel, a luxurious Manhattan hotel on the Upper East Side, Mr. Shan Kanagasingham, revealed that the hospitality industry is one that has great business opportunity in terms of profit margins. According to him, a lot of investors are fighting to have a ‘piece of the cake’ of the hospitality industry. He says that the pool of consumer demand is bigger now for the hospitality industry than it was a while back. People are more willing to spend money on leisure and entertainment. Business people are also opting for comfortable, luxurious and a first class experience regardless of the amount of money they spend, â€Å"value for money† is what they call it. Mr. Shan says that they can get an average of 500 guests in a day whether it is for boarding purposes, visiting the fitness centre or just having a meal in the restaurants or a business meeting in the conference rooms. He however states that the hospitalit y industry is a very cost conscious business. The most successful hotels are a joint venture from various investors who pull resources together in order to create the best hospitality experience for its consumers. One needs resources such as buildings or premises, a pool and qualified human capital that will facilitate the running of the hotel among other things. According to an interview carried out with the General Manager of New Intercontinental Dallas Mr. Scott Blakeslee, the likely revenue could average to $120.5 billion for the whole industry in the year 2012. The America Hotel and Lodging association has recorded an increase in revenue in the hospitality industry over the years. According to Mr. Blakeslee, there has been an increase in occupancy in the industry and thus makes the industry more profitable than other years. Room occupancy in most cases, is what determines the profit margins. However, he was quick to note that this

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Ying Yang Symbol Essay Example for Free

Ying Yang Symbol Essay The Yin Yang symbol also commonly referred to as the Tai-Chi symbol is easily thought of in today’s popular culture as a reference to the Sun (yang) the moon (yin) and the universe. Allen Tsai’s article provides some insight into the origins of the symbol itself, the meaning behind the curvature of the symbol, and how the Chinese symbol has found a place in popular culture. Allen Tsai goes into explicit detail on how the Chinese developed a surprising understanding of the stars and how they used the constellations and the sun to determine the seasons, the length of a calendar year and the time of the earths rotation around the sun. Tsai explains how the symbol is at its basic meaning a â€Å"Chinese representation of the entire celestial phenomenon. † In Alexia Amvrazi’s essay discussing the Evil Eye symbol, she presents all aspects of the symbol including what it is used for, who uses it, and why it is used. She explains that the Evil Eye is â€Å"a glance believed to have the ability to harm those on whom it falls† and can take place at any given time from any given person. (Amvrazi). The primary purpose of both, Where Does the Yin Yang Symbol Come From? and The Eyes Have It: Evil Eye in Greece, is to inform the reader of both the meaning an the use behind these well known symbols. This is clearly shown by the detailed descriptions of the symbols and the enlightening information; such as Amvrazi’s attempt to explain to readers the many different cultures â€Å"Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu and Christians† and how they incorporate the Evil Eye’s meaning into their teachings (Amvrazi). The informative purpose remains prevalent in Tsai’s essay as he explains that â€Å"the Yin Yang symbol is a Chinese representation of the entire celestial phenomenon† and that it â€Å"contains the cycle of sun, four seasons, 24-Segment Chi, the foundation of I-Ching, and the Chinese calendar† (Tsai). The common pattern of both authors is that they each began with the origin of each symbol. Tsai demonstrated this by starting his essay by explaining the the Yin Yang symbol is â€Å"sometimes called the Tai Chi symbol† and that â€Å"Tai Chi is from I-Ching,† also known as â€Å"the greatest foundation of Chinese philosophy† (Tsai). Amvrazi exhibits this pattern by starting her essay off with a scenario of where one might have experienced a result of the receipt of the Evil Eye and then goes on to explain what the evil eye is, what the causes are and who is susceptible to it The secondary purpose of Tsai’s essay is to describe. He describes many different aspects of the symbol. He explains that the â€Å"is a symbol combining the sun (top) and moon (bottom)† (Tsai). He also goes a bit deeper into his explanation by describing the unchanging rules and different ways to observe the sky in order to determine the â€Å"four directions† (Tsai). He also provides multiple visuals to go along with each description. He continues by discussing the seasonal changes and the cycle of the Sun. It’s almost as if he provides his readers with a step by step instructional handout of how to determine the many changes our universe encounters throughout the course of a year, or many years for that matter. Alexia Amvrazi’s essay is very similar in that her secondary purpose is coincidentally also to describe. In this case, she describes what the actual Evil Eye symbol looks like. Her description states that one could recognize an Evil Eye as â€Å"glass blue eye charms to ward against the evil eye† (Amvrazi). She states further that these charms â€Å"are still regularly sold† and worn by many people. They can be spotted on a more regular basis in countries such as Greece and Turkey where many of the residents are very religious and/or superstitious. The next pattern shown throughout Tsai’s essay is a bit of a spatial one in the since that throughout the whole essay, Tsai discusses the ever changing