American Cowboy Myth vs Reality

American Cowboy Myth vs Reality Introduction Arguably the most idealized image in America is that of the cowboy. The cowboy is typically pictured as a lone English-speaking, self made man riding majestically on a horse. He surpasses his limits and rises above all troubles. This image of the cowboy inspires patriotic sentiments to the American and is a representation of the American ideals.Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on American Cowboy: Myth vs Reality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hillis declares that there are few cultural images as widespread and enduring as the image of the American cowboy (17). The conceived image of the cowboy embodies the perceived virtues and abilities of the entire American society. The image of the stereotypical western cowboy who is brave, just and noble has all but erased the truth about the real cowboy who existed in the mid 1800s. Wright acknowledges how much the history of the wild west has become enshrine d in myth by stating that it seems this land has become our tradition- a tradition based not on the West itself but on the myth of the West (24). The West as most people think of it if therefore more of a historical force rather than a historical fact. The reality is that the cowboy (the historical figure) was not as novel as the idealized creation makes him out to be. The battles he waged were seldom just and he did not represent peace. This paper shall set out to give a true depiction of the cowboy by differentiating the myths from the realities. The paper will begin by tracing the birth of the cowboy and how the image of the cowboy has become enshrined in myth. The paper shall then explore the reality of the cowboy so as to reinforce the fact the image of the cowboy that most people have is an invention of myth and not reality. Birth of the Cowboy The Cowboy was born in Texas in the mid 1800s as a result of the great cattle herds that were available. Following the independence of Texas, many Mexican’s fled to the south leaving behind thousands of cattle which were grazing in the marshlands. These cattle were considered public property since they had no owners. The inhabitants of southern Texas discovered that rounding up the strays and driving them to the market was good business. Wallace notes that the concept of rounding up cattle and driving them to the market was nothing new and the practice had been in existence even before the Civil War (17).Advertising Looking for dissertation on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ranches were also established by individuals or companies and here, large herds were reared. The success of a rancher was pegged on his ability to transport the large herds and sell them to the high demand regions. To do this, the cattle had to be moved northwards to the national markets or at least to the railroad shipping destinations. The biggest problem invo lved the path through which the cattle would traverse. This was because settler farmers along the way did not entertain large herds marching over their crops and destroying them. In many cases, lawmen often stopped cattle from going through certain regions. The only path that the cattle drive could take freely was Northwards, through Indian Territory where no law existed. To ensure the success of the cattle drives through this wild lands, a large number of cowboys were needed to mobilize the vast herds of cattle.  Thus as these squads of cowboys drove their herds from South Texas to the north, the era of the American cowboy was born. The journey by the cowboys on the trail was full of perils as they encountered numerous dangers that were traditionally associated with the Mississippi frontier (Hillis 18). In the vast plains, the cowboys where at the mercy of nature which was at times unforgiving. They had to bear with windstorms, prairie fires and even floods. In addition to this, there was the every present risk of attacks from Indians who inhabited the land. However, the reign of the cowboy did not last for long and Hillis documents that less than twenty years after the first cattle drive, conditions developed that ended the cattle drive (18). This conditions included the extension of the railroad lines into the south therefore removing the need for cattle herds to be driven North by Cowboys. In addition to this, local governments drew legal lines that denied the great herds the right to traverse through the plain headed north. Even so, the image of the cowboy continued to grow and with this growth an idealized image of the cowboy was created. This image was embraced by the public and continues to influence the image that most people have of the cowboy. The Myth of the Cowboy The Myth of the cowboy if one of the oldest in America and it is expressed in a wide body of literature and folklore spanning for a period of three centuries. Slotkin records that acco rding to this myth, the means to the achievement of an American national identify was through the conquest of the wilderness and the subjugation of the original inhabitants of the land (10).Advertising We will write a custom dissertation sample on American Cowboy: Myth vs Reality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the most influential authors on the West, Walter Prescott Webb, describes the cowboy as a man who lives on horseback as do the Bedouins; he fights on horseback, as did the knights of chivalry; he goes armed with a strange new weapon which he uses ambidextrously and precisely; he swears like a trooper, drinks like a fish, wears clothes like an actor, and fights like a devil. He is gracious to the ladies, reserved towards strangers, generous to his friends and brutal to his enemies. He is a cowboy, the typical Westerner (quoted in Frantz and Choate 80).  This description of the cowboy as articulated by Webb embodies th e image of the cowboy within existing literary myth. Sullivan asserts that the cowboy is often required to fight and kill to establish a community that is structured around the European cultural systems (17). In addition to this, this hero is often required to live in the community. This implies that the capacity to colonize was a necessity so as to actualize the expansionist frontier ideal. According to the myth, the cowboy is a man who is in charge of his destiny; he meets the challenges of every day and even in the face of great odds, he does not back down but charges onwards relentlessly. The myth holds that cowboys were universally possessed by a free sprit as they ventured out into the Wild West. These courageous souls feared neither man, brute nor element and embodied the archetype of freedom. Frantz and Choate reveal that this folk figure embodies all the virtues of the Anglo-American man and he was a force to reckon with (72). The historical cowboy was not in charge of his own destiny since cowboys were mostly farm hands who were hired to help drive the large herds to the market. The cowboys sold their skills in return for monetary gains and they followed the command of their masters. This reality contrasts with the mythical image of the cowboy as a self-assured man who is the master of his own fate.  