Thursday, January 30, 2020
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Essay Example for Free
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Essay For my book report I read the book Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. This book was published by Haughton Mifflin in 2005.à The novel takes place mostly in New York City, shortly after terrorists destroy the Twin Towers in 2001. However, the time switches from the narrators present to the late 1940s when his grandparents are newlyweds and even farther back to when they are teenagers in Germany. In the present time, Oskar lives in an apartment building. Across the street, in another building, is his grandmother. The two of them sometimes communicate with one another through signs in their windows and walkie-talkies. The main protagonist of the novel is a 9 year old boy named Oskar Schell. Oskarââ¬â¢s father, Thomas Schell, dies in the attack on the world trade center in 2001. While looking through his fathers closet, Oskar finds a key inside a vase, along with a slip of paper reading Black. Curious, Oskar sets off on a mission to contact every person in New York City with the last name Black, in alphabetical order, in order to find the lock to the key his father left behind. The novel also tells a separate narrative that eventually converges with the main story through a series of letters written by Oskarââ¬â¢s grandfather to Oskarââ¬â¢s father and by Oskarââ¬â¢s grandmother to Oskar himself. After almost a year of searching, Oskar is about to give up. After Oskar got vital news from one of the first blacks he met he goes and meets with a peculiar man named William Black. Oskar then gives William Black two keys, the one to the Williamââ¬â¢s fatherââ¬â¢s safe-deposit box and one for Oskarââ¬â¢s apartment. Oskar returns home and decides to dig up his fatherââ¬â¢s grave. He is joined in his mission by the renter, and after opening the empty coffin Oskar decides to fill it, but he is unable to decide what with. The renter suggests the letters that he wrote but was never able to send to his son, and they fill the coffin and re-bury it. Upon coming home, Oskar flips through a succession of photographs depicting a manââ¬â¢s fall from the World Trade Center. The main character of the story, Oskar Schell, a self-proclaimed inventor, is the nine-year-old protagonist. His thoughts have a tendency to trail off into several far-flung ideas, such as ambulances that alert passerby to the severity of their passengersââ¬â¢ conditions and plantlike skyscrapers, and he has several assorted hobbies and collections. He is very trusting of strangers and makes friends easily,à though he does not have many friends his own age. Oskarââ¬â¢s grandfather, Thomas Schell Sr. (also referred to as ââ¬Å"the renterâ⬠) is an important character in the story, even though he does not physically meet Oskar until the bookââ¬â¢s end. After the death of his first love, Anna, Oskarââ¬â¢s grandfather loses his voice completely and consequently tattoos the words ââ¬Å"yesâ⬠and ââ¬Å"noâ⬠on his hands. He carries around a ââ¬Å"daybookâ⬠where he writes phrases he cannot speak aloud. Major themes of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close include trauma, mourning, family, and the struggle between self-destruction and self-preservation. One literary journal provides an in-depth analysis of the specific types of trauma and recuperative measures that Oskarââ¬â¢s grandmother and Oskarââ¬â¢s grandfather go though after the Dresden fire bombings, and that Oskar goes through after the lo ss of his father. The journal states that Oskar has a simultaneous death wish and extreme need for self-preservation: this theme is echoed in Thomas Schell Sr.ââ¬â¢s pronounced survivor guilt and Oskarââ¬â¢s grandmotherââ¬â¢s well-disguised inability to cope with her trauma. It also states that though Oskarââ¬â¢s journey to ââ¬Å"findâ⬠his father does not help him get over his traumatic experience, it does allow him to grow closer to his mother. In my opinion the book was a well written story and honestly made me look at my life and made me realize that itââ¬â¢s not as bad as I thought it was. I think that Oskarââ¬â¢s grandfather should have told him who he was. Even if I donââ¬â¢t read this book again I would definitely recommend this book to others.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Social Deviance Essay -- essays research papers
"Social Deviance" Social deviance stems from the passive-aggressive attitudes parents have upon their children. This pressure, coupled with society's own conformist attitude, causes certain members of the society to drift toward what sociologists call deviant groups. These deviant groups, like punks, hippies or other radical organizations, often fight against a society they deem unworthy of their attention and thus ignore. However Emile Durkheim pointed out that deviance is important for the structure of society (Durkheim 1893,1964). Certain groups deviate from social norms because of both their raising and social pressures at the time while others conform for the exact same reason. "One of the main reasons people choose to conform to society is that their family responsibilities impose caution. Also the weakening of youth's rebelliousness because the youth has begun to find his own identity (Dr. Spock, 1969)." People who conform to society's wishes may also be greeted with more job expectations and higher wages. Oft times these people will choose a specialist in their field and pattern their behavior after this person. This type of social conformity is extremely necessary to any growing society. Without this kind of conformity the greats of civilization would likely never exist. As each great followed in the footsteps of another, for example Thomas Edison followed in the footsteps of Aristotle, society continues to progress in leaps in bounds. The social order can thus be maintained by social conformity. Conformity also adds to the level of social control a society can attribute to its overly passive citizens. The more conformist and meek a socie ty is the easier it is for the controlling class to subvert the general citizen and force them in to their own beliefs of social control. "The conformist aspect of society seeks to subvert and control the more deviant aspect, taking an approach of them and us (Graffin, 1996)." The socialization process seems to favor those in society who would choose to conform. This makes sense since the socialization process is based upon parents teaching, and rearing, their children to become productive members of society. Almost all societal pressures aid those who would choose to conform to society, so why would anyone choose social deviance as their means of public o... ...eving they don't need belief or other people. This type of self-destruction is common among social deviants and indeed expresses much about why youths would choose deviance as a way of life (Klockars, 1974)." The social deviant often conflicts dramatically and violently with the social conformist. Two examples of this are the 60's and, in Britain, the early 80's punk movement. More examples are likely to appear as our society's atrophy spontaneously creates more and more deviant subcultures. Social deviance is difficult to define, as each group chooses to be known in their own particular way. Social conformist is not as difficult as it is the standard with which we are all identified. Without deviance, however, how we come to know what is normal? The answer to that question is we wouldn't the deviant both makes our perception of society more clear and causes us to react and act according to our beliefs. Either hatred or understanding, the end result is irrelevant it is merely the existence of the action that is important. Thus, society can continue to grow and change thanks to those who would choose deviance over conformity and chaos over order.
