Effects of Fuel Prices

Effects of Fuel Prices Introduction Fuel is pivotal in the successful running of any business and especially in the transport industry like the airline industry, which is involved in massive transporting activities. There is no reasonable doubt therefore that high fuel costs have an adverse impact on the running of any organisation.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Effects of Fuel Prices specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Fuel prices have become a challenge in the recent past because they are usually increasing at a speedy and sudden rate. Most often, much focus is placed on the effect of fuel prices on the lives of people. In such a case, people are advised on unnecessary spending by cutting down on fuel costs. Less attention however is placed on the effect of the high fuel prices on organisations, which cannot run without fuel since it facilitates almost all of the operations in any organisation. The airline industry precisely is o verly reliant on fuel and as a result is deemed to be most affected by the high fuel prices. One such airline is the Dnata Company, whose survival is hanging on a thin thread given its current financial crisis. It is very ironical that the United Arab Emirates is the fourth region across Arab high in oil production yet is ranked the third country with high oil prices. The effects of high fuel prices have crippled the prognoses of the Dnata Company as at now attributed to high operational costs in comparison to revenues obtained. Revenues obtained are almost equivalent to the fuel costs. Notwithstanding the high fuel prices, Dnata has managed to survive in business until this far even though many similar companies have collapsed along the way. It is therefore believed that it will still survive this financial ordeal that it is currently experiencing.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Most of the times when fuel prices are high, the prices imposed on customers escalate as well. However, it is interesting to note that Dnata is still experiencing financial crisis. Apparently, it seems that increasing service prices would not be an ideal remedy due to the triple whammy effect of the high fuel prices. Not only do high fuel prices slow a country’s economic growth and place financial strain on companies, they rob consumers their purchasing power. As a result, business is slow because clients cannot spend much. The situation becomes much worse if the prices are increased. It is intriguing to know that in all these years Dnata has survived in the industry despite the unstable oil prices in UAE. This study will therefore seek to investigate the past performance of Dnata in spite of rapidly increasing fuel prices and compare this past trend with the current situation. Background Dnata is ranked the fourth largest airline company globally th at provides a range of services as shown below. The company handles an estimate of 250 airlines and is operational in 39 countries. It is the number one largest company in as far as travel-management services are concerned. Dnata fulfils the following obligations: catering, provision of cargo, ground handling, sale of air tickets as an agent of other airlines, and information technology services. Dnata was founded in 1959 and merely begun as a small ground handling shop with only two staff members compared with the current 20,000 employees in five continents. It has gradually grown through the years.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Effects of Fuel Prices specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It has been overcoming the hurdles that emerge along the way until the very recent financial crisis, which has been linked to escalating fuel prices. It later expanded in 1970 when it started selling airline tickets. The car go division was formed in 1973 and experienced a boom in 1979. Starting this time, the cargo enjoyed an annual growth of more than 50%. The ticketing division was equally booming such that a new airline centre was opened in 1981 and during this time, it became the largest ticketing operation. A decade later, the 150,000 meter squared Dubai Cargo operation was opened and another decade later (2002), agreements with different carriers were designed and effected. After five years, a joint venture between Toll Holdings and Toll Dnata Airport Services based in Australia was established. This gave Dnata Company an upper lead because this joint venture became the sole ground handling company in Australia. As a company that embraces technology for efficiency, a community-based B2B B2C portal was launched in 2008 to facilitate transactions and thereby serve a wider clientele. Later on in the same year, Dnata opened the DXB terminal 3 to allow the airline to handle baggage for 17,000 passeng ers at a given point in time. Other than the historic transformation into the largest airline company, Dnata Company was able to acquire other small companies. In the year 2009, Dnata acquired Plane Handling Limited, a company that offered ground and cargo handling services at London Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport respectively. In 2010, the Alpha Flight Group Limited was acquired. The company operated in 11 countries and was a leading in-flight catering company across the globe. It is therefore obvious that Dnata has steadily grown in the past without difficultly.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This makes this study even more enthralling as one tries to figure out what could have gone wrong because it seems that the issue of fuel prices in UAE has been prevalent for a long time due to importation of gasoline. It is evident that Dnata Company has had a solid and professional administrative unit that has steered the success of Dnata. This is attributed to the fact that it has been able to soar up in the past regardless of the many challenges that forced other similar companies to face out. In addition, as an organisation that is entirely driven by quality, it seeks to ensure that each area is continually evolving to meet the changing demands and preferences of clients. As a company that has various transport and carrier responsibilities, it is likely to consume a lot of fuel in a day. Hence, the unstable oil prices are a great injustice to the company, which is very fundamental to the economy of UAE and in the airline industry in general. During the period 2011 and 2012, Dna ta was documented as enjoying its peak in profits despite increasing operation costs. Worth noting is that the profit derived during this time was obtained from in-flight catering, airport operations and Dnata cargo handling in that order. The fact that ground handling is not documented could mean that fuel prices compared to revenue could have resulted in a negative balance. However, all this can be confirmed by carrying out this study that will examine the different departments and each department’s performance all along. It is only then that an association between fuel prices and the financial crisis being experienced by Dnata will be scientifically proven. Problem Statement The sole purpose of any organisation is to make profit. Dnata is a private airline company and therefore its objectives could not be far-fetched from this. The company has done what is within its jurisdiction in as far as provision of quality services to its clients is concerned. This is supported by t he fact that Dnata adopts latest technology that is efficient and effective. Maintaining a stable clientele base is very important for any business to thrive hence the reason why Dnata offers quality services to meet the needs of its customers. In the recent past however, the looming fuel prices have not favoured the company at all. Dnata company is currently in a financial crisis with its revenue barely enough to meet its operational costs. It is very enthralling to investigate the effects of the high fuel prices on this company that has continued to survive in the past.