The sophistication which is given to the cowboy is also a creation of myth. Wister Owen who published The Virginian in 1902 is credited with adding a level of sophistication to the cowboy. In his work, he altered the image of the western hero. Even and Pavich state that Wister added gentility to temper the preexistent toughness, courage and cleverness† (370). This image had no historical merit since the cowboy was an unsophisticated farm hand whose livelihood was dependent on his acquired skills with cattle.Advertising Looking for dissertation on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Even so, this image of Wisters West was accepted by a large audience and continues to be the basis of the stereotypical cowboy image.  Another mythical image of the legendary cowboy is that of the lawman. This image was first created by Norris who sought to change the image of the cowboy from that of villain. Prior to this, the cowboy had been glamorized as a lawless hero with men such as Buffalo Bill personifying the cowboy. Norris creation presented the cowboy as the heroic Anglo-Saxon who was fighting for law and justice so as to subjugate a wild land (Even and Pavich 374). In his book, The Octopus, Norris represented the cowboy as a good man who was willing to die for a cause. This man was brave, selfless and as such a hero. This is the image that is projected in most of the Western movies where the cowboy rides after the lawless characters and confronts them in an epic gun battle. Here, the selfless cowboy wins through his skill with the six gun, a gun which is symbolized as a weapon of peace and justice Eugene Manlove Rhodes who was a writer who wrote about the cowboy owing to his literary craftsmanship and his involvement in the horse and cattle-West introduced the legacy of The Code of the West. According to this fictitious code, the cowboy was self-reliant, individualistic and accepted danger in all its forms. The cowboy held class distinctions in disdain and had a self-imposed obligation to assist anyone in distress (Even Pavich 517). This myth showcases the cowboy as a person of honor who lives by a code much like the medieval knights did. Even and Pavich note that Eugene Rhodes idealized the notion of the west and his writings were romantic confections as opposed to the real truth. The morality of the community is also embodied in the myth of the cowboy. A man in the Western lands was as great as he desired to be and as good or as bad as he wished. The law only existed within its immediate jurisdiction and outside of it every man was his own law.   Another mythical image of the cowboy is as that of the last frontiersman who led the way for the imposition of order in the Wild West. The acclaimed historian Frederick Turner defines westward expansion as an invisible frontier line separating civilization from savagery (Turner and Faragher 15). American development depended on the advancement of American settlement westwards and the civilizing of the savage regions. The cowboy personified this push of the frontier line forward. According to this myth, the sensible Anglo Americans were able to survive on the land by imposing spatial order on the hostile environment led by the cowboy. The cowboy was a frontier survivor who attempted to lead a peaceful life but was ready to use violent ways (his skills as a gunfighter) to establish peace and justice (Sullivan 122). The cowboy then drove into the sunset presumably to repeat the same scenario in a new uncivilized place further on in the west. This proclamation of the Anglo Americans capacity to impose order on untamed space is deemed by Sullivan as a familiar justification for the imposition of Anglo rule upon the West (121). This myth advances that without a compulsive drive to expand and exploit the opportunities that exist on the other side, a culture and a nation will die or be weakened to the point where they can be dominated by a stronger people. The cowboy is therefore painted as an individual who loves his nation and is fulfilling the patriotic duty of a citizen by assisting in the colonization of the empty space that exists in the West. Reality of the Cowboy The myths about the cowboy paint a hopeful picture that is far from what the reality was. To begin with, the Conquest and settlement of the West which was supposedly led by the cowboys in the 19th century inevitably resulted in the destruction or at best displacement of the native people who had up to that point inhabited the land. According to the cowboy stories, the Indians are shown to be a bar baric and savage tribe. In their journey westwards, the cowboy is constantly attacked by hordes of Indians with their bows and arrows. The cowboy bravely fights off these barbarians and hence spreads civilization to the desolate west. This idealization or the cowboy and demonization of the Indian are far from the truth. In actual sense, the cowboys were guilty of attacking and killing Indians in their quest to acquire land from the natives. Iverson states that when settlers and ranchers wished to expand the horizon of the cattlemans West, the Indians stood in their way (27). As such, they had to be removed and the primary means through which this was achieved was with violence. The western frontier was not a vast and empty land that the cowboy bravely conquered. Instead, the west was Indian land and the Americans were intruders.  The cowboy myth also perpetrates racism in America. This is through the proposal that the American cowboy population was made up entirely of whites. Hist orians estimate that up to 40% of cowboys were Hispanic or black and their influence is evident in western occupational speech and slang (31). Even so, the popular image of the typical cowboy of the Old West is a white square-jawed male with a tilted hat on. Limerick laments that the popular cowboy image ignores important characters: Native Americans, Hispanics and African Americans, who were an integral part of the actual American West story (323). This abject omission of these major players is the product of later racist stereotypes which have been politically and sociologically embraced. Even and Pavich state that the white cowboy removes any acknowledgement of the deeper level of earlier indebtedness to other races that folklore suggested (31). The myth of the cowboy promotes the idea of a racial hierarchy. In this hierarchy, white people and in particular white people from the United States are ranked as first and the other races follow. The racial aspect to the cowboy myth is further highlighted by Sullivan who notes that in most Western stories and movies, the good Anglo American triumphs over the evil Indians and Mexican therefore suggesting racial superiority (22).  Violence is justified through the cowboy myth since it is suggested that only through violent confrontation is peace and civilization achieved. The violence that the hero endures in Slotkins book appears to be justified by the ultimate consequences which is peace through out the land. Slotkin suggests that this theme of regeneration through violence which is recurrent in American frontier mythology may be responsible for the violence perpetrated by Americans both at home and abroad (650). The cowboy myth also sustains the myth of the six gun (which was favored by Anglo Americans) as a weapon for peace. This is ironic considering the fact that the gun was used to forcefully evict the Native Americans from their land.  