universe and its relation to the sun and moon in the sky. He even talks about the many positions of the Dipper and the way the sun is affected by its changes. The next pattern in Amvrazi’s essays differs from Tsai’s in that she takes more of a compare and contrast route when she discusses the similarities and differences in the ways the Greek Church and folklore view the wearing of the Evil Eye charm. The â€Å"Greek church and folklore are both united†¦in their belief that the curse of the evil eye (or kako mati) exists, but divided in how it can be warded off or tackled† (Amvrazi). The final purpose of both Tsai and Amvrazi’s essays are to help make such technical concepts as these more understandable to the general public. They each accomplish this task by introducing, in Tsai’s case the Ying-Yang symbol and in Amyrazi’s the Evil Eye symbol and providing an in depth and comprehensive understanding of both. What’s great about each essay is that both authors strive to make them as understandable as possible by breaking down each topic as much as possible while still keeping the audience interested. The final pattern of organization in Tsai’s essay is a bit of a process oriented one. He discusses the process of â€Å"recording the Dippers positions and watching the shadow of the Sun† (Tsai). This process was used by ancient chinese [when they] determined the four directions† (Tsai). The final pattern of organization in Amvrazi’s essay is used to introduce and define new terminology used in the churches in relation to the Evil Eye. For instance, she references a term, â€Å"kako mati† which is another term for Evil Eye. She continues to introduce a few other new words, such as â€Å"Vaskania,† all of which are used to help expand readers knowledge of the Evil Eye and the views of the Greek church. Overall the two essays were both written with the primary intention of informing their audiences of the meaning and uses of the Yin and Yang symbol and of the Evil Eye. Tsai main focus was on the universe and all its changes. He talks a lot about the position of the moon, sun, and stars in the sky. The main focus of Amvrazi’s essay was to shed light on a symbol recognized by many different cultures and its significance.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Delta Airlines :: essays research papers fc

While sitting in Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport, one cannot help but to notice and feel an overwhelming dominant presence of one particular airline. Delta as we know it today, traces its roots way back to 1924. Huff Daland Dusters was founded as the world’s first aerial crop dusting organization. In 1928 the company became Delta Air Service, and the following year Delta carried its first passengers over a route stretching from Dallas, Texas to Jackson, Mississippi with stops in Shreveport and Monroe, Louisiana. In 1941, the company moved its headquarters from Monroe to Atlanta, Georgia. Although headquartered in Atlanta, Delta is a Delaware corporation (Delaware is the most â€Å"pro-business† state in the US). Delta Air Lines Inc. provides air transportation for passengers and freight throughout the United States and around the world. As of February 1, 2001, Delta (including its wholly owned subsidiaries, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc. and Comair, Inc.) served 201 domestic cities in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as 50 cities in 32 countries. With its domestic and international code share partners, Delta's route network covers 218 domestic cities in 48 states, and 131 cities in 58 countries. When analyzing Delta, you do not have to search very far before quite possibly one its strongest attribute rears its head. Based on calendar 2000 data, Delta is the largest U.S. airline in terms of aircraft departures and passengers enplaned, and third largest as measured by operating revenues and revenue passenger miles flown. Delta is the leading U.S. airline in the transatlantic, offering the most daily flight departures, serving the largest number of nonstop markets and carrying more passengers than any other U.S. airline. Delta Air Lines transports more passengers worldwide than any other airline. Through a vast worldwide route system Delta has flown over 117 million passengers, more than any other airline in the world. Delta mainline, domestic and international service, Delta Express, Delta Shuttle, Delta Connection ®, Delta Sky Team and Worldwide Partners operate 6,400 flights each day to over 450 cities in 98 countries. Not only is Delta a beast in the market it wields its power quite intelligently. Along with this momentous market share, Delta has enormous control over some of the nations key gateways. Delta controls 72 percent of the air traffic at Salt Lake Utah. This mid west city is a gateway to most of the key major cities on the pacific coast as well as mid west.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Capital cost Essay

Q1. Bob Richards, the production manager of Zychol Chemicals, in Houston, Texas, is preparing his quarterly report, which is to include a productivity analysis for his department. One of the inputs is production data prepared by Sharon Walford, his operations analyst. The report, which she gave him this morning, showed the following: 2008 2009 Production (units) 4,500 6,000 Raw material used (barrels of petroleum by-products) 700 900 Labor hours 22,000 28,000 Capital cost applied to the department ($) $375,000 $620,000 Bob knew that his labor cost per hour had increased from an average of $13 per hour to an average of $14 per hour, primarily due to a move by management to become more competitive with a new company that had just opened a plant in the area. He also knew that his average cost per barrel of raw material had increased from $320 to $360. He was concerned about the accounting procedures that increased