Invisible Man By Ellison Essays (1151 words) - Invisible Man

Invisible Man By Ellison While the civil war ended one form of slavery in America, another system of oppression was ready to take its place. In Ralph Ellison's acclaimed novel Invisible Man, a young black, nameless narrator struggles through a series of hard-won lessons as he makes his journey from the Deep South to Harlem, New York, from naivet? to disenchantment, from illusion to insight. Like most of us, he stumbles down the path of identity, adopting several along the way in an attempt to solve his relationship with a hostile, prejudiced American society. Testament to the narrator's various identities is the symbol of his briefcase, which he receives as a prize after the disturbing ?Battle Royal' and proceeds to carry until the end when he is in the coal bin, and truly an invisible man. Its contents -his high school diploma, representing his southern black identity, the recommendation letters representing his college identity, the anonymous letter and the slip of paper with his brotherhood name representing his brotherhood leadership identity, Clifton's paper doll symbolizing his disillusionment with the brotherhoods ideals and finally, the shattered pieces of Mary's bank, perhaps signifying his identity in the context of white America -each an identity others dictated by others, not developed by himself. While in the cellar, he creates torches out of these objects as though lighting his past on fire, using his history to guide him out of the hole and out of illusion. The beginning is a nightmare. A young, eager Negro boy, valedictorian of his high school class believes he is to deliver a speech to a group of white benefactors. Instead, he finds himself together with several other Negroes in a ?Battle Royal', a disgusting free-for all in which, blindfolded and barebacked like savages, the boys are instructed to beat each other. After the battle, the narrator is called upon to make his speech, his mouth full of blood and his head spinning from the blows. In his speech, the narrator makes allusions to Booker T. Washington, the great black accommodationist, reflecting that he too believes in playing by the white people's rules, meaning never ask for more than they are willing to give. At the end of this traumatic scene, he receives a ?prize' briefcase containing a scholarship to a Negro college. In this society, we often rely on others as a means of learning about ourselves- a dangerous habit, especially when surrounded by those who are blind to the individual person. The narrator adores college and is under the illusion that it is a place of perfection, an institution at which he aspires to acquire a position as the assistant of his idol, Dr. Bledsoe, the president of the college and great leader of his race. But while the college is supposed to be a fountain of knowledge, of wisdom, it is rather like the broken fountain out front- dry with nothing to sustain real life. In his third year at the school, he is expelled for innocently showing a white trustee, Mr. Norton, the reality of black life in the south by inadvertently taking him to the home of an incestuous farmer and then to a whorehouse appropriately called ?the Golden Day'. The headmaster, who admits he'll see all Negroes hang before he gives up his power , offers the shattered young boy false hope in the form of seven letters of recommendation. Grateful, the narrator carries these letters in his prize briefcase to New York where his truth, his identity are dealt additional blows when he discovers that they are in fact letters of condemnation and meant only to keep him running, to keep him hoping for that golden day. Disillusioned, with growing sense of personal rejection and social invisibility, it is at this point that the narrator begins metamorphosing into the invisible man. Recruited by the ?Brotherhood', a mixed-race group of social activists, he now becomes a spokesman for the organization. Brother Jack, one of the white leaders hands the narrator a slip of paper on which is written his new brotherhood name. His truth, his new identity is shaped by this organization, and his sense of purpose, importance is temporarily restored as he slips it into his briefcase. He admits, "I am what they think I am". However, the brotherhood, like Mr. Norton and Dr. Bledsoe, does not believe that the individual is important. Of the brothers, the narrator eventually discerns"they were blind, bat blind, moving only by the echoed sounds of their voices. And because they were blind they would destroy

