A description of mythological creatures found in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis and their origin

A description of mythological creatures found in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis and their origin DwarfA dwarf (modern plural dwarfs, older variant is dwarves) is a short humanoid creature in Norse mythology as well as fairy tales, fantasy fiction and role-playing games. Dwarves are much like humans, but generally living underground or in mountainous areas. Here they have heaped up countless treasures of gold, silver, and precious stones, and pass their time in fabricating costly armour. They are famed miners and smiths although, like humans, they specialize in any number of trades. Generally shorter than humans, they are on average stockier and hairier, usually sporting full beards. Dwarfish smiths created some of the greatest and most powerful items of power in Norse mythology, such as the magic ribbon which bound the wolf, Fenris.SatyrsIn Greek mythology, satyrs are mythological half-man and half-goat nature entities that roamed the woods and mountains, and were the companions of Pan and Dionysus.Satyrs are most commonly described as having the upper half of a man and the lowe r half of a goat or, less commonly, the lower half of a horse.Brygos PainterThey are also described as possessing a long thick tail, either that of a goat or a horse. Mature satyrs are often depicted with goat's horns, while juveniles are often shown with bony nubs on their foreheads.They are described as roguish but faint-hearted folk subversive and dangerous, yet shy and cowardly. They are lovers of wine, women and boys, and are ready for every physical pleasure. They roam to the music of pipes, cymbals, castanets, and bagpipes, and love to dance with the nymphs (with whom they are obsessed, and whom they often pursue), and have a special form of dance called 'sikinnis'. Because of their love of wine, they are often represented holding wine-cups, and appear often in the decorations on wine-cups.

Free Essays on Slang Words

Nigga Vs. Nigger â€Å"Yo! That’s my NIGGA†, is what the average African American person would substitute for the connotation of their buddy, acquaintance, friend and associate. Notice the spelling of the word Nigga; the word ends with the letter â€Å"A† rather than â€Å"ER†. The ending of the word emphasizes a meaning. If the word ends with an â€Å"ER† it’s meant to offend a black person, as oppose to an â€Å"A†, which is used to express friendship within a circle of black friends. Even though the figure of speech is a noun, like the word nigger, it has a whole different meaning behind it. The connotation behind the word nigga symbolizes unity within the African American culture and society. Young black people feel comfortable calling each other â€Å"their nigga’s† because they are aware of the meaning. The connotation behind the word nigga to whites, regardless of the â€Å"A† or â€Å"ER† is negative. White p eople think the meaning is derogatory and always will be because of their perspective on how it was used throughout history. White people feel extremely uncomfortable calling their friends a nigga because they feel the new meaning of the connotation is the same denotation of the word. â€Å"That’s a NIGGER†, is the way many people classified black people back in the day. The word nigger is traced back to 1786 with the same denotation as it has now. A nigger as defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as, â€Å"loosely or incorrectly applied to members of other dark-skinned races.† Throughout history the word nigger was never used in a manner that demonstrates pleasant things, it was always used to belittle a black person for not being similar to what the average person was (white). In the Oxford English Dictionary, all the examples the author provides for the reader reflect a negative meaning of that word. For example, in the dictionary it states to work like a nigger, is to work exceptionally hard. This examp... Free Essays on Slang Words Free Essays on Slang Words Nigga Vs. Nigger â€Å"Yo! That’s my NIGGA†, is what the average African American person would substitute for the connotation of their buddy, acquaintance, friend and associate. Notice the spelling of the word Nigga; the word ends with the letter â€Å"A† rather than â€Å"ER†. The ending of the word emphasizes a meaning. If the word ends with an â€Å"ER† it’s meant to offend a black person, as oppose to an â€Å"A†, which is used to express friendship within a circle of black friends. Even though the figure of speech is a noun, like the word nigger, it has a whole different meaning behind it. The connotation behind the word nigga symbolizes unity within the African American culture and society. Young black people feel comfortable calling each other â€Å"their nigga’s† because they are aware of the meaning. The connotation behind the word nigga to whites, regardless of the â€Å"A† or â€Å"ER† is negative. White p eople think the meaning is derogatory and always will be because of their perspective on how it was used throughout history. White people feel extremely uncomfortable calling their friends a nigga because they feel the new meaning of the connotation is the same denotation of the word. â€Å"That’s a NIGGER†, is the way many people classified black people back in the day. The word nigger is traced back to 1786 with the same denotation as it has now. A nigger as defined in the Oxford English Dictionary as, â€Å"loosely or incorrectly applied to members of other dark-skinned races.† Throughout history the word nigger was never used in a manner that demonstrates pleasant things, it was always used to belittle a black person for not being similar to what the average person was (white). In the Oxford English Dictionary, all the examples the author provides for the reader reflect a negative meaning of that word. For example, in the dictionary it states to work like a nigger, is to work exceptionally hard. This examp...