Monday, January 13, 2020
The Host Chapter 7: Confronted
Yes, Faces Sunward?â⬠I asked, grateful to the raised hand for interrupting my lecture. I did not feel as comfortable behind the lectern as I usually did. My biggest strength, my only real credential-for my host body had had little in the way of a formal education, on the run since her early adolescence-was the personal experience I usually taught from. This was the first world's history I'd presented this semester for which I had no memories to draw upon. I was sure my students were suffering the difference. ââ¬Å"I'm sorry to interrupt, butâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ The white-haired man paused, struggling to word his question. ââ¬Å"I'm not sure I understand. The Fire-Tasters actuallyâ⬠¦ ingest the smoke from burning the Walking Flowers? Like food?â⬠He tried to suppress the horror in his tone. It was not a soul's place to judge another soul. But I was not surprised, given his background on the Planet of the Flowers, at his strong reaction to the fate of a similar life-form on another world. It was always amazing to me how some souls buried themselves in the affairs of whichever world they inhabited and ignored the rest of the universe. But, to be fair, perhaps Faces Sunward had been in hibernation when Fire World became notorious. ââ¬Å"Yes, they receive essential nutrients from this smoke. And therein lies the fundamental dilemma and the controversy of Fire World-and the reason the planet has not been closed, though there has certainly been adequate time to populate it fully. There is also a high relocation percentage. ââ¬Å"When Fire World was discovered, it was at first thought that the dominant species, the Fire-Tasters, were the only intelligent life-forms present. The Fire-Tasters did not consider the Walking Flowers to be their equals-a cultural prejudice-so it was a while, even after the first wave of settling, before the souls realized they were murdering intelligent creatures. Since then, Fire World scientists have focused their efforts on finding a replacement for the dietary needs of the Fire-Tasters. Spiders are being transported there to help, but the planets are hundreds of light-years apart. When this obstacle is overcome, as it will be soon, I'm sure, there is hope that the Walking Flowers might also be assimilated. In the meantime, much of the brutality has been removed from the equation. The, ah, burning-alive portion, of course, and other aspects as well.â⬠ââ¬Å"How can theyâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Faces Sunward trailed off, unable to finish. Another voice completed Faces Sunward's thought. ââ¬Å"It seems like a very cruel ecosystem. Why was the planet not abandoned?â⬠ââ¬Å"That has been debated, naturally, Robert. But we do not abandon planets lightly. There are many souls for whom Fire World is home. They will not be uprooted against their will.â⬠I looked away, back at my notes, in an attempt to end the side discussion. ââ¬Å"But it's barbaric!â⬠Robert was physically younger than most of the other students-closer to my age, in fact, than any other. And truly a child in a more important way. Earth was his first world-the Mother in this case had actually been an Earth-dweller, too, before she'd given herself-and he didn't seem to have as much perspective as older, better-traveled souls. I wondered what it would be like to be born into the overwhelming sensation and emotion of these hosts with no prior experience for balance. It would be difficult to find objectivity. I tried to remember that and be especially patient as I answered him. ââ¬Å"Every world is a unique experience. Unless one has lived on that world, it's impossible to truly understand the -ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"But you never lived on Fire World,â⬠he interrupted me. ââ¬Å"You must have felt the same wayâ⬠¦ Unless you had some other reason for skipping that planet? You've been almost everywhere else.â⬠ââ¬Å"Choosing a planet is a very personal and private decision, Robert, as you may someday experience.â⬠My tone closed the subject absolutely. Why not tell them? You do think it's barbaric-and cruel and wrong. Which is pretty ironic if you ask me-not that you ever do. What's the problem? Are you ashamed that you agree with Robert? Because he's more human than the others? Melanie, having found her voice, was becoming downright unbearable. How was I supposed to concentrate on my work with her opinions sounding off in my head all the time? In the seat behind Robert, a dark shadow moved. The Seeker, clad in her usual black, leaned forward, intent for the first time on the subject of discussion. I resisted the urge to scowl at her. I didn't want Robert, already looking embarrassed, to mistake the expression as meant for him. Melanie grumbled. She wished I wouldn't resist. Having the Seeker stalk our every footstep had been educational for Melanie; she used to think she couldn't hate anything or anyone more than she hated me. ââ¬Å"Our time is almost up,â⬠I announced with relief. ââ¬Å"I'm pleased to inform you that we will have a guest speaker next Tuesday who will be able to make up for my ignorance on this topic. Flame Tender, a recent addition to our planet, will be here to give us a more personal account of the settling of Fire World. I know that you will give him all the courtesy you accord me, and be respectful of the very young age of his host. Thank you for your time.â⬠The class filed out slowly, many of the students taking a minute to chat with one another as they gathered their things. What Kathy had said about friendships ran through my head, but I felt no desire to join any of them. They were strangers. Was that the way I felt? Or the way Melanie felt? It was hard to tell. Maybe I was naturally antisocial. My personal history supported that theory, I supposed. I'd never formed an attachment strong enough to keep me on any planet for more than one life. I noticed Robert and Faces Sunward lingering at the classroom door, locked in a discussion that seemed intense. I could guess the subject. ââ¬Å"Fire World stories ruffle feathers.