Ice on Fire Chemistry Demonstration

Ice on Fire Chemistry Demonstration Set real water ice on fire using a simple chemical reaction. This easy chemistry demonstration is sure to please! Ice on Fire Project Materials calcium carbide chips or granulesice2-liter beaker Set Ice on Fire Pour about a teaspoon of calcium carbide in the bottom of the beaker.Fill the beaker with ice.Use a long handled lighter to ignite the ice. Alternately, you could secretly place a bit of calcium carbide in a large bowl, fill it with ice, and toss a burning match onto the bowl of ice. How It Works As the ice melts, the water reacts with calcium carbide to produce acetylene gas, which is flammable, and calcium hydroxide. The reaction proceeds according to this chemical equation: CaC2(s) 2 H2O(l) → C2H2(g) Ca(OH)2(s) The acetylene produces a burst of flame when it is ignited. More acetylene is produced as the ice melts and reacts with the remaining calcium carbide. Safety Dont add the ice or expose the calcium carbide to water/humidity until you are ready to perform the demonstration. You dont need a build-up of acetylene.Its fire this demonstration should only be performed by an adult.Its advisable to place a plexiglass blast shield between the container and the audience, in case the beaker shatters from thermal stress or the fire expands outward too much. These are not expected to occur, but are reasonable safety precautions.As always, its good to wear safety goggles, gloves and protective clothing, plus it looks cool for the demonstration.Perform this demonstration away from other sources of flame or from flammable materials. Related Chemistry Demonstrations Fire and Flames Chem DemosSelf-Carving Jack-o-LanternColored Fire Spray Bottles

Is black cohosh a safe and effective substitute for hormone Article

Is black cohosh a safe and effective substitute for hormone replacement therapy - Article Example She tries to evaluate if black cohosh is an effective and safe substitute for hormone replacement therapy. According to the facts presented in the editorial, it is rather palpable that approximately 85% of women in the world experience night sweats and hot flashes, which are closely associated with menopause. These symptoms are triggered by the hormones in the body of the individual. Research asserts that black cohosh is a herb that is used to deal with vasomotor symptoms as a substitute for the hormone replacement therapy. The herb is widely used in the United States and Europe (Becker, Letham & Stoehr, 2009). However, black cohosh has numerous side effects to the women. As stated above, there are several inconsistencies that have been associated with the use of black cohosh. Some of these discrepancies are related to the dosing and side effects of the drug. Some of the complications that are able to result from the use of black cohosh include hepatitis, muscle damage and liver failure among other conditions. Several experts have critically evaluated the efficacy of the black cohosh for the vasomotor symptoms (Becker, Letham & Stoehr, 2009). In the clinical trials, there were several adverse effects of the drug to the

Women - are better listeners than men Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Women - are better listeners than men - Essay Example Capital punishment is no deterrent to crime. Pros: 1) There is statistical evidence that capital punishment is by far not a panacea; 2) even if in one country it works, it does not automatically mean that in every society it will work in the same way; 3) there is a sentiment that a murder for the sake of deterrence is a crime by itself; 4) society may benefit more from life imprisonment and controlled employment of criminals. Cons: 5) Capital punishment in some cases reflects the dominant public opinion; 6) zero tolerance to some criminals may if not reduce crime, but at least keep it in check. "Hard" sciences such as math are more difficult than "soft" sciences such as sociology. Pros: 1) "Hard" sciences often require more extensive basic knowledge; 2) fewer people are good at "hard" sciences in comparison to "soft" sciences; 3) "hard" sciences are usually less intuitively understandable than "soft" sciences. Cons: 4) Many "soft" sciences like sociology are based on observations, wh ich, while making them seem simple, in reality makes the process of research quite difficult; 5) there is no objective ground for differentiation, only inclinations of different people.

Economics (merit good) education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Economics (merit good) education - Essay Example Moreover, education makes one be in a position to acquire employment, obtain income and consequently have an improved way of life (Ver Eecke, 2003, p. 701). Other merit goods include goods and services like health services that the government provides for its citizens for the benefit of the community. This is usually conducted because it would lead to under-provision within the community. It also generates difference between the social and private expenses in addition to the advantages of creation and exploitation leading to the risk of not selling the goods and services (Besley and Ghatak, 2003, p. 235-249). Merit goods are also those goods and services that the government thinks consumers will under utilize, and they ought to be provided free for the entire society. Both private institutions and the government offer education, but in case education was left to be an expense, where parents are expected to pay for education then education would be under-consumed by the members of the society. Poor parents might not understand the importance of education. Similarly, their children might not see the benefits of education (Besley and Ghatak, 2003, p. 235-249). In reality, education should provide peripheral benefits that could not be considered by the open market. The benefits include increasing profits and production for present and future productions and expansion in the work-related movement of the work force, which must assist in the reduction of unemployment and consequently lower welfare expenditure (Dixit, 2002, p. 38). The administration provides this merit good to urge its utilization so those particular optimistic externalities related with merit commodities can be realized (Dixit, 2002, p. 38). They also aim at overcoming the failures of information connected to education, not when the private longer-term benefit of utilization is better than the shorter-term advantage of utilization. The government also believes that consumption