his capital cost from $375,000 to $620,000, but earlier discussions with his boss suggested that there was nothing that could be done about that allocation. Bob wondered if his productivity had increased at all. He called Sharon into the office and conveyed the above information to her and asked her to prepare this part of the report. Prepare the productivity part of the report for Mr. Richards. He probably expects some analysis of productivity inputs for all factors, as well as a multifactor analysis for both years with the change in productivity (up or down) and the amount noted. Management’s expectation for departments such as Mr. Richards’s is an annual productivity increase of 5%. Did he reach this goal? Q2. Samsang Manufacturing Inc., manufacturers DVD players for commercial use. Holland Samsang, president of Samsang Manufacturing Inc., is contemplating producing DVD players for home use. The activities necessary to build an experimental model and related data are given in the following table: Activity Normal time (weeks) Crash time (weeks) Normal cost ($) Crash cost ($) Immediate predecessor(s) A 3 2 1000 1600

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Esther: From Rags to Riches Essay

It is the dream of every little girl and the theme of at least half of all box office movies. It is the story of an ordinary girl who grows up to marry a king and live in a castle. In this case Esther was raised by a cousin, because her own parents had died. She was not a child of wealth or status, but a simple Jewish girl, who had the gift of beauty. She not only became a queen, but had the rare opportunity to save many of her people from certain death. The story of Esther plays out like an exciting and at times frightening fairy tale, in which the poor little orphan grows up to marry the king and live in a fabulous castle. The story would make an excellent Disney movie because it follows the fairy tale formula exactly, complete with an evil villain and the required happy ending. Anyone who hears or reads the story might be tempted to think it sounds like a common story and lose interest. What people will discover when they dig a little more deeply into the story find that it is far from ordinary. Esther was a very unique individual as was her story. The most unique aspect of the story is that it is a true story. Although virtually all young girls grow up dreaming about the handsome prince or king that will arrive and take them away from their boring or humble life, those same little girls grow up to discover that fairy tales do not happen in real life. The exception is the case of Esther. It is a fascinating story to read and even better when people realize the impact Esther had in the lives of her people. Through her faith in God and her quiet courage, the Jewish people in the country of Persia were saved from certain death. Besides the story itself, Esther showed uniqueness through her unyielding faith in God, her obedience to both God and her cousin Mordecai, her natural beauty and quiet disposition. Her actions in the face of fear demonstrated her uniqueness as did her well timed actions. She became a heroine in a time in which women were rarely considered significant for anything other than procreation simply by having faith and following through on it. Some of the most unique aspects of Esther’s story happen at the beginning of it. She was the daughter of a man named Abihail, of the tribe of Benjamin. He and Esther’s mother both died when Esther was very young. She was taken in by her cousin Mordecai, who was the son of Abihail’s brother (Konig, 2008). There was no mention of a woman or wife of Mordecai being involved in raising Esther. In modern society Esther would have been considered an under priviliged child with minimal hope of future success. She would have been labeled as one of the children at risk of â€Å"slipping through the cracks and being forgotten†. Esther was a quiet, unassuming young lady, who did not ask for special treatment or privileges. She accepted her position in life and did what her uncle asked her to do. The exciting changes in her life began in the palace of King Ahasuerus, who at the time was the ruler of 127 provinces (Henry,). He was having a feast for all of the princes and officials in the kingdom. During this time his queen, Vashti held a banquet of her own for the women. After drinking wine, the king decided to summon Queen Vashti to show her beauty to the other men (Bible, New American Standard). The queen refused to go to the banquet when requested. The king asked the advice of his advisors on how to deal with her disobedience. They told him that if she was allowed to get away with being disobedient to him, other men’s wives would rebel against them as well. For this reason, they encouraged him to banish her. The king took their advice in order to send a message to the wives of the kingdom to obey their husbands. Once Queen Vashti was banished, the king needed to find a new queen. At this point he sent messengers out around the kingdom in search of virgins to be brought to the palace. These virgins were to be in the care of the king’s eunich Hegai. This is the point in the story where Esther and King Ahasuerus’ lives meet. Esther was one of the virgins who was sent to the palace from which the new queen would be selected. Esther did not go by her choice, but because she was told to go. Since Esther was a young woman of faith, she went as she was told. Esther would spend the next twelve months among many other young women at the palace, where she would undergo beauty treatments and preparation to be sent before the king. Most of the young women were there because they chose to be. They all hoped to be the next queen. Esther had no expectations along these lines, because the only reason she had gone was obedience. Many of the other girls whom Esther spent the