â⬠I started slightly. The Seeker was standing at my elbow. The woman usually announced her approach with the quick tap of her hard shoes. I looked down now to see that she was wearing sneakers for once-black, of course. She was even tinier without the extra inches. ââ¬Å"It's not my favorite subject,â⬠I said in a bland voice. ââ¬Å"I prefer to have firsthand experience to share.â⬠ââ¬Å"Strong reactions from the class.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes.â⬠She looked at me expectantly, as if waiting for more. I gathered my notes and turned to put them in my bag. ââ¬Å"You seemed to react as well.â⬠I placed my papers in the bag carefully, not turning. ââ¬Å"I wondered why you didn't answer the question.â⬠There was a pause while she waited for me to respond. I didn't. ââ¬Å"Soâ⬠¦ why didn't you answer the question?â⬠I turned around, not concealing the impatience on my face. ââ¬Å"Because it wasn't pertinent to the lesson, because Robert needs to learn some manners, and because it's no one else's business.â⬠I swung my bag to my shoulder and headed for the door. She stayed right beside me, rushing to keep up with my longer legs. We walked down the hallway in silence. It wasn't until we were outside, where the afternoon sun lit the dust motes in the salty air, that she spoke again. ââ¬Å"Do you think you'll ever settle, Wanderer? On this planet, maybe? You seem to have an affinity for theirâ⬠¦ feelings.â⬠I bridled at the implied insult in her tone. I wasn't even sure how she meant to insult me, but it was clear that she did. Melanie stirred resentfully. ââ¬Å"I'm not sure what you mean.â⬠ââ¬Å"Tell me something, Wanderer. Do you pity them?â⬠ââ¬Å"Who?â⬠I asked blankly. ââ¬Å"The Walking Flowers?â⬠ââ¬Å"No, the humans.â⬠I stopped walking, and she skidded to a halt beside me. We were only a few blocks from my apartment, and I'd been hurrying in hopes of getting away from her, though likely as not, she'd invite herself in. But her question caught me off guard. ââ¬Å"The humans?â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes. Do you pity them?â⬠ââ¬Å"Don't you?â⬠ââ¬Å"No. They were quite the brutal race. They were lucky to survive each other as long as they did.â⬠ââ¬Å"Not every one of them was bad.â⬠ââ¬Å"It was a predilection of their genetics. Brutality was part of their species. But you pity them, it seems.â⬠ââ¬Å"It's a lot to lose, don't you think?â⬠I gestured around us. We stood in a parklike space between two ivy-covered dormitories. The deep green of the ivy was pleasing to the eye, especially in contrast to the faded red of the old bricks. The air was golden and soft, and the smell of the ocean gave a briny edge to the honey sweet fragrance of the flowers in the bushes. The breeze caressed the bare skin of my arms. ââ¬Å"In your other lives, you can't have felt anything so vivid. Wouldn't you pity anyone who had this taken from them?â⬠Her expression stayed flat, unmoved. I made an attempt to draw her in, to make her consider another viewpoint. ââ¬Å"Which other worlds have you lived on?â⬠She hesitated, then squared her shoulders. ââ¬Å"None. I've only lived on Earth.â⬠That surprised me. She was as much a child as Robert. ââ¬Å"Only one planet? And you chose to be a Seeker in your first life?â⬠She nodded once, her chin set. ââ¬Å"Well. Well, that's your business.â⬠I started walking again. Maybe if I respected her privacy, she would return the favor. ââ¬Å"I spoke to your Comforter.â⬠And maybe not, Melanie thought sourly. ââ¬Å"What?â⬠I gasped. ââ¬Å"I gather you've been having more trouble than just accessing the information I need. Have you considered trying another, more pliable host? She suggested that, did she not?â⬠ââ¬Å"Kathy wouldn't tell you anything!â⬠The Seeker's face was smug. ââ¬Å"She didn't have to answer. I'm very good at reading human expressions. I could tell when my questions struck a nerve.â⬠ââ¬Å"How dare you? The relationship between a soul and her Comforter -ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Is sacrosanct, yes; I know the theory. But the acceptable means of investigation don't seem to be working with your case. I have to get creative.â⬠ââ¬Å"You think I'm keeping something from you?â⬠I demanded, too angry to control the disgust in my voice. ââ¬Å"You think I confided that to my Comforter?â⬠My anger didn't faze her. Perhaps, given her strange personality, she was used to such reactions. ââ¬Å"No. I think you're telling me what you knowâ⬠¦ But I don't think you're looking as hard as you could. I've seen it before. You're growing sympathetic to your host. You're letting her memories unconsciously direct your own desires. It's probably too late at this point. I think you'd be more comfortable moving on, and maybe someone else will have better luck with her.â⬠ââ¬Å"Hah!â⬠I shouted. ââ¬Å"Melanie would eat them alive!â⬠Her expression froze in place. She'd had no idea, no matter what she thought she'd discerned from Kathy. She'd thought Melanie's influence was from memories, that it was unconscious. ââ¬Å"I find it very interesting that you speak of her in the present tense.â⬠I ignored that, trying to pretend I hadn't made a slip. ââ¬Å"If you think someone else would have better luck breaking into her secrets, you're wrong.â⬠ââ¬Å"Only one way to find out.â⬠ââ¬Å"Did you have someone in mind?â⬠I asked, my voice frigid with aversion. She grinned. ââ¬Å"I've gotten permission to give it a try. Shouldn't take long. They're going to hold my host for me.â⬠I had to breathe deeply. I was shaking, and Melanie was so full of hate that she was past words. The idea of having the Seeker inside me, even though I knew that I would not be here, was so repugnant that I felt a return of last week's nausea. ââ¬Å"It's too bad for your investigation that I'm not a skipper.â⬠The Seeker's eyes narrowed. ââ¬Å"Well, it does certainly make this assignment drag on. History was never of much interest to me, but it looks like I'm in for a full course now.â⬠ââ¬Å"You just said that it was probably too late to get any more from her memories,â⬠I reminded her, struggling to make my voice calm. ââ¬Å"Why don't you go back to wherever you belong?â⬠She shrugged and smiled a tight smile. ââ¬Å"I'm sure it is too lateâ⬠¦ for voluntary information. But if you don't cooperate, she might just lead me to them yet.â⬠ââ¬Å"Lead you?