History of the EU Single Market

History of the EU Single Market In this paper I intend to look at the two communications presented by the European Commission, to the European Parliament, the European Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. These two communications, Single Market Act I Single Market Act II, both talk about proposals that if implemented, should make the Single Market of the European Union much better by eliminating any obstacles which were found in the systems at the time of writing. To understand better the Single Market, one should look at the history of this on-going process and then, take a look at what the Commission proposed through these two communications. This should lead to a better understanding of how these proposed set of actions would strengthen the EUs internal market. History of the EU Single Market Moving freely within the European Union (EU) today seems to be a very common activity and very often it is taken for granted. Looking back in time and seeking the beginning of this concept, one can better understand why this was necessary and important for the EU, what were the steps needed and what it took to achieve this goal. It is important to mark the landmark political decisions and historical facts that brought us to live this dream, which is also considered as one of the EUs greatest achievements. The need of a common market has been long discussed from 1957, since the Treaty of Rome which created the European Community. The main objective of this proposal was to give Europe a new push, to take integration to an upper level and to have free movement of goods, services, capital and persons, therefore a common market. Of course, this was a vital step since one cannot build a common Europe without having a common market. These four fundamental freedoms were the basis of the real European Economic Community (EEC). This common market became a reality with the removal of barriers and internal borders within the European Union. Although on 1st July 1968 the customs duties on goods going around in the EU member states were completely removed, there remained non-tariff barriers like differences in the requirements of safety and packaging of different member states or between national administrative procedures. Consequently, these barriers did not allow the manufacturers to market the same goods in different European countries.  [1]  After this step, it took until 1985 for the leaders to decide to come back to the realisation of this single market. The single market was a response for a long-standing crisis in the EEC especially created in the 1970s; the things that mostly effected the economy were the oil crisis of 1973 1979 (which caused a lot of inflation with rising prices and which therefore created unemployment), the rapid advancements in technology, t he changes occurring in the economy world and also the emergence of new strong competitors such as Japan and newly industrialising countries from South East Asia.  [2]  The European Commission led by Jacques Delors, in 1985 presented a common response to that of the leaders themselves. The Community decided to complete the construction of the great internal market in stages which was to be finalised at the start of 1993, and therefore, the ambitious date and goal were written into the Single European Act signed in February 1986. This led to the gradual removal of internal barriers and borders within the European Community, national standards were getting harmonised, and rules determining the way governments should buy services and goods were created. There was also the liberalisation of financial institutions, the Value Added Tax (VAT) rates were being set to a standard level and there was also the setting of European business laws. All these measures were taken to create the si ngle market.  [3]  Until 1992, the national regulations of the 12 member states were replaced by one rule which was common to all of them and regulated all the countries in the same manner after the EU adopted nearly 280 pieces of legislation. The monetary union was also planned and the Maastricht Treaty was the first step of the creation of the Euro, which came into use on 1st January 2002. After all these steps and hard work towards this dream, on 1 January 1993 the physical borders between EU countries vanished completely and the European Single Market was officially a reality for the member states of the EU.  [4]   12 levers of the EU Single Market After all the work done to create the Single Market of the EU, there were still some things which were not functioning as they were meant to be and according to their original purpose of creation. Although one of the main benefits of the Single Market was that of bringing economic growth in the member states of the EU as was predicted and argued in the Cecchini Report  [5]  , it has been proven by many studies and statistics that this mission was not fully accomplished and the targets were not fully reached. The faults present in this system were addressed both by the Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and the Maltese MEP Louis Grech in their reports A New Strategy for the Single Market Delivering a single market to consumers and citizens, respectively. Taken from the original Cecchini Report Therefore, the only thing that could help to get the expected results was to refine the policies and develop a proactive and cross-cutting strategy  [6]  to give the single market the opportunity to develop its full potential  [7]  . This was done through the Single Market Act I which was presented on 13th April 2011. In this communication, the Commission expressed its proposals which should help to eliminate any obstacles which are not allowing full movement of services, innovation and creativity across the member states. The Single Market Act and the actions which were proposed in this communication are aimed at giving all the citizens and businesses of the EU the ability to have full access and full beneficial that can come out of this Internal Market and strengthen their confidence in this system. All in all, the end result should be a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth  [8]  and also the creation of more jobs for the citizens. This was all presented in the so ca lled Twelve levers which the Commission has come up with. Each one of them is aimed at strengthening the Single Market in different ways. Here are some of the most important levers. Levers related to free movement of capital The first lever talks about the Access to finance for SMEs since the world has gone through financial crises, businesses in the EU have become more restricted and limited and cannot get the loans they need from the banks to advance in their industry by manufacturing innovative products and market them. Through a change in legislation, this lever proposes to make funds more accessible to SMEs so they can invest more and provide a better, smarter, innovative and more advanced technology. This should also be an incentive for SMEs to operate across borders and raise capital abroad.  [9]   Levers Related to free movement of persons The second lever which is about Mobility for citizens, talks about creating a European professional card that will make mobility for workers across the EU easier while building a better level of trust and cooperation between different countries of the EU. Another proposal was the creation of the European skills passport which is a record of the skills possessed by a person who can travel across the EU and find different jobs. This way, the citizens can always have a proof of their skills.  [10]   Another lever aimed at facilitating the free movement of persons is the seventh lever proposed which talks about The digital single market. This lever proposes that there should be a mutual electronic identification and authentication throughout the EU. This will be beneficial not only for people moving from one country to another, but also to businesses and public authorities, therefore it can also help in increasing the effectiveness of public services and procurement, service provision and electronic commerce (including the cross-border dimension). Levers Related to free movement of goods services The fifth lever talking about Services highlights the importance of standardisation as a tool used in the free movement of goods. This tools importance is growing bigger also in the services sector. This will help in improving cross-border services mainly between businesses and combat unfairness, by developing a more effective, efficient and inclusive system.  [11]  This system will work to see that standards are adopted quickly and adapted to new technologies. This will enable SMEs other similar groups to become more involved while standards remain available to everyone.  [12]   Levers Related to Law Enforcement Strengthening the EU Single Market Concluding Remarks