Cowboys were guilty of engaging in dishonesty and social vices. Sulli van documents that most cowboys took to cattle rustling in a bid to make a quick fortune (34). The cowboys did not only steal from people outside of their community but they also stole from their masters. Cowboys were also adventurers who left their families in search of adventure and or new fortunes in the wild. This image is a big contrast to the image of the cowboy who brings about law and order to the community. In actual sense, cowboys were also responsible for bringing about lawlessness in the community. The conquest of the American West was not an honorable thing as the image of the cowboy suggests. In reality, it was violent and unjust and beneficial only to the immigrants. At the end of most frontier fiction, the cowboy hero is seen disappearing into the far mountains alone. While this image does not state anything explicit, it implies the ideal of self-sufficiency and self-reliance. The cowboy leaves behind him a peaceful and fully functional community. He sets out in sear ch on new territory which he will conquer through his violent frontier skills and later on bring about the same peacefulness that he left behind (Sullivan 17). This myth overlooks the destruction that the cowboy brought about to the â€Å"uncivilized† people even as he set out to establish a civilized settlement. The cowboy was guilty of expediting the process of destroying the native Indians way of life. At the extreme, this destruction resulted in the massacre of entire tribes that stood in the path of the cowboy. In retrospective, the inimitable cowboy Charlie Russell while talking about the old Indian way of life lamented that Theyve been living in heaven for a thousand years and we took it away from em for forty dollars a month (46). Discussion The image of the cowboy continues to be presented as the idealization of American identity. The real cowboy as he existed in historical time has all but disappeared and what remains in his place is an idealized creation of the Ame rican folk. It should be noted that mythology plays a great role in the American national identity. Mythology is the mirror through which the American people can derive an understanding of themselves and their experiences. It connects them with greater ideals and affirms a set of values that culture finds to be desirable. While the myth serves this useful role, it overlooks the catastrophic history that the American immigrants left in their wake as they ventured westwards. The European settlers who first arrived to North America believed that they had discovered a vast and vacant land. The pioneers viewed the unoccupied land as their promised land with complete disregard to the millions of Native Americans who had inhabited the continent for millenniums before the discovery of America by the White settlers. This paper set out to expose the truth about the real cowboy and hence help to differentiate myth from reality. From the discussions presented herein, it is clear that the cowboy saga was not characterized solely by hardships being met and overcome and creating an ideal society from the wilderness. The cowboy saga also included numerous incidents of broken dreams and victimization of the Native Americans who historically owned the land. If history is to be looked at objectively, it is the Indians and not the cowboys who were the heroes. These Indians resisted and fought for their native land which was being invaded by the Americans. While Americans prided themselves with being people of laws, their encounter with the Indians tells a different story. The American’s made treaties with Indians and later went against their words. In instances where the Indians were unwilling to enter into bargains with the American’s they were labeled as enemies and attacked on their own land. This paper exposes the cowboy for who he really was: a hired man of horseback whose actions were seldom noble or inspiring. Without a doubt, the extraordinary journey that c owboys took from Texas to Montana was and remains to be something to be marveled at. The bravery of the cowboys who undertook this drives is without question. However, the powerful symbol of cowboy as it is generally understood is a gross exaggeration and a myth which overlooks the bleak realities of the time. By portraying the Indians as savages, the cowboy myth offers justification for the American subjugation of these native occupants of the land. Conclusion The American cowboy myth continues to play a huge role in American imagination and many people have come to both identify with and accept it as the truth. This paper set out to show the true reality of the cowboy who has for decades been idealized in popular American culture. The paper began by documenting the birth of the cowboy and the mundane reality that constituted the cowboy’s existence. The paper then highlighted the numerous myths of cowboys that are held as truth by the general population. It has been discover ed that this myths were created out of the need for American mythology. The mythical image that we know of today is mostly the work of authors and poets who romanticized the West. This paper has shown the reality of the west in an objective manner. From the arguments given, it has been seen that the cowboy was not a glorious or honorable and just person as myth makes him out to be. Instead, he was an invader who robbed the Native Americans off their lands through violence. From this paper, it is evident that the historically correct cowboy image is marred with a legacy of pain, prejudice and injustice. Even, Larry, and Pavich Paul. A Literary History of the American West. Texas Christian University Press, 1987. Print. Frantz, Joe, and Choate Julian. The American Cowboy: The Myth and the Reality. Wesport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1981. Hillis, Craig. â€Å"Cowboys and Indians: The International Stage†. Journal of Texas Music History, Volume 2, Issue 1. 2002. Iverson, Peter. When Indians Became Cowboys: Native Peoples and Cattle Ranching in the American West. University of Oklahoma Press, 1994. Print. Limerick, P N. The Legacy of Conquest. New York: W. W. Norton, 1987. Print. Slotkin, Richard. Regeneration Through Violence: The Mythology of the American Frontier, 1600-1860. Middletown, Connecticut: Wesleyan University Press, 1987. Print. Sullivan, Tom. Cowboys and Caudillos: Frontier Ideology of The Americas. Popular Press, 1990. Print. Turner, Frederick Jackson, and Faragher John. Rereading Frederick Jackson Turner: the Significance of the Frontier in American History, and Other Essays. New York: H. Holt, 1994. Wallace, Edward. The backside of American History. Jan 2008. Web. Wright, W. Six Guns and Society: A Structural Study of the Western. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1975. Print.