â⬠ââ¬Å"When she takes full control, and you're no better than that weakling, once Racing Song, now Kevin. Remember him? The one who attacked the Healer?â⬠I stared at her, eyes wide, nostrils flared. ââ¬Å"Yes, it's probably just a matter of time. Your Comforter didn't tell you the statistics, did she? Well, even if she did, she wouldn't have the latest information that we have access to. The long-term success rate for situations such as yours-once a human host begins to resist-is under twenty percent. Did you have any idea it was so bad? They're changing the information they give potential settlers. There will be no more adult hosts offered. The risks are too great. We're losing souls. It won't be long before she's talking to you, talking through you, controlling your decisions.â⬠I hadn't moved an inch or relaxed a muscle. The Seeker leaned in, stretched up on her toes to put her face closer to mine. Her voice turned low and smooth in an attempt to sound persuasive. ââ¬Å"Is that what you want, Wanderer? To lose? To fade away, erased by another awareness? To be no better than a host body?â⬠I couldn't breathe. ââ¬Å"It only gets worse. You won't be you anymore. She'll beat you, and you'll disappear. Maybe someone will interveneâ⬠¦ Maybe they'll move you like they did Kevin. And you'll become some child named Melanie who likes to tinker with cars rather than compose music. Or whatever it is she does.â⬠ââ¬Å"The success rate is under twenty percent?â⬠I whispered. She nodded, trying to suppress a smile. ââ¬Å"You're losing yourself, Wanderer. All the worlds you've seen, all the experiences you've collected-they'll be for nothing. I saw in your file that you have the potential for Motherhood. If you gave yourself to be a Mother, at least all that would not be entirely wasted. Why throw yourself away? Have you considered Motherhood?â⬠I jerked away from her, my face flushing. ââ¬Å"I'm sorry,â⬠she muttered, her face darkening, too. ââ¬Å"That was impolite. Forget I said that.â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm going home. Don't follow.â⬠ââ¬Å"I have to, Wanderer. It's my job.â⬠ââ¬Å"Why do you care so much about a few spare humans? Why? How do you justify your job anymore? We've won! It's time for you to join society and do something productive!â⬠My questions, my implied accusations, did not ruffle her. ââ¬Å"Wherever the fringes of their world touch ours there is death.â⬠She spoke the words peacefully, and for a moment I glimpsed a different person in her face. It surprised me to realize that she deeply believed in what she did. Part of me had supposed that she only chose to seek because she illicitly craved the violence. ââ¬Å"If even one soul is lost to your Jared or your Jamie, that is one soul too many. Until there is total peace on this planet, my job will be justified. As long as there are Jareds surviving, I am needed to protect our kind. As long as there are Melanies leading souls around by the noseâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ I turned my back on her and headed for my apartment with long strides that would force her to run if she wanted to keep up. ââ¬Å"Don't lose yourself, Wanderer!â⬠she called after me. ââ¬Å"Time is running out for you!â⬠She paused, then shouted more loudly. ââ¬Å"Inform me when I'm to start calling you Melanie!â⬠Her voice faded as the space between us grew. I knew she would follow at her own pace. This last uncomfortable week-seeing her face in the back of every class, hearing her footsteps behind me on the sidewalk every day-was nothing compared to what was coming. She was going to make my life a misery. It felt as if Melanie were bouncing violently against the inner walls of my skull. Let's get her canned. Tell her higher-ups that she did something unacceptable. Assaulted us. It's our word against hers ââ¬â In a human world, I reminded her, almost sad that I didn't have access to that sort of recourse. There are no higher-ups, in that sense. Everyone works together as equals. There are those whom many report to, in order to keep the information organized, and councils who make decisions about that information, but they won't remove her from an assignment she wants. You see, it works like ââ¬â Who cares how it works if it doesn't help us? I know-let's kill her! A gratuitous image of my hands tightening around the Seeker's neck filled my head. That sort of thing is exactly why my kind is better left in charge of this place. Get off your high horse. You'd enjoy it as much as I would. The image returned, the Seeker's face turning blue in our imagination, but this time it was accompanied by a fierce wave of pleasure. That's you, not me. My statement was true; the image sickened me. But it was also perilously close to false-in that I would very much enjoy never seeing the Seeker again. What do we do now? I'm not giving up. You're not giving up. And that wretched Seeker is sure as hell not giving up! I didn't answer her. I didn't have a ready answer. It was quiet in my head for a brief moment. That was nice. I wished the silence could last. But there was only one way to buy my peace. Was I willing to pay the price? Did I have a choice anymore? Melanie slowly calmed. By the time I was through the front door, locking behind me the bolts that I had never before turned-human artifacts that had no place in a peaceful world-her thoughts were contemplative. I'd never thought about how you all carry on your species. I didn't know it was like that. We take it very seriously, as you can imagine. Thanks for your concern. She wasn't bothered by the thick edge of irony in the thought. She was still musing over this discovery while I turned on my computer and began to look for shuttle flights. It was a moment before she was aware of what I was doing. Where are we going? The thought held a flicker of panic. I felt her awareness begin to rifle through my head, her touch like the soft brush of feathers, searching for anything I might be keeping from her. I decided to save her the search. I'm going to Chicago. The panic was more than a flicker now. Why? I'm going to see the Healer. I don't trust her. I want to talk to him before I make my decision. There was a brief silence before she spoke again. The decision to kill me? Yes, that one.
Sunday, January 5, 2020