Why Is Religion Important? Essays -- Why Study Religion?

"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness." -- Dalai Lama In a world where religions plays such a major role in people’s lives, it is not surprising why it is such a major focus in the way choices and decisions are made. There are many religions throughout the world. Some are faiths with a very concentrated following in specific geographic areas, while others span the entire globe and have enormous numbers of followers. Each of the world’s major religions has definite distinctions that set themselves apart from others and that make them unique. These religions, however, all follow the same basic morals and guidelines that are quite similar. The most widely followed faith on the planet is Christianity. Followers of Christianity believe that God sent his own son Jesus to earth to save them from their own sinful ways. They believe that Jesus was killed for his teachings and was then resurrected after lying in a tomb for three days. The main Christian holy day is celebrated on the day Jesus rose from the dead. This day is known as Easter Sunday and is the center of the entire faith. The ultimate goal for Christians is to have their souls join God in heaven when they die where they will live forever in eternal happiness. Christianity is broken up into three different groups that follow similar beliefs but do differ on some. Roman Catholics are the first type. They make up the largest single faith in Christianity. Catholics are united under their leader, the Pope who resides in Rome. They interpret meaning from the Bible to use in everyday life. Roman Catholic scholars, who spend their lives interpreting ... ...s teachings say that all of life is suffering and that this suffering is caused by desire. He said that the only way to end suffering is to end desire and to end desire you must follow the Eight Paths of Enlightenment. There are other smaller groups of religious beliefs like Confucianism, which is basically a respect for elders. Most people in Japan follow this belief. Animism is a faith followed by more primitive cultures throughout Africa and Asia. This centers on the fact that spirits inhabit everything in nature and are thus worshipped for it. Religion remains a crucial part of world politics. It is the driving force behind much of today’s biggest problems, and until everyone learns to respect one another’s differences this unnecessary violence will continue. Dalai Lama Quote http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_religion.html#vM6qqb6vc2q3bDQk.99

