Arthurian Romances Essay -- essays research papers

Arthurian Romances   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Middle Ages of Europe were governed by a system which is referred to as feudalist. The people of this system flow together well; society in these times require noble people to set the example for the younger. The ranks of the noble include counts, lords, knights, kings,queens,etc. These noblemen can be compared to as dueling politicians; they watch over their communities, keeping everything orderly, and they fend off any attackers trying to besiege land. The peace keeper of the society is the knight. The knight has been appointed the position of knight by a king because his traits and characteristic best fit the standards of a good warrior and protector of the civilization. A knight is truthful, honest, capable, educated, physically fit, noble, sincere, and subservient to the king.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"Arthurian Romances† the knight has a duty to protect his country. When he approaches a situation he does not attack the other party until he has warned them. His place in the feudalist system involves other workers (vassals) to do his bidding. They suit him up in his armor and ready his horse and weapons. The knight in the first story is named Erec, son of the King Lac. He marries a girl named Enide, who is at his side throughout the story. Together they adventure through the countryside and Erec fights his battles as they go on. The knight will give up on nothing ever, it is his duty to serve his King and God...

The U.S. and The S.O.A. :: Essays Papers

The U.S. and The S.O.A. In its dealings with foreign nations, the government of the United States has repeatedly rushed past seeking diplomatic solutions to problems and utilized its military superiority or money to achieve the outcome it desires, regardless of civilian casualties that might occur along the way. Time and again, it has violated human rights or contributed to such violations. In some cases, the actions of the government have backfired and an ally that the U.S. was assisting at one point in time to achieve its own ends reverses itself and becomes an enemy. Whether that happens or not, many well-informed citizens are concerned for the welfare of the peoples in other nations and what the United States government is doing to them. In a democracy, where majority rules, issues such as U.S. involvement in human rights violations needs to be brought to the attention of more citizens. For issues pertaining to Latin America, this is all too apparent. It is too often overlooked, yet the U.S. maint ains a strong influence on most, if not all, of its nations. All over the world, the United States government uses its influence to achieve its own goals, even when those goals harm the peoples of foreign nations. The solutions which the U.S. uses to solve its foreign problems are generally temporary and have many negative consequences in the long run. The two most noteworthy occurrences which show these results are the two most difficult issues facing America in the present day. The opponents that the United States now faces were originally assisted by the U.S. during the 1980s. The two foes are Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Osama bin Laden gained assistance from the CIA in 1979 in what has been called â€Å"the largest covert operation in the history of the CIA.†[1] This was during the Cold War period when the Soviets had invaded Afghanistan, causing an uproar by the Afghani people, who began a jihad against the Soviets. In order to stop the spread of Communism, the United States wanted to rid Afghanistan of the Soviets.[2] So, the CIA, using the Pakistan's military Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as a middle-man,2 assisted the Afghani fighters by dramatically increasing arms supplies -- a steady rise to 65,000 tons annually by 1987, by training them in guerrilla techniques, and by maintaining a "ceaseless stream" of CIA and Pentagon specialists who traveled to the secret headquarters of Pakistan's ISI.

Essay --

10. Factors In The Arab Springs Chicago Source: Arahala , Nardic, Spring 2012, Understanding the ‘Arab Spring’: Justice, Dignity, Religion and International Politics, Afro Eurasian Studies, Vol. 1, Issue 1, Spring 2012, 8-52 The Arab spring has been an event that is hotly disputed among the political science community. There is not any consensus on the general causes of the springs. In this article the author denies that there is one miracle factor that caused the Arab Springs. In actuality there are four major factors that the Author labeled out that lead to the uprisings that occurred throughout the Arab Nation. These factors are the Arab military, the cities, the youth and social media.( Arahala, 8,2012) Firstly, the military in the Arab countries was acting in a way that angered the general population. ( Arahala, 25,2012)This is because the military in the countries affected were attacking their own people. Those who protested against the government were often injured or killed due to governmental intervention. ( Arahala, 25,2012)If a person spoke out against the current governmental force the military was quick to step in and harm the person protesting. This caused the general population to feel animosity towards the established government. ( Arahala, 25,2012) In the text the youth movement and the cities were linked together. ( Arahala, 22,2012) This is because the cities were the places in which the youth gathered in order to protest against the established government. The highly educated youth were the majority of the protestors that rebelled against the established government. ( Arahala, 22,2012) Many of the youth that rebelled were highly educated and were unable to obtain a job after college. ( Arahala, 22,20... ...that represent an extremely radical version of Islam. (NPR Staff, 2011) This is in large part due to the fact that many Muslims believe that a Islamic government is necessary. (NPR Staff, 2011). However, this conservative Islamic government angers both liberals and westerners alike. Liberalist Muslims, believe that these governmental structures are not evolving, but reinstating many of the laws that plagued the previous leadership. Laws that deny Woman’s rights is popular among Arab spring countries. (NPR Staff, 2011). Westerns are also aggravated because many sought to create a more liberalized leadership in Arab Springs countries after the Arab Springs uprisings. Through the institution of Islamic government, the west feels that these governments that are inserted do not reflect a more liberal but a conservative interpretation of Islamic code. (NPR Staff, 2011)