year with had probably come from wealthy homes in which beauty treatments were normal rituals during growing up. Esther had undergone none of these things as a child. She still somehow with her quiet obedient manner and natural beauty, managed to capture the attention of everyone she met. Hegai favored her to the extent that he provided her with seven of her own maids and moved her to a place at the head of the harom (Bible, New American Standard Version). The competition was like the ultimate beauty contest or one of the new reality television shows in which the best girl wins the heart of the king. Since Kings usually chose their brides from one of the seven most important families in Persia, it was unique that in this case the king chose to select his new bride from the available virgins in the country (Bryce, 2006). When the time came for the girls to be presented to the King, each girl could take whatever she wanted with her. Esther chose to take only what was recommended for her to take by Hegai (Bible, New American Standard version). Each girl would be presented to the king for one night. The next morning she would be taken to a second harem for the concubines (Bible, New American Standard Version). The only way a girl would return to the king again was if he asked for her by name. When Esther was presented, the king was taken by her physical beauty and her quiet obedient nature. He chose her as his new queen. ). By winning the beauty contest that all the other girls dreamed of, she was placed in the perfect position at exactly the right time to have the opportunity to spare the lives of the Jewish people. She did this in the same calm obedient manner in which she had conducted her entire life, making her a true heroine. Her cousin Mordechai worked outside of the palace gates in a lowly position. At one time he heard two of the palace guards plotting to assassinate the king. Out of concern for the king, he passed this information on to Esther. Esther notified the king with the information in Mordecai’s name and it was documented that Mordecai was the person who was responsible for saving the king. The report was investigated resulting in the death of the conspirators and the appreciation of the king towards Esther and Mordechai. Later in the story, the King appoints a man named Hamon as his chief advisor and second in the country. He was a man who was very proud of himself and wanted a great deal of attention paid to him (Stewart, 2007). Hamon treated the king as a â€Å"person stroking a cat† (Kajer, 2007) which means he knew the one way to boost his ego and make sure the king would listen to him. He would make suggestions that would often appear to be the kings ideas. Because of this, Haman had a great deal of power and influence in the king’s decision making. He convinced the king to require everyone who saw Haman to bow before him. Mordechai refused to bow to Haman, because he was devoted to God and refused to bow to anyone except God. Some of the castle guards noticed that Mordechai did not bow as Hamon walked past. They asked him why and he said the reason was because he was a Jew (Bible, New American Standard Version). The castle guards reported to Haman that Mordechai was refusing to bow to him. This made Hamon very angry. Haman developed a strong dislike for Mordechai and decided to punish all of the Jewish people, because he did not want it to look like he was making a decision based solely on his dislike for one man. He proposed a plan to the king to execute all of the Jews on a specific chosen day, based on the information that the Jewish people had customs that went against the Persian customs. Haman went so far as to offer to deposit a large amount of his own money in the treasury to help pay for the army. The king showing little interest either way gave Haman his signet ring (Bible, New American Standard Version) and told him to keep his money and to do as he pleased with the Jews. Haman had the king’s scribes help him develop an edict stating that on a certain day all of the Jews young and old would be killed. Mordechai and the other Jews go into mourning at this time. Mordechai dressed in sackcloth and went to the palace gate. It was reported to Esther that Mordechai was at the gate dressed in sackcloth. She sent him clothes, but her refused them. He then sent a message back to her explaining the situation and asked her to talk to the king about the and tell him about haman’s evil reasons for wanting to kill the Jews. He told her to reveal her true identity as a Jew herself. Esther expresses her concern for her people, but explains to him that by going to the king she would be putting her life in danger as well. At that time there was a law stating that no one was allowed to go in to the king unless they were summoned by him. Anyone who broke this law and went into him could be put to death (Bible, New American Standard Version). The only exception to this rule was if the King raised his golden scepter to the person to allow them to approach and address him. Mordechai sent back another message saying that maybe the reason God had put her in the position of queen was to save her people. Because of her obedience to her cousin and her faith she was able to overcome her fear. She told him to have all the Jews fast and pray for three days and then she would go in to the king to see what happened. After the three days of fasting and prayer, Esther went before the king, he did not have her put to death, but instead promised her anything she wanted up to half of the kingdom. She could have asked at this point to have her people spared, but Esther knew the time was not right to reveal Haman’s plot. She simply asked for the king and Haman to join her for a dinner the following night. During the dinner, she invited both to a dinner again the next night. By that time Haman believed he had won