Spelling Tips Our 10 “Most Wanted” Homophones

Spelling Tips Our 10 â€Å"Most Wanted† Homophones Spelling Tips: Our 10 â€Å"Most Wanted† Homophones Homophones- i.e., words that sound the same but differ in spelling and meaning- can cause a lot of confusion when you’re not sure which term to use in your written work. Some mix-ups are definitely more common than others, though, so here’s our list of ten prominent â€Å"reoffenders.† Keep an eye out for them when you’re next writing something! 10. Than/Then Only one letter separates these terms, but each one has a distinct meaning. â€Å"Then† is used when referring to time: Call me at eight. I’ll be ready by then. Or when discussing consequences: If you struggle with spelling, then you might want to hire a proofreader! â€Å"Than,† meanwhile, is used primarily for making comparisons: I’m better at grammar than spelling. 9. Hear/Here â€Å"Hear† and â€Å"here† are very different words: while â€Å"hear† means â€Å"sense a sound† or â€Å"listen,† â€Å"here† means â€Å"in this place.† Keep in mind that â€Å"hear† contains â€Å"ear,† which is what you listen with! 8. Affect/Effect These are very easy to confuse, since both refer to change. The important distinction is that â€Å"affect† is a verb (i.e., the act of changing something), but â€Å"effect† is usually a noun (i.e., the result). 7. Where/Were/We’re Although they look similar on the page, you won’t want to confuse these terms in your work. â€Å"Where† refers to locations, â€Å"were† is the past tense of â€Å"are,† and â€Å"we’re† is short for â€Å"we are.† 6. Our/Are Mixing these up is common if English isn’t your first language, as they sound similar despite having very different meanings: â€Å"our† is a possessive pronoun meaning â€Å"belonging to us,† but â€Å"are† is a present tense form of the verb â€Å"to be.† 5. Now/Know In this case, the words look similar but are pronounced differently, as well as being importantly distinct in their use. â€Å"Now† means â€Å"at this time,† while â€Å"know† is a verb meaning â€Å"understand.† 4. There/Their/They’re Like â€Å"where,† â€Å"were† and â€Å"we’re,† these homophones are commonly confused due to being similarly spelled. To ensure clarity, remember that â€Å"there† means â€Å"in that place,† â€Å"their† means â€Å"belonging to them,† and â€Å"they’re† is an abbreviation of â€Å"they are.† 3. It’s/Its Although apostrophes are often used to indicate possession, the possessive pronoun â€Å"its† doesn’t need one. If you’re forming a contraction of â€Å"it is† or â€Å"it has† (i.e., â€Å"it’s†), however, you should use an apostrophe to show that letters have been omitted. 2. Too/To Another common error is mixing up â€Å"too† (an adverb meaning â€Å"also† or â€Å"excessively†) and â€Å"to† (a preposition that often indicates direction or duration, as well as being used in combination with infinitive verbs). Even if you know the difference between these homophones, keep in mind that it’s easy to make a typo! 1. Your/You’re At the top of our list of â€Å"most wanted† homophones are â€Å"your† and â€Å"you’re,† simply because they’re so commonly mistaken in day-to-day writing (just check social media if you don’t believe us). Remember, though, that â€Å"your† is a possessive pronoun that means â€Å"belonging to you† (e.g., â€Å"Your spelling is outstanding!†), while â€Å"you’re† is a contraction of â€Å"you are† (e.g., â€Å"You’re a great speller!). Believed to be armed and dangerous. Report to your local proofreader immediately.

Legal systems and skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Legal systems and skills - Essay Example The House of Lords (HL) believed that the Act’s purpose was meant to protect human embryos made externally, rather than the manner in which the embryo formed. They ruled that parliament did not intend any distinguishing between CNR and fertilization created embryos, especially since CNR at the time was thought impossible. The HL decided that parliament did not mean to leave CNR formed embryos unregulated; therefore, the Act applied. For this reason, the Court opined that CNR was legal. Summarize the facts and legal arguments in this case Bruno Quintavalle undertook litigation on behalf of a claimant, Pro-life Alliance, in order to seek a declaration that CNR created human embryos were not created via fertilization. He claimed that embryos from CNR were not within an embryo’s definition for the Act’s purpose. The Secretary of State, as the defendant, argued that Section 1(1) of the HFE Act should be purposively interpreted so that the fundamental subject the Act r eferred to was a live human embryo, rather than the manner in which the embryo was created1. The sub-section, in this case, would be read with the words, defining the embryo was a live human embryo where fertilization has been completed, in the event that the embryo was produced by fertilization2. Parliament’s clear intention, thus, was the control of human reproduction through licensing or prohibition using the HFE Act. Crane J., despite acknowledging that purposive interpretation was a powerful argument, he held that this interpretation would allow an impermissible extension and re-writing of the definition3. Crane J.’s decision, however, was appealed successfully by the Secretary of State for Health with Lord Phillips MR, who gave the Court of Appeal’s main judgment, contended that parliament’s legislation was mostly related to how embryos were treated. Therefore, although the legislation expressly contemplated embryos as being created through fertiliz ation, the question, fundamentally, was whether the CRN produced embryos did fall into a similar category or genus as fertilization-produced embryos. Considering that both embryo types were fundamentally identical in their ability to develop into adults of their relevant species, the two types of embryos were clearly held as being in the same genus4. As far as legislative policy was concerned, Lord Phillips held that the intention of parliament was in order to control the use and creation of human cells; therefore, it was essential that those embryos created through CNR should be considered as part of the regulatory scheme that the Act created. In addition, the Master of the Rolls contended that no countervailing considerations existed that could militate against a purposive approach to the case. Even though, some of the provisions in the legislation were not applicable to CNR created embryos, it did not remove the importance of enhancing effect of parliament’s intention. The se inconsistencies were not as serious because, in various cases, they are remediable by HFE Act regulations, and in some different cases, they do not have much practical significance that those embryos produced through CNR should undergo exclusion from the HFE Act. After the Appeals Court, denied authorization of appealing against this judgment, the petitioners were still able to petition the HL successfully5. However, following Pro-life