Learn Business English - The Definitive Guide

Learn Business English - The Definitive Guide Learning Business English, like any language, is a process that involves dedication and many different strategies. You need to approach learning Business English in a long-term, holistic, dynamic, and authentic way. Strengthen Your Grammar You must have strong English grammar for business writing. People simply won’t take you seriously if your writing is full of grammatical and punctuation mistakes. Strengthening grammar can seem frustrating and never-ending, but there are several small, daily actions you can take: Use Grammarly - Grammarly is a free app you can use through Google Chrome. It checks any and everything you write online, and you are able to upload documents to the site as well. There is a paid version as well, but for non-native writers I find the free version to be better because it focuses on basic and common grammar issues (the paid version identifies more sophisticated issues that aren’t applicable to all types of writing). Grammarly will help you identify and correct your mistakes. Once you know what your mistakes are, you can study up on those areas here: (grammar only) and punctuation) This blog post and video explain a technique that can help you improve your use of prepositions. Use this same technique for all sorts of grammar. Read our blog! There are lots of posts about different grammar topics, such as Pronoun Antecedent Errors here. Browse through or search by topic. Subscribe to the blog by entering your email in the field on the right-hand side of the screen. Read, Read, and Read Some More Reading is the best way to improve your Business English vocabulary and Business English writing skills. Reading anything and everything is good, but to really build effective business communication in English, you need to read business texts. Here are some good options: The Harvard Business Review. Sign up for a free account and access up to 15 articles per month (without an account, you can only access five articles per month). There are hundreds of articles written at a high level of Business English on all sorts of Business related topics. The Wall Street Journal. There is lots of good content here, though you may need a subscription or at least an account. The Economist. Again, there is good content, but you can only access a certain number of articles each month without an account. Forbes.You'll find lots of shorter articles that are easy to read, as well as longer, more in-depth stories. Paul Krugman’s blog in the New York Times This is a blog, so you willnotice some differences between this and a standard newspaper article (Use of â€Å"I," a more casual and conversational tone, etc.) You can read up to ten free articles per month at nytimes.com. After that, you need a subscription. Paul Krugman is an excellent author, and as an economist, he addresses finance and other technical topics. Fortune Magazine. This publication is most famous for its â€Å"Fortune 500,† the list of the 500 most powerful companies around the world. Bloomberg Businessweek. Another trove of well-written business news. Entrepreneur. This is geared towards entrepreneurs, as you might expect from the title and has many well written articles that will help your business skills as well as modeling good English writing. Fast Company. This publication focuses on innovative and creative ideas, so it’s useful to non-native readers from companies where time-tested approaches are valued more than innovation. It will stretch your business approach as well as providing a good model of business English. The key is to consistently read business texts from a variety of sources dailyto strengthen your business English vocabulary, reading comprehension, and ultimately writing skills. Aim to set 15 minutes aside each day to read good business English. Enjoy it with your morning coffee or tea! Write More Often Reading alone won’t strengthen your writing. Like any skill, business writing takes practice. So, to improve your business English writing skills, you need to write, and write often! Here are some ideas for how to get started: Take some of the topics that you usually write about in your field and write these in English. Google â€Å"business letter topics†, â€Å"business email topics†, or â€Å"business report topics." You’ll find lots of great ideas to get started writing. Here are some good report topics. Use these topics to practice writing letters, emails, and reports. Once you have written a practice letter/email/report, upload it to Grammarly (Can you tell we like this tool?) for grammar feedback. This will help you identify your most common grammatical errors for different styles of writing. As with reading, you’ll need to write a variety of texts consistentlyto build and maintain your business English writing skills. Practice Listening to Business English Sometimes, you need to give your eyes and fingers a break from all that reading and writing. You can still strengthen your business English skills even when you are not reading and writing! Try listening to a business podcast on your way to work or while exercising. Here are some good options: â€Å"5 Business Podcasts to Start Listening to in 2016† from Entrepreneur â€Å"The 8 Best Podcasts for Business Savvy Listeners† from Fast Company â€Å"9 Great Business Podcasts You Should Know† from Fortune Remember that podcasts are spoken English, and they tend to be conversational. The language used will often be less formal than most business English writing needs to be. But, podcasts are a great way to expand your vocabulary and knowledge base about a variety of business topics. Plus, they are a nice break from other types of practice. Like everything else, you’ll get the most benefit from listening daily! Pro Tip:Listening to conversational business English will help you to learn idioms and phrasal verbs. Take a Business English Course The methods above are great for independent work. However, to truly improve your business English communication skills, especially writing, you need to take a course that provides you individualized feedback. You need a person, not just a computer program, to tell you exactly where you are shining and where you need to focus your energy. You may find that your grammar is strong, but you need to work on tone, directness, or more appropriate vocabulary. A good course will teach you strategies and an effective process, not just quick business writing tips and tricks. You can take a face-to-face course or an online course. Instructional Solutions offers both onsite and online business writing courses for non-native speakers of English and for native speakers. We focus on context-specific writing practice with individualized feedback in key areas, including grammar, punctuation, tone, and organization. Combining independent practice with abusiness writing course that includes instructor support is the best way to improve your overall business communication skills in English.