Ransom What Defines a Man Essays - 736 Words
ââ¬ËRansomââ¬â¢ demonstrates that it is a manââ¬â¢s actions that define him. Discuss. While Priamââ¬â¢s decision to defy kingly conventions and act as ââ¬Ëan ordinary manââ¬â¢ shows that a manââ¬â¢s actions can indeed make up a significant element of oneââ¬â¢s identity, Malouf also makes it clear that a manââ¬â¢s emotional connections with others define him. Priamââ¬â¢s humble request of Achilles, and Achilleââ¬â¢s agreement to this, humanize the two men and highlight their compassionate sides as opposed to their societal statuses. However, the love both men have for their sons is, and always has been, entrenched in their identities, and prompts these life-changing actions. In dismissing his royal obligations and appealing to Achilles as a man and a father, Priam defied hisâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦After savagely dragging Hector behind his chariot fails to bring him closure and satisfaction after the death of his ââ¬Ësoul mate,ââ¬â¢ Achilles realizes that an act of redemption is needed to free himself from the ââ¬Ëclogging grey web that enfolds himââ¬â¢ and define himself as a man rather than a ââ¬Ëravening beast.ââ¬â¢ However, it is also due to a shared understanding between the two men of ââ¬Ëa fatherââ¬â¢s soft affectionsââ¬â¢ that Achilles is touched by Priamââ¬â¢s speech and makes the decision to return the body of Priamââ¬â¢s son. Although it was through taking these unlikely actions that Priam and Achilles were able to escape convention and create new identities for themselves, it was because of their love and human compassion as fathers that they were inspired to carry out the exchange. As Priam discovers during his journey with Somax and his meeting with Achilles, all humans are joined by their love and emotional connections, and it is this that determines the decisions a person makes in life. It is not only Priamââ¬â¢s desire to escape his kingly obligations, but his love for his son and Hecuba, whose motherly bond with Hector amplifies her grief, that cause him to swallow his ââ¬Ëkingly pride and dignityââ¬â¢ in order to retrieve Hectorââ¬â¢s body. It is then Priamââ¬â¢s appeal to Achilleââ¬â¢s paternal side, asking him to consider if it had been Achillesââ¬â¢ sonââ¬â¢s body ââ¬Ëfor whom you have a fatherââ¬â¢s soft affections, to whomShow MoreRelatedThe Theological Theory Of Atonement1634 Words à |à 7 PagesThe early church fathers took the story of Jesus and attempted to put it into a living theology that would give the story more meaning for their current day. 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Jesus came to earth for the purpose of servitude and to become an impeccable physical model of ââ¬Å"true sacrificeâ⬠Read MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Henry The Iv949 Words à |à 4 PagesOPENING Heroism in Henry the IV has many different interpretations. The different views that Shakespeare examines defines heroism based by oneââ¬â¢s individual idea of what heroism means to them and by their values. Shakespeare also explores the two different origins of heroism one from a modern era and the second from the current to earlier period of time. Shakespeare intertwines honour and heroism into one. Hotspur portrays the idea of a dramatic hero in his time, this heroism is displayed by hisRead MorePride Vs. Humanity : Jane And Mark840 Words à |à 4 Pagesthis essay. There was a number of questions prepared for us to discuss in our essays. Iââ¬â¢m going towards the genders roles, there are 4 questions that I will cover to help me interpret this novel. 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The á ½â¦Ãâà ¹ of content here is indicative what he taught. Here, Jesus does not build his messianic identity around Jewish expectations but he ââ¬Ëdistortsââ¬â¢ it in a way that is incomprehensible by any Jew. He teaches that it is a must for the son of man to suffer many things. The impersonal verb à ´Ã µÃ¡ ¿â" is extremely emphatic as used here and intimates divine agency and design, fulfilling scripture. His self-reference as the son of Man is key. It appears as an allusion to the figure in DanielRead MoreThe Importance Of A Coaching Philosophy Sets The Expectations For A Program Essay1025 Words à |à 5 Pages vision, and core values. Mission explains the reason for a program while vision determines the outcomes a program wants to achieve. Core values define a programââ¬â¢s belief system and set the standard f or how it will operate on and off the court. When a coach defines the mission, vision, and cores values everyone involved with the program knows what he or she expects. Mission The mission of youth basketball is about creating a safe, fun environment that develops the whole person. A safe, funRead MoreHector and Achilles as Classic Heroes of Homers Iliad Essay983 Words à |à 4 Pagesbright-helmeted Hector...(398;Book 22), ...man-killing Hector... (149;Book 6), and Resplendent Hector...(146;Book 6) to describe the Trojan soldier, while he praises Hectors Greek opponent with such expressions as Achilles, peer of the plume-waving war god...(145;Book 22) and ...Achilles, swift of foot...(182;Book 1). 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Field Training is a 5 week course for young college students in the ROTC program to learn how to become officers in the US Air Force and particularly how to lead people in a field setting. Our textbook defines leadership as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of goals (Robbins Judge, 2009, Ch. 12). Now, imagine yourself dropped into the environment I was put in. I am one of 400 or so cadets in this encampment, over one thousand miles
Saturday, December 28, 2019
The Distribution Of Attentional Resources - 1833 Words