WK4 assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

WK4 assignment - Essay Example The article explores all of the above mentioned technologies in great detail wherein the author takes care to cover all the possible dangers that these high-end technologies may be attached to. The style of writing is argumentative wherein at first it seems that the writer is dead against the rise of scientific advancement beyond what it is today because of his foresight that , the very technology that humans invent may be the primary reasons for human extinction in the coming centuries; however, as one diligently reads through the entire work, it becomes relatively clear that the article also embraces a certain extent of muted optimism, wherein the writer balances out his arguments with greater trust and hope based on ethical principles. This article is not merely based on the personal thoughts and arguments of the writer alone, the entire context takes into account ideas, words and thoughts of other well known scientists and researchers related to scientific fields and presents a f ew excerpts from books written by eminent authors on similar context. The article is a well thought out piece where each and every argument that has been neatly presented holds great value. Bill Joy has reasons to fear the power that man is now creating and his strong pessimism against the developing technologies is not without base. He first discusses about the robotic technology. In his article he presents an excerpt (the New Luddite Challenge) from a book written by Theodore Kaczynski which surfaces the fact that humans will create machines to make their tasks easier and to completely enable them to work independently sans human supervision, the robots will be enabled with the power to think and make decisions. The idea being that you should be able to give the robot a goal, a mission, and the robot should be able to take actions based on the mission and whatever information becomes available (Gupta, 2010), and the results of these actions are believed to be better than those of humans. Joy fears that humans would ultimately become so dependent on these machines that the very existence of human form will become questionable without the life support of robots. The case may reach such an extreme that exterminating the machines would just mean suicide for the human race. Reading Han Morovec’s book Robot: Mere Machine to Transcendent Mind, Joy’s pessimism is enhanced because this book too believes in the fact that the human race would fade as a repercussion to vigorous competition among robotic industries. In fact even Darwin’s principle of survival holds true here. In the eyes of Bill Joy, the advancement in the field of genetic engineering is another major reason for his pessimistic attitude. The immense power that a genetic engineer beholds in manipulating microorganisms and using them to alter the DNA makeup of anything that catches his fancy may fall in the wrong hands. Good things in the wrong hands can never be good, because the powe r maybe exploited to only cause harm and his fears are not completely untrue because emerging bio-terror is a major concern today. â€Å"It will soon be possible to synthesize the genome for smallpox; preventing access to samples will then no longer be a protection† (Caplan & Magnus, 2002) and once again a bio-terror maybe initiated and the case maybe the same with all other diseases. His third and last pessimistic view is about nanotechnology, the science of manipulating atoms, the basic constituent of life which when used in a controlled manner could solve all major problems ailing humans ranging from curing diseases to low cost of technologies. But, obviously something this powerful can be used as a destructive weapon too.

Binomial and Black and Scholes Pricing models Essay Example for Free

Binomial and Black and Scholes Pricing models Essay The binomial and the Black and Schole models are option valuing models, the Binomial model involves determining the value of options using a tree like format whereby the value of the option is determined by the expiration time period of the option and volatility, for the Black and Schole model the value of options is determined by simply getting a derivative that helps get the discount rates of options. Binomial pricing model: The binomial pricing model was introduced by Ross, Cox and Rubinstein in 1979; it provides a numerical method, in which valuation of options can be undertaken. Application: This model breaks down the option into many potential outcomes during the time period of the option, this steps form a tree like format where by the model assumes that the value of the option will rise or go down, this value is calculated and it is determined by the expiration time and volatility. Finally at the end of the tree of the option the final possible value is determined because the value is equal to the intrinsic value. Assumptions: †¢ The model also assumes that the market is efficient in that people cannot predict the direction of change in the stock prices. †¢ The interest rates are constant and known and therefore they do not change in the time we consider an option. †¢ The model assumes that there are no dividends paid during the period in which one considers the option. †¢ The model assumes that the returns on the stocks are normally distributed. †¢ It also assumes that no commission is paid when buying or selling stock.

Schizophrenia :: essays research papers

Lesson on Schizophrenia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As an overview, schizophrenia is a disease to the brain. It is one of the most disabling and emotionally devastating illnesses known to man. It has been misunderstood for a long time. It has a biological basis, so it is like other diseases. It is a very common disease; one percent to one and a half percent of the U.S. has been diagnosed within some point in their life. There is no cure for this disease, although there is treatable medicine. Schizophrenia is not a multiple personality disorder. People who take medicine for it are able to lead normal fulfilling lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are two ways that schizophrenia begins. One way is called Acute Onset. This happens very fast, about a couple of weeks. It is easier to recover from this. You are able to get help faster because people notice it sooner. The other way is called Process Onset. This takes a longer period of time to show. It is gradual, sometimes up to years. You may say or do strange things every now and then. It could be a long time before you go to the doctor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are three main types of delusions a person can have. Delusion of Persecution is when the person thinks that people are out to get him or her. For example the government. Grandeur is when the person thinks he or she is very important, rich, famous, ect. Reference is when the person thinks that the TV is talking directly to him or her. They also think some outside source is talking to them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schizophrenia has three main subtypes. Paranoid schizophrenia is when the person believes someone is out to get them. Disorganized schizophrenia is people who do silly strange behaviors, inappropriate emotions, and have messed up speech patterns. They do a thing called a word salad, when they talk with bunches of words randomly thrown together. Catatonic schizophrenia is when the person gets in a position and stays in that exact position for a long time (like hours). This is very and the medication for it is good.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No one knows for sure what causes schizophrenia. The biological explanations are linked to genetic predisposition.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Essay