British Virgin Islands and Bermuda

The British Virgin Islands (BIV) and the Bermuda are British colonies with a high degree of internal self-government. Both countries have been designated as a British Overseas Territory and although they are still technically under British rule, they have exercised control over their own state affairs. Demography The Virgin Islands is an archipelago of more than 40 islands, of which 16 are inhabited. It has strong ties with the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico as it is geographically situated in between these countries.As per the latest data in the CIA Factbook, the male-dominated BIV has a population of 23,552 (July 2007 estimate) with nearly two per cent growth rate. Given its history with the US, the official language is English and almost ninety per cent of the population are Protestants. The Virgin Islands has one of the most stable economies in the Caribbean. Some 45 per cent of its income is generated from tourism. In 2005 for example, more than 800,000 tourists, mainly from the United States visited the Islands. It also relies on light industries and offshore financial centers.The Bermuda on the other hand, was first inhabited by English colonist in the early 17th century. It belongs to the group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east of South Carolina in the US. The Bermuda is a small country, roughly one-third of Washington D. C. Like the Virgin Islands, its official language is English although a significant number of its more than 66,163 (July 2007 estimate) population speaks Portuguese. The major religions are Anglican and Catholic. The Bermuda boasts of the highest per capita income in the world, more than 50 per cent higher than that of the United States.Its primary income generator is their robust international business sector. Government and Politics The Bermuda is the oldest Britain’s colony. For five years now, it ahs been a self-governing territory of the UK. Bermudans are entitled to enjoy dual citizenship and have the right t o live and work in Europe (Sanders, par. 5) The system of government in Bermuda is that of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency. The official head of state is the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, while the Premier is the head of government.The Queen appoints a Governor to represent her in Bermuda. Bermuda’s political framework is very similar to that of the UK. Like most democracies, it has two legislative chambers: the House of Assembly and the Senate. Bermuda is independent of the UK in all internal matters and makes its own set of laws (Forbes, par. 11). British and UK laws do not apply in Bermuda. Bermuda laws are generally much more restrictive to non-nationals. The Bermuda, however, is dependent on Britain for defense, external affairs and internal security.Like Bermuda, the BIV is also self-governing in most internal matters. According to its amended Constitution of 2000, their head of state is also the Queen and her appointed governor is in charge of th e country’s external affairs, defense, internal security and public service. On all other matters except those, the executive council ahs authority. The executive council is headed by the governor, chief minister, an attorney-general and three other ministers. In both the Bermuda and Virgin Islands, the Queen remains to be the most important figure.The governor she appoints is also given much value considering the structure of their government and their political framework. Their legislature and executive councils, however, have autonomy to the states’ internal matters. Independence The issue of independence has been a recurring subject of debate in both countries. In Bermuda, independence has been discussed since the mid-1960’s when Britain was anxious to get rid of all its colonies. In 2004, the ruling Progressive Labour Party has Created the Bermuda Independence Commission.Its main concern is to educate people about the gains and losses of independence. Despi te the arguments for independence, however, opposition on breaking links with Britain has been strong. A November 2006 poll shows that 65 per cent of Bermudans were against breaking ties with Britain (Jones, par. 2). This is 17 per cent lower than the 57 per cent in July of the same year. The issue of independence however is expected to be a major point when Bermuda holds its elections in January 2009. Independence was rejected in a 1995 referendum by 75 per cent voters.The main argument against independence is the fact that Bermuda enjoys a high degree despite its being a British colony. Its economy has been robust. As former Premier Sir John Swan likes to put it, â€Å"With the Americans to feed us and the British to defend us, who needs independence† (Sanders, par. 10). In British Virginia Islands, although there is no formal movement toward full independence, its possibility is a central topic of public debate and party politics. Despite self-governance, the Bermuda and V irgin Islands politics is still very much similar to that of its crown country.Bermuda’s political, as well as social economic institutions have shown resiliency and stability. Despite this, however, its political framework has not fully been independent of Britain. This is because it was Britain who instituted its political system. The Queen and her appointed Governor is an active force in the affairs of the state so much so that the Westminster style of government is still very much felt. The same thing applies to the Virgin Islands. Its politics is British in origin and even with