Same Sex Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Same Sex Marriage - Essay Example Efforts to amend various sections of the Constitution in different States gained momentum to incorporate amendments to prohibit the same-sex marriages. States such as Nevada, Alaska, and Nebraska made changes to their constitution to disallow lesbian and gay relationships. This happened in 1990. Massachusetts State was the first state to legalize and recognize the same sex-marriage in 2003. Civil unions came into full force to advocate States to grand the lesbians and gays their most much-needed rights. Out of their efforts, several States have approved homosexuality, namely, New York, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia. There is a lot of optimism in the gay and lesbian community, going by the past trends, that they will gain victories in many other states in the United States (Confessore and Barbaro A1). In the United States, many groups show their deeper concerns about their fears and speculation over the consequences of this new social order (Ambrosino 84). Some have supported and others bitterly opposed this new practice. Different legal and religious communities such as Christianity, Muslims, and Buddhism have voiced in their varied views on this matter. Catholic and evangelistic churches are in the forefront to oppose the move to legalize same-sex marriage. Division on homosexuality in the Protestant faith is evident, a section of them feels that the same-sex marriages should have freedom to marry, others completely object (Taylor A25). The Muslim community feels this is a violation of religious beliefs. Buddhists have differing stances about same-sex marriage. The liberals have no objections while the conservatisms greatly object the issue. The number of the opponents has out-numbered that of supporters with significant margins. The opponents raise many concerns about the same- sex marriages. To start with, they doubt whether there is any commitment in these relationships. They argue that the marriages are due to break sooner than later. They further point out that gay and lesbians’ couples are quite unhappy which is on contrary to a heterosexual marriages. Social conservatives believe that marriage is a health foundation

Advertising Profolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Advertising Profolio - Essay Example Both the sedan and the truck are badly destroyed after the crush. The billboard is accompanied by the message â€Å"Tailgating isn’t worth it. Give Trucks room. It’s the law†. The basis of the argument in this essay will be drawn from Leiss et al. (2005) with a theme of cultural frame and a focus on actualization of objects to create a deeper meaning in advertisements. According to Leiss, â€Å"a cultural frame arises from a set of images, forms of communication and some values. The three arise from the amalgamation of marketing and advertising, mass media and the popular culture.† (Leiss, 2013, 91). To begin with, the ads are chosen from the fact that they have a common aspect of road safety. They are, however, set differently with varying messages through the same background meaning, road safety. The communicative aspects in the ads are by far actualization of objects. The ambience of both advertisements is a sorry mood. Accidents have occurred in both cases as a result of dangerous driving. In the first ad, a child is bleeding following poor driving on a rainy day. In the second ad, the sedan is tailgating a truck rather than keeping a safe distance as required by the law. The results are an impact that causes both the sedan and the truck to even fold up the billboard. This is a smartly created ad that vivifies the billboard itself. It is indicative of a real time accident happening on the billboard. On the one side, the sedan’s front has been smashed up, and the driver must be in a fatal condition. On the other hand, the truck has only the back smashed but the cabin is quite some distance away, meaning that the accident had little or no consequence to the occupants of the truck. The ad makes sense as the sedan’s driver is seemingly the one on the wrong for tailgating a truck. The truck was hit, but the occupants did not suffer as m uch