Alcoholism and drug abuse in the workplace or school can no longer be ignored by employers and institutions as they contribute to poor performances. Excessive use of alcohol and drugs leads to addiction, which is never addressed by most companies leading to a decrease in an employee’s morale. Drug usage and alcoholism may also make an employee behave inappropriately, disrupting a firm’s operations due to too much tension and frustrations. It also affects the relationship between employees and their clients, not forgetting the negative effect it has on the family that ends up changing how a worker performs at his or her place of work. Burroughs explains that, alcoholism causes an employee to miss work due to hangovers, a factor that causes disruptions at the place of work, causing employees to lose a lot of money. Drug abuse and alcohol reduces employee’s ability to concentrate at work, hence the inability to make right decisions. It also causes employees to produce low-quality jobs, lack of motivation and impaired skills. Employees can be laid off from their jobs or face disciplinary actions from their place of work due to alcoholism as most employees can not tolerate poor performance (2003). According to Wells, (2005), employees can assist employees with alcohol and drug addiction in establishing supportive programs such as Employee Assistance Programs. This program will give employees and their family members, referrals to available community resources and activities. Employers can also encourage employees to seek treatment and rehabilitation at the firm’s expense. Recovery will help employees to change as they feel valued by their organization. They will work on changing their behaviors to avoid disappointing the employer. Employees can seek treatment on their own to avoid the risk of losing jobs. In addition, it is important for employees to avoid bad companies that affect their behaviors’ and encourage the use of drugs and alcohol. It is important for employees to associate with non-alcoholics, to help them reduce bad drinking habits. References Walls, J. (2005). ‘The Glass Castle’, 2nd Edition, Scribner: New Jersey. Burroughs, A. (2003). ‘Dry’. 1st edition, St. Martins Press: New York. Source document

Assesment Reporting Essay

Reporting and Resource Development Kate McGrath Student ID 11479964 Emt446 Assessment, Reporting and Resource Development 08 Fall 08 Fall Indicative Time Allocation The HSC course is 120 hours (indicative time). The following table shows the appropriate amount of time you should spend on each unit of work. HSC modules| Approx. number of weeks| Hours | The Australian Food Industry| 8 weeks| 25| Food Manufacture| 12 weeks| 40| Food Product Development| 12 weeks| 40| Due week 10 Weight 20%| Food manufacture ‘ Developing the undeveloped’Students are to research an Australian Food product and analyse the chosen product from ‘Farm to fork’. This includes the process of transforming the raw materials into a new product. The level of manufacturing and of the organisation will influence the amount of information gathered and the processes used. The assignment should include: manufacturing diagram, HACCP, Q&A, QU, principles of preservation along with external impact. Due week 10 Weight 25%| Product Design ‘The never ending design’Students are design, develop, create and produce a food item which caters for high school students. This item must be relevant to their recommended daily intake and the requirement that it helights, the food item must also have appeal to this target market. The food item must be designed for consumption for breakfast, recess or lunch, and is to be consumed at school. The limitationas that this places must be explored and addressed along with a list of product criteria. The food item can be a breakfast food item, a snack consumed during recess or a lunch product. The product must be relevant to the recommended daily intake for teenagers ager 13-17, the food item must also have appeal to this target market. The product must be justified as to how it meets these requirements. A series of tests and surveys must be conducted in establishing the target market and the products ability for success, this will be written in experimental format as found on page 261 of foodtech in action text.