Analysing data Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Analysing data - Coursework Example As indicated from Table 1, the number one purpose of the performance appraisal (PA) for employees is to give feedback where 26.7% of the employees strongly agreed and 57.3% agreed. The second purpose was to develop employees’ performance at 25.3% (strongly agreed) and a staggering 61.3% of the employees agreed. The third most important purpose for the employees is to relieve uncertainty among employees where 22.7% and 56% strongly agreed and agreed, respectively. On the other hand, the results from Table 2 revealed that managers perceive giving feedback as its primary purpose where 33.3% of the respondents strongly agreed and 66.7% agreed. This purpose was seconded by developing employees’ performance at 16.7% (strongly agreed) and 83.3% of the managers agreed. However, second rank for both was to develop employees’ performance. It should be noted that managers also ranked â€Å"to improve communication among employees† as a second most important purpose for PA, where 50% strongly agreed and 33.3% agreed. The third most important purpose for PA, as perceived by managers, is actually three: to allocate financial rewards, to determine promotion, and to motivate employees where 50%, 33.3% and 66.7% strongly agreed, respectively. The least perceived purpose for the PA for employees and managers was to provide a structure of a plan of organizational success with only 9.3% of employees and none of the managers strongly agreed on this; 33.3% and 16.7% of employees and managers, respectively, agreed. There is diversity in response between employees and managers when asked what they think are the problems and challenges associated with PA. Employees ranked not having feedback from managers and identified problem in the PA as number 1. According to Table 3, the most significant challenges and problems associated with PA in the point of view of employees are: â€Å"managers do not have a performance feedback during meetings

Book sales declining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Book sales declining - Essay Example However, the current economic circumstances are pushing the physical book sales market further down the line with low chances of recovery. 2. Variables The variables listed above are explained below to enhance understanding on the issue at hand. A. Global economic down turn: The economic crises that unfolded in recent years have hit the retail business as a whole. This has forced the retail business sales to go down significantly. Data from the Statistical Abstract of the United States indicates that employment at major retail stores has gone down by 8.6% between December 2007 and December 2009. (Miliot) This is compounded by the fact that retail stores have decreased the number of hours that employees work at retail stores which effectively signals cost cutting techniques at work. This variable has tended to affect book sales as a whole (online and physical) negatively. Negative growth resulting from the economic down turn has been rapid and seems bent upon sustaining current trends . Consumers are still figuring out how much their budgets can afford the purchases of new books. The spike in sales in the last quarter of each year indicates that consumers do have the kind of purchasing power required to buy books but they lack the initiative too given the general state of depression. However, it is significant to note that the larger authors are still generating sales as they did previously. The larger brand names in publishing are averaging around the same business level which again shows market potential. (Rich) B. Growing use of e-books: The growing move towards e-books has hit the regular book publishing markets highly in the long run. It is expected... The economic crises that unfolded in recent years have hit the retail business as a whole. This has forced the retail business sales to go down significantly. Data from the Statistical Abstract of the United States indicates that employment at major retail stores has gone down by 8.6% between December 2007 and December 2009. (Miliot) This is compounded by the fact that retail stores have decreased the number of hours that employees work at retail stores which effectively signals cost cutting techniques at work. This variable has tended to affect book sales as a whole (online and physical) negatively. Negative growth resulting from the economic down turn has been rapid and seems bent upon sustaining current trends. Consumers are still figuring out how much their budgets can afford the purchases of new books. The spike in sales in the last quarter of each year indicates that consumers do have the kind of purchasing power required to buy books but they lack the initiative too given the general state of depression. However, it is significant to note that the larger authors are still generating sales as they did previously. The larger brand names in publishing are averaging around the same business level which again shows market potential. Growing use of e-books: The growing move towards e-books has hit the regular book publishing markets highly in the long run. It is expected that regular book publishing will decrease at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 3% between 2010 and 2014.

Critique of the painting child girl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critique of the painting child girl - Essay Example The essay "Critique of the painting "child girl"" discovers the painting "child girl" by Richard Phillips. The painting called the Girl Child was created by the artist in 1996-97 but other than that there is no inclination of why the artist has chosen such a subject. Richard Phillips has been known to say that there is a hidden connectivity or common thread that runs through most of his subjects, but where one series ends and another one starts is for the artist to say. Although the painting of the Girl Child is very realistic, it has the dubious distinction of both drawing people towards it and away from it, depending on what they interpret from the images and the subject matter. The painting called the Girl Child by Richard Phillips is possibly one of the most debated contemporary paintings in modern day America. It is an oil painting on a linen canvas and is one cannot help being awestruck by its sheer size of 90 x 100 inches. It currently hangs on display at the Collection of the Modern Museum of Art in Fort Worth Texas, USA. There are two images in the stated painting. One is of a small girl, not more than six or seven years of age, yet eerie and foreboding in its composure. It is almost as if the girl was haunted, as a deep dark eerie look is in evidence here. It is as if she is asking us for something, her plush blond locks hanging by her side as the focus is on the deep-set eyes and even more deep-set, bloodshot look. Her hair is parted down the middle of her forehead.