Justice System Position Essay Example for Free

Justice System Position Essay Juvenile crime rates in the United States fell to a new 32-year low in 2013. In 2012 there were around 60,000 violent crime arrests involving youths under the age of 18. From 2011 to 2012 there was a 10% decline in the number of youth arrests for all four offenses, which contributed to an overall drop of 36 percent since 2003. In 1994, police reported 500 violent youth crime arrests for every 100,000 10-17-olds in the population. In 2008, the arrest rate fell and there were 300 arrests for every 100,000 juveniles in the population. Now, between 2009 and 2012, there are 190 arrests per 100,000 juveniles (Violent Youth Crime in U.S. falls to New 32-Year Low, 2013). What do all these numbers represent? A new hope in the future of the youth in the United States. Some of the main reasons contributing to this dramatic decrease in juvenile arrest rates include a shift in thinking about the best ways to handle young people who break the law, a continual period of decreasing juvenile crime, and fiscal pressures on state governments that have many people, including conservatives who supported tough-on-crime policies, looking for less-expensive alternatives to mass incarceration. The United States rates for incarceration for juveniles are18 times greater that of France, and more than seven times greater than that of Britain. Countries like Finland or Sweden do not usually lock up young offenders and offer the youth the best opportunities to mature into adulthood. Large-scale incarceration only leads to abuse and harsh treatment for the children and teenagers confined, and it is very expensive. In fact an average bed in a juvenile correction facility costs about $88,000 a year. Putting troubled youth into extremely disciplined, restrictive, and long-term environments goes against everything that we know about the juvenile brain and takes away opportunities from these adolescents to learn new skills and positive ways of behaving. Most states stress incarceration and punishment and it is interfering with effective diversionary, treatment, and rehabilitation practices (Building a More Effective Juvenile System, 2014). Rehabilitation practices seem to be the most logical route to treating  delinquent youth and preparing them for a better future. They are the future of America and they are treated now will affect the crime rates in the future. A number of evidence-based practices have made a positive impact on reduced incarceration and reoffending for youth. Research shows that threatening and disciplinary interactions, incarceration, and punishment only increase the aggressive behavior that we see in troubled youth. To help our youth and continue to decrease the rates of delinquency and re-offending we can reduce the weight on incarceration and punishment and increase offenders’ interactions with positive well-trained adults that will help them become better individuals. Juvenile delinquency has been a major problem for law enforcement officers. Law enforcement officers have a goal to prevent juvenile delinquency from happening. Without knowing what triggers delinquency, officers have no idea how to stop it before it happens. In the past law enforcements reaction to delinquent behavior was to arrest these individuals. With the dramatic decrease in youth arrests, it makes a difference in what police officers are dealing with every day. It also makes their jobs safer. If law enforcement did nothing, then juveniles would continue to do the wrong. Law enforcement should show interest in the youths in the communities that they serve. Talking to them, asking questions, and pointing them in the right direction could change their lives. Police officers are role models and even can be heroes. In 2001 San Diego police officer Jeremy Henwood was approached by a 13-year-old boy and asked for a dime to buy a cookie at McDonalds. Officer Henwood took some time and asked the boy what he wanted to be when he grew up. The boy replied that he wanted to become a basketball player in the NBA. Officer Henwood explained to him that he would need to work hard and focus to get there. He bought the boy some cookies and went back to his police cruiser. Only moments later Officer Henwood was gunned down in his car and killed. When this boy heard the news it broke his heart and he said that his conversation with Officer Henwood meant so much to him. He said he would never forget the conversation that they had. It made a difference to him. He said that he would work hard to reach his goals because of him (Slain San  Diego Officer Remembered for Good Deeds, 2011). Law enforcement can make a difference for our youth and through these efforts reduce delinquency and make their jobs easier. Juvenile courts and probation play a central role in the management of juvenile justice in the United States. Any policies and programs pushed by these units greatly define the Nation’s response to juvenile crime. In 1996 1.76 million delinquency cases were handled by U.S. courts and juvenile probation officers had contact with almost every one of those cases. While rates have decreased since 1996, it still puts a huge weight on both units (Overview, 1999). While it might cost more to rehabilitate and treat all juvenile offenders at first, the number of reoffenders would decrease drastically. They could be taught how to use the skills they were born with, learn new skills, and learn how to be successful in life. Eventually the weight would not only be off of the court and probation system, but also off of the rehabilitation programs. Another unit in the justice system that would be affected by rehabilitation is corrections. Currently correction facilities do offer some sort of rehabilitation for those inmates who choose it or have no choice. Because of high demands, not every delinquent can receive the specific treatment that they need. If rehabilitation took priority in the first place, the incarceration rates would certainly decrease and these facilities could provide individualized treatment. As I mentioned earlier, to provide a bed for one youth for a year costs on average $88,000. If these numbers decreased, these funds could be used to provide scholarships and other incentives to our youth. Currently community services are used as a punishment for juvenile delinquents instead of incarceration. It usually is a method used to show a delinquent that there are consequences to their actions. Meaningful community service along with proper treatment can show children and young teens that there is so much more to l ife than getting into trouble. It is a great way to give back to the community and help these kids feel important. Rehabilitation comes in many forms but its main goal is to restore the good in a person and prevent habitual offending. These centers can provide academic and vocational education, treatment programs  that address violent and criminal behavior, sex offender behavior, substance abuse, mental health programs, and medical care while maintaining a safe and secure environment beneficial to learning. Programs such as these could reduce institutional violence and future criminal behavior by teaching anti-criminal attitudes and providing personal skills for youths. With all that said, some people argue that punishment is necessary and should remain the main focus of the juvenile justice system. Punishment advocates state that our youth understand right from wrong and should be punished for their actions. I think that what these advocates do not realize is what these kids are facing when they are locked up. The conditions that will live in while they serve the time on their sentence may act ually change them for the worse. Maybe if these advocates spent a day or a week living the way an incarcerated juvenile does their opinions would change dramatically. An argument against rehabilitation is that juvenile rehabilitation is unique for each individual. What works to treat one kid might not work for another. It makes it harder to treat each juvenile and get positive results. With each new entry into the system, the chances of rehabilitation for each kid decreases. That shouldn’t mean that everyone gives up hope and locks up each delinquent until they feel they have been punished long enough. What this shows is that more resources and time should be put into rehabilitation efforts. Creating facilities that specialize in different areas and placing these youths where they feel they will thrive is needed. If it doesn’t work, the information that they have learned about that delinquent should be enough to send them to another facility where they will receive the proper services. Before a child turns three years old the state is responsible for all learning disabilities. It is the job of the state to evaluate that child and pro vide services to help that child meet their milestones. Once the child turns three years old the school system in the state becomes responsible for the learning development of that child. The school system will evaluate and place the child into a school that will work to improve the skills of this child. If there are no improvements, the child will receive another evaluation and changes in placement will be made. This process continues until the child is receiving the exact learning environment that they need. I know all of this from personal experience with my son. These same efforts should be used for youths heading in the wrong  direction. They are the future of America and with youth arrest rates already decreasing, there is a chance for a safer future for a lot of people. Punishment can make a person angry and resentful. A child is usually provided warnings that if they continue certain behavior they will find themselves in â€Å"time out† or have certain toys or electronics taken away. Once they use up all possible warnings that punishment is enforced. It makes the child angry and upset but usually they realize that they have to be good before they are able to get out of â€Å"time out† or get back what was taken from them. As a mother I can say that these methods work. The difference in punishment at home and punishment by law is that it is a family matter. These children are working with loved ones. When punished by the law and placed in institutions it is not up to family anymore on what kind of treatment they will receive. It can be damaging to these kids. I can only hope that more time and effort be placed in helping these kids become better people. The right kind of rehabilitation efforts can help almost anyone. Taking time to learn the problems a juvenile has and working to show them that it is only a problem and problems always have a solution, is a positive approach to decreasing juvenile delinquency. Given the decreasing rates of delinquency over the last 32 years shows, in my opinion, that our country is on the right track in helping our youth. Change has always been necessary and ways to improve are always on the agenda. Reference Page Violent Youth Crime in U.S. Falls to New 32-Year Low. (2013). Retrieved from http://johnjayresearch.org/rec/files/2013/10/databit201304.pdf Juvenile Delinquency Current Issues, Best Practices, and Promising Approaches. (2008). Retrieved from https://www.americanbar.org/newsletter/publications/gp_solo_magazine_home/gp_solo_magazine_index/juveniledelinquency.html (Juvenile Delinquency Current Issues, Best Practices, And Promising Approaches, 2008). Building a More Effective Juvenile System. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.earlyadolescence.org/juvenile_justice_system Slain San Diego officer remembered for good deeds. (2011). Retrieved from http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?id=8314141 Overview. (1999). Retrieved from http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/jaibgbulletin/over.html