a high level of autonomy, the framework of government is still very much like its crown country.Its colonial relationship with the United Kingdom lets it operate in a constitutional democracy with the executive authority vested in the Queen. British influence is all over Bermuda and the Virgin Islands. Their national anthem is both â€Å"God Save the Queen† and the Queen’s birthday i s observed as an official public holiday. Their Constitutions are drafted the British way. Branches of government such as the executive and judiciary also demand Britain’s participation. And although these colonies have been handling internal matters of government by themselves, their external affairs are still Britain’s problem.Until a significant portion of government is still controlled by Britain, Bermuda and the Virgin Islands will still bear the same political structure—one that has its democracy of its own but deems considerable interference from the crown country as a must. Anglophone countries Anglophone nations share the same historical, cultural, and political characteristics attributed to the historical experience of the United Kingdom. Generally, it includes territories and former colonies of the UK which have English as the national language.But with its loose definition rooted on history and culture, it may also mean countries which use legal syst ems based on Common Law or simply Great Britain or British-settled countries. They also share similarities in civil rights and personal freedoms. In short, the Anglosphere â€Å"is not a club that a person or nation can join or be excluded from, but a condition or status of a network† (Bennett, par. 3). However, because of its imprecise boundaries, the Anglosphere as a network civilization does not have its corresponding political form.Its union is based firmly on culture and does not take any political outline. Notice that the forms of government in these English speaking countries are different. Some take the republican form, some are constitutional monarchies, while some are parliamentary democracies. The idea of a â€Å"Anglosphere government† has been subject to debate. The basic argument is that merging these countries and making it like a European Union of sorts would be a great development in the onward progress of English-speaking supremacy.However, others arg ue that the particular genius in this union is the fact that it has remained apolitical and non-governmental. Forging the Anglosphere as one solid government, they say, may only lead to the centralization of power. Anglophone countries handle their government differently. Their link to the atmosphere has not so far affected the way in which they run their politics. The Anglosphere is not a government of its own and it refuses to be. English-speaking countries who have joined the sphere have existing government structures that they chose to pursue despite â€Å"membership† in the union.The so-called â€Å"anglosphere challenge† however has earned buzz in the recent years. It is said that these political entities, though loose, is a force to reckon in the time of technological and scientific change provided they remain true to the traits that bonded them together in the first place—a strong, independent civil society, adherence to the rule of law, its people and i deas and openness and receptivity to the world. Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados Unlike the British Virgin Islands and Bermuda, Trinidad and Tobago is completely independent from Britain.It takes the form of a unitary state with a parliamentary democracy modeled after that of its former crown country. In 1976, soon after it broke ties with Britain, it adopted its own republican Constitution. The Queen is thereby replaced with a president elected by the Parliament. Since then, the general control and direction of its government rests on the cabinet, led by the prime minister. Barbados, for its part, gained independence from Britain in November 1966. It subsequently adopted the Westminster parliamentary system of government with a governor-general representing the British monarch.Its 1966 Constitution also provides for a bicameral parliamentary system headed by a prime minister and cabinet. Since breaking ties with Britain, responsibility for organizing the government has been evenly divided between its two major political parties that are both centrist social democratic parties that date its roots back to the British labor movement. The main difference between the overseas territories (Bermuda and Virgin Islands) and the two former colonies (Trinidad & Tobago and Barbados) is the extent to which Britain interferes with their affairs of government.Former colonies may have chosen to adopt British influence in its political structure but it is completely in control of both its internal and external affairs. The overseas territories, on the other hand, may have been granted self-governance but it does not have total control of its government, especially its defense and external affairs of government. Works Cited Bennet, James. â€Å"Orphans of the Anglosphere. † Albion’s Seedlings. (21 November 2005). 09 September 2007. < http://anglosphere. com/weblog/archives/000145. html>. Forbes, Keith.â€Å"Bermuda and Great Britain: A self-governing British Ove rseas Territory with its own laws. † Bermuda online. 09 September 2007. . Jones, Dan. â€Å"Poll finds opposition to Independence rises. † The Royal Gazette Magazine. (28 November 2006). 09 September 2007. . Sanders, Ronald. â€Å"Bermuda: Independence or not? † Caribbean Net News. (08 March 2005). 9 September 2007. .