Difference Between Operating Systems And Application Software

Difference Between Operating Systems And Application Software What is application software? A  program  or group of programs designed for  end users. Application  software can be divided into two general classes:  systems software  and  applications software. Systems software consists of low-level programs that interact with the  computer  at a very basic level. This includes  operating systems compilers , and  utilities  for managing computer  resources. In contrast, applications software (also called  end-user  programs) includes database  programs,  word processors, and  spreadsheets. Figuratively speaking, applications software sits on top of systems software because it is unable to  run  without the operating system and  system  utilities. There are a lot of terms can be found over the internet related to computer. All type of computer have processor, Memory, keyboard, mouse and screen to display output. But their is a significant difference how people or organizations use computes for their usage. We can divide all type of computers to 6 categories. Personal Computer ,Server Computer, Mainframe Computer , Super Computer, Embedded Computer, Mobile Computer. Operating  Systems Software  designed  to  handle  basic  elements  of  computer  operation,such  as  sending  instructions  to  hardware  devices  like  disk  drives and  computer  screens,  and  allocating  system  resources  such  as memory  to  different  software  applications  being  run.  Given uniformly  designed  operating  systems  that  run  on  many  different computers,  developers  of  software  do  not  need  to  concern themselves  with  these  problems,  and  are  provided  with  a  standard platform  for  new  programs. Application software  is a subclass of  computer software  that employs the capabilities of a computer directly to a task that the user wishes to perform. This should be contrasted with  system software  which is involved in integrating a computers various capabilities, but does not directly apply them in the performance of tasks that benefit the user. Custom Applications The software is tailor-made software.  The software developed to meet all the requirements specified by the user. General Applications This type of software developers to carry out specific tasks in mind the overall requirements.  Many users can use it, because it meets the general requirements. Application software is computer software, which uses a computer the ability to direct and complete the task, users want to run sub-classes. This should be contrasted with system software, the software is the integration of various functions in the computer, but usually not directly applicable to the task, a user-friendly performance. In an application suite usually have a separate application user interface with some common makes it easier for users to learn and use each application. Often they may have some capacity, with people in ways that favor the user. For example, a spreadsheet might be able to document in a word processor, even if it has been in the embedded application to create a separate spreadsheet.  User-written software tailors systems to meet users specific needs. User-written software include spreadsheet templates, word processor macros, scientific simulations, graphics and animation scripts. Users create this software themselves how important it is often overlooked.  In some types of embedded systems, application software and operating system software may be unable to distinguish between users, such as software used to control the VCR, DVD player or microwave oven case. Operating system The use of low-level computer software called the operating system (O / S), to help people build and run their own programs.  Operating system software runs not only in notebook computers, but also mobile phones, network routers and other so-called embedded devices. The type of operating system Operating system is a set of procedures, control application software, the user runs the hardware provided between the collection and the current software running on the computer link.  The operating system is also responsible for the management and control of all resources (memory, hard drives, monitors, etc.) between them may be running different applications at the same time share the work. The most famous of the operating system used on personal computers: -Microsoft Windows -Mac OS X, -Linux, Some operating systems are designed for certain types of equipment, such as Google Android (Linux, a variant), and Symbian the mobile phone The Solaris and HP UX, and dangerous goods UX and other Unix variants for server computers December VM (Virtual Memory System) used to host computer Other operating systems to enjoy the notoriety of the period, but now only historical interest are: Novells Netware is the personal computer 90 in the 20th century, the popular O / S IBMs OS / 2 was an early PC-O / Ss competition with Microsoft Windows for a time, but limited success Multics is a particularly innovative in the mainframe operating system created in the 60s of last century, which affected the future of Unix development. Different between Operating System and Application Software The Operating System is the System Software that makes the Computer work. We can say that an Operating System (OS) is Software that acts as an interface between you and the hardware. It not only contains drivers used to speak the hardwares language, but also offers you a very specific graphical user interface (GUI) to control the computer. An OS can also act as an interface (from the hardware) to the other software. A complex OS like Windows or Linux or Mac OS offers the services of an OS, but also has applications built in. Solitaire, Paint, Messenger, etc. are all applications. Application software is the software that you install onto your Operating System. It consists of the programs that actually let you do things with your computer. These Applications are written to run under the various Operating Systems. These include things like your word processing programs, spread sheets, email clients, web browser, games, etc. Many programs, such as most of the Microsoft Office suite of programs, are written in both Mac and Windows versions, but you still have to have the right version for your OS. So, the operating system of a computer is the software that allows the computer work. It provides the framework under which the applications run. The Operating system of a Computer is the Software that allows the Computer work. It provides the framework under which the Applications run. An operating system is the type of Computer system you have such as Window XP or Window 95, 98, Mac, etc. The applications are the software that actually allows the user to do something with the computer. Without the applications, all you can do is change settings and navigate among the folders.The Applications are the Software that actually allows the user to do something with the Computer. Without the applications, all you can do is change settings and navigate among the folders. You can purchase its CD from a software company or download from a software companys web site. Types of Computer Systems Different  types of computer  systems are nowadays available for different purposes according the user needs.When youll have to  order  yours or even to build it, you should  first  define the  expected use of your computer.This step will help you to  describe  the basic capabilities and know the costs of your system. Example : Personal Computer ,Server Computer, Mainframe Computer , Super