The divided attention effect is defined as a person doing multiple tasks at once. The completion of multiple task simultaneously will almost always lead to a decrease in performance ability seen in one or more of the tasks at hand. This has been found to be associated with the cognitive process of recall. When multitasking, recall ability will decrease, especially if the new task introduced is more difficult than the first (Fisher, Greenberg, Johnston, Martin, 1970). The distribution of attentional resources has been modeled in two forms. The first involving the idea that there is a single pool of resources, which can be divided freely. The second model suggests that there are multiple pools of specific modality resources (Sternberg â⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦For example, two visual tasks such as reading while watching television, is more difficult to complete than pairing a visual task with an auditory task, such as listening to music while reading (Sternberg Sternberg, 2012). A common cause for interference today is cell phone usage. Cell phones create both vocal and manual responses. For example, attempting to text or talk on the phone at the same time as physically interacting with the surrounding environment will decrease the ability to concentrate on either the cell phone conversation or any task being completed in the current environment (Iudice et al, 2005). A study done to assess the level of distraction caused by cell phone usage was done on 54 undergraduate students. The students were split into two groups, an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group had a cell phone placed in front of them on the desk. The control group had a small notebook, the size of a cell phone, in front of them. Each group had to perform digit cancellation tasks, which were simple and easy to complete. Each group also had to perform more challenging, additive cancellation tasks. The findings concluded that there was no relationship between the presenc e of the phone during the digit cancellation tasks. During the more challenging tasks the students in the experimental group performed more poorly compared to those in
Friday, December 20, 2019
Two major world concerns today are the energy crisis and...
Two major world concerns today are the energy crisis and economic instability. Hydrofracking may be the key for finding the solution for both of these issues, because this technique allows the oil and gas areas which could not be developed previously to be productive. Cooley and Donnelly (2012), experts on global energy policy; state that the world natural gas reserves will be more than enough for the next 130 years, and the latest extraction technology of shale gas can bring a significant contribution to opportunities of gas industry. According to a report by the International Energy Agency (2012), if Europe and Asia countries follow the USA example in the development of shale gas production, gas reserves will sufficient for the next 250â⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Regardless of whatever the economic or political benefits may potentially be, it is the environmental and health issues surrounding the practice of hydraulic fracking that has drawn protests from activists and some comm unities. By far the most serious local environmental concern, and probably the most contentious, is ground water contamination. The potential risk to ground water comes from the natural gas extraction process by methane and by-products releasing. Hydrofraking technology often requires large volumes of fracturing fluid. For example, a single well may use up to 10 million gallons of water which, after being injected into the well, must be sucked back to the surface and treated (). This retrieved water is laden with harmful substances such as acids and radioactive elements. This use of chemicals is related to certain health complications on human beings. In 2010, Ohioââ¬â¢s citizens faced with some cases of water pollution caused by poor material quality and improper installation of containments or well casing (). Even more disturbing to some than possible groundwater contamination are air emissions of hydrocarbons and other pollutants. Methane which released during the extraction operations could accelerate the process of global warming. In addition, a rare but real risk related to well drilling and construction includes methane gas and vapor
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Alternative Investment Opportunity in the Market
Question: Discuss about the several alternative investment options. Evaluate the critical analysis of the alternative investment. Answer: Introduction It discussed about the several alternative investment options. The aim is to evaluate the critical analysis of the alternative investment. It successfully spelled out the features, risk attaching with each alternative investment and reason for investing them. Indeed, an investment is one of the three kinds of traditional assets such as stock, cash and bonds. An alternative investment is the wide range of non-mainstream investment classes. In the other words, an alternative investment term includes tangible assets such as art, wine, coins, stamps and financial assets such as private equity, real estate, hedge funds, commodities, carbon credits, film production and venture. Further, low correlation with stock bonds, difficult to determine the current market value, relatively liquid, limited historical risk, purchase sales cost may be high degree of investment analysis are the features of the alternative investment. This term used broadly and refer to financial alternatives such as de rivatives. So, it is hard to search the investment features of tangible alternatives such as wine or art due to lack of good quality data. Furthermore, it is assets held by institutional investors, high net worth individuals because of their flexibility nature, relative lack of liquidity and limited regulations. It involves to manages futures, commodities, hedge funds and derivatives contracts. (Arrow Kruz 2013). Analysis: These are seven alternative investment options with their features, risk attaching to each selected alternative and reason for investing them that is described below: Liquidity alternative investment: This investment strategy available in the ETFs, mutual funds and closed-end funds that provides liquidity in the daily basis. It is the significant part of the alternative investment options such as hedge funds and equity that available in the market. It is known as 40 Act funds due to created under the US Congress government. It is separated into two parts such as an alternative investment class and alternative asset class. This