Ester’s favor as well as the king’s. He went home quite happily and told his family about the two dinners he had been the only person besides the king Esther had invited. He felt good enough he decided to propose to the king that Mordechai be executed the next day. He was confident in enough in his power over the king that he had gallows built to hang Mordechai on as an example to the Jews. Ironically that same night, the king was unable to sleep and had the scribes come to read to him from the records. One of the things read during this time was the incident in which Mordechai had warned the king of the assassination plot against him (Bible, New American Standard). The king asked what had been done to thank Mordechai for saving him. The answer was that nothing had been done. At that time Hamon entered with the intention to tell the king of his plan to kill Mordechai. The king asked him what should be done for the person the king wanted to honor. Haman in his excessive arrogance (Stewart, 2008) thought that he must be the person that the king wanted to honor. He told the king to put the robes on him and have him ride through the town. The king told him to do that for Mordechai. This is a truly unique twist in this story as Haman must honor the man he wanted to kill. At the second dinner, Esther finally revealed that someone had plotted to kill her people and she would like for them to be spared. When the king asked who was plotting against her people, she explained it was Haman, The king was upset to the point that he had to leave the room. Haman then fell to the floor at Esther’s feet and begged for mercy. When the king returned to the room, he saw Haman with Esther and thought he was attacking her. At this point he demanded that Haman be executed. Haman was executed on the gallows he had built to execute Mordechai on. The King was unable to completely withdraw the decree he had sent out about attacking the Jews, because once a decree was signed and sent out, it could not be changed. He instead sent out another decree allowing the Jewish people to defend themselves by whatever means they needed. This resulted in fewer people attacking them and many of those who did were killed. It was extended into a second day and the Jews killed many of the people who hated them. Esther was the perfect person for God to choose for this job. She began life very humbly and was raised by a man who was her cousin with no mention of a maternal figure. In those days women were considered insignificant except for the purpose of procreation, therefore the very fact that a woman would carry out the task of saving the Jewish people from certain death was amazing. Esther was not an outspoken person or any kind of rebel. She was the kind of person who would be least likely to stand out in a crowd except for the Bible’s description of her obvious physical beauty. She was portrayed in the Bible as a young woman who followed authority with little question. Whatever Morechai asked of her she did, even if she would have preferred not to. This was evidenced by her hiding her Jewish heritage at the request of Mordecai (Bible, NIV) and entering the king’s throne room at the risk of her own life. She additionally was obviously a person who followed God’s wishes and who showed great faith in spite of the difficult youth she had endured. God used Esther through her faith to be an instrument for saving his people. Esther was raised to be an obedient faithful person who through that faith became one of the most influential women in the Bible. She did nothing outstanding nor was she a great fighter, but she showed a great amount of bravery in the face of possible death. She simply acted on obedient faith and allowed herself to be the instrument for God to use to save the Jewish people from a death caused by an angry bitter man. Her belief in God and her obedience made her the person to save her people. Only God could have designed a plan in which a young Jewish woman could end up married to a Persian king at the tight time to save an entire race (Platz, 2007). It is amazing how God works through people who have done nothing outstanding and whose only amazing trait was her incredible natural beauty.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Cause and Effect Essay Example

Cause and Effect Essay Example Cause and Effect Essay Cause and Effect Essay Essay Topic: Cause and Effect Cause and Effect Name: Course: Date: Cause and Effect The impact of food processing technology on cooking habits or eating habits Technological advancements have had a significant effect on the society in numerous aspects, in the modern society. This has essentially been associated with the role of the advancements in that technology is considered as a means for making life easier for the human race. Technology is primarily viewed from a communicative perspective in terms of its development. This has been one of the most transformed fields in the world since technology has revolutionized all means of communication resulting in better and efficient means or channels of communication. Literature provides that there are substantial numbers of individuals in the developing world who are exposed to unhealthy diets because of an imbalance. This is because of the inadequacy or unavailability of food to ensure sufficient nutrition. Health of an individual is usually determined by numerous factors such as nutrition, genetic make up, socioeconomic statuses and accessibility to healthcare. In addition, other issues such as the environment, which comprises of natural, climatic and socio-economic conditions, play a significant role in the determination of the health of an individual (Kennedy, Kennedy, Muth, 2012). Global food prices have a significant effect on the trends on terms of availability of food to people around the world; the conditions between developed and