Computer, Embeded Computer, Mobile Computer. Supercomputers Supercomputers are the most fastest, and expensive modern computer systems. They are mostly used for intense processing and forecasting such as forecasting the weather, or super high resolution graphics such as ray traced images. Government processes such as immigration clearances, and all other high level functionalities are handled by a supercomputer. Supercomputers are also extensively used in the military to manage and calculate or even analyze full range of information from coordinates to traffic control and even launching systems. Today, the worlds fastest supercomputer was developed by IBM the IBM Roadrunner which runs on 1.026 1.105 Pflops or petaflops and is placed in the Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico USA taking up a space of 6000 square feet. Mainframe computers Mainframe computers are used in large organizations such as insurance companies and banks, where many people frequently need to use the same data. In a traditional mainframe environment, each user accesses the mainframes resources through a terminal (network terminal). There are two kinds of terminal, one is a dumb terminal which does not process or store data, just basic I/O input output and the intelligent terminal which can perform processing operations but these terminals normally do not have any storage. Mainframes are large and powerful systems to handle the processing of thousands of users at any one time. Most large organizations implement mainframes due to their flexibilities in which department computers can be allocated a certain functionality that is related to the department in response to all programs. For instance, an airline company which wishes to sell tickets online through the internet will require to connect their current website interface to a mainframe system. You as the user would then connect to the website or the mainframe system to key in your ticket purchase. Personal computers Microcomputer  designed for use by one person at a time. A typical PC assemblage comprises a  CPU; internal  memory  consisting of  RAM  and  ROM; data storage devices (including a  hard disc, a  floppy disc, or  CD-ROM); and input/output devices (including a display screen, keyboard,  mouse, and  printer). The PC industry began in 1977 when Apple Computer, Inc. (now  Apple Inc.), introduced the Apple II. Radio Shack and Commodore Business Machines also introduced PCs that year.  IBM  entered the PC market in 1981. The IBM PC, with increased memory capacity and backed by IBMs large sales organization, quickly became the industry standard. Apples Macintosh (1984) was particularly useful for  desktop publishing.  Microsoft Corp. introduced MS  Windows(1985), a  graphical user interface  that gave PCs many of the capabilities of the Macintosh, initially as an overlay of  MS-DOS. Windows went on to replace MS-DOS as the dominant  operating syst em  for personal computers. Uses of PCs multiplied as the machines became more powerful and application  software  proliferated. Today, PCs are used for  word processing,  Internet  access, and many other daily tasks. Computer servers Computer servers are among the most important infrastructure in any organization. The basic answer to the question what is a computer server, lies in the name of the term. It is a computer that serves all the computers or terminals, that are connected to it. Applications are stored in this computer and the other computer terminals connected to it, can access it. Although  computer  servers used to only be a part of enterprise networks, servers have now become a part of smaller, home or office networks. Servers can be used for several functions, such as supporting files, backups, security or gaming. For enterprise applications, servers are usually high-powered machines that can handle many requests from clients. Home or small-office servers can be another desktop that is used for file sharing and printing. Embedded Computer An  embedded system  is a special-purpose  computer  system, which is completely encapsulated by the device it controls. An embedded system has specific requirements and performs pre-defined tasks, unlike a general-purpose  personal computer. Programs on an embedded system often must run with  real-time  constraints with limited  hardware  resources: often there is no disk drive, operating system, keyboard or screen. A  flash drive  may replace rotating media, and a small keypad and  LCD  screen may be used instead of a PCs keyboard and screen. Firmware  is the name for  software  that is embedded in hardware devices, e.g. in one or more  ROM/Flash  memory  IC  chips. Embedded systems are routinely expected to maintain 100% reliability while running continuously for long periods of time, sometimes measured in years.  Firmware  is usually developed and tested to much stricter requirements than is general purpose  software  (which can usually be easily restarted if a problem occurs). In addition, because the embedded system may be outside the reach of humans (down an  oil well  borehole, launched into  outer space, etc.), embedded firmware must usually be able to self-restart even if some sort of catastrophic  data corruption  has taken place. This last feature often requires external hardware assistance such as a  watchdog timer  that can automatically restart the system in the event of a software failure. Mobile Computer Mobile computers are computing devices small enough to fit in your hand. A popular type of handheld computer is the personal digital assistant (PDA). A PDA is no larger than a small appointment book and is normally used for special applications such as taking notes, displaying telephone numbers and addresses and keeping track of dates or agendas. Many PDAs can be connected to computers to exchange data. Most PDAs come with a pen (stylus) that allows for handwriting recognition and some even have tiny built-in keyboards or microphones for voice input. A wireless connection (Wi-Fi) can be used to access the internet with a PDA. PDAs in the later part of this century were converted into phones, cameras, music players and GPS. The demands for PDA phones have been in the increase and of late have been mostly replaced by smart-phones that are equipped with much functionality similar to a computer. Conclusion Computers have become very important nowadays because they are accurate, fast and can accomplish many tasks easily. Otherwise to complete those tasks manually much more time is required. It can do very big calculations in just a fraction of a second. Moreover it can store huge amount of data in it. We also get information on different aspects using internet on our computer. O S and A S These provisions are applicable for both software applications and operating systems.   They address program features that must be contained in software for the product to meet the standards.   Because there are many programming languages from which a software producer may select, it is impossible to give specific coding techniques.   In some cases it is possible that a particular programming language may not possess the features necessary to fulfil these requirements.   In those instances, another language for creating the program would most likely have to be considered for the product to meet the standards. Since the invention of computers from first generation and fourth generation computers, they have been classified according to their types and how they operate that is input, process and output information. Below you will get a brief discussion on various types of Computers we have