Verbs Followed by Infinitive

Verbs Followed by Infinitive Many verbs are followed immediately by the infinitive form of the verb. Other verbs are followed by the gerund form of the verb. Finally, other verbs are followed by a noun, noun phrase or pronoun and then the infinitive. All of these verbs follow no specific rules and must be memorized. You can practice your knowledge once youve reviewed this sheet, as well as the other verb pattern reference lists by taking these quizzes: Verb Form - Gerund or Infinitive Quiz 1 Verb Form - Gerund or Infinitive Quiz 2 Gerund or Infinitive? An Interactive Reference Chart and Quiz The following list provides verbs that are immediately followed by the infinitive form of another verb (verb to do). Each verb followed by the infinitive is followed by two example sentences to provide context. affordI cant afford to go on vacation this summer.Can you afford to buy that sweater?agreeI agreed to help him with the problem.Do you think he would agree to take the test again?appearHe appears to think Im crazy!They appear to be available tomorrow.arrangeI arranged to spend the week in New York.Mary arranges to meet everyone each time.askShe asked to do the job.Franklin will ask to be promoted.begShelley begged to be released as soon as possible.The minister begged to donate as much as possible.careDo you care to spend some time with me?Tom doesnt care to ask any more questions.claimconsentWe consented to adopt the measure in the next year.Sherry will consent to marry you. Im sure!dareThose kids wont dare to break into that house.She often dares to break convention.decideIm going to decide to appoint the teacher next week.Mary and Jennifer decided to purchase an old house to fix up.demandThe protesters demanded to see the president about the economy.The client demanded to speak wi th his lawyer before making a statement. deserveI think Jane deserves to get the promotion.Our boss deserves to be fired!expectTom expects to finish the job soon.The students expect to receive their grades before the end of the day.failSusan never fails to mention that she knows the president personally.You shouldnt fail to mail in the form by the end of the week.forget - NOTE: This verb can also be followed by the gerund with a change in meaning.I think Peter forgot to lock the door before he left home.We seldom forget to do our homework, but last week was an exception.hesitateI hesitate to mention this, but dont you think ...Doug hesitated to tell us about his plan.hopeI hope to see you soon!He had hoped to have more success before he lost the election.learnHave you ever learned to speak another language?Our cousins are going to learn to mountain climb on vacation.manageTed managed to get his work done on time.Do you think well manage to persuade Susan to come with us?meanTim certainly meant to finish the job on time.They mean to do business here in town. needMy daughter needs to finish her homework before she can come out and play.They needed to fill out a number of forms in order to purchase the house.offerJason offered to give Tim a hand with his homework.She offers to help students whenever they have a question.planOur class plans to put on a play next semester.Im planning to visit you when Im in New York next month.prepareOur teachers are preparing to give us a test today.The politicians prepared to debate the issues on television.pretendI think he is pretending to be interested in the subject.She pretended to enjoy the meal, even though she didnt think it was good.promiseYes, I promise to marry you!Our coach promised to give us next Friday off if we win the game.refuseThe students refused to quiet down at the assembly.I think you should refuse to do that job.regret - NOTE: This verb can also be followed by the gerund with a change in meaning.I regret to tell you that it is not possible.The officer regretted to inform the citizen s of the horrific facts about the case. remember - NOTE: This verb can also be followed by the gerund with a change in meaning.Did you remember to lock the doors?I hope Frank remembered to telephone Peter about the appointment.seemIt seems to be a beautiful day outside!Did he seem to be nervous?struggleThe boys struggled to understand the concepts presented in the lesson.I sometimes struggle to stay concentrated when Im on the job.swearDo you swear, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?Alice swore to help in any way possible.threatenChris threatened to call the police.The owner will threaten to kick you out if you dont stop making noise.volunteerId like to volunteer to judge the competition.Sarah volunteered to take Jim to the piano lesson.waitIm waiting to hear from Tom.She waited to eat until he arrived.wantJack wants to help everyone with the new concepts.The principal wanted to put on a teacher workshop.wishI wish to see you soon.Franklin wished to come and visit last month. More Verb Pattern Reference Lists: Verbs followed by the gerund - Verb Ing Verbs followed by a (pro)noun plus the infinitive - Verb (Pro)Noun Infinitive Verbs followed by the infinitive - Verb Infinitive