Examination of The Little Matchstick Girl

Examination of The Little Matchstick Girl First published in 1845, The Little Match Girl by  Hans Christian Anderson  is a story about a young impoverished girl trying to sell matches on the street on New Years Eve who is afraid to go home without selling enough for fear of an abusive father. This tragic short story paints a dismal picture of life for the poor in the 1840s but also carries with it that grim hope of a fairy tale with visions of huge Christmas trees and shooting stars appearing before the young match girl- her dying wishes and dreams. The Harsh Realities of Poverty Andersons The Little Match Girl is not far from classic fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm- they both share a certain darkness to their content, a melancholic and an often morbid obsession with consequences for actions or for merely existing. Its an often studied piece in academic circles. In The Little Match Girl, Andersons titular character dies by the end of the piece, but the story is much more about the perseverance of hope. In these sparse, unforgiving lines, Hans Christian Andersen packs so much simple beauty and hope: The girl is cold, barefoot, and poor- without a friend in the world (it seems)- but she is not without hope. She dreams of warmth and light, of a time when she will be surrounded by love, and filled with happiness. Its so far outside of the realm of her current experience that most of us would have long since given up such dreams, but she holds on. Still, the harsh realities of poverty haunt the little girls reality- she must sell a match for fear of being beaten by her father upon returning home and this fear propels her to stay outside all night, which ultimately leads to her death by hypothermia. Lessons and Adaptations Thanks to its brevity and delicate approach to the topic of death, The Little Match Girl serves as a great tool, like most fairy tales, to teach children important lessons about the tougher topics in life like death and loss as well as social issues like poverty and charity. We may not want to think about the horrible things that happen every day, and its certainly hard to explain such things to our children. It does seem, though, that we can often learn the greatest lessons from the children- in how they deal with the most hopeless situations. In those final moments, this little girl sees visions of splendor. She sees hope. But, her passing- punctuated by the shooting of a star in the night sky- is tragic and troubling. Fortunately, there have also been many adaptations of this short piece by Hans Christian Anderson including several animated and live action short films which provide an easier way for children to access the themes of this brilliant short work of fiction.