Religion Essay -- essays research papers

The debate over the economic advantages of slavery in the South has raged ever since the first slaves began working in the cotton fields of the Southern States. Initially, the wealth of the New World was in the form of raw materials and agricultural goods such as cotton, sugar, and tobacco. Slavery, without a doubt, had its profitable aspects prior to the Civil War. However, this postulation began to change as abolitionists claimed the land of the Southern Plantations was overworked and the potential income of slaves was lower than that of white people who had a vested interest in the productivity and success of the South. The concept of slavery had been brought over to America by the ideals of British Mercantilism which called for strict regulation of the state and its people for the good of the national economy. In the early 1700’s, Frenchman Colbert stated that, "no commerce in the world produces as many advantages as that of the slave trade"(Williams, 144). The inhumane practice of slavery began in the American colonies in 1619. Although Africans first came to the New World around 1501, the early colonists did not think to use them as slave labor. Instead, they imported poor, white indentured servants from Europe to clear forests and cultivate fields. It was the English colonists that incited the idea of using Black slaves. They could be caught easily because of their color and they could be bought and kept until they died. "Negroes, from a pagan land and without exposure to the ethical ideals of Christianity, could be handled with more rigid methods of discipline and could be morally and spiritually degraded for the sake of stability on the plantation,† wrote historians John Hope Franklin and Alfred A. Moss Jr. in "From Slavery to Freedom" (22). Where America failed in Mercantilism was in not providing enough slaves to generate a sufficient profit margin and by becoming a divided nation over the issue of slavery. Southern slaves were viewed in economic terms of labor to capital. While the ownership of slaves was a source of pride in plantation owners, this interdependence of slave on master and master to slave created a vicious cycle of rashness that caused slave owners to often become irrational. In the south, slaveholdings varied according to size, location, and crops produced. Slavery in cities differed substantially from th... ...er to the problem of slavery. Olmsted asserted that the â€Å"majority of those who sell the cotton crop† were â€Å"poorer than the majority of our day-labourers at the North† (171). His chief complaint with slavery was that the quantity produced by slaves, be it cotton or tobacco or any marketable good, was drastically inferior. Olmsted asserted that it took two times as many slaves as Northern labourers to accomplish a task (172). â€Å"Low-quality labor, poor use of resources, and indifferent management all combined, said Olmsted, to make southern agriculture far less efficient than northern agriculture† (172). Olmsted asserted that psychologically, slaves preformed poorly under conditions of fear of punishment and free men, without this fear, would certainly be more productive in defending their reputation and standing with pride with their employer. The low productivity of slaves could be explained by the conditions in which they were forced to live and work in. Inadequate care, incentives and training left the slaves without proper preparation for their role on the plantation (Genovese, 46). A cyclical effect of malnutrition and disease was apparent on many plantations. Since malnutrition