developing or undeveloped countries have disparities in terms of the level of nutrition exhibited by their respective populations. Developed countries are able to use technology using the various agricultural production systems, which have higher levels of technological advancements enabling such countries to have better food production processes for subsequent benefits in terms of higher nutritional value. On the other hand, there are higher incidences of under nutrition exhibited by individuals in poor countries. Technology is associated with making work easier for people in that it aids execution of tasks in an efficient and effective manner. This has had an effect on the lifestyles of individuals in that it has facilitated sedentary lifestyles among people especially in the developed countries. The sedentary lifestyles are also associable with better diets and higher levels of nutrition resulting in health problems associated with sedentary lifestyles. Technology has an impact on the socioeconomic conditions and structures of given country or area. This has resulted in the change, in terms of access to basic needs such as health services, agricultural practices of given areas, which have a significant effect on the health of a given population (Kennedy, Kennedy, Muth, 2012). Modern day agricultural practices have been improved using technology to accrue benefits such as improved nutritional value of a given society. In addition, this has also been affected by changes in channels of communication, which are directly related to technological advancements. Communication is considered as one of the most powerful aspects of society. This has enabled the availability of information related to issues such as diets, modern and appropriate means of agriculture and other vital information related to nutrition. Information enables alterations in terms of perceptions about the means of agriculture used to ensure high levels of food adequacy or availability, as well as high levels of nutritional value in the types of foods available to a given population (Kennedy, Kennedy, Muth, 2012). Communication systems have been improved enabling availability and efficient dissemination of information to the public in terms of the appropriate means of agriculture as well as information relation to the best diets as well as nutrition information, which is beneficial for improvement of health of a respective population of a given country. The modern means of communication are largely focused on the development of the internet as the preferred line of communication and dissemination of information. Food processing technologies such as micronutrient fortification are among the benefits, accruable from technological advancements. This is one of the best means of alleviation of issues related to dietary deficiencies such as incidences of malnutrition. This provides improved nutritional value in packaged food products such as increased vitamins and proteins for the subsequent improvements in the micronutrient statuses exhibited by individuals (Kennedy, Kennedy, Muth, 2012). Changes enabled by technology in micronutrients fortification have enabled the improvements in immune systems, reduced incidences of maternal deaths associated with malnutrition. On-line based services have a significant role in the modern world in the improvement of nutrition and health of a given society. This results in the adoption of better lifestyles and habits as provided by information from online platforms. Online sources are essential in that they provided an avenue for the evaluation and updating of information as it relates to health and nutrition issues. Technology has enabled ease in access and availability of information pertaining to health and nutrition because of the low costs associated with access to the internet and other technological platforms such as television and radio programs. Higher institutions have also been able to avail programs in health and nutrition. Hence increasing the availability of knowledge and skills essential for the alleviation of the societal issues pertaining to health and nutrition in a modern society, which has been marred by sedentary lifestyles, and increased health problems associated with nutrition. Conclusively, technology has eased the availability of information related to health and nutritional issues because of accessibility and availability of information from online platforms or sources. Additionally, technology has also enabled alterations in agricultural approaches used to facilitate improvements in health and nutritional value of the society. References Kennedy, X. J, Kennedy, D. M. Muth, Marcia F. (2012). â€Å"Michael Pollan. The Cooking Animal† The Bedford Guide for College Writers with Reader, Research Manual, and Handbook. Colorado: University of Colorado. [Insert Name]. (2012). Personal Reflection.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

TOK Essay Writing Guide For 2017

TOK Essay Writing Guide For 2017 What is a Tok Essay TOK stands for Theory of Knowledge. The TOK essay was conceptualized by the International Baccalaureate. The essay is to be between 1200 and 1600 total words, and is written on one of the topics that the IB has established. These are also known as titles. If you are in an International Baccalaureate program at your school, achieving a good grade on the TOK essay is imperative if you wish to graduate with this endorsement on your diploma. The paragraphs that follow will help you to select the best title, master the TOK essay format, do your research, take notes and create an working outline, and even guide you to some useful writing samples. We hope these guidelines will help to answer any questions you have, and that you will be able to formulate a plan for success. You know that IB students have advantages that include being highly sought after by colleges and