Daniel Clowes Ghost World: Argumentative Comparison Essay -- Ghost Wo

Pictured on the back cover of the comic book "Ghost World," by Daniel Clowes, are the two main characters of the book in full color. This strikingly significant image, surely shrugged off by most Clowes' readers, represents worlds of diversity within the frames of the book. Sporting pink spandex pants underneath her goldfinch yellow skirt and a blue t-shirt to match perfectly, Enid seems to live her life outside the bubble. She's a very dynamic girl, especially interested in her surroundings and people around her. On the other hand, Becky is dressed like a "typical" girl, with a long black skirt and a white blouse, thus representing her conforming presence in the world. Becky is much more passive than Enid, going with the flow of things just living life. The contrasting personalities of Enid and Becky come ironically, being best friends. However, it brings out their defining qualities in the comic book while quietly calling attention to the values of life, what is real an d what is not. The title page on the second page of the book can be analyzed to show how Enid lives a different life than those on the "inside." The illustration is colored in a light hue of blue, somewhat casting a bleak and lifeless feeling. The picture shows Enid walking down the street with her hands in her pockets, back turned. Nighttime falls as the luminous moon watches down on Ghost World at dusk, casting Enid's shadow down on the sidewalk behind her. To her right is a house with window and the phrase Ghost World scrawled on the side of building. Everything in the scene is shaded and colored in a robin's egg b... ...ple, or the adorable old man who bought the pathetic flowers from the grocery store to take home to his wife. Becky doesn't notice these minute details that Enid does, nor does she care very much. In any case, they are in different worlds. Whose world is real? There's no answer to that. If it's real to them, then that's what it will be. The characters are diverse in the comic book, and it helps for the reader to not only understand the plot and distinguish between the two characters, but to show that people are naturally different, immature or mature, conforming or nonconforming. Diversity makes the world what it is, and that's as real is it can get. Work Cited Clowes, Daniel. "Ghost World" Fantagraphics (April 1, 2001)