Economical Effect of Michael Jordan

I had originally planned to write a paper on Michael Jordan's economical effect on today's sports in America. I had even researched and written two pages before I stopped and realized that I would like to instead discuss Michael Jordan's life and mystical career. Over the last twenty years Michael Jordan has captivated and awed me with his brilliant success both on and off the basketball court. I have wanted for some time to write about him and try to rationalize his seemingly unbelievable life and this paper has given me a chance. The legend began in 1981 with seventeen seconds left on the clock and seventeen feet between Michael and the basket. It was a shot any coach drawing up a play for a talented player for the final shot would die for. He knocked it in and North Carolina had its first National championship. Even though North Carolina had the best college player in the country in James Worthy and other great stars in Sam Perkins and Matt Doherty, it was the scrawny freshman who had come on the scene that year to become the first Carolina freshman to ever start that took the biggest shot in the program's history. It was Michael Jordan who was the man that night and he was determined either consciously or unconsciously to never let anyone question who the man is again. Michael went on to become two-time national college player of the year and in 1999, was voted the greatest college basketball player ever. (CNN/Sports Illustrated) After his junior year, having accomplished everything possible for a college player, Michael decided to turn professional. (He later completed his degree taking summer school courses) But first he would go on to dominated the 1984 Olympics and lead the United States to the gold medal. It could be left up to Spanish Olympian Fernando Martin to sum up the Michael Jordan phenomenon, circa 1984. â€Å"Michael Jordan? † he asked. â€Å"Jump, jump, jump. Very quick. Very fast. Very, very good. Jump, jump, jump. † No NBA scouting report could have been more pertinent. By the time Michael detonated on the league in 1984, he had sprouted from a precocious and exciting young talent into a full-fledged human event. As his rookie season marched on, Jordan upstaged proven giants like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Dr. J. and already was becoming the first player to transcend team affiliation on the road. Fan's didn't come out to see their hometown heroes beat the Bulls; they bought tickets to watch Michael Jordan fly. In his rookie year Michael averaged an astonishing 28. 2 points per game (third overall) and was selected to the all-star game. He also led the team to the playoffs for the first time in four years. A feat he would continue to ensure every year of his career. It was in his second year that Jordan's bitter relationship with Bulls general manager Jerry Krause and owner Jerry Reinsdorf began. Michael had broken his foot three games into the season and had spent the next months rehabilitating in order to come back as soon as possible. When he was finally healthy to play the Bulls record was 24-43. Michael believed that the team could still make the playoffs and was excited for the challenge. Krause and Reinsdorf had other ideas. They wanted to keep Michael from playing so that they could keep losing and secure a place in the draft lottery. To someone as competitive as Michael Jordan, this idea was simply sinful. It meant that the people who employed him were not as committed to winning as he was, that they accepted the idea of defeat as he did not, and that they were wiling to bag the current season and any chance at the playoffs in order to improve their roster for the future. Even on a bad team with marginal players like the early Bulls, the remarkable thing about Michael Jordan was that he never accepted the idea of defeat. He believed that as long as he played, the Bulls could make the playoffs, and that if he got there, he could carry them on to victory. Management finally did let him play and the Bulls did make the playoffs where they faced the best team in the league, the Boston Celtics. It was the stage that Michael lived for and he took full advantage. Although the Bulls were swept by the eventual champions, Michael's fame and notoriety had a quantum increase after the series. No one was really prepared for what happened. In the first game Michael came out blistering and scored forty-nine points. A great performance against the top defensive team in the league, but not extraordinary. In the second game Michael performed at a playoff level that no one had witnessed before. The CBS sports broadcast seemed more like a personal highlight reel than an actual game. By the end of the double overtime war, he'd hit for 63 points, the most points ever scored in playoff history. Celtic Danny Ainge later said, â€Å"We knew when we had gone into the game that he was very good, but none of us knew yet that he was going to be the best player who ever laced up sneakers, but we were in the process of learning it, and that afternoon was a good beginning. Perhaps Larry Bird, the MVP of the league at the time, put it best, â€Å"That was god disguised as Michael Jordan. † In his rookie year Michael already had become one of the top product endorser in the league. He had signed a then unheard of contract with Nike that paid him $250,000 a year for five years with an annuity, incentives, and royalties on all Nike basketball related items. Michael had originally wanted to sign with Addidas even if they offered him less money than Nike, but Nike threw in the kicker. They offered to name a shoe after him. The first Air Jordan shoe was a high-top black and red shoe. Three games into the season, the NBA did Michael and Nike a huge favor. The league banned the shoe because it didn't conform to the rest of the Bulls uniform. Michael continued to wear the shoe and the league subsequently fined him $5,000 a game. Nike didn't blink. They paid every penny and Michael continued to wear the shoe. It would have cost millions of dollars to come up with a promotion that produced as much publicity as the league's ban did. The first commercial showed Jordan's head, and the camera slowly moved down his body to his feet. When the camera hit the shoes a big â€Å"X† was stamped on the screen and the announcer said, â€Å"Banned†. After that sales went crazy. But it was Michael's third year when his remarkable qualities where able to be portrayed through the television. Nike had hired a little known film producer named Spike Lee to direct Michael in commercials. The commercials that they make together were able to show Michael's innate charm and wit, and his obvious confidence. He knew who he was and liked who he was. There was nothing threatening about him. He was judgmental- you had to win his respect, and he was clearly shrewd about how he was used- but there was an innate coolness and elegance about him. If this was not yet expressed in anything he said, it was self evident in the smile, in the deft facial gestures, in the ability to roll his eyebrows at just the right moment. He was good looking, he was likable, he had that luminescent smile, and he was the greatest basketball player in the world. The Nike commercials were so good, that they fed on themselves and inspired other companies such as McDonald's, Coke, Hanes, Gatorade, Wilson, and Ballpark Franks among many others to do comparable commercials. And so it was that a true American icon was born. Michael continued for the next three years to grow in both his basketball achievements and his fame. Michael won every single individual basketball award possible and was already considered one of the best players in the history of the game. And outside of basketball the public became more and more fond of him. But in his mind and the mind of many others, Michael was missing something. A championship. For years Michael had carried a seemingly inferior team to the brink, only to succumb to either the great Celtic teams of the early 80's, or the great Pistons, led by Isaah Thomas, in the late 80's. But in 1991 the basketball world could no longer contain Michael Jordan's destiny. After the first championship against the Lakers and Magic Johnson, Michael's fame again skyrocketed. He went from being the most famous athlete in America to being the most famous person in America. By the time Michael had claimed his third championship in a row, his notoriety transcended not only sports but American culture. He was unquestionably the most well known human on the planet. More famous in many distant parts of the globe than the President of The United States. American journalists and diplomats on assignment to the most rural parts of Asia and Africa were often stunned when they visited small villages to find young children wearing tattered replicas of Michael Jordan's Bulls jersey. Michael Jordan's life from 1980 to 1993 was that of a storybook. The success that he achieved in that short time frame quit possibly is unparallel in American history. But at the same time it seemed possible by a very unique and gifted individual. However, the events that occurred in Michael Jordan's life from 1994-1999, in my and many others opinion, at times do not seem possible and in fact almost immortal. You could almost get a sense watching him over the years that you were not in fact witnessing a real story, but one made of fiction. As if all the major media sources in the world got together and decided to concoct this seemingly unbelievable human that never seems to fail. To put the success that Michael Jordan achieved in the last six years in the proper perspective would significantly increase the length of this paper so I would like to instead let some well known others describe Michael Jordan. Harry Edwards, a sociologist at the University of California, talks about Jordan representing the highest level of human achievement, on the order of Gandhi, Einstein, or Michelangelo. If, he added, he were in charge of introducing an alien being â€Å"to the epitome of human potential, creativity, perseverance, and spirit, I would introduce that alien life to Michael Jordan. Doug Collins, once spoke of Jordan belonging to that rarest category of people who are so far above the norm, men like Einstein and Edison, that they were identifiable geniuses. Jordan's talented teammate B. J. Armstrong, frustrated in his early years with the Bulls by his failure to rise to Jordan's level and apparent expectations, had gone to the library and checked out a series of books on geniuses to see if there was anything he might learn about how to deal with Jordan. He's god's child,† teammate Wes Matthews said in Jordan's first year. And there were a number of players more talented than Matthews who agreed. â€Å"Jesus in Nikes,† in the words of Jayson Williams of the Nets. After Jordan led the Bulls to their second title, Larry bird said that there had never been an athlete like Jordan. I think author Scott Turow says it best, â€Å"Michael Jordan plays basketball better than anyone else in the world does anything else. â€Å"