investment strategy is adopted by the five LAI Peer Group that got 1.5 percent gain while others group get losses from -0.4 percent to -2.0 percent in the market. It is a useful strategy in the current investment market as per their risk and reward compare ratio in the market. The common risk is that these strategies can bet against use investments outside those markets, traditional capital markets, tactically move within and across markets. Although, the investment concentrates on the hedge funds and liquid alternatives are subject to registered investment regulation covering leverage, diversification and liquidity. (Mendoza 2008). These are the common reason for investing in liquid investment that is described below: It generates a positive return from the market. Therefore, investors prefer to invest in this class as compared to other investment classes. (Mallin Ow-Yong 2010). It helps to manage risk that reduction in several opportunities in the organization. The investors can get quick money as they desire to collect from the market. (Mendoza 2008). It has a low risk as compared to other investment classes. It saves investor losses in the investment plan. (Mallin Ow-Yong 2010). Traditional alternative investment: Traditional investment advised to invest money in popular assets classes such as bonds, real estate, share and cash. Bonds are the investment class that provides a fixed return by government and company. So, an investor prefers to use it. Cash is a short-term investment in the certificate of the deposited and high yield bank accounts. Real estate is the common form of investment that evaluated by the number of participants because it involves purchase as a primary residence. In the other words, it manages long-term capital stocks, cash and bonds. The risk attached with traditional investment that it is difficult to make money when markets are falling. These are the other kinds of risk in traditional investment including an interest rate risk that affect the bonds and stock, market risk that related to fluctuation in the overall market, inflation risk that affecting all securities purchasing power risk, financial risk that uses of debt financing by organization, liquidity risk that linked with secondary market such as security trades and country risk such as political risk. (Mendoza 2008). These are the reason for investing in traditional investment that is described below: Lower transaction costs: It is the significant reason for investing in traditional investment option because it has low transaction costs. It attracts new investor because it provides a low cost that is beneficial for those recently start an investment with limited budget. Due to lower transaction cost it reduce the risk of high investment benefit. It is the mostly prefer by small money investors in the market. (Arrow Kruz 2013). Avoid market volatility: It is the significant factor that affected the market volatility. Market volatility is the part of every business that affected the organization growth and development. Low volatility reduces the investor stress when they invest in first time in any investment class option in the market. (McGuire 2010). Tax benefit: It is beneficial for the long-term investors that want some tax benefit because they have to pay long tax due to high return on their investment value. It is the significant part of any investment opportunity that affected the investment business in the market. (Mendoza 2008). Diversification value: It provides varieties of investment in the market. It is the significant factor that affected the new investor in the market. A big investor desire to invest in several opportunities that helps to jugde that which is most appropriate and beneficial for them. (Arrow Kruz 2013). Gold alternative investment: It is famous investment class in the worldwide, especially in India where it is part of culture. So, women used it as gold ornaments. It is most safe investment class as compared to other class of investment. These are the following risk attached with gold that it is not commodity which you can eat. In 2008, gold lost more than 30 percent value from his peak rate. In 1980s, gold lost 65 percent value in two year. It has no income generating capabilities. These are the main reason for investing in gold that is described below: The investors should invest in gold because it is easy to buy or sell and provide good correlation to gold price. (Rousseau 2007). It helps to protect investor saving against the currency devaluations. (McGuire 2010). It helps to protect purchasing power inflation is steadly increasing in the market. An investor should invest in gold because it helps to protect portfolio and wealth, if economic crisis in particular country. (Kiesel 2010). An investor havent any counterparty risk with gold. (Stein DeMuth 2011). It is low risk investment as compared to other investment and it have always upside move in long-term investment perspective. (Rousseau 2007). Investment wine alternative investment: It is a gold bullion, fine art, tulip bulbs and rare coins that known as alternative investment. This investment includes two methods. One is purchasing and reselling bottles and second is purchasing shares in an investment wine fund that provide benchmark for the investors capital. It is the risk attached with investment wine such as not moving upwards from 2006-2008, no dividend payments and unregulated market. (Kiesel 2010). These are the main reason for investing in an investment wine that is described below: An investment wine has low risk as compared to other investment classes in the market. It is not too much volatile as share and stocks. (McGuire 2010). In 2001, it is outperformed the equity indices in western market with average 16 percent return. (McGuire 2010). It is associated with the law of supply and demand that is the main reason for investing in the wine investment option. It is improving assets that raising its value and price. It is also known as consumable and tangible assets. (McGuire 2010). Silver alternative investment: It is used as the precious metal class investment. It is known as forms of money and store of value. It lost its role in legal tender in all developed nations. The main