Representation of Adolescence Through Fiction

Representations of Adolescence through Fiction According to Kate Legged, an Australian Journalist, young adult novels are too dark and pessimistic, as she states in the following quote: Father bashes mother, mother abandons children†¦ Violence, drugs, suicides. The novels of some top writes of young people's fiction have never been bleaker or more explicit†¦ (Kate Legged; The Australian Magazine; 1998) ‘Tomorrow, When the War Began' by John Married and ‘Ugly by Constance Brioche both involve issues which could be considered bleak and disturbing.They tell stories of violence, one in a war situation while the other in the form of child abuse. However, young adults are represented in an optimistic light in both novels, becoming responsible and able to persist and show resilience through the circumstances they are faced with, making them able to overcome these challenges. These books promote the awareness and understanding of issues, and show that hope is what the c haracters cling to in their time of need. The main characters in both books are adolescents who develop and become stronger in their difficult situations.Constance (Clare), in ‘Ugly, writes an autobiography of her life of eating and neglect by her mother. Elli, the main character in ‘Tomorrow, When the War Began', writes a diary about guerilla warfare in an invasion where her parent's are prisoners of war. Therefore, both are put in a position of responsibility whereby they must look after themselves without parent's being there for protection. They are represented in a positive light which contrasts with their negative surroundings. ‘Ugly presents violence which is directed at Clare in the home environment.Clare suffers physical abuse (even leading to hospitalizing) and sexual harassment which re consequential of adults in the book, in particular her mother Carmen. Her treatment of my sisters was certainly very different from her treatment of me. They did not get the unkind words I got, or have their nipples pinched, and they were not beaten or punched. † (Clare; Ugly; p. 8 -9) Although Clare is unaware why she is victimized by her mother, it is possibly because she is darker skinned than the rest of the family.Carmen abuses her daughter through verbal abuse, neglect and physical harm. Her self-esteem is lowered through name calling such as the following: Lord, sweet Lord, how come she so ugly? Ugly. Ugly. If I hadn't given birth to her, sweet Lord, I would have sworn she was a fraud. Heavenly Jesus, sweet and kind, why have you given me a swine? (Carmen; Ugly; p. 52) Child abuse is intolerable in our society. As the reader sees the pain and suffering that Clare experiences, they respond to the torment by feeling sympathy towards Clare and disgust towards Carmen.So readers are positioned to admire Clare for her courageousness in persevering with life, fending for herself, her determination to become a barrister and her continual study and work ethic to achieve this goal. At the end of the book a spirited Clare visits her mother and lets her know what she thinks: You made me (Clare) hate you (Carmen), and I do. You know what? I don't think that you should ever have had children. And not that bad after all. (Clare; Ugly; p. 08) When Clare finally confronts Carmen, readers feel relief and thrilled for Clare because she has moved on from her mother's cruelty, to lead a better life and become a successful proud woman, unlike Carmen. From a horrible background, this young adult is able to achieve her lifetime goal. Unlike ‘Ugly, where personal violence is the main issue, ‘Tomorrow, When the War Began' conveys violence which is directed at the whole country in a war scenario. Elli, the protagonist, records the story of fighting the enemy for her country and family.The characters in ‘Tomorrow, When the War Began' also grow throughout the novel and become fighters for others' lives, rather than always pu tting themselves first. While ‘Ugly has one main character, ‘Tomorrow, When the War Began' features a group of seven friends, who are able to support one another throughout the war which the group discovers has broken out while they are on a camping trip. From innocence, the group is suddenly faced with a massive change in their lives: We believed we were safe. That was the big fantasy.Now we know we're not, and like you said, we'll never feel safe again, and so it's bye-bye innocence. (Elli; Tomorrow, When the War Began; p. 107) Readers can associate with these characters as they are typical Australian teenagers, which is seen through their behavior and country town in which they live. Although they are from a variety of different backgrounds, they show true Australian qualities, making them likeable to the reader as they hold the name values. The characters become more cautious and realize how important friends and family are.War has meant they are no longer innocent a nd must grow up and fend for themselves, becoming more responsible and independent with every minute, which is illustrated in this quote: We've got to stick together, that's all I know. We all drive each other crazy at times, but I don't want to end up here alone†¦ (Elli; Tomorrow, When the War Began; p. 284) These young adults (Elli, Homer, Lee, Carrie, Kevin, Robin and F') find the strength to live on while their country has been invaded ND their families captured.As with Clare, the reader is positioned to admire these characters because they show traits that most readers would can relate to and respect such as courage, commitment, independence, responsibility and family values as seen in the following quote. ‘It's our own families,' said Carrie. ‘That's what everyone's worried about, isn't it? I guess I'd fight for my country but I'm going mad wondering what's happened to my family'. (Carrie; Tomorrow, When the War Began; p. 172) One goal remains throughout which is to fight for their families and country ND their own survival.Through the representations of personal and social issues which are explored in the two books, readers are positioned to view the world as bleak and disturbing, which supports the view of young adult novels presented in Ledge's quote. However, the representations of young adults in the novels suggest that they are very capable of dealing with immense problems and overcoming them. Young adults in the novels are able to move past these issues because of their resilience and a small ray of hope in their lives, so they can continue to work towards a better life.