Definitions and Discussions of Medieval Rhetoric

Definitions and Discussions of Medieval Rhetoric The expression medieval rhetoric refers to the  study and practice of rhetoric from approximately A.D. 400 (with the publication of St. Augustines On Christian Doctrine) to 1400. During the Middle Ages, two of the most influential works from the classical period were Ciceros De Inventione (On Invention) and the anonymous Rhetorica ad Herennium (the oldest complete Latin textbook on rhetoric). Aristotles Rhetoric and Ciceros De Oratore werent rediscovered by scholars until late in the medieval period. Nonetheless, says Thomas Conley, medieval rhetoric was  far more than a mere transmission of mummified traditions that were poorly understood by those who transmitted them. The Middle Ages are often represented as stagnant and backward . . ., [but] such a representation fails dismally to do justice to the intellectual complexity and sophistication of medieval rhetorics (Rhetoric in the European Tradition, 1990). Periods of Western Rhetoric Classical RhetoricMedieval RhetoricRenaissance RhetoricEnlightenment RhetoricNineteenth-Century RhetoricNew Rhetoric(s) Examples and Observations It was Ciceros youthful, schematic (and incomplete) treatise De inventione, and not any one of his mature and synthetic theoretical works (or the even fuller account in Quintilians Institutio oratoria) that became the shaping influence on so much medieval rhetorical teaching. . . . Both the De inventione and the Ad Herennium proved to be excellent, coherent teaching texts. Between them they conveyed complete and concise information about the parts of rhetoric, topical invention, status theory (the issues upon which the case rests), attributes of the person and the act, the parts of a speech, the genres of rhetoric, and stylistic ornamentation. . . . Oratory, as Cicero had known and defined it, had declined steadily during the years of the [Roman] empire under political conditions that did not encourage the forensic and judicial oratory of earlier periods. But rhetorical teaching survived through late antiquity and into the Middle Ages because of its intellectual and cultural prestige , and in the course of its survival it took on other forms and found many other purposes.(Rita Copeland, Medieval Rhetoric. Encyclopedia of Rhetoric, ed. by Thomas O. Sloane. Oxford University Press, 2001) Applications of Rhetoric in the Middle Ages In application, the art of rhetoric contributed during the period from the fourth to the fourteenth century not only to the methods of speaking and writing well, of composing letters and petitions, sermons and prayers, legal documents and briefs, poetry and prose, but to the canons of interpreting laws and scripture, to the dialectical devices of discovery and proof, to the establishment of the scholastic method which was to come into universal use in philosophy and theology, and finally to the formulation of scientific inquiry which was to separate philosophy from theology.(Richard McKeon, Rhetoric in the Middle Ages. Speculum, January 1942) The Decline of Classical Rhetoric and the Emergence of Medieval Rhetoric There is no single point when classical civilization ends and the Middle Ages begins, nor when the history of classical rhetoric ends. Beginning in the fifth century after Christ in the West and in the sixth century in the East, there was a deterioration of the conditions of civic life that had created and sustained the study and uses of rhetoric throughout antiquity in courts of law and deliberative assemblies. Schools of rhetoric continued to exist, more in the East than in the West, but they were fewer and were only partially replaced by study of rhetoric in some monasteries. The acceptance of classical rhetoric by such influential Christians as Gregory of Nazianzus and Augustine in the fourth century significantly contributed to continuation of the tradition, though the functions of the study of rhetoric in the Church were transferred from preparation for public address in law courts and assemblies to knowledge useful in interpreting the Bible, in preaching, and in ecclesiastical disputation. (George A. Kennedy, A New History of Classical Rhetoric. Princeton University Press, 1994) A Diverse History [A]s the history of medieval rhetoric and grammar reveal with special clarity, all the significant original works on discourse which appear in Europe after Rabanus Maurus [c. 780-856] are merely highly selective adaptations of the old bodies of doctrine. The classical texts continue to be copied, but new treatises tend to appropriate for their purposes only those parts of the old lore which are of use to the one art. Thus it is that the medieval arts of discourse have a diverse rather than a unified history. The writers of letters select certain rhetorical doctrines, the preachers of sermons still others . . .. As one modern scholar [Richard McKeon] has said in relation to rhetoric, in terms of a single subject mattersuch as style, literature, discourseit has no history during the middle ages. (James J. Murphy, Rhetoric in the Middle Ages: A History of Rhetorical Theory from St. Augustine to the Renaissance. University of California Press, 1974) Three Rhetorical Genres [James J.] Murphy [see above] outlined the development of three unique rhetorical genres: ars praedicandi, ars dictaminis, and ars poetriae. Each addressed a specific concern of the era; each applied rhetorical precepts to a situational need. Ars praedicandi provided a method for developing sermons. Ars dictaminis developed precepts for letter writing. Ars poetriae suggested guidelines for composing prose and poetry. Murphys important work provided the context for smaller, more focused studies of medieval rhetoric.(William M. Purcell, Ars Poetriae: Rhetorical and Grammatical Invention at the Margin of Literacy. University of South Carolina Press, 1996) The Ciceronian Tradition Conventional medieval rhetoric promotes highly formalized, formulaic, and ceremoniously institutionalized forms of discourse. The major source of this static richness is Cicero, the magister eloquentiae, known primarily through the many translations of De inventione. Because medieval rhetoric is so extensively committed to Ciceronian patterns of amplification (dilatio) through the flowers, or colores, of figured speaking that decorate (ornare) the composition, it often appears to be a ponderous extension of the sophistic tradition in a moralistic framework. (Peter Auski, Christian Plain Style: The Evolution of a Spiritual Ideal. McGill-Queens Press, 1995) A Rhetoric of Forms and Formats Medieval rhetoric . . . became, in at least some of its manifestations, a rhetoric of forms and formats. . . . Medieval rhetoric added to ancient systems its own generic rules, which were necessary because documents themselves had come to stand in for the people as well as for the Word that they meant to convey. By following articulated patterns for greeting, informing, and taking leave of the now-distant and temporarily removed audience, the letter, sermon, or saints life acquired typical (typological) forms.(Susan Miller, Rescuing the Subject: A Critical Introduction to Rhetoric and the Writer. Southern Illinois University Press, 1989) Christian Adaptations of Roman Rhetoric Rhetorical studies traveled with the Romans, but educational practices were not enough to keep rhetoric flourishing. Christianity served to validate and invigorate pagan rhetoric by adapting it to religious ends. Around AD 400, St. Augustine of Hippo wrote De doctrina Christiana (On Christian Doctrine), perhaps the most influential book of its time, for he demonstrated how to take the gold out of Egypt to fortify what would become the Christian rhetorical practices of teaching, preaching, and moving (2.40.60). The medieval rhetorical tradition, then, evolved within the dual influences of Greco-Roman and Christian belief systems and cultures. Rhetoric was also, of course, informed by the gendered dynamics of medieval English society that isolated nearly everyone from intellectual and rhetorical activities. Medieval culture was wholly and decidedly masculine, yet most men, just like all women, were condemned to class-bound silence. The written word was controlled by clergy, the men of the cloth and the Church, who controlled the flow of knowledge for all men and women. (Cheryl Glenn, Rhetoric Retold: Regendering the Tradition from Antiquity Through the Renaissance. Southern Illinois University Press, 1997)

HBOs Organizational Strategy and Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HBOs Organizational Strategy and Culture - Essay Example HBO has adapted the organizational strategy of producing only those contents which other channels avoided to land their feet. In this sense, we can easily assume that HBO is largely focusing on practicing Differentiation as a strategy for its products which are offered to the vast majority of its audience. Thus its organizational strategy is based on differentiation. This is also evident from the fact that HBO over the period of time has been spending heavily in creating its brand identity which seems to be an excellent strategy especially in an industry environment which has very different and unique dynamics and a lot of competition to face. Further, an economic model which HBO is following is sort of unique in the sense that it provides it very readily available revenue as the viewers are charged only $12 over their basic cable bills allowing the company to have enough access to the funds to originate programs of unique and original quality. However, the contents produced are some what specific to one cultural stratum of the society and hardly serve the viewers which live in America but have different cultural values such as Hispanic, Spanish etc communities in the US. Â  The cultural aspect of the organization suggests that it is organizational which is largely driven by the creative ideas and an environment which allow unleashing creativity and innovation which is also evident from the contents produced on the channel. This approach towards developing an organizational culture of creativity, innovation and open communication can especially serve the interest of the channel in the long term because it would provide the necessary impetus to the organization.