Thistles by Ted Hughes. Question: Critically analyse the poem

Question: Critically analyse the poem, paying attention to diction & imagery, showing how they are effective in describing thistles. P : Thistles are described as if they were nature's avengers. Q : Thistles ‘spike' ‘Against the rubber tongues of cows and the hoeing hands of man & ‘†¦a revengeful burs of resurrection' R : Thistles inflict pain towards ‘the hoeing hands of men' which gives readers the spa image of men destroying the plants in the soil  with a hoe, perhaps for the unnecessary need for urbanization and other recreational purposes. It seems that the thistles are punishing man for destroying nature. Even though the ‘cows' mentioned somewhat destroy plants, or to be specific, grass for it is their staple food, they seem to not be a part of the ones punished for their rubber tongues' gives the image of a lifeless tongue where it does not feel pain, having the qualities of rubber- lifeless and feeling nothing. Hence, the thistles are described as avengers for those who abuse and destroy nature for unnecessary wants. It seems as if avenging is the purpose of the thistles' existence and for their resurrection- the phrase ‘a revengeful burst of resurrection seems to give the image of revenge, powering the process of resurrecting the thistles. Hence, the suggested reason for their existence and their behavior in punishing men describes them as if they are nature's â€Å"avengers†. P : Despite being described as â€Å"nature's avengers†, they seem to have an evil side that is abeing brought alive by what could be perceived as the evil present in the world as represented by – â€Å"underground stain of a Viking†. Q : â€Å"From the underground stain of a decayed Viking†, † the gutturals of dialects† & space every one manages a plume of blood†. R : Readers get the impression that thistles are being brought to life ‘From the spaceunderground stain of a decayed Viking'. Now, a Viking is a monstrous, wild and spaceevil legendary barbarian and the fact that its remnants are absorbed in the growth of spacethistles could suggest that evil is being transferred to them as seen from their evil spaceacts or purpose in trying to hurt innocent animals (‘cows'), men and even plague the space'summer air'. Also, it seems as though the spirits of the dead Vikings are spacewhispering to the growing thistles with ‘the gutturals of dialects' perhaps to impart spacetheir evil nature and character. It is seen that after being grown amongst the space spac ‘decayed Viking' and taking its essence (like fertilizer from a dead animal) and after spacebeing imparted of the Viking's evil nature, the next line that comes shows that evil spaceis being put into action where Every one manages a plume of blood'. R : Furthermore, it seems as though thistles began and end with the presence of blood- spac'From the underground stain of a decayed Viking' they grow and before growing spac'grey like men', ‘Everyone manages a plume of blood'. Hence, this parasite-like spacebehavior gives thistles an evil character for it thrives and is brought alive with blood spaceand that it's suggested sole purpose in life is to hurt those alive (to get ‘a plume of spaceblood') for that is the only thing that they seem to do in the poem before dying. In spaceaddition to that, ‘blood' or rather, bleeding is associated with being caused by pain spaceand those who thrive on it is said to be somewhat inhumane and evil, like thistles. P : Thistles have the characteristics of a Viking, perhaps because they absorb the spaceremnants and essence of Vikings. Q : ‘Of splintered weapons and Icelandic frost thrust up', ‘They are like pale hair and spacethe gutturals of dialects' & ‘Every one manages a plume of blood'. R : The metaphor ‘splintered weapons' and ‘Icelandic frost' gives the idea of spacethistledowns that outline thistles. These thistledowns could be sharp, being like space'splintered weapons' and could be the part that spike ‘the rubber tongues of cows spaceand hoeing hands of men'. One can imagine the image of the thistledowns getting spacestiff and ready to spike (‘Icelandic frost thrust up'). These thistledowns have spacesimilarities to that of a Viking's ‘pale hair' and ‘the gutturals of dialects' are like spacethe whizzing sound thistles make as they disperse through the air, trying to find spacevictims or their prey to spike them for blood. Hence, it seems that the evil nature spaceand the physical appearance of Vikings are being passed down to thistles perhaps as spacethey absorb the essence of dead Vikings which is represented by the word ‘stain' spacethat could of blood. Afterall, it is believed that one would posses the characteristics spaceof whose essence they have absorbed into themselves. In addition to the mentioned spacecharacteristics passed down, the predatory nature of Vikings is similar to that of spacethistles for both is bloodthirsty, ‘a plume of blood' being the goal in life. P : Thistles are also endlessly revengeful Q : ‘Every one a revengeful burst / Of resurrection' & ‘Their sons appear / Stiff with spaceweapons, fighting back over the same ground'. R : Thistles, in this poem is described in an almost chronological form where the spores spaceor seeds are being dispersed (‘crackle open under a blue black pressure') on to the space'underground' where the ‘stain of a decayed Viking' acts as a source of fertilizer spacethat completes thistles' growth before the thistles spike the air again and manages a spaceplume of blood' each. Then they ‘grow grey like men' and die as suggested by the spacewords ‘mown down', perhaps by man in the process of mowing their green lawns in spacethe summer. However, notice that after this batch of thistles are dead, ‘Their sons spaceappear / Stiff with weapons, fighting back over the same ground'. The word ‘sons' spaceand ‘feud' make the situation seem as if it is a battle (for battles are usually fought spaceby men). ‘Fighting back over the same ground' shows the characteristic of thistles spacebeing endlessly revengeful for the thistles are being â€Å"born† over and over again. spaceFurthermore, the fact that the â€Å"battle† is staged in the summer' that occurs in the spaceearlier half part of the year symbolizes the fact that thistles' time would not be up spaceany time soon and that they would continue â€Å"fighting†. The ‘blue-black pressure' spacethat causes the dispersal of the spores or seeds may also symbolize the immense-spacepressure the thistles have on their offspring, perhaps in their expectancy of the spaceoffspring fighting after their time. It may be ambiguous, carrying the fact that after space'Thistles spike the summer air' and get â€Å"injured† by being â€Å"mown down† by men spaceor being chewed by ‘cows' (I do not suppose cows swallow such spiky plants. They spaceperhaps spit them out. Furthermore, thistles are mentioned to only pass through spacecows' mouths and to the ‘rubber tongues' which could imply that thistles are not spacebeing swallowed) they painfully, in their injured condition as suggested by the word space'blue-black', as if having wounds, they ‘crackle open' themselves to disperse the spaceseeds or spores. Hence, even though the process of breeding another generation of space†army troops† is painful, the thistles carry on. This shows their endless revenge for spacethey do not stop at anything to fight. P : Thistles are also described as annoying pests, a nuisance to the living and the dead. Q : ‘Against the rubber tongues of cows and the hoeing hands of men', ‘ Thistles spike spacethe summer air', ‘From the underground stain of a decayed Viking' & ‘Their sons spaceappear†¦fighting back over the same ground'. R : Thistles are portrayed as bothersome. Firstly because they plague the happy and spacecheerful atmosphere of the ‘summer air'. The line ‘Thistles spike the summer air' spacegives this impression. The ambiguous word ‘spike' could mean that they simply spacespike the air with their sharp body. On the other hand, it could mean that they spaceplague the air and sort of poison the cheerful summer air with pain that is delivered spaceas they ‘manage a plume of blood'. Thistles bother animals even when they are spaceeating (cows) as suggested by the line ‘Against the rubber tongues of cows' and spacethistles disrupts men's work by poking them as they work as suggested by the line space ‘Against†¦the hoeing hands of men'. It is not only those alive that are being spacebothered. Ancient ‘decayed Viking' in the ‘underground' are also being fed on, as spacesuggested by the word ‘stain' which gives us the impression of a bloodstain, in the spaceline ‘From the underground stain of a decayed Viking'. It is almost a parasite-like spacebehavior for the thistles seem to be taking blood from animals, man and even spacecompose, which makes them a nuisance for they rob away peace- imagine thistles spacespiking you every moment when you are trying to enjoy the ‘summer air'. In spaceaddition to that, the fact that thistles are being produced after their â€Å"forefathers† spacehave served their purpose (in obtaining ‘a plume of blood' each) let us see thistles spacein the light where they appear to be irksome in the sense that they do not stop spacebothering and disturbing.