Hurricane Names List for 2014

Hurricane Names List for 2014 Below you will find the listing of hurricane names for the Atlantic Ocean for the year 2014. For every year, there is a pre-approved list of tropical storm and hurricane names. These lists have been generated by the National Hurricane Center since 1953. At first, the lists consisted of only female names; however, since 1979, the lists alternate between male and female. Hurricane Naming Conventions Hurricanes are named alphabetically from the list in chronological order. Thus the first tropical storm or hurricane of the year has a name that begins with A and the second is given the name that begins with B. The lists contain hurricane names that begin from A to W, but exclude names that begin with a Q or U. There are six lists that continue to rotate. The lists only change when there is a hurricane that is so devastating, the name is retired and another hurricane name replaces it. The 2014 hurricane name list is the same as the 2008 hurricane name list with the exception of three names that were devastating hurricanes in 2008 and thus retired. Gustav was replaced by Gonzalo, Ike was replaced by Isaias, and Paloma was replaced by Paulette. 2014 Hurricane Names ArthurBerthaCristobalDollyEdouardFayGonzaloHannaIsaiasJosephineKyleLauraMarcoNanaOmarPauletteReneSallyTeddyVickyWilfred

Underclass in Britain Essay Example

Underclass in Britain Essay Example Underclass in Britain Paper Underclass in Britain Paper An increase in the number of jobs available wouldnt reduce unemployment or the underclass though as these unemployed illegitimate criminals dont want jobs as receiving benefits is a far more attractive alternative option. Not surprisingly Murrays views on the welfare state and the underclass attracted many criticisms, many of whom believe that the welfare state does not provide an underclass. In terms of illegitimacy J. Brown (In Murray, C. 1993:61) points out that Murray merely picked out the statistics he wanted to support his one sided arguments on illegitimacy, who choose not to work, marry and be dependent upon long term benefits. Whereas 25% if single mothers work part-time, they actually spend less time on benefits than widowed and divorced mother do and 60% if single mothers remarried by the time their child is 5 yr. old and 70% of them are married when the child is ages 7 yr. old, (Ermisch in Murray, C. 1993:63) therefore there are no a wave of children with no role models in terms of a father figure. Deakin (In Murray, C. 1993:75) further more supports Browns argument by suggesting that illegitimacy rates have not increased because of the welfare state but because there has been a decline in the popularity of marriage. If you cut benefits as Murray implies then single mothers will be forced to stay dependent upon them , with no means to go back to work or to find a job and if they did work when their child is still a baby and very dependent on the carer they would be seen as a bad mother. It seems that it is a vicious crucial, cutting benefits leads to problems and having benefits leads to an underclass! How the welfare state promotes violent crime is bizarre to even suggest I feel, how can welfare increase crime, what benefits do criminals get from the welfare state? My opinion is supported by Deakin (In Murray. C, 1993:76) as a completely flawed correlation, Murrays use of British Crime Statistics actually forces the theory to it knees (ibid. ). Crime maybe inter-related with illegitimacy and unemployment but it doesnt increase because of the welfare state directly. Field, to a certain extent agreed with Murray in terms of the welfare state encouraging unemployment. Trying to get the young disillusioned unemployed worker back into work is a mammoth problematic task, YTS schemes and the new deal are not popular and are only a mere feasible attempt to address the problems created by the welfare state Murray might argue. YTS schemes are unpopular and unsuccessful in getting people back into work as they are just forms of slave labour, they seek to blame the victim or there own poverty and misfortunes very much like the Victorian Middle Class of the 18/19th century did, many people have little choice in their own making and are forced by uncontrollable circumstances to become unemployed and part of an illegitimate family, Walker (In Murray. C, 1993:69). The weight of Murrays argument and its criticisms it seems to suggest that welfare does not create an underclass to the extent that Murray believed. His ideas tend to be focused upon the moralising agenda of the underclass, where he refers to a type of poverty rather than to the degree of poverty that the underclass experience. He only focuses upon social welfare creating an underclass and ignores fiscal and occupational welfare, maybe he didnt believe these were responsible for creating an underclass or was it a case of those who are dependent upon these forms of welfare are generally the Middle Classes and these Middle Classes only use certain forms of social welfare such as the NHS and education and are not supcitible to a decline in their moral/values like the Working Class and underclass who use these forms of welfare? It is not the case that the welfare state is the cause of the underclass rather how the term underclass is perceived which depends whether you are part of the so called underclass or overclass (Walker in Murray. C, 1993:71) which relates back to the problem of such a strong derogatory term as