Methods Section: How Work Affects GPA

To assess the influence of employment on the grade point average of students who are either part time or full time employed, the researcher prepared a questionnaire with open and closed ended questions.   The open ended questions were meant to provide greater insight into the subject.   Responses to such questions that the researcher considered worthy of note were recorded in the Discussions section of the study.   The closed ended questions, on the other hand, provided the researcher with quantitative data.   An analysis of the answers to the closed ended questions utilized descriptive statistics, the most important of which was the mean value of the variable in question (See Questionnaire in the Appendix).The researcher identified fifteen students who were engaged in full time employment, plus fifteen more who were employed part time.   Participants in each of the groups were selected out of the student population based on the researcher’s discretion rather than ra ndom selection.   The selected participants in the study had first of all to sign an â€Å"Informed Consent† form to declare that they understand that they are participating in a research study to understand the influence of employment on the grade point average.Also on the â€Å"Informed Consent† form was a signed statement of the researcher, claiming that the data collected through the questionnaire as well as the results of the research would not identify the participant’s name.   In other words, all information gathered through this research is confidential with respect to the names of the participants in the study (See Informed Consent form in the Appendix).Following the agreement of the students to participate in the study – as indicated on the â€Å"informed consent† forms that each individual subject was required to sign – the participants,  divided into two groups based on the above mentioned criteria, received the questionnai re designed by the researcher.   The verbal instructions given the participants were simply to answer all questions honestly, and to turn in their completed questionnaires by the end of the week during which the questionnaires were handed out.   The participants, upon being handed out the questionnaires, were also asked to feel free to contact the researcher at any time in order to pose any questions that would emerge in the process of the completion of the questionnaire.Once the participants had submitted their questionnaires on time to the researcher, the latter began qualitative and quantitative analysis on the collected data.