Niels Bohr Biographical Profile

Niels Bohr Biographical Profile Niels Bohr  is one of the major voices in the early development of quantum mechanics. In the early twentieth century, his Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark, was a center for some of the most important revolutionary thinking in formulating and studying the discoveries and insights related to the growing information about the quantum realm. Indeed, for the majority of the twentieth century, the dominant interpretation of quantum physics was known as the Copenhagen interpretation. Early Years Niels Henrik David Bohr was born on Oct. 7, 1885, in Copenhagen, Denmark. He received a doctorate from Copenhagen University in 1911. In August of 1912, Bohr married Margrethe Norlund after they had met two years before. In 1913, he developed the Bohr model of atomic structure, which introduced the theory of electrons orbiting around the atomic nucleus. His model involved the electrons being contained in quantized energy states so that when they drop from one state to another, energy is emitted. This work became central to quantum physics and it for this which he was awarded the 1922 Nobel Prize for his services in the investigation of the structure of atoms and of the radiation emanating from them. Copenhagen In 1916, Bohr became a professor at Copenhagen University. In 1920, he was appointed director of the new Institute of Theoretical Physics, later renamed the Niels Bohr Institute. In this position, he was in a position to be instrumental in building the theoretical framework of quantum physics. The standard model of quantum physics throughout the first half of the century became known as the Copenhagen interpretation, although several other interpretations now exist. Bohrs careful, thoughtful manner of approaching was colored with a playful personality, as clear in some famous Niels Bohr quotes. Bohr Einstein Debates Albert Einstein was a known critic of quantum physics, and he frequently challenged Bohrs views on the subject. Through their prolonged and spirited debate, the two great thinkers helped refine a century-long understanding of quantum physics. One of the most famous outcomes of this discussion was Einsteins famous quote that God does not play dice with the universe, to which Bohr is said to have replied, Einstein, stop telling God what to do! The debate was cordial, if spirited. In a 1920 letter, Einstein said to Bohr, Not often in life has a human being caused me such joy by his mere presence as you did. On a more productive note, the physics world pays more attention to the outcome of these debates that led to valid research questions: an attempted counter-example that Einstein proposed known as the EPR paradox. The goal of the paradox was to suggest that the quantum indeterminacy of quantum mechanics led to an inherent non-locality. This was quantified years later in Bells theorem, which is an experimentally-accessible formulation of the paradox. Experimental tests have confirmed the non-locality that Einstein created the thought experiment to refute. Bohr World War II One of Bohrs students was Werner Heisenberg, who became the leader of the German atomic research project during World War II. During a somewhat famous private meeting, Heisenberg visited with Bohr in Copenhagen in 1941, the details of which have been a matter of scholarly debate since neither ever spoke freely of the meeting, and the few references have conflicts. Bohr escaped arrest by German police in 1943, eventually making it to the United States where he worked at Los Alamos on the Manhattan Project, though implications are that his role was primarily that of a consultant. Nuclear Energy Final Years Bohr returned to Copenhagen after the war and spent the rest of his life advocating the peaceful use of nuclear energy before dying on Nov. 18, 1962.

No topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

No topic - Essay Example The article emphasizes the fact that once Google launches its â€Å"Google Editions†, the online service to sell e-books, it would be in direct competition with another behemoth in the area of digital books, Amazon. The main issue analyzed here is the competition from Amazon and their pricing strategy along with the distribution channels both companies will adopt to market their services since the real winner will be the product that reaches the customer in the most convenient way possible. It is a well known fact that Amazon is the leader in the space for selling books and accessories online. It was one of the first companies to set up a website for selling books and accessories online. The success of the model pioneered by Amazon spurred many companies (Barnes and Noble, Borders etc) to enter the area of selling books online. The article clearly highlights the potential for rivalry between Google (once it launches Google Editions) and Amazon as both the companies are essentially targeting the same market i.e. the consumers of e-books. Further, the article discusses the possibility of a â€Å"price war† where each of the competitors would be going in for a â€Å"race to the bottom† in search of the consumers for their products. The Implications of this strategy would be discussed in due course. This section analyzes the case from the 4P’s of the marketing mix, namely: Price, Product, Place and Promotion. These are the cornerstones of any marketing strategy and the successful execution of these in a combination or individually would determine the success of the venture as is being undertaken by Google. The marketing mix is the â€Å"set of controllable, tactical marketing tools that the company blends to produce the response it wants in the target market.† (Kotler, 2009 63) To take the first component of the Marketing mix, the biggest advantage that Google has is its competitive pricing. Since the

Marketing Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Marketing Plan - Assignment Example This will enable the business to lure more customers and compete favorably with other players in the industry. Further, they will have to extract useful information that will assist them in identifying new markets and targets. The business has to adopt new means of advertisement such using the use of the media in order to reach to more customers. Among the current social networks and media firms, facebook has proven to be the most efficient and reliable in giving information to millions of users within a very short time. As part of product development, Dog-Gone stylin’ has embarked on selling pet therapy products to customers. For instance, they sell Spa products like bandanas and shampoo that clients use to groom their pets. In the product development, the marketing team will have to diversify the products to various clients. The marketing mix is achieved in the sense that the company offers one-on-one services to enable clients relax. Further, they can go an extent of taking the services to a client’s home to avoid transportation of pets. Branding and packaging of the product is very essential, but in this case, it is challenging to develop a strong that might clients due to lack of products that they compare with. In such a business, branding requires patience and time. As part of packaging strategy, it is significant to develop a handout that includes all the pet grooming services and their prices, photos of dogs prior to and after grooming in order enable customers to view the outcome of the