My Academic Experience

Week 9: My Academic Experience Fatimah M. Myers US/101 April 13, 2013 University of Phoenix Instructor – Annette Kubalanza Outline – My Academic Experience 1. The Value of Completing a Degree in Higher Education 2. Plans for My Academic and Career Future 3. Reflections of Topics in Class A. Time and Stress Management B. University Resources C. Critical Thinking THE VALUE OF COMPLETING A DEGREE IN HIGHER EDUCATION American society values higher education. College provides many opportunities for developing a variety of social networks, both formal and informal.Obtaining a college degree will be such a valuable and rewarding accomplishment for me. It opens many new opportunities for me on a professional and personal level. Upon completion, I will be only the second person in my entire family to earn a degree. One of the most important personal values of obtaining my degree is allowing my children see me work hard for a better life, and a better salary. Growing up, I rememb er my mother struggle to take care of my sister and myself; Doing her best to make ends meet.My hope is my children will learn through me that a higher education will allow for a better life; making them the third and fourth college graduates in my family. PLANS FOR MY ACADEMIC AND CAREER FUTURE The demand for postsecondary education is higher than it has ever been. Higher education aids in an economic well-being. Earning my Associate’s Degree will allow me to become eligible for promotions. It will be a short-term goal accomplishment, allowing me one step closer to the career of my choice. However, it is not where I want my education to end.Continuing my education and earning my Bachelor’s Degree is the next goal in my academic future. My Associate’s Degree is in Healthcare Administration, and my Bachelor’s will be in Business Management. Obtaining a Bachelor’s in Business Management will allow me to branch out of the Healthcare field, or start my own Medical Billing Company if I choose. Having a Bachelor’s, in addition to my years of experience, makes me eligible to be promoted to an Operations Manager, or a Director at my current job. I can also be a Billing Manager at a hospital. All of which are careers I am interested in.The final plan in my academic future is to earn my Master’s Degree in Social Work. After completion of my Master’s, I can pursue the career of my dreams, a Hospice Social Worker. REFLECTIONS OF TOPICS IN CLASS I have learned so much in this class to prepare me for a successful college experience. There were some topics that caught my attention more than others. Such as, time and stress management, University resources, and critical thinking. Time and Stress Management How I manage time is a reflection of what I value. Managing my time corresponds to how successful I will be in college and throughout life.Knowing and setting priorities to meet goals, carrying out plans, taking contro l of time, and staying focused are some events that are involved with time management. For many of us, balancing school with work and family is the greatest challenge involved with prioritizing. Good advance planning will help in meeting these challenges. Staying focused is usually difficult, especially for first-year students. Staying focused entails remembering and dedicating to the most important purpose for being in college. Sacrificing unnecessary commitments and keeping my long-term goals in mind will help me to remain focused. University ResourcesAn online learning environment can be quite challenging. I am unable to raise my hand to ask a question, and receive an immediate answer. For this and several other reasons, the University Resources is such an important tool to the success of my college experience at the University of Phoenix. The University Resources are made up of many different resources. Such as, the University Library, Center for Writing Excellence, and the Plag iarism Review. Visiting the library is somewhere I should go whenever I have research that needs to be done. The library helps with research for a class, a job, or for anything personal.The University Library has websites that other help for students, while providing invaluable services to students and faculty members. The most useful resource available in a library is a librarian. They can be contacted in several ways, and will treat inquiries with respect. The Center for Writing Excellence, or CWE, is made up of resources to help develop written communication skills. One of the most important resources is the ability to submit a paper for Grammar and Plagiarism Review. All assignments should be submitted for review to avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is a serious offense, and can lead to expulsion from the University.Critical Thinking Critical thinking is the thoughtful consideration of the information or ideas that we encounter. It involves having the ability to think for yourself. B eing able to responsibility make a decision that affects our lives involves critical thinking. The three steps of thinking critically are to ask questions, consider multiple points of views, and to draw conclusions. Applying critical thinking to my everyday decisions will help promote my career goals, and allow me to live a life filled with morals and ethical decisions. REFERENCES WEBLINK: www. wpcarey. asu. edu WEBLINK: www. chronicle. com/article/Ameicans-Value-Higher