universities and having a greater chance at becoming successful during and after the college years. By mastering the TOK essay format, you will truly be helping yourself. TOK Essay Title Selection Unlike other essays, you cannot simply choose from an unlimited number of topics. Your essay must be selected from one of the prescribed titles created by the International Baccalaureate Organization for 2017. Then, your essay must meet additional criteria. Specifically, it must be related to one of the eight areas of knowledge that have been defined by the IB. Selecting TOK Essay Titles: Areas of Knowledge Here are the eight areas of knowledge that a student in an IB program must master: History Mathematics The Arts Ethics Religious Knowledge Systems Human Science Indigenous Knowledge Systems Natural Science Choosing TOK Essay Titles 2017: Understanding The Questions Each year, a new set of questions are created for students to cover in their essays. These can be easily found online as the IB makes these public. What’s more important is to understand exactly what you need to do when writing about these topics. These aren’t the same as your standard custom writings. Understanding The Purpose of TOK Essay Topics Let’s Take a Look at Some TOK Essay Topics From Previous Years Here are some sample essay topics that are loosely based on some of the titles established for 2017. We’ll discuss exactly what information is being sought in each of these examples. Remember that each essay should in some way establish your understanding of knowledge and the learning process itself. This gives your instructor the opportunity to conduct a thorough assessment of your critical thinking skills. 1.Explore The Human Nature of Pattern Seeking a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: There’s a lot that could be explored here with regard to perception and expectations. Science and religious knowledge systems could be two potentially interesting areas to dig into further. b.What to Cover: The dangers of relying on perception instead of examination. The ways in which pattern seeking impacts our ability to obtain new knowledge and to vet information we receive. 2.Explore Knowledge Traditions And Various Methods of Correcting Knowledge a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: Ethics and natural science are definitely two areas where tradition and developing means of correcting the knowledge that informs or is informed by traditions. b.What to Cover: Traditions are difficult for people to let go of, especially when they are associated with religion or culture. How do you encourage corrective action without insulting traditions. 3.Write About Facts And Theories And How They Relate a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: Human or natural science combined with indigenous or religious knowledge systems really seem to fit here. However, History would be an excellent addition to this. b.What to Cover: Theories are ideally based in fact, however many people using correlation rather than causation to draw conclusions. The result is faulty theories. Then there is the problem with poorly vetted facts. Explain how outdated or incorrect information impacts the development of theories. 4.What Happens When Subject Matter Experts Don’t Agree With Each Other? a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: With this topic, any of the areas of knowledge could be excellent for potential exploration. b.What to Cover: When building their own knowledge, people turn to experts. How do they discern what to believe when the experts themselves disagree on important matters? Can external influences change the way that experts view or spin the truth? Climate change would be a great topic to use as an example for this question. 5.Looking at Historic Events With The Benefit of Hindsight a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: History, Indigenous Knowledge Systems, Religious Knowledge Systems, and Ethics are all very good topics for an essay on this subject. b.What to Cover: It’s easy to judge the actions and behaviors of citizens, religious leaders, and political leaders when we have the benefit of historical perspective. However, by doing so we can prevent ourselves from gaining full insight into the way that situations impact   human behavior. Maybe explore how to write historical text in a more sympathetic way. 6.Write About The Knowledge And The Difficulty of Producing Knowledge a.Suggested Areas of Knowledge: Because this is such a broad question, once again all areas of knowledge could be subject to exploration here. b.What to Cover: The idea here is that the harder you have to work to obtain knowledge the more you will value it. Do you agree or disagree? You might address the topic of privilege here. How to Know Which TOK Essay Topics Are Best For You So, how do you pick the right topic? Look at each extended example above. As an IB student, you are familiar with all of the areas of knowledge. You might also consider looking at an exemplar online for each question that you are considering. Just google tipstok essay example, and you will likely find something. Mostly, you should pick a question that speaks to you, and apply the areas of knowledge that you can best show your academic and personal development. Planning Your Essay First and foremost, study the rubric that your teacher provides for you. This will be an amazing guide. Unfortunately, it is not complete. You may have to follow up and get more information on the standards for marking your essay. Here are the criteria by which your essay will be assessed. You must show that you have developed the ability to think critically. Focus on demonstrating self-awareness, and consider multiple perspectives on the issues you are addressing. Use concrete examples. The structure that you use is very important. It must have a logical flow. References