Filipino Customs and Traits Essay

Every nationality has its own customs, traits, characteristics, values, attitudes, and beliefs that were inherited from their great ancestors. They have the possessions of uniqueness as a nation. Filipino people are one of the sole nations in the world. They have their own norms and manners. Until now, those traits are still alive and most of it is continuously transferring to the next generations. Filipinos are best well-known for being hospitable. One good example is whenever there is a visitor, it may be expected or unexpected, they really take such good care, give their full attention, and even serve foods for their visitors. Filipinos are also prominent for their close family ties. Filipinos are close to their families and relatives. They value a big family and they surely help a relative that is someone in need or who needs help. They always have a shoulder that can lean on especially during the hard times. In other countries, once an individual turns 18, it’s their responsibility to be independent and to stand on their own. On the other hand, Filipinos are totally opposite with them because of the close family ties. One concrete example is, almost the third generation of the family still lives on the same house together with the first and second generation. Another instance is, in every occasion, specifically Christmas, new year, birthdays, wedding celebrations, christening, anniversaries, etc. , almost all the members of the family, or even the extended families and relatives are present on those occasions. And also, the parents work hard and sacrifice much for their children, in return, the children love and respect them and take good care of them in their old age. That’s how Filipino families are commonly defined. It is said to be that the Filipinos are clever, with retentive memory, rapid insight, and talents for arts and sciences. They are also known for being jolly. The Filipino nation loves to laugh. In every problems and disturbances, still, the Filipino people are smiling and they still find way to laugh. They do believe in the saying: â€Å"Laughter is the best medicine. † Filipinos are not only known for being jolly but also being friendly and chatty. They can stand talking for an hour or more just to chat and talk with their friends. Gratitude is another authentic attribute of the Filipinos. They are appreciative to those who have settled them favors or who are good to them. Their high sense of gratitude is expressed in the phrase â€Å"Utang na loob† or the debt of honor. Another one is being courteous. They always show respect especially to the elders. â€Å"Pagmamano† is one of the things to show respect. Saying â€Å"po† and â€Å"opo† is attached to a sentence addressing someone in the third person are signs of respect. Filipinos owing to their beautiful country, liberty-loving and courageous are ardently idealistic. They are enthusiastic in love as they are violent in battle. An example is, they bravely opposed the Spanish, American and Japanese conqueror of their native country. They are one of bravest people of the world. Filipino courage has been proven in the Battle of Mactan, Tirad Pass, Bataan, Corregidor, World War II, and in many other battlefields. Filipinos are helpful, supportive, cooperative and accommodative. They give importance to the asset of helping one another. They treasure the inherited trait of â€Å"bayanihan†. One concrete example, in cleaning a barangay, all the members of the barangay are present just to help in cleaning their community. And another one is, whenever there is calamities, they help one another to surpass the different kinds of disasters. All the Filipinos in the different regions in our country believe in â€Å"Gaba† or karma which is one of the universal concepts among them. It may happen to those who deserted other people in the time of their needs. It may also happen to those who do injustice, unfairness, inequality, and discrimination to other people. The â€Å"bahala na† attitude or fatalism is also one of the common traits of Filipinos. If they don’t know what to do and no options in a situation, most probably, that’s the point wherein the Filipinos says â€Å"bahala na†. The other one is the â€Å"Maya na† habit. It is an attitude wherein they will do the things later or tomorrow that should be done right now. And the last one is the â€Å"Ningas Kugon† habit. It is a manner of doing things good at first only, as it goes along it is getting worse. this habit is expressed in the phrase â€Å"Sa una lang magaling. † The belief on â€Å"Kapalaran† (fortune) provides self-assurance and audacity to the Filipino. But even if kapalaran is not the way they want it to be, he/she can search for defense or guard and improved fortune by having â€Å"anting-anting†(amulet) that keeps him/her from bad luck. The amulet makes the Filipino that’s someone who is not a risk taker. Now, here are some common Filipino customs. A refusal to make an eye contact implies dishonesty, the eyebrows raised in recognition and to answer â€Å"yes†, the lips are used to point things, nod upwards to greet someone, scratching one’s head when one does not know the answer. â€Å"Psst! † is use to get an attention of someone in the workplace but not as social function. Filipinos are renowned for their toughness and flexibility. Through the ages, Filipino people have met all kinds of catastrophes and calamities – revolutions, wars, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons and epidemics. They can incorporate any culture and prosper in any climate. Against the hardships of life, they simply bend, but never break. Just like a bamboo tree, it merely let go with the wind, follows where the direction of the wind would go but in never breaks. Just like a narra tree, it is tough and strong. Whatever disasters it suffers, it can surpass it but it never breaks. They go with the flow of life. That’s Juan Dela Cruz is. That’s how Filipino is.