underclass so much so that it is an unhelpful concept that cannot explain its own emergence in the welfare state of Britain. But even in todays government Tony Blair has been influenced by Murrays theory of an underclass in the welfare state by stating that the underclass are set apart from the mainstream of society pointing to the need to re-moralise the underclass/poor, what then for the future of the welfare state and the underclass? If Britain took literally and followed the inhumane radical suggestions of Murray would it necessarily make the underclass dependent? Looking back in history to Victorian times, where welfare was far from generous-but a deterrent for idleness, why was there a growing Working Class or underclass growing out of control? In line with Murrays seemingly Victorian attitude to poverty is the fact that he focuses upon the fact that poverty is the fault of the underclass in terms of their behaviour which diverts the attention away form the view that the phenomenon f the underclass could be caused by the failure of the economic and labour market polices and be a result of political causes mot that they are the ones making the wrong moral choices (Alcock. P, in Murray. C, 1993:140) Bibliography Deakin, N. (1990) Mr Murrays Ark.in Murray, C (1990) The Emerging British Underclass IEA London Dean H. and Taylor-Gooby,P. (1992) Dependency Culture Harvester Wheatsheaf, Ermisch, J. F. (1991) Lone parenthood : an economic analysis Cambridge : Cambridge Univeristy Press, Field, F. , (1989) Losing Out The Emergence of Britains Underclass, Basil Blackwell, Oxford. Fitzpatrick,T. (1996) Postmodernism, Welfare and Radical Politics. In Journal of Social Policy, 25. 3. pp303-320 Lister, R. (1996) (ed) Charles Murray and the Underclass The Developing Debate IEA Health and Welfare Unit. London. MacDonald, R. (ed) (1997) Youth, the underclass and Social Exclusion, Routlegde, London Mann, K. (1992) The Making of an English Underclass? Milton Keneys, Open University Press. Murray, C. (1990) The Emerging British UNDERCLASS. IEA Health and Welfare Unit, Murray, C. (1994) Underclass The Crisis Deepens I. E. A. Smith, D. J. (ed) (1992) Understanding the Underclass PSI London. Walker, A. (Ed) (1996) The New Generational Contract Intergenerational relations, old age and welfare. UCL Press. London. ANGELA ALCOCK FAO Banu.

Interview reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Interview reflection - Essay Example Indeed, a calm disposition is an edge over this kind of activity. The question that asked candidates about qualities that commands respect in the classroom was full of insight. First, the personality of the person answering the question would be revealed. If â€Å"grades† were the answer , that reveals the person’s belief in positive or negative reinforcement. Another question that reveals the candidate’s belief is the one that inquires about the stating the goals of a school principal. This clearly shows what the person thinks or believes are the needs of the educational system according to his own perspective. Actually, almost all of the questions were very thought-provoking that required students to practice critical thinking skills and some ethics. The interview activity should always be a part of the class requirements. The activity helps students to understand themselves better and prepare them for real scenarios in the future. Applying concepts learned in the class and communicating them well to other people is a plus factor in one’s

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN SHIPPING Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN SHIPPING - Assignment Example This report is a short study of some of the recent developments in international trade and finance and their impact on maritime transport, suggesting ways how shipping can weather the storm and manage itself financially to remain the most viable and popular mode of international transport. According to International Chamber of Shipping, the international shipping industry is responsible for the carriage of about 90 percent of world trade. Intercontinental trade, the bulk transport of raw materials and the import/export of affordable food and goods would simply not be possible without shipping. Notwithstanding the recent contraction in trade resulting from the present economic downturn, the world economy is expected to continue to grow and shipping will need to respond to the demand for its services. â€Å"Capesize Vessels† weigh from 175,000 tons to 400,000 tons and count as some of the largest craft in the World. They typically carry raw materials such as Iron ore, Steel, Coal and other raw commodities. Where you used to pay up to $230,000 per day to rent one, now you can have one for a measly $2800 per day. Lloyds even reported yesterday that one Capesize vessel was going for $1000 per day. These levels of payment are crippling the Shipping Industry and leading to cancelled orders with Shipyards where it is cheaper to let the shipbuilder keep the deposit. More and more older carriers are being scrapped as their value decreases. In October alone, more shipping tonnage was scrapped than in the previous 2 years. The inevitable result of this will be less tonnage available to transport raw materials. From an economic standpoint, supply will decrease thus theoretically lead to a commensurate increase in leasing prices, thus forcing the Baltic Dry Index up again. In the meantime though, there will be a large increase in job losses in the shipping