must be cited. Factual accuracy is of utmost importance. Don’t make a declaration on any page without backing it up. Show the mastery that you have developed with regard to the knowledge issues. Your format is important. However, it is even more important that you demonstrate an adequate depth of knowledge and insight. Starting Your Essay As you begin writing your introduction, keep in mind that you have a limit of 1200 to 1600 words. Your thesis and introductory paragraph will really drive the length of your essay. If your focus is too narrow, you will struggle to meet the word count that you need. If your focus is too broad, you will go over the limit. You should probably spend at least 50 percent of your essay writing on creating your thesis statement. It is truly the foundation of what you are going to present to your instructor. Be sure that it is very well thought out, and that you can back up your thesis with plenty of evidence as well. Tips For Success Here are some tips that can help you to succeed: While you need to backup your statements of fact with sources, remember that this is a reflective essay. Here, you can share your thoughts and opinions. Don’t be afraid to use examples that are meaningful to you. Remember that MLA is the preferred citation format. Remember that The Phrase ‘How do You Know’ Should be Your Guide Run your essay through a text to speech translator. That will show you how it reads. Essay and punctuation are still important. Self Care During The Essay Writing Process You have worked very hard, and accomplished a lot to get to this point. The theory of knowledge essay is very important. You will need to put in many   hours of hard work. This will be intense, so remember to take good care of yourself. Don’t make the essay the center of your life. Enjoy your friends and keep other academic priorities in mind. Find a physical activity. Walking is amazing. Eat healthy foods and get enough rest. Ask for TOK Essay help when you need it. Connect with students who have already written their TOK essay. Conclusion You can do this! All you have to do is consider which question is best for you, follow the instructions, and know the standards that will be used to evaluate your writing. Take good care of yourself, and you are certain to do well.    Author: Amanda Sparks   huffingtonpost.ca/amanda-sparks/

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Nike Fuel Band Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nike Fuel Band - Essay Example That is why some people call it activity tracker and wear them on their wrist. This will help the wearers monitor their physical activity, their daily activities in line with physical fitness like for example tracking the amount of calories they are burning. With a sheer understanding of the product’s features, advantages and benefits, one can say that it is especially formulated for athletic and health-conscious people who are looking forward to keep their body in shape and boost their athletic performance. Now generally one can say that there is a potential market for this product offering, but performing market segment analysis and identifying the segment’s market characteristics, and target marketing analysis is necessary to be employed in order to possibly define a new market segment that will help increase the demand for a certain product. Definition of the market segment In this section, the work at hand presents the actual market segments that the Nike fuel band exists in. A pie chart is shown to present with ease the relevant market share and potential market relationship. According to the case that Digital Ad Blog (2013) presented concerning the Nike fuel band and its target market, athletic individuals from 24 to 35 years old with medium-high disposable income are the potential targets of the product. The blog mentioned that these are individuals with high social usage, as 18% of them appreciate the idea of social media websites as their ultimate way out to compete with friends and family concerning their exercise goals and achievements while they want to combine altogether the quality and image, and efficiency and fashion to work out. This is supported by an article that tries to establish the fact that Nike fuel band would make sense among people who are sports minded and want to compete with other friends alike (Amsden, 2012). While athletic individuals may be the ultimate targets of the Nike fuel band, the other potential market bel ongs to the individuals who may not necessarily sports minded, but are just after of achieving a significant health gain linked to their healthy decisions in life (Reid, 2013). In knowing the above information, below is an approximate division of the market segments linked to the Nike fuel band, which are also the potential source of market share for the said product offering. Illustration 1. The potential market segments for Nike fuel brand with their approximate market percentage. It is in the above market segments where Nike fuel brand generate its market share. In particular and as already stated, the primary market of the product is the athletic industry. Considering this point, the target segment, which includes the athletic individuals, should make sense. However, there is also another market segment that tries to interact with the prevailing market of the athletic individuals, and generally would include people who are becoming conscious in their health. By critically assess ing these segments, one can therefore formulate the idea that the market for athletic individuals and people who are conscious of their health cannot be too far, but complementary. In other words, a significant market share for Nike fuel band generally comes from the health industry, but in a little portion of it because it particularly focuses on the gadget. As to what percentage it takes generally from the health i