Retail Management Essay

Bobcat India Limited revolutionized footwear selling in India. The company hit upon the idea of reaching customers through exclusive retail stores way back in 1932 and set up its own outlets, which numbered around 1,200. it was no mean task setting up such a large network of retail outlets, especially when 90% of them were owned and operated by the company, the rest being dealer-owned and operated. This chain store format identity has been a strong differentiating factor in the Indian retail sector, being the first of its kind. Combined with the high quality of the footwear, the brand soon had top-of-the-mind recall and stayed there for many years. Until a few years ago, the name ‘Bobcat’ Was synonymous with organized retailing in India, the only one of its kind. The Chain Store Format The Bobcat chain store format had its own credo a signature store-design with exclusive signage and windows in order to facilitate easy association in the minds of the Indian consumers. At present there are only two major categories of store in the Bobcat Chain Store format: a) Bobcat Family Stores b) Bobcat Bazaar a) Bobcat Family Stores These are sub-divided into two formats again, based on the size of the stores. They are: I) Super Stores, generally more than 5,000 sq.ft. catering to customers in the footwear category. II) High-street stores that are anywhere between 500 and 1,500 sq.ft., found in busy shopping areas. b) Bobcat Bazaar Bobcat Bazaar stores sell the company’s planned economy product lines and market- down merchandise round the year. Known as R-pair stores, their performance depends heavily upon the availability of marked-down merchandise. Such markdowns are done on products that have suffered quality accidents, are shop-soiled, lines that are closed-out etc. Recent Format Developments New retail formats have begun to supersede conventional ones. Independent big-box multi-brand department stores have started selling footwear as a category, especially in metros and cities. Malls are another new shopping format that is growing rapidly in the metros. Many upcoming footwear retailers are obtaining space inside the malls as mall partners to take advantage of the ready footfalls available. For the existing independent Bobcat stores it is expensive now to run campaigns and promotions to attain the required footfalls and expected conversions. Merchandising in Bobcat Family Stores The exclusivity of the ‘Bobcat’ brand to the Bobcat retail stores was the differentiating factor for customers until recently. However, a few years ago the company decided to sell Bobcat branded goods through its channel sales wing called Bobcat Wholesale. Hitherto, the wholesale channel had a different brand for itself called BSC. This wholesale channel supplies merchandise to footwear retailers across India through its authorized distributors. The brand Bobcat has now been extended to this wholesale channel too, which means that Bobcat branded goods are available in every other local footwear store. The exclusivity of the brand to its own outlets has come to an end. And, even as the sales of the wholesale division remain stagnant, what compelling reasons can a customer have to visit a Bobcat Store now? A peculiar feature of the Bobcat store was its odd price points: Rs 149.95, 199.95, etc. Merchandise Presentation and Visual Merchandising Bobcat pioneered the concept of show window displays in India with a style that was unique to the company. It was professionally managed, with an exclusive team handling the motif and the design. Every month the direction to decorate the show windows were given by a mailer prepared by special decorators. Sales personnel in each store were trained to be window decorators too. Recently, these windows had to be done away with because the company thought that they should follow the contemporary practice of free-access retailing, where all merchandise pairs are displayed in open shelves to enable customers to help themselves. Remember, in India footwear is always tried on a footstool and bought after considerable service extended by the salesperson personally. Free-access retailing may work when there is adequate space inside a store to move around. The effect of such ‘pigeon-hole’ free access is that they give an impression that they are Bobcat’s R-Pair outlets. What can now entice the customer into entering a bobcat store? Customer Service Though Bobcat faces tough manpower challenges (the store sales personnel and managers have separate labour unions), the sales personeel who are on its permanent rolls are trained in selling footwear. However, there is a large proportion of untrained temporary hands. Further, salespersons do not wear any uniform and hence customers can hardly identify them. There is as yet no loyalty programme to create customer stickiness to any store or the brand, and most of the stores are not connected by a central information system or ERP (enterprise-wide resource planning) as the organization has its limitations when it comes to investing in such initiatives. Organized retail companies need to have non-negotiable standards of customer service or they will lose customers to its competitors. The company is now losing its market share despite its strong position in categories like men’s footwear, children’s uniform shoes, etc. However, the number of stores it has around the country is around the same, at 1,200. The company now needs to put together a plan for both its survival and growth on a war footing. The top Management is revisiting its strategies in every functional area to turn the company around.