risk involved with silver investment is that it is unable to liquidate your metals because you need to find buyers, it requires to pay high commission to silver sellers and it doesnt provide an interest from the bank. (Stein DeMuth 2011). Further, these are the reason behind for investing in silver investment that is described below: It is an universal currency. So, an investor can get easy buyer of it in their region. (Reilly Brown 2011). It has a small market that outperformed constantly from the several years. It doesnt seize by the government. (McGuire 2010). It provides a good return in the long-term that is the main reason for investment them. (Reilly Brown 2011). Chartered alternative investment: Chartered investment is the class of investment that that created by the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) for professional design perspective. The CAIA was established by the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) in 2002. It is separated in the two levels such as focus on the advance topic and second focus on the fundamentals alternative investment. Chartered investment pays lower return an compared to other investment class that is the main risk involved with them. (Larry, Swedroe Kizer 2010). These are the reason for investing in the Chartered alternative investment that is described below: It focused on investment trends as compared to an individual transaction. It helps to raise the investors understanding about the market. (Larry, Swedroe Kizer 2010). Philatelic alternative investment: Philatelic investment is stamp that aim to get profit from the market. A philatelic is one type of the tangible investment that desire to evaluating the value of the stamp. Tangible investment includes rare, coins, art, antiques that are called as the term of alternative investment. Not guaranteed return, high cost of sell, the expert stamps required, difficult to determine the present market value, little reliable historical information and spend time to sell the investment schemes are the involved risk in the Philatelic investment. (Stein DeMuth 2011). Further, these are the reason to an investment in philatelic investment that is described below: It is not a financial assets. So, it will perform well in high inflation. (Reilly Brown 2011). It has an interesting historical background. (Kiesel 2010). It is portable store that made investment safe. So, an investor should invest in it. Liquidity is the main things that attract investors in the market. (Kiesel 2010). It is the confidential investment. So, an investor will invest in this class of investment. (Reilly Brown 2011). Conclusion On the basis of above analysis, concluded that the features, risk and reason for investing them as well as high ability to adopt new approach in alternative investment helps it to maintain its competitive position in the investment market of the world. Due to varieties of the investment option, an investor has an opportunity to invest as per their budget. It would helpful to raise the money in alternative investment option. Gold and silver are the popular investment class in the worldwide. Nowadays, liquid investment is becoming famous in the present market because it reduce high risk in the investment option. Liquid, traditional, gold, investment wine, silver chartered and palladium are an important alternative investment that raises the investor interest to mention in their portfolio. Due to varieties of the alternative investment class, the investors have a huge opportunity to invest in a different segment as per their budget of money. Recommendation It provides several recommendations for the alternative investment that is described below: An alternative investment should provide security in the return concern that raise the investor confidence to invest more and suggest someone else friend or relative to investment in this opportunity to capital gain. (Kiesel 2010). It helps to divide their invested money in different kinds of portfolio that protects investor money from market volatility. (Stein DeMuth 2011). They should hire professional consultants that help to protect from market risk. An alternative investment should provide several opportunity as per their capacity to invest in the diversified portfolio. (Kiesel 2010). References Aivazian, VA, Ge, Y, Qiu, J, 2005, The impact of leverage on firm investment: Canadian evidence, Journal of corporate finance, 11(1), pp.277-291. Amenc, N, Martellini, L, Vaissi, M, 2003, Benefits and risks of alternative investment strategies, Journal of Asset Management, 4(2), pp.96-118. Arrow, KJ, Kruz, M, 2013, Public investment, the rate of return, and optimal fiscal policy (Vol. 1), Routledge, New Jersey. Athanassiou, P, 2012, Research Handbook on Hedge Funds, Private Equity and Alternative Investments, Edward Elgar Publishing, New York. Kiesel, R, 2010, Alternative Investments and Strategies, World Scientific, New York. Landolt, T, 2014, Alternative Investments: Dollar Invested By Asset Class 2013, View 17 May, 2016, Larry E, Swedroe, Kizer, J, 2010, The Only Guide to Alternative Investments You'll Ever Need: The Good, the Flawed, the Bad, and the Ugly, John Wiley and Sons, New Jersey. Mallin, C, Ow-Yong, K, 2010, The UK alternative investment marketethical dimensions, Journal of business ethics, 95(2), pp.223-239. Mark JP, Anson, FJ, Fabozzi, FJ, Jones, 2010, The Handbook of Traditional and Alternative Investment Vehicles: Investment Characteristics and Strategies, John Wiley Sons, New Jersey. McGuire, S, 2010, Hard Money: Taking Gold to a Higher Investment Level, John Wiley Sons, New York. Mendoza, JM, 2008, Securities regulation in low-tier listing venues: The rise of the Alternative Investment Market, Fordham J. Corp. Fin. L., 13, p.257. Reilly, F, Brown, K, 2011, Investment analysis and portfolio management, Cengage Learning, New York. Rousseau, S, 2007, London calling?: The experience of the Alternative Investment Market and the competitiveness of Canadian stock exchanges, Banking and Finance Law Review, 23(1). Stein, B, DeMuth, P, 2011, The Little Book of Alternative Investments: Reaping Rewards by Daring to be Different, John Wiley Sons, New Jersey.
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