Hitlers Legacy essays

Hitler's Legacy essays An old adage says, "absolute power corrupts absolutely". Nothing could be used to better describe the life of Adolph Hitler. Born in Austria in 1889, Hitler eventually ended up as part of the German Army in World War I. After the war Hitler managed to become one of the most powerful men in the world through his mastery of public speaking. Through gaining political power Hitler could realize his philosophic dream of "The Third Reich". Unfortunately, while trying to fulfill his dreams of this utopian society, he put the world on the brink of destruction and left over thirty million people dead in his wake. He was born in Austria, but he fought as a soldier in World War I for Germany and soon became dictator. He wanted to create a perfect world, called The Third Reich, which consisted of one race, which he considered pure. Hitler gave speeches and had many strange ideas and beliefs; few people took him seriously, but enough for him to gain power. Hitler became the dictator of Germ any; immediately, he broke the previously made peace treaty, which banned him from expanding the borders of Germany. The result of his murderous actions left over thirty million people dead, six million of them Jews. Adolf Hitlers goals were to lead The Third Reich. (Zaia) Adolf Hitler lived in Austria-Hungary as a boy; with dreams of becoming an artist. On April 20, 1889, Hitler was born as the fourth child of Klara and Alois Hitler. He was born in Braunau am Inn, Austria-Hungary, which was a nation in central Europe. (Academic American Encyclopedia) His father had a good job in the civil services; thus, Hitler had a nice and comfortable life as a child. Hitler started going to high school when he was eleven. He was educated in a public school. With his grades being above average, he was able to attend Realshule, which was a private secondary school. His father wanted him to be involved in Civil Services when he grew up, but Hitler wanted to be an...

Agendas of the US House of Representatives and Senate

Agendas of the US House of Representatives and Senate The House of Representatives and the Senate make up the two â€Å"chambers† of the Legislative Branch of the United States federal government. Their daily agendas of legislative business are determined by their presiding officers. In the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the House sets the daily agenda, while the Senate’s legislative calendar is set by the Senate majority leader in consultation with the chairmen and ranking members of the various Senate committees. 116th U.S.Congress, 1st Session Agenda items listed here are those published in the Daily Digest of the Congressional Record. The agendas are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the presiding officers. House Agenda for August 2, 2019:  Ã‚  House will meet in Pro Forma session. Note: The rules of suspensions is a shortcut in the legislative process allowing bills with little or no opposition to be grouped together on a Suspensions Calendar and passed en-masse by a voice vote without debate. There is no corresponding rule of suspensions in the Senate. House Roll Call Votes as compiled and reported by the Clerk of the House. Political Makeup of the House 235 Democrats - 199 Republicans - 0 Independents - 1 Vacancy   Senate Agenda for August 2, 2019:   Senate will meet in Pro Forma session   Political Makeup of the Senate 53 Republicans - 45 Democrats - 2 Independents Also See: Quick Study Guide to the US CongressWhat is a Pro Forma Session of Congress?The Supermajority Vote in Congress

Reflection questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflection questions - Essay Example For instance, I will understand and stop getting angry if my grandpa is too slow in doing some things, while my mother rushes me through some activities. This is the factor of age, which makes them perceive time differently. Additionally, if a person is too busy or not, also influences how they experience time. Since my mother has many things to do, she will do her things in a hurried manner, compared to my grandpa, who does not have a busy schedule as my mother’s. The philosophy of existentialism is unique. This holds that all human beings are free and under their own control. To a greater degree, human beings are in charge of their own life. Each person gives meaning to their life and to the different experiences, that life presents them. I concur with this philosophy, since today; there are diverse options to choose from in different spheres. Hence, I consider there is no absolute truth about what life should be and how it should be lived. Different people live their lives differently. While some will love their lives, others might not. Therefore, a person’s experiences in life, and what meanings an individual gives to those experiences, will greatly influence their life, as these will shape their life. This philosophy, I consider it to give some moral lessons. Even though there are things in life, which a person might not control, such as race, upbringing, and place of birth, once a person grows into a reasonable mind, they can capitalize on the things they can change in their life, through making wise decisions, which will improve their life. One of the best argument against immortality bases on the fact that death is a fundamental part of life cycle for all living things. For humans, death is important, as it forms the human experience. If people did